SFRW-Chapter 97

Ch. 97 Sword God From The Ruined World

The internet exploded.  

All because of a single promotional video.  

The official recruitment announcement for the Casserian Guild – previously only rumored about – sent public interest skyrocketing.  

The recruitment video produced by Park Chul, who became the guild’s third civilian member, achieved…  

“100 million views? Is this real?”  

Park Chul rubbed his eyes until they nearly popped out, convinced he was seeing things.  

Yet the view count continued climbing rapidly even as he watched.  

“This is insane… absolutely ridiculous.”  

Even considering Seo Do-jun’s direct involvement in filming, these numbers defied belief.  

Of course, that was easy to say when it wasn’t happening to you.  

“Puhahaha! This will go down in streaming history! Who else could hit 100M views in one day? Right?”  

Even globally famous idol singers took days to reach 100M views.  

Basking in this unprecedented achievement, Park Chul swelled with pride.  

Though not the star himself, having produced and uploaded this historic video filled him with satisfaction.  

This would be talked about for ages.  

Realistically, 100M views in a day bordered on impossible.  

Yet the Casserian Guild recruitment video’s success had clear reasons:  

“With every global news outlet covering this, failing to hit 100M would’ve been the real joke.”  

Park Young-gi’s sarcastic comment made Park Chul click his tongue.  

“Still sulking? Just wait – who do you think I am? Head of PR for the Great Casserian Guild! I’ll petition our Guild Master to make you an official member soon. You think I’d hog all the benefits? Don’t you trust me?”  

Having stumbled into guild membership himself, Park Chul hadn’t initially considered bringing Young-gi along.  

“You’d better keep that promise! It’s awkward working together when one’s a member and the other’s just outsourced help.”  

“Outsourced? Whatever! Just trust me on this!”  

Their six-year partnership without betrayal made Park Young-gi accept this readily.  

“But didn’t you skip the test?”  

The recruitment video clearly showed Seo Do-jun explaining the mandatory entrance exam – now a top search term.  

Even Hyun Joo-yeon, closest to Guild Master Seo Do-jun, couldn’t avoid it.  

Online forums buzzed with vivid test recounts from Silk Flower Guild members.  

All reviews shared one trait: unprecedented difficulty.  

Test-takers described dizziness, nausea, and mental torment – extreme trials by any standard.  

With such viral discussions, public fascination with the Casserian Guild showed no signs of fading.  

“No special instructions for me.”  

Park Chul knew about the test.  

But lacking any summons, he’d assumed exemption.  

“People say the test is brutally hard… and you dropped out of school…”  

“Who’s calling who dumb?”  

Park Chul put Park Young-gi in a headlock, shaking him violently.  

“Listen here! I quit school, but that doesn’t mean I’m stupid!”  

(Technically, he chose not to study rather than couldn’t.)  

Still, anxiety crept in.  

‘What if they call me in tomorrow? Damn! Would I lose my position?’  

His initial joy at becoming a guild member now mixed with nervous tension.  

* * *  

“Why?”  

Seo Do-jun met Hyun Joo-yeon’s questioning gaze.  

“They’re non-combat personnel.”  

While all combatants faced rigorous testing, civilians like Park Sung-wook, Choi Cheol-gwan, and Park Chul received exemptions.  

Hyun Joo-yeon shook her head at this explanation.  

“Non-combatants can still betray you. Leak information.”  

A valid concern – intelligence security mattered greatly.  

“True enough.”  

Seo Do-jun’s calm, almost indifferent response surprised her.  

“You know this, yet won’t test them?”  

“We’ll handle internal security.”  

Upcoming battles demanded operational secrecy.  

In his ruined world, leaked strategies had cost countless lives.  

Seo Do-jun planned extreme compartmentalization – only a select few would know critical plans.  

“Internal security isn’t that simple.”  

Hyun Joo-yeon doubted his administrative experience.  

How could someone so young understand managing a massive organization?  

Seo Do-jun smiled at her skepticism.  

“Security isn’t just about locking down information.”  

“What does that mean?”  

As Hyun Joo-yeon frowned in confusion, he explained:  

“We’ll feed false intelligence.  

Create internal disinformation.  

Only a handful will know the truth.”  

This strategy allowed civilian recruitment without compromising security.  

Testing non-combatants like combat personnel would be inefficient.  

What if Park Sung-wook or Choi Cheol-gwan failed?  

Where would he find replacements?  

With combatant vetting already demanding, parallel civilian screening would cripple guild growth.  

Seo Do-jun resolved to build the Casserian Guild his way – cutting losses decisively.  

* * *  

Amid global Casserian Guild frenzy…  

At Japan’s Kanagawa Prefecture, Yokohama City, Asahi Ward – Inoshishi Gate.  

This A-rank gate, named after its boar-like Kowabiru monsters, featured relatively safe rolling hills despite its rating.  

Three A-rank heroes could easily handle a Kowabiru, yet their magic stone drop rates and byproduct values made this gate highly popular.  

“Lady Luck’s really smiling on us!”  

Takihiro’s backpack bulged with magic stones, his mood soaring.  

The 42-day wait for Inoshishi Gate access proved worthwhile – their haul exceeded expectations.  

“Nobuo bragged about 2.2 billion yen last time… We’ve topped that, right?”  

Guildmate Shota’s question made Takihiro boast:  

“2.2 billion? We’re clearing 3 billion easily!”  

Four days of hunting by 17 Gettou Guild members yielded this fortune.  

Exhausted but exhilarated, they understood why this Gate remained legendary.  

Yet their time was ending – the exclusive access period expired today.  

“A few months straight here, and we’d be nationally famous!”  

Currently only Kanagawa-known, Gettou Guild believed proper funding could make them national contenders.  

Their leader Kudo Fumiya ranked among top A-rank heroes after all.  

“Enough chatter – prep for exit.”  

Kudo Fumiya hid his bitterness poorly.  

Rumors said wait times had doubled since their entry.  

Worse, the Association’s ‘fairness policy’ pushed returning guilds to the queue’s end – their next access might take months.  

Despite four phenomenally profitable days, Kudo dragged his feet toward the exit.  

“So frustrating! When will we get another chance?”  

“Rules are rules. Remember Teikoku Guild monopolized this early on?”  

“Yeah, rumors say that’s how Takashi reached S-rank.”  

“What’s it matter? That disgrace died pathetically in South Korea!”  

They badmouthed the deceased Takashi and his dissolved Teikoku Guild freely.  

As they neared the exit:  

Bzzzzzzzt!  

Sparks erupted near the gate, space itself visibly distorting.  

“What’s happening?”  

“Some malfunction?”  

“Gates never malfunction!”  

Unlike unstable rifts, gates were considered perfectly safe worldwide.  

“Probably nothing.”  

Kudo reassured his guild.  

“Could a new rift be forming nearby?”  

The suggestion seemed plausible.  

“Let’s wait until it stabilizes.”  

Seeing no immediate danger but wanting caution, Kudo made the call.  

Thirty minutes later, conditions worsened dramatically.  

BZZZZT! CRACK!  

Sparks multiplied, spatial distortions threatening to tear reality apart.  

“This looks dangerous…”  

Before panic could spread:  

KABOOOOM!  

The sparking exit detonated violently.  

“W-what?”  

“The exit!”  

Space tore open, the gate’s exit vanishing entirely.  

In that stunned moment:  

SCREEEEEECH!  

Kowabirus – supposed Gate guardians – came stampeding outward.  

Like prisoners escaping!  

“Battle positions!”  

Kudo ordered instantly.  

“T-they’re different!”  

The charging Kowabirus bore no resemblance to their four-day prey.  

Wreathed in black, smoke-like energy, these creatures felt utterly alien.  

Kudo recognized the difference immediately.  

‘Still just Kowabirus!’  

Outnumbered but undaunted, he drew his sword and charged.  

His blade swept toward the lead monster’s legs –  

TIIING!  

“Guh!”  

The sword rebounded violently, shredding Kudo’s grip.  

Before he could process this:  

CRUNCH!  

The Kowabiru trampled him effortlessly.  

“GUILD MASTER!”  

Seeing their leader crushed so easily, the guild scattered in panic.  

The horde surged through the opening, charging into the outside world.