The Crazy Battle God Has Returned - Chapter 69

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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 69

Jain hastily dispatched Player Alliance members and Lee Sung-ah, who had seen him before, to protect Han Yu-sung.
But by the time they arrived, everything was already over.

“This is….”
“They’re all dead. How gruesome.”

Inside the One-Room Apartment Building where Han Yu-sung stayed, more than dozens of corpses lay scattered about.
No civilians—all of them were armed Players.

“These guys seem to be operatives from the Under World.”
“Do not enter the building interior! Deadly poison is spreading!”
“Begin detoxification immediately! Have we located Han Yu-sung?”
“We’re searching the perimeter, but he’s not visible yet!”

Lee Kang-hyuk, Deputy Director of the Player Alliance Management Division, bit his lip.
It appeared that someone’s hired hands had attempted to kidnap Han Yu-sung. From the scene, it looked like he had resisted fiercely, but….

‘The extreme toxin permeating the building troubles me. If he’d been poisoned, he wouldn’t have lasted long.’

And now Han Yu-sung’s whereabouts remained unknown.
The enemies had suffered heavy casualties, but they might have succeeded in the kidnapping regardless. If so, they needed to form a pursuit team immediately.
Lee Kang-hyuk made his decision swiftly.

“Report to the Alliance! There’s a strong possibility the target has been abducted. Form a pursuit team right now, before we lose the target….”
“Um… Wait, just a moment.”
“Lee Sung-ah, we’re in a hurry. We can talk later.”
“No, about that target you’re all looking for.”

In the next moment, that judgment crumbled.
Lee Sung-ah pointed beyond them with a bewildered expression.
The dark road illuminated by the streetlight’s glow.

“He seems to be coming over there?”

Han Yu-sung was walking down the road with an air of composure.
Upon seeing him, Lee Sung-ah stammered in bewilderment.
The same was true for the Alliance players, including Lee Kang-hyuk.

“Ms. Lee Sung-ah. Is that man Han Yu-sung?”
“Yes? Yes! That’s him! So, um, can I leave now…?”
“No. I apologize, but please bear with us a little longer.”

Lee Sung-ah nodded urgently.
Not just once, but multiple times—very frantically.
Her face bore an unmistakable terror.
That expression alone confirmed this man was indeed Han Yu-sung.

“….”
“….”

Han Yu-sung, who had been walking, came to a stop before Lee Kang-hyuk and Lee Sung-ah.
The streetlight illuminated Han Yu-sung, and only then did Lee Kang-hyuk notice.
Han Yu-sung’s entire body was drenched in blood.

“You’re players affiliated with the Alliance, correct?”
“Huh?! Uh, ah!”

Han Yu-sung spoke abruptly.
Startled by the sudden question, Lee Kang-hyuk stumbled over his words.
Embarrassed by his own shock, he cleared his throat repeatedly.

“Ahem, yes! The Korean Player Alliance… Ahem! My apologies. I’m Lee Kang-hyuk, Deputy Director of the Alliance Management Division. We urgently needed to confirm….”
“You’re later than expected.”
“I, I apologize. It seems that’s indeed the case.”

Han Yu-sung’s tone was flat, without a hint of blame.
Yet Lee Kang-hyuk’s face flushed with shame.
The fact that they had arrived one step too late was undeniable, and Lee Kang-hyuk knew better than anyone what kind of disaster that had nearly caused.

“Would it be alright if I asked what happened here?”

Han Yu-sung nodded and explained what had happened.
An organization from the Under World called the Hunting Dogs had attacked him, and the Black Flesh Gate, who harbored a grudge for killing Wei Hao, was behind it all.
And he had destroyed the Hunting Dogs’ hideout.
However, he deliberately omitted any mention of Wang Liu-ye.

“Alone, you say?”
“Yes.”

Lee Kang-hyuk couldn’t bring himself to believe Han Yu-sung’s matter-of-fact explanation.
The Hunting Dogs.
A criminal organization with considerable standing in the Under World.
Their numbers reached into the hundreds, and from what he understood, every member was a player exceeding level 100, equipped with classes optimized for dirty work.
Even their contracted lord was the same.

‘He found their hideout and destroyed it all by himself?’

And in such a short span of time at that?
The casual tone of his words made it all the more bewildering.
Han Yu-sung revealed the location where the Hunting Dogs’ hideout had been concealed, and Lee Kang-hyuk immediately dispatched players to investigate.
Before long, reports came back, and they were every bit as shocking as he’d feared.

[It appears to be the Hunting Dogs’ hideout. They had it hidden with barriers, magic, and the lord’s protection. The interior is… a complete disaster.]
[All the members who appear to be Hunting Dogs are dead. There’s one who looks like the leader, and we’re confirming their identity now.]

A report that all the Hunting Dogs inside the hideout were dead.
Even their leader.
Lee Kang-hyuk stared at Han Yu-sung with eyes wide in shock.

“So then, what was it you urgently needed to confirm?”
“Pardon? Ah, yes! My apologies. I’ve been a bit scattered. Ahem!”

Lee Kang-hyuk let out a dry cough.
The reason he and the other Player Alliance members had come here.
First was to protect Han Yu-sung. Though it had come too late and proved meaningless.
And second.

“Well, the reason we sought you out, Han Yu-sung, was…”
“The Alliance Leader wanted to meet me, didn’t he?”
“…Yes. That is… correct.”

Lee Kang-hyuk’s words were cut short as Han Yu-sung spoke first.

“The Alliance Leader has expressed a desire to meet directly with you, Han Yu-sung, given your exceptional performance in this trial. He also mentioned there are several other matters he wishes to discuss.”
“….”

Han Yu-sung listened to Lee Kang-hyuk’s words with his arms crossed.
Witnessing this, Lee Kang-hyuk swallowed hard, tension gripping his throat.

‘Damn it, his expression… I can’t even tell what he’s thinking.’

Han Yu-sung’s face was utterly expressionless.
It was impossible to discern any emotion from it—whether his response to the proposal would be positive or negative remained completely opaque.
A suffocating silence stretched between them.
Just as Lee Kang-hyuk, unable to bear the awkwardness any longer, was about to speak.

“That won’t be possible, I’m afraid.”
“Yes, the Alliance Leader will be so pleased to hear you’ll meet him… Wait?”
“I must respectfully decline. I have far too many pressing matters to attend to.”

Han Yu-sung had rejected the Alliance Leader’s proposal.
It was a response no one had anticipated. Lee Kang-hyuk’s mouth fell open as his eyes blinked rapidly, and Lee Sung-ah behind him exhibited a similarly stunned reaction.
To refuse an invitation from the Player Alliance’s leader.
And from a player still barely more than a novice, no less.

“The Tower of Blood Demon will open soon. I’m occupied with preparations to conquer it, so I have no desire to waste time on other matters. Besides, this entire ordeal has already cost me considerable time.”
“That, that’s certainly true. But, but still!”
“However, please convey something to the Alliance Leader.”
“Yes?”

I’d lost count of how many times I’d left him speechless.
Lee Kang-hyuk’s eyes widened at my unexpected words.
And I continued.

“I have no intention of joining the Player Alliance. However, rest assured—I intend to give my all in the international competition, should the Alliance desire it.”

The proposal the Alliance Leader would make was predictable.
I’d heard it before in my previous life, after all.
And naturally, my past self had rejected that same proposal.
It was better to leverage the Alliance in other ways than to become bound to it.

“And one more thing. I’ll leave the handling of this matter to you.”
“Pardon? When you say handling, do you mean…?”
“If he truly wishes to meet, tell him to come find me directly once the Tower of Blood Demon is conquered. By then, I’ll have some free time, so a meeting should be possible.”
“Wait, just a moment! Han Yu-sung!”

Lee Kang-hyuk rushed to grab Han Yu-sung, but to no avail.
Han Yu-sung didn’t even glance back as he made his way to his studio apartment, gathered what he needed, and promptly departed.
The Alliance players could only stare blankly at his retreating figure.

“Sigh, what on earth is happening….”
“Director, what should we do? Should we at least track him…?”
“No, no. Tracking him might cause unnecessary misunderstandings….”

The Alliance players exchanged flustered words among themselves.
Watching them, Lee Sung-ah couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle.

‘It’s no different from back then.’

The scene felt strangely familiar to her.
It couldn’t have been otherwise.
It was hardly different from how the Destroyers had looked when they were swept up by Han Yu-sung during the previous trial.

* * *

The uppermost floor of the Korean Player Alliance.
Jain listened to Lee Kang-hyuk’s words with a bewildered expression.

“So, he said he wouldn’t come?”
“Yes, yes. He said he’s preparing for the Tower of Blood Demon that will soon appear and doesn’t wish to spend time on other matters. For that reason, he asked me to politely decline…that’s what he said.”
“Did he himself use the word ‘politely’?”

Lee Kang-hyuk nodded silently.
Jain let out an incredulous laugh at the absurdity of it all.
What made it even more absurd was that Han Yu-sung’s message still wasn’t finished.

“And he also said this: As you wish, I will prepare for the international competition with my utmost effort, so there’s no need to worry….”
“So he knew what I called him here for.”

The primary reason Jain wanted to meet Han Yu-sung was precisely that.
The National Warfare Tournament.
Especially this time, the stakes were enormous. To preserve South Korea’s 【National Rank】, one would have to stake their very life.
And the talent needed for that was Han Yu-sung.

“Director Lee Kang-hyuk. Since you’ve met him yourself, you understand. What was your impression when you encountered Han Yu-sung?”
“…I felt he was an uncontrollable figure. I couldn’t imagine him moving under anyone’s command, no matter how subtly.”
“Yes, there’s no other way to make sense of his actions.”
“Perhaps that was his intention all along.”

Park Yu-ha, who had been observing silently, suddenly interjected.

“If he possesses the strength to single-handedly destroy organizations in the Under World without hesitation, that’s what it means. Considering his conduct at Dragon’s Tomb.”
“So he doesn’t fear bloodshed. In a sense, he relishes it and even leverages it to his advantage.”
“Precisely. In this situation, organizations targeting Han Yu-sung will move cautiously for some time. Because he’s an unpredictable opponent.”

Was that his calculation? Or perhaps it was excessive speculation on her part.
Jain fell into deep contemplation.
Her original plan had been to make contact with Han Yu-sung and, offering him the finest treatment, somehow bring him into the Alliance.
She’d harbored this thought since his activities during the 【Hunting Night】.

“So he has no intention of joining the Alliance, then…”

Jain exhaled a sigh and leaned back deeply into her chair.
Not all Korean Players joined the Alliance. The Player Alliance had never possessed such coercive authority in the first place.
Instead, it had merely incentivized membership by offering benefits to those who joined.

“He doesn’t see the necessity of the Alliance. At his level, that’s entirely understandable. It’s unfortunate in many ways.”
“Ah, and there’s one more thing he asked me to convey.”
“There’s more? What is it?”

Jain’s curiosity was piqued.
Seeing her reaction, Lee Kang-hyuk hesitated before speaking.

“He said he would leave the handling of this matter to the Alliance. And, well, if you truly wish to meet him, come find him directly after the Tower conquest is complete…”
“…”

The contents of the message were nothing short of astonishing.
Both Jain, the person directly involved, and Park Yu-ha, who listened, widened their eyes.
Jain couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh.

“Well, that’s absurd.”

Was it audacious, or was it arrogance?
Jain fell silent in contemplation.
Was she angry? Lee Kang-hyuk, standing across from her, carefully gauged her expression.
Soon, emotion surfaced on Jain’s face.

“Fine. I’ll trust that promise to do your best in the international competition. Park Yu-ha, you handle the aftermath of this matter.”
“Understood. There will be quite a lot to manage, one way or another.”

Cleaning up after the dismantled Hunting Dogs.
Delivering a formal protest to the Black Flesh Gate regarding this incident.
And suppressing the matter so it doesn’t become public gossip.
She had essentially dumped all the tedious work onto the Alliance.
But it didn’t matter.

“If he’s worth it.”

A valuable player could never be treated too well.
Soon, at the Tower of Blood Demon, I would be able to confirm the value Han Yu-sung possessed once more.
Depending on the results, the Alliance’s attitude toward him would shift.
If he demonstrated extraordinary achievements in the Tower as he had in the trial.

‘As he said, I’ll have no choice but to meet him in person.’

For the Alliance and the nation, and for my own curiosity as well.
I would have to meet Han Yu-sung face to face.

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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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