SFRW-Chapter 308

Ch. 308 Sword God From The Ruined World  

[Got him?]  

Ophel, unable to sense Seo Do-jun’s presence anywhere, assumed this attack had definitively succeeded.  

—No matter how much a human builds up their rank, in the end, they’re still just human.  

Barhaut believed that even if Seo Do-jun had ascended to the rank of a Transcendent and obtained a Dragon’s Heart, he could never overcome his innate limitations.  

If Barhaut or Ophel had built up a higher rank and obtained a Dragon’s Heart, would they have fallen so easily to such an attack? Of course not. They would have displayed abilities far surpassing Seo Do-jun’s.  

—Now, all that’s left are those remnants.

Barhaut’s gaze shifted to Seo Do-jun’s companions.  

With two Transcendents and numerous high-tier fighters among them, they had been holding their own against Kael and the remaining Seven Apostles, as well as Ophel’s Hundred Knights.  

But now, that too was over.  

With Seo Do-jun—their most trusted shield—gone, their will to fight had crumbled.  

“T-This can’t be…”  

“N-No way…”  

Hyun Joo-yeon and Gloria dropped their weapons, their faces blank with shock.  

Kusak and the others were no different. Some stood frozen in disbelief, while others trembled with rage, their rationality fraying.  

It was over.  

From the start, they had barely managed to hold their own against Kael and the Seven Apostles, let alone Ophel’s Hundred Knights. Now, with Barhaut and Ophel joining the fray, their fate was sealed.  

[Since we’ve come this far, let’s finish this properly.]  

Ophel’s face was tinged with an odd satisfaction.  

By fulfilling Barhaut’s request, he had regained the lost power of his fallen brethren, and with it, the divinity he had longed for over countless years.  

Once he reclaimed his divinity, Ophel would once again stand as a child of God, worthy of challenging divine authority.  

Of course, having suffered bitter defeat once before, he had no intention of recklessly opposing the Gods again.  

Not yet.  

‘The day when all Planetary Rulers kneel before me is near!’  

First, he would subjugate the Planetary Rulers, uniting their power under his rule.  

Then, he would conquer Antarion, the world of monsters, and use their strength to march on Helkaoden.  

‘If I can seize the power of Helkaoden…’  

Then, not even the God who had cast him out would be able to stop him.  

With Dragons capable of opposing the divine, and the rulers of the Demonic and Celestial realms—the Demons and Angels—at his side, Ophel believed nothing would be beyond his reach.  

The first step toward this grand ambition had been reclaiming the lost power of his brethren from Barhaut.  

And now, that crucial first step was within his grasp. How could he not be exhilarated?  

As Ophel, drunk on triumph, raised his hand to annihilate Seo Do-jun’s companions—  

—Wait.

Barhaut stopped him.  

Ophel turned, questioning.  

—They deserve one last chance.  

Understanding immediately what Barhaut meant, Ophel smirked and replied dismissively.  

[Judging by their expressions, I doubt they’ll take it.]  

Barhaut had lost everything.  

The Six Seats that once supported him were gone, and the Guardian Planets had all been liberated.  

For him to reclaim his former glory would be no easy task.  

In his current state, titles like Dimensional Conqueror or Planet Breaker no longer suited him.  

Starting anew, Barhaut couldn’t afford to ignore the potential of Seo Do-jun’s group.  

The problem was—would they ever submit to him?  

The hatred, resentment, and fury etched on their faces made the possibility seem slim.  

Still, Barhaut ignored Ophel’s skepticism and stepped forward.  

—I’ll give you a choice. Swear loyalty to me, and I will grant you all new lives.

Seo Do-jun’s companions exchanged glances before bursting into mocking laughter.  

“What’ve you got left? A pair of shriveled balls? Pfft! You expect us to bow to a has-been like you? I’d rather lick Ophel’s boots!”  

Choi Kang-soo, speaking for the group, hurled insults at Barhaut.  

Barhaut’s eye twitched, but Ophel, listening nearby, looked amused.  

With the Seven Apostles disbanded, Ophel was more than willing to take them in—even if Choi Kang-soo’s words were just taunts.  

As expected, Shinjo and Grichuk, unlike Choi Kang-soo, didn’t even bother with words. They lunged at Barhaut, blades flashing.  

Kusak, Veronica, and Rakun joined the assault moments later.  

The remaining Seven Apostles and Ophel’s Hundred Knights might as well have been invisible to them now.  

[Entertaining.]  

Ophel crossed his arms, watching with amusement as Kael and the others stepped back, observing.  

—Letting emotions override reason—how foolish. Truly, humans never change. 

Barhaut realized then that recruiting them was impossible.  

If they wouldn’t submit, all he could offer was despair and death.  

Even weakened, Barhaut was no pushover.  

After briefly retreating, he countered with Thousand Arms.  

Though Seo Do-jun had dismantled these techniques with ease, even Transcendents like Shinjo and Grichek struggled to defend against them.  

The others fared even worse.  

“Ghk! Damn it!”  

Choi Kang-soo coughed blood as his holy barrier shattered, forcing him back.  

He wanted nothing more than to unleash Luam, sealed within his Divine Sword, and pour every last drop of holy power into this fight.  

Veronica and Kusak, too, staggered under the overwhelming force of Barhaut’s attacks.  

The first to fall was Joi.  

The weakest of the group, her reckless charge left her battered and kneeling.  

Next was Akada, who had been protecting Rahf. His body was shredded, forcing him into reverse summoning.  

With his soul severely wounded, he would lose some of his power and take considerable time to resummon.  

Filling Akada’s place was Gettis, reborn as a Death Knight.  

Though he remembered his past loyalty to Barhaut, Gettis now focused solely on protecting Rahf.  

Barhaut’s gaze lingered on Rahf.  

—I can help you reach the pinnacle of your abilities. Wouldn’t serving me be better than dying meaninglessly here?

His whisper reached Rahf alone.  

Unlike the others, Rahf’s temperament aligned with his own, and his potential was undeniable.  

If nurtured as a second Luam, he could become an invaluable asset.  

Barhaut’s voice dripped with temptation.  

—I’ll let you turn every last one of them here into whatever you desire.  

An irresistible offer!  

Grichuk, once his Death Knight, Shinjo the Transcendent, Choi Kang-soo the Holy Knight, Kusak, Veronica—all of them, transformed into Death Knights?  

Barhaut wouldn’t protest, no matter how many souls Rahf claimed. In fact, he’d praise him for it.  

Even with his hatred for Barhaut, the thought of reaching heights he’d only dreamed of as a dark mage was enough to shake Rahf’s resolve.  

“Turn them… all into Death Knights?”  

Rahf muttered, staring at Barhaut.  

Seeing him waver, Barhaut pressed further.  

—Not just them. Anything you desire, I’ll grant without hesitation. With my power, you could command the strongest undead legion on the planet.  

The planet’s strongest undead legion!  

No dark mage could resist such an offer. Rahf’s pupils trembled visibly.  

He was almost theirs.  

Barhaut was certain. Even Ophel, watching with interest, thought it was as good as done.  

Then—  

“…And then get stabbed in the back and die.”  

Rahf’s muttered words cut through the air.  

Barhaut blinked, uncomprehending.  

Then—  

[Ghk—! H-How…?!]  

Ophel’s choked gasp rang out as a radiant sword burst through his chest.  

Standing behind him, blade plunged deep, was none other than Seo Do-jun.  

The man they had thought dead stood there, completely unharmed.  

“See? That guy’s not normal. If I’d betrayed you…”  

Rahf shuddered at the mere thought.  

While Hyun Joo-yeon and Kusak had long since returned to Earth, Rahf, Choi Kang-soo, and Shinjo had suspected this might happen.  

In Iostem, Seo Do-jun had obtained the power of a relic left behind by a Fallen Angel—just like Ophel.  

They didn’t know the details, but Rahf had guessed Seo Do-jun always kept a spare life in reserve.  

That’s why, even with his corpse right in front of them, they had doubted his death.  

—H-How?!  

Barhaut’s eyes bulged as he stared at Seo Do-jun standing over Ophel’s agonized form.  

“Lord Ophel!”  

Kael, Raten, and Pio charged at Seo Do-jun.  

The Hundred Knights, enraged, raised their swords in unison.  

But Seo Do-jun ignored them, focusing solely on Ophel.  

This was the opportunity he had crafted—using Eyes of Falsehood and Trap of Immortality to set up the perfect strike.  

He might never get another chance like this.  

So he unleashed his strongest technique.  

Vandean Swordsmanship  

8th Form: Memoir of the Legendary Hero’s Gladius  

-The strike that will be remembered in legend-  

Seo Do-jun’s ultimate sword technique.  

A storm of magic erupted from his body, his form seeming to grow as an illusion as the magic blade in his hand cleaved Ophel from crown to groin in a single motion.  

Sshhk—!  

Ophel didn’t even have time to scream before his body split in two.  

The Fallen Angel, cast out by God, who had reclaimed his brethren’s power and divinity to dream of ruling over the Planetary Rulers—his end was pitifully anticlimactic.  

“YOOOOOOOU—!”  

“DIIIIIIE—!”  

Kael, Raten, and Pio, their eyes bloodshot with rage, unleashed everything they had.  

But Seo Do-jun, having bisected Ophel, didn’t stop.  

He summoned a barrage of Triangular Stars—far larger and more numerous than before.  

BOOM! CRASH! KABOOM!  

Kael’s sword energy shattered.  

Raten’s orbs were obliterated.  

Pio’s arrows turned to dust mid-flight.  

Simultaneously—  

“GAAAAAH!”  

“ARGHH—!”  

Screams filled the air as Kael collapsed, Raten and Pio falling bloodied to the ground.  

And it wasn’t just them.  

Ophel’s Hundred Knights were swept away like leaves in a storm, annihilated in seconds under the hail of falling stars.  

Even Choi Kang-soo and the others, who knew Seo Do-jun well, gaped at the overwhelming display.  

Barhaut, now utterly alone, could only stare in stunned silence.  

“Hah… Hah…”  

Seo Do-jun steadied his breathing.  

Even for him, unleashing so much power at once was draining. But the results were worth it.  

As he caught his breath, he picked up Ophel’s twin swords.  

Even at a glance, they were extraordinary. Holding them confirmed it—these were no ordinary blades.  

They were divine artifacts, forged by a God.  

A satisfied smile curved his lips as he turned to Barhaut, now completely isolated.  

“Our positions are reversed from last time. Back then, I was alone. Now… you’re the only one left.”  

The final revenge he had dreamed of was within reach.  

Seo Do-jun’s face flushed with exhilaration.