Blood Demon of the Past Life – Chapter 126

Chapter 126: People Who Have Lost Hope （5）

A few hours ago.

A woman with an elegant face, impressive blonde hair, and white skin looked outside the cave with a worried expression.

“…Where the hell did he go?”

The problem started because of a boy named Kelvin.

He was one of the few children in the village, so he was always under watch. But the boy, who was clearly visible until morning, had disappeared somewhere. Worry was mounting, but even so, she couldn’t go out looking for him. The people living in the cave, avoiding the monsters’ gaze, could face danger if they acted recklessly.

The current situation.

The blonde woman, Eileen, suddenly felt sad.

“Living like this, we’ll all die someday.”

Three years ago.

The people who were isolated due to the large-scale Link incident, as their wait grew longer, faced the reality that they had to survive by becoming self-sufficient for the time being. So, they dug a cave. They identified a location that was naturally formed to some extent and dug deep into the ground to create an environment where dozens of people could live. Of course, if they stayed for a long time, smells and traces would be left behind, so they had to endure the inconvenience of moving every few months.

Each time, people died.

There were definitely about 50 people, including Eileen, at the beginning, but now less than half remained.

In truth, it had been a long time since they had lost hope of returning alive.

Gathering food from nature had reached its limits, and the eyes of the people who went out to gather food like machines early in the morning grew increasingly dim. Thinking about it, the boy named Kelvin seemed to have matured early on due to the hardships of the adults. As she recalled him determinedly saying that he would also go out to find food, she felt she had to go out and look for him.

Here.

She and Kelvin were the only Westerners.

The rest were all locals, so they treated Kelvin like a younger brother and even gave him artifacts.

It was then.

As she was about to go out with simple equipment, the villagers who were watching outside showed bewildered expressions.

“Wh, what is it?”

“The fog is suddenly clearing?”

It was the first time this had happened.

The world, which had been hazy all year round, showed signs of the fog clearing, at least partially.

This was not a good sign.

The fog was a factor that prevented rescue teams from arriving and survivors from going outside, but ironically, it was also a safety net that prevented monsters from finding the “location of humans.”

The fact that the fog was clearing meant…

“Get ready.”

“Everyone, get inside.”

It meant that monsters might smell humans and rush towards them.

✦✦✦✦✦✦

The ominous imagination never failed.

It started with a piercing scream coming from afar.

The people who had gone out to gather food were caught by the monsters due to the absence of fog.

“Aaack—!”

“Kuaaak!”

Inside the cave.

People huddled together and trembled.

Overwhelmed by fear, they couldn’t bring themselves to run outside or even look.

She closed her eyes tightly.

As if denying reality, someone buried their head and covered their ears.

Eileen was among them.

Seeing her trying to appear calm, Haruna, a Japanese woman of the same age, who was next to her, said,

“…We’re all finished.”

“No. Don’t think negatively.”

Eileen replied in Japanese.

She, who had always liked Japan and even traveled to Japan, was familiar enough with Japanese to converse fluently without a translation artifact. Moreover, she was a capable person who could speak four languages, including her native French, English, and Spanish.

Her words.

They didn’t work on Haruna.

Her face was stained with tears due to the shrinking fear in her heart.

“We’ve already been abandoned. You know, Eileen, it’s been three years. If the Japanese government had tried to save us, there should have been some results by now, in some way. Emergency rations ran out a long time ago, and it’s not easy to secure food from nature. Then how can we survive? We, we’re all going to die. We’ll be eaten by monsters, and that would be really painful. Really, really…”

She was gradually losing her mind.

Seeing her repeating the same words, Eileen caressed Haruna’s face.

“Cure.”

Whoosh—

A white light shone from her hand.

As the healing energy seeped in, Haruna, who seemed to be having a seizure, embraced Eileen and showed a calm expression.

In the end, it was just a temporary measure.

As Haruna said, there was no way to resolve this situation.

At times like this, negative thoughts arose.

If only she had died earlier, she wouldn’t have had to suffer the agony of desperately surviving for three long years.

She closed her eyes.

Wishing that when she opened them again, it wouldn’t be reality.

But from that day three years ago until now, reality here was always cruel.

Thump.

Rumble.

A tremor occurred.

When she opened her eyes in surprise, she saw an Ogre poking its head into the cave.

“Ah, ahhh…!”

Haruna despaired.

It was the moment hell began.

The Ogre, which had forcefully entered, tore people apart, and Eileen ran outside, leaving behind the people being chewed and eaten. It was truly a living hell. Due to the monsters swarming outside, people couldn’t run away even a few steps and were torn apart by sharp teeth.

Eileen thought.

This is really the end.

But some people say that before you die, strange signals occur in your brain, and you see hallucinations.

Far away.

She saw something strange.

A man was walking towards them, step by step.

✦✦✦✦✦✦

There were many.

Too many monsters.

Just glancing around, C to B-rank monsters were swarming, and among them was an A-rank Twinhead Ogre.

His breath hitched.

Even in this absurd situation, Kang San knew there was no choice.

“…Damn it. Trial’s Shield.”

Whoosh.

Growl.

Everything in sight.

Killing intent flashed.

Their gaze turned towards Kang San, and then they threw away the human flesh they had been tearing apart and rushed towards him.

Crack!

Kuaaaaaak!

『Guardian’s Will has been activated.』

『The number of enemies you are facing is 35, so your Defense and Health Regeneration are increased by 70% each.』

Grit.

He clenched his teeth.

Recognizing that there were 35 enemies, Kang San first blocked the attack of the Ogre that was rushing at him.

Whoosh.

Kwaang━!

That was the beginning.

Attacks poured in from all directions.

If he blocked the attack in front of him with his shield, it would come from the sides. If he blocked the attacks from the sides, a giant club would come from above. If he avoided that, the monsters would push their dirty mouths at him again. Bang, bang, he was pushed back with intense impact sounds. He knew that at this rate, he would soon collapse and be unable to hold on.

“Glory Aura, Sanctuary.”

Whoosh—

He used two skills.

The halo that arose from Kang San enveloped his party, and the effect of Sanctuary dyed the surrounding area with holy light.

『Glory Aura temporarily increases all stats by 30%.』

『Sanctuary reduces enemy stats by 20% within a certain area and doubles the effect of skills based on Divine Power.』

Kwaang━!

An attack immediately struck.

Until just now, he was suffocating from the Twinhead Ogre’s attacks, but with the Sanctuary debuff and the buff that greatly increased his stats, he felt he could withstand it. Doubling the effect of skills based on Divine Power. That category also included Guardian’s Will. It had already shown a phenomenal increase of 70%, but now it meant that double that, 140%, would be applied.

Kueeeeok.

The Twinhead Ogre roared.

It raised its club and swung it down at Kang San with all its might.

Kwaang━!

Rumble.

He endured it.

Kang San struck down the club and blew off the head of the Werewolf that was rushing in.

Flash.

Thud.

The sword soaked in blood.

Hearing the voice saying that his attack power had increased due to Blood Demon Art, he directly faced the enemies’ attacks at the forefront. Meanwhile, Jo Han-byeol’s arrows pierced through the gaps. It penetrated the monsters’ heads at exquisite timing, and Jeong Chan-woo didn’t intervene in the frontline situation at all.

That was also a strategy.

When it was judged to be an unbearable level, they used the same strategy as when they dealt with the Werewolf Lord.

Thump.

Thump, thump.

Two more Twinhead Ogres appeared in the distance.

Three A-ranks.

The moment the notoriety of the Red Zone was proven, Yeon Woo-bin’s eyes calmly sank.

✦✦✦✦✦✦

The series of events.

Strong firepower was needed.

Explosive firepower that would render the large number of enemies meaningless!

“Summon Salamander.”

Whoosh.

Yeon Woo-bin summoned a spirit.

The flames that arose like sparks formed a shape, and a lizard engulfed in flames flapped its wings.

At the same time.

“Salamander’s Breath, Frenzy.”

He used his most powerful combination skill.

Mana boiled explosively due to the effect of Frenzy, and Salamander’s Breath was used in a different form than before.

The incarnation of fire.

The Salamander swelled its body.

It puffed up like it was filled with wind, and with a single breath, it spewed out a huge flame.

Whoosh.

Kwakwakwakwakwakwak!

It was an incredible heat.

It swept away the swarming monsters at once, and even the A-rank Twinhead Ogre couldn’t withstand the heat and screamed. Meanwhile, Kang San secured an appropriate position. He gathered the monsters in one place with Trial’s Shield, creating a situation where they could receive maximum damage from a single spell.

Whoosh.

Kang San was also affected by the flames.

It was a heat that couldn’t be endured with ordinary defense just by being ‘close’ to it, but he minimized the damage with the Fire Resistance skill. It was the same when dealing with the Werewolf Lord, and even now. It meant that Kang San’s party had secured an incredible combination skill. The form of Kang San gathering the enemies and Yeon Woo-bin bombarding them with fire skills was a strategy that was absolutely impossible with an ordinary tanker at the front.

Because it was Kang San.

Because it was Yeon Woo-bin, it was a possible strategy.

The enemies were swept away.

Several Ogres, unable to bear the pain for a moment, rushed towards Yeon Woo-bin.

Kuaaaak━!

“Guardian Shield.”

Jeong Chan-woo blocked two or three of them.

One passed by.

Rather than Jeong Chan-woo missing it, he intentionally let it through, trusting Yeon Woo-bin.

Whoosh—

The Ogre swung its club.

The attack that ripped through the air seemed like it would turn Yeon Woo-bin into a paste.

“Salamander.”

Whoosh━!

The Salamander flew into the sky.

It immediately headed towards the Ogre and went straight into its wide-open mouth.

And then.

“Explosion.”

Kwaang.

Kwakwakwakwakwak!

It exploded from the inside.

As the Salamander turned into flames and burned fiercely, the Ogre grabbed its neck and staggered, spewing flames from every hole it could be called. It stumbled from the shock. As the Ogre collapsed with a thud, Yeon Woo-bin didn’t even glance at it and started casting to help Kang San.

The contract with the spirit.

It had definitely changed since that day.

Yeon Woo-bin, who was originally talented, explosively revealed his presence.

“Hold on. Just hold on.”

Flare.

Whoosh.

The Salamander soared into the sky again.

The flames that bloomed like fireworks spewed out a huge flame as if it was breathing fire.

“I’ll sweep them all away.”

✦✦✦✦✦✦

It was a battle that seemed impossible.

Objectively, they shouldn’t have been able to win in terms of power, but in the end, they wiped out all the visible monsters.

Crackle.

Crackle, crackle.

The ground was burning.

Kang San, who endured at the front.

Yeon Woo-bin, who displayed firepower enough to burn everyone.

It was an achievement made possible because both of them fought like one against a hundred.

It was then.

Jessica, running forward, came into Kang San’s view, who was breathing roughly.

“Eileen!”

“…Sis!?”

Hug—

The two sisters embraced.

At the same time, Kang San heard the voice he had been waiting for.

『You have passed the fifteenth Trial and Tribulation.』

『The promised reward will be given.』

Three consecutive trials.

He had finally overcome that arduous ordeal.