Blood Demon of the Past Life – Chapter 203

Chapter 203: Revolution （5）

Troy Baker’s eyes wavered.

This situation.

It was illogical from start to finish.

The Werewolf that had been charging was frozen like a statue, and the words Luca Bellino uttered were impossible to accept. To give him a chance to return to the beginning if he destroyed the world. It didn’t make sense. A deal should be beneficial to both parties, but he couldn’t grasp Luca Bellino’s intentions in making such an offer.

Gulp.

He swallowed dryly.

He didn’t answer.

The signals from his entire body meant refusal, but the reason he couldn’t bring himself to answer was clear.

That he would die soon.

If Luca Bellino released the space that had hardened into gray, he would be torn to shreds by the Werewolf’s sharp teeth. Maybe that’s when it started. Accepting the realm of the illogical, due to her transcendental power, and his desperate desire to live.

Luca Bellino smiled.

“Well, then let’s change the premise. Experience it. The power you’ll receive as a gift from now on.”

Whoosh━

A halo of light enveloped him.

Strange memories were sucked into his head, and when the halo faded, the world regained its original color.

Kyaak!

Tada-da-dak━

The Werewolf charged.

The monster, growling and drooling thick saliva, revealed a greedy appetite as if it would devour Troy Baker at any moment. With the skills he had accumulated so far, he should have countered with his sword. But Troy Baker, dropping his sword unconsciously, stared blankly until the Werewolf reached his nose.

That was it.

Troy Baker raised his hand.

He calmly uttered one of the pieces of knowledge that had flowed into his head.

“Dark Pressure.”

Crack!

Crack, Crackle, Crackle.

Kreeeeeeeeeek!

The Werewolf screamed terribly.

Just as it had lunged, dark magic surged in and crushed its body.

Its face and entire body seemed to be crumpled, and blood flowed from the round lump of flesh that had become like it had been through a compactor. What had been a Werewolf until just a moment ago fell with a thud and rolled on the ground.

“…What is this?”

Troy Baker stared blankly at his palm.

Luca Bellino’s words were true.

This power.

This was something he couldn’t explain unless she was an agent of God.

✦✦✦✦✦✦

Crackle━

The scene in front of him changed.

Flare.

Whoosh.

The world was on fire.

New York, once filled with skyscrapers, could no longer be recognized, with only the remnants of collapsed buildings remaining.

“W-Why did you do this!”

A man shouted in despair.

Covered in blood and with one arm torn off, he was the representative of humanity who had resisted Troy Baker to the end. Since meeting Luca Bellino, Troy Baker’s life had changed. Although there was still a question mark attached to the reward she promised if he destroyed the world, he couldn’t give up the powerful force he had experienced for a moment, like a drug addict.

It was spilled water.

He brainwashed himself and tried to believe.

Troy Baker looked at the representative of humanity with cold eyes.

“Well.”

Bang.

Whoosh.

The body exploded.

The human, writhing in pain, collapsed on the ground.

“…I don’t know either. If what I did was right.”

Ten years had passed since then.

People treated him as a villain for his actions during that time, and in the process, he lost everyone around him, including Samuel Pahlsson. Each time, he repeated his self-suggestion. They’re people who will come back to life anyway. With the thought that he didn’t need to feel guilty towards them, he pushed himself into the abyss of darkness.

Evil Spirit Troy Baker.

People who struggled to save the world as it hurtled towards destruction called him that, resenting and blaming him.

He looked up at the sky.

“Now, I’ve kept my promise. This is enough, isn’t it? You wouldn’t want me to kill every last one of them, would you?”

The standard of destruction.

It meant a world where hope was broken and it was no longer possible to live.

Troy Baker’s magic and nuclear weapons had pushed this world into the abyss, and now there was no place where the system of the country was maintained. The blackened land no longer produced crops, and even if children were born, they were born deformed. A life where future generations were cut off, even if they survived for now. At the end of this desperate future, there was only destruction.

At that moment.

『The promise will be kept.』

Whoosh━

A bright halo of light arose.

At that strange power, Troy Baker spread his arms and closed his eyes.

Even if this harmed him, he couldn’t give up the one dream he had desperately believed in.

Rustle.

The halo of light disappeared.

Troy Baker slowly opened his eyes.

In an instant, his eyes wavered greatly.

“…Ah.”

Emotions surged up.

Luca Bellino’s words were true.

It wasn’t a world that had collapsed and turned into ruins, but a peaceful, intact world that unfolded before his eyes.

It was a park with lush green trees, and parents who had brought their children out were chatting with each other and walking leisurely. His face contorted with complex emotions. When people blamed him, asking why he was doing this. Troy Baker had to swallow his disgust. Even though he thought he was doing something for humanity in his own way, he couldn’t sleep every night wondering if it might be the wrong choice.

It wasn’t.

His direction wasn’t wrong.

The scene in front of him proved it, and if so, there was still a chance to save this world.

“What’s wrong all of a sudden?”

“Samuel?”

Right next to him.

Samuel Pahlsson was there.

At the sight of him looking at him with worried eyes, an indescribable joy of reunion washed over him.

At the same time, goosebumps ran down his spine.

Today was the day.

It was today that the disaster that destroyed the world had begun.

Troy Baker said.

“Samuel. Listen carefully to what I’m about to say.”

This time, he would save the world as a hero.

Without fail.

✦✦✦✦✦✦

Whoosh━

Memories flooded in.

Kang San grabbed his head and his face contorted.

“Ugh.”

They were confusing memories.

He couldn’t be sure if they were false or true.

But the fact that he had confirmed on the surface right now was that Luca Bellino had destroyed Troy Baker’s world.

That meant.

Luca Bellino had lied.

Her purpose of trying to save the world might not be true, but the problem was that the life she had shown was also a struggle to save her own world. A woman walking towards her husband, holding her daughter Sophia’s hand tightly. Kang San had clearly experienced the moment when her life was tragically turned upside down.

Troy Baker.

Luca Bellino.

One of the two could be lying.

The memories of his past life were given by them, and Kang San couldn’t even believe in the existence of the System now.

“You must be confused. If it’s as I told you, it means Luca Bellino has completely hidden herself.”

Troy Baker laughed.

He no longer showed any lingering attachment to life.

“You won’t know. For you, this will be the first time you’ve encountered our existence, but we’ve destroyed countless worlds and failed every opportunity we’ve earned in return. No matter how hard we struggled, the results didn’t change. And as the failures piled up, the past was pushed back day by day, two days, a fortnight, until it reached the worst possible situation where we could no longer do anything about it.”

The first opportunity.

At that time, people called him a hero.

The hope of humanity.

He had buried the memory of destroying the world in the past as his own secret and desperately tried to save the world by risking his life. He was sincere. He desperately wanted to atone for his past sins in that way.

And he failed.

That’s why he might be accepting this defeat so easily.

Because failure would be sickeningly familiar to his life.

“I’ve already lost my direction in life. Like drifting on a vast ocean, I just keep rowing, even though I know there’s no hope. I failed this time too, but it’ll be different next time.”

Swish.

He put his finger under his chin.

He met Kang San’s gaze and a smile spread across his face.

“You’ll soon witness your world being destroyed. Just like I did.”

Paang━!

Whoosh.

There was no time to stop it.

Flames soared.

The flames that erupted from his fingers engulfed his entire body, and his burning body collapsed helplessly.

Thud!

Troy Baker.

That was the end of the leader of the Revolution.

✦✦✦✦✦✦

At that moment.

The leader of the European Union.

Walter Reimann heard the devastating news.

“…You’re saying two S-ranks have already fallen?”

“Yes. According to the report I just received, everyone except Commander Roland Gross has fallen. The problem is Troy Baker’s ability. After killing the S-ranks, he controls them as undead, and we’re being unilaterally pushed back in terms of S-rank power.”

“Oh my.”

It was hopeless.

Walter Reimann felt as if the world was going dark.

Even now, people were dying across Europe due to Links.

It was a reality that was hard enough to bear, but he couldn’t see a way to resolve the situation in Cuxhaven.

‘Even though Kang San-nim has gone, it’s not a problem he can solve alone.’

Roman Bednar.

He praised Kang San.

He said that Kang San shouldn’t be treated as an ordinary individual, and that he would find a way somehow.

But as Walter Reimann, who led a country and the vast collective of Europe, he couldn’t accept the absurd story that it was simply possible. Of course, thanks to Kang San, he had received a promise that South Korea would send reinforcements. That included S-rank power, but if they responded carelessly, it would only increase the number of undead controlled by Troy Baker.

‘There’s no way now. We have no choice but to give up some areas.’

“Adjutant.”

“Yes.”

“Tell each country right now. I understand everyone’s circumstances, but if this continues, humanity is finished. Even if it means giving up some areas, even if many people die there. Tell them to forcibly conscript troops and send them to Cuxhaven.”

“…Understood.”

Whether to protect the people or stop the Revolution.

He chose the latter.

He knew that if they couldn’t stop the Revolution, the efforts of the former would be meaningless.

That was it.

The adjutant who had left suddenly returned.

“Commander Roland Gross has requested a communication.”

“Connect me.”

Pop.

The screen lit up.

Beyond the translucent screen, he could see the ruined Cuxhaven.

『Can you hear me?』

“Yes, I can. The current situation there is…”

『We’ve won. We’ve defeated the Revolution and protected Cuxhaven!』

He was so overjoyed that he even stuttered.

Walter Reimann’s face was stained with shock.

He had naturally assumed they had lost, so his mind couldn’t immediately process Roland Gross’s report.

『To be precise, Kang San-nim single-handedly dealt with both Samuel Pahlsson and Troy Baker! The rumors were true. The Hero of Kitakyushu has saved this Cuxhaven. No, he has saved Europe, and beyond that, humanity!』

“…Thank you for your hard work. Truly, thank you for your hard work.”

He felt dazed.

Goosebumps ran down his spine.

Roman Bednar’s words were true.

He hadn’t believed that a single individual named Kang San would change the situation, but it had actually come true. How could such a thing be possible? According to Kang San’s actions so far, he had saved Japan, South Korea, and even Europe.

Suddenly, Kang San’s last appearance came to mind.

“I’ll go over first. Please send reinforcements as soon as the passage is secured.”

A calm expression.

Unshaken eyes.

He was a hero.

With the intention of shouldering everything himself, he had boarded the teleport to Cuxhaven.

‘Just because the Revolution has been stopped doesn’t mean the danger to humanity is over. We need to follow the methods Japan and South Korea used to survive the disaster. That it’s not over yet. That mindset alone will change a lot.’

“Call a press conference right now.”

He, too.

From now on, he accepted Kang San’s existence.

“We will actively spread Kang San’s achievements, the good news of Cuxhaven, to the world and ignite the flames of hope.”