SFRW-Chapter 112

Ch. 112 Sword God From The Ruined World  

A dark, damp underground cave.  

The space beyond the rift passage formed inside the Toam Gate was an entirely different environment.  

Above all else—  

“KEEEEEEEEK!”  

“KIKIKIKIKIK!”  

“KEEEK! KEEEEEEEEK!”  

Nearly a hundred Arachnes swarming before him noticed Seo Do-jun’s presence and began shrieking excitedly.  

For most people, this would be enough to startle them or make them instinctively step back in fear.  

“An Arachne nest?”  

Seo Do-jun’s gaze lingered not on the Arachnes but on the bluish-green eggs, each as large as his torso.  

Arachne eggs.  

Hundreds—if not more—of Arachne eggs clung densely to the cave’s ceiling and walls.  

Seo Do-jun had explored many Arachne nests in the ruined world, not to exterminate the creatures but to collect their eggshells.  

When Arachnes hatch, the mixture of accumulated fluid and venom inside the shells leaves behind a bluish powder on the inner surface.  

That powder was his target.  

High-grade regeneration powder.  

For wounds, it worked better and faster than most high-grade potions, making it extremely valuable.  

The eggshells were also prized for another purpose:  

Jewelry.  

Before hatching, Arachnes continuously absorb ambient magic, causing trace amounts to accumulate on the shell’s surface.  

Though unremarkable at first glance, when properly processed, these magic-infused shells transformed into exquisite decorative pieces.  

With alchemy, their color could be altered freely, and their durability made them ideal for adorning mages’ staffs, knights’ swords, and shields.  

“They can even store small amounts of magic, useful in emergencies.”  

Nobles, regardless of age or gender, coveted them.  

In the ruined world, some even specialized in scavenging Arachne nests solely for these shells.  

Seo Do-jun had hunted Arachne nests during a potion shortage, seeking high-grade regeneration powder.  

“I really did scour a lot of them back then.”  

His eyes swept the surroundings.  

Discarded eggshells, left behind after hatching, littered the area.  

To humans, they were precious materials—but to Arachnes, they were just empty husks.  

“I have enough subspace storage.”  

Seo Do-jun’s eyes gleamed.  

No matter how advanced Earth’s scientific civilization was, nothing compared to the value of potions.  

Even with modern medical technology, potions infused with magic, alchemy, and priestly blessings were irreplaceable.  

“Arachne regeneration powder could make up for the lack of potions.”  

Though healers existed among Heroes, their numbers were pitifully small. Most were tied to Associations or conglomerates, safely treating patients far from battlefields.  

“And their skills were mediocre.”  

Despite their incompetence, healers acted arrogantly.  

Had a Hero with mid-tier priestly abilities appeared on Earth, the world would’ve worshipped them like a god.  

Earth’s lack of basic healing priests was fatal.  

Thus, high-grade regeneration powder from Arachne eggshells was like rain in a drought.  

As Seo Do-jun greedily eyed the discarded shells, the Arachnes—who had been hostile since his intrusion—simultaneously lunged at him.  

“KEEEEEEEEK!”  

Nearly a hundred Arachnes scuttled along the walls and ceiling, a sight terrifying enough to be called pure horror.  

In the darkness, their 32 crimson eyes each flickered menacingly.  

To the uninitiated, the fear would be paralyzing—but Seo Do-jun remained unfazed.  

With a single swing of his sword—  

SPLAT! SPLAT! SPLAT!  

A dozen Arachne heads burst apart each time his blade flashed.  

Sticky fluid splattered across the cave walls.  

Even as their kin died helplessly, the Arachnes, driven by instinct to protect their eggs and species, frenziedly charged Seo Do-jun.  

He showed no mercy.  

THUD! THUD! THUD!  

Sticky fluid pooled at his feet.  

Piles of bisected Arachne corpses stacked up.  

“Keeeee…”  

SPLAT!  

The last Arachne fell.  

Seo Do-jun stored only the hatched eggshells in his subspace.  

Then came the fiery finale.  

WHOOSH!  

His magic, imbued with unquenchable flames, ignited the cave.  

Eggs nearing hatching and Arachne corpses burned rapidly.  

The sight of unborn Arachnes writhing within their flaming shells was grotesque.  

Once everything was reduced to ashes, only magic stones remained.  

Seo Do-jun collected every last one before leaving.  

Arachne nests were vast and deep.  

Some intruders, lost within, starved to death.  

But not Seo Do-jun—he knew how to navigate them.  

Thus, the nest was swiftly obliterated.  

***  

After tirelessly killing Arachnes, burning eggs, and collecting magic stones and shells, Seo Do-jun finally exited the nest.  

Surprisingly, he emerged in a jungle reminiscent of the Amazon—still inside a Gate.  

A blackened Gate core lay before him, its Iron Guard shattered.  

“A passage linking Gates?”  

His expression darkened.  

This was worse than anticipated.  

If Gates were interconnected, the risks multiplied exponentially.  

Imagine deploying Heroes to counter Orcs, only for Arachnes to spill out instead.  

The devastation would be unimaginable.  

“No other passages here… but if all Gates are linked—”  

It would be catastrophic.  

Even if he closed Gates in Korea, without sealing them all, safety was an illusion.  

And worse—  

“What if rift zones start connecting too?”  

That would be hell.  

Gates and rift zones were fundamentally different.  

Gates were products of human arrogance, believing they could be controlled. rift zones, deemed uncontrollable, were left alone.  

If rift zones interconnected, could Earth’s Heroes and nations handle the fallout?  

“Do I need to change plans?”  

Originally, Gate closure was his priority. Now, rift zones seemed more urgent.  

Regardless, one thing was clear:  

“They’ll only regret it when hell is at their doorstep.”  

Humans’ greed and selfishness knew no bounds.  

“Then I’ll force their hand.”  

CRACK!  

His fist shattered the Gate core.  

Space trembled as the Gate collapsed, erased from Earth.  

Seo Do-jun stepped outside.  

***

Awaiting him was—  

“…Kassal?”  

Patrick, Gloria’s brother.  

His face screamed, Why are you coming out of there?  

Patrick had been fighting nonstop against Arachnes after the Gate’s explosion. When they suddenly stopped emerging, he grew tense.  

Though empowered by dark magic, the Arachnes were contained thanks to tailored strategies and America’s full military mobilization.  

They’d planned to wait a day before sending a team to destroy the core—yet here was Seo Do-jun, exiting the Gate after sealing it.  

“How did this happen?”  

When had Seo Do-jun even entered?  

He’d been in Busan during its Gate explosion—everyone knew that.  

Then he’d entered the Toam Gate…  

“Don’t tell me—the Gates are connected?”  

Seo Do-jun saw no need to hide the truth.  

“Yes. A passage linked Busan’s Toam Gate to this one.”  

“…That’s impossible!”  

Patrick’s face twisted.  

His denial wasn’t disbelief—just refusal to accept the reality.  

“This is reality.”  

And it demanded swift action.  

Every day delayed brought Earth closer to disaster.  

“We’re past seeking understanding or agreement.”  

Seo Do-jun’s resolve hardened.  

Forced enforcement was now necessary.  

Before more Gates—and rift zones—naturally interconnected, as many as possible had to be sealed.  

His unwavering demeanor sent a chill through Patrick and the watching Heroes.  

News of Seo Do-jun emerging from an American Gate after entering one in South Korea shocked the world.  

But the real bombshell came next:  

“From this moment onward, all Gates and rift zones worldwide must be closed. This is the only way to ensure humanity’s survival. Even if no one joins us, the Casserian Guild and I will see it through. We will not compromise. We will tolerate no interference.”  

A formal declaration of war—against the global powers who would never consent to closing Gates and rift zones.  

Many would resist, employing any means to stop Seo Do-jun and the guild.  

Yet, as Gate explosions and interconnections became undeniable crises, support for him grew rapidly.  

***

“Seo Do-jun… Kassal…”  

Vaitel’s expression sharpened as he watched Seo Do-jun speak boldly on TV.  

The figure in his memories—his closest friend, yet one he’d had to betray.  

Karserian.  

“Is it coincidence that their talents resemble each other?”  

But that was all.  

The Kassal he knew had perished with the ruined world.  

This man shared only a name—their appearances and abilities were too different.  

Still, unsettling parallels lingered.  

Most notably, taming Casserian—a feat even Vaitel acknowledged.  

“No sign of allies yet…”  

If Kang Young-pyo had found anything noteworthy, he would’ve reported it.  

As Seo Do-jun confidently answered reporters, he cut a Heroic figure.  

“Does he know something? Or is he just intuitive? Analytical?”  

Not that it mattered.  

Earth’s fate was already decided.  

Interconnected Gates meant synchronization rates were rising rapidly.  

A quick check confirmed:  

[37.62%]  

40% was imminent.  

And then—  

“I hope you’re not as foolish as Avarr.”  

Vaitel scowled at the thought.  

On screen, Seo Do-jun continued:  

“There are no certainties. But preemptively containing these threats is the only logical choice.”  

As Seo Do-jun insisted that closing Gates and rift zones was the sole solution, Vaitel muttered:  

“I wonder if those selfish fools will follow your lead.”  

Even if they tried, sealing them all would take far longer than days.  

“No matter how you struggle, this world’s destiny is despair. And you—you’ll share the same fate as him.”  

Certainty laced Vaitel’s voice.