SFRW-Chapter 119

Ch. 119 Sword God From The Ruined World

By the time Seo Do-jun’s party arrived at the Terracotta Warrior Gate, the situation had already escalated to its worst possible state.  

“We tried deploying Heroes to stop them but…”  

Hong Zi-xian, an executive of the Chinese Hero Association, spoke while carefully observing Seo Do-jun’s reaction.  

The number of Pentagos that had exploded out of the Terracotta Warrior Gate was 187.  

This was slightly more than Seo Do-jun had anticipated, but it still wasn’t a critically threatening scale.  

The real problem was China’s response.  

The Chinese Heroes, believing they had sufficiently dealt with Pentagos inside the gate, engaged in battle outside just as they had inside.  

That was their mistake.  

Inside the gate, Pentagos could only use hosts equivalent to trolls or werewolves at best, but outside was completely different.  

In particular, the thousands of Terracotta soldiers were perfect host materials for the Pentagos.  

“…2,875 people have died.”  

At Hong Zi-xian’s devastated expression, Seo Do-jun clicked his tongue lightly.  

Human wave tactics.  

China was better at overwhelming with numbers than any other country in the world.  

And until now, China had successfully used human wave tactics to stop multiple monster waves.  

This was only possible because China possessed the largest number of Heroes globally.  

The problem was that such tactics were utterly ineffective against Pentagos.  

No, they had backfired completely.  

“It happened so suddenly that we couldn’t respond in time. Thousands of Terracotta soldiers and horses suddenly came to life and started moving…”  

Hong Zi-xian’s face twisted as if he still couldn’t comprehend what had happened.  

“They say workers were buried alive to prevent tomb raiding at the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor… I suppose this place was no different.”  

At Seo Do-jun’s words, Hong Zi-xian jumped up as if offended.  

“Buried alive?! There’s no way such a horrific thing was done! That’s nothing but baseless slander to disparage our great heritage!”  

Seo Do-jun didn’t even bother responding to Hong Zi-xian’s rebuttal.  

No matter how powerful Pentagos were, they couldn’t have animated thousands of Terracotta soldiers unless the spirits buried here had grudges.  

Not wanting to waste time arguing with Hong Zi-xian, Seo Do-jun turned his gaze to the military forces tightly surrounding the Terracotta Warrior.  

“You need to withdraw them immediately.”  

“That’s impossible. While we can’t directly harm Pentagos, the Terracotta soldiers are vulnerable to modern weapons.”  

The clay-made Terracotta soldiers didn’t possess enough magic to nullify modern weapons – a single artillery shell could shatter them completely.  

Knowing this, the Chinese government had mobilized military forces to prepare for bombardment.  

But this too was a mistake.  

Their opponents were Pentagos.  

“It wouldn’t matter against other monsters, but with Pentagos currently controlling the Terracotta soldiers…”  

KWA-BOOM!  

Before Seo Do-jun could finish speaking, an explosion erupted from one section of the military forces, sending flames shooting skyward.  

“Too late.”  

Seo Do-jun frowned.  

“What’s happening?!”  

Hong Zi-xian shouted in alarm, and soon reports came in.  

“T-the tanks… they’re attacking our own forces.”  

“What?”  

Hong Zi-xian looked shocked as if hearing nonsense, but Seo Do-jun understood immediately.  

The Pentagos had taken over the tanks as hosts and forced them to move. As if to prove this, multiple tanks surrounding the Terracotta warrior began firing shells at each other.  

BOOM! KABOOM! BLAM!  

Flames erupted everywhere.  

Faced with this horrific situation of allies attacking each other, Hong Zi-xian looked half-dazed.  

Seizing this moment, thousands of Terracotta soldiers, chariots and horses surged forward simultaneously.  

That wasn’t all.  

The 2,875 Chinese Heroes killed by the 187 Pentagos were now moving like zombies, joining the enemy ranks.  

“W-we must mobilize Casserian immediately to stop them!”  

Even with Seo Do-jun present, Hong Zi-xian kept looking around for Casserian members who could immobilize the monsters.  

Ignoring Hong Zi-xian’s fixation on Casserian, Seo Do-jun stepped forward, followed immediately by Hyun Joo-yeon, Gloria, and Shinjo moving like shadows.  

“Let’s start by eliminating the Pentagos that have taken over the tanks.”  

As Seo Do-jun finished speaking, his figure disappeared like a mirage.  

When he reappeared, he was standing atop a tank whose barrel was aimed at retreating Chinese soldiers.  

Seo Do-jun crushed the tank beneath him.  

CRUNCH!  

The sturdy tank crumpled like paper, and simultaneously—  

SCREEEEEECH!  

An ear-piercing shriek echoed through the air.  

The Pentago that had used the tank as a host screamed in pain from Seo Do-jun’s attack – more precisely, from the powerful magic-infused strike that severely wounded it.  

If hesitated here, the Pentago would instantly move elsewhere and hide.  

Though pointless against him, to avoid unnecessary trouble Seo Do-jun smashed the tank with a magic-condensed fist.  

KABOOM!  

The tank shattered into pieces in an almost surreal display of destruction.  

As bluish smoke emerged from the wreckage, Seo Do-jun reached out toward it.  

SCREEEEE!  

This bluish smoke was the Pentago itself.  

Without hesitation, Seo Do-jun grabbed the struggling Pentago and crushed it in his hand.  

POP!  

With a sound like a bursting balloon, the Pentago disappeared.  

Though it seemed insignificant and anticlimactic, Pentagos were monsters impossible to defeat without magic manipulation.  

When Seo Do-jun looked to his right, he saw Shinjo slicing apart tanks with his sword.  

The lightweight sword that lacked proper magic infusion was gone.  

Each swing of Shinjo’s sword now carried weight capable of splitting mountains, yet wasn’t just heavy.  

Adapting to situations, it could move with wind-like lightness and unpredictability, demonstrating power incomparable to Shinjo’s former self.  

As a Pentago emerged from a destroyed tank, Shinjo struck like lightning.  

POP!  

The Pentago vanished without resistance, proving to Seo Do-jun that Shinjo had indeed reached the expected level.  

Hyun Joo-yeon and Gloria showed similar growth.  

Hyun Joo-yeon, who previously relied solely on speed, now wielded her sword with considerable skill.  

In terms of effort, no one in Casserian Guild could match her.  

Though she was the first to learn magic techniques from Seo Do-jun, she never took lightly the weight of being his first disciple.  

Seo Do-jun had taught her the most suitable swordsmanship, which she practiced diligently every day.  

Occasionally even receiving private lessons from Seo Do-jun.  

Perhaps that’s why?  

‘I won’t lose even against Shinjo now.’  

Such words might hurt the pride of Shinjo, who had lived his whole life wielding swords.  

But it was possible because Hyun Joo-yeon’s talent was exceptional, her efforts undeniable, and the swordsmanship learned from Seo Do-jun was extraordinary.  

What would’ve been impossible for her in the past had now become natural.  

As for Gloria?  

During her time in America, Gloria’s fighting style hadn’t been formalized.  

She had hunted monsters with swords, spears, shields, even bare hands.  

Positively put, she was versatile enough to not be constrained by any weapon. Negatively, it meant she lacked specialization.  

This was inevitable.  

Seo Do-jun had identified Gloria’s greatest strength.  

WHOOSH!  

KABOOM!  

A single arrow from Gloria’s fingertips obliterated a tank.  

In her hands was a specially crafted bow and arrows made from Febrinium ore.  

‘Her magic control is the most outstanding.’  

Surprisingly, Gloria handled magic best. Thus, whatever weapon she held – or even bare-handed – she could unleash above-average power.  

Her natural talent for magic was so extraordinary that Seo Do-jun chose the bow as the weapon that would maximize her abilities.  

One-shot, one-kill.  

Seo Do-jun was certain.  

No one would be more suitable than Gloria as the main damage dealer capable of delivering devastating attacks from the rear.  

Fortunately, Gloria showed no aversion to using bows and even demonstrated considerable talent.  

She was so enthusiastic that she spent her own money to train under a skilled South Korean coach who had coached national archery teams. It was only a matter of time before Gloria became one of the world’s top Heroes.  

With Hyun Joo-yeon, Gloria and Shinjo quickly eliminating the Pentagos, the chaotic situation of the Chinese military stabilized.  

But this was just warm-up. The real opponents were the thousands of Terracotta soldiers.  

“Pull the military forces back as far as possible, especially keeping modern weapons away.”  

Hong Zi-xian nodded repeatedly at Seo Do-jun’s words.  

Having witnessed firsthand how Seo Do-jun’s group handled Pentagos, he dared not disobey.  

“Should we deploy Heroes then?”  

The Chinese Hero Association had gathered over 5,000 Heroes from C-rank to A-rank.  

Though they had a few S-rank Heroes, remembering the skills displayed by Seo Do-jun’s group made them too embarrassed to even introduce themselves.  

Hong Zi-xian, having just received word that China’s more famous Heroes – those who could hold their heads high nationally – had exited the rift zone 30 minutes ago, could only hope they’d arrive sooner.  

Regardless of Hong Zi-xian’s concerns, Seo Do-jun focused on the Terracotta soldiers and 2,875 zombie-Heroes – nearly 10,000 enemies total.  

He could wipe them out instantly if he wished.  

‘But I’m not today’s main character.’  

Hyun Joo-yeon, Gloria, Shinjo.  

These three were today’s protagonists.  

Where better than here to formally showcase to the world the incredible skills of Casserian Guild’s representative S-rank Heroes?  

The world already knew Casserian Guild’s S-rank Heroes outnumbered some nations’.  

Having shown quantity, it was time to demonstrate quality.  

Starting now, they would firmly imprint upon the world which was the strongest Hero guild.  

“Gloria, gather maximum magic and fire a proper shot.”  

At Seo Do-jun’s words, Gloria nocked an arrow to her Febrinium longbow as if accepting a mission.  

HUMmmmmm!  

Blue haze rose from Gloria’s entire body, gradually concentrating at the arrowhead.  

Drip.  

As if channeling and condensing magic wasn’t easy, sweat rolled down Gloria’s forehead.  

“Let it go now!”  

Hyun Joo-yeon urgently shouted seeing Gloria reach her limit.  

‘I can push a little more!’  

Ignoring Hyun Joo-yeon, Gloria focused intensely.  

Just as her fingertips began trembling from condensing the nearly explosive magic, she released the bowstring.  

TWANG-SHOOOOOM!  

The single arrow’s path tore through space itself, creating a massive vortex that shredded everything in its wake.  

KABOOOOOM!  

Where the arrow passed, Terracotta soldiers and zombie-Heroes were reduced to dust.  

Like being thrown into a giant blender, the arrow’s path left complete devastation.  

“…Incredible!”  

“…Amazing.”  

Even Hyun Joo-yeon and Shinjo, who knew Gloria well, couldn’t hide their astonishment at the scene she created.  

If even closest allies reacted this way, imagine the shock of those unaware of her true power?  

And those watching through drone cameras?  

“Huff… hah!”  

Staggering slightly as she exhaled, Gloria was steadied by Seo Do-jun.  

“Sorry, but I can’t do that more than once a day right now.”  

Seo Do-jun smiled as if to say this was enough.  

“I-I can do that too, you know.”  

Sparks flew from Hyun Joo-yeon’s eyes seeing Seo Do-jun supporting Gloria like a loving partner.  

Gripping her sword, Hyun Joo-yeon charged forward first, with Shinjo looking to Seo Do-jun for permission before following.  

“Show them your best.”  

At Seo Do-jun’s words, Shinjo gave a small nod and raced after Hyun Joo-yeon.  

“So we just watch from here?”  

At Gloria’s question, Seo Do-jun thought it might be fine for a while.