Return of the Sword God-Rank Civil Servant

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.

Yet, despite all of that, Suho stood upright, holding his sword’s handle—even though only the hilt remained.

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 god nor anything else.

Moreover, the ones he was facing were all S-rank Awakeners.

No, they surpassed the average S-rank 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, sneered.

“A guy with a broken sword, still pretending to be all that. You should’ve joined us from the start. That’s why civil servants are so stubborn.”

Civil servant.

That was, surprisingly, Suho’s official occupation in society.

Though he held skills strong enough to make him the top member of the “Korean Hunter Association” and the world, he’d ultimately chosen the path of a public servant over 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 Gates from this world.

At that moment, someone chuckled.

“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 this very reason.”

The woman laughing was Suzuki Endo.

The strongest mage in the world, known simultaneously 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,” were used on a human?

Suho didn’t want to know.

Especially not by experiencing it firsthand.

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

The only reason Suho could still stand was the effect of poison immunity he’d gained from eating the heart of the Demon of Poison, 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 recovery 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 heal all poisons and diseases.

So, 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 in the first place.

But Isabella didn’t.

Just as she said, she was on their side, having agreed to their proposal.

He found it disgustingly hypocritical.

For someone who preached daily about hope, love, and devotion to end up blind with greed and resort to this.

Suho, gasping for breath, spoke up.

“Don’t you feel any shame? How are you different from the monsters?”

“At least we didn’t slaughter humans.”

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 part of this mission, they never could have brought Suho to this point.

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

Suho quietly closed his eyes.

He was reaching his limit.

Damn it.

This time, he’d thought he could finally clear all the Gates that were called disasters.

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

It was right after he’d defeated one of the Five Disasters that Suho got hit with the Witch’s poison.

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

And now, betrayal?

The reason was absurd, too.

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

Could that even be considered logical?

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

He’d never expected it to be real.

He’d been too careless.

He should have prepared for this from the start.

“Huu…”

But it was already too late.

The milk had been spilled.

Suho exhaled a long breath.

He didn’t have much time left.

No one knew his body better than he did.

The chance of survival here was zero.

So he steadied his breathing and took aim once more.

He layered calmness over his anger.

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

This was the last duty he believed he owed as humanity’s hero.

‘…I must succeed.’

Suho focused his mind.

The sword was broken.

There was no blade left.

His stamina was already at its limit.

But he had one last hidden move he’d shown to no one.

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

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

“Guh!”

“Don’t be scared! It’s all a bluff! It’s just the Sword God, after all!”

Feeling the pressure, Alex immediately raised his shield, frowning, while Suzuki scoffed as if it didn’t scare her at all.

Fine.

Think that way.

Get careless.

Suho slowly raised his arms.

In his hands was a bladeless sword hilt, and as he raised both hands, they swiftly swung downward.

At that moment.

Slice!

A sharp, slicing sound.

Simultaneously, the Witch’s head fell to the ground.

“Aaaargh!”

And Alex, holding his shield, had his two arms severed.

But wasn’t there no blade?

Even witnessing it, 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 cure even the Witch’s poison, wasn’t she?

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

[ You have reached the Realm of Unity with the Divine Sword. ]

[ You have comprehended the Ultimate Sword Technique. ]

[ You have mastered the Formless Sword (SS). ]

[ Congratulations! You are the first to master an SS-rank skill. ]

[ The System recognizes your… ]

Notifications poured in.

Suho’s eyes widened as he read them.

The body is the sword.

The sword is the body.

For one who pursues the sword, this is the exalted realm that all aspire to—Unity of Body and Sword.

Simultaneously, he had become the first in human history to acquire an SS-rank skill.

That’s right.

Suho’s hidden move.

It was the supreme realm known as the Heart Sword, or the Formless Sword.

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

‘Finally, I’ve mastered it.’

Seeing the notifications, Suho let out a wry smile.

He had finally reached the realm he’d so desired.

But of all times, it had to be now.

It was a shame.

And it was infuriating.

He had succeeded in cutting the Witch’s head and severing Alex’s arms, but he had no more strength left.

Suho staggered backward.

And just before he fell off the steep cliff, he issued 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.

However, the system notifications continued.

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

[ Rebooting 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 noise, Suho slowly opened his eyes.

As he did, 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 began running.

The rough handling brought Suho to his senses in a flash.

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

The firefighter, who had locked eyes with Suho, spoke.

“You’re awake? An unpredicted Gate has appeared, so please bear with me as we evacuate you!”

An unpredicted Gate?

Why?

I’m sure I was dead.

Thinking he was dreaming, Suho quickly surveyed his surroundings.

An overturned asphalt road, half-bent streetlights.

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

Goblins.

‘Goblins?’

That wasn’t all that surprised him.

He also saw a sign 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 Outbreak.

At that moment, a memory flashed in Suho’s mind.

The moment he had first awakened as a player.

‘Could it be?’

Just then.

“Aaaargh!”

The firefighter’s scream.

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

He’d been hit by an arrow shot by a goblin.

Seeing this, the goblins sneered widely, approaching the two of them.

“P-please run!”

The firefighter, who had fallen, quickly got up and drew 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 hurled the axe, smashing in the head of one of the approaching goblins.

Crunch!

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

[ Congratulations! Awakening conditions have been met! ]

[ You are now a Player. ]

A notification appeared before his eyes.

It was the system window exclusive to players.

Seeing it, Suho let out an involuntary chuckle.

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

[ The System wishes for 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, one must choose a profession.

Naturally, Suho tried to choose the Warrior profession.

After all, he’d chosen that path as a Swordsman in the past.

But.

“I’ll delay my choice for now.”

Suho didn’t choose immediately.

Instead, he picked up a metal pipe lying nearby and faced the goblins that were drawing close.

The firefighter looked at him and asked.

“W-what are you doing? You need to run now…”

“Shh.”

Suho pressed his finger to his lips.

Run?

Why should I?

The opponents are just minor pests—goblins.

Suho’s eyes glinted with a fierce light.

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

But first.

‘Let’s deal with these pests.’

Suho charged toward them.

A true craftsman never blames his tools.

The same went 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 in the past.

Though he’d awakened as a player, he hadn’t yet chosen a profession, nor did he have the same stats as before.

But what of it?

His opponents were just goblins.

Complaining about goblins would just be making excuses.

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 slicing sound.

Though 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 make the strike.

Then.

[ You have a high understanding of Vertical Slash. ]

[ The system is now assessing your talent. ]

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

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