SFRW-Chapter 168

Ch. 168 Sword God From The Ruined World

“The door has opened?”  

At Seo Do-jun’s question, Park Sung-wook nodded.  

“They say a door in the rift zone 40 kilometers from the city of Tequila in western Mexico has opened.”  

“If the door opened, that means something came out—whether a person or a monster. What was it?”  

“The Mexican Hero Association said it happened so suddenly that they’re still confirming the details.”  

“There must be surveillance cameras in the rift zone, right?”  

The World Hero Association had recommended that all nations monitor every single rift zone 24/7 with surveillance cameras.  

Though it was phrased as a recommendation, it was practically mandatory, and most countries complied, except for a few that opposed it.  

Mexico was one of the nations that had promised full cooperation, vowing to adhere to the guidelines.  

“They say the surveillance cameras malfunctioned.”  

“Malfunctioned?”  

Seo Do-jun’s lips twisted into a smirk.  

It was an obvious lie—so absurd it was almost laughable.  

“You’re not seriously asking me to believe that, are you?”  

Park Sung-wook also found it ridiculous.  

“Actually, the fact that the rift zone door opened was reported to us by the American Hero Association.”  

“America, not Mexico?”  

Seo Do-jun’s brow furrowed slightly.  

According to the details, the U.S. satellite surveillance team had belatedly confirmed that the rift zone door in Tequila was open and immediately contacted the Mexican Hero Association.  

“In other words, the Mexican Hero Association was hiding this information.”  

“Their excuse was that the cameras malfunctioned, and they were waiting to confirm the situation before reporting it, but…”  

“That’s exactly what it is—an excuse.”  

Park Sung-wook trailed off with a wry smile, then handed Seo Do-jun a photo.  

“This was sent to us by the American Hero Association. Something definitely came out, but even their satellites couldn’t identify it clearly. However—”  

Seo Do-jun examined the photo and immediately continued.  

“It’s a person.”  

“Yes, correct. The American Hero Association also suspects it’s a person.”  

The photo showed a blurry figure emerging from the rift zone door, but its shape was undeniably humanoid.  

“They say even the U.S. can’t track its current location. For now, all they can do is trust the Mexican Hero Association and wait.”  

“Are they doing their job properly?”  

If the surveillance cameras really malfunctioned, it would mean sheer incompetence. If they didn’t, then there was something else they weren’t saying.  

“When did the door open?”  

“26 hours ago.”  

“So they waited a full day after the door opened before finally reporting it.”  

Park Sung-wook gave a bitter smile and nodded.  

No matter how generously one interpreted it, the Mexican Hero Association’s actions were highly suspicious.  

“Who’s handling this situation now?”  

“Kerzaman.”  

“The Drug King?”  

“Yes.”  

The same Kerzaman who had outright refused to sell weapons obtained from a primitive tribal chief.  

Given that this happened in Mexico, it made sense for Kerzaman to be involved. But why wait 26 hours—and only after the U.S. exposed it—before making excuses about malfunctioning cameras?  

The stench of something fishy was overwhelming.

***

Kerzaman had only one reason for heading to the rift zone where the door had opened.  

“Everything that comes from the rift zone from now on will be power.”  

Even the sword he now held in his hand was several times superior to any weapon he’d used before.  

Any Hero who had seen these weapons would inevitably covet them.  

That was why the Casserian Guild had been pressuring Hero associations worldwide—threatening them in all but name—to secure these weapons.  

“You think you can monopolize everything? Don’t make me laugh! I don’t care about anything else, but not a single thing from Mexico will be handed over!”  

Kerzaman wasn’t afraid of the Casserian Guild.  

Their military power was undeniably overwhelming.  

But that was all.  

Kerzaman believed that even if a fight broke out with the Casserian Guild, he had nothing to fear.  

“In fact, if it comes to a fight, they’ll be the ones crying tears of blood in regret!”  

No matter how powerful, no matter how wealthy, no matter how much they valued honor and conviction—  

Everyone was the same.  

If you held the lives of their most precious family or loved ones in your hands and shook them, they would crumble.  

In all his years, Kerzaman had never met anyone who was free from this weakness.  

“He’s no different.”  

Seo Do-jun of the Casserian Guild was the same.  

Knowing how much Seo Do-jun cherished his grandmother and younger sister, Eun-young, Kerzaman was prepared to brutally murder them the moment Seo Do-jun made a move against him.  

This was how Kerzaman had lived—how he had climbed to the top and stayed there.  

Because he lived this way, he had no hesitation. Even if he were to be killed by Seo Do-jun, the latter would spend the rest of his life grieving his lost family. Kerzaman didn’t consider that a loss.  

Cowardly? Petty?  

What a joke.  

There was no such thing as a fair fight in this world.  

And to further solidify his power, Kerzaman had silenced the Mexican Hero Association Chairman the moment he heard about the rift zone door opening.  

When he arrived at the Tequila rift zone, the door was indeed open.  

“Is this all that opened?”  

The door was only slightly ajar—just enough for a single person to pass through.  

“No one will notice this easily, right?”  

Kerzaman smirked.  

Even if he had silenced the Mexican Hero Association Chairman, fooling the damn Americans was hard.  

Especially since the American Hero Association, now acting like the Casserian Guild’s lapdog, was monitoring the entire world with satellites.  

“It moved this way!”  

Kerzaman ordered his men to erase all traces and immediately began pursuing the unidentified entity that had emerged from the rift zone.  

Exactly nine hours later.  

Crunch! Crunch! Crunch!  

“…GAAAAAHHHH!”  

A subordinate floating in midair screamed as his arms and legs were grotesquely twisted.  

An invisible force seemed to compress his body, a sight so horrifying that even Kerzaman, who had seen it all, trembled.  

Thud.  

The figure, who had crushed the man into a meatball without blinking—like a car in a junkyard compactor—turned his gaze to Kerzaman.  

“You…”  

“Spare me, please!”  

Kerzaman immediately prostrated himself.  

All his subordinates were dead.  

Two hundred armed men and eighty A-rank Heroes had been slaughtered in less than five minutes.  

And it wasn’t even a fight. It was like children crushing ants—effortless.  

Despite being an S-rank Hero, Kerzaman didn’t even consider fighting, let alone escaping. The opponent was that terrifying.  

But he couldn’t just die like his men.  

Kerzaman clung to one hope—that the being was rational and could be reasoned with.  

“I’ll do anything you ask! Just spare me!”  

“Why should I spare you?”  

The words were arrogant, but the tone was light, like a child amused by a toy.  

Prove your worth.  

Kerzaman instantly understood the intent.  

He had started selling drugs at thirteen.  

The reason he had survived countless near-death experiences was his quick judgment.  

The being before him was asking how he could be useful.  

“No one in Mexico can defy me!”  

“A worm like you?”  

The figure scoffed.  

Yes, he must look like less than an insect. But Kerzaman emphasized that with him, the being could move freely across Mexico.  

“Hmm.”  

Seeing a flicker of interest, Kerzaman was confident he was halfway to survival.  

“You’re here to invade Earth, aren’t you? Let me help. Starting with Mexico…”  

Kerzaman glanced up subtly.  

“Kusak.”  

“I’ll do everything in my power to serve under Kusak!”  

The fact that the being had given his name made Kerzaman bow his head—and his lips curled into a grin.  

***

“He died in battle?”  

Before answering, Park Sung-wook handed Seo Do-jun several photos.  

They showed a corpse so mutilated that the face was unrecognizable, photographed from multiple angles.  

“The entity that emerged from the rift zone is the person in these photos. Kerzaman tracked it for fourteen hours and barely managed to kill it after a fierce battle.”  

Seo Do-jun silently studied the photos.  

It was impossible to identify the body, let alone understand the full situation from these images.  

“The person in the photo was like a primitive tribesman—no communication possible—and possessed immense power. Seventy-nine A-rank Heroes and nearly two hundred armed personnel were killed in the confrontation.”  

Kerzaman’s claims about the casualties were confirmed by the U.S., and the Mexican Hero Association announced joint funerals for the victims.  

“Kerzaman was severely injured and will suspend all public activities for the time being.”  

Seo Do-jun was skeptical, but he doubted even Kerzaman would sacrifice so many of his own men for a lie.  

“He’s not insane enough to throw away dozens of A-rank Heroes as pawns, right?”  

Park Sung-wook shook his head at the question.  

No one, no matter how crazy, would treat the lives of A-rank Heroes so lightly.  

“But why does this feel so off…?”  

Park Sung-wook suggested it might just be because it involved Kerzaman.  

“We shouldn’t dig deeper, right?”  

“Nothing good will come of it.”  

If this were a domestic matter, maybe. But the Casserian Guild meddling in Mexico’s affairs?  

Many were already quietly resentful over the weapon purchase issue.  

Poking into Mexico’s business would only invite trouble.  

“We have no choice. Still, keep an eye out for anything unusual in Mexico.”  

“Kerzaman is already under U.S. surveillance. I’ll request their cooperation.”  

“Alright.”  

Seo Do-jun examined the photos again but found nothing new.  

And so, the incident at the Mexican rift zone was left unresolved.  

***

“What do you think?”  

Despite Choi Cheol-gwan’s eager tone, Seo Do-jun calmly studied the sword in his hand.  

The deep crimson blade looked nothing like the bone greatsword he had handed over—its appearance had changed drastically.  

“I tested a fragment soaked in Crocos’ blood, and the bone’s strength and flexibility improved astonishingly. I expected some improvement, but this far exceeded my predictions.”  

Crocos could be described as a monster resembling a Komodo dragon.  

The smallest specimens reached twenty meters, and every part of them—teeth, claws, hide, and bones—was valuable.  

A few months ago, a Bulgarian blacksmith accidentally dropped a bone fragment into a vat of Crocos’ blood and discovered its enhancing properties.  

The blood contained an unidentified viscous substance that strengthened and flexibilized bone.  

Choi Cheol-gwan had considered many methods to perfect Seo Do-jun’s sword and recalled Crocos’ blood.  

However, the blood-imbued bone had one critical flaw—its color.  

The dull, murky red gave off a gloomy, sinister vibe.  

Even the sword he had just handed to Seo Do-jun was the same.  

“The color’s a bit off, isn’t it? I tried to change it, but… nothing worked. Sorry.”  

Seo Do-jun shook his head at Choi Cheol-gwan’s apology.  

“It’s fine.”  

“Fine? Really? That eerie… ahem!”  

“It’ll intimidate opponents before I even swing it. Who wouldn’t hesitate to fight against a sword like this? Haha.”  

Seo Do-jun joked, but Choi Cheol-gwan wasn’t sure if he should take it as praise.  

Vrrrm—  

As Seo Do-jun channeled magic into it, the sword absorbed it voraciously—far surpassing his previous weapon.  

And it wasn’t just absorption.  

“Amplification?”  

Seo Do-jun looked at Choi Cheol-gwan.  

“Noticed it, did you? I used the Blue Croco heart from Brazil to boost magic absorption and Jerk’s eyeballs to enhance amplification!”  

Despite the difficulty, Choi Cheol-gwan—recognized as a master smith—had pulled it off.  

But there was more.  

“This?”  

The blade’s surface was coated with an ultra-thin scale membrane.  

Almost invisible, but not to Seo Do-jun’s eyes.  

“Phera’s wing scales. The adhesion isn’t permanent, but it reflects magic, dispersing attacks. The sword won’t shatter like last time.”  

Perfectly balanced and loaded with effects, the new sword delighted Seo Do-jun.  

“Thank you.”  

“No need! This was my duty. Without your materials and efforts, this sword wouldn’t exist!”  

Seo Do-jun gave the sword a test swing.  

Frankly, his old sword now felt like trash in comparison.  

This might even surpass the swords I used in the ruined world.  

He felt like he could cut through anything right now.  

I’ve got an amazing sword!