The Crazy Battle God Has Returned - Chapter 349

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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A Mad Swordsman Returns – Chapter 349

Han Yu-sung gazed upon the scene unfolding directly before me.
What came into view was a vast cosmos with an enormous circle suspended within it.
And before my eyes, a system window materialized.

[Battlefield: All-Out War.]
[A battlefield composed of the ‘Central Challenge’ and one ‘Route’. Victory in war can be achieved by occupying the opponent Lord’s Central Challenge.]
[Entry Restrictions: None.]
[Level Restrictions: None.]
[Maximum Personnel: 10,000 Oath-takers and 20,000 soldiers per faction.]

A war that could deploy a total of 30,000 personnel.
Messages explaining the ‘All-Out War’ appeared in succession.

[The victory condition for this ‘All-Out War’ is to occupy the 【Central Challenge】. Upon breaking through the ‘Route’ arranged in a straight line and successfully occupying the Central Challenge, you are considered victorious in the All-Out War.]
[In All-Out War, when attacking an enemy’s Challenge, the ‘special effects’ of the allied Challenge that touches it are applied to allies in buff form.]

The Lord War I once waged against the Lord of the Dead had two routes.
With Challenges placed on each of the two routes to serve as battlefields, it was a battlefield where one route had to be defended while the other required full commitment to offense.
But unlike then, this Lord War was arranged in a straight line.

“The Challenges that can be installed on the Route are… a total of five, then.”
[There’s nothing significantly different from the Golden War.]
“Right. I can configure the Central Challenge the same way as back then.”

The Challenge I had deployed as the Central Challenge in the past Golden War.
There was no need to speak of what that was.

[Deploying the 【Tower of Records】 as the ‘Central Challenge’.]

Han Yu-sung and Kakasha deployed the remaining Challenges while conversing.
Now all that remained was the Challenge to be deployed on the front lines.
Han Yu-sung, who had been pondering for a moment, suddenly posed a question to Kakasha.

“Kakasha. Did you choose the format of this Lord War?”
[No. The choice fell to Achiros, so I left it to him. This ‘All-Out War’ format is the style he desired.]
“Hmm, so Achiros wanted this…”

Han Yu-sung smiled with evident interest.
Kakasha wore the same expression.

“He seems brimming with confidence.”
[It appears so. Rather than dispersing his forces across two routes, he intends to clash head-on without unnecessary complications and claim victory. I can sense the will and conviction that Achiros possesses.]
“Whether that’s confidence or arrogance, we’ll find out soon enough.”

And there would be room to exploit that confidence.
Han Yu-sung knew what kind of Lord Achiros was. They had clashed for a long time in his previous life. The same was true for Kakasha.
A man possessed of confidence and the skill to match it.
The Oath-takers under his command were no different.

[It’s more likely he’ll take the offensive rather than focus on defending against our attacks. I cannot imagine him dedicating himself to defense.]
“Exactly. So then, the first Trial should be….”
[It would be better to deploy a Trial that aids our forces in combat. We do have one Trial obtained from Geomson, though.]

As it happened, there was a useful Trial available.

[Trial: Test of the Blade.]
[A Trial possessed by the Wanderer, ‘Geomson’. Those who enter this Trial must undergo a test against soldiers and Oath-takers stationed by Geomson. Those who complete the test are granted the right to receive Geomson’s blessing.]
[The soldiers and Oath-takers stationed in this Trial are granted ‘Geomson’s Blessing’. Those undergoing the test receive a diminished version of ‘Geomson’s Blessing’, and the blessing grows stronger by stages with each enemy defeated.]
[Entry Restriction: None.]
[Entry Fee: None.]

It was a Trial Kakasha had discovered in Geomson’s Territory.
He was, after all, merely a Wanderer. Even if he possessed a Trial, he could not openly offer it like other Lords.
More importantly, this Trial was never intended for such a purpose in the first place.

“It seems like a Trial designed to select Oath-takers.”
[That appears to be the case. Geomson was famous for being selective about his Oath-takers. Whenever he took notice of someone, he would have them undergo this test to verify their qualifications. It should prove useful to us.]

The ‘Geomson’s Blessing’ that this Trial possessed would be invaluable.
Kakasha decided to deploy the Test of the Blade at the front lines.
Once all preparations were complete, Han Yu-sung surveyed his surroundings.

“As for the shortage in personnel… well, there’s nothing to be done about it.”
[We have gathered all the personnel we could muster.]

The War Covenant Members were preparing for battle.
However, their numbers fell short of ten thousand—merely six thousand five hundred.
Considering the enemy had filled their ranks completely, it was woefully insufficient.

“The Draken are present, but not all of them are combat personnel. Some must remain to defend their homeland….”
[Hmm. I’d say it’s a miracle that five thousand gathered at all. The Blood Cult did manage to recruit some personnel as well.]

The Blood Cult’s core forces had been dragged into the Trial.
From those remaining, filtering for individuals capable of fighting in a Lords’ War yielded barely a thousand.
The remaining five hundred were conscripted from Earth.

‘I could forcibly gather more personnel if needed.’

In truth, filling ten thousand slots wasn’t difficult.
The problem was being forced to drag in those incapable of combat.
Naturally, that wasn’t the vision Han Yu-sung desired.
So I decided to recruit only those capable of fighting.

‘For now, I’ve done everything I can….’

Using the sacred relics seized from Geomson and Achiros, I further strengthened the ‘Flames of War’ and the ‘Heart of War’.
I absorbed the ‘Fortress of Hymns’ and crafted a sacred relic, which I handed to Kaldrex.
Beyond that, I equipped my forces to the maximum with sacred relics and items.
It’s unfortunate that the Oath-takers who fought alongside me in the Lords’ War aren’t here.
But this represents the maximum I could do within reasonable limits.

“What remains is how I perform.”
[You’re confident, so you’re planning to strike first, aren’t you?]
“Of course.”

The situation differs little from the Golden War.
Back then, I committed my forces to defense while I alone assaulted the enemy.
The enemy has grown stronger, but my role remains unchanged.

Whoooosh!

[The Lord of War has completed her positioning in the Difficult Realm.]
[The Lord of Justice has completed her positioning in the Difficult Realm.]

Five Difficult Realms were deployed on both our side and the enemy’s.
I couldn’t yet know which Difficult Realms Achiros had deployed, or what power they would grant to the Oath Keepers of Justice.
I would need to remain somewhat cautious.

[Warning: The value of the Difficult Realms deployed by the Lord of Justice is somewhat lower than the value of the Difficult Realms deployed by the Lord of War.]
[Should the Lord of Justice lose this ‘full-scale war’, she must offer additional wealth to compensate for the insufficient value.]

An intriguing message.
I found myself curious about what kind of reaction Achiros would show.
I could see the Difficult Realms deployed on the Battlefield radiating brilliant light.
Han Yu-sung stepped forward, gripping his sword tightly.

“Well then, shall we begin?”

* * *

Contrary to Han Yu-sung’s expectations.
Achiros showed no particular reaction upon seeing the message.
He had anticipated it to some degree.

[The Tower of Records, then. A decent Difficult Realm.]

Because he believed those Difficult Realms would soon be his.
Why would he be angry about Difficult Realms that would soon fall into his grasp? He felt only joy at possessing such valuable treasures.
And above all, what mattered now was something else entirely.

– A laughable matter, but Lord of Justice.
– Beware the human, Han Yu-sung. Guard against him more than you already do.

The words the Arbiter had spoken echoed through my mind.
Before gods and Lords, humans were far too insignificant.
Yet that god was telling me to beware of a human.
What could be the reason?

[Demonic Energy.]

As I know all too well, it’s ‘Demonic Energy’.
For reasons unknown, Han Yu-sung possesses the ability to wield this peculiar force called Demonic Energy.
And it’s on an entirely different level from ordinary Demonic Energy.
Achiros had harbored suspicions about this from the beginning.

[Then what exactly is this Demonic Energy that man wields?]

Achiros had gathered all the necessary information. And as a result, he realized that this Demonic Energy resembled what the Wanderers used.
The problem was.
He had no idea how to counter it.

– That method, I believe I can provide.

Needless to say, it was the Arbiter who offered the solution.
He was a god who had lived since the distant past. He understood well the Demonic Energy wielded by the Wanderers.

– It merely bears the name of Demonic Energy, but its true essence is a force incomparable to Demonic Energy itself. However, even that is a significantly degraded version of its original form.
[Spare me the unnecessary explanations. What I want is a method. Is there a way to counter this Demonic Energy used by that man and the Wanderers?]
– Of course.

The Arbiter provided exactly the method Achiros desired most.
The special ‘Holy Relic’ he bestowed upon Achiros took root within him.

[Holy Relic, 【Gaze of the Absolute】 has been acquired.]

– With this Holy Relic, you should be able to resist the Demonic Energy that man uses. If he employs a similar force, you can counter that as well.

Achiros clenched the Holy Relic that had come into his grasp.
A means to resist Demonic Energy.
The moment he saw this, a question arose.

[…I have something I want to ask. You said the Lord of War and Han Yu-sung achieved victory against Geomson in their war. Was the force he used Demonic Energy?]
– There are traces, but I cannot say with certainty.

It was an ambiguous answer.
Geomson is a Wanderer, so he would use Demonic Energy. He would also know how to counter it.
Yet he was defeated by Han Yu-sung and the Lord of War?
It was an unbelievable story.
The Arbiter understood this as well.

– There is only one thing that troubles me….

The Arbiter shook his head as he spoke.
It was far too unrealistic, a power that no human could wield.
And above all else.

– There is no way to counter it, so there is nothing more to discuss. Lord of Justice. I await your victory.
[….]

The Arbiter departed, leaving those words behind.
At the same moment, the support promised by the Gods arrived at the Sanctuary.
Countless equipment and soldiers, along with everything that would aid in the Lords’ War.
And even a certain degree of ‘intervention’.

[What an absurd situation.]

I could not help but think so.
A Lord I had once brought to ruin. He had only recently reclaimed his power.
And yet I, the Lord of Justice, must prepare to this extent merely to guard against a single human who is his Apostle. It was utterly ridiculous.
The situation was nothing short of laughable.

[But then again, there is nothing more absurd than defeat.]

All the foundations for victory had been laid.
Achiros, the Lord of Justice, surveyed his Oath-takers.
And those who had newly become ‘Apostles’ as well.

[As always, we shall emerge victorious.]

A thunderous boom resonated.

At that same moment, a massive pathway materialized at the edge of the Difficult Realm where Achiros had positioned his front lines.
It was a path leading to the Difficult Realm that the enemy had established.

[Advance. In the name of Justice, pass judgment upon our enemies.]

A roar echoed across the battlefield.
The Oath Keepers of Justice and the soldiers began their advance in unison.
Toward the Difficult Realm beyond, where the Lord of War and Han Yu-sung awaited.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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