SFRW-Chapter 273

Ch. 273 Sword God From The Ruined World

“He’s not responding to communications?”  

Luam’s green pupils flashed dangerously, causing the reporting subordinate’s face to pale.  

“Y-yes sir. We’ve tried contacting him multiple times…”  

When the subordinate explained there was nothing more they could do if the other party wasn’t responding, Luam’s eyes returned to normal.  

“Gettis has no reason to avoid contact.”  

Knowing Gettis’ personality, Luam felt uneasy about this unexplained silence.  

“Hmm.”  

Realizing pressuring the subordinate would be pointless, Luam dismissively waved his hand to send them away.  

Ignoring the hastily departing subordinate, Luam decided to contact Allekuhi just in case.  

[Has that bastard appeared?]  

“No. Not yet.”  

[Oh? Then why are you contacting me?]  

Allekuhi’s initially excited voice turned indifferent.  

They weren’t on terms to contact each other without special reason.  

Knowing this, Luam didn’t mind Allekuhi’s reaction and got straight to the point:  

“Have you contacted Gettis separately before?”  

[Did you think Gettis and I were close?]  

Allekuhi let out an unamused laugh.  

“I can’t reach Gettis. No—Gettis isn’t responding to communications.”  

At Luam’s dry tone, Allekuhi finally dropped his playful attitude.  

[Gettis? Did something happen?]  

“I don’t know.”  

[Maybe those bastards went to Tonist?]  

Luam shook his head firmly at Allekuhi’s suggestion.  

“If so, Gettis would have contacted me.”  

[Is that so?]  

Allekuhi sounded puzzled about why Gettis wouldn’t respond.  

Though grouped together as the Six Seats, these six individuals rarely interacted closely.  

Without Barhaut as their common denominator, they would never have gathered in one place.  

Their relationships were particularly awkward.  

Except for Luam, who served Barhaut like a loyal dog, the other Seats all harbored ambitions to eventually surpass Barhaut while reluctantly obeying him.  

“I see.”  

Having learned nothing about Gettis from Allekuhi, Luam unilaterally cut the communication.  

[Gettis? Well, I’ve never contacted him before.]  

Ratio responded similarly.  

With no information about Gettis’ situation, Luam hesitated before contacting Barhaut directly.  

And received shocking news:  

[Just now… Gettis died.]  

Though unbelievable, Luam had to quickly move to Barhaut’s location, consumed by burning rage.  

***

Armor, helmet, spear, shield, sword.  

Choi Kang-soo couldn’t hide his grin as he stared at the sacred relics once owned by Gettis laid before him.  

“Can your Divine Sword absorb all their holy power?”  

At Seo Do-jun’s question, Choi Kang-soo nodded confidently.  

“It’s possible! All thanks to you, Uncle! Thank you!”  

In his life, Choi Kang-soo considered Seo Do-jun his mentor, hero, guide, and lucky charm.  

“Can it be done immediately?”  

“Well… the Divine Sword says it needs a sacred space for proper absorption.”  

“Sacred space?”  

“A place like where these relics were originally stored.”  

Meaning they’d need to enter Gettis’ lair—this world’s Papal headquarters.  

Worried he might be wasting time, Choi Kang-soo glanced at Seo Do-jun for approval.  

After brief consideration, Seo Do-jun nodded.  

“If it’s necessary for proper absorption, we have no choice. Choi Kang-soo, you’ll go to the Papal headquarters yourself.”  

“Alone?”  

“Do you think you can’t?”  

“No! I can do it!”  

With Gettis gone, Seo Do-jun judged there would be no one left to stop Choi Kang-soo.  

“And while you’re there, clean up any remaining pests like Gettis.”  

“Ah!”  

Only with this additional order did Choi Kang-soo realize this wasn’t just about absorbing the relics.  

“Should we send Grichuk with you just in case?”  

“No need!”  

Choi Kang-soo showed a confident refusal.  

“Then go.”  

“Right now?”  

“When else?”  

“Shouldn’t we eat first?”  

Knowing Seo Do-jun’s subspace still held plenty of food, Choi Kang-soo wanted to fill his stomach with familiar dishes.  

“Fine.”  

Seo Do-jun immediately called Shinjo and Rahf to serve their preferred meals.  

Seo Do-jun had hot galbitang (beef rib soup), Shinjo chose udon and sushi, Rahf took pasta, while Choi Kang-soo—  

“Do you have nakji-bokkeum (spicy stir-fried octopus)?”  

“We didn’t buy that.”  

“Then… give me the spiciest, most stimulating dish available.”  

“Spicy braised ribs?”  

“Yes!”  

Claiming spicy food boosted combat performance, Choi Kang-soo devoured two bowls of rice with the spicy ribs.  

After filling his stomach, he stored all the relics in the Divine Sword’s subspace—along with extra food from Seo Do-jun.  

“I’m off then!”  

Choi Kang-soo created white luminous wings and soared into the sky. As he shrank to a dot in the distance, Seo Do-jun called Grichuk:  

“Follow him quietly. Only intervene if he’s in real danger.”  

“I. Will. Do. That.”  

A vortex of darkness swallowed Grichuk, making him vanish completely.  

“It’ll take time for ChoiKang-soo to return. Shinjo, want some personal training meanwhile?”  

“Personal training?”  

“You must have learned a lot watching my fight with Gettis. Experiencing it physically could bring breakthroughs.”  

Touched by Seo Do-jun’s consideration of his exact situation, Shinjo bowed deeply.  

“Then I’ll gratefully accept.”  

Shinjo wanted to solidify his vague, elusive feelings through guidance from a master far beyond his level.  

As Seo Do-jun prepared to train Shinjo, Rahf cautiously moved elsewhere.  

‘Perfect! I was worried I might not get the chance… A Transcendent… A Transcendent… Heh heh heh!’  

Rahf’s sinister gaze turned toward Gettis’ decapitated corpse.  

***

“Are we really okay doing this?”  

Hyun Joo-yeon looked worriedly at the fallen ogre before her.  

Its head had been cleanly severed.  

Though slightly smaller than other ogres, its deep red skin indicated speed and strength five times greater—an extremely powerful specimen.  

Yet Hyun Joo-yeon had faced it alone and ultimately killed it.  

“It’s fine. I’ve hunted several already, and… he hasn’t said anything.”  

Veronica couldn’t bring herself to say ‘that bastard’ when referring to the Dragon.  

“Besides, what else can we do here? This is how we endure.”  

Though not something hostages should say, Hyun Joo-yeon accepted Veronica’s words.  

“By the way Hyun Joo-yeon, you need to step up too. Gloria’s been giving me terrifying looks lately. Honestly… she’s hunted more of these than I have.”  

“Gloria has?”  

Since becoming Vipiens’s hostages, Gloria had been the most resentful of their situation.  

Fearing she might become deadweight holding Seo Do-jun back, she acted without regard for Vipiens’s reactions.  

“Well, I’d rather die cleanly than become a burden to Kassal too.”  

Veronica felt guilty for being overly cautious but couldn’t help her instinctive fear of Dragons.  

Had she faced a Dragon for the first time like Gloria, she might not have frozen up so much.  

“Gloria…”  

Learning Gloria’s mindset for the first time, Hyun Joo-yeon felt like she’d been hit by a hammer.  

‘I was just waiting for Seo Do-jun to appear…’  

While Gloria strove not to hold him back, Hyun Joo-yeon felt pathetic by comparison.  

“Phew…”  

Exhaling deeply, Hyun Joo-yeon’s expression turned more resolute than ever.  

She vowed never to become a burden to Seo Do-jun, even if it killed her.  

“Let’s go.”  

Noticing the change in Hyun Joo-yeon’s voice, Veronica smiled and nodded.  

Veronica too resolved to overcome her ingrained Dragon fear, even if it required others’ help.  

The two hunted monsters including ogres in the endless forest—all guardians protecting Vipiens’s lair. But Hyun Joo-yeon no longer cared.  

During their hunt:  

“Why are these humans fearlessly hunting monsters near Vipiens’s lair? Did we come to the wrong place?”  

A dark elf with model-like proportions frowned at them.  

“Impossible. This is definitely Vipiens’s lair. Can’t you feel his presence?”  

A giant man appeared beside the elf—as large as the ogres they’d hunted, with overwhelming aura.  

“Just flies disturbing Vipiens’s lair, it seems.”  

Finally, a Lich made of glass-like gemstones spoke coldly and raised its hand.  

Its gem-encrusted finger pointed at Hyun Joo-yeon and Gloria.  

ZAP—  

A beam shot from its fingertip.  

Startled, Hyun Joo-yeon swung her sword while Veronica created a water shield.  

“Scal Himaid?”  

Though surprised a mere human blocked his attack, the Lich was more shocked by Veronica’s shield.  

They sensed the power of a water god absorbed by Scal Himaid. Luam, Ratio and Allekuhi all stared in astonishment.  

“These seem more than mere flies. Ah!”  

Luam cast wide-area detection magic.  

The forest teemed with powerful human presences. Now he understood.  

“So the little mice dared come here? Heh heh heh!”  

Luam couldn’t contain his laughter at their enemies walking into their deaths.  

His rage at Barhaut over Gettis’ death dissipated instantly.  

However:  

‘Why is Vipiens doing nothing?’  

Luam found it strange Vipiens allowed these intruders to remain.  

Though likely intentional, Luam decided not to dwell on it.  

First, he’d crush these pests.  

“Considering what you’ve done, I won’t grant quick deaths. I’ll turn you into undead slaves—unable to truly live or die.”  

As Luam stepped forward determinedly, Ratio and Allekuhi casually crossed their arms.  

Though confused, Hyun Joo-yeon and Veronica could only raise their swords nervously against these overwhelming foes.  

“First, I’ll pluck out your eyeballs.”  

Luam struck the ground with his staff, releasing invisible spiderweb-like strands that bound the women completely.  

“…!”  

Unable to move a finger, their faces showed utter shock.  

Especially Veronica—who’d absorbed a God’s power—couldn’t believe being rendered helpless.  

‘A Transcendent?!’  

Only a Transcendent could immobilize her so completely.  

She stared at Luam in disbelief.  

“After your eyes, I’ll reclaim the stolen power you wield.”  

Luam gestured, materializing a sharp dagger that flew toward Hyun Joo-yeon’s eye—  

Only to stop abruptly before her face, crumpling into scrap metal.  

“Daring to touch my hostages without permission? Luam, do you wish to die?”  

Vipiens materialized in midair, glaring coldly at Luam.