The Crazy Battle God Has Returned - Chapter 92

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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 92

Team Middle would field five members for the Giant Siege.
Kwon Ji-yul, Lee Joo-han, Jung Bo-ra, Park Kwon-ho, and Han Yu-sung.
They gathered in one place, engaged in hurried discussion.
Han Yu-sung observed the meeting from a distance with an indifferent gaze.

“So, for the Giant Siege….”
“I’d like to proceed according to plan. Do you think that’s possible?”
“Our minds are aligned. I was thinking the same thing.”

All the players turned their gaze to one location.
There was no need to say where—it was Han Yu-sung, standing nearby.
The original plan was to place Han Yu-sung in the final position of the Giant Siege.
The earlier positions would reduce the enemy numbers as much as possible and gather intelligence.
Then Han Yu-sung, having preserved his stamina, would use that information to finish off the remaining enemies.

“I’ll go out in the first position of the Giant Siege.”

The problem was that Han Yu-sung had no intention of following that plan.
The anxious players began urgently trying to persuade him.

“Ah, just as I thought! I knew you’d say that. Of course you would.”
“Are you serious? Wouldn’t it be better to go in the final position?”
“To maximize our win rate, the first position isn’t….”

Yet they sensed it deep down—this wasn’t a man who could be persuaded.
Though they hadn’t known him long, Han Yu-sung seemed like that kind of person.
Someone unmoved by others’ opinions.
Though it wasn’t mere stubborn pride either.

“This is the method with the highest win rate. If I go in the first position and end the Giant Siege, wouldn’t that make things easier for all of you?”
“Easier? If you die, it’s all over…!”

He pushed forward because he was certain it was the most reliable method.
To others, it appeared dangerous and close to gambling, but Han Yu-sung himself didn’t feel it was particularly risky.
After all, he had lived this way in his previous life.
That was the only way he could grow stronger.

“Let’s go with Han Yu-sung’s approach.”
“What? Even you, Yoon Ga-ram?”
“He’s not the type to act recklessly without thought. I suspect Han Yu-sung believes his method offers the highest probability of victory.”

With Yoon Ga-ram’s support, she aligned herself with Han Yu-sung’s opinion.
She had observed his actions during the Giant Siege.
Audacious beyond measure, yet those very actions had culminated in victory.
There was reason to trust him this time as well.

“He doesn’t seem like he’ll budge on this.”
“Then… sigh. I really don’t know. This shouldn’t be happening. Fine, we’ll have him go first as requested.”
“I’m not entirely certain this is the right call…”

Kwon Ji-yul and Lee Joo-han, who had fought in the preliminary match together, shared the same sentiment.
Han Yu-sung was Team Middle’s core strength. With any other player, they would have objected, but with him—surely there was purpose behind this.
Surely he would demonstrate something.
Such thoughts arose naturally.

“Han Yu-sung, who do you think Japan will send out?”
“Maezato Oju.”
“Oju? That reckless one? He’s their team’s ace—would they really send their ace out first? Isn’t that dangerous?”
“That’s exactly what they’re doing right now.”
“Hmm, come to think of it…”

Whether Han Yu-sung knew the other players were deliberating or not.
He conversed with Yoon Ga-ram in composed silence. Yet his gaze was directed elsewhere, not at her.
To the right—toward Team Heavy’s section.
Someone there was watching him intently.

[Achiros’s lackey gazes upon you. His name is…]
‘Lee Su-ho.’

It was Lee Su-ho.
Team Heavy had already settled their arrangements and sat in silence.
He remained on the bench, regarding Han Yu-sung with eyes of glacial coldness.
Upon meeting that gaze, something surfaced unbidden.

‘Come to think of it, I believe that’s around when he started building his influence in Korea in earnest.’
[Hmm, I can guess how he expanded his influence without you spelling it out. In my past life, didn’t every team with him in it lose?]
‘You know your stuff.’

Kakasha was a Star Lord, despite appearances.
He had orchestrated countless schemes and fallen victim to them; he had accumulated vast experience.
Lee Su-ho’s method of building influence was transparent to him.

[He must have flaunted his own competence while emphasizing others’ incompetence. In doing so, he cast himself as a hero. Predictable. Utterly predictable.]
‘Yes. He did exactly as you say.’

Lee Su-ho, who already possessed considerable renown, began his earnest walk down the “path of a hero” starting with this National Inter-Country Tournament.
Eventually, he grew powerful enough to dominate both the Alliance and the government single-handedly.
I recall Jain suffered quite a bit because of it.

“I can’t allow that.”

Naturally, Han Yu-sung had no intention of letting Lee Su-ho become a hero.
The method to obstruct that plan was extraordinarily simple.
All he needed to do was redirect the attention meant for Lee Su-ho toward himself.

‘I need to win in a way that leaves a deep impression on capable people.’

Therefore, victory in the National Inter-Country Tournament was crucial.
In my past life, Maezato Oju went first and single-handedly slaughtered all of Korea’s players.
Oju possessed that level of skill, and Korea’s side was correspondingly weak.
Naturally, this time would be different.

[In five minutes, we will commence the main tournament 【Captain’s Match】.]
[The first player to compete, please enter through the portal.]

Han Yu-sung stood before the portal. Beyond it, he could see a player from the Japanese contingent stepping forward.
A familiar face.

‘As expected, he’s here.’

‘Maezato Oju’.
Guild Master of Zangetsu, Japan’s renowned Guild.
And the swordsman who suffered a crushing defeat at my hands in the Snake Ruin.

‘He switched swords. Looks like a better blade than before?’
[A man of considerable wealth, it seems.]

A new sword hung from Maezato Oju’s waist.
The Moonlit Blade he’d used previously—Han Yu-sung had seized it.
It had shattered pathetically when he clashed with the Blood Demon who appeared suddenly, though it had been quite an expensive weapon in its own right.
Still, it must have cost him dearly.

[Surely you’re not thinking of stealing another sword, are you?]
‘Not a bad idea. But I already have the Blood Demon Sword, so.’

There’s no real need. Unless I planned to sell it off.
Han Yu-sung regarded Maezato Oju with an indifferent expression before turning away.
The battle with Maezato Oju had been far more tedious than I’d anticipated.
If there was one thing I could hope for.

‘I just hope this next one proves more entertaining.’

Though it probably won’t make much difference.
Han Yu-sung’s form vanished as he stepped through the portal.
All that remained were the players watching him depart with worried expressions.

“Will… will it be alright?”
“We can only hope. If Maezato Oju really does go first for Japan, and if Han Yu-sung loses there…”
“Then we might as well have no chance at all.”

Who could defeat Maezato Oju if he’d beaten Han Yu-sung?
Korea’s players desperately hoped such a scenario would never come to pass.
Yoon Ga-ram observed them all with cold, unwavering eyes.

‘Needless worry.’

That’s how it appeared to Yoon Ga-ram.

* * *

The final match of the tournament had begun.
The stage transformed. The battlefield littered with countless corpses vanished, replaced by an arena that mirrored the Star Battlefield.
Iron gates stood at both ends, and beyond them, the competitors materialized.
For Korea: Han Yu-sung.

“….”

For Japan: Maezato Oju.
Oju kept his eyes closed, gathering his resolve.
Beyond the darkness of his vision, memories from the past began to surface, creeping like shadows.
The bitter, humiliating memory of defeat at the Snake Ruin.
The words spoken by the masked man who had crushed him echoed relentlessly in his mind.

– You are weak. You are weak. Not even worth fighting….

“Shhh, haaa….”

Oju drew a deep breath.
I felt my turbulent emotions settle once more.
This battle demanded I approach it with the coldness of ice and the sharpness of a blade.
Needless excitement was forbidden.

‘I will cut through everything and overcome it.’

This victory would free me from those haunting memories!
Oju opened his eyes.

Clang!

The iron gate blocking his path swung open. I grasped the sword at my waist and stepped confidently into the arena.
My opponent emerged from the opposite side.
The moment I saw his face, my eyes turned glacial.

‘That man. The Korean with a fighting style similar to him.’

The masked player who left terrible memories in Oju’s mind.
Han Yu-sung’s combat style resembled that person.
Perhaps they were even the same individual.
If so, I could truly overcome everything.
The bitter taste of defeat, the humiliation, the shattered pride!

[Combat will commence in 30 seconds.]
[Until then, neither player may inflict damage upon the other.]
[Take note: intervention by a Lord is permitted in this match.]
[Prepare yourselves for battle.]

A pale light enveloped both Han Yu-sung and Oju.
A protective barrier preventing them from attacking each other for thirty seconds.
Oju assumed a stance, ready to draw his blade at any moment.
His cold, steely gaze fixed upon the opponent before him.

“Korean. I have a question for you.”

Oju suddenly broke the silence.

“Did you ever participate in the Snake Ruin event held on the Star Battlefield?”

Han Yu-sung offered no response.
He merely regarded Oju with an indifferent gaze.
But that too was fleeting—his interest waned, and he turned his eyes away.
Oju’s face twisted at that dismissive attitude.

“Answer my question. Before I kill you where you stand!”

The emotions he had desperately suppressed surged forth once more.
Yet still, no answer came.
Oju’s hand trembled as he gripped his blade.

“…Very well. If you refuse to answer.”

[10 seconds remain. 10, 9, 8, 7…]

Time flows forward.
The numbers displayed before my eyes decrease rapidly.
And when that number reaches zero.

“I shall make you answer!”
[The first match of the main tournament begins.]

Maezato Oju unleashed a roar and stomped the ground.
His form vanished. Transformed into a single streak of lightning, Maezato Oju crossed the Arena, tracing a dizzying trajectory as he charged toward Han Yu-sung.
Simultaneously, a blessing descended upon him.

[The power of one who executes justice flows into you.]
[The Lord of Justice bestows her blessing upon you!]

The blessing of a lord.
In that instant, a radiant light of judgment poured down from the heavens.
The light that judges injustice settled upon Maezato Oju’s body, spreading throughout his entire form.
Maezato Oju felt overwhelming power surging within him.
His movements accelerated.

Whoooosh!

‘With this power!’

Speed like lightning, movements like thunder.
Footwork that the eye cannot follow, that the mind cannot perceive.
Closing the distance in an instant, Maezato Oju summoned his mana and unleashed his newly mastered swordsmanship.

Crackle!

Lightning danced across Maezato Oju’s entire body.

“Haaah…!”

That lightning converged at the blade’s edge, transforming into a violet flash.
A moment of suspended silence.
The next instant, a violent thunderclap erupted.

“Die!”

A sword strike infused with lightning scattered dozens of bolts of electricity in all directions, flashing toward Han Yu-sung like a torrent of light.
But this alone was insufficient.
Maezato Oju drew forth more mana, immediately preparing the next technique.

I would dazzle his vision with this technique, and then with the next one.

Dozens of scattered lightning bolts obscured the field of vision.
Maezato Oju transformed into a brilliant flash once more, shifting his position.
Veins bulging in his hand, he gripped the sword with tremendous force.

I will claim his life.

Lightning bloomed forth.
Maezato Oju channeled the lightning into his blade and stepped forward.
And beyond, toward Han Yu-sung, who faced the incoming sword strikes….

What is this?

A killing blow, delivered….
Maezato Oju, about to do just that, suddenly froze mid-motion.
He had no choice.

He vanished. Where did he go?

Han Yu-sung’s figure, which should have been struck, had disappeared without a trace.
Where exactly? Maezato Oju’s eyes widened as he searched for his opponent’s location.
He didn’t need to search long.

A deafening roar!

In an instant, a gale descended upon him.
And before he could even react.

A thunderous crash!

“Ugh…!”

Blood Wind Slash struck Maezato Oju’s solar plexus with devastating force.
His torso buckled under the impact.
As if waiting for that very moment, Extinguishing Flame engulfed his face, followed by a detonation that consumed him entirely.
The violent concussion drove Oju’s body hard against the wall.

“Ugh, hah…!”

A pained gasp escaped Oju’s lips.
What had just happened?
I couldn’t comprehend it. Couldn’t make sense of it.
I had no idea how Han Yu-sung evaded my sword strike, how he closed the distance, or how he launched his attack before I could even perceive it.
The only thing I understood was that I had been struck down.

“Kugh, gaaahhh!”

That impact continued to wrack my body with tremors.
Oju’s eyes widened, bloodshot and wild.
I sensed a presence approaching. Forcing my body to move, I thrust my blade toward that presence.

Crash!

The blade wreathed in lightning was trampled by something and driven into the ground.

“Maezato Oju.”

An emotionless voice reached my ears.
Hearing those words, I felt a sense of déjà vu, and only then did I become certain.
The figure before me was the masked player who had overwhelmed me.

“I told you before. That we would meet again someday.”

Han Yu-sung had said that at the Snake Ruin.
While looking down at me, crushed beneath the weight of an overwhelming defeat for the first time.

“Are you prepared to die?”

That’s what he had said.
A voice etched into my mind, now impossible to shake off—like chains binding me.
Maezato Oju’s body began trembling violently.
Maezato Oju desperately lifted his head, gazing up at Han Yu-sung.
What I saw were eyes just as emotionless as they had been back then.

“U-ugh…!”

Eyes that showed not the slightest interest in this battle.
Maezato Oju urgently drew forth every ounce of mana he possessed.
That mana transformed into violet lightning, engulfing his entire body.

“Uaaaaaaa!”

Maezato Oju convulsed and charged toward Han Yu-sung.
Han Yu-sung clicked his tongue upon seeing Maezato Oju wielding his blade like a madman.

‘Even with the Lord’s blessing, nothing has changed.’

Thinking that this would end in another disappointing result.
Han Yu-sung clenched his fist.

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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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