Chapter 1
Chapter 1
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 1
Chapter Title: The Sword God's Betrayal
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A glob of dark red blood spurted from An Su-ho's mouth.
His vision blurred, and his breathing came in ragged gasps.
His heart burned with pain, and his internal organs twisted in agony.
Yet despite it all, Su-ho stood tall, gripping the hilt that was all that remained of his sword.
It was a pitiful act of defiance.
No matter if he was called the world's greatest Sword God, a Sword God without a sword was no god at all.
And standing before him, facing him down, were all S-Rank Awakeners.
No, they surpassed ordinary S-Rank Players—they were the heroes acclaimed throughout the world, and more than that, his former comrades who knew him better than anyone.
Seeing Su-ho's pathetic state, Alex Morgan, the world's strongest tank, let out a sneer.
"The guy whose sword's broken is still full of bravado. Should've just joined us from the start. This is why civil servants are so stubborn."
Civil servant.
Surprisingly, that was Su-ho's official "job" in society.
Even though he possessed strength that made him the strongest not just in Korea but across the world as a civil servant for the Korean Hunter Association, he had stubbornly chosen the path of public service over joining a private guild.
For one reason alone.
In the past, Su-ho had lost his entire family to a Gate, so he truly wanted to see the complete end of Gates in this world.
At that moment, someone cackled.
"Exactly. No matter how much they call you Sword God or whatever, your natural vessel is only so big. That's why suits like you end up like this."
The woman cackling.
Her name was Suzuki Endo.
The world's strongest mage, also known as a witch.
Grand Mage, Sage, Archmage—among her many titles, the reason she was called a witch?
Her specialty was deadly poison.
What would happen if her ultimate technique, Myriad Poisons, was used on a human?
Su-ho had no desire to find out.
Especially not by experiencing it on his own body.
The skin touched by the arrowhead coated in Myriad Poisons had long since melted away, and the pain of his body being shredded still showed no sign of stopping.
Yet the reason Su-ho could still stand was thanks to the Immunity to All Poisons he had gained long ago by devouring the heart of Venom, the demon of poison.
'Without that, my body would've melted completely by now.'
Of course, the witch's Myriad Poisons wasn't entirely incurable.
Even the S-Rank recovery potion called Elixir, known as a panacea, couldn't heal it—but there was one person in the world, the saintly healer Isabella, who possessed the power to cure all diseases and poisons.
So Su-ho found himself looking at Isabella without realizing it.
"Oh my, don't look at me like that. I'm here because I agreed to this operation, too."
Su-ho said nothing in response.
He hadn't expected anything anyway.
If she had any sense, she would've healed him from the start.
But Isabella hadn't.
Just as she said, she had agreed to their proposal.
He thought it was hypocritical.
Preaching hope, love, and devotion every day, only to succumb to greed and do something like this.
Breathing heavily, Su-ho asked,
"Aren't you ashamed? What's the difference between you and the Magic Beasts?"
"At least we don't massacre humans."
The one who answered Su-ho's question was a man.
The hero representing England, known as the Divine Archer, Hex Hood.
He spoke with a regretful expression.
"Su-ho, join us even now. I like you."
Like my ass.
Someone like that stabbing an arrow into my back?
If Hex hadn't been there in this operation, they never could've pushed Su-ho this far.
Because the arrows Hex shot flew silently, without sound, wind, or any presence, assassinating their target.
Su-ho quietly closed his eyes.
The limit was approaching.
Damn it.
He'd thought this time they could finally clear all the Gates called catastrophes.
No, he'd already taken down one of the Five Great Catastrophes.
The moment he'd been hit by Myriad Poisons was right after defeating one of the five.
So he'd believed they could handle the rest and finally bring peace to humanity.
But betrayal now, of all times.
And for the most absurd reason.
That with peace in the world, there'd be no place left for them.
Did that even make sense?
When he'd first received the proposal, he'd laughed it off as a joke, never imagining it was serious.
He'd been complacent.
He should have prepared countermeasures back then.
"Hoo..."
But it was too late now.
The water was already spilled.
Su-ho exhaled a long breath.
Time was running out.
He knew his body best.
The chances of surviving here were zero.
So he steadied his breathing and assumed his stance once more.
He overlaid calm upon his anger.
What he could do now was, for the sake of the remaining humanity, take at least one more of them down with him.
He believed that was the final duty of humanity's hero.
'...I have to make it succeed.'
Su-ho focused his mind.
His sword was broken.
No blade remained.
His stamina was at its limit.
But he still had one trump card he'd never shown anyone.
He'd planned to reveal it only after it was fully perfected, but in this situation, he had no other choice.
In that instant, an unbelievable pressure began emanating from Su-ho.
"Keuk!"
"Don't flinch! It's all bluff! It's not just anyone—it's the Sword God!"
Feeling threatened, Alex immediately raised his shield and furrowed his brow, but Suzuki scoffed as if she wasn't scared at all.
Yeah.
Think that.
Be that overconfident.
Su-ho slowly raised his arm.
In his hand was the hilt without a blade, and his two hands raised upward soon slashed downward swiftly.
In that moment.
Slash!
A sharp cutting sound.
At the same time, the witch's head hit the ground.
"Graaaah!!"
Alex's two arms, holding his shield, were severed.
But there was clearly no blade?
It was a scene impossible to believe even seeing it with one's own eyes.
"Wh-what is this!"
The startled Isabella belatedly tried to heal Alex.
But.
"Huh? Why? Why?"
The healing didn't work.
It was truly strange.
She was a healer who could even cure the witch's Myriad Poisons?
Seeing that, Su-ho swallowed his ragged breath and curled the corner of his mouth.
[You have reached the realm of Sword and Body Union.]
[You have awakened the ultimate essence of the sword.]
[You have acquired Formless Sword (SS).]
[Congratulations! You are the first to acquire an SS-Rank skill.]
[The system acknowledges your achievement...]
Notifications poured in.
Seeing them, Su-ho's eyes widened.
The body is the sword.
The sword is the body.
The realm of Sword and Body Union that every sword pursuer coveted.
At the same time, humanity's first SS-Rank skill.
Yes.
The trump card Su-ho had hidden.
It was the supreme realm called Heart Sword or Formless Sword.
The true Sword God's domain, where one could slash even space itself once mastered.
'Finally acquired it.'
Seeing the notifications, Su-ho grinned fiercely.
He had reached the realm he'd longed for so much.
But of all times, now.
It was regrettable.
And infuriating.
He'd succeeded in decapitating the witch and severing Alex's arms, but he had no more strength left.
Su-ho staggered backward.
And just before plummeting off the sheer cliff, he issued a curse-like warning to them all.
'I will never forget this day.'
The allotted time was up.
Su-ho threw himself off the cliff.
At the same time, the pain faded, and his consciousness dimmed.
However, the system notifications continued.
[The system grants you the opportunity to grow even stronger, as the first to reach the Transcendent realm.]
[Rebooting Player An Su-ho's system.]
***
The world turned black.
Had he died?
But it was somehow noisy.
Screams and crashing sounds.
Was this the afterlife?
Amid the din, Su-ho slowly opened his eyes.
Bright light poured in through his eyelids, along with a foul stench and tearing screams assaulting his senses.
"Coming through!"
At that moment.
Someone picked him up and started running at full speed.
At the rough handling, Su-ho's mind snapped alert without realizing it.
And the eyes he met belonged to a man... no, a firefighter.
The firefighter, meeting Su-ho's eyes, said,
"You're awake? A Sudden Gate has appeared. We're moving you out of necessity—please understand!"
Sudden Gate?
What about it?
I clearly died?
Wondering if he was dreaming, Su-ho quickly scanned his surroundings.
Upturned asphalt road and a lamppost bent halfway.
And below it, green monsters about 100cm tall rampaging around.
Goblins.
'Goblins?'
That wasn't the only surprise.
A sign visible behind them.
It was a subway station sign he should never see again.
'Sindorim Station?'
How was it still there?
That area had definitely been contaminated by a Gate outbreak?
In that instant, Su-ho remembered.
The moment he had awakened as a Player.
'No way?'
At that moment.
"Kwaaaak!"
The firefighter's scream.
At the same time, the firefighter tumbled forward, dropping Su-ho.
He'd been hit by a goblin's arrow.
Seeing that, the goblins grinned ear-to-ear and approached the two.
"R-run away, quick!!"
The firefighter, rolling on the ground, urgently stood and drew the fire axe from his belt.
But his arm trembled from the embedded arrow.
Seeing that, Su-ho rose without hesitation and snatched the axe from the firefighter's hand.
"Mind if I borrow this for a sec."
"Wh-what? What are you...!"
But before the firefighter could stop him, Su-ho hurled the axe, smashing the skull of one approaching goblin.
Crack!
As the goblin with its shattered skull died, that was when it happened.
[Congratulations! Awakening conditions have been met!]
[You awaken as a Player.]
A notification window appeared before his eyes.
It was the Player-exclusive system window.
Seeing it, Su-ho let out an involuntary chuckle.
It was exactly the same as when he'd awakened back then, not a word different.
[The system desires for you to grow even stronger.]
[Choose the power you seek.]
[Warrior]
[Mage]
[Archer]
[Healer]
The system guidance followed.
Right.
After awakening as a Player, you had to choose a class.
To that question, Su-ho naturally tried to pick Warrior, as he had before, walking the path of the swordsman.
But.
"Hold off on the choice."
Su-ho didn't select immediately.
Instead, he picked up a nearby iron rod and faced the approaching goblins.
Seeing that, the firefighter asked,
"Wh-what are you doing? You need to run now...!"
"Shh."
Su-ho pressed a finger to his lips.
Run?
Why would I?
The opponents were just mere trash mob goblins.
A fierce light gleamed in Su-ho's eyes.
If this wasn't a dream and he had truly returned to the past, there were several things he needed to verify.
But first.
'Deal with these guys.'
Su-ho charged at the goblins first.
A craftsman doesn't blame his tools, they say.
Su-ho was the same.
Having reached the realm of Sword and Body Union, whatever he held became a sword if he deemed it so.
However, compared to before, his body felt heavy.
He'd awakened as a Player, but hadn't chosen a class yet, and his stats weren't what they used to be.
But so what?
The opponents were just goblins.
Complaints against goblins were nothing but excuses.
At least, that's what Su-ho thought.
In an instant, Su-ho closed the distance to the goblins and swung the rod downward.
Slash!
A sharp cutting sound.
He'd clearly swung a blunt iron rod, yet a long gash appeared on the goblin's face.
It was an attack using the edged corner at the end of the iron rod.
That was when it happened.
[Your understanding of Vertical Slash is exceptionally high.]
[The system begins evaluating your talent.]
[Congratulations! You have acquired Vertical Slash (B).]
Along with the system message, the text indicating he'd learned the Vertical Slash skill appeared.
Seeing it, Su-ho smiled despite himself.