SFRW-Chapter 244

Ch. 244 Sword God From The Ruined World

“Guild Master! They’re reporting that no more monsters are emerging from the Gimcheon rift zone!”  

Jung In-joo, her face gaunt with exhaustion so severe that dark circles reached her jawline, pressed her throbbing temples and responded:  

“Is this not just a temporary lull?”  

“Based on my verification, no monsters have emerged for two full days already!”  

“Two days?”  

At this revelation, Jung In-joo’s eyes snapped wide open as she stared at the guild member.  

Ever since Heavy Mountain appeared in Hokkaido, Earth had entered a full-fledged crisis.  

The previously sealed rift zones across the world simultaneously burst open, unleashing hordes of monsters.  

It was as if the gates of hell had truly opened.  

Despite thorough preparations by the World Hero Association, the Casserian Guild, and various nations, their defenses proved meaningless against the overwhelming numbers.  

The simultaneous monster outbreaks across all global rift zones marked the beginning of an unprecedented catastrophe, leaving even nations renowned as ‘Hero superpowers’ helpless.  

The equation was brutally simple:  

While monsters poured forth in uncountable numbers from the rifts, Earth’s Heroes remained finite.  

In this desperate situation, any location where modern weapons showed even slight effectiveness was bombarded without restraint—many nations even deployed nuclear missiles without hesitation.  

There was neither means nor justification to stop them.  

Even the Casserian Guild and World Hero Association, once believed to be Earth’s ultimate safeguards, stood powerless against this extreme crisis.  

To combat monsters emerging from just 23 rift zones, Jung In-joo had to commit one-third of Casserian Guild’s forces to South Korean territory alone.  

Only the presence of Boss Monsters like Casserian and the Black Tides allowed her to deploy remaining members abroad.  

If this was South Korea’s predicament with merely 23 rifts, what of other nations?  

In countries that resorted to nuclear strikes, nearly half their territories had become irradiated wastelands.  

Earth was facing annihilation.  

Global panic erupted as doomsday cults seized the moment, preaching apocalypse and inciting chaos.  

Now most nations battled not just monsters but civil unrest, with looting, arson, murder, and sexual violence skyrocketing alongside suicide rates.  

With nations collapsing, economic depression arrived inevitably. Starvation and poverty claimed lives at unprecedented rates daily.  

Even South Korea—once deemed the world’s safest nation—saw its economy crumble faster from the depression than monster attacks. Though better off than countries where currency became worthless, it was a distinction without difference.  

Yet many still fought relentlessly against the monsters, chief among them the Casserian Guild.  

“Who’s stationed at Gimcheon rift zone?”  

“Hero Shin Min-gi is holding the line!”  

Jung In-joo’s bloodshot eyes remained glued to the monitors.  

As reported, no monsters had emerged from Gimcheon for two full days.  

“Wasn’t Houston rift zone’s 14-hour lull the longest recorded?”  

The guild member answered instantly, having anticipated the question:  

“Correct. Precisely 14 hours and 23 minutes.”  

“Gimcheon’s lull… has lasted 26 hours and 30 minutes then.”  

Nearly double Houston’s duration.  

‘Could the monsters truly have stopped?’  

Jung In-joo repeated this desperate hope dozens of times.  

Their endurance was spent.  

Every guild member teetered at the brink of exhaustion from endless combat.  

Continuing was untenable.  

Each guild death notification felt like her heart being torn out—she couldn’t bear more.  

Yet if this persisted another week—no, even 4-5 days—casualties would exponentially multiply.  

Every member was already pushing beyond human limits.  

“Monitor Gimcheon hourly. Document any other rifts entering lull periods.”  

“Understood!”  

After dismissing the member, Jung In-joo immediately grabbed her phone.  

The call connected after three rings.  

-“Hello?”  

A drained voice answered.  

“Association Chairman, Gimcheon rift has been dormant for 26 hours.”  

Jung In-joo dispensed with formalities.  

-“26 hours? Two full days?”  

Despite his exhaustion, Na Tae-hwang’s tone sharpened.  

“Yes. I called to inquire about other nations’ statuses.”  

-“Hmm… No unusual reports yet.”  

His updates consisted of crumbling city defenses and desperate pleas for Hero reinforcements he couldn’t provide.  

“Perhaps… just perhaps…”  

Jung In-joo’s voice trembled.  

Recognizing her unspoken hope, Na Tae-hwang responded encouragingly:  

-“We must believe it’s possible. I’ll expedite global assessments. Guild Master Jung In-joo… No, I’ve no right to demand more from you who’s already given everything. Contact me with any good news.”  

“Understood.”  

-“Your sacrifices are noted. We must endure this crisis together.”  

Ending the call, Jung In-joo collapsed into her chair.  

After endless days of despair, finally—a glimmer of hope.  

But what if Gimcheon’s lull ended?  

If monsters returned?  

“…They can’t.”  

They mustn’t.  

That would shatter their last hope—and her own will to continue.  

“Mr. Seo Do-jun… please help us.”  

Visualizing Seo Do-jun’s steadfast presence, she quietly closed her eyes.

***

“Where? Underground?”  

The moment proved once more that immediate violence trumps all fear.  

Though Rixis had sworn never to betray Barhaut and Rebley, the blade at his third eye loosened his tongue.  

To Oktrals, their third eye was as vital as a heart—resistance was impossible.  

‘They’d find Rebley anyway!’  

He rationalized his betrayal.  

Cowardice be damned—Rixis didn’t care.  

“Yes! Underground! That damned dwarf hides deep below, never surfacing!”  

“Dwarf?”  

“Rebley’s a dwarf?”  

Kusak gaped upon learning the monster legion commander—Barhaut’s right hand—was of the diminutive race.  

“Keh! A pathetic dwarf! A mole-man breeding monsters underground—that’s Rebley’s true form.”  

“Wow… unexpected.”  

“Barhaut’s top lieutenant being a dwarf…”  

“What are dwarves like?”  

Choi Kang-soo and others expressed curiosity about the physically weak race now revealed as key players.  

“That bastard’s probably trembling right now!”  

“After we destroyed his Black Eyes?”  

Rixis babbled exhaustive explanations about the Black Eyes.  

“Could he have fled already?”  

At Choi Kang-soo’s question, Rixis chuckled darkly.  

“Possibly—but what does Rebley have left after losing Barhaut’s bestowed powers? Would Barhaut even keep a dwarf who can’t produce monsters?”  

He sneered, calling Rebley a ‘useless dwarf runt’.  

“Why are you so gleeful? And now you disrespect Barhaut openly?”  

“Betrayal’s already decided—why fear? Once free, I’ll disappear until this blows over.”  

Choi Kang-soo burst out laughing at his audacity.  

“So where’s Rebley hiding?”  

Seo Do-jun cut in.  

Rixis, sensing danger, obediently revealed the location.  

“You swear he’s there?”  

“Why lie now? I’ll lead you myself.”  

As Rixis strode ahead, Choi Kang-soo muttered:  

“Talk about a turncoat.”  

Kusak smirked:  

“Rumor says he watched his race get exterminated without blinking before joining Barhaut.”  

“Disgusting.”  

“Why’d you laugh earlier?”  

“His delusion about escaping us? Pathetic.”  

Their group advanced, slaughtering every monster en route.  

“Where were you sending these monsters?”  

Suspecting other planetary targets, Choi Kang-soo asked. Rixis answered casually:  

“Full mobilization to Earth. Once synchronization stabilizes, I’d clean up the remaining stragglers.”  

The group’s expressions hardened.  

Unaware, Rixis continued:  

“Barhaut even used precious powers to flood Earth with monsters. Damn my luck getting assigned here and meeting you all!”  

He lamented not dodging the assignment.  

“How many monsters reached Earth?”  

Seo Do-jun’s question met Rixis’s indifferent shrug:  

“That workaholic dwarf probably sent countless hordes under Barhaut’s orders.”  

He dismissed exact numbers.  

“By now, a weak world like Earth must be in ruins. Speaking of which—”  

Rixis suddenly froze, recalling Rebley’s words:  

“They came from Earth.”  

Slowly turning, he faced the group’s icy stares.  

His stomach dropped—why were his worst premonitions always right?  

“Earth’s ‘weak’? You wanted to ‘rule’ there?”  

Choi Kang-soo advanced, teeth grinding.  

“L-listen! I had no choice! Barhaut forced me!”  

Rixis waved his hands frantically.  

“Neither do I. This is Earth’s retribution.”  

Choi Kang-soo’s fists rained down as Seo Do-jun watched coldly before prioritizing their mission:  

“Shinjo, Gloria, Rakun, Grichuk, Rahf—east. Choi Kang-soo, Hyun Joo-yeon, Kusak, Veronica, Koroka—west.”  

The division served one purpose:  

Exterminate every monster before more could reach Earth.  

Fortunately, Rahf’s spare communication orbs enabled coordination.  

As the teams split, only Seo Do-jun and the battered Rixis remained.  

“Get up. Take me to Rebley.”  

Under Seo Do-jun’s lethal gaze, Rixis complied without protest.