SFRW-Chapter 185

Ch. 185 Sword God From The Ruined World

If you were to name one of the busiest people in the Casserian Guild, Park Sung-wook would undoubtedly be at the top of the list.  

This is because Park Sung-wook is the one who supports everything behind the scenes, ensuring that combat members can focus solely on battle-related activities like personal training, joint training, and monster hunting.  

Not only that, but everything—from the guild’s administrative matters to the smallest trivialities—had to pass through Park Sung-wook’s hands.  

Acquaintances expressed concern, asking why he was working so hard in his later years when he should be relaxing, but Park Sung-wook didn’t see it that way.  

He believed that the older people get, the more active they should be. Moreover, he thought that bearing social responsibility for something helps one live a sharper and more upright life.  

In any case, the Casserian Guild was like a second life for Park Sung-wook.  

Having spent his entire life as a secretary to a chaebol chairman, the work of the Casserian Guild was essentially an extension of his previous role.  

In other words, it wasn’t anything particularly extraordinary.  

However, since the Casserian Guild was the most powerful organization in the world, he never had to feel inadequate no matter where he went or whom he met.  

Unlike chaebol chairmen who occasionally treated him like a mere servant, Seo Do-jun always respected Park Sung-wook, ensured he was treated well, and entrusted him with everything.  

These two things made a clear difference.  

Because of this, Park Sung-wook was deeply satisfied with his life, regardless of what others thought, and hoped to remain active in the Casserian Guild for as long as possible.  

“Chairman Na Tae-hwang?”  

Park Sung-wook asked his secretary for clarification.  

“He has volunteered to stay with Eun-young and act as her guardian while Madam is away on a hot spring trip.”  

If it was Chairman Na Tae-hwang, Park Sung-wook knew he was one of the most trustworthy people.  

His loyalty to Seo Do-jun was unwavering, and his affection for Eun-young was genuine.  

‘That alone doesn’t fully explain it…’  

But Park Sung-wook suspected there must be another reason.  

Knowing how busy Chairman Na Tae-hwang was, it seemed unreasonable for him to take on the role of Eun-young’s guardian for three days.  

“I think I should meet him in person.”  

Park Sung-wook instructed his secretary to arrange a lunch meeting and then began reviewing the reports piled on his desk.  

Seo Do-jun had granted Park Sung-wook considerable authority within the guild, so most matters could be handled by him directly.  

As he processed the documents one by one, he came across a report with inexplicable content.  

Beep—  

“Yes, President?”  

“Call the head of security for me.”  

“Understood, President.”  

Shortly after, the well-built security chief entered the office with a knock.  

His name was Jang Jun, a former B-rank Hero who had transitioned early into the security industry and built a solid reputation.  

As the head of security responsible for Seo Do-jun’s residence and the guild’s buildings, Jang Jun was also an external hire personally contracted by Park Sung-wook.  

“I called you because of this report.”  

Jang Jun immediately confirmed that the report was one he had submitted.  

“It’s somewhat irregular, but for the past five days, unfamiliar foreigners have been repeatedly spotted around the guild building and the Guild Master’s residence. I checked them myself, but none had clear identities.”  

In short, foreigners who were not Heroes had been loitering around for five days.  

The problem was that they weren’t doing anything suspicious—just lingering—so there was no justification to stop them.  

“Is there no chance they’re just tourists?”  

Jang Jun shook his head firmly, his sharp eyes unwavering.  

“It doesn’t seem that way.”  

To some, this might have sounded like mere speculation.  

But Jang Jun’s intuition came from years of experience, and as a former B-rank Hero, he sensed something unsettling enough to file a formal report.  

“Hmm… Then what measures have you taken?”  

“For now, we’re tracking each individual’s movements. If they approach within a kilometer, we intensify surveillance, designating them as high-priority watch targets.”  

‘High-priority watch targets’ meant B-rank Heroes would monitor them one-on-one.  

From Jang Jun’s perspective, this was the quietest yet most thorough preparation possible.  

“Did you check their identities with immigration?”  

“They have no entry records for the past three months.”  

Realizing they were illegal immigrants, Park Sung-wook finally understood why Jang Jun had filed the report and what he wanted.  

Rather than wasting manpower, he wanted to use official channels to verify their identities.  

Since they had been loitering for five days straight, Park Sung-wook accepted Jang Jun’s suggestion.  

With a satisfied expression, Jang Jun left the office, and the secretary immediately entered.  

Upon hearing that a lunch meeting with Chairman Na Tae-hwang had been arranged, Park Sung-wook hurriedly began reviewing the remaining reports.  

***

Kerzaman chewed his lip nervously, gnawing so hard that his lower lip was smeared with blood.  

‘That monster lost?’  

Kerzaman shook his head violently, refusing to believe it.  

The humans from the rift zone were monsters in human form—utterly terrifying, vicious, and cruel beyond measure.  

Yet, that monster had lost to someone like him, a mere human? Kerzaman couldn’t accept it.  

“N-no way… That’s impossible… That monster, that monster…”  

Half-dazed, Kerzaman repeated the same words while staring at the photos sent from Mali, Africa.  

Images of war-like devastation and the monster sitting resignedly before Seo Do-jun.  

As if oblivious to the pain in his lip, Kerzaman bit down even harder with his upper teeth.  

“Boss.”  

A subordinate cautiously approached Kerzaman, who was showing signs of distress.  

“The Brazilian Hero Association has sent reinforcements to support them.”  

“Brazil?”  

Kerzaman glared at his subordinate with bloodshot eyes, as if asking what Brazil had to do with this.  

“It seems… Chairman Daniel Lopes has decided to back them.”  

“What?! Who did they send?!”  

“Daniel Luis, Enan Drasena, Sergio Santos, and 120 A-rank Heroes.”  

“…What?”  

Kerzaman stared blankly, wondering if he had misheard.  

But the subordinate repeated the same names without error.  

“Those damn bastards…”  

Kerzaman spat out a curse.  

The three Brazilian Heroes named were all S-rank.  

Sending three S-rank Heroes wasn’t enough—they even dispatched 120 A-rank Heroes as reinforcements.  

Kerzaman instantly understood Chairman Daniel Lopes’s intentions.  

This wasn’t a half-hearted show of support—he was determined to fully align with Seo Do-jun.  

In other words, he was declaring war on Kerzaman.  

“That son of a bitch…”  

Kerzaman clenched his fists, picturing Daniel Lopes’s face.  

If he was making such a move, it meant he had prepared thoroughly.  

Meanwhile, Kerzaman was unprepared and running out of options.  

His forces were already stretched thin fighting in Mexico, and now Brazil had joined the fray.  

“And one more thing…”  

“What now?!”  

Kerzaman roared as if he might tear his subordinate apart.  

Knowing Kerzaman’s unpredictable rage, the subordinate trembled but spoke carefully.  

“Lúcio Itaperuna and Bruno Junior have headed to South Korea.”  

“South Korea?”  

More Brazilian S-rank Heroes.  

Before Kerzaman could ask why, he realized Daniel Lopes’s plan—to protect Seo Do-jun’s family.  

With all Casserian Guild members in Africa, Daniel Lopes was taking personal responsibility for their security.  

Already reeling from the collapse of his trusted ally, Kerzaman’s fury exploded at Brazil’s interference.  

With a scream, he began smashing everything in reach.  

His subordinates stood as far away as possible, praying they wouldn’t be caught in the crossfire.  

After a long fit of rage, Kerzaman finally calmed, breathing heavily.  

There was no turning back now.  

He couldn’t undo anything, nor would he surrender to those coming for him.  

“If this is how it’s going to be… I’ll fight with everything I have!”  

Even if it meant reducing all of Mexico to ruins!  

Kerzaman’s gleaming eyes were filled with malice, no longer resembling those of a human.  

***

Seo Do-jun silently observed Kusak, Veronica, and Rakun, organizing his thoughts.  

As expected, Kusak and Kerzaman had deeply intervened in Africa’s civil war.  

Kerzaman had proposed targeting Africa, while Kusak terrorized rebel forces.  

Kerzaman supplied drugs and weapons, which Kusak transported through subspace, providing maximum support.  

Their goal was exactly as Seo Do-jun predicted—inciting human conflict and using monster waves to destroy Africa.  

In a way, they had succeeded.  

Many African nations, already ravaged by civil war, had suffered irreparable damage, threatening their very existence.  

Had Seo Do-jun and the Casserian Guild not intervened quickly, Africa would have descended into uncontrollable chaos.  

‘If Veronica and Rakun had also run rampant…’  

The outcome was obvious.  

Starting with Africa, Kusak and the others would have used Kerzaman to drag other continents into ruin—beginning with Mexico and Latin America, then Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and even Northern Europe.  

It was fortunate.  

By sacrificing a few African nations, an even greater catastrophe had been averted.  

Seo Do-jun stared at Kusak and asked again:  

“You really don’t remember anything?”  

Kusak shook his head as if tired of the question. Veronica and Rakun did the same.  

“Why… Why is it only that person you can’t remember?”  

“What do you expect us to do if we don’t even remember their existence?”  

Kusak chuckled darkly, as if this were some new form of torture. Veronica and Rakun also smirked.  

Strangely, Kusak, Veronica, and Rakun remembered nothing about Seo Do-jun—their true selves from the ruined world.  

Yet, they remembered everything else—past comrades, even the Vandeyan family.  

Only one person—’Karserian le Vandeyan’—drew blank stares.  

How was this possible?  

Why was this happening?  

Even stranger, they clearly remembered dying once before.  

“If you died, how are you alive now?”  

No matter how he looked, they weren’t undead—they were fully alive again.  

Bringing the dead back to life—  

Neither the magic nor divine power of the ruined world, nor Earth’s advanced science and medicine, could achieve this.  

This was the realm of gods.  

A power beyond human reach—the ability to resurrect.  

At Seo Do-jun’s bewildered question, Kusak answered calmly:  

“It was Barhaut’s power.”  

“What?”  

“But he said it can’t be used anymore.”  

Veronica’s words made Rakun nod.  

“The Gem of Authority was destroyed.”  

“Gem of Authority?”  

When Seo Do-jun pressed, Kusak frowned as if annoyed.  

“Why does it matter? It doesn’t exist in any dimension anymore. And haven’t you tortured us enough?”  

His tone implied he’d rather die than endure further humiliation.  

“Aren’t you afraid of death?”  

At Seo Do-jun’s question, Kusak, Veronica, and Rakun burst into laughter.  

“Hahaha! We’ve already died once. We fought to the death and were killed, only to be revived. How do you think that feels?”  

Suddenly, Kusak’s eyes twisted with indescribable emotions—rage, shame, humiliation, emptiness, self-loathing.  

“You think we cling to this life, bound in soul slavery? Veronica, Rakun—do you actually want to live like this?”  

“Oh? Do I have to say it? You know why I strip naked and scrub my body raw every morning? Because it feels like disgusting bugs are crawling all over me!”  

“I lost my pride as a warrior long ago. If I could’ve ended my life with dignity, I would’ve done it countless times.”  

Seeing their complete lack of attachment to life, Seo Do-jun realized they were under a powerful curse.  

Gem of Authority.  

Soul bondage.  

If he couldn’t solve these mysteries, he would lose his former comrades again.  

Determined, Seo Do-jun resolved to find the answer.