The Crazy Battle God Has Returned - Chapter 83

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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 83

After Han Yu-sung departed.
Left alone, Jain gazed at the ceiling, lost in thought.
In truth, the proposals she had just made were not the sort of thing a guild master would typically handle. Those were tasks for the department managers who oversaw such matters.
Yet the fact that she had stepped forward personally was to persuade him.

‘He treated my existence as though it were nothing at all.’

The position of guild master proved useful when dealing with novice players.
When someone of such authority stepped forward personally to persuade them, it naturally fostered the thought that ‘they recognize my worth to that degree’—making negotiation and persuasion far easier to navigate.
Jain exhaled deeply.
Jain exhaled deeply.

“Surely this much should be effective.”

Rather, it felt as though I were facing a veteran.
And that player was demanding coins as compensation.
And that player is demanding coins as a reward.

“Unfortunately, it did not.”
Unfortunately, no.

There was little need to ask—the moment he had stepped into the VIP Room, Jain’s expression alone had revealed the outcome.
There was actually nothing to ask. Just from seeing Jain’s appearance when entering the VIP Room, I could tell how things had turned out.

“Six figures? Is that what the player demanded?”
“Yes. He asked for it as compensation.”
“Yeah. He asked for it as compensation.”

No matter what methods I employed, it would likely prove impossible. In that case, following his intent and maintaining our connection through a ‘transaction’ was the right approach.
Especially given the Player Alliance’s current circumstances.
Especially, if you consider the situation the federation is currently facing.

“…There are many who target you, Guild Master.”
“Indeed. Considerable chaos will arise in that process.”
“Right. A lot of chaos will occur in that process.”

I could see clearly what would unfold once Korea’s national ranking fell.
Tremendous chaos would grip Korean society and the Player Alliance. Significant losses would mount in the process of managing it.
I wanted to prevent that at all costs.

“I’m hardly one to speak—a league master who failed to lead the national tournament to victory—but you see it the same way, don’t you, Park Yu-ha?”
“Yes, League Master.”

Jain smiled bitterly.
She had no intention of making excuses for her incompetence. Even having done her best, the results hadn’t materialized—so there was nothing to say against being called incompetent.
All she wanted now was to set things right.

“For now, let’s observe. Let’s see what kind of performance she shows in this trial.”

If she proved herself again this time, mere coins were nothing.
For Korea’s future, it was always worth the investment.
That’s what Jain believed.

* * *

Two days had passed.
Han Yu-sung had been observing the Lord of the Dead for a while now.
He wanted to see how the Lord and his sworn servants moved.
But they showed no particular activity. They didn’t attack Han Yu-sung further; rather, their movements seemed almost evasive.

[They’re trying to figure out which Lord you’ve contracted with, aren’t they? Though they’d never dream it’s actually her!]
“You seem to be in good spirits, Kakasha.”
[How could I not be? I got one over on that woman!]

Kufufu—!

Kakasha laughed wickedly.
It had been that way since we cleared the reward dungeon in Yeoju City in the past, but it seemed he had a deeply bitter history with the Lord of the Dead.
Or perhaps he simply despised the undead.

[But it’s unexpected, truly. That proud woman backing off in fear like that. To the point where she even abandoned her descent!]
“She did it because she doesn’t know who my Lord is.”
[Hmph, even if she did know—!]
“Then she would have descended for sure. What’s there to fear from a fallen Lord?”
[Ugh, ughughugh—.]

The Lord of the Dead possessed formidable power even among the Lords.
Lords bearing the category of ‘the dead’ and titles related to death generally wielded considerable strength.
Had he descended, Han Yu-sung would have sustained significant damage.
Though I would have gained corresponding rewards in return.

[Why!]
“You’re giving me an earache.”
[Why does no one notice that I am the true one!]

Kakasha is a fallen Lord.
Without Han Yu-sung, he would have been absorbed by Achiros.
Perhaps that’s why the other Lords didn’t know who Han Yu-sung’s Lord was.
It seemed they didn’t even believe Kakasha was still alive.

‘It’s better to keep Kakasha’s existence hidden.’

When the Lord of the Dead attempted to descend, he withdrew to minimize risk, uncertain how my Lord would respond.

“Hey, Hama. I’ve been feeding you about 800,000 coins lately. Don’t you think it’s time for some results?”
[D-don’t call me Hama! I am the true one! Besides….]

There was something there.
The flames of war within which Kakasha dwelt blazed fiercer, and a tremendous power began to manifest.

[Mm, mmm. Mmmmmm…!]

Kakasha emitted a strange sound.
In resonance with it, the sword’s flames grew increasingly violent.
And when those flames reached their limit.

Boom!

With an anticlimactic sound, a fireball materialized in the void.
No, looking closer, it wasn’t merely a fireball.
It had form.
A fireball shaped like a girl—one I’d seen before somewhere.

‘Where have I seen this before?’

A fragment of old memory flickered through my mind.
Han Yu-sung’s brow furrowed sharply.

[Behold! Now I can finally take form… Wait, why do you look like you’ve seen something you shouldn’t?]
“Why? What’s the point of doing something so pointless?”
[Pointless?! You should be overjoyed! And you call it pointless?!]

A small ball of flame shaped like a girl convulsed with indignation.
If anything, it resembled a spirit in form.
The moment I saw it, I suddenly regretted feeding that coin to Kakasha.

“Just thinking about you making a racket beside me gives me a headache already.”
[D-don’t treat me like some mosquito…!]
“I don’t care either way, but don’t manifest in front of others.”
[I know that! Do you think I’m a fool?]
“Lately, I’ve been thinking exactly that.”

Kakasha convulsed again upon hearing my response.
In any case, it wasn’t actually a bad development. The fact that Kakasha could now manifest in a spirit-like form meant power was being recovered.
The entity that had been dwelling in the sacred relic without even the strength to maintain itself was now taking form—the effects of feeding it the coin were showing.
But that wasn’t all.

[Hmph, I went through all the trouble of preparing a gift, and now you don’t want it! N-no, don’t look at me with such a frightening gaze….]

Han Yu-sung stared at Kakasha in silence.
Kakasha sensed the mood and quickly produced the gift.
What the gift was hardly needed explanation.

[The Lord of War has accumulated sufficient power.]
[The Blessing of War has been strengthened. Additionally, you may select four Graces! Choose the Graces on behalf of the Lord!]
[Sacred Relic, the Flame of War has greatly recovered its power!]

These were the things that followed whenever I fed a coin to Kakasha.
Blessings and Graces, and the sacred relic itself.

[Blessing of War (Unique)]
· All stats +12.
· Attack Power +12%, Skill Damage +12%.
· Flame Attribute Enhancement +12%, Flame Resistance +12%.
· When fighting multiple enemies on the Battlefield, Strength increases by +10%.
· The heat of a scorched Battlefield will strengthen this blessing.

[Flame of War (Grade B Sacred Relic)]
· Attack Power: 250.
· A Sacred Relic of the Lord of War, Kakasha. As the Lord gradually recovers his strength, the flames that had dwindled now blaze anew.
· Once, you may use 【Conflagration of War】. This inferno devours enemies, incinerates barriers, and instantly burns away buffs.
· Flame-type Skill Damage +60%, Attribute Resistance Penetration +30%.
· All sword-based skills are classified as ‘Flame-type’.

The blessing had finally reached Unique grade.
And a particularly appealing effect had been added to it.
When fighting multiple enemies on the Battlefield, Strength increases by +10%.

“The Flame of War finally looks worthy of a Sacred Relic.”
[My lord… are you saying it was unworthy until now?]
“Honestly, it was only useful for disabling barriers.”

The Flame of War had changed considerably upon reaching Grade B.
The most impressive aspect was the effect of instantly burning away buffs.
It didn’t permanently erase them—merely clearing their effects for a set duration—but that was more than enough to shift the tide of battle.
And there were several other enhancements on top of that.

Whoosh.

I gazed quietly at the Flame of War in my grasp.
At this level, I wouldn’t need to feed it coins every time I used it.
Thinking of how I’d raised this lowest-grade Sacred Relic to this point filled me with an odd sense of accomplishment.
Yet the growth of this Sacred Relic was far from over.
As I continued to nurture Kakasha, it would eventually reclaim its full power.

[Choose four blessings!]
[1. All stats +5 (Lv.1).]
[2. Unlock ‘Lord’s Blessing (Lv.1)’.]
[3. Flame attribute damage increase +10% (Lv.2).]
[4. Experience gained by Sworn Servants +5% (Lv.1).]
[5. Attack power enhancement +5% (Lv.1).]

And the blessing.
Han Yu-sung, who had been watching for a moment, chose the blessing without hesitation.

[You have selected a blessing.]
[The locked ‘Lord’s Blessing (Lv.1)’ has been unlocked.]
[Flame attribute damage of Sworn Servants has increased by +10%.]
[Experience gained by Sworn Servants has increased by +10%.]

My stats and attack power were sufficient.
There was no need to raise them now. That’s why I chose a different blessing.
The most important thing there was Lord’s Blessing.

[Lord’s Blessing has been unlocked.]
[When participating in trials or Difficult Realms where the Lord’s intervention is permitted, the Lord may grant blessings to Sworn Servants at a cost.]
[This blessing provides various buffs to Sworn Servants.]

It was the blessing the Lord of the Dead had used on his undead.
Until now, there had been no particular use for it in trials or Difficult Realms. In the case of Difficult Realms, I had a tendency to deliberately choose only those kinds of realms.
But things would be different going forward.

‘Trials with permitted intervention, like the national competition, will begin to appear.’

In that sense, Lord’s Blessing was important.
It would only be level 1 for now, so it wouldn’t be that strong, but as I continued feeding it coins, the blessing’s level would rise rapidly.
Han Yu-sung exhaled a sigh.

“Still, I’m getting results proportional to what I’ve invested.”

It had felt like pouring water into a bottomless pit, but fortunately there were results.
Thinking of the national competition that would soon follow, this would be a great help.
Han Yu-sung checked the message that had just appeared before his eyes.

[Prepare yourselves for the coming God’s Trial.]
[God’s Trial, the 【National Championship】, draws near. A 【Preliminary Round】 will open to recruit those who wish to participate.]
[Players who complete their registration will be summoned two days hence to the space where the Preliminary Round takes place. This Preliminary Round will be broadcast live.]
[The National Championship is a trial that grants great benefits to both the participating nation and its players. Do not miss this opportunity.]

The message concerned the National Championship Preliminary Round.
And the venue for this Preliminary Round had been revealed as well.

[This Preliminary Round will take place at the 【Colosseum】.]
[Numerous players will be deployed across a vast battlefield, with the final survivor emerging as the victor.]
[Death is suspended during the Preliminary Round, so fear not.]

The Colosseum.
It was a suitable battlefield, unchanged from my memories of my past life.
Simple, convenient, and swift.
I would simply fight without overthinking, and it would all be over.

“Since no one actually dies on this battlefield, I can fight without restraint.”
[As if you ever cared about such things…]

Two days remained.
Now that I thought about it, this Safe House had a training ground in its basement.
Clearing the Difficult Realm over these two days wouldn’t be amiss, but it seemed better to spend the time examining my physical condition in the training ground.

‘In my past life, I lost in the National Championship.’

As a result, South Korea’s national rank had dropped to C-grade.
The repercussions were immense. The number of awakening players dwindled, and penalties were imposed across the Star Battlefield and numerous other domains.
My past self could only witness that catastrophe unfold.
At that time, I lacked the strength to participate in the National Championship.

“This time, things will be different.”

I rose from my seat.
To prepare fully for the Preliminary Round, to make every preparation count.

* * *

At that moment, in Seoul. The Hall of Justice.
Lee Su-ho, a Sworn Servant of Justice, gazed down at the city through the window.
From the Hall of Justice, a towering skyscraper, Seoul’s landscape spread out in perfect clarity—the buildings erected by the Lords, the figures of people moving busily below.
Lee Su-ho watched that vista in silence for a long time.

“Lee Su-ho. I heard you called for me.”
….

Then a voice came from behind.
Lee Su-ho, who had been gazing out the window in silence, turned his head.
A man with a gentle impression well-suited to sales stood there.

“Is the task I entrusted to you progressing well? Jung Ye-hun.”
“You mean the matter of recruiting Han Yu-sung, sir. Yes, I’ve gathered the necessary information. If an opportunity to meet arises, I’ll proceed with direct persuasion.”
“An opportunity will present itself soon.”

Jung Ye-hun.
A member of Lee Su-ho’s faction, specialized in recruitment and persuasion.
He had received orders from Lee Su-ho to recruit Han Yu-sung.

“On the day of the preliminary selection, I’ll ensure he enters the Player Alliance. Han Yu-sung will complete the preliminary selection and remain within the Alliance for a time.”
“Then I should make contact at that moment. Understood.”

Lee Su-ho nodded instead of answering.
Once an opportunity to meet was created, Jung Ye-hun would handle the persuasion himself.
The unique ability Jung Ye-hun possessed had the power to make it possible.

“For a time, this nation will descend into chaos.”
“…Is it because of the national competition?”
“Yes. Korea lacks the capacity to achieve victory in the national competition.”

Currently, Korea stood on the brink of a national grade demotion.
As had always been the case, the team Lee Su-ho belonged to would achieve victory.
But the other teams would not. They would ultimately face defeat.
Korea’s national grade would be demoted, and terrible chaos would engulf this nation.

“Sometimes chaos becomes a great opportunity. I will seize that chaos as my chance. To grow stronger, to become an Apostle no matter what.”

Lee Su-ho had made extensive preparations for the day when Korea’s national rank would be downgraded. In the chaos that would follow, those preparations would become a formidable asset.
And they would gift him far more than he could imagine.

‘I will exploit everything at my disposal. The Player Alliance, the seat of that incompetent alliance leader who commands them—anything and everything.’

Even if I must seize it by force.
Lee Su-ho gazed out the window, his fist clenching with iron resolve.

“How exhilarating.”

When the National War concluded and Korea’s rank plummeted.
A dark smile played across Lee Su-ho’s lips.

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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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