The Crazy Battle God Has Returned - Chapter 89

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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 89

Exactly one day remained until the National Inter-Country Tournament, measured from the moment the Selection Tournament concluded.
The government and the Alliance mobilized every resource at their disposal to support the participants.
From meals and lodging to training ground arrangements and securing sparring partners.
They had meticulously prepared even the roster of Japanese participants and detailed analyses of each one.
A defeat this time would result in the nation’s ranking dropping.

[They put in a decent effort, at least.]
“True. Though it’s information we shouldn’t be overconfident about.”

The opposition knew we would analyze them, after all.
And since unforeseen variables always emerged in actual combat, we could only use this as a reference.

[You didn’t think it would be interesting, did you? Especially this one.]

Kakasha, drifting beside Han Yu-sung, pointed to a name.
A familiar name.

“Maezato Oju, you mean.”
[Isn’t that the one you fought on the Star Battlefield before? He got beaten so one-sidedly I almost felt sorry for him.]
“Well, I knew he’d be participating anyway.”
[Hmm, memories from your past life, then.]

Han Yu-sung nodded.
In his past life, that man had belonged to Team Middle, came out first in the order, and slaughtered all the Korean players.

‘More disappointing than I expected, but compared to our country’s players, he’s definitely strong.’

Han Yu-sung recalled the Korean players belonging to Team Middle.
Unlike those in Team Light or Team Heavy, Team Middle didn’t have many players worth remembering.
It couldn’t be helped. Most of them had died to Oju.
And this time wouldn’t be much different. The only one with any real chance of defeating Oju would be Yoon Ga-ram.

[That shadow’s lackey who pretended to be unnecessarily friendly with you. Hmph! I despise that shadow, that gloomy woman!]
“I’m sure you do….”
[Kyaaah!]

Kakasha’s outbursts had become routine by now.
I pushed back the charging Kakasha with the palm of my hand, pressing him down firmly.

[D-Don’t press! I’m getting squashed… Ugh, ugh, ugh…!]
“I think it would be better for me to go first. I’m not sure what the Alliance thinks about it, though.”

I’d already conveyed my intention to the Alliance.
That I wanted to go first in the team match.
They replied that they would decide the order after holding a meeting.
The Alliance probably wanted to send me out last.
The reason was simple.

‘They can’t be certain of Japan’s true strength.’

I was the strongest player on Team Middle.
If they sent out such a player first and an unexpected upset occurred, resulting in defeat, what then?
In that moment, all chances of victory would vanish.
Conversely, if they sent me out last, at least the players before me would exhaust the enemy, and they would gather the necessary information.

‘It’s a rational and safe strategy, certainly.’

But it wasn’t my preference.
Above all, considering the item I’d obtained—the Gladiator’s Proof—going first was the right choice.
And there was one more thing.
There was a benefit that could only be obtained by going first.

‘A reward given only when I defeat all opponents alone.’

For that alone, I had to go first.
Since I’d already expressed my opinion strongly, all I could do was wait for them to accept it.
Well, if they didn’t accept it.

‘Then I’d simply have to force my way out.’

I rose to my feet.

[Aw, you’re moving again?]
“I’m restless just sitting still.”
[You really are something… If you’re going to be like this, wouldn’t it be better to join the joint training the Alliance proposed?]

I had rejected the Alliance’s offer.
There was no need for it. It was far more efficient to refine my physical senses alone than to waste time gathering meaninglessly.

“The National Inter-Country Tournament… this should be interesting.”

I smiled and began my training.

* * *

Time flowed swiftly.
As I refined my body in the Underground Training Grounds, a lengthy message suddenly materialized before my eyes.

[God’s Trial, 【National Inter-Country Tournament】 begins.]
[From this moment forward, players who have passed the Selection Tournament from each nation will be summoned to separate battlefields. The nation that secures two victories first in the decisive match against opposing nations will claim ultimate victory.]
[Your battles will be broadcast in real time.]
[Furthermore, in the ‘decisive match,’ ‘intervention by Lords’ is permitted.]

A message announcing the beginning of God’s Trial, 【National Inter-Country Tournament】.
This trial had a distinction that set it apart from all previous trials.
Intervention by Lords was permitted.

“I can use the protection of a Lord. The question is…”
[W-why are you looking at me with such eyes!]
“I was wondering how much help it would actually be.”

When participating in trials or difficult realms where Lord intervention was permitted, a Lord could grant buffs to their sworn one by paying a price.
That was precisely what 【Protection of a Lord】 was.
Kakasha had unlocked it before while growing by consuming coins.
But since it was still only level one, it didn’t seem like it would be much help.

“Well, it’s better than nothing.”

Every bit counts.
There was even a fortunate aspect to this.

[Even if you use my protection, my identity will not be exposed. The blessing is so faint that it will be difficult to distinguish.]
“You say that with such pride. What about ‘Prominence’?”
[Hmm, if I intervene with that, it should be manageable. However, the sacred relic has a high probability of being detected by the Lords.]
“I should treat the sacred relic as sealed, then.”

In any case, I can use the Lords’ Blessing on the Apostle skill Prominence—that’s sufficient.

[Player Han Yu-sung.]
[You are being summoned to the National Inter-Country Tournament Battlefield.]

Brilliant light enveloped Han Yu-sung.
I closed my eyes for a moment, then opened them to find a familiar space before me.

“This place…”
“Ugh, it’s blindingly bright. Has everyone been summoned?”

It resembled the Star Battlefield.
An expansive white space, with ceiling and walls sealed firmly by transparent metal-like barriers.
At the center of the space lay a vast arena.
There were three such spaces in total—one on each side.

“It appears the spaces have been divided by team.”
“Seems like it. But anyway… what is this?”

Before the players stood benches arranged in a line.
Blue benches. And far across from them stood red benches.
Players were standing there as well.
There was no question who they were.

“They’re Japanese players. You could say the color suits them…”
“In many ways, red is the color that comes to mind with those guys.”

They were Japanese players.
Having just been summoned and surveying their surroundings, they too seemed to notice us, and a sharp tension settled over both sides.

“….”
“….”

No one spoke.
Soon enough, we would face each other in a battle to the death.
An unspoken tension began to weigh upon the players’ shoulders.
Of course, there were those who felt no tension whatsoever.

“…I will reclaim my honor. I must seize this opportunity.”

One of them was Maezato Oju.
Oju fixed his resolute gaze upon the Korean players.
He had lost much in that previous failure—honor, pride, and even the trust of his Lord.
He had to reclaim everything he had lost in the National Inter-Country Tournament.

“I’ll cut them all down.”

The moment Oju’s eyes began to gleam with cold intensity.
His body suddenly trembled.

“…?”

He couldn’t discern the reason. Bewildered, Oju glanced around, and soon noticed a Korean player watching him intently from across the way.

‘What is this? Why does his gaze feel….’

Oju sensed something peculiar.
It felt as though he had received such a gaze before, somewhere in the past.
After a moment of deliberation, Oju’s memory surfaced.
He recognized who the Korean player watching him in silence was.

“Han Yu-sung?”
“Yes? Ah, you mean that Korean?”
“He’s become quite famous recently. They say he’s the player we should be most wary of. Though information on him is still scarce….”
“Do we really need to be so cautious of a Korean?”
“Yes, Lord Oju….”

News of Han Yu-sung had reached Japan as well.
It was inevitable, given what he had endured through two trials.
Information related to him had spread among Japan’s players.
And as Oju reviewed the transmitted information, he felt an uncanny sensation.

‘Familiar. His combat style….’

It was a sense of déjà vu.
He couldn’t confirm if they were identical. The information was too uncertain.
But there were similarities.
His fighting methods and certain skills he employed were etched into Oju’s memory.

‘If that bastard is really him.’

The masked player who had utterly crushed Oju at the Snake Ruin.
If it was that Korean, Han Yu-sung, who had defeated him and then casually dismissed him as weak, crushing his confidence and pride without mercy!

‘A chance to reclaim everything I’ve lost.’

Oju gripped his sword tightly.
Despite his resolute determination, his hand holding the blade trembled ever so slightly.
So subtly that only someone watching intently would notice.
That’s when the message appeared.

[Beginning the National Inter-Country Tournament between Korea and Japan.]
[First match, the preliminary round is ‘Hunting.’ This competition determines which nation defeats the boss monster that appears on the Battlefield.]
[Both teams have 10 minutes to select 5 players to participate in the hunt. Death is exempted in this match. However, players from the losing team cannot participate in the next match.]
[Victory in this match grants benefits.]

The first match, which had not been disclosed, was now revealed.
‘Hunting.’ A straightforward competition—whichever team hunts down the boss monster first wins.
The problem was.

Whoooosh!

Both teams were targeting the same monster.
The wide Arena in the center transformed.
When the transformation finished, what emerged was a Battlefield filled with ruins.
Dead warriors lay scattered across the desolate Battlefield.
And standing in the midst of it all was a monster.

“…Do you see it? There, that thing.”
“Yeah, it seems to be….”

A boss monster.
A creature with the armored upper body of a human and the lower half of a massive horse.
It had four arms, each wielding a different weapon.
Sinister eyes gleamed through the visor of its helmet.

[The Gatekeeper, ‘War Horse,’ has appeared.]
– Roooaaarrr!

A monster named Jeon Ma spread its four arms and roared.
It was no ordinary roar.
A kind of ‘war cry’—a skill that drew upon its own power while simultaneously diminishing the combat effectiveness of those who heard it.
The Japanese players held their breath and exchanged rapid words.

“Let’s proceed as we discussed beforehand. Maezato Oju, please refrain from participating in the preliminary rounds and conserve your strength for the final match.”
“The Korean players are inferior to us, so we should be able to handle them without your involvement.”
“After all, they’re significantly weaker in terms of national power….”

In the preliminary rounds and hunts, death was exempt.
However, that didn’t mean anyone could be sent out carelessly.
Players from the defeated team were barred from participating in the next match.
If, though the possibility was remote.
A strong player like Maezato Oju were to participate and things went awry—suffering severe injuries or even defeat?
It could significantly hamper the final match.
For this reason, the Japanese players decided to send out five players, excluding Maezato Oju.

“What should we do?”
“Hmm….”

Meanwhile, the Korean players remained undecided.
They were still huddled together, deliberating intently.

“Should we go with two melee and three ranged?”
“That seems reasonable, doesn’t it? The two melee fighters should probably be classes capable of absorbing attacks from the front.”
“Then, hmm… Ah! Han Yu-sung. Do you have any thoughts on this?”

The Korean players turned their gazes toward Han Yu-sung simultaneously.
Given his extraordinary performance in two trials and his record of clearing the Tower of Blood Demon in record time, there was no reason not to hear his opinion.
However, they had no intention of asking him to participate in the preliminary rounds.

‘Han Yu-sung is our hope for the final match. There’s no reason to send him out here.’
‘We’ll handle the preliminaries ourselves, and Han Yu-sung should preserve his strength….’

It was for a reason similar to Maezato Oju’s situation.
Han Yu-sung, standing with his arms crossed, felt their gazes upon him.

“Three melee, two ranged. I’ll take one of the melee positions.”
“…What? Yes? So that means….”

I suddenly dropped a bombshell.

“I will participate in the Selection Tournament.”

A declaration to participate in the Selection Tournament—a tournament I had no reason to enter.

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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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