SFRW-Chapter 191

Ch. 191 Sword God From The Ruined World

“Are you busy?”  

Seo Do-jun saw Hyun Joo-yeon peeking through the door of his office and gestured for her to come in, saying it was fine.  

“Coffee? Or juice? There’s also tea.”  

“Anything is fine.”  

“There’s no such thing as ‘anything.’”  

“…Orange juice, then.”  

Hyun Joo-yeon rolled her eyes slightly, and Seo Do-jun let out a quiet chuckle.  

When Seo Do-jun brought her a cold orange juice with ice, she looked at him with a strange expression.  

“You seem really different now.”  

“Me?”  

Seo Do-jun smiled faintly as he sipped his coffee.  

“Even the way you are right now.”  

What was she trying to say?  

When Seo Do-jun silently stared at her, she hesitated before speaking again.  

“It’s not just me thinking this. Most—no, practically all the guild members feel the same way. They say you’ve become a completely different person.”  

“I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.”  

“It’s a good thing! It’s like… you’ve become more human?”  

“So, before this, I wasn’t human?”  

“Even the way you joke around has changed.”  

Seo Do-jun didn’t deny Hyun Joo-yeon’s immediate remark.  

“Compared to when I first met you, the difference is like night and day.”  

Seo Do-jun simply nodded, as if agreeing with her.  

“Is it… because you reunited with your old comrades?”  

Kusak, Veronica, Rakun.  

She had learned that these three were once precious comrades to Seo Do-jun, but honestly, she couldn’t help but feel a little bitter.  

It was like the feeling of losing your place to a closer friend—someone you thought was your best friend.  

At any rate, Hyun Joo-yeon was feeling that sense of loss and anxiety very strongly.  

“Maybe.”  

Seo Do-jun honestly admitted that his change was due to Kusak and the others.  

“I see.”  

Hyun Joo-yeon could only smile bitterly, thinking about how differently Seo Do-jun treated those three compared to everyone else.  

No matter how much she and the other Casserian Guild members trusted Seo Do-jun and were willing to follow him into hell, they could never be like those three.  

From the very beginning, the relationship between Seo Do-jun and the Casserian Guild members had been fundamentally different.  

But even if they turned back time, could they have treated each other as equals, as friends?  

Hyun Joo-yeon shook her head.  

That would never have been possible.  

Not for any member of the Casserian Guild.  

Despite knowing how upset Hyun Joo-yeon looked, Seo Do-jun changed the subject as if he didn’t want to talk about it anymore.  

“There’s going to be an announcement soon…”  

Seo Do-jun took the opportunity to inform her that he would personally be entering the rift zone.  

“D-do you really have to go that far?”  

“There’s no other way.”  

No matter how hard they struggled, if they stayed on Earth, they would only be able to watch as the world was destroyed.  

“…It’s dangerous, isn’t it?”  

At Hyun Joo-yeon’s cautious words, Seo Do-jun replied in a very serious tone.  

“It is. I can’t guarantee I’ll survive.”  

“But even if you stay on Earth out of fear, you’ll still die, right?”  

The only difference is whether you die a little sooner or a little later.  

“For now, I plan to take only Kusak, Veronica, Rakun, Choi Kang-soo, you, Gloria, and Shinjo.”  

“Isn’t that too few?”  

Only eight people.  

The number was so small that Hyun Joo-yeon’s face stiffened.  

She had assumed he would take all the Casserian Guild members.  

But Seo Do-jun was firm.  

“It’s better to move with a small group of skilled fighters than to bring along those who aren’t ready. Besides, even if we cross over, it won’t stop Earth’s crisis.”  

He was saying that, on top of lacking strength, some needed to stay behind to protect Earth.  

Even if they somehow managed to win after dragging everyone along, what if Earth was devastated in the meantime?  

If the world was reduced to ruins, nations collapsed, most of humanity died, and monsters roamed freely—how could they possibly restore such a world?  

Considering that, the Casserian Guild had to remain behind and become strong leaders to guide the World Hero Association.  

“But shouldn’t everyone at least be given a fair chance?”  

Hyun Joo-yeon suggested that instead of pre-selecting members at their current level, they should disclose the truth and encourage everyone to improve within a set timeframe.  

“Don’t you think that’s the least we can do for those who trust and follow you… no, Guild Master Seo Do-jun?”  

Seo Do-jun nodded, as if he hadn’t considered that.  

“You’re right. Then I should make the announcement tonight. We don’t have much time.”  

Since delaying wouldn’t help, Seo Do-jun made his decision.  

“What are you going to tell Eun-young and your grandmother?”  

“Just… telling them the truth might be a bit harsh, right?”  

Honestly, this was what worried Seo Do-jun the most.  

Since there was a chance he might never return, he was struggling with how to break the news to Eun-young and his grandmother.  

“Sometimes, telling the whole truth isn’t the right thing to do.”  

“So, a white lie?”  

“I think that would be better for Eun-young and your grandmother.”  

What family would accept and understand their loved one leaving for a place where death was almost certain?  

Seo Do-jun let out a small sigh and nodded at Hyun Joo-yeon’s words.  

Lying to Eun-young and his grandmother weighed on his conscience, but it was better than leaving them to worry endlessly until his return.  

Meanwhile, Hyun Joo-yeon finally understood Seo Do-jun’s actions up until now.  

Why he had been so determined to strengthen the World Hero Association, why he had forced other nations to comply even at the cost of his own reputation.  

She had tried to guess the reasons, but she never imagined it was all preparation for his departure.  

Once the conversation ended, Hyun Joo-yeon stood up.  

Seo Do-jun felt a pang of guilt seeing how much heavier her steps and heart had become, but he could only believe she would overcome it—because she had to accept reality.  

“Um… about that Veronica person… Never mind.”  

Afraid of hearing an answer she couldn’t handle, Hyun Joo-yeon quickly left the office.  

Left alone, Seo Do-jun downed the rest of his coffee in one gulp and checked the calendar.  

Three months left.  

In less than a hundred days, he planned to finish all preparations and enter the rift zone.  

The longer they delayed, the higher Earth’s synchronization rate would rise, meaning the crisis would only worsen in his absence.  

Steeling his resolve, Seo Do-jun stood up and moved to make the most of the remaining time.  

*** 

Choi Kang-soo was miserable.  

His training in Guam had been lonely, hungry, and humiliating, but at least there had been hope and a sense of purpose.  

He had believed that once he finished his grueling training and left Guam, the whole world would cheer his name, turning his suffering into sweet triumph.  

But.  

“…Fck! This is bullsht…!”  

“Oh my? Is that language befitting a Holy Knight? Someone who serves a god should at least speak properly. No matter how shtty the situation is.”  

Thud thud thud—  

What angered Choi Kang-soo more than Veronica’s foot mercilessly stomping on his face was her relaxed smirk.  

“Palaresta never did this. No matter how dirty or fucked up things got, he never cursed—he just stayed silent. But I guess I like that you’re more human than him.”  

Veronica the Perverted Witch.  

The nickname the Casserian Guild members had given her was spot-on.  

Especially when she beat men and women alike without discrimination, pinned them under her feet, and ground their faces into the dirt with obvious pleasure.  

The problem was that all of this was allowed under the name of ‘combat training’—with Seo Do-jun’s tacit approval.  

No, not just approval. He actively encouraged it.  

Something about ‘building fighting spirit’.  

Thanks to that, not a single guild member had escaped being stomped on by Veronica.  

Even the ‘Big Three’—Shinjo, Hyun Joo-yeon, and Gloria—had been flattened under her feet.  

『See, what did I tell you? I said we should’ve stayed in Guam for another ten years. To go through all that suffering only to face this humiliation… Choi Kang-soo, pack your bags. Let’s go back to Guam for a solid decade…』 

Even the Divine Sword pitied Choi Kang-soo’s state.  

“If you’re gonna glare, put some real venom into it. Tch… Pathetic. Take a nap and try again when you wake up.”  

Wham!  

“…Guhk!”  

Veronica smashed the back of Choi Kang-soo’s head without mercy, and as his body slumped, she glanced around.  

“What? Why are you all avoiding eye contact? Is my gaze that intimidating?”  

The guild members trembled but desperately avoided looking at her.  

Then—  

“I’ll do it.”  

Shinjo stepped forward.  

His record against Veronica: 33 fights, 33 losses.  

The most defeats among all guild members.  

Shinjo had never beaten Veronica. No, he had never even landed a proper hit on her.  

The gap was overwhelming.  

Yet, Shinjo challenged her whenever he had the chance.  

“I’ll give you points for persistence. But that only counts for something if you have the skills to back it up.”  

Despite Veronica’s taunts, Shinjo silently drew his sword.  

He had belatedly realized that provoking her was part of the training.  

Veronica licked her lips with her red tongue, gripping the hilt of her sword as Shinjo steadied his stance.  

“Let’s see how much you can entertain me this time… Show me what you’ve got.”  

Grit.  

Shinjo’s eyebrow twitched as he tightened his grip on his sword and charged at Veronica.  

The 34th challenge had begun.  

Meanwhile, on the other side of the training hall, Rakun was relentlessly pressuring Gloria.  

Since Gloria primarily used a bow, she was naturally weak in close combat.  

Still, she dodged Rakun’s attacks with surprising agility, countering with her bow staff.  

Sometimes she threw daggers from her waist, other times she used arrows as melee weapons—her close-quarters combat had improved drastically.  

“Faster! Don’t just follow with your eyes—predict your opponent’s moves by instinct! If you can’t dodge, block or counter! Fight like your life depends on it—because it does! Don’t hesitate when you see an opening! Your feet are slow! Faster! Your footwork is a mess! If you can draw the bowstring, just shoot!”  

Rakun showed no mercy, even if his opponent was a beautiful woman.  

On the battlefield, gender and age meant nothing.  

Training had to be like real combat.  

Only by giving it their all, with full focus and sincerity, could they survive real battles.  

Wham!  

“…Agh!”  

Gloria’s half-hearted counter resulted in a brutal punch to her stomach, sending her tumbling back.  

But staying down after one hit meant even worse punishment.  

Crash!  

An axe slammed into the spot where she had fallen.  

It was a heart-stopping moment for onlookers.  

If Gloria had been even a second slower—if she had curled up in pain—  

Rolling away, Gloria sprang up and threw a dagger, immediately nocking an arrow.  

Her movements were smooth, fast, and perfectly synchronized—as if she had planned it from the start.  

Ting! Ting!  

Rakun blocked the dagger with his shield before hurling it aside.  

“Tch!”  

Gritting her teeth, Gloria released the arrow and rolled again.  

A poorly aimed, weak shot posed no threat to Rakun.  

Meanwhile, Gloria barely dodged the shield—only to find Rakun swinging his axe right at her face.  

Clang!  

She barely deflected the axe’s trajectory with her bow staff, but—  

Wham!  

A powerful kick to her stomach sent her flying into the wall.  

Slumping weakly, Gloria dropped her bow, unconscious.  

Rakun clicked his tongue in disappointment.  

“A few hits and she’s out? Pathetic.”  

He turned away, pointing at another guild member.  

The chosen member entered the sparring ring like a lamb to the slaughter and was knocked out within minutes.  

While Veronica and Rakun ruthlessly subjected the guild members to near-death training twice a day—  

The one who seemed the most insane, Kusak, was actually the calmest, patiently teaching basic magic and earning the guild’s deep respect.  

Especially Cain, who clung to Kusak’s every word, utterly enthralled.  

“The magic you’ve been using is garbage. True magic is…”  

Though Kusak tended to ramble, Cain treated every word as gospel.  

He even recorded Kusak’s lectures, eyes shining with admiration.  

While everyone made the most of every second, Seo Do-jun faced his toughest challenge yet.  

His grandmother and Eun-young.