SFRW-Chapter 172

Ch. 172 Sword God From The Ruined World

The battle between monsters and humans.  

No, a war for survival.  

A man watches it all from afar.  

Bright cobalt hair, playful blue eyes brimming with curiosity like a mischievous boy, freckles scattered across the bridge of his upturned nose, and thin yet stubborn lips—his face alone gave off the impression of a rather cheerful personality.  

“I just can’t understand it.”  

What could be so dissatisfying?  

The man furrowed his brows as hard as he could, watching the chaotic battlefield where lives were being taken and lost, then stretched out his hand.  

A surge of magic spiraled wildly from his fingertips before a massive fireball exploded right in the center of the battlefield.  

Kwa-ga-ga-gang!  

Hundreds of lives, both monsters and humans, were obliterated in an instant.  

The sudden explosion threw the human forces into utter chaos, while the monsters, believing the humans to be the cause, grew even more frenzied in their assault.  

The man’s expression remained unchanged as he watched the escalating battle.  

“How can they be so weak that they can’t even handle these things…?”  

A look of disbelief.  

A look of utter incomprehension.  

A look of speechless absurdity.  

Irritation suddenly flared within him, and he unleashed two more powerful fireballs in quick succession.  

To him, it seemed to make no difference whether he killed monsters or humans—he could spare or slaughter them as he pleased.  

“The Casserian Guild, was it?”  

The man recalled Kerzaman, who had prostrated himself before him while speaking.  

“If it weren’t for the Casserian Guild, several nations would have already fallen, and the world would be in utter chaos.”  

“The Casserian Guild is considered the strongest group of Heroes in the world. But the one you truly need to be wary of is their Master, a South Korean named Seo Do-jun.”  

“It’s said that no Hero can even meet his gaze because of how overwhelmingly powerful he is. Sadly, I’ve never seen him myself, but I’m certain the rumors aren’t exaggerated.”  

“He claims to protect the world’s peace, but in truth, he’s just feeding his own ego. He’ll definitely be the first to come running.”  

Seo Do-jun, whose power was so immense that even Heroes of the same rank seemed like children in comparison.  

The Casserian Guild, whose influence extended far beyond a single nation, shaping the entire world.  

“The protectors of this world…”  

The man’s blue eyes gleamed.  

Suddenly, he twisted his head to the left and glanced behind him.  

“Long time no see.”  

A languid voice seeped into his eardrums.  

A woman stood there, her face adorned with heavy makeup, wearing a tight black leather outfit that accentuated her voluptuous upper body, narrow waist, and curvaceous hips. A single sword was strapped horizontally across her lower back, and she walked toward him with light, catlike steps, her hands resting on the hilt.  

“…Veronica?”  

The man’s eyes widened in surprise as he stared at her.  

“What? Did you think you were the only one who got an opportunity?”  

Veronica snorted, as if to say he shouldn’t be so presumptuous.  

“Well, you and I were in the same boat anyway.”  

The man nodded in understanding.  

“Never thought we’d meet again in a place like this.”  

A deep, resonant voice followed as a towering, muscular man approached from behind him.  

With a square jaw, broad shoulders, a massive axe, and a shield strapped to his back—he exuded an overwhelming presence.  

“Ra…kun?”  

The man stared at him in shock once more.  

Unfazed by his gaze, the man called Rakun ignored him and looked out over the battlefield.  

“Now I get it.”  

“Get what?”  

Veronica turned to Rakun with a questioning look.  

“Haven’t you heard? The Leverka Continent—our world—was said to be the strongest among all the worlds. So much so that Rebley struggled to unleash monsters into this world at full strength. Keh!”  

Rakun laughed loudly, as if taking pride in the fact.  

“Still, it’s a world that ended up destroyed.”  

At Veronica’s sneer, Rakun clicked his tongue in annoyance.  

“But what I don’t get is how this world’s order is still intact when its inhabitants are so pathetically weak.”  

Rakun nodded in agreement.  

“Even after spending months here, I still don’t understand it. You two just stepped out of the rift, so there’s no way you could.”  

The man chuckled, kicking the ground lightly.  

“Spit it out, Kusak. Sharing what you know is the least you can do.”  

Veronica quickly picked up where Rakun left off.  

“Even someone as foolish as you wouldn’t want to face annihilation in a world like this, like Vaitel or Avarr did, right? You know we don’t have another chance at revival.”  

Under her sharp gaze, Kusak smirked like a child waiting for Santa’s gift before finally speaking.  

“So you’re saying this world is still standing because of just one guy?”  

Rakun’s expression mirrored Veronica’s disbelief.  

“To think a being like that could emerge from such humans.”  

Veronica scoffed in amusement.  

“Hmm… Come to think of it, I heard Rebley was severely injured by a human attack. Was that true?”  

“Rebley?!”  

Veronica’s eyes widened, and Kusak also turned to Rakun in surprise.  

“I didn’t hear the details. Just a rumor. You know how things are for us.”  

Rakun chuckled at the end, making both Kusak and Veronica frown simultaneously.  

After a brief silence, Veronica spoke up, unable to bear it any longer.  

“So what’s the plan?”  

She was looking at Kusak.  

Since he had arrived first and contributed the most to their current situation, she intended to hear his plan before deciding whether to join him or act separately.  

“We’ll meet him. The human called Seo Do-jun.”  

“And then what? Kill him?”  

Instead of answering, Kusak simply grinned like a child waiting for a present.  

***

Republic of South Africa  

Upon arriving in Port Elizabeth, Seo Do-jun and the Casserian Guild members had no time to rest from their long flight before urgently heading to the Darlington Dam, 80 kilometers north.  

“Currently, 800 Heroes are desperately holding the defensive line to protect the Darlington Dam.”  

Surprisingly, the Association official who volunteered to guide the Casserian Guild was the second-highest-ranking figure in the South African Hero Association.  

David Momassa.  

Despite being only 42 years old, he wielded significant political influence, even being mentioned as a potential future presidential candidate.  

“What kind of monsters are we dealing with?”  

At Seo Do-jun’s question, David Momassa immediately handed over the prepared data.  

After reviewing the list of monsters advancing toward the dam, Seo Do-jun set it aside dismissively.  

Though varied, none posed any real threat to the Casserian Guild.  

The only monsters worth noting were the Twin-Headed Ogres, but even then, their numbers alone didn’t make the battle worrisome.  

David Momassa couldn’t hide his awe as Seo Do-jun pushed the list away without batting an eye.  

‘Well, it’s only natural. With nearly a hundred Black Tigers coming…’  

He had heard enough about Black Tigers to make his ears bleed.  

Each one was said to rival an A-rank Hero in strength.  

And now, the Casserian Guild—capable of freezing thousands of monsters in an instant—had arrived.  

Seo Do-jun’s attitude was, in a way, perfectly justified.  

“We don’t want to waste time, so prepare the fastest route to resolve the monster wave.”  

At Seo Do-jun’s words, David Momassa grabbed his hand eagerly, as if asking if they could really do it.  

“That’s why we’re here.”  

“Please, we’re counting on you!”  

South Africa was the de facto leader of the African Union.  

As such, it was a nation with formidable influence, unlikely to falter against a monster wave of this scale. But they couldn’t claim minimal damage with certainty.  

A vast territory was a significant weakness in situations like this.  

Thus, the Casserian Guild’s support was nothing short of a godsend.  

David Momassa had agonized over how to mobilize the world’s strongest guild, ultimately volunteering as their guide himself.  

He had done his best to welcome them, and seeing Seo Do-jun reciprocate with equal commitment filled him with gratitude.  

“We’ll head north, clearing monsters along the way. Depending on the situation, we may cross directly into Botswana. Keep that in mind.”  

“Huh?”  

David Momassa stared blankly at Seo Do-jun.  

Hadn’t the Casserian Guild agreed to assist South Africa with its monster wave and stand by afterward?  

That was what he had understood.  

But now, Seo Do-jun was talking about pushing north without rest—even crossing into Botswana if necessary?  

From David Momassa’s perspective, this was deeply concerning.  

“We’re not here for political games. Our job is to hunt as many monsters as possible and stop the wave.”  

The World Hero Association, the African Union, even the UN—  

Seo Do-jun had zero interest in international politics and no desire to be involved.  

Let alone being manipulated by them?  

Out of the question.  

“The distribution of magic stones and monster byproducts will be split 9-to-1 in favor of the Casserian Guild. We’re stating this clearly. Though unlikely, if any disputes arise, we won’t stay quiet.”  

This was a warning.  

Call it a threat if you will.  

Seo Do-jun made it clear they weren’t a charity sacrificing everything for nothing.  

David Momassa’s mind reeled.  

The 9-to-1 split for magic stones and byproducts made his face stiffen.  

Taking nine and leaving one?  

Wasn’t that practically taking everything?  

The words “How can you do this?” rose to his throat, but—  

‘…I can’t speak.’  

Under Seo Do-jun’s icy gaze, he couldn’t even open his mouth.  

Still, he’d find a chance to speak.  

With all gates closed and rift zones sealed, obtaining magic stones had become impossible.  

The primitive tribes that had emerged from the rifts earlier hadn’t yielded any magic stones, so this monster wave was their best chance to acquire them in bulk.  

And South Africa wasn’t the only one counting on it.  

Hero Associations worldwide were negotiating distribution ratios instead of sending their own guilds.  

The usual split was 6-to-4.  

For nations like South Africa with strong voices, the standard was 60-40, sometimes even 70-30.  

‘This is just…’  

Highway robbery was the only way to describe it.  

Part of him wanted to step back or ask for help only in dire emergencies.  

But if he said that, Seo Do-jun’s response was predictable.  

He’d leave.  

Or worse, he might cheerfully abandon them for another crisis-stricken country.  

The monster wave was happening across Africa, with the eastern and western regions hit far worse than the north and south.  

Magic stones and monster byproducts?  

They could gather plenty in the east or west.  

“Ugh…”  

Suppressing his frustration, David Momassa turned his gaze out the window, his expression starkly different from when he had first welcomed them.  

Of course, Seo Do-jun noticed but didn’t care.  

How many times had he saved drowning men only for them to complain about losing their bags?  

Besides, this was just the beginning.  

If he showed even a hint of leniency now, everyone would scramble for their own interests.  

So Seo Do-jun had resolved to be sharp and ruthless from the start.  

But at the same time—  

‘I’ll have to show them.’  

Why the Casserian Guild deserved 90%.