The Crazy Battle God Has Returned - Chapter 81

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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 81

Korean Player Alliance Garden.
Jain walked silently through the empty garden.

“….”

Her mind was consumed with thoughts of Han Yu-sung.
The man who had overcome God’s Trial and conquered the Tower of Blood Demon.
The entire world was in an uproar over the displays he had shown while clearing the tower.
The problem was.

“Sigh… I simply cannot find where he is.”
“I apologize. We are doing our best to locate him, but….”
“No, never mind. This is not your fault.”

It was impossible to determine where Han Yu-sung had gone.
He had already left the studio apartment where he used to live. According to the building owner, he had departed without revealing his destination.
Park Yu-ha, standing beside her, bowed his head apologetically.

“He surely has not left the country.”
“Yes. Perhaps due to the previous incident, other nations and organizations are approaching cautiously. It does not appear they have made contact yet.”
“Then he must be in Korea. This is truly incomprehensible.”

To be unable to even trace his movements while he remained in Korea.
There was only one possibility that came to mind.

“A Lord’s Safe House?”
“That seems quite likely.”

It would not be strange to be unable to find him if he were staying in a Safe House.
Whether for their Covenant members or to store collections obtained from Earth, the Lords concealed their Safe Houses through every means at their disposal.

“There is no way forward then. Must we simply wait for him to reveal himself again?”
“For now, we are tracking his movements as much as possible using CCTV records. Should we obtain any meaningful results, I will report immediately.”
“Very well. I am counting on you.”

Park Yu-ha bowed and took his leave.
At that very moment, someone else rushed in as if to replace him.

“M-Madam Leader! In S-Seoul…!”
“You’ve come in quite a hurry. Catch your breath and speak calmly.”
“In Seoul, a Gate! A Gate has appeared!”

Jain, who had been trying to calm the employee, furrowed her brow.
It was news she had not anticipated.

“…A Gate has opened? Which Lord?”
“Yes, yes! The Gate Response Team is currently mobilizing! We don’t know which Lord it is, but based on the circumstances, it appears to be the Lord of the Dead…!”
“The Lord of the Dead?”

A Lord whose name had been heard frequently of late.
I had heard he clashed with the Lord of Shadow and suffered defeat. He’s an eccentric Lord, certainly, but not one who would stir up trouble in such a manner.
Jain ascertained from the employee the location where the Gate had opened.

“I don’t understand the reason. He should have a non-aggression pact with the Lord of Shadow. Who is he trying to kill by opening it? But who on earth could it be…?”

Gates, as they are called, are open-ended Difficult Realms that rarely open.
The amount of coins spent to host a Difficult Realm is nearly equivalent to scattering money in the streets.
It would be far more efficient to command the Covenant of the Dead instead.
And if by some chance someone were to conquer the Difficult Realm, the compensation would result in substantial losses.

“M-Madam Leader!”

Another employee came running toward Jain, who was lost in thought.
So many people rushing in with urgency today.
Jain thought this to herself as she watched the approaching employee.

“What is it?”
“A G-Gate in Seoul!”
“I already know about that. A Gate has appeared.”
“No! That’s not it! The Gate…!”

The employee caught his breath and cried out urgently.

“That Gate… it’s closed! Someone must have cleared it!”
“…Cleared it?”

An even more unexpected report had arrived.
News that the Gate, which had only recently opened, had already closed.
The opening of the Gate itself was shocking, but its rapid closure was equally astonishing.
Doubt flickered across Jain’s face.

“Who on earth could it be?”

No one could answer that question.

* * *

The Difficult Realm, 【Endless Death】, had closed.
The Covenant of the Dead, having heard the Lord’s fury, attacked Han Yu-sung, but it changed nothing about the situation.
Only meaningless casualties continued to mount.

[“This is impossible. How could he possibly…”]

I had summoned an overwhelming number of undead that no one could face alone.
I had hidden the Gate that could close the Difficult Realm using a barrier.
And on top of that, I had even stationed undead blessed by my power to guard it.
Yet he had dismantled all of it by himself.

[“What are you? You moved as if you knew the Gate’s location. It’s impossible for you to find a Gate I’ve hidden so easily.”]
“And yet you’re saying this despite witnessing it with your own eyes?”
[“This can’t be. This is…”]

At a speed that defied belief even after witnessing it.
The Lord of the Dead showed a reaction filled with disbelief. Open-type Difficult Realms typically had simple structures, but their difficulty was considerable.
Finding the Gate, which was the core of the Difficult Realm, was extraordinarily difficult.
Since the Difficult Realm closes when the Gate is destroyed, the Lords themselves prepare all manner of mechanisms to prevent the Gate’s destruction.
Just as the Lord of the Dead had prepared a barrier.

“Since the Difficult Realm is now closed, you should honor the promised reward.”
[“…”]

Han Yu-sung draped his sword across his shoulder as he spoke.
Anyone could see the sarcasm in his response.
The remaining Covenant of the Dead members exchanged glances with their Lord, uncertain how to proceed.
He was stronger than they had anticipated. They were insufficient.
Higher-ranking members of the Covenant were needed.

[“…That was my mistake.”]

The Lord of the Dead acknowledged it calmly.
At first glance, it appeared as though she was admitting her failure.
But those who served her understood the truth.
This was what their Lord looked like before she erupted.

[“I underestimated you. I admit it. I never thought this Gate would fail to kill you. So then, I suppose I owe you a reward.”]
“W-wait, my Lord? Wh-what is this… Gaaahhhhh!”

A sickening crack.

The sound of space tearing apart echoed through the air.
From the rift poured a terrible aura—a presence so potent that mere contact would rot flesh from bone. It infused itself into the Covenant member’s body.
The servant’s form decayed in an instant.

[“So you,”]

An overwhelming aura erupted from the corrupted servant.
Simultaneously came a surge of immense power and an oppressive presence.
I had felt this presence before, not long ago. I knew what it was.

[“will die by my own hand.”]

【Descent】.
The Lord of the Dead, unable to contain her rage, was descending into the servant’s body.
All to kill a single player—Han Yu-sung.
The space around us twisted violently, and the earth began to rot.
Everything touched by the aura she emanated was dying.

[That insane woman! She’s actually descending…! This is madness! Why are you so popular with the Lords! Even for you…!]
“This is good. I was disappointed it ended so easily anyway.”
[Even my own servant has lost his mind!]

Insane?
No, that couldn’t be further from the truth. If anything, this was a golden opportunity.
A chance to extract even more from the Lord of the Dead.

“Come then, Lord of the Dead.”

A smile brimming with competitive fervor spread across my face.
This wasn’t my first time facing a descended Lord. With the Blood Demon, I’d been caught off guard and couldn’t respond properly, but in my past life, I’d clashed with Lords before.
And now, I knew a Lord was descending.
I had countless ways to respond.

‘…What is this man? Why isn’t he afraid?’

It was the Lord of the Dead who found herself flustered instead.
A transcendent being of her caliber was descending to kill him.
This was a situation where the vast majority of players would tremble in the terror of death.
Yet that man seemed to be savoring this very moment.

‘Why? Does he have a way to counter my descent?’

An composure that was almost unsettling.
Han Yu-sung had just cleared the open-ended Difficult Realm she had created.
According to their agreement, the Lord of the Dead owed him a reward.
She was attempting to postpone it and descend to kill him instead.
If—just if.

‘If I fail to kill that man here….’

She might have to bear an enormous penalty.
In a sense, it could appear as though she were trying to kill Han Yu-sung simply to avoid giving him his reward.
No—it would appear that way.
The ‘God’ who oversees the system wouldn’t tolerate it.
It would be acceptable if she could kill him despite bearing that cost.
But if she couldn’t? If her descent ended in failure?

‘I would….’

Then, the Lord of the Dead suddenly understood.

‘I don’t know which Lord has contracted with that man.’

I don’t know the identity of the Lord who has Han Yu-sung as a Covenant bearer.
A player with that level of power and talent.
There’s a very high chance that Lord possesses a True Name. Would such a Lord stand by and watch another Lord descend to kill their Covenant bearer?
What if the Lord contracted with Han Yu-sung were to descend as well?

[“Kuk, ugh… Grrrrgh…!”]
[Hmm? That woman suddenly clenched her teeth. Has she lost her mind?]

The Lord of the Dead clenched her teeth.
It was an action born from rage, from an inability to endure this humiliating situation.
The Covenant bearer who had become the target of descent opened her eyes wide.
The whites of her eyes were bloodshot as if they might burst.

“Descend then, Lord of the Dead. I’m waiting.”
[“Kuk, this time, just this time….”]

Han Yu-sung flicked his blade slightly.
That gesture forced the Lord of the Dead to make a decision.

[“…Withdraw, master. Next time, it won’t… be like this.”]
“What? Did you get scared? Why suddenly?”
[“I’ll… remember you. Human…!”]

Boom!

With those words, the Covenant bearer who had become the target of descent exploded.
The murderous intent flowing from that body, the overwhelming power, the oppressive presence that only a Lord could emit—all of it vanished as if it had been nothing but illusion.
All that remained were the Covenant of the Dead members hastily retreating.

“Ha, this is absurd.”
[Hmph! That cowardly woman got scared and withdrew!]

And only Han Yu-sung stood there with a bewildered expression.

* * *

The Lord of the Dead withdrew.
Even abandoning his descent, in such an ugly manner.
At first, I couldn’t understand why, but the reason soon became clear.

“He seems to be wary of you.”
[You speak truly? Ah, I begin to comprehend. That sinister woman wouldn’t know who your Lord is…]
“He was probably concerned things might get complicated.”

Han Yu-sung clicked his tongue.
The Lord of the Dead had misunderstood the source of the confidence I displayed.
Thinking I had something to rely on, so I wasn’t afraid of his descent.

“Tsk, that was an opportunity to squeeze out more.”

Han Yu-sung clicked his tongue in regret.
Before my eyes, a long system window floated.

[Open-ended Difficult Realm: You have overcome endless death.]
[As a reward, you have seized 100,000 Coins!]
[The Lord of the Dead reluctantly opened his vault. You may take up to three items of your choice from this vault.]

It was a ridiculous situation.
Having to give rewards to one I sought to kill.
It was another reason the Lords preferred not to create open-ended Difficult Realms.
In any case, this was still a type of Difficult Realm, so if someone overcame it, rewards had to be granted.
And better rewards than usual, at that.

– Crunch!

Perhaps it was my imagination.
But somewhere, I heard the sound of the Lord of the Dead grinding his teeth.
Han Yu-sung chuckled softly and examined the items in the vault.
Numerous items were visible. And various skill books as well.

[What will you take, I wonder?]
“Well, there’s nothing to deliberate about.”

There were quite a few equipment items, but nothing particularly caught my interest.
What truly appealed to me were the skill books.
The warehouse opened by the Lord of the Dead contained quite a number of skill books related to magic.
I selected the ones that pleased me most.

[Skill Books: Inferno (S), Flame Storm (S), Undead Hunter (A).]

Two flame magic skills.
And one passive ability with a lower rank, but useful against the undead.
A smile naturally spread across my face.

“I feel like Santa just came. I’m already looking forward to the next visit….”

The words came from the depths of my heart.

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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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