Chapter 235
Chapter 235
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 235
Chapter Title: Madmen's World
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Budapest and its surrounding areas were blanketed in radioactive fallout.
Commonly known as "death ash."
The moment you were exposed, hair loss, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cancer, and all sorts of nasty symptoms kicked in.
In lethal doses, it could cause mutations or outright death. A terrifying substance.
Standing amid that fallout.
A mage clad in radiation gear muttered.
"From here to there. Read the memories with earth magic."
"Yes, sir!"
Behind the mage stood dozens of figures.
"No past-tracking spells in the translated books?"
"They're looking now!"
"If anything catches your eye, grab it all. It's been nearly five years since the Tower Master issued an order in rage. Everyone, focus up."
They were mages from the Mage Tower.
They were tracing back the launch trajectory of the nuclear warhead provided by the U.S. military, step by step.
They were also scouring every inch of Budapest and its outskirts, piecing together the past.
Why Budapest, of all places?
The Mage Tower professors thought.
'First, figure out who benefits from launching that nuke.'
A nuclear warhead out of nowhere.
Doesn't something feel off?
'No justification at all.'
To hunt monsters? The Skeleton Emperor was already on the move.
To settle a grudge with Hungary? Budapest was already obliterated.
'So, one of two things.'
1. Someone with a grudge against the Skeleton Emperor.
2. Or something they wanted to hide in Budapest.
The Mage Tower faculty leaned toward the second.
For the first, there were plenty of ways besides a nuke.
"Everyone, move! Think of this as earth magic training!"
"Yes, Professor!"
Whoooong! Whirrr!
White energy flashed across Budapest in various spots.
* * *
Conference room at the Hungarian border nations' summit.
A brief lull after the heated argument.
Hunter bodyguards flanked each nation's president.
"......"
Klaus, who had been fidgeting and glaring, stood up.
"Romania withdraws from the border nations' summit. This isn't working."
"Where do you think you're going? The world's already suspicious of us all—planning to run solo?"
Someone asked.
"But sticking around here isn't getting us answers, is it? Besides, you all suspect me anyway, right?"
"Ahem. Cough."
"Not at all, but......"
"Anyway. I'm out."
As Klaus rose alone and headed for the door.
"......Where do you think you're going?"
Swoosh!
A dark blade dagger hovered at his throat.
"Hup!"
Klaus's eyes bulged.
"Hey!"
His bodyguard Hunter panicked.
The presidents of the other six nations looked stunned.
A Hunter had been here all along.
And no one noticed?
"Sorry, but no one leaves this room from now on."
Whoosh!
With a faint breeze, a woman with a tied ponytail appeared.
A dazzling golden badge hung at her waist.
The gold signifying S-rank!
That's right.
She was none other than Dark Emperor Gi So-yul.
World rank 146, Korea's top assassin.
"Ah, Dark Emperor?"
"Wh-what do you think you're doing?!"
"Even a ranker has no right to be this rude!"
"No matter how powerful Korea is, they can't treat us like this. Nothing's been proven yet!"
The leaders, recognizing her, jumped up in protest.
Clang! Shing!
Their bodyguard Hunters drew weapons.
But.
Boom!
The conference room door exploded then.
From the billowing dust.
Sloooowly......
A shadow emerged, fist extended.
World rank 600, Iron Fist.
A man who had briefly touched high ranker status.
"Th-that guy's!"
"Mr. Bong?!"
Some Hunters recognized him.
He was unmistakable.
He'd held ranker status for quite a while.
And that wasn't all.
Next came Asura Im Soo-jin and Druid Kwon So-ye, eyes gleaming with murderous intent.
Crackle, crackle!
Behind them, a figure strolled out, sparks flying.
"Yeah, we're being rude, you bastards. What're you gonna do about it?"
High ranker.
World rank 78.
Thunderclap Floa!
And.
"Nothing's been proven yet, so we're doing this. I hope you understand."
Trailing him, a man from the same nation.
Absolute Invincibility Maksido appeared.
Rankers from the new group, Byulcheonji.
"......"
"......"
Seven nations frozen by one fringe Korean group.
It was inevitable.
They were all rankers.
For these weak nations without rankers to begin with, even one of them was overwhelming.
In the silent conference room.
The armed bodyguards hesitated to move.
The relaxed Byulcheonji rankers weren't talking much either when.
From afar.
Click, clack.
High heels echoed.
The woman in a crisp suit, looking determined, was Kim Jin-ah.
"You heard, but I'll say it again."
She reached the center, speaking in a flat voice.
"Byulcheonji's leader is assessing the situation. You are all suspects designated by Byulcheonji, and from this moment, we take control."
Her chilling voice brimmed with charisma.
One group.
Detaining seven nations on suspicion alone.
Yet no one rebelled.
Because.
Everyone there instinctively knew.
Their aura could topple nations.
* * *
Whoosh! Whoooosh!
The charging man swung his fist twice.
"Huh?"
The mere fighting spirit in the straight punch grazed my cheek.
I had no idea why he attacked me.
No clue why he wanted to fight.
No time to think about it.
That could wait.
Until after I flattened him.
Swoosh!
I bent my knee, deflecting his fist.
Fwoosh!
Twisting my waist to dodge, I drew and swung down the God-Slaying Spear.
Flinch!
His eyes darted wildly.
"Coward. Using a weapon."
"What's cowardly about it?"
"Borrowing a mere tool's power proves human weakness!"
Human weakness?
" Bullshit!"
I snorted.
"Quibbling over that is what makes you weak."
Exactly.
A true powerhouse.
Smashes any weapon, no matter what.
Whoooosh!
As I ignored him and swung the spear.
['War God' (SSS Grade) intervenes.]
['War God' (SSS Grade)'s world restricts weapon use.]
[Weapon disappears.]
Fizzle!
The God-Slaying Spear, the spirit of pure essence, vanished.
"What?"
War God's intervention?
Anyway, with the spear suddenly gone, I was stuck in an awkward stance.
Just as his fist rained down.
"You fool, use your footwork!"
The watching old man barked.
Instinctively, I stepped on his shadow, seizing his back.
"Then throw a punch! Same principle. Spear, sword, club—whatever. Strike however feels most natural!"
Yes.
I smashed my fist into the back of his visible head.
Thwack!
Feeling the impact, I hammered him again.
Thwack!
He lost balance and crumpled.
Huh, punching ain't bad?
Of course.
The old man always beat me with fists, right?
Heh.
Grinning, I pummeled the downed man's back wildly.
Locked his waist with my legs, pounding freely.
Started a bit tense.
Now, that tension was long gone.
"Tsk tsk, madman. You're really going at it."
'Dealing with a lunatic who jumps you on sight? Gotta go mad myself.'
Thud! Thwack! Thud!
Each strike cracked his bones.
His head swelled up.
'Even with all that fighting spirit, going easy would be rude, right?'
One hit.
Two.
Full power pounding for minutes.
"St-stop."
The wriggling guy signaled surrender.
Wow.
Tough, huh?
Holding out this long.
"I-I admit it. Stop! You're stronger!"
Surrender spilled from the mystery man's lips.
Thwack!
One final blow, then I stopped.
* * *
"My name is Guraksar. I acknowledge you."
Kneeling, face swollen, he mumbled.
Nose bone shattered, blood trickled.
"From now, I obey your command. I wish you fortune on your path to the War God."
What the hell was he saying.
"But remember. The moment you weaken below me, I'll challenge you again."
Even after that beating.
With fighting spirit lingering.
Truly the War God's world.
"You'll follow my orders?"
"Yes. You are victor. Losers have no say."
"Hoo?"
Fascinating.
Fight on sight, loser submits?
"Then explain."
"Explain?"
"Where this is. What kind of world. Why you fought me."
"......?"
His face twisted.
Like, what nonsense?
But I'd commanded.
He lost, so obey.
"......No idea why you're asking after entering, but if you want an explanation."
Guraksar spoke.
For about 30 minutes.
He detailed this world thoroughly.
Answered my questions earnestly.
In summary.
This was a world summoning battle-hungry beings.
Only those brimming with fighting spirit from across the universe.
A world mad for combat.
As Guraksar said, meet a stranger? Fight first.
Winner owns the loser.
Loser acknowledges defeat by revealing their "name."
Everything decided by victory or defeat.
Clean, in a way.
Of course.
They had a goal.
Reach the world's center.
There sat the constellation "War God" (SSS Grade).
Their sole aim: his acknowledgment as "War God's Apostle."
They called it the "pilgrimage."
"What do you get as War God's Apostle?"
"......?"
Guraksar frowned.
"War God is the god of battle. Closeness to him proves my strength, no?"
"......I see."
Getting stronger, anyway.
Aligned with my goal.
"By the way."
Guraksar clapped.
"Note: the superior who beat me is here."
"Superior?"
"You'll meet him soon after arriving. And mine will be decided."
"What?"
"Who I follow."
Ah.
So, another owner incoming?
That moment.
Rustle!
Another being appeared.
"What are you."
The being hurled Guraksar's opening line.
A differently muscled man.
Oddly, one horn on his head.
Not human?
Anyway.
Swoop.
He lowered into stance, eyeing me.
Many men trailed him.
"That's the superior Guraksar mentioned."
The old man tsked.
Then.
The man's lips curled.
"We've met. Let's fight!"
Wow.
Seriously.
What a ridiculous world.
I raised my fist too.