Blood Demon of the Past Life – Chapter 122

Chapter 122: People Who Have Lost Hope （1）

It was truly a magnificent spectacle.

With the enormous wall known as the Kitakyushu Wall as the backdrop, Hunters and monsters, surging like waves, were engaged in a fierce battle. The methods of combat varied. One group of parties focused on ranged attacks from atop the wall, while another group actively engaged in close combat below. Their actions couldn’t quite be described as a typical siege battle.

It was a unique characteristic of Kitakyushu.

If people settled here with the goal of protecting the city, they would never venture outside the walls.

However, the people who were drawn here by the reputation of the Monster Field prioritized their own gains over the city’s safety. For this reason, they couldn’t adopt a stable combat style that kept them solely on the wall. Drawn into a competitive battle, a significant number had opened the gates and ventured out.

“Kill them━!”

“Fire Lance.”

Kwaang━

Hwarururururuk.

It was a chaotic free-for-all.

Although humans formed a large group, the individual factions fought back-to-back against the monsters. The sight of monsters swarming everywhere filled their vision. The unique situation of the Monster Wave seemed incredibly dangerous, but thanks to the cautious individuals providing support fire from the wall, it wasn’t actually that risky. If they felt overwhelmed, they could retreat beneath the wall to ensure their safety.

That scene.

Was absorbed into Kang San’s view.

Before he could decide what to do in this unfamiliar situation, a certain individual caught his eye.

Pat.

Tadak━

Nakamura Genji.

He, who had been wearily handling paperwork, jumped straight down from the towering wall.

Unlike the Hunters from other countries, there were no companions in sight.

Landing below the wall, he pushed through the crowd and swung his sword at the swarming monsters without hesitation.

“One Sword Style, Zan.”

Flash.

Thwack━!

The head of the monster he faced head-on flew off.

Without slowing down, he cut through the space, blocking or slashing away the murderous intent raining down from all sides with his sword. His tightly tied hair fluttered in the wind from his speed. His eyes, which had been heavy with fatigue, now gleamed with a sharp intensity as he tracked the monsters’ movements. Judging from this brief glimpse, his skills were at least around B-rank. He seemed to be more than just an ordinary civil servant; he was a skilled individual beyond expectations.

He was impressive from the first day.

But the admiration was short-lived.

Kang San focused on his original purpose.

Just like the other Hunters from foreign countries, Kang San had a clear reason for traveling to this distant land.

“Let’s go down too.”

Not to the top of the wall, but below.

Kang San’s group headed towards the front lines.

✦✦✦✦✦✦

Observing from the top of the towering wall and directly facing the swarming chaos were completely different matters.

“Be careful━!”

Kwaang━

Right next to them.

They saw a Hunter being slammed by a Troll’s attack.

Kang San calmly observed the front and, keeping his shield close to his body, blocked the incoming monsters.

“Let’s stick to our formation.”

“I’ll cover the rear.”

Four figures.

Kang San at the front, Jeong Chan-woo right behind him, and Jo Han-byeol and Yeon Woo-bin holding the rear formed a typical formation. They disregarded the fact that Hunters were swarming around them. Those Hunters were moving with their own objectives, so there was no guarantee they would help in a dangerous situation.

Each person was responsible for their own life.

With the judgment that they had to rely on themselves, Kang San faced the incoming monsters.

Kreurureuk.

Kwaang━!

A giant axe slammed into his shield.

It was a C-rank Blood Orc Warrior, and not just one or two, but a swarming horde of them attacked Kang San in a coordinated manner. It wasn’t a particularly difficult situation. Kang San had faced dozens of Werewolves of the same rank, and Jeong Chan-woo was making timely movements to cover the gaps.

Hook.

Kaang━!

An attack from a blind spot.

Kang San was ready to react, but Jeong Chan-woo’s defense was a step faster.

The rear defense was wide open.

Jeong Chan-woo wasn’t passively stuck in the back; he was making efficient movements, covering Kang San’s space. In the past, Kang San would have stopped Jeong Chan-woo’s judgment. He would have ordered him not to overdo it and to block any unexpected variables from the rear, but there was no reason to say that to Jeong Chan-woo now.

He trusted him.

His steadily improving skills were a sufficient reason to entrust him with the rear.

And then.

Wheeing, thwack━!

Thwack, thwack━!

Jo Han-byeol’s arrows struck their vital points.

When a Blood Orc Warrior raised its arm to attack, an arrow precisely hit the muscles connected to the arm, preventing it from delivering its full force. Arrows also flew towards the Achilles tendon of an Orc trying to circle around, and to the head of an Orc momentarily losing its balance. Arrows flew without fail. Even while rapidly firing arrows, there was no sign of wavering, and necessary attacks were made at the necessary times.

With the time they bought.

“Inferno.”

Hwaruk.

Hwarururururuk.

It was Yeon Woo-bin’s showtime.

Blazing flames swept away the monsters at the front.

The monsters screamed just from brushing against the flames, and the firepower was far stronger than Kang San remembered. Whether it was because he had grown enough to pass the B-rank test, or because the fire magic had become stronger due to the contract with the Salamander, he didn’t know the reason. However, through the exchange that took place in just a few minutes, Kang San could be sure of one fact.

‘They’ve all grown.’

It was different from before.

Come to think of it, they had only trained with Project B team after the closed-door training and hadn’t experienced actual combat like this. But now, it was definitely more noticeable. Even without the rewards from trials like his own, they were rapidly developing, and Kang San could feel their brilliant talent firsthand.

Reliable companions.

He couldn’t even remember their first meeting.

Jo Han-byeol, who was an ordinary leader, Jeong Chan-woo, who seemed young and immature, and Yeon Woo-bin, who was paralyzed by fear and couldn’t do anything.

They were gone now.

Just as Kang San had grown, they had grown too.

They quickly cleared out the monsters.

He judged that with their current teamwork, they could advance further instead of sticking to the wall for safety.

But that’s when it happened.

Thud.

Kreurureuk.

Suddenly, a woman appeared.

A woman with a unique appearance, red bobbed hair and seemingly Western features, finished off a Blood Orc Warrior lying on the ground with a dagger. A groan escaped as life faded away. Their eyes met for a moment, and she smirked.

“Is this your first time here?”

“……?”

“If you don’t finish them off properly here, you’re the only one who loses. I’m just letting you know since you seem clueless.”

It was a baffling statement.

When Kang San didn’t answer and just stared, she finished off a few more monsters and disappeared back into the crowd.

The meaning of her words, which he hadn’t understood then.

It didn’t take long for him to realize it.

✦✦✦✦✦✦

The sun began to set.

As the fierce battle concluded, people who appeared to be civil servants approached the Hunters and organized the situation.

“Kang San-nim and three others. In this battle, you dealt with 12 C-rank monsters, 20 D-rank monsters, and 28 each of E-rank and F-rank monsters.”

It was Nakamura Genji.

His tightly tied hair was slightly loose, and his sharp gaze was once again filled with fatigue. Monster blood stained his face and clothes.

A sense of dissonance arose.

He was a difficult person to get used to, but there was something more important to Kang San.

“If I remember correctly, we dealt with more than that. Is there a possibility of an error in the A.I system?”

The system here.

Since many people fought at once, it wasn’t easy to calculate contributions in the complex and intertwined situation. That’s why the A.I system installed in the drones calculated the contributions. It checked who dealt with how many monsters and settled the accounts collectively, so Kang San questioned the surprisingly low numbers.

He hadn’t calculated it precisely, but he remembered dealing with more than the number the man in front of him had mentioned.

Nakamura Genji spoke.

“Did you make sure to finish off the monsters?”

At those words.

The image of the foreign woman surfaced.

The image of her meticulously finishing off the monsters that still seemed alive, and the words she had spoken.

He seemed to understand their meaning now.

“……So that’s how the system works.”

“Yes. The contributions calculated here don’t just mean incapacitating the monsters, but their definite death. It means you have to finish them off for it to be counted as a proper contribution. It’s a common occurrence on the first day, so please keep it in mind from now on.”

“Understood.”

Scribble, scribble.

He wrote something on his tablet PC.

Then, he concluded the situation in a businesslike tone.

“You can receive your reward by going to the Hunter Headquarters and settling the accounts. Thank you for fighting for Kitakyushu.”

✦✦✦✦✦✦

The first day in Kitakyushu.

It was a unique experience.

He learned later that the foreign woman’s name was Jessica, and she was infamous in the area for monster stealing. Even so, he didn’t bother to confront her and argue. Although she had stolen some of their contributions, he didn’t want to make a fuss about something that happened because he didn’t know the rules of the place.

One month passed since then.

After experiencing another Monster Wave, Kang San’s group quickly adapted to the system here.

Thwack━!

Kreurureuk.

He finished off a Blood Orc Warrior.

As the monster collapsed, foaming at the mouth, Kang San caught his breath and said,

“Let’s rest for a bit.”

“Whew━.”

They all sat down.

One month here.

It was truly a continuous, breathless battle.

According to Nakamura Genji’s explanation, the Green Zone seemed safe, but when they actually experienced it, the Green Zone was also teeming with numerous monsters. Thanks to that, they didn’t have to worry about monsters from sunrise to sunset. They could fight all night if they wanted to, and it was definitely a fast way to grow if their goal was development.

Kang San spoke.

“What do you all think about what I mentioned last time?”

“About moving to the Yellow Zone? It’s dangerous, but I think it’s not a bad idea if we prepare thoroughly.”

“If our goal is growth, it’s something we have to choose. There aren’t many B-rank monsters here.”

As his younger companions said.

B-rank monsters appeared intermittently in the Green Zone.

Of course, they were securing a significant amount of Stat Stones and byproducts here, but ultimately, a party that included two B-ranks had to take risks to develop further. The problem was the difference between the Green Zone and the Yellow Zone. Although they were only separated by one level, their danger levels were completely different.

People said that many who actually crossed into the Yellow Zone didn’t return alive.

‘Five months left. I can’t be satisfied with the current level.’

Time was quickly running out.

It was five months in name, but considering the time it would take to return to Korea and prepare, it was actually a little over four months.

They had finished adapting, so they needed to move on.

But he wouldn’t overdo it.

He had a goal, but he couldn’t sacrifice his younger companions in trials where their lives weren’t guaranteed. That’s why he moved within the range of manageable variables. If it weren’t for that reason, he wouldn’t have spent a whole month in Kitakyushu adapting to the Green Zone.

“Then…….”

That’s when it happened.

As he was about to talk about their future plans.

『The thirteenth Trial and Tribulation has been assigned.』

『Due to the karma of an evildoer, you must now rescue ‘Jessica,’ who is in danger in the Yellow Zone. You can check Jessica’s location at once using the tracking function, but if you fail to rescue her within 30 minutes, all the rewards you’ve received so far will be revoked, and the karma will become stronger.』

『Reward: All Stats +5』

An unexpected trial.

Kang San’s expression crumpled.