SFRW-Chapter 38

Ch. 38 Sword God From The Ruined World

Shortly after, Seo Do-jun and his group left for Brazil.  

“They boarded a plane?”  

Kang Young-pyo spoke with a look of disbelief to Gwak Jung-cheol, his right-hand man.  

“Why did they leave so early? Did they have some kind of deal with the Association Chairman?”  

“We couldn’t figure out the reason, but what’s certain is that even Na Tae-hwang seemed taken aback by the unexpected move.”  

“Are you sure?”  

“Absolutely.”  

Gwak Jung-cheol’s confident answer dispelled Kang Young-pyo’s suspicions toward the Association.  

“I just can’t understand it. There’s still plenty of time left—did they find something worth rushing for? More importantly, did you find out what I asked you to look into?”  

“Actually, I just received the report. Here it is.”  

Kang Young-pyo skimmed through the documents Gwak Jung-cheol handed him.  

“Santarém?”  

“It’s an area even the Brazilian Association considers a major headache.”  

“And Hyun Joo-yeon has already claimed it?”  

“Without a doubt.”  

Once again, Gwak Jung-cheol’s reply was filled with certainty.  

“Ha— This is really…”  

Kang Young-pyo let out a hollow laugh as he tossed the documents onto the desk.  

“Every single thing related to that bastard Seo Do-jun is impossible to predict. Don’t you think so, Gwak Jung-cheol?”  

“Well… It’s always outside our expectations.”  

“Exactly. That’s what I’m saying. Everything tied to this guy is bizarre—his intentions, his reasons, none of it makes sense. In all my years, I’ve never met someone like him.”  

“It doesn’t feel right.”  

“So what? Are you saying we should back out now?”  

“Honestly, I’d prefer that. In my experience, whenever something felt off, it never ended well.”  

Kang Young-pyo nodded but responded differently.  

“I don’t feel great about it either. But what choice do we have? We’ve finally found a proper partner—if I back out just because of a bad feeling, how pathetic would I look? Right?”  

Despite Kang Young-pyo’s words, Gwak Jung-cheol’s expression remained stiff.  

“Besides, it’s not like I’m getting my hands dirty directly. It’s fine. I was actually worried about too many eyes watching, but if they’re crawling into some remote place on their own, it makes things easier. Contact Takashi.”  

“…Understood.”  

Though he disliked the order, Gwak Jung-cheol had no choice but to comply.  

***

“Pointlessly diligent people are such a nuisance.”  

A man in his early forties scowled, unable to smooth his furrowed brows, clearly displeased with the earlier-than-planned schedule.  

Just getting to Brazil was no simple flight, and even within Brazil, they had to board another plane for several hours, then switch to vehicles for an endless journey. It was impossible not to feel irritated.  

“Still, there couldn’t be a better opportunity to handle things, Master.”  

“Whether we enter the same rift zone or not, it makes no difference—there are no eyes or ears watching us anyway. If not for my dear friend’s earnest request, I wouldn’t have bothered moving like this.”  

The man clicked his tongue as he surveyed the desolate surroundings, devoid of any human presence.  

“If the blessings bestowed upon this land had been given to us, we would’ve already stood as the world’s strongest. This is why treasures must meet the right owners.”  

“You’re absolutely right, Master. Had such rift zones appeared in our homeland, you would’ve already conquered the world.”  

The sycophantic flattery slightly softened the man’s expression.  

Before long, they arrived at their destination.  

“Master, are you truly planning to go in like this?”  

“If they’ve only been inside for three days, even if their goal was preliminary scouting, they couldn’t have crossed half the rift zone. The reason we rushed here without rest was to take advantage of this opportunity—there’s no reason to delay.”  

“Understood!”  

Without further objection, the man who had been spouting flattery began organizing the group to move in.  

“Huh? W-Wait! Someone’s coming out!”  

Just as they finished preparations to enter the rift zone, someone began emerging from within.  

“Stand by in alert formation.”  

At the man’s command, the dozens of men spread out as if they were a single entity, ready to respond instantly to any situation.  

Then, a person stepped out of the rift zone.  

“…Hyun Joo-yeon?”  

It was Hyun Joo-yeon, a celebrity so famous that anyone in the world would recognize her.  

She was just as startled.  

Expecting no one outside the rift zone, she was momentarily stunned to see a group of people surrounding the area in a defensive formation.  

“…Japan?”  

Her surprise was brief—she quickly recognized who they were.  

The white background, the bold red circle, and the striking red rays radiating outward—there was only one country in the world that proudly displayed such a flag.  

‘Why are these people here?’  

Hyun Joo-yeon’s expression twisted slightly.  

Though not something she boasted about, she was a descendant of independence activists. While she wouldn’t call herself a patriot, she had enough national pride to have actively participated in the ‘NO JAPAN’ movement during Japan’s economic retaliation against Korea.  

‘Of all people, it had to be the most disgusting Japanese Heroes.’  

Not all Japanese were bad, but among them were the most unreasonable, brainless individuals with whom no meaningful conversation was possible.  

The Teikoku Guild.  

A guild that worshipped Japanese militarism—so vile that calling them ‘empire’ was an understatement.  

And their leader…  

“You’ve grown even more beautiful since I last saw you in London.”  

A man with snake-like eyes raked his gaze over Hyun Joo-yeon—Takashi, the Master of the Teikoku Guild.  

“…I never dreamed I’d meet you in a place like this.”  

Her words were a clear question—Why are you here?  

Takashi grinned repulsively.  

“We heard a Hero had moved ahead of us, so we came to offer our assistance. And what luck—it’s you.”  

The sheer audacity of his blatant lie made Hyun Joo-yeon frown, but her mind raced.  

‘There’s no way this snake came here without knowing. He definitely knew we were here…’  

Suddenly, the image of Kang Young-pyo, who had been so friendly with her in London, flashed in her mind.  

‘No way…’  

The thought of Kang Young-pyo sent a chill down her spine.  

“Why so serious?”  

Seo Do-jun, who had approached her, asked.  

“Huh? Who’s serious—”  

“Who are these people?”  

Seo Do-jun’s sharp gaze swept over the Teikoku Guild members.  

From their attire alone, he could tell they were part of a low-tier Japanese hero guild, though he didn’t remember the exact name.  

“And who are you?”  

Seo Do-jun locked eyes with Takashi, who was glaring at him.  

Well, well.  

It wasn’t easy to show hostility to someone you’d just met. There had to be a clear reason. Yet, without any words or actions from Seo Do-jun, Takashi had already marked him as an enemy.  

“What… Are you doing?”  

Startled by Seo Do-jun suddenly wrapping an arm around her shoulder, Hyun Joo-yeon didn’t push him away.  

There was no need to cause an awkward scene, and his touch didn’t feel unpleasant.  

Meanwhile, the moment Seo Do-jun’s hand touched her shoulder, he clearly saw the murderous glint in Takashi’s eyes.  

No matter how skilled a hero he was, Takashi’s appearance was a disaster.  

Short, with a face so wrinkled it was hard to believe he was in his forties, and eyes resembling a snake’s.  

His nose was an unsightly, reddish lump, and his thin lips exuded slyness and deceit.  

His looks were bad enough, but worse was the aura he gave off.  

And this man had feelings for Hyun Joo-yeon?  

Seo Do-jun could swear—it wasn’t noble or affectionate love.  

It was nothing but perverse possessiveness.  

“Is it a filthy habit of yours to touch women recklessly just because you’re handsome?”  

Seo Do-jun had once been the heir to Korea’s second-largest conglomerate.  

As an illegitimate child, he endured harsh training from a young age—English was basic, and he was fluent enough in Chinese and Japanese to hold conversations.  

And Seo Do-jun, who had inherited all of Seo Do-jun’s memories, understood Takashi perfectly.  

Seeing no worth in responding, Seo Do-jun scoffed.  

His dismissive attitude made Takashi’s expression turn icy.  

Shun’ike, incensed on his master’s behalf, erupted like fire.  

“How dare you disrespect the Master?! Bow your head and apologize now!”  

“Apologize?”  

Seo Do-jun snorted, and Shun’ike took a step forward.  

“No matter who you are, this man is the pride of Great Japan—”  

“I don’t see why I should care.”  

Cutting him off, Seo Do-jun crossed his arms and ignored Takashi.  

Meanwhile, members of the Silk Flower Guild began emerging one by one, and with Jung In-joo last, the entire group safely exited the rift zone.  

Though the situation had turned into a tense standoff, neither side was particularly nervous.  

The Teikoku Guild was one of Japan’s top five most powerful guilds.  

In contrast, the Silk Flower Guild barely ranked within Korea’s top 30.  

So the Teikoku Guild looked down on them—but the Silk Flower Guild remained calm because they had Seo Do-jun, an ‘unmeasurable monster,’ at their forefront.  

Though the tension should’ve been palpable, Shun’ike’s fury reached its peak.  

“Arrogant bastard! You’ve got a death wish!”  

At Shun’ike’s roar, whether they understood Japanese or not, the Silk Flower Guild members all thought the same thing:  

This Japanese monkey has lost his mind.  

‘I have to stop this!’  

If things continued like this, a clash between Seo Do-jun and the Teikoku Guild—or worse, Takashi—was inevitable. Jung In-joo hastily stepped in.  

“Both sides, please calm down first.”  

As she intervened, Shun’ike glared at her.  

“This is no place for a woman like you to interfere!”  

“…A woman?”  

His blatantly sexist remark made veins bulge on Jung In-joo’s forehead.  

But she wasn’t so emotional that she’d lose control and regret it later.  

“I’m Jung In-joo of the Silk Flower Guild.”  

She assumed a formal introduction would make them reconsider their attitude.  

At least, it should have.  

The problem was, she didn’t realize she was dealing with people who couldn’t be reasoned with.  

“Silk Flower Guild? Does such a guild even exist? Then again, if it’s led by a woman who doesn’t know her place, no wonder I’ve never heard of it!”  

With their guild leader openly insulted, the Silk Flower Guild members couldn’t stay silent any longer.  

Those who didn’t understand Japanese grew even angrier after translations and began hurling curses in Korean.  

“What the hell are you barking about, you monkey bastard!”  

“Hey, monkey! Come here! I’ll strip you clean like corn!”  

“If we’re talking about not knowing their place, you monkey bastards are world champions! Claiming others’ land as your own, denying every atrocity you’ve committed!”  

“I always said we shouldn’t even associate with island monkeys! Disgusting bastards! Spit!”  

As the Silk Flower Guild members unleashed a torrent of insults, the Teikoku Guild members, faces red with fury, fired back.  

From personal attacks to historical grievances, the exchange grew increasingly heated.  

Then, Seo Do-jun, who had been standing still with his arms crossed, moved.  

“Seo Do-jun.”  

Hyun Joo-yeon urgently grabbed his arm.  

“What, scared?”  

She shook her head.  

“No… Just don’t kill them.”  

Though she hadn’t spoken up, she couldn’t bear to see Jung In-joo—whom she treated like an older sister—insulted so viciously, nor her guild, which was practically her life, disrespected.  

“I’ll see how they act.”  

With that, Seo Do-jun walked toward Shun’ike.  

“What do you want?!”  

Knowing nothing about Seo Do-jun, Shun’ike didn’t see him as a threat. If anything, he was already thinking of ways to torment him under the guise of self-defense.  

“Monkey.”  

“What?!”  

“I’m going to hit you now. Dodge, block, use every trick you’ve got.”  

“You bastard! I’ll kill you!”  

Shun’ike threw the first punch.  

Thud!  

His fist landed squarely on Seo Do-jun’s face.  

The Silk Flower Guild members, who knew Seo Do-jun’s skills all too well, fell silent as if doused in cold water.  

Meanwhile, Shun’ike smirked, relieved that the man who had acted so boldly was actually nothing.  

“See? Korean bastards are all talk!”  

Seo Do-jun straightened his head and smirked back.  

“By the law here, since I was hit first, this counts as self-defense now, right?”  

His eyes gleamed fiercely.