SFRW-Chapter 229

Ch. 229 Sword God From The Ruined World

‘What the hell is that guy’s deal?’  

As Seo Do-jun stepped inside the magic circle, Rahf’s eyes were filled with doubt and curiosity.  

Just what kind of life had he lived? What path had he walked to possess something as rare as a Dragon Heart—something that was nearly impossible to obtain?  

Moreover, the sheer magnitude of power Seo Do-jun wielded was beyond anything Rahf could measure.  

‘Is he even human?’  

Seo Do-jun, who didn’t seem human at all, was now attempting to absorb a Dragon Heart.  

‘Is he a real monster… or perhaps a demigod?’  

True dragons were beings who had reached the level of demigods, and Rahf believed that if Seo Do-jun could properly absorb the Dragon Heart, he too could ascend to that level.  

‘Whatever the case, I hope he absorbs that Dragon Heart and gains the power to kill that bastard Barhaut!’  

The path of revenge, which had once seemed so distant, had suddenly drawn near thanks to Seo Do-jun. Rahf was deeply satisfied with this turn of events.  

Of course—  

“This bastard’s eyes… they look like the eyes of someone who’s about to betray me.”  

Rahf clicked his tongue in annoyance as he turned away from Kusak, who was glaring at him with narrowed eyes. There was no point in dealing with him any further.  

“Look at this bastard! Hey! What were you just thinking, huh? Did you pull something in the magic circle? Answer me!”  

Rahf knew from the start that building trust with Seo Do-jun’s group—who shared the same goal—was asking too much. So, he didn’t feel disappointed or upset.  

“Koroka! Keep a close eye on that bastard! If he tries anything funny, blast him with your breath!”  

At Kusak’s shout, Koroka made a disgruntled face but began watching Rahf closely.  

Woooooooooong—!  

As the magic circle began emitting a deep, resonant hum, Rakun spoke in a solemn voice to the group, who had each taken their positions.  

“We’re starting now.”  

Everyone’s eyes turned to Seo Do-jun.  

The three of them stepping into their respective magic circles was no light endeavor.  

In terms of danger level, Grichuk was the safest, followed by Choi Kang-soo, with Seo Do-jun being the most at risk.  

For Grichuk, it was like putting on clothes that fit him perfectly—there wasn’t much to worry about.  

As for Choi Kang-soo, the orb of divine power he held was, according to the Divine Sword’s judgment, a crystallized remnant of Desion’s divine power.  

It was likely the last trace of divine power left in this world, which the Chimera’s progenitor had tried and failed to absorb, preserving it instead.  

Even the Chimera’s progenitor—a being powerful enough to bring about the world’s destruction—couldn’t absorb this crystallized divine power. But since Choi Kang-soo had the Divine Sword, it was worth attempting.  

On the other hand, there was Seo Do-jun.  

‘Can a human really absorb a Dragon Heart that even Metaneca couldn’t fully absorb and only kept?’  

Honestly, Koroka thought this was an incredibly dangerous gamble.  

Even a Half-Dragon, who inherited half of a dragon’s bloodline, would struggle to fully absorb a Dragon Heart. And yet, a human was attempting it?  

‘In the worst-case scenario, his entire body could explode from the Dragon Heart’s power.’  

Despite explaining the risks thoroughly, Koroka had to admit that Seo Do-jun’s determination to absorb the Dragon Heart was admirable.  

However—  

‘Unless this is just reckless bravado.’  

Only time would tell the outcome. But if Seo Do-jun failed, Koroka believed it would be nothing more than a tragedy brought on by his own greed.  

Then, Seo Do-jun placed the red gemstone—larger than an adult’s fist—directly into his mouth.  

Though it seemed hard, once infused with magic, it would naturally liquefy and spread throughout his body.  

And just as expected—  

Fwoooooooosh!  

An immense light erupted from the magic circle—more accurately, from Seo Do-jun’s body.  

Wooooooooooooong!  

The resonance of the magic circle grew so powerful that it enveloped the entirety of the Desion Forest.  

Starting with Seo Do-jun, Choi Kang-soo also began a solemn prayer, embracing the Divine Sword and the crystallized divine power. Meanwhile, Grichuk bit down on the essence of the Black Knight, drawing forth viscous dark magic to its limit.  

An unknown period of growth had begun—no one knew how long it would take or what results it would yield.  

*** 

Seo Do-jun, engulfed in a violent maelstrom of magic strong enough to shake the magic circle.  

Choi Kang-soo, trapped in a blindingly bright radiance.  

Grichuk, shrouded in such immense darkness that nothing inside the magic circle could be seen.  

Two humans and one Black Knight had each begun their solitary struggle to attain what they desired. Before they knew it, two full days had already passed.  

Prepared for any unforeseen events, the rest of the group had stationed themselves around the magic circles, barely getting any proper sleep over those two days.  

Koroka, despite his annoyance, had been diligently keeping watch over Rahf, even assisting the others—showcasing the superior stamina of a Half-Dragon.  

“How long will this take?” Hyun Joo-yeon asked, her eyes red like a rabbit’s as she stared at Seo Do-jun.  

“No one knows. But it won’t be over in just a few days.”  

Absorbing something as immense as a Dragon Heart couldn’t possibly be done in mere days.  

At Veronica’s words, Hyun Joo-yeon shook her head. Though she didn’t say anything, Gloria also wore an exhausted expression.  

“It’s only been two days. At least nothing disastrous has happened yet, but this is just the beginning. Don’t waste your energy—stay vigilant for what’s to come.”  

Rahf, sitting inside a small magic circle while charging magic into a ring on his middle finger, offered this advice.  

“Just the beginning…?”  

Hyun Joo-yeon, Gloria, and even Shinjo—though he didn’t voice it—all let out quiet sighs.  

“He’s right. There won’t be any major changes for a while, so from now on, we should take shifts and rest properly.”  

At Kusak’s suggestion, Veronica and Rakun nodded in agreement.  

“Koroka, you good?”  

Kusak glanced at Koroka, then jerked his chin toward Rahf. Given Koroka’s exceptional stamina, keeping watch over Rahf was a task that couldn’t be neglected.  

“I’m fine.”  

Koroka answered in his usual gruff tone, but the fact that he was handling his duties flawlessly made Kusak smirk as he looked at Rahf.  

“If you were hoping we’d let our guard down, you’ve failed.”  

“…What nonsense are you spouting now?”  

Rahf ignored Kusak, who kept provoking, doubting, and now even spouting nonsense at him.  

***  

Two days passed, then another five.  

Seo Do-jun and Choi Kang-soo remained unchanged, but the impenetrable darkness surrounding Grichuk had begun to slowly recede.  

To be precise, the dark magic was gradually being absorbed into Grichuk’s body.  

“He’s started absorbing the essence of the Black Knight in earnest. At this rate, I’d say Grichuk will finish absorbing it within a week.”  

Rahf’s prediction was correct.  

Exactly one week later, Grichuk finally opened his eyes after absorbing all the dark magic.  

Fwoooosh!  

The aura radiating from Grichuk was undeniably different from before.  

‘What the…? Now I can’t even think of fighting him.’  

Koroka, who knew exactly how strong Grichuk had been, frowned at the sight of him far surpassing his expectations.  

“How do you feel?” Kusak asked curiously as Grichuk stepped out of the magic circle.  

“T-w-i-c-e… N-o. T-h-r-e-e t-i-m-e-s s-t-r-o-n-g-e-r.”  

“Three times?!”  

Kusak and the others stared at Grichuk in disbelief at such an absurd claim.  

Only Rahf accepted it as an expected outcome.  

“The essence of the Black Knight is the power I spent decades gathering to face Barhaut. And Grichuk absorbed all of it—enough to create twenty Black Knights. Of course he’d grow that much.”  

Veronica asked Rahf, who spoke as if boasting,  

“How is the essence of the Black Knight made?”  

“You wouldn’t like the answer. But if you really want to know, I’ll tell you.”  

Veronica shook her head at his reply.  

Having heard bits about how Black Knights were created, knowing that enough essence for twenty of them existed was disturbing enough.  

Even in the ruined world they had once lived in, dark mages like Rahf were humanity’s enemies—villains ostracized by all.  

The group was once again reminded that they had allied with an ultimate villain to fight an absolute evil, leaving a bitter taste in their mouths.  

With Grichuk’s overwhelming strength now added to their ranks, the group could observe Seo Do-jun and Choi Kang-soo’s transformations more comfortably.  

Grichuk, with his near-limitless stamina, kept a sharp watch over Seo Do-jun and Choi Kang-soo’s conditions, guarded the surroundings, and even monitored Rahf.  

Thanks to that, Koroka could finally enjoy a deep, sweet sleep.  

Three days after Grichuk absorbed the Black Knight’s essence, Choi Kang-soo also began to change.  

The blinding radiance that had persisted day and night slowly began to fade.  

“Huh? Why does his hair look like that?”  

Another change had occurred.  

Choi Kang-soo’s black hair had turned into a platinum blonde, almost white.  

His skin had also become flawless, taking on a milky complexion, making his appearance drastically different.  

“…He looks holy.”  

As Hyun Joo-yeon said, Choi Kang-soo, kneeling in prayer, looked like a sacred paladin straight out of a fairy tale.  

“Did he use divine power to change his looks first?”  

At Veronica’s remark, the others stifled their laughter.  

Two more days passed before Choi Kang-soo finally stood up.  

“He got taller, didn’t he?”  

“His body changed a bit too.”  

As Kusak and Veronica noted, Choi Kang-soo had grown taller, and his physique had altered.  

It wasn’t a dramatic transformation, but his hair and skin made him look distinctly different from before.  

“…Why are you all staring at me like I’m some zoo monkey?”  

Choi Kang-soo frowned deeply, irritated by the group’s stares.  

“His looks changed, but his attitude is the same.”  

Kusak’s comment made everyone burst into laughter again.  

Choi Kang-soo, even more annoyed, pouted before widening his eyes in shock.  

“My look has changed?!”  

Instead of explaining, Veronica tossed him a small hand mirror.  

Catching it reflexively, Choi Kang-soo stared at his reflection—  

“What the hell?! My hair… I look like some punk! Why’d it turn out like this?! Damn it! Seriously! Hey! Explain this!”  

As Choi Kang-soo shook the Divine Sword and yelled, Kusak was convinced.  

“That’s a personality even a god can’t change. To think a guy like that is a Holy Knight… The end times are truly here.”  

Choi Kang-soo had successfully absorbed the crystallized divine power.  

But Seo Do-jun, the last one remaining, still showed no signs of change.  

And so, time continued to flow endlessly.  

***  

Dragons—the only race capable of threatening gods.  

In some dimensional worlds, there were even tales of wars between dragons and gods, called the Dragon-Deity Wars.  

Dragons stood at the absolute pinnacle of all races, their strength not just exceptional but absolute.  

A Dragon’s heart was the core of its existence—the source of all its power.  

Seo Do-jun had conversed with a third soul.  

-Arhekto.  

The Dragon Heart’s owner was the Gold Dragon, Arhekto.  

An ancient Dragon who had lived for millennia with immense power, yet even he could not escape mortality.  

And so, he sought to become a god.  

Arhekto, once the strongest being in his world, succeeded in dimensional travel after endless research and effort, hoping to attain immortality.  

But during his journey across dimensions, he encountered Barhaut—and after being defeated, was forced into a desperate retreat.  

Already on the verge of death, Arhekto suffered irreversible injuries.  

-Because I was a Half-Dragon, I left behind an intact heart…  

Yet, absurdly, his heart had fallen into human hands. To Arhekto, it was nothing short of ridiculous.  

For a mere human to absorb a Dragon Heart was nearly impossible.  

Even if successful, they’d only absorb a fraction of its power.  

Moreover, Arhekto had been among the strongest of dragons—his power incomparable to others.  

He warned Seo Do-jun of failure.  

His body would shatter, leaving no trace behind—a complete annihilation.  

For over ten days, Seo Do-jun and Arhekto argued through their soul-bound dialogue.  

-Stubborn fool. Foolish human.  

Arhekto could neither break Seo Do-jun’s will nor force him to stop, so he finally relented.  

After much struggle, Seo Do-jun began absorbing the Dragon Heart, and Arhekto, seeing no other choice, guided him as best he could.  

And so, another twenty days passed before—  

-Human… No, I should say you are no longer human. Congratulations, human who has transcended.