SFRW-Chapter 223

Ch. 223 Sword God From The Ruined World

“St-stars?!”  

Pope Alfrey gaped in horror at the countless triangular stars filling the sky.  

He never imagined these falling stars would instantly wipe out the paladins and holy soldiers meant to protect him.  

BOOM!  

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!  

The world seemed to turn upside down as explosions continued relentlessly.  

No screams. No shouts. No cries of hatred.  

“W-what… is this…”  

Alfrey trembled violently before collapsing to his knees.  

Watching from the highest point of the Papal headquarters, these scenes appeared more terrifying than any nightmare.  

Was this humanly possible?  

“This… this can’t be…”  

This wasn’t human power.  

This felt like divine wrath – the fury of Desion, the god Alfrey once worshipped.  

‘Is that truly Desion’s Sword?’  

The man standing beside the terrified Pope wondered the same.  

Having realized all Black Knights were annihilated, he’d resolved to mobilize Alfrey for total war.  

The 600,000 troops gathered near the border for the Holy War were just a facade.  

The real forces had been assembled before the Papal headquarters to face the Holy Sword Seraph and Desion’s Sword.  

They’d believed no one could break through tens of thousands of paladins and holy soldiers.  

But one attack shattered that belief.  

‘Over half annihilated in one strike…’  

The man felt genuine fear toward whoever unleashed that power.  

Yet simultaneously:  

‘They must die!’  

He vowed to eliminate this threat at all costs.  

“Order a full assault now.”  

But Alfrey was too dazed to comprehend.  

“Snap out of it!”  

The man grabbed Alfrey’s collar and yanked him up.  

“Ghk!”  

“Do you know what they’ll do first if they break through?”  

“W-what…?”  

“Cut off your head. That corrupted Pope’s skull will roll!”  

“…!”  

Only then did clarity return to Alfrey’s eyes.  

Rage, hatred, and hostility burned in his gaze as sticky magic oozed from his body.  

“Make the survivors attack! Only their deaths can secure your position. Permanently.”  

Alfrey nodded in understanding.  

“And deploy those if the opportunity arises.”  

“We must consider that carefully. Too many eyes watching. If rumors spread…”  

Alfrey shook his head at the risk.  

“Then eliminate all witnesses.”  

Every last paladin and soldier.  

“But what about the Holy War?”  

“We’ll use them. No one would suspect if we stage a natural disaster. Better to be remembered as the Hero who ended the Second Monster War than the Pope who waged another bloody crusade.”  

“Hmm…”  

Alfrey’s face gradually lit up with satisfaction at this unexpected suggestion.  

“Very well.”  

The man nodded and turned to leave.  

“Where are you going?”  

“To assist. To ensure this ends decisively.”  

“Be… careful.”  

The man chuckled at Alfrey’s insincere concern and exited.  

“…I hope we never meet again.”  

As Alfrey muttered:  

“Y-you summoned me?”  

A terrified priest entered.  

“Order the full assault immediately. No negotiations – every paladin and soldier must kill them at all costs.”  

“Yes!”  

As the priest hurried out, Alfrey prepared to summon his secret weapons hidden deep within the headquarters.  

“I’ll show you hell!”  

***

“Incredible…”  

Jerome kept repeating while staring at Seo Do-jun’s back.  

One attack.  

That single strike had slaughtered over half the tens of thousands of paladins and soldiers. Jerome wondered if he was dreaming.  

“I knew he was stronger but… this defies…”  

Even Seraph, who recognized Seo Do-jun’s superiority among them, never imagined such absurd power.  

She began questioning if he was human at all.  

Perhaps a god descended in mortal form?  

Movement gradually returned among the shocked paladins and soldiers.  

Commanders shouted orders, even kicking and punching the paralyzed troops into action.  

But Seo Do-jun’s blow had been too devastating for normal responses.  

“Once wasn’t enough.”  

With so many remaining, Seo Do-jun gathered magic for another strike when –  

“That should suffice. Leave the rest to me.”  

Kusak tapped his shoulder, signaling for his turn. Seo Do-jun chuckled and sheathed his sword.  

“I may pale next to Kassal but I’m still…”  

As Kusak prepared his magic, Koroka suddenly appeared overhead, wings spread wide, ready to unleash his most powerful Breath yet.  

“Hey! No cutting in line!”  

Ignoring Kusak, Koroka saw the perfect opportunity for maximum carnage.  

FWOOOOSH!  

Following Seo Do-jun’s attack, Koroka’s Breath sent the defenders scattering.  

But with limited space to flee –  

TWANG!  

Gloria’s arrow carved through dozens of paladins and even more soldiers.  

“Damn it! Gloria too!”  

With the order ruined, Kusak stopped hesitating and summoned a Fire Dragon.  

The massive pillar of flame took draconic form and charged, maw agape.  

ROAR!  

Lava geysers erupted as the Papal headquarters’ entrance became literal hell.  

Kusak indisputably had the strongest firepower after Seo Do-jun.  

Meanwhile, Grichuk, Seraph, Choi Kang-soo, Veronica, Rakun, Shinjo and Hyun Joo-yeon all joined the slaughter.  

Facing tens of thousands without fear, they competed in their carnage, appearing as monstrous murderers to the defenders.  

Despite numerical superiority, the paladins and soldiers fell helplessly.  

“Fight! Fight back!”  

“Hold the line!”  

“In Bahat’s name, eliminate them!”  

Commanders desperately shouted orders to the terrified troops when –  

THUNK! THUNK! THUNK!  

Arrows pierced their foreheads.  

Some commanders blocked or dodged, but none could evade the sword beams raining from above.  

CRACKLE!  

Lightning-infused sword energy spreads devastation.  

Gloria and Seo Do-jun specifically targeted commanders.  

Even when her arrows missed, Seo Do-jun finished them.  

In large-scale battles, breaking the chain of command quickly was crucial.  

Between eliminating leaders and occasionally wiping out hundreds with Vandeyan swordsmanship, the outcome was inevitable.  

The defensive lines rapidly thinned.  

Seeing comrades die instantly broke even the bravest paladins.  

“This… this is madness!”  

“We’ll all die at this rate!”  

“We must retreat!”  

“…They’re not human!”  

Deserters appeared.  

Paladins turning their backs proved especially devastating.  

Hundreds, then thousands fled chaotically, trampling those behind.  

“Fight, damn you!”  

“Don’t turn suddenly with spears!”  

“Move! I won’t die here!”  

“Let me through! You die if you want!”  

Fistfights escalated into deadly infighting.  

Friendly fire.  

Even commanders could only watch dumbfounded as Seo Do-jun’s group continued thinning their numbers.  

“Now they’re fighting each other?”  

Veronica watched the rear lines in disbelief.  

“Typical mob mentality.”  

Choi Kang-soo laughed heartily.  

“I never wanted this battle…”  

As Hyun Joo-yeon’s grip weakened:  

“Fighting dispirited enemies is the hardest. But this is war. Kill or be killed – harden your heart.”  

Rakun’s words steeled Shinjo’s resolve too.  

While some hesitated, others like Grichuk and Koroka slaughtered indiscriminately.  

Grichuk especially, bearing deep hatred, cut down every enemy possible.  

Tens of thousands had dwindled to mere thousands.  

Losing over half initially, then rapid attrition, broken morale and infighting led to this inevitable result.  

“Haaa…”  

Gloria panted, hands shaking.  

Seo Do-jun praised her efforts.  

“Almost over now?”  

“Not quite,” Seo Do-jun shook his head.  

“Not yet?”  

“The Pope has his true forces. And…”  

KABOOM!  

Before he finished, an enormous explosion erupted.  

“Finally showing yourself.”  

Bahat’s Apostle – the creator of the Black Knights – had entered the battlefield.