Chapter 12: Memories of the Past Life （3）
Even when he opened his eyes in the morning,
Kang San hadn’t imagined that he would fight a Dullahan today.
But this was reality.
Ever since he accepted this d*mn Azmoon’s Trial, Kang San couldn’t predict even a single step ahead.
Kwaaang!
The Dullahan’s head slammed into the ground.
Even though it must have been a human body at one point, the head, harder than steel, smashed the ground. If he got hit by that, his body wouldn’t be safe. Kang San sharpened his senses. At the sight of the Dullahan trying to take another step forward and attack again, Kang San moved first.
‘Right.’
Hook!
The Dullahan’s head barely missed him.
He didn’t dodge after seeing it.
It was the pattern from before.
Having grasped the fact that the Dullahan’s attacks were simple, Kang San chose the direction of evasion by watching the starting motion of the attack.
The opponent was a high-ranking D-rank monster.
Since it was a monster known to have an average stat of 75 or higher, it was practically impossible for Kang San, whose agility had just reached 36, to dodge after seeing the attack. It wouldn’t be any different even if he received the Berserker’s speed boost effect. Thanks to the buff, Kang San could attempt a counterattack at the same time as dodging.
‘First, I’ll aim for the legs and reduce its mobility.’
Pat!
Suh-geok!
The sword flashed.
It felt different than usual.
The sword, imbued with Sharpness, attack power, and speed buffs, along with white divine power, sliced through the Dullahan’s leg.
Kreeeeeek!
The Dullahan screamed.
The attack worked.
It wasn’t a fatal wound that would bring it down immediately, but Kang San’s gamble had created a situation where he could inflict damage on a high-ranking D-rank monster. However, Kang San’s expression wasn’t bright. He had hoped that the Dullahan would at least limp after this attack, but the Dullahan instead displayed madness and showed even faster speed.
Whoosh!
‘I can’t avoid it.’
He made a quick judgment.
In close proximity to the opponent, it was impossible to predict and avoid all attacks.
Kang San hurriedly raised his shield.
The moment the Dullahan’s head was about to smash into Kang San’s chest, the shield suddenly appeared and blocked it.
‘Iron Man.’
Kwaaang!
“Ugh.”
His head was shaken.
He had increased his defense and reduced the damage taken with the Iron Man effect, but the Dullahan’s attack power surpassed that. Double the defense secured with Guardian’s Will? That kind of thing was meaningless. Blocking 100% attack power with 100% defense was a figure that only applied when both sides had equal stats. The opponent was a monster with an average stat of 75, and no matter how hard Kang San struggled, it was impossible for him to stand on ‘equal footing’ with it.
Tap.
He stepped back.
A head-on confrontation was suicide.
Kang San glanced around and backed against the cave wall, then watched the opponent’s attack.
‘Now!’
Whoosh!
Bang!
The Dullahan’s head crashed into the wall.
Kang San dodged the attack by rolling on the ground and quickly severed the Dullahan’s Achilles tendon from a low stance. A counterattack that risked his life. But this time, it worked. No matter how different the Dullahan’s muscles were from ordinary creatures, cutting the tendon that supported its legs would inevitably cause problems.
The Dullahan staggered.
Kang San instantly closed in and attempted a follow-up attack.
He slashed at its chest once, and as the Dullahan tried to attack his side, he blocked it with his shield and slashed back at its side.
Kraaaak!
The Dullahan screamed.
Divine power inflicts pain even on the undead.
If the opponent had been a Skeleton, it would have suffered mental damage, but the ‘power of divine power’ couldn’t inflict a fatal blow on the Dullahan. A mere 8 divine power. It only fueled the Dullahan’s madness. The Dullahan approached with its limping leg and swung its head, ignoring defense.
Kwaaang!
He blocked the first blow.
However.
Thwack!
“Cough!”
Thud!
Kang San was knocked back by a kick to the abdomen.
Kang San, who rolled once, hurriedly got up and spat out the blood that had pooled in his mouth. He wasn’t allowed the luxury of calming the tingling shock. The Dullahan had already reached him. The Dullahan’s burning murderous intent showed a strong will to take Kang San’s life.
Whoosh!
The head plunged straight down!
His instincts warned him.
Even if he blocked this, he would d*e.
The shield would break, and from then on, there would be no chance of winning.
‘D*mn it.’
He gritted his teeth.
Just what kind of grudge did Azmoon have against him to give him such a trial?
The vain hope that things might go well if he went easy on him was shattered by the Dullahan’s head.
‘I will never d*e. I don’t want to d*e.’
Whoosh.
Kang San threw himself.
He dug into the Dullahan’s embrace.
Kang San and the Dullahan’s bodies overlapped. The Dullahan couldn’t react immediately because of its large attack motion, and Kang San thrust his sword upward from below. Puck, the sword pierced the heart. The moment the sword, which had dug in brutally, ravaged the Dullahan’s heart, the Dullahan’s fist struck Kang San’s side.
Pow!
Thwack, thud, thud.
He rolled on the ground.
Even though he had used Berserker, his mind was blown away, and blood mixed with saliva dripped from his mouth.
But Kang San’s eyes were not yet dead.
A split second.
Just before being hit by the opponent’s fist, Kang San felt as if he had definitely gouged out its heart.
Stagger.
Thud!
The Dullahan collapsed.
The Dullahan’s heart was the power that moved the headless creature. Now that it was destroyed, no matter how high-ranking a D-rank monster it was, it couldn’t hold on. At the sight of the Dullahan collapsing on the ground and not moving, Kang San finally fell back. His head was spinning, and the pain from his entire body made him feel like he was going to d*e.
“At least I didn’t d*e.”
He grinned.
His life was fading away.
He had defeated the Dullahan, but his body was also a mess in return.
His ribs were broken, and the shattered ribs pierced his internal organs.
He wanted to close his eyes.
If he fell asleep like this, he felt like he could escape from his miserable life and find eternal rest.
‘No, then I’ll go to h*ll because of my karma. I won’t d*e. I’ll survive somehow and live happily in front of those who gave me this trial. It would be unfair to d*e after only being unhappy.’
Hwaak.
A white light rose.
As the Healing Aura was used, Kang San’s pain-distorted expression began to stabilize.
✦✦✦✦✦✦
The treatment took quite a long time.
If he were to express his vitality as a percentage, it had fallen to almost below 10%, a life-threatening situation.
So he took his time to heal his body.
With the repeated use of Healing Aura, Kang San regained the strength to move his body.
“I barely defeated it, and it’s just a tin can.”
Thump, thump.
He kicked the Dullahan’s corpse with his foot.
The Blood Orc at least dropped a skill spirit and a skill stone, but the Dullahan’s corpse had nothing.
His mouth felt bitter.
Why did he have to fight at the risk of his life?
Looking at the recent events, he felt a bit of regret that he should have made a different choice the moment he accepted the trial. He acknowledged the fact that he was getting stronger by gaining skills and stats, but crises that forced him to risk his life were repeating without giving him time to feel it. This was no different from before. Whether it was the days as a human shield when he was in danger even when dealing with F-rank monsters, or now when he almost died fighting a D-rank Dullahan, his life was in danger all the same.
Anyway, he was alive.
He didn’t know what would happen tomorrow or the day after, but at least the fact that he was alive today was important.
“I will never d*e.”
Words muttered alone.
Whether it was Azmoon or Luca Bellino.
Kang San wouldn’t let his life end because of another’s will.
‘But how do I get the memories of my past life?’
He looked around.
He didn’t have time to look closely during the battle, but now the surrounding scenery clearly caught his eye.
A gloomy cave.
There was a box in the corner of the cave.
Kang San approached it and opened the box, and inside, he saw a skill spirit and a small water bottle.
‘Skill spirit?’
It was an unexpected reward.
Kang San checked the skill name contained in the skill spirit and, judging that it was a necessary skill, immediately consumed it.
『You have acquired the skill Trial’s Shield.』
『Guardian Shield will merge with Trial’s Shield.』
『3-star（★★★） Skill』
『Trial’s Shield』
1. At the caster’s will, it focuses the attention of all monsters in the vicinity onto themselves. （Cooldown: 5 minutes）
2. When Trial’s Shield is activated, defense is temporarily increased by 20%.
3. When Trial’s Shield is activated, recovery effects are temporarily doubled.
“……Should I be happy about this or not?”
Trial’s Shield.
It was a 3-star skill.
He had obtained a rare treasure granted only to a few lucky individuals, but Kang San’s expression wasn’t very bright. Certainly, the skill’s effects were great. Usually, commonly known aggro skills targeted at most a few dozen monsters, but Trial’s Shield seemed to be able to handle even hundreds. Its power was unprecedented. He had never heard of a skill like this anywhere in the world, but the problem was that the skill’s effects seemed like Azmoon’s plot to k*ll him. In fact, it was called an aggro-drawing skill, but it ultimately meant that all the monsters around him would attack him.
His head ached.
He couldn’t simply be happy about the rewards that naturally pushed him into dangerous situations.
Next was the liquid in the water bottle.
There was no particular explanation.
If the purpose of this dungeon trip was to retrieve the memories of his past life, then this liquid was probably related to it.
He hesitated slightly.
Memories of the past life.
It might be Pandora’s box.
He couldn’t guarantee that it would be good for him, but Kang San had to accept this reality.
‘I want to know about my past life.’
Blood Demon.
A heinous murderer.
Was he really the Blood Demon in his past life? Kang San had lived a life far removed from evil deeds, but he couldn’t help but feel uneasy after hearing about his past life.
Why did he have to be unhappy?
Why did he have to bear this karma?
Kang San wanted to know the truth.
That way, even if he died as Azmoon’s apostle, he wouldn’t feel wronged.
‘Let’s check it out.’
Gulp, gulp.
He swallowed the liquid as it was.
At first, there was nothing unusual.
Then.
Ping.
He felt dizzy.
And a new world began to unfold in Kang San’s retina.
✦✦✦✦✦✦
People were running away.
As if they had spotted a demon, people scattered in all directions, barefoot, without even wearing their shoes properly.
“Ru, run!”
“A demon has appeared!”
Innocent commoners.
They were people who had committed no crime.
They were people who knew nothing about martial arts, but the man called a demon showed no mercy.
Puck!
“Ack!”
He stabbed a fleeing woman in the back.
Blood gushed from the knife that protruded from her chest, and the men who rushed to protect her were cut in half by the knife swung sideways. They couldn’t dare face the demon with weapons like pickaxes and bamboo spears. In an instant, a river of blood flowed on the ground, and the man relentlessly chased the people and killed them all.
Blood, blood, blood.
Everything was stained red.
The demon, who had slaughtered all the people in a village, sat on the pile of corpses and waited for someone.
Soon.
“Th, this demon!”
A group of people rushed in.
They were righteous martial artists.
They proudly displayed the ornaments of the Nine Sects and One Clan, and they couldn’t hide their anger at the sight of the demon.
Their families.
Their friends.
All those people were dead.
The one who seemed to be the leader stepped forward, and when he drew his sword, it gleamed in the sunlight.
“I, Hwasan swordsman Do Jang-hyun, swear on my name that I will k*ll the bloodthirsty demon.”
The man was determined.
Nearly a hundred men rushed in at once, and the demon leisurely rose from his seat and greeted them.
A fight to the death.
Blood splattered.
Screams rang out, and bodies that had lost their lives fell to the ground.
How much time had passed?
Do Jang-hyun collapsed on the ground.
His body was drenched in blood, and he coughed up blood with unfocused eyes.
“You’re still alive?”
The demon.
He squatted in front of Do Jang-hyun.
Everyone else was already dead.
Do Jang-hyun struggled to open his mouth and looked at the demon with hatred in his eyes.
“……Wh, why, why did you k*ll these people!”
A voice filled with malice.
The demon grinned.
“Just because.”
That was the end.
The moment Do Jang-hyun’s head flew off, the world that had been unfolding in Kang San’s retina returned to reality.
And.
『You have acquired the Blood Demon Art and the first technique of the Blood Demon Sword Technique.』
The system notification.
It was an unexpected reward.
