SFRW-Chapter 298

Ch. 298 Sword God From The Ruined World

Seo Do-jun glared at Ratio with piercing eyes, like a snake eyeing a mouse.

The resentment from Ratio’s actions in the Khetalu Plains still lingered, and now she had tried to kill Gloria.

Regardless of personal feelings, Gloria had trusted him unconditionally and risked her life for him—so Seo Do-jun could never forgive Ratio for attempting to kill her.

‘Not that we were ever on forgiving terms anyway…’

This was enemy territory.

Especially since Seo Do-jun had to face an Ancient Dragon whose moves he couldn’t predict, leaving even the smallest variable unchecked was dangerous.

‘I’ll end this with everything I’ve got!’

Resolving to fight with all his strength—more than he had ever used against any of the Six Seats—Seo Do-jun pushed off the ground.

Pah—ang!

With a sound like bursting air, Seo Do-jun’s figure vanished in an instant.

“…!”

Ratio’s eyes widened as she frantically scanned her surroundings, but Seo Do-jun had already closed the distance.

Thud!

“…Ghk!”

A fist slammed into her lower abdomen, forcing a pained groan from her lips.

She couldn’t even think of dodging or defending—her mind was in chaos.

‘H-how am I…?’

The fact that she couldn’t evade, block, or even track his movements was unbelievable.

This shouldn’t be possible.

No matter who she faced, she had never been in a situation like this before.

Crack!

Seo Do-jun’s elbow struck Ratio’s left cheek, snapping her head to the side before an uppercut sent it jerking upward.

Crunch!

Her upper body swayed unsteadily from the impact.

From then on, Seo Do-jun’s fists relentlessly targeted her face.

Bang! Crack! Crunch!

The sounds were violent, exaggerated—but the actual damage wasn’t as severe as it seemed.

The first hit to her abdomen had landed cleanly, but from the second strike onward, Ratio instinctively reinforced her body with magic to minimize the damage.

Still, Seo Do-jun kept hammering the same spots.

With each blow, her cheeks swelled, and her teeth loosened.

He held nothing back.

“Let’s see how long your magic can protect you.”

His voice was icy as he pummeled her—fists, elbows, kicks—like beating a ragdoll.

Thud! Bang! Wham! Crack!

The assault was so relentless that even Gloria, watching, felt dizzy.

Not a single 0.1-second gap existed between his strikes.

“…Ghk! Kkh—! Aaagh!”

Ratio’s screams and groans spilled out gradually.

No matter how much magic she used to shield herself, Seo Do-jun’s own magic-infused strikes only grew stronger.

Before long, her face was a mess—split cheeks, broken nose, burst lips, and bloodied mouth.

Seo Do-jun didn’t stop at her face.

He struck her shoulders, arms, abdomen, thighs, and calves—relentless, brutal violence.

An overwhelming sight: a sturdy man mercilessly beating a slender woman.

But considering what Ratio had done to Gloria, there was no room for sympathy.

In battles between Transcendents, gender was irrelevant anyway.

‘Just how strong has Kassal become…?’

Gloria couldn’t help but shake her head.

Ratio, who had once overwhelmed her, was now being toyed with.

Even if Seo Do-jun had always been far stronger than her, the sheer difference in level against a Transcendent was staggering.

“S-stop…!”

Finally, Ratio raised her hands in surrender, pleading.

“No.”

Crunch!

With that single word, Seo Do-jun drove his fist into her face again.

Displeased by her feeble attempts to block, he grabbed her by the neck and slammed her into the ground.

Wham!

“…Kkh—!”

Ratio sprawled limply, and only then did Seo Do-jun seem satisfied, raining down punches without restraint.

“K-Kassal…”

Isn’t this enough now?

Even Gloria thought so, but Seo Do-jun showed no mercy, driving his fists into Ratio’s body over and over.

“Gloria, sympathy is a luxury with creatures like this. If I show even a hint of weakness, they’ll do anything to kill me.”

His anger hadn’t subsided—not just from Ratio’s attempt on Gloria’s life, but also her ambush in the Khetalu Plains.

And above all—

‘She’s an enemy I have to finish.’

Despite the brutal beating, Ratio’s tenacious vitality kept her from dying.

Seo Do-jun smirked.

Of course—she was a Transcendent. Did anyone expect her to die from a few hits?

No way.

With wounds like these, she’d recover and seek revenge.

He wanted to vent for days, but with the remaining Six Seats out there, he had to end her quickly.

Opening his subspace, Seo Do-jun drew his sword and drove it straight into Ratio’s heart.

***

“I’ve heard enough. Say what you must and leave.”

Vipiens frowned as Luam rambled on incoherently.

Suppressing the urge to curse, Luam pressed on.

“Only three of the Six Seats remain. We must cooperate now. With Lord Barhaut weakened, we need to be wary of other Planetary Rulers—”

“A waste of time.”

Vipiens scoffed openly.

He had reluctantly agreed to talk, thinking it was something important about Barhaut—but Luam just kept circling the point.

“Leave. I’ll say this once: I never cared about being one of the Six Seats. I only joined because it meant fighting the Seven Apostles and other Transcendents. My stance on Barhaut hasn’t changed. I’ll only act within our agreement.”

He tried to dismiss Luam, but—

“You dare?!”

Luam resisted, glaring.

“Vipiens! Don’t fool yourself! Without Lord Barhaut’s shadow, the other Planetary Rulers would’ve torn you apart long ago! Where was your pride when you bowed your head to him to save your own skin—?”

Boom!

Luam was sent flying into a wall.

“If you want death, I’ll oblige. Though I suppose even if I reduce you to dust now, you’ll just crawl back in a few days?”

Vipiens strode forward, flicking his hand.

Slash-slash-slash!

Luam’s robes shredded, revealing his skeletal lich form.

“No matter. If you return, I’ll just do this again.”

“Vipiens!!”

Luam lunged, emerald flames erupting from his eye sockets.

His plan to distract Vipiens so Ratio could secure the World Tree’s roots was working—but his pride had never been more crushed.

Dark fireballs shot toward Vipiens, but—

Boom! Boom!

Explosions erupted around Luam, hurling him back into the ground.

“A Lich with no capacity to learn. I told you not to spew filth from that mouth.”

Vipiens extinguished the dark flames effortlessly, looking down at Luam like an insect.

“Poor Barhaut. Trusting a fool like you is why he’s falling now.”

“…V-Vipiens!!”

Luam erupted with magic, finally unleashing his full power.

Vipiens, for the first time, raised a hand and conjured a shield—not an ordinary one, but a hexagonal lattice glowing like gemstones.

Kwa-kwakwakwang!

The dark magic cannon collided, shaking the entire lair.

“Tch.”

Vipiens teleported them both to a monster-infested wasteland.

As he gathered magic to finish Luam, he paused.

“A dimensional breach?”

An unfamiliar magic signature—someone had forcibly opened a portal here.

“…He’s here.”

Luam also sensed it. As much as he wanted to settle things with Vipiens, capturing Seo Do-jun—the one who had ruined Barhaut’s foundation—was more urgent.

“Let’s see how impressive he really is.”

Vipiens teleported toward the disturbance, leaving Luam grinding his teeth in frustration.

***

“…Keuk.”

Ratio coughed blood, staring at the sword impaling her heart and Seo Do-jun’s cold eyes above her.

“You find this funny?”

Even with her heart pierced, she wasn’t dying instantly—just fading slowly.

“Do you think killing me changes anything? Even if you kill Luam, it won’t matter. Keuk… kekeke!”

“You’re counting on Vipiens?”

“I hate that lizard bastard. But I’d bet my neck—useless as it is—that he’ll kill you. Agh… keuk!”

Coughing blood, her vision dimming, she forced out her final words.

“Run if you want to live. Or struggle to the end… and come find me again. Next time… I’ll…”

Thud.

Her body went limp.

Seo Do-jun slowly pulled his sword free.

“Now you’re just making me want to stay.”

No one—not the Six Seats, not the Seven Apostles—had ever suggested Vipiens could be beaten.

But her words only fueled his determination.

“Gloria.”

“Kassal!”

She rushed into his arms.

Her warmth and familiar scent comforted him slightly.

“What the hell happened?”

Gloria had anticipated the question and explained briefly.

Seo Do-jun felt cold sweat drip down his back.

If Vipiens hadn’t been capricious, Earth would’ve been destroyed.

His family, everything he wanted to protect—gone.

“I should be grateful.”

“Grateful?”

“If Vipiens had wanted to, Earth would’ve been annihilated. We wouldn’t have met again.”

“…True.”

She nodded reluctantly.

“So, what kind of being is Vipiens?”

Gloria described her experience.

“So, an unpredictable Dragon.”

“Yes. He acts solely by his own standards.”

“Gloria, do you think I can win?”

“Well…”

Honestly, she couldn’t gauge either of their strengths accurately.

But—

‘Even for Kassal, this won’t be easy.’

Vipiens was on another level.

Before she could answer, a surge of darkness engulfed them.

Kwa-kwakwang!

A massive shadow, like erupting flames, descended upon Seo Do-jun and Gloria.