Return of the Sword God-Rank Civil Servant-Chapter 441

“Before I say anything else, first I want to sincerely thank the members of Save the World who worked hard for a month, and the many government and corporate partners from numerous countries who spared no sponsorship and support for Project Genocide.”

The speech wasn’t special.

Cliché lines.

Words saying thank you to everyone, thank you to everyone, and thank you to everyone.

He also mentioned Newclass in the middle and did not forget to say how much they had suffered and, even so, how grateful he was that they stuck together and endured.

And at last the main topic began.

“Then let me talk about the Big Gate that just opened a moment ago.”

At the mention of the Big Gate, everyone swallowed dryly.

Su-ho said,

“To tell you the conclusion first, I intend to attempt this Big Gate alone.”

A solo-playing declaration. Then—

“?!”

“Huh?”

“What?”

“Huh?”

“Alone?”

“What did he say?”

“Fuck?”

As expected, people doubted their ears and blinked wide-eyed.

Su-ho continued,

“This isn’t something I decided on a whim. If you want, you can go see the Big Gate in person, but having personally experienced its opening, I concluded that at the current stat levels of most Players, it would be difficult even to withstand the Big Gate’s mana. For example, it would be hard to bear even for Alex Morgan of the U.S. and Hex Hood, who were recently detained, let alone Yasuda Hiro, the hero of Japan.”

It wasn’t a lie.

Su-ho spoke only the truth.

Because unless you met the minimum stat thresholds, inside the Big Gate it would be hard not only to take a step but even to breathe.

‘Saying someone without the qualifications will go in is the same as saying they’ll walk into a radioactive zone with a bare body.’

That was why he meant to go in alone.

It wasn’t arrogance—whoever went in with him would obviously become a corpse not long after entry.

‘Do I have to start by hauling off a carcass.’

Su-ho looked around and called over Charlie, the UN Player Office Director who was waiting nearby.

“Director of the UN Player Office, would you come up to the stage for a moment?”

Charlie’s being on standby was part of the planned procedure and an arrangement made in advance.

If he just talked by himself in front of everyone and no one received it, it would be hard to proceed as a dialogue.

Of course, he could speak to the crowd without an interlocutor.

But that would only be a notification style of speaking.

Not the right way to confer.

At Su-ho’s call, Charlie came up to the stage and was handed a dedicated mic.

Su-ho asked,

“We considered whom to invite as a representative, and judged it most appropriate to invite the Director of the Player Office, so we did. Thank you for being here.”

“Not at all. If I can speak on behalf of everyone, it’s only right that I should. Then, to the point, let me ask right away. Is the level of the Big Gate truly like that?”

“I don’t think I have any reason to lie. Frankly speaking, I too would be very glad to have companions. Just having someone on an unknown battlefield to watch my back is immensely reassuring. But having witnessed the Big Gate myself, I felt it {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} in my skin. Those unprepared will die the moment they enter.”

“Even if the world’s top Players go in?”

“Yes. And ‘world’s top’ is by our standards; it’s not the system’s standard, is it? The Big Gate is a new event the system prepared with the start of the Second Cataclysm. Also, the system is a developer that enjoys seeing us struggle and suffer. So if we’re matching a standard, we should match the system’s standard.”

“Ah...”

At Su-ho’s rebuttal, Charlie hummed low,

and then soon began a new question.

“Is there really no other way? For example, to raise the odds of clearing it, the Director personally trains Players and, if not to your level, then nurtures an army approaching it?”

“Realistically impossible. To raise an army inferior to me, would it be an efficient choice to halt my growth and spend training time on something else?”

“But it could be a long-term fight, could it not?”

“The system won’t sit idle all that time. There’s been a Second Cataclysm, so there will be a Third, and perhaps what follows. In our country alone, the many Seal-grade Gates that arose after the First Cataclysm were a mess because they couldn’t be handled until I appeared. By luck, someone like me appeared and they were dealt with. But how long will that luck last? Some things the many cannot solve. An irregular individual may solve them. That’s how most inventions were, and discoveries as well.”

Su-ho paused for a beat and continued.

“I’m not trying to brag. I’m stating reality. As you say, Director, training an army is good. But while my growth is halted, other high-grade Gates will continue to proliferate, and if they aren’t handled during the training period, they could become other disasters. Especially, how will the Big Gate evolve if it’s left alone for a long time to raise an army?”

Su-ho shifted his gaze to the people.

“In truth, whether this way or that way, the probability of a bad ending is high. But if so, then at this point I think the most efficient option among the possible cases to derive is for me alone to attempt a clear right now, immediately after the Gate’s opening, when the clear probability is highest. I’m not making this proposal to monopolize wealth and fame by myself. I’m scared to go in alone and afraid of dying. But is there any other way than this now?”

“......”

Charlie fell silent.

The crowd fell silent.

Because there was nothing to refute in those every-last-word-makes-sense remarks.

At those reactions, Su-ho smiled. Not a bright smile—slightly bitter.

Su-ho said,

“So this time, I’ll challenge the Big Gate alone. And if possible, whether I fail or succeed, I’ll do my utmost to come back alive. So please trust me and wait. This is all I can say to you, and my last request before the Gate clear.”

Finishing his words, Su-ho bowed his head so that the crown of his head showed to all.

“Ah...!”

At that act, someone let out a groan.

“Huhhuk...”

And tears burst.

They were tears of being moved, of sorry feelings, of gratitude.

“Sword Saint...”

“Director...”

“Just what are you...”

In an instant the crowd became a sea of tears.

No—beyond the crowd, carried on the live broadcast, the whole world heard Su-ho’s plea that was not a speech, and began to weep.

“Wow...”

“How can a person be like this, seriously...”

“Ha... it somehow makes me look back on my life.”

“Is he Gandhi incarnate, that man.”

“Really... we know he isn’t going there to die, but it’s sadder because we know the road he’s taking is hell...”

“I want to stop him but can’t, and yet I should... geez...”

“...God Saint.”

Tears and sympathy, and cheers and thanks.

They surged in from all over the world like a tide.

And reading that current, Su-ho thought to himself,

‘Mm, even by my reckoning, this is a flawless, perfect squeeze play.’

They say in speech a single syllable can change everything.

He could have, drunk on arrogance, bluffed that no one but him could clear it, but he didn’t.

When he was already certain he could clear it, was there any need to build a thug image like carving his own flesh?

Absolutely not.

There were still multiple Cataclysms left, and four Big Gates yet to be generated.

And now Save the World had been organized, and there was no longer any need to hide his strength.

Then the best efficiency was to craft an image like a prophet and savior, receive the support and help of everyone, and focus solely on his own growth and Gate clears.

‘Starting with the first Big Gate clear, I’ll grow even faster and steeper.’

Does anyone think he enjoys fighting like a madman on a blood-splattered battlefield every day to level up?

He wanted to end this damned life of the asura as soon as possible.

It was at that moment, amid everyone’s support, that Su-ho’s Big Gate solo-play was set in stone.

*

The Big Gate clear began two days later.

The reason it was two days, specifically, was because he spent those two days making thorough preparations for the Big Gate clear.

‘...Not really, it’s just showmanship.’

If, the moment he got permission for solo play, he suddenly dove into the Big Gate, he’d obviously be called a lunatic.

So he meant to spend two days to project the nuance that he’d made all-out preparations.

In truth, even two days was a decision reached after consideration.

Su-ho had already finished all preparations before the Big Gate even appeared.

‘Three days is too long, one day is too short.’

Thus two days was decided.

Of course, he didn’t just kill time idly for two days.

In case anything was missing, he checked once more meticulously, and if he still had time—

[ You have consumed Gi Seung-hwan. ]

[ You fully absorb the skill experience contained in Gi Seung-hwan. ]

[ The skill experience of Gi Seung-hwan is absorbed into the Ice Deity Body skill. ]

[ Absorption is complete. ]

[ Your understanding of Ice Deity Body is very high. ]

[ The system begins to re-evaluate the talent you possess. ]

[ Congratulations! The grade of the Ice Deity Body skill has been adjusted to S grade. ]

[ Information on Ice Deity Body has changed and an additional effect has been generated. ]

[ Cold resistance increases by 50%. ]

Using the Gi Seung-hwan and Gi Seung-ok he had stockpiled, he elevated all skills whose ranks he hadn’t managed to S grade.

And that wasn’t all—

[ You have consumed a Colorless Stat Fragment from Mega Crusher. ]

[ Please choose a stat to raise. ]

Along with the overdue skill rank-ups via Gi Seung-hwan and Gi Seung-ok, he swept up all the backlogged stat fragments from Pi Seong-yeol—who was still grinding Mega Crusher alone in the Subspace House—and consumed them.

The amount was truly enormous.

No wonder—he had not forgotten to supply cursed items to Pi Seong-yeol from time to time.

As a result, he achieved the astounding haul of no fewer than twenty-three Colorless Stat Fragments and forty-one Senses Stat Fragments.

Su-ho called up his updated status window.

[ An Su-ho ]

Lv: 269

Class: Rage Crusader

Traits: <New Blood><Hercules Candidate><King of Ruin><Power of the Sun><Power of the Moon><Guest of Greed>

Strength (N): 62

Mana (P): 98

Senses (B): 64

Command (N): 88

Bonus Stats: 0

Mana stat 98.

A number truly to the point of awe.

‘Just 2 left to max out Mana.’

At this level, he was sufficiently prepared.

And at last, having finished preparation upon preparation upon preparation, Su-ho left a post on Stargram saying he’d be back safely, then immediately mounted Cheolma.

“Alright, let’s go, Cheolma.”

“Neigh!”

Cheolma cut across the sky like mad, heading for the Big Gate.

After flying for quite a while like that, Su-ho was finally able to arrive in front of the Big Gate.