The Crazy Battle God Has Returned - Chapter 79

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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 79

Darkness seeped into every corner of the world.
More precisely, it was the aura of the dead—a miasma known as ‘death essence’.

“Ugh, uaaaaaahhhhh!”
“W-what! What is this suddenly—!”
“Ahhh! My body…!”

Screams erupted from all directions.
Han Yu-sung furrowed his brow as he surveyed his surroundings.
I could see the bodies of those consumed by death essence rapidly transforming.
Flesh rotted away, bones laid bare, and reason vanished in an instant.

“Grrr, eeeeee…”
“Uuuuuuh…”

The people had transformed into the undead in mere moments.
Ordinary civilians couldn’t withstand this death essence—Players might fare better, but even they would struggle.
Such was the caliber of this miasma.
It couldn’t be otherwise.

[An 【Open Difficult Realm】 has opened in this area.]
[An unknown Lord has set their sights on you…]

This stemmed from the Lord who had opened the Difficult Realm.
An Open Difficult Realm wasn’t like a standard Difficult Realm where one entered a specific space—it unfolded across Earth itself.
When an Open Difficult Realm opened, those within its range couldn’t leave until the Realm ended.
There was an exceedingly simple way to explain this.

‘Gate.’

Players called Open Difficult Realms by another name: 【Gate】.
A Gate would open in the area a Lord targeted, and the Lord’s soldiers waiting beyond would pour through en masse, attacking the region.
The entire structure was identical to the Gates that had appeared in the past.

[Whoever this insane Lord is, well—I think I know. She spends coins like water! How enviable!]
“I couldn’t agree more.”

Kakasha was right.
Open-type Difficult Realms were not particularly favored by the Lords.
One couldn’t earn significant Coins, and without receiving the gods’ evaluation, there were no separate evaluation rewards to claim.
Moreover, unlike ordinary Difficult Realms, open-type ones functioned as a sort of penalty system, requiring far more Coins to initiate.
With nothing to gain and massive Coin expenditure, it was only natural they were avoided.

‘Yet for one to appear like this….’

First, the purpose of attacking a specific region.
When harboring a grudge, pursuing some objective, or striking at territory ruled by an enemy Lord.
And second.

[“Found you.”]

The purpose of killing a specific individual.
A voice mocking Han Yu-sung echoed from somewhere.

[“This time, I’ve found you properly. Without you, I wouldn’t have been able to open this Difficult Realm…”]

Han Yu-sung gazed upward into the void.
The sky had turned pitch black, revealing nothing.
Yet an overwhelming presence could be felt.
The presence of a Lord.

[“A cruel fate, isn’t it? Human, the time has come to pay the price for what you’ve done.”]
“So you finally found me? Lord of the Dead.”

There was no question as to who possessed this presence.
A power so overwhelming that mere contact could turn someone into the dead.
Only the Lord of the Dead could possess such an ability.
And Han Yu-sung’s judgment was not mistaken.

[“Insolent. A mere human, daring to speak a Lord’s true name so casually?”]
“I don’t need to show courtesy to a Lord targeting me.”
[“Be grateful. Among all the races, you—a lowly human—have etched yourself into my memory. For that alone, you should show respect. Shouldn’t you?”]
[That woman is truly unbearable every time I see her!]

Kakasha snorted inside my mind.
I was grateful the Lord of the Dead hadn’t heard that.
It seemed to be no ordinary grudge—if he had, things would have become far more troublesome.

[“When you think about it, there’s no luxury quite like opening a Difficult Realm just to kill a human. But what can I do? I simply must verify it….”]

A soft rustling sound.

Sinister eyes materialized before Han Yu-sung.
A gaze that seemed capable of piercing through anything fixed upon him.

[“You haven’t made a contract with the Lord of Shadow, have you?”]
“….”

Han Yu-sung merely smiled silently, offering no response.
The Lord of the Dead had opened the open-type Difficult Realm for two purposes.
First, to kill Han Yu-sung. And second.

[“Do you remember? The Giant Siege. If you had been that woman’s Apostle, I wouldn’t have been able to open this Difficult Realm. Yet here it is, open.”]
[So that loser has apparently made a non-aggression pact with Shadow.]

Kakasha growled.
It must be a pact made after the Giant Siege.
An agreement to bury what had transpired between them and refrain from attacking each other for a time.
Such pacts typically carried binding force.
Had Han Yu-sung been the Shadow Lord’s Apostle, the Lord of the Dead would have been unable to open the open-type Difficult Realm due to that binding force.
Because instinctively, one refuses to violate such a pact.

“Do you still remember that incident?”
[“How could I forget? The losses I suffered because of it were immense. But most importantly… my pride was wounded.”]
“So you’re going to kill me here?”

No answer came.
Only a mocking laugh echoed instead.
Malevolent energy rose from the ground, converging before Han Yu-sung, then transformed into the shape of an undead creature.
An undead radiating tremendous magical power.
A Lich.

[“Do you remember who you are? You’re a human who died because of me. Since you weren’t worth giving a chance, I killed you with my own hands and elevated you to a higher form of existence.”]
“How twisted. You turned an Oath-taker loyal to you into an undead.”
[“This child is actually delighted. They’re thrilled that despite their worthlessness, they can now serve me even in death.”]

Han Yu-sung examined the lich’s face.
I couldn’t identify who it was. But based on what the Lord of the Dead was saying, it was likely one of the Covenant of the Dead I’d encountered in Yeoju City.

[“And this is the future you will face.”]

The space around us tore open.
Beyond that rift, undead surged in like a tidal wave.
They were all high-tier undead.
Mid-tier undead like Dullahan and Death Mage, and even high-tier undead like Death Knight.
They commanded the undead legions while targeting Han Yu-sung.

– Grrrraaaaahhhhh….
– Kill the Lord’s enemy….
– Shhhhh… We must offer that human to the Lord….

The undead formed an encirclement.
Leading the charge was the lich the Lord of the Dead had just shown me.
‘Kang Jung-in’. With him at the forefront, the liches rose up in unison, their morale surging.

[“Kill him.”]

Boom!
Dark magic unleashed by the liches and Death Mages poured down.
The earth trembled, roads shattered, and dust billowed into the air.

– Continue unleashing magic….
– Death Knights, advance with the soldiers…!
– Graaaaaahhhhh!

Their sole target was Han Yu-sung.
The Players who had the misfortune of being caught up in this fled in panic, but the undead paid them no attention whatsoever.
They had only one command from their Lord—to kill Han Yu-sung.
The Death Knight advanced alongside the undead legions.
At that very moment.

– Roooaarrr!

Beyond the swirling dust, a beast’s roar erupted.
With that sound, a sharp force swept across the surroundings, and marks appeared above the heads of the undead advancing toward Han Yu-sung.
These were the marks left by 【Night of the Hunt】.

[Ignores 15% of the marked enemy’s defense.]
[Deals additional damage each time you attack the marked target.]
[Hunt your enemies and strengthen yourself!]

The undead stared at the marks floating above their heads.
Then, beyond the thick dust, a thunderous boom erupted.
The sound of something heavy striking through empty air.
And then.

【Blood Sea Crimson Flame Field】.

Kwaaaaaaaa!

– Kuo, uooo…?!
– Guaaaaaaaa…!

A shockwave of blood and flame swept across the undead.
Fire incinerated rotting bodies, and blood pierced through the enemies.
The screams of burning undead echoed across the battlefield.
Han Yu-sung emerged from beyond the dissipating dust.

– The enemy is there…!
– Advance! We are an immortal army…!

Countless undead fell.
But it mattered not. The undead were a force that feared no death.
Besides, our numbers are infinite. As long as the Gate remains intact, the undead will continue to emerge.
There was no reason to fear.

“Indeed you will.”

Han Yu-sung activated 【Asura Path】 as enemies surged toward him.
The ‘Rusted Blade’ in his grip began to absorb his master’s blood. Then crimson blood energy enveloped the blade, scattering an ominous aura in all directions.

[The Rusted Sword is slightly enhanced.]
[Blood-type skill damage on the sword increases by +30%.]
[Skills utilizing the sword are classified as ‘Blood-type’.]

Asura Blade, rather than enhancing the sword, continuously absorbs the owner’s blood.
It was tantamount to perpetually draining life force.
Under normal circumstances, such a drawback would be impossible to ignore.
But paired with Hunt of the Night, everything changed.

Whoooosh!

Han Yu-sung stamped the ground and unleashed his blade.
The sword, concentrated with blood essence, shot forth, cleaving through the void.
A single slash.
Yet dozens of slashes erupted outward.

Shhhhwaaaack!

– Gaaahhhhh…!
– You… bastard…!

Heaven’s Blood Ten Thousand Sword Technique.
Sword auras forged of blood shot forth, engulfing the undead.
In an instant, undead collapsed with their bodies severed to pieces.
High-ranking undead, including Death Knights, managed to protect themselves—but that was all.
They could not withstand Han Yu-sung’s follow-up assault.
Countless shadow blades pierced through them.

[Sufficient enemies hunted.]
[Attack power, agility, and speed increase by +10%.]

I felt my body grow lighter from the effect of Hunt of the Night.
Han Yu-sung swiftly assessed the situation as he dispatched the surging undead.

‘Fighting these creatures here is meaningless.’

The reason was simple.
The enemy numbers were, quite literally, ‘infinite’.

[Difficult Realm: Endless Death.]
[An ‘open-ended Difficult Realm’ created by the Lord of the Dead. Undead continue to emerge from the Gate, and their strength increases as time passes.]
[You must find the Gate before death can no longer be stopped. But that process will be difficult and arduous….]
[Victory Conditions: Destroy the Gate, or survive for 24 hours.]

The description of the Difficult Realm was accurate.
As long as the Gate exists, the undead will continue to emerge. And the longer time passes, the higher their strength becomes.
So I had to destroy the Gate before that happened and end this Difficult Realm.
Of course, the Lord of the Dead would know that well too. That’s why he would use every means at his disposal to hide the Gate and protect it.

“Kakasha.”
[Kufufu! I suspected you would search for me!]

That’s why Han Yu-sung decided to use Kakasha as a detection tool.
After all, this coin-eating hippo was one of the Star Lords.
Moreover, a Lord bearing an epithet. Since this creature stuck to Han Yu-sung and followed him around, couldn’t I use it to find the Gate?
And that thought proved correct.

[I feel it, I feel it! It’s over there!]
“If you’re wrong, be prepared.”
[What! Ah, no, be prepared….]

Kakasha’s spirit deflated instantly.
Han Yu-sung chuckled softly and stirred up the blood around me. I gripped my sword and unfurled two skills simultaneously.

【Blood Burst】.
【Earth Shattering】.

Kwaaaang!

The fragments and dust from the tremendous explosion obscured my vision.
When they finally settled.

– The enemy has vanished. Our Lord’s enemy….
– Where… not even a trace….

Han Yu-sung, who had been there just moments before, was gone.
The undead looked around in panic.
The eyes watching that scene twitched with displeasure.

[“Find the Gate? Meaningless. This labyrinth is of my own creation.”]
[“Search for it. You cannot leave this place anyway. Do not disappoint me.”]

The undead scattered frantically in all directions.
The Lord of the Dead clicked his tongue and summoned the Covenant of the Dead who had been waiting.
It was to ensure that Han Yu-sung would be killed without fail, preparing for any contingency.

[“I shall make you part of my collection. With special care, no less.”]

A sinister smile spread across the darkened sky.

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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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