Chapter 1

A lump of dark red blood spilled from Ahn Suho's mouth.

His vision blurred and his breathing came in gasps.

His heart burned with pain and his internal organs felt as if they were twisting.

Still, Suho stood upright, holding on to the hilt of his sword - even though only the hilt was left.

It was a meager resistance.

No matter how they called him the "World's Greatest Sword God", a sword god without a sword was neither a god nor anything else.

Besides, the ones he faced were all S-Rank Awakened ones.

No, they were above the average S class players, in this world, they were revered as heroes, the strongest warriors who knew him better than anyone else. Or rather, his former comrades.

Seeing Suho's pitiful state, Alex Morgan, known as the world's greatest tank, scoffed.

"A guy with a broken sword still pretending to be all that. You should've joined us in the first place. That's why officers are so stubborn."

Official.

Surprisingly, that was Suho's official occupation in society.

Even though his skills were strong enough to make him the top member of the Korean Hunters Association and the world, he'd finally chosen to become a civil servant instead of joining a private guild.

And there was only one reason.

In the past, Suho had lost his entire family to the Gates, and he truly wished for the complete eradication of the Gates from this world.

At that moment, someone laughed.

"Exactly. It doesn't matter if he's the Sword God or whatever - they say he's just not cut out for it, and isn't this the result? I hate guys in suits for that very reason."

The woman who laughed was Suzuki Endo.

The strongest mage in the world, also known as the Witch.

Archmage, Sage, Arc Mage - of all her numerous titles, the reason she was called Witch?

It was because her specialty was poison.

And what would happen if her deadly art, "All Poison", was used on a human?

Suho didn't want to know.

Especially not by experiencing it herself.

The skin where the poisoned arrowhead had touched had long since melted, and the excruciating pain that felt like his entire body was being torn apart continued without end.

The only reason Suho could still stand was the effect of the poison immunity he'd received from eating the heart of the poison demon, Venom, in the past.

Without it, my body would've melted away by now.

Of course, there was no way to completely heal from the Witch's All Poison.

Although not even S-rank healing potions like elixirs could cure it, there was one person in the world who could - a Saint-level healer, Isabella, who possessed the power to cure all poisons and diseases.

Without realizing it, Suho looked at Isabella.

"Oh, don't look at me like that. I'm here because I agreed to this mission."

At her words, Suho said nothing.

He hadn't expected anything from the beginning.

If she'd had a shred of decency, she would have healed me first.

But Isabella didn't.

Exactly as she had said, she was on their side and had agreed to their proposal.

He found it sickeningly hypocritical.

For someone who preached hope, love and devotion every day to end up blinded by greed and resort to this.

Suho spoke up, gasping for breath.

"Have you no shame? How are you different from the monsters?"

"At least we didn't slaughter people."

The man who answered Suho's question.

The hero representing Britain, known as the God of Archery, Hex Hood.

With a regretful expression, he said.

"Suho, even now, just say you'll join us. I like you."

Like me, my ass.

And that's why you shot me in the back?

If Hex hadn't been a part of this mission, they would never have gotten Suho to this point.

After all, Hex's arrows were silent, leaving no trace of wind or sound, making them ideal for assassination.

Suho closed his eyes silently.

He had reached his limit.

Damn it.

This time, he'd thought he'd finally be able to clear all the gates that were called catastrophes.

No, he had only managed to clear one of the five catastrophes.

Right after he'd defeated one of the five disasters, Suho had been hit by the witch's poison.

Because of that, he'd believed that he could handle the remaining gates and finally bring peace to humanity.

And now, betrayal?

The reason was also absurd.

They were afraid that if peace came to the world, they would lose their place.

How could that be considered logical?

When he first heard the suggestion, he'd thought it was a joke and laughed it off.

He hadn't expected it to be real.

He'd been too careless.

He should have prepared for this from the beginning.

"Huu..."

But it was already too late.

The milk was spilled.

Suho took a long breath.

He didn't have much time left.

Nobody knew his body better than him.

The chance to survive here was zero.

So he calmed his breathing and took aim again.

He covered his anger with calm.

All he could do now was to kill as many of them as possible for the sake of the remaining humanity.

This was the last duty he believed he had as a hero of humanity.

I must succeed.

Suho focused his mind.

The sword was broken.

There was no blade left.

His endurance was already at its limit.
 

But he had one last hidden move that he hadn't shown anyone.

Originally, he had planned to reveal it only after he'd fully mastered it, but now he had no other choice.

At that moment, an incredible aura began to radiate from Suho.

"Guh!"

"Don't be afraid! It's all a bluff! It's just the Sword God!"

Feeling the pressure, Alex immediately raised his shield and frowned, while Suzuki sneered as if it didn't scare her at all.

Fine.

Think like that.

Get careless.

Suho slowly raised his arms.

In his hands, there was a bladeless sword hilt, and when he raised both hands, they quickly swung down.

At that moment.

Slice!

A sharp, slicing sound.

At the same time, the witch's head fell to the ground.

"Aaaargh!"

And Alex, holding his shield, had both of his arms severed.

But wasn't there a blade?

Even as they watched, they found it hard to believe.

"Wh-what is this?!"

Isabella, shocked, belatedly tried to heal Alex.

But.

"Huh? Why? Why?"

The healing didn't work.

It was strange.

She was the healer who could even cure the witch's poison, wasn't she?

Seeing this, Suho, panting, lifted the corners of her mouth in a faint smile.

[You have reached the realm of unity with the Divine Sword.]

[You have mastered the Ultimate Sword Technique.]

[ You have mastered the Formless Sword (SS) ]

[ Congratulations! You are the first to master a skill at the SS level. ]

[ The system recognizes your... ]

The messages began to pour in.

Suho's eyes widened as he read it.

The body is the sword.

The sword is the body.

For one who follows the sword, this is the sublime realm to which all aspire - unity of body and sword.

At the same time, he had become the first person in the history of mankind to acquire an SS-rank skill.

That's right.

Suho's hidden move.

It was the highest realm known as the Heart Sword or Formless Sword.

Once mastered, it could even cut through space itself, the true domain of the Sword God.

Finally, I've mastered it.

Seeing the messages, Suho let out a wry smile.

He had finally reached the realm he'd wished for so much.

But it had to be now.

It was a shame.

And it was infuriating.

He had managed to sever the witch's head and Alex's arms, but he had no more strength left.

Suho staggered backwards.

And just before he fell off the steep cliff, he uttered a curse-like warning to them all.

I will never forget this day.

His allotted time had come to an end.

Suho threw himself off the cliff.

At the same time, the pain faded and his consciousness slipped away.

But the system messages continued.

[As the first to reach the Transcendent Realm, the system offers you the opportunity to become even stronger. ]

[ Restarting Ahn Suho's system ]

***

The world turned black.

Am I dead?

But it's strangely loud.

Screams and sounds of destruction.

Is this the afterlife?

To the irritating sound, Suho slowly opened his eyes.

As he did so, bright light filtered through his eyelids, while at the same time a foul smell and piercing screams assaulted his senses.

"Excuse me!"

It was then.

Someone picked him up and started running.

The rough treatment brought Suho to his senses in an instant.

And the face he saw was that of a man... no, a firefighter.

The firefighter who had locked eyes with Suho spoke.

"Are you awake? An unexpected gate has appeared, so please be patient as we evacuate you!"

An unexpected gate?

Why?

I'm sure I was dead.

Thinking he was dreaming, Suho quickly surveyed his surroundings.

An overturned asphalt road, half-bent street lamps.

And small green monsters, about 100 centimeters tall, roaming around below.

Goblins.

'Goblins?

That wasn't the only thing that surprised him.

He also saw a sign in the

in the distance.

It was the sign for a subway station he thought he would never see again.

'Sindorim Station?

How was it still standing?

It should have been destroyed and contaminated after the Gate erupted.

At that moment, a memory flashed through Suho's mind.

The moment when he had first awakened as a player.

Could this be it?

Right then.

"Aaaargh!"

The firefighter's scream.

At the same time, the firefighter collapsed forward, releasing his grip on Suho.

He had been hit by an arrow fired by a goblin.

Seeing this, the goblins sneered widely and approached the two of them.

"P-please run!"

The fallen firefighter quickly got up and pulled a fire axe from his belt.

But his arm was shaking from the arrow embedded in it.

Seeing this, Suho stood up without hesitation and grabbed the axe from the firefighter's hand.

"I'll borrow this for a moment."

"H-hey? What are you...!"

But before the firefighter could stop him, Suho threw the axe, smashing the head of one of the approaching goblins.

Crunch!

The goblin collapsed, its skull shattered, and at that moment...

[Congratulations! You have met the resurrection requirements!]

[ You are now a player. ]

A message appeared in front of his eyes.

It was the system window for players only.

Seeing it, Suho let out an involuntary laugh.

Everything was exactly the same as when he'd first awakened all those years ago.

[The system wants you to become even stronger.]

[Please select the power you wish to pursue.]

[Warrior]

[Mage]

[ Archer ]

[ Healer ]

The system prompts continued.

Right.

After awakening as a player, you must choose a profession.

Naturally, Suho tried to choose the Warrior profession.

After all, that's what he had chosen as a swordsman in the past.

But.

"I'll postpone my choice for now."

Suho didn't decide right away.

Instead, he picked up a nearby metal pipe and faced the approaching goblins.

The fireman looked at him and asked.

"W-what are you doing? You need to run now..."

"Shh."

Suho pressed her finger to her lips.

Run?

Why should I?

The enemies are just little pests - goblins.

Suho's eyes shone with a fierce light.

If I'm not dreaming and I really have returned to the past, there are many things I need to confirm.

But first.

Let's take care of these pests.

Suho charged at them.

A true craftsman never blames his tools.

The same was true for Suho.

Having reached the unity of body and sword, he could wield anything as a sword as long as he believed it to be one.

But his body felt heavier than before.

Although he had awakened as a player, he hadn't chosen a profession yet, nor did he have the same statistics as before.

But what of it?

His opponents were only goblins.

Complaining about goblins would just be an excuse.

At least, that's what Suho thought.

Closing the distance in an instant, Suho raised the metal rod and swung it down.

Slice!

A sharp cutting sound.

Although it was only a blunt metal rod, a long gash appeared on the goblin's face.

He'd used the edge of the metal rod to strike.

Then.

[You have a high level of understanding of Vertical Slash.]

[The system will now evaluate your skill]

[ Congratulations! You have mastered Vertical Slash (B) ]

At the system prompt announcing his mastery of the Vertical Slash, Suho couldn't help but laugh.