The Crazy Battle God Has Returned - Chapter 42

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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 42

An upheaval had occurred.
An unknown participant had succeeded in conquering the Snake Ruin faster than anyone else.
And they had done so by personally eliminating Maezato Oju, one of the tournament favorites.
Some cheered at this revelation, others were bewildered, and still others fell into despair.
As these varied reactions rippled through the crowd.

The architect of this upheaval.
Han Yu-sung was waiting for the Star Store to open.

[The Star Store (Bronze) has opened.]
[You have satisfied the activation condition for the unique ability ‘Mad God’.]
[The tier of products registered in the Star Store has increased by one level!]

The Star Store had opened as a reward for clearing the event.
Thanks to the Mad God’s effect activating once more, Silver-tier items had appeared. However, no special items had been added this time.
Han Yu-sung checked the Star Points he had earned.

[You have conquered the Snake Ruin faster than anyone.]
[The Lord of War has acquired 100,000 Coins.]
[You have earned 20,000 Star Points as a reward for conquering the Dungeon.]
[Due to the Constraint effect, the Star Points multiplier has increased fivefold.]
[You have acquired a total of 100,000 Star Points!]

A substantial amount of both Coins and Star Points had come in.
Han Yu-sung first purchased and consumed a potion to recover from status abnormalities.
The aftereffects of using Il-dok’s inner core were beginning to manifest.
It was a potion worth a staggering 10,000 Star Points.

[You have consumed the Alchemist’s Secret Medicine (Epic).]
[A mysterious energy purifies your body completely.]

“Ahhh…”

I felt the toxic energy accumulated in my body and the side effects of my inner core dissipate.
Han Yu-sung examined the merchandise while waiting for the medicinal energy to spread through his body.
Last time, thanks to special items being added, I had managed to obtain the Spirit Pearl, but unfortunately, there were no such items this time.
Still, there were things worth buying.

[Blue Tower Grimoire (A) – 20,000 Star Points]
· Skill book containing Ice Spear, Ice Wall, and Frost Nova.

There was one grimoire available.
Han Yu-sung spent his Star Points to purchase the grimoire and used it immediately.
With 70,000 Star Points remaining, he decided to close the Star Store for now.

‘It’s about time the promotion match opens.’

Han Yu-sung had performed brilliantly in two events.
At this level, I had more than enough qualifications to advance to Silver Tier. It was highly likely that I would soon be selected as a candidate for the Silver promotion match.
There was no rush to spend the remaining Star Points—I could use them after that.

“Then, what’s left is….”

There was still an unconfirmed message.

[You have conquered the Snake Ruin.]
[Rewards are given based on the number of tokens you possess.]
[Number of tokens held: 2,075.]
[You receive the highest level of rewards!]

It was a message related to token rewards.
2,075 tokens was more than what Maezato Oju had obtained when he conquered the Snake Ruin in my previous life.
It meant I could obtain better rewards than what he had received.
And that reward was given to me now.

[From the token reward, you have obtained Heuk-ah (Legendary), Purified Inner Core of the Poison King (Legendary), and Skill Book: Halden-style Swordsmanship (S).]
[Additionally, you receive a massive amount of experience reward.]
[Your level has increased by 9 stages!]
[Strength +9, Agility +9, Stamina +9.]
[Through the effect of Godly Body, Strength, Agility, and Stamina are additionally increased by +3!]

Two Legendary items, and an S-rank skill book.
Enough experience to raise my level by nine stages at once.
Han Yu-sung snatched the items descending slowly through the air.
A throwing knife, a skill book, and an inner core—something I’d grown tired of seeing in dungeons.

[Black Fang (Legendary)]
· Slot: Weapon (Throwing Knife).
· Attack Power: 95.
· Agility +5, Throwing Knife Speed +30%.
· Reduces all stats of hit enemies by 5%. (Maximum 10%)
· Returns to its owner when a specific gesture is performed after throwing.

[Purified Inner Core of the Poison King (Legendary)]
· The inner core of a monster once called the Poison King.
· Upon consumption, all stats of the consumer increase by +10, and the skill Thousand Toxin Mastery (S) is acquired.

A decent debuff-infused throwing knife.
I liked the option that it returns automatically even after being thrown. Though I wondered if there would be many opportunities to actively use it since it was a throwing knife.
And the inner core was a type of elixir.

‘Well, there’s nothing to deliberate over.’

Han Yu-sung consumed the inner core and immediately learned the skill book.
There was no reason to hold back on these items.
The Poison King’s inner core melted within my body. The energy contained within it spread and transformed into power, bestowing a new skill.

[All stats have increased by +10.]
[Passive Skill, Thousand Toxin Mastery (S) has been acquired.]
[Active Skill, Halden-style Swordsmanship (S) has been acquired.]

[Thousand Toxin Mastery (S)]
· Classification: Passive.
· Regeneration Speed +20%, Poison Resistance +40%.
· Automatically detoxifies any type of poison upon poisoning. Additionally, reverses poison to strengthen one’s own body.
· Overcomes all types of status ailments more rapidly.

[Halden-Style Swordsmanship (S)]
· Classification: Active.
· A destructive swordsmanship wielded by the Mercenary King Halden. Specialized in destroying the opponent’s equipment, though some techniques have been lost.
· Effect: When using this swordsmanship, Defense Penetration +35%, making it easier to destroy the opponent’s weapons and armor.
· First Form, ‘Shattering’: Unleash robust sword energy to deliver a barrage of fierce consecutive strikes.
· Second Form, ‘Rupture’: Scratch the ground forcefully to create debris, then slash upward. Launch mana-infused fragments to destroy enemies ahead.
· Third Form, ‘Full Moon’: Rotate the body greatly to cut down everything around. Sword energy spreads like a whirlwind, cutting down surrounding enemies together.
· Fourth Form, ‘Annihilation’: Condense mana, then detonate it alongside a slash.

Universal Poison Resistance.
Among players, there are those who utilize poison as their primary weapon.
Such opponents are difficult to face with poison resistance alone. They possess skills that ignore poison resistance to a certain degree.
Universal Poison Resistance will prove helpful when facing such enemies.

“That said, the Mercenary King, huh.”
[Quite a grandiose title. One might call it arrogant.]

An S-rank skill, Halden-Style Swordsmanship.
I had already learned the Lucen Kingdom Swordsmanship skill. However, that technique was at a level with no advantages beyond speed.
It was unavoidable for a low-rank skill.
An S-rank swordsmanship would be useful. The skill itself was quite intriguing.

‘So I’ve obtained two Legendary items and two S-rank skills.’

The rewards for clearing a single Dungeon were extraordinary.
Even Oju in my past life never obtained rewards of this caliber. It was only possible because I had acquired more Tokens than he did.
In any case, I had obtained everything there was to obtain.

‘Things will be noisy for a while.’

There would be talk about this event from various quarters.
That Maezato Oju, Japan’s promising prospect, had suffered an overwhelming defeat.
Moreover, if there were a perceptive Lord among them, there was a possibility they would notice that the victor of the last Consecutive Victory Tournament and this Dungeon conquest were the same person.

‘Well, it’s not bad for things to get noisy.’

Eventually, it would all work to my advantage.
Then, Kakasha suddenly spoke to me.

[You there, I have one curiosity.]
“A curiosity?”
[That madman you fought just moments ago—you said he was weaker than you expected. Were you trying to provoke him?]
“No, well. It wasn’t really provocation, so to speak.”
[You meant it sincerely, then.]

I had meant it sincerely.
The Maezato Oju I remembered from my past life was stronger than this.
It was only natural, of course. As time passed, Oju would accumulate experience and grow stronger by acquiring various skills and equipment.

[I thought you were trying to provoke him. To speak such words so calmly in that situation… you truly are something.]

Kakasha clicked his tongue as if exasperated.
But what could be done about it?

“I didn’t expect the fight to be so dull at that level.”

If I hadn’t had the experience of my past life, it might have been entertaining.
I exhaled a sigh and took a step forward.

[To speak such words to the very end… truly a vicious human you are…]

Leaving Kakasha’s astonished reaction behind.

* * *

Maezato Oju had failed to conquer the Snake Ruin.
Maezato Oju was someone regarded as possessing the worst personality, yet equally formidable skill and considerable potential.
His failure dealt no small shock to Japanese player society.
And to the Lord of Justice with whom Oju had contracted, and her Sworn Servants.

“…Quite literally, it was one-sided. The young master failed to land a single proper attack before his defeat.”

Japan, the Zangetsu Guild House.
Normally used by Maezato Oju, but now vacant as he received treatment for severe injuries—a place no one else frequented.
There, Ran lay prostrate, reporting to someone.

“That is… everything I witnessed, Chairman.”

A floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the sprawling cityscape below.
A middle-aged man, an elderly man, and someone in between stood gazing out at the view.
Oju’s father—the chairman who led a Major Japanese Conglomerate.
Maezato Rinzo.

“How disappointing.”

After a long silence, Rinzo spoke those words.
At his words, Ran trembled and prostrated herself even lower.

“Have you discovered their identity?”
“All we can assume is that they’re Asian… Our tracking teams are searching across various parts of Asia as we speak. It’s only a matter of time….”
“You must find them.”

Rinzo slowly turned his head.
Eyes as cold as ice pierced through Ran.

“Find them and kill them, or recruit them. One of the two.”
“By recruit, do you mean naturalization, sir?”
“Precisely. If they’re a player from another nation, that’s the only way.”

A powerful player was no different from a strategic weapon.
A nation’s strength depended on how many such players it possessed.
This was why the United States and Japan were considered player superpowers—their players were both formidable and numerous.
Much of this advantage came from naturalizing players from other nations.

“The moment you learn their identity, report directly to me.”
“Yes, understood, Chairman.”

Rinzo waved his hand dismissively.
Ran quickly left the room, and silence settled over the space.
Alone now, Rinzo gazed out the window and clicked his tongue.

“Incompetent fool. Unable to clear even a single event like this….”

Maezato Rinzo was the one they called a madman and murderer—Maezato Oju.
What had been my reason for shielding such a son?
Because he was my son?
Nonsense. It was because of Oju’s talent.
He possessed the gift of a Player—something I myself had never cultivated.
Rinzo recalled a message he had seen not long ago.

[“I thought he possessed considerable potential.”]
[“Is this all? How disappointing.”]

It was a message from the Lord of Justice, with whom Oju and I had made our contract.
Rinzo’s eyes trembled as he recalled those words.

‘I’ve fallen one step further from the Apostle position.’

The Lord of Justice had not yet appointed an Apostle.
The high-ranking Sworn Servants of Justice were all vying for the ‘Apostle’ title. As the chairman of a Major Japanese Conglomerate, I was among them.
What kind of being was a Star Lord? Were they not transcendents who traversed dimensions?
Becoming their Apostle would grant immense power.
Whether the strength of a Player or the strength of authority and influence.

‘I’ve climbed this far using wealth and power. But as a Player, this is my limit. That’s why I need Oju.’

I had to cultivate Oju to surpass the other competitors.
If the grown Oju became my blade, there would be so much more I could accomplish.
But my incompetent son failed in an unexpected place.
Rinzo bit his lip and examined the message before his eyes.

[Maezato Rinzo.]
[I heard your son was injured. Are you well? As a fellow Sworn Servant of the same Lord, I’m concerned. If you need any assistance, don’t hesitate to reach out. – Lee Su-ho.]

“Lee Su-ho, that bastard… this was my chance while he was failing…”

Lee Su-ho, one of the Sworn Servants closest to the Apostle position.
He had recently lost some favor after failing at ‘Lord hunting.’ I should have seized this opportunity, yet here I was, held back by this entanglement.
Rinzo closed his eyes.

“I must become an Apostle. For my family, for Japan itself.”

Without fail.

* * *

While so many sought the position of Achiros’s Apostle.
In Seoul, in a shabby studio apartment.

[Kuhuhuh! Rejoice, Sworn Servant! At last…!]
[I can finally appoint you as my Apostle!]

A new Apostle was about to be born.
Han Yu-sung clicked his tongue as he listened to Kakasha’s voice, brimming with excitement.

“You’ve been devouring coins like a hippopotamus, and finally it’s bearing fruit.”
[Kyaak! Don’t speak of me as if I were a pig!]
“I said hippopotamus, not pig.”
[What difference does it make!]

The flames of war resting on the bed flickered as if enraged.
Naturally, Han Yu-sung paid it no mind.

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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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