The Crazy Battle God Has Returned - Chapter 88

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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 88

With Lee Su-ho’s arrival, all participants gathered.
Shortly after, the meeting proceeded in an oddly tense silence.
The silence persisted because of Lee Su-ho, whose expressionless face made his displeasure unmistakably clear.
Players who had dealings with him exchanged confused glances.

“…Why is he like that?”
“How would I know?”
“He looks absolutely furious about something….”

Speculation wouldn’t yield answers.
The meeting’s agenda concerned the National Inter-Country Tournament to be held.
The first matter decided was the name of each team.

[Lv.41 ~ Lv.80: Team Light.]
[Lv.81 ~ Lv.140: Team Middle.]
[Lv.141 ~ Lv.200: Team Heavy.]

The naming convention’s origin was painfully obvious.
It was a mundane naming scheme borrowed from combat sports weight classes, yet it served its purpose of distinguishing the teams adequately.

“This National Inter-Country Tournament will consist of two major competitions. The first remains undisclosed, and the second, as you’re aware….”
“Champion’s Match. There’s no way we wouldn’t know.”
“Precisely.”

Champion’s Match.
One representative from each team faces off in combat.
The difference lies in this: the victor doesn’t withdraw but remains to face the next challenger.
And there was one more critical detail.

“In the Champion’s Match, death is not exempted. If you die, that’s the end. Should your nation win the National Inter-Country Tournament, you may be revived, but if you lose… you will perish without resurrection.”
“….”
“….”

Death in the National Inter-Country Tournament translates to actual death.
If we win, that’s fortunate, but if we lose, the players won’t be revived or return to Earth—they simply die.
Those who heard this explanation swallowed hard.
How could they not feel the tension when death itself was on the table?

“The National Inter-Country Tournament requires five participants. Among your ten members, you can discuss among yourselves who will participate.”
“Assuming no changes, the matches will be conducted as best-of-three. You win if two out of three teams emerge victorious.”
“And this National Inter-Country Tournament’s opponent is….”

The staff member continued calmly.

“Japan.”
“Cough—Japan, you say?”
“…A tougher opponent than I expected.”
“Damn it. Isn’t this a death trap? I’m already thinking of backing out….”

The players’ faces darkened upon hearing their opponent nation.
It couldn’t be helped. Japan was counted alongside the United States as a player superpower.
They had abundant talent, and their players’ strength was exceptional.
Korea currently lagged far behind them in many respects.

“In the past, our nation has faced Japan before. The result was… devastating.”
“As a player superpower, they won’t be easy to handle. But this time, we must win no matter what. Otherwise….”
“Our national ranking will drop.”

Lee Su-ho, who had been listening, suddenly spoke up.
All eyes turned toward him.

“My team will win. Just like in the last National Inter-Country Tournament, I’d prefer if the other teams didn’t drag us down.”

That’s what Lee Su-ho said.
It was an arrogant statement if there ever was one.
But no one could refute it. He had proven himself through his actions.
The same held true in the last National Inter-Country Tournament.
Hadn’t Lee Su-ho single-handedly reversed a 3:0 losing situation?

“Ahem! As Lee Su-ho says, yes. We must not suffer defeat like last time. The Alliance and the nation will provide you with various training and support.”
“If we win this time, we should be able to reclaim the National Buff as well. So let’s do our best! Now, regarding what comes next….”

After that, tedious conversation continued.
Which players might emerge from Japan, how they fought, and how we should respond.
And useless matters like training schedules and support supplies.

“Damn it, does this meeting even mean anything?”
“Why, want to skip out? You can’t anyway. I heard the Lord ordered you to participate. Are you going to refuse the Lord’s command?”
“Shut up for a second.”

The players’ morale was not high.
Korea was currently on a losing streak. And with the opponent being Japan, no matter how I thought about it, victory seemed impossible.
And there was no way to escape from here either.
In crude terms, the Lord who had “taken a bite” out of Korea would not tolerate desertion.

“I have one question. Won’t the Alliance Leader participate? I remember you participated as a team heavyweight last time.”
“Ah, the Alliance Leader decided not to participate directly this time since the matter is so important, and will instead take on an oversight role from the outside.”

Jain had decided not to participate in this National Inter-Country Tournament.
She judged that the team could win even without her presence.
Considering the existence of a player named Lee Su-ho, it was the right judgment.

‘Though in my previous life, that became a great disaster.’

I saw Lee Su-ho’s eyes gleam ominously.
In my previous life, how much had Lee Su-ho shaken public opinion by connecting Korea’s national rank demotion with Jain’s non-participation?
He would see this as an opportunity.

“Well then, thank you for your hard work. Everyone must be tired, so let’s end the meeting here and see you at the next training session!”

A staff member clapped their hands to signal dismissal.
Players rose with weary sighs.
Looking at the faces of those leaving, I spotted several who would be active in the future.

“Han Yu-sung.”
“Hm?”

Among them, I saw someone who shouldn’t have been there originally.
Yoon Ga-ram. She approached Han Yu-sung with an intense gaze.

“It’s been a while. I finally found you….”
“So you’re Han Yu-sung.”

Yoon Ga-ram was the one speaking to me.
Lee Su-ho cut in, interrupting her words.
His voice was heavy, devoid of any discernible emotion.
But I knew better.
I understood how much feeling lay concealed beneath that seemingly impassive tone.

“I hear you possess exceptional skill. I’ll be watching to see how well you perform in the National Inter-Country Tournament.”

Lee Su-ho left behind words that sounded like mere pleasantries.
Or rather, he tried to leave.

“Is that all you have to say?”
“….”

If I hadn’t spoken those words.
Lee Su-ho’s departing footsteps would have carried him away.

“What do you mean?”
“You’re aware of what happened at the Alliance today, aren’t you?”

Jung Ye-hun had moved to forcibly persuade me.
Who could have given him such orders?
Needless to say, it was Lee Su-ho, the leader of the faction to which Jung Ye-hun belonged.

“Hmm, well….”

But he trailed off with an expression of feigned ignorance.

“It seems something unpleasant occurred. While I’m uncertain of the exact circumstances, if it involves us, appropriate compensation will be provided.”
“More precisely, reparations.”
“….”

Lee Su-ho offered no response.
He simply left the Conference Room as though the matter wasn’t worth addressing.
But I could see it.
Just before he stepped through the door.

Crack!

His fist clenched so tightly it seemed his bones might shatter.
Han Yu-sung let out a soft chuckle and shook his head.

‘Pride. Some things never change about this man.’

It hardly mattered.
Denial meant nothing when the evidence was irrefutable. Compensation would come eventually.

“I look forward to it.”
“…Are you listening? Han Yu-sung!”

Only Yoon Ga-ram’s voice echoed hollowly through the void.

* * *

Japan. Tokyo.
A Penthouse overlooking the sprawling cityscape of Tokyo.
A man sat there in seiza, eyes closed.

“Haaah…”

The interior of the Penthouse was in shambles.
Walls, ceiling, floor—nothing remained untouched.
Sharp blade marks crisscrossed every surface, and the furniture bore the same scars.
Had someone attacked?
No.
The man in seiza had done this himself.

“Haaah… haaah…”

He breathed desperately, as if trying to master his emotions.
But the harder he tried, the more memories surfaced.
Memories from the past he could never forget.

– Was I wrong all along?

Star Battlefield, the Snake Ruin.
The player I faced there.
The words that player spoke with disappointment after crushing the man so thoroughly kept echoing in my mind.

– Weaker than I expected.

“Ugh, grraahhh…!”

Screech! Crack and splinter!
The man, Maezato Oju, swung his blade in convulsive fury.
The unleashed sword wind tore through everything. Walls, ceiling, floor.
But there was one thing the blade could not sever—the memories that surfaced.
This tedious, despicable memory I longed to erase!

– Why does it feel so weak?

“Shut up, shut up! I said shut up!”

That battle came flooding back.
Oju was utterly overwhelmed, unable to land a single effective blow on his opponent.
Against an unknown player, after suffering one-sided assault, I was defeated with all four limbs shattered.
That memory had become a nightmare for Oju.

“Why? How can this memory not fade no matter how much I train!”

Since that day, I had undergone brutal training.
I conquered multiple Difficult Realms, hunted down stronger players and killed them. The martial artists especially were hardly worth mentioning.
Yet this memory would not be erased.

– Maezato Oju.

Yes, this memory.
The words that man spoke while lifting the defeated Oju’s head.

– We’ll meet again someday. When that time comes, you…

Screeeech.

The sound of a door opening echoed through the room.
Maezato Oju twisted his body irritably and thrust his sword toward the doorway.
A blade aura shot forth toward the door.

– You will die by my hand. Remember that.

“Ugh, cough…!”

A cry of pain pierced the air.
Only then did Maezato Oju’s vision, clouded by hallucination, return to reality.
The ones who had entered through the door were heavily armed bodyguards.
Bodyguards groaning as their bodies bore deep wounds from Oju’s blade aura.

“Young Master, it’s Ran.”
“What is it? I told no one to enter!”
“I have something to report… You all, take the wounded and leave.”

The remaining bodyguards hurriedly dragged their injured comrades out.
Deep fear etched itself across their faces.
It was inevitable. This situation had already repeated itself countless times.
Coming here must have felt like being dragged to a slaughterhouse.

‘Everything is a mess. This household, that man.’

That was Ran’s assessment.
Maezato Oju’s outward appearance seemed intact.
But within, he was rotting away.
It was because of the defeat he had suffered before.
He merely maintained his usual facade while holding himself together.

‘Once, he was known as a man who lived as he pleased….’

A reckless brute. A madman.
These were the epithets that followed Maezato Oju. The man had lived recklessly, trusting in his clan’s power and his own strength.
That such a man could crumble to this degree.
It was all because of the defeat he had suffered at the Snake Ruin.

“…Speak. What brings you here?”
“The Chairman has issued a command for you, Young Master.”
“A command? That old man? What scheme is he plotting now….”

Maezato Oju ground his teeth.
Maezato Rinzo. Oju’s father, master of Zangetsu, a renowned Guild in Japan, and chairman leading one of Japan’s major conglomerates.
He had ordered his son Oju to conquer the Snake Ruin.
Now, what command would he issue this time?

“He commands you to participate in this God’s Trial, the National Inter-Country Tournament, and bring honor to the family and the Lord.”
“…To me?”
“Yes, sir. And he said to restore your honor.”
“Honor… honor? Krhehe!”

Oju’s expression shifted abruptly.
The face that had been frozen with coldness moments before now twisted into a wild grin.

“Is he threatening to cast me out if I don’t restore my honor?”
“….”

Ran did not answer.
Oju hadn’t truly expected a response either.

“Fine. I needed rehabilitation anyway. This time, I’ll humor the old man’s wishes. So, who is the opponent?”
“The opposing nation is… Korea.”
“Korea.”

Oju’s brow furrowed.
Perhaps because of what he’d experienced at the Snake Ruin, the word Korea left a bitter taste.
No, it wasn’t bad.
Wasn’t it the perfect opponent to overcome the past?

“It doesn’t matter who the opponent is.”

Shing!

Oju’s blade moved. A slash fired at imperceptible speed severed everything in its path in a single stroke.
Ran trembled, feeling the wind that swept past her.

“All I need to do is bear it all and overcome it.”

Maezato Oju’s eyes gleamed with resolve.
Though that resolve would vanish in an instant if he knew who his opponent truly was.

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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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