The Crazy Battle God Has Returned - Chapter 90

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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 90

The Korean players stared at Han Yu-sung with bewildered expressions.
They had no choice but to be confused.

‘Wait, isn’t he the one who should be preparing for the main battle?’
‘If you get injured or lose in the preliminary skirmish, that’s an even bigger problem, isn’t it?’
‘Should we try to convince him? But how exactly would we even do that?’

Han Yu-sung was a core force of Team Middle, wasn’t he?
Since he hadn’t shown up for the joint training, they couldn’t know exactly how strong he was, but his track record so far spoke volumes.
There was no player in Team Middle stronger than him.
Precisely because of this, shouldn’t they eliminate as many variables as possible and send him to the main battle?

‘We had agreed on that with the Alliance side too…’

Han Yu-sung was saying he’d participate in the preliminary skirmish.
And there was a high probability that Okuyama Keiji, the opposing side’s greatest force, wouldn’t even show up!
If they had to prepare for any unforeseen circumstances, they had to stop this somehow.
The problem was: who could possibly convince Han Yu-sung?

“Uh, well, Han Yu-sung. Look, let’s hear you out. Is there some kind of strategy involved in participating in the preliminary skirmish?”
“I intend to move independently.”
“What? Alone? What do you mean by that…?”

An even more absurd statement followed.
It was already absurd that he was participating, but now he wanted to move solo?
Why?
Did he have a death wish in the preliminary skirmish?
That’s the only conclusion the listeners could draw.

“Han Yu-sung. What are you trying to do?”
“To win the preliminary skirmish, we need to eliminate the boss monster called the Blood Demon before Japan does. We’ll need to check the Japanese players’ movements, and we’ll have to counter any interference that comes our way.”
“That’s true, but what does that have to do with your participation…?”
“Wouldn’t it be better to eliminate the competitive element altogether?”

The players who heard this explanation stood dumbfounded.
Rather than hunt the boss monster while worrying about interference from the Japanese side, he would eliminate the Japanese players entirely so they couldn’t interfere at all.
And he would do it alone.

“…Are you insane?”
“I hear that often. Moving alone will be quieter than moving with a group. You understand that, don’t you?”
“Considering how you appeared in the Difficult Realm, yes. That’s true.”

Yoon Ga-ram nodded.
She was someone who could manipulate shadows nearly as well as the Shadow Lord’s Apostle.
If she utilized that, it would be entirely possible to slip behind enemies and strike them covertly.

“No, that’s not the problem… Won’t it be dangerous?”
“We’ll find out once I try.”
“I think I know without trying!”

Kwon Ji-yul, a short-haired woman wielding a bow, cried out in alarm.
But Han Yu-sung seemed unbothered. Seeing this, Lee Joo-han, a middle-aged man with a well-trained physique, asked carefully.

“Then, what should we do?”
“Just draw the Japanese side’s attention while you engage the boss monster.”
“You really intend to move alone?”
“If two people slip away, it becomes conspicuous in various ways.”
“That person who seems to be your acquaintance has eyes that say she wants to go with you.”

Lee Joo-han glanced at Yoon Ga-ram as he spoke.
Since she specialized in shadow manipulation, she would certainly be helpful.
But she had work that needed to be done here.

“Yoon Ga-ram. Can you create forms from shadows?”
“Forms? Yes, I can.”
“Then stay here. You’ll need to create a shadow form of me to deceive the enemies. It won’t need to fool them for long.”
“Must you do it that way?”
“There’s no one else who can.”

Just as Han Yu-sung possessed the Distortion skill to warp shadows into desired forms, Yoon Ga-ram had a similar ability.
She would need to use it to create the illusion that he was still present.
It would be exposed soon enough, but that would suffice.

“One of us will be me, and the other will be Yoon Ga-ram. For the remaining three, we’ll have two close-range fighters and one ranged. Who will take those positions?”
“….”
“….”

Han Yu-sung reached his conclusion swiftly.
The players stared at him blankly.

‘It really does seem like he’s planning to step forward, doesn’t it?’
‘I’ve never met this person, so I don’t know what kind of personality he has, but he doesn’t seem like the type who would listen if we tried to stop him….’
‘Still, he’s shown us something, so there must be some reason to trust him, right?’

The Korean players whispered among themselves.
And they quickly reached a conclusion.

“Let’s give it a try.”
“Besides, he’s going to do it anyway, whether we agree or not, right?”

They decided to go with Han Yu-sung’s plan.
He nodded instead of answering.
Whether the other players refused or not, he was prepared to push forward. There was a reason he had to.

‘There are things to gain.’

Han Yu-sung had two major reasons for stepping into the preliminary match.
First, the ‘buff’ granted for winning the preliminary match.
And second.

[A powerful being of great strength.]
[The effect of Godly Body activates the buff ‘Giant Killing’.]
[All stats +20, Damage +30%, Speed +15%.]

It was because the Blood Demon was a powerful being.
A powerful entity capable of triggering Godly Body’s effect. Considering he was a boss monster, defeating him would yield satisfactory rewards.
There was no reason to foolishly sit back and miss that opportunity.
And above all.

‘This should be interesting.’
[You are an Apostle of the Shadow Lord, yet you….]

The War Demon was a monster that looked worth fighting.
The Japanese players were no different. They possessed considerable skill.
Was I supposed to simply sit back and let this opportunity pass?
That was impossible given my nature.

“Then, let’s quickly select the remaining three and prepare.”

It was time to hunt.

* * *

Han Yu-sung.
A Korean player. The man who had virtually single-handedly conquered two trials: the Night of Hunting and the Dragon’s Tomb.
His reputation was spreading throughout Korea.
Naturally, information about him had reached Japan as well.
But.

‘Could this information be trusted?’

The information about Han Yu-sung was corrupted.
Some said he was primarily a swordsman.
Others claimed he wielded martial arts, while still others insisted he used footwork techniques.
Some even spoke of his remarkable mastery of magic.
And there were those who said he excelled at all of them.

‘How could that possibly be true?’

Okuyama Keiji, a Japanese player, thought exactly that.
How could anyone possibly master all of those disciplines?
Yet the Japanese Alliance had warned that it was quite possible.

– Considering the battles he displayed at the Tower of Blood Demon that appeared in Korea, yes. There is a high probability he can handle all of these at a proficient level.
– We cannot determine his exact level, but he is likely around level 100. Consider him the maximum combat strength of the team you will face.

Swordplay, martial arts, footwork techniques, and magic on top of that.
There was a high probability that the information about him mastering all of these was not false.
Even hearing it with his own ears and seeing the broadcast footage with his own eyes, it was difficult to believe.
Yet he could not dismiss it.

[Ten minutes have passed.]
[Participants from both teams are summoned to the Battlefield.]

The ten minutes granted to both teams elapsed swiftly.
The players from the two teams who had committed to participating in the preliminary match materialized on the Battlefield.
Korea at the eastern edge, Japan at the western edge.
Okuyama Keiji swept his gaze across the sprawling Battlefield, littered with countless corpses.
And toward the opposite end, he observed the Korean players as well.

“Everyone, you all know who we need to be most wary of.”
“We do. Han Yu-sung, that Korean. But will he actually participate?”
“Who knows. There’s a possibility he’s being reserved for the second match, like Okuyama. For now, let’s observe the Korean side’s movements. Then we’ll know for certain.”

Han Yu-sung was the one to be most cautious about.
First, I needed to confirm whether Han Yu-sung was participating.
The likelihood was slim. Fielding someone crucial for the main match in a preliminary bout carried far too much risk.

“If he’s participating, let’s make our judgment after observing how he fights.”
“Understood.”

I considered countermeasures, and if possible, I would need to eliminate him here.
Before the other Koreans, and as swiftly as possible.
The Japanese players remained concealed within the Ruins, observing the situation unfold.

“Okuyama Keiji. The Korean players are moving.”
“How many?”
“Five. There’s also a man who appears to be Han Yu-sung.”
“Serious….”

My ally with the keenest eyesight observed the Korean movements from a vantage point above.
The Korean team, summoned to the east, had begun to advance.
And among them, a figure who appeared to be Han Yu-sung was faintly visible.
A look of bewilderment crossed my face.

“An incomprehensible decision. Yet not without merit.”
“What should we do? Should we move as well?”
“No. According to intelligence, Han Yu-sung is an exceptionally reckless player. There are reports that he thrives on danger and hardship.”

Taking that into account, perhaps….

Crash!

– Roooaaarrr!

“As expected.”

The Korean team would likely engage the War Demon first.
Okuyama Keiji’s judgment was precise. The Korean team, led by Han Yu-sung, attacked the War Demon first, and it roared in retaliation, launching a counteroffensive.
An intense battle erupted between them.

“Are those Korean bastards insane? There’s a limit to recklessness.”
“Think about Han Yu-sung. He’s never failed once until now. He probably believes he can handle whatever happens.”
“Okuyama, are you saying he’s similar to that reckless fool?”

It was a common trait among those who had never experienced failure.
The unwavering belief that they could handle anything that arose.
That arrogance was something to exploit.
Okuyama Keiji and the other Japanese players remained hidden, observing how the Korean team fought.
Particularly, they watched Han Yu-sung.

‘…Wait. Something’s off.’

As I observed Han Yu-sung intently, I suddenly sensed something amiss.
Something was wrong. The movements were far too sluggish compared to what I’d seen in the video I received.
And the fighting style itself seemed oddly unrefined.
Wasn’t this the player who fought with such dazzling brilliance?

‘Is that really Han Yu-sung? It doesn’t quite add up…’

He was moving as if being controlled by someone else.
I widened my eyes. Only then did I realize it.
There was someone clinging to the side of the man presumed to be Han Yu-sung.
That woman possessed the power to manipulate ‘shadows’.

“I’ve been deceived. That’s…!”
“You were here all along.”
“…!”

The moment Okuyama Keiji cried out urgently.
A dark voice echoed from behind the Japanese players.
Okuyama Keiji and the others spun around in shock.
What entered their vision was a staff so ominously dark it seemed to swallow light itself.

Crack! The shadows cascaded forth like a torrent.

“U-ugh…?!”

The moment the staff manifested, shadows poured out without restraint.
The dark shadows consumed everything around them—the earth, the ruins, and every Japanese player standing upon them.
Vision collapsed into absolute darkness in an instant.

[You have deployed 【Abyss Boundary】.]
[Shadow-related skills are strengthened, and the usage condition requiring shadows to be present is removed.]
[【Hunting Night】 marks enemies with its brand.]

Someone stood atop the shadows that consumed all directions.
It was Han Yu-sung.
Not a shadow-crafted impostor, but the real Han Yu-sung.
A crimson aura shimmered around him like heat haze.
Okuyama Keiji bit his lip.

‘Shadows… he even commands concealment?’

Stealth so perfect that I didn’t sense him until he was this close?
As I turned, the Korean team that had been fighting the Blood Demon began to withdraw.
I drew both of my daggers.

“You think you can face all of us alone?”
“There’s nothing impossible about it.”
“Such arrogance…!”

A thunderous boom erupted.

The Japanese players launched a sudden assault on Han Yu-sung.
Arrows and spells streaked through the air.
But none of them reached their target.
The shadows that surged forth intercepted every attack before it could connect.

“Whether I’m arrogant or not….”

Han Yu-sung dissolved into the shadows and vanished.
A voice echoed from within the darkness that engulfed all directions.

“You’ll understand soon enough.”

Then, countless blades surged forth from the shadows.
Okuyama Keiji bit his lip.
Moments later.

– Krraaaaaaagh!
– Damn it, ugh… Uaaaaaaah!

Anguished screams and cries pierced the air.

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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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