SFRW-Chapter 127

Ch. 127 Sword God From The Ruined World

“Where is the Guild Master?”  

“We still can’t get through to him.”  

Jung In-joo knew that Seo Do-jun had entered the Namwon Rift Zone with Choi Kang-soo. She hadn’t received detailed explanations about why he took Choi Kang-soo, who wasn’t even a Hero, into the rift zone. 

But she trusted there must be a reason – Seo Do-jun wasn’t the type to do anything pointless.  

Even though he’d taken that useless lump (Choi Kang-soo) with him, a level 3 rift zone like Namwon would be nothing more than a casual stroll for Seo Do-jun. 

However, considering Seo Do-jun’s abilities, he should have exited the rift zone several times over by now.  

‘What on earth could have happened?’  

Jung In-joo chewed her lower lip anxiously, unable to hide her impatience. Under normal circumstances, she might have just waited patiently. But the current situation was anything but normal.  

“Sis!”  

The door burst open as Hyun Joo-yeon, Gloria, and Shinjo entered together, having rushed over after hearing the news.  

“Guild Master Seo Do-jun… still no word?” 

Hyun Joo-yeon asked. Jung In-joo nodded in confirmation.  

“The Namwon Rift Zone is stable, right?” 

Gloria inquired. Jung In-joo couldn’t answer with certainty.  

“Externally it appears normal… but like all other rift zones, entry is currently impossible.”  

Rift zone entry restrictions – this was the unprecedented phenomenon occurring simultaneously across all rift zones worldwide. Without any warning, entry became impossible, and not a single hero who had entered beforehand had emerged.  

An unprecedented crisis. Nothing like this had happened since the appearance of rift zones. The entire world was on high alert. 

While Hero Associations and experts worldwide tried to reassure people that it was probably nothing, some dissenting voices emerged. The most disturbing theory claimed this was a precursor to a global monster wave.  

Doomsday cults were flourishing like fish in water, and some areas with unstable security were already showing signs of riots. In this tense global atmosphere, Seo Do-jun’s absence was particularly concerning.  

“Is the IGA demanding explanations and specifically asking for the Guild Master?” 

Hyun Joo-yeon asked. Jung In-joo frowned in irritation.  

“Those bastards still haven’t learned their lesson! We should really crush them so thoroughly they can’t even squeak!”  

The IGA, completely devastated by the Special Closure Bureau (more accurately, by the Casserian Guild), had been lying low. 

But now they were using this crisis to resurface, publicly demanding Seo Do-jun provide clear explanations about the situation.  

Why should Seo Do-jun have to explain anything? To Jung In-joo and others, the IGA’s demands were absurd. 

Of course, everyone understood their ulterior motive – to undermine public trust in Seo Do-jun, who had always seemed to know more about rift zones than anyone else.  

“Shouldn’t we go to the Namwon Rift Zone?” 

Hyun Joo-yeon suggested. As Jung In-joo considered this, Gloria’s phone rang loudly.  

After apologizing and checking her phone, Gloria saw it was her brother calling. She excused herself to take the call. During the brief conversation, Gloria’s sharp voice pierced through the office:  

“There’s a monster wave occurring!”  

An unannounced monster wave! But this was just the beginning. Immediately, Hyun Joo-yeon, Jung In-joo, and Shinjo all received calls on their phones.  

“Gimcheon?”  

“Italy and Germany?”  

“The Kumayde Rift Zone?”  

Not just in America, but simultaneous monster waves were breaking out in South Korea, Italy, Germany, Japan, and other countries.  

* * *  

The definition of holy power remains unclear even now. Some vaguely believe it to be divine power, while others think it’s the power of faith granted only to deeply religious individuals. Frankly, definitions didn’t matter – what mattered was the holy power itself.  

As warm energies coursed through Seo Do-jun’s body, his damaged flesh began rapidly healing. One of holy power’s greatest effects is restoration – far surpassing ordinary healers or potions, this powerful restorative ability is unique to priests who wield holy power.  

The second effect of holy power is:  

“Gyaaaaaah!”  

“Keeeeeek!”  

“Aaaaaargh!”  

A powerful offensive capability against unholy beings. Particularly against undead monsters, holy power displays overwhelming destructive force capable of eradicating their very existence.  

Among the monsters filling the plaza were many undead types, who immediately began melting like liquid when touched by the holy energy. Even non-undead monsters found holy power extremely uncomfortable, writhing in pain and screaming.  

The most surprised person was Choi Kang-soo, who was emitting this holy power.  

“Wh-what’s happening?”  

“The energy of holy power,” 

Seo Do-jun answered while checking on his Death Knights.  

Death Knights are also unholy undead creatures who should be vulnerable to holy power. Surprisingly, they stood completely unaffected. Despite the holy energy passing through them, they showed no damage.  

Two possibilities came to mind:  

1) Because they borrowed Seo Do-jun’s magic, holy power couldn’t affect them.  

2) Since they weren’t considered enemies, the holy power didn’t harm them.  

‘Neither makes complete sense…’  

Seo Do-jun found both explanations unsatisfactory. An undead monster becoming a summoned creature doesn’t change its fundamental nature. And he’d never seen or heard of holy power distinguishing friend from foe before.  

In the ruined world, Seo Do-jun had worked with priest comrades. Other allies included mages who created chimeras from monster corpses. In fierce battles, injuries were inevitable, and priests would heal using holy power. 

The problem was that the mages controlling chimeras always became extremely uncomfortable – the holy power adversely affected their unholy creations.  

By Earth’s standards, this would be team-killing. Therefore, neither of Seo Do-jun’s theories fully held up.  

‘I’ll have to ask later,’ Seo Do-jun thought, his gaze shifting to the sentient Ego Sword in Choi Kang-soo’s hands. Beyond the Death Knight issue, Seo Do-jun had much to discuss with the sword.  

“O-okay! I get it!” 

Choi Kang-soo suddenly exclaimed, grimacing inexplicably. 

“Whatever I do next isn’t my intention! So… don’t think I’m crazy, okay?”  

What could he possibly be planning? When Seo Do-jun nodded slightly, Choi Kang-soo hesitated, then tightly closed his eyes, raised the sword skyward and shouted:  

“Oh power that purifies all creation! Saint Rupenia Odemarcasa!”  

What kind of incantation was that? As Seo Do-jun wondered—  

Flash—!  

The holy sword erupted with radiant light, transforming into a massive pillar that shot toward the heavens.  

“Gyaaaaaaaah!” 

Rebley’s pained scream echoed through the plaza.  

“It says we need to go up now,” 

Choi Kang-soo said. 

Understanding, Seo Do-jun grabbed his shoulder and leaped out of the plaza toward the crater rim. Simultaneously, all the Death Knights guarding Choi Kang-soo returned to the Soul Gem.  

As they emerged above the crater, the white light pillar shattered into fragments that scattered like snowflakes. These falling fragments inflicted fatal wounds on monsters, making them howl in agony.  

“…Damn, that’s sick,” 

Choi Kang-soo marveled at the spectacle he’d created—though he’d just followed the sword’s instructions.  

“Holy power?!” 

Rebley’s black eyes, now bloodshot, glared furiously at Choi Kang-soo.  

“Eek! Wh-what’s that? Sauron?” 

Choi Kang-soo yelped, falling on his backside at the sight of Rebley’s eyes that reminded him of the villain from that classic fantasy movie.  

“You’re not Palaresta… Was it you who wielded that holy power?!” 

The murderous glare from those shimmering black eyes made Choi Kang-soo wave his hands frantically.  

“N-not me! This was…!” 

He started to explain about the sword, but after apparently hearing something from the Ego Sword, he clamped his mouth shut.  

“I’ll kill you both!” 

Rebley roared as powerful lightning bolts began gathering—his rage manifesting physically.  

Seo Do-jun raised his sword to counter, but 

“…I can block it,” 

Choi Kang-soo said, stepping forward. His hands trembled around the shaking sword, and his expression suggested this wasn’t his own decision.  

“Are you sure you can block this? If not, I’ll toss you into a furnace!” 

Choi Kang-soo muttered before raising the sword high.  

“Oh unholy souls, be purified! Omarsama Doikesma Katarmadatda! Yap yap!”  

“Yap yap?” 

Seo Do-jun’s eye twitched at this incantation. 

‘Did holy knights ever say things like that?’ 

Certainly not in his experience—even Palaresta, the previous owner of Mute’s armor and this holy sword, had never spouted such nonsense.  

Had something changed without his knowledge? Or perhaps… 

‘No way.’ 

This was Mute’s holy sword, a legendary Ego Sword. Surely it wouldn’t make its wielder spout ridiculous phrases just for amusement.  

‘Is this some chant required because Choi Kang-soo lacks sufficient faith to activate the sword’s power?’ But why did it feel so cringeworthy? Seo Do-jun couldn’t comprehend why Choi Kang-soo was shouting these made-up words.  

Regardless, blinding light erupted from the sword, forming a massive blade shape that collided head-on with Rebley’s completed lightning strike.  

Kwa-kwa-ga-ga-ga-ga-gang!  

The collision was so powerful it seemed to warp space itself. Under normal constraints, even Seo Do-jun would need to exert full power to block Rebley’s lightning. 

Astonishingly, the holy sword’s power channeled through Choi Kang-soo successfully held it back.  

‘Is it actually stronger than Rebley?’ 

While the lightning weakened, the holy sword shone brighter, scattering holy energy everywhere.  

“Impossible! This is my domain where my will is absolute…!” 

Rebley’s black eyes rapidly faded as his voice diminished.  

Paa-cha-aaaang!  

As the lightning dissipated, the white sword-shaped light also shattered, forming a circular band that swept across the entire area. All the monsters turned to dust and vanished.  

“……” 

Seo Do-jun was speechless at this display. Even Palaresta, the greatest holy knight on the continent, had never demonstrated this level of holy power. And Choi Kang-soo had done this? Well, technically the sword had.  

“It says we need to go that way,” 

Choi Kang-soo suddenly pointed. 

Before Seo Do-jun could ask, Choi Kang-soo added, “It says if we don’t hurry, it won’t be responsible for us anymore.”  

Has it exhausted its power? Considering it just turned hordes of monsters to dust, that seemed plausible.  

“Let’s go.” 

Seo Do-jun grabbed Choi Kang-soo’s shoulder to run, but—  

Brilliant white light burst from Choi Kang-soo’s armor back, forming wing-like projections.  

“I’ll lead the way—follow me,” 

Choi Kang-soo said before dashing forward with speed that seemed to make him fly.  

Watching this, Seo Do-jun muttered with utter bewilderment: 

“Talk about gear carrying you.”  

Amused by his own uncharacteristic word choice, Seo Do-jun chuckled and hurried after Choi Kang-soo.