SFRW-Chapter 109

Ch. 109 Sword God From The Ruined World  

“Height is 183cm, and as you can see, he appears to be a man in his mid-to-late 40s.”  

Seo Do-jun tried to recall any connection as he stared at the unfamiliar man’s face on the screen, but unsurprisingly, he couldn’t find any link to himself.  

A complete stranger, as the saying goes.  

Hong Hee-ju had been clearly captured on camera leaving the hotel where she had been staying long-term with the suspected perpetrator, getting into a car together.  

Eleven hours after leaving the hotel, her corpse was discovered in a reservoir located in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province.  

Her face had been brutally beaten beyond recognition, with arms and legs completely broken – clear evidence of savage violence across her entire body.  

For someone who was both the daughter-in-law of the T Group (one of South Korea’s top conglomerates) and the second daughter of the W Group (one of South Korea’s top 10 corporations), Hong Hee-ju’s death was too cruel and miserable, making the shock even greater.  

“Considering the extent of damage to the body, we’re presuming this was a premeditated murder motivated by personal grudge. For now, we’re searching for this man as the prime suspect…”  

“So I’m also under suspicion? Just because my name was written near the corpse?”  

“Given how perfect Guild Master’s alibi is, you’re less a suspect and more someone we need to investigate regarding any possible connection to this case.”  

Not a suspect, but a reference witness.  

Though Seo Do-jun found himself unexpectedly involved in this incident, he couldn’t avoid it since his name had been clearly written next to Hong Hee-ju’s corpse.  

“A woman who remained completely useless until her very last moment.”  

After the Kang Young-pyo incident, Hong Hee-ju’s life had completely collapsed.  

Shunned by both the T Group and W Group, living each day in fear that Seo Do-jun might come for revenge, she fell into alcoholism and depression, unable to live normally.  

As her mental stress worsened, Hong Hee-ju became someone unwelcome anywhere, further isolated from people.  

In this utterly ruined state, she met her miserable end as a corpse.  

Naturally, Seo Do-jun felt not even a hint of mourning for Hong Hee-ju’s death.  

It was a deserved death.  

Looking back at how Hong Hee-ju had lived, her miserable end was nothing less than rightful punishment.  

Though if anyone should have delivered that punishment, it should have been the vanished soul of Seo Do-jun.  

‘Just how much hatred did she inspire?’  

Seo Do-jun could well imagine what kind of despicable life Hong Hee-ju must have lived.  

Regardless, the shocking murder case of Hong Hee-ju became public through the media, causing massive social shock.  

This was Hong Hee-ju, connected to none other than the T Group and W Group, and already infamous online as Seo Do-jun’s former stepmother.  

Add to that the fact that Seo Do-jun’s name was written next to her corpse, and it became the perfect sensational story for media and internet gossip.  

However.  

“The media and internet aren’t casting even a single suspicious glance at the Guild Master.”  

His alibi was solid, and there was the argument that if he wanted her dead, he would have killed her long ago.  

And crucially:  

“Of course not – no killer would write their own name next to the corpse.”  

The intention was obvious.  

By dragging Seo Do-jun into this noisy incident, they aimed to tarnish his image somehow.  

Even just having people gossip about it, re-examining his relationship with Hong Hee-ju and sullying the public’s idealized image of their national Hero Seo Do-jun – the perpetrator’s intentions could already be considered successful.  

“Moreover, there will inevitably be people who view Guild Master’s life – so starkly contrasted with Hong Hee-ju’s miserable death – with discomforting eyes.”  

Hong Hee-ju was the villain.  

But there would certainly be those who sympathized with and pitied her tragic death.  

While Seo Do-jun found this utterly ridiculous, given Hong Hee-ju’s cruel and miserable death, he could only accept it as inevitable.  

“People who defend a bad person just because she’s dead…”  

Hyun Joo-yeon frowned as if she couldn’t understand how anyone could do that.  

“For now, it’s best to keep our distance. And if possible…”  

“If you’re talking about the funeral, I absolutely won’t be attending.”  

The ideal scenario would be Seo Do-jun attending Hong Hee-ju’s funeral, mourning her death, and contributing even slightly to finding the killer.  

Even if all these actions were hypocritical, simply displaying such behavior would show Seo Do-jun as a magnanimous person – a true Hero capable of loving and embracing even his enemies.  

Moreover, it was a golden opportunity to maximize public affection toward Seo Do-jun’s humanity.  

In fact, it could be a satisfying revenge method – turning the tables on the perpetrator’s setup right on the stage they prepared to damage Seo Do-jun’s image.  

However, at Seo Do-jun’s firm refusal, Park Sung-wook sighed regretfully but nodded.  

Knowing Seo Do-jun’s relationship with Hong Hee-ju, this response was fully expected.  

“I don’t know who it is, but since they went to all this trouble, we should return the favor.”  

“We’ll actively search for the perpetrator’s whereabouts.”  

At Park Sung-wook’s response, Seo Do-jun stood up as if there was no further need to remain seated.  

While Hong Hee-ju’s death was unexpected, part of him also felt refreshed by it.  

***

During Hong Hee-ju’s funeral period, Seo Do-jun didn’t show his face even once.  

There were mixed opinions about Seo Do-jun’s absence.  

Most people understood and considered his actions natural, but some couldn’t accept it.  

Regardless, Seo Do-jun continued tirelessly closing Gates.  

And then the fourth Gate explosion occurred.  

The location of the fourth Gate explosion was…  

“Mexico?”  

“The Pachuca Gate, located 13km north of Pachuca.”  

Though an A-rank Gate, its main monsters were Brown Orcs.  

Compared to the Gate’s rank, the monsters were only C-rank – not particularly threatening.  

However:  

“Reports indicate over 5,000 orcs have already emerged from the Gate. If all orcs inside exit, estimates suggest the number could easily exceed 10,000.”  

The reason the Gate’s rank was higher than its monsters’ rank:  

Overwhelming numbers.  

Brown Orcs were particularly known for their stubborn insistence on living in massive groups.  

“The numbers aren’t what’s important.”  

Nevertheless, Seo Do-jun paid no attention to the quantity of Brown Orcs.  

Jung In-joo immediately responded:  

“Fortunately, there are no signs of dark magic. So Mexico’s Hero Association is confident they can handle the monsters without major difficulty.”  

The presence or absence of dark magic made such a huge difference that Seo Do-jun believed Mexico could handle it themselves regardless of monster numbers.  

True to expectations, despite the sudden Gate explosion, Mexico reassured the world by excellently containing the monsters.  

But then.  

“Russia?”  

Before Mexico’s Gate explosion incident could conclude, Russia experienced its own Gate explosion.  

And that was just the beginning.  

USA, Germany, India, South Africa, Argentina, and Canada –  

Seven countries experienced consecutive Gate explosions without a moment’s breath.  

“Among these, Russia, USA, and India had monsters that absorbed dark magic emerge from their Gates?”  

“Yes, I’ll explain in detail through the screen.”  

Jung In-joo immediately operated the computer, displaying photos on the large screen.  

The monsters emerging from Russian and American Gates were Gargoyles, Arachnes (resembling giant spiders), and Grizzlies (resembling massive bears).  

India saw the emergence of Vatris.  

Rank-wise, all were B-rank, but they were tricky monsters that bordered on A-rank difficulty.  

With these creatures having absorbed Dark magic, the three nations faced no small crisis.  

“All three countries are requesting assistance from Casserian Guild – more precisely, Casserian’s help. Particularly Russia, with its numerous flying Gargoyles, is begging us to send Casserian under any conditions.”  

As Jung In-joo said, Casserian’s popularity was immense.  

In pure combat ability, Casserian couldn’t be said to surpass three S-rank Heroes.  

However, thanks to its unique fear aura characteristic of boss monsters that could subdue other monsters, its effectiveness against monsters surpassed even having ten S-rank Heroes gathered in one place.  

“It’s true Gargoyles are more troublesome than Arachnes or Grizzlies.”  

While Arachnes and Grizzlies were no pushovers, Gargoyles –  

Especially flying Gargoyles required several times more effort to handle than ground monsters, making Russia’s position understandable.  

Moreover, against Casserian, Gargoyles were as helpless as mice before a cat – even infused with dark magic, they’d be as immobilized as the One-Horned Kowabirus, simply awaiting death.  

After organizing his thoughts, Seo Do-jun decided to send Casserian to Russia.  

America could handle Arachnes and Grizzlies with acceptable losses given their established forces.  

“What about India’s request?”  

The screen changed to show images of massive trees.  

Vatris.  

The most famous plant-type monsters, Vatris were essentially giant trees themselves.  

Appearance-wise, they closely resembled the ‘Ents’ from the globally famous movie ‘The Lord of the Rings.’

Vatris weren’t particularly difficult opponents.  

At least in the ruined world, they were nothing more than firewood for fire mages.  

‘The problem is Earth’s Heroes can’t manipulate fire powerfully enough to instantly burn Vatris.’  

With proper fire control, Vatris could be swept away effortlessly, but currently no such individuals existed.  

Moreover, Vatris infused with dark magic would require exceptionally powerful fire mages.  

‘If we had Letonia petals, Cain alone could handle it.’  

The Letonia petals that could alter magic attributes – specifically the red fire-attribute petals – would enable Cain to single-handedly eliminate the Vatris.  

Unfortunately, Seo Do-jun had used them all in Guam when absorbing the magic from Avarr Soul stone.  

Ultimately.  

“I’ll go myself.”  

At present, Seo Do-jun was the only one who could easily handle Vatris.  

Despite their fatal weakness to fire, Vatris were by no means weak monsters.  

Having absorbed the Eternal Ember, Seo Do-jun could wield fire magic more powerfully than most fire mages, making Vatris easy prey.  

Thus the decisions were made:  

America would handle things themselves, requesting support later if needed.  

Russia would receive Casserian along with Hyun Joo-yeon and Gloria.  

India would be handled by Seo Do-jun personally.  

Just as all decisions were finalized and official communications sent to each nation’s Hero Associations:  

“The Toam Gate has exploded!”  

The Toam Gate, located in Gijang-gun, Busan Metropolitan City, South Korea, had exploded.  

“And it contains Dark magic too!”  

The monsters pouring from the A-rank Toam Gate were Twin-Headed Black Orcs.  

These variant orcs, called Twin-Headed Black Orcs, possessed strength surpassing even trolls and ogres – and they had absorbed dark magic?  

“We’re revising all plans immediately.”  

Compared to Russia, America, and India, South Korea was now in most immediate danger.  

Though official communications had already been sent, no one could blame Seo Do-jun for this abrupt change.  

If the Twin-Headed Black Orcs weren’t dealt with immediately, Busan – South Korea’s second largest city with 8 million residents post-Fracture Era – could be reduced to ruins.  

“I’m heading to Busan immediately.”  

Without waiting for anyone’s response, Seo Do-jun mounted Casserian, who had been resting in his lair.  

Though Casserian had been enjoying rare sweet relaxation, sensing Seo Do-jun’s grave mood, it obediently kicked off the ground with powerful wingbeats.  

-KWAOOOOOOOOO!  

As Casserian’s thunderous roar echoed across Seoul’s skies, its massive form shot southward toward Busan at incredible speed.  

And at that very moment.  

-SCREEEECH! SCREEE!  

-SCREEE! SCREEEECH!  

Hundreds of black, muscular orcs with two heads each were already rampaging through the city – smashing buildings and slaughtering people indiscriminately.