Blood Demon of the Past Life – Chapter 164

Chapter 164: S-rank Outbreak （8）

The beginning was a Korean community site.

There, where Korean news was covered more actively than by their own citizens, a post went up as soon as the incident in Pohang broke out.

『Korea is doomed』

━They say an A-rank Outbreak occurred in Korea? That’s just the minimum estimate, and there are rumors spreading that it might even be S-rank, and it’s chaos over there. If it’s S-rank, Korea might really be doomed.

Up to that point, it was a mix of concerned gazes reporting on a disaster in another country and the detached perspective of onlookers across the water. The problem started when one person mentioned the name ‘Kang San’. With speculation that the unknown figure currently holding back the Outbreak might be Kang San, comments started pouring in like crazy.

━Why is Kang San there?

━Just like during the Kitakyushu incident, this person appears every time there’s a disaster.

━Damn it. Just now, I thought they’d handle it well on their own, but now that I hear Kang San is in danger, I’m worried. My grandfather survived thanks to Kang San, you know. What the hell is the Korean government doing? Not saving Kang San.

Kang San’s danger.

It didn’t feel like someone else’s problem.

Just as there was a time when no one in Japan didn’t know Kang San’s name, the frequency of searches for Kang San within Japan increased dramatically. Especially among the Kitakyushu survivors. Even though they didn’t usually frequent online communities, they joined new ones and left lengthy posts all over the place.

━I am a survivor of the Kitakyushu disaster. As you all know, the government knew that many people were surviving in the Red Zone, but they abandoned and ignored us, judging that they couldn’t risk further danger. If Kang San-nim hadn’t risked his life to help us… We would still be dying of starvation and fear in that cruel world. Though he may be from another country, Kang San-nim is a lifesaver. As soon as I heard the news that such a person was in the midst of a disaster, my heart sank. Please, I beg you. Help Kang San-nim. Just as we received help, please lend your strength so that Kang San-nim doesn’t feel alone. Please, make the Japanese government send troops for him.

━I agree.

━Kang San isn’t a foreigner. We should recognize him as one of our own.

━As human beings, we must help him. Countless Japanese citizens owe their lives to Kang San.

Public opinion boiled over.

People took to the streets.

Among them were people like Saito Shusuke, raising their voices and handing out flyers, urging people to join forces to help Kang San. Even if it had been Shimizu Hiroshi’s administration, they wouldn’t have been able to ignore the fierce flames of public opinion.

But the current administration had transitioned to Ito Kentaro’s system.

Even before public opinion caught fire, he anticipated the public’s sympathy and quickly prepared to dispatch troops to South Korea.

✦✦✦✦✦✦

The communication line was connected.

President Jang Beom-seok, looking at Ito Kentaro on the screen, expressed his somewhat uncomfortable feelings.

“I just received the report. You’re saying you’ll send support troops even though we didn’t request it first?”

『Yes. Aren’t Japan and Korea allied nations? If you just allow a large-scale teleport, we’ll send support troops right away.』

“That would be a bit difficult.”

Japan’s support?

It’s something to be welcomed wholeheartedly.

The problem is that it’s not politically beneficial.

“Currently, there are suspicions in South Korea about a connection between Kang San and the Japanese government. They say the Kitakyushu incident wasn’t a coincidence, and that Japan might have helped Kang San grow abnormally. But if we bring a large number of Japanese troops into Korea, even if it’s for support, we can’t help but be on edge. So, before that, how about clarifying the relationship with Kang San?”

『……How do you mean?』

“Wouldn’t that be up to the one doing the clarifying?”

『Really, as the leader of a nation, you’re going too far. We heard that story too. Knowing that Kang San-nim was in a difficult situation due to his supposed relationship with the Japanese government, we wanted to step up countless times, but we couldn’t because we didn’t want to cause unnecessary misunderstandings. What? A connection? What kind of connection is there between Kang San-nim and us? If you look back at Kang San-nim’s actions, you won’t find even a shred of evidence to support such a claim. And Japan, if it really had a special purpose, wouldn’t have entrusted such a role to a former F-rank human shield. Think about it. If you’re investing in someone, you invest in someone with the potential for growth. There’s no need to spend more money unnecessarily, is there?』

It was illogical.

Ito Kentaro knew that South Korea was looking for a pretext.

In truth, there was no reason to sacrifice Japan’s military power when South Korea was refusing help in the first place. Even if they helped, South Korea might maintain an ungrateful attitude. Weren’t the lives of the people who might die in South Korea’s disaster a pity? Despite this, the Japanese parliament concluded that they should accept everything. Because Kang San was the same. Even when Congressman Shimizu Hiroshi and others criticized and belittled Kang San, he steadfastly walked a thorny path, knowing he might not even receive a thank you.

It’s not about receiving thanks.

Because he received a favor.

He would simply repay the favor.

Putting aside all the potential gains from international relations, Ito Kentaro appealed to emotions as a human being.

『Kang San-nim saved countless lives in Kitakyushu, and their families are all over Japan. The Japanese government decided to dispatch troops to repay that favor. If the South Korean government is worried about any uneasy factors, we are willing to make a formal pledge to the ‘international community’. Japan will only resolve the Outbreak and withdraw immediately without any compensation. You won’t refuse even then, will you? We don’t want to be allies in name only. We want colleagues who truly trust and follow each other. And Kang San-nim is such a presence to us.』

Japan conceded everything.

If they were truly only going to provide support, there was no reason for South Korea to refuse this offer.

In the end,

The Outbreak had to be resolved.

For Jang Beom-seok, it was killing two birds with one stone.

There was no need to pay anything to Japan, and he could use this incident to tie Kang San down once more.

President Jang Beom-seok said,

“Alright. I’ll open the Gate for you.”

✦✦✦✦✦✦

Busan’s Teleport Gate.

The soldiers working there couldn’t hide their surprise.

Hwaak━

First came Colonel Kim Chun-sik’s Special Forces.

As they, renowned for their fame in the military, appeared, the soldiers whispered with respect.

“Wow, it’s Colonel Kim Chun-sik.”

“To see a legend here.”

“I heard he has a special relationship with Kang San. Could he be here to save Kang San?”

The teleport was just the beginning.

After Colonel Kim Chun-sik arrived,

The Ranger unit led by Kim Myeong-min, groups representing South Korea like Daeyang, Cheonsang, and Flare, and individuals like Jo Han-byeol’s group who chose to head to Busan with the intention of helping Kang San ━the soldiers were stunned by the sight of people arriving one after another.

“……What on earth is going on?”

“I know, right? The government’s support troops haven’t even arrived yet, but the scale of the civilian forces is this large.”

“Amazing. They’re all going to save Kang San.”

The soldiers dutifully asked why they had come to Busan.

People consistently answered that their clear goal was to stop the Outbreak and save ‘Kang San’.

Kang San looked different now.

They knew that Kang San was a hero of South Korea, but they didn’t know he had built up this much trust.

That’s when it happened.

An officer said,

“Large-scale teleport. It’s coming from overseas, so get ready.”

“Yes.”

They installed Mana Stones.

The more people, the greater the distance, the more Mana Stones and manpower were required, so the soldiers who managed the Teleport Gate were busy moving around. But the scale was unprecedented. Just by looking at the rough setup, it was a preparation process to receive close to a thousand people consecutively.

Finally,

Hwaak━

Chuck, chuck.

Chuck, chuck, chuck.

The Japanese army appeared.

Along with soldiers wearing uniforms that proved they were the regular army, people boasting a variety of styles arrived one after another. The Japanese government included not only soldiers, but also volunteers whose skills had been verified, in the dispatch.

“Whoa. Look, it’s Misaki.”

“Misaki Akemi? The S-rank Ranker of Japan?”

“Saito Shusuke is there too!”

Several S-rank Rankers appeared.

Among them,

Saito Shusuke showed a determined face.

He, who led the ‘Kang San Religion’ in Japan, received the news from Eileen that Kang San was in danger a step ahead of others. From then on, he moved busily. He ordered all the believers who believed in Kang San to pray and convey their faith, and at the same time, he contacted the Japanese government and expressed his intention to be dispatched personally.

And now,

Saito Shusuke gripped his spear tightly.

‘Kang San-nim. I will definitely save you.’

He didn’t care if he died.

As long as he could save Kang San.

As long as he could save the hero.

Saito Shusuke would burn himself.

✦✦✦✦✦✦

Kang San’s plan worked.

The relationships that had been built up layer by layer.

They created synergy.

At the earliest, 2 hours.

If Kang San could somehow hold out, there might be a glimmer of hope to survive this bleak situation.

And that hope,

Kwaang!

Kwakwakwakwakwaang!

It shattered miserably against the Dark Lord.

Not even 30 minutes had passed.

Kang San, despite blocking with his shield, was slammed into the barrier by the dark energy emanating from the Dark Lord. The barrier had already started to crack and then shattered. No matter how much it was Roman Bednar’s meticulously crafted scroll, it couldn’t withstand the powerful destructive power of an S-rank.

Kyaak!

Creak, creak, creak.

The undead passed by.

Since the Trial’s Shield had already been used, Kang San gritted his teeth and kicked off the ground.

“Where are you going!”

Flash.

He took off a head.

He tried to prevent the enemies from passing by as much as possible, but at Kang San’s struggle, the Dark Lord flicked a finger. Then, the dark energy, whipping like a lash, struck Kang San. If his defense hadn’t been increased by the Guardian’s Will, it was a shock that might have rendered him incapacitated in a single blow.

“Cough.”

He coughed up blood.

He was already a mess after numerous exchanges.

Kang San looked up at the Dark Lord with a pained face.

『You struggle in vain, human.』

It was a monster.

It was different from the S-rank evil spirit.

Kang San instinctively knew that he wouldn’t be able to hold out if he didn’t eventually confront the Dark Lord.

‘Blocking the undead is just a futile struggle.’

Grit.

He clenched his teeth.

That’s when it happened.

『The Power of Prayer bestows blessings upon you.』

『Stats increase by 108%.』

‘Eileen?’

Eileen’s heart reached him from somewhere.

The fact that his stats had increased by a whopping 108% meant that that many people were praying for his survival.

He caught his breath.

He had to endure.

He didn’t block the undead anymore.

The undead that passed by Kang San were engulfed in smoke along with a sudden explosion.

Kwaang!

Kwarung, kwarurururung.

Magic bombs.

Kang San, anticipating that he might be breached, had planted magic bombs that only reacted to monsters behind him, so many that it was like a minefield. He hoped they would buy him time. Enough time for people to evacuate and for Pohang’s forces to confront the undead. Now, he focused on the monster in front of him.

‘How much longer can I hold this monster back?’

He didn’t know.

But he had to do it.

From the moment he chose to stand in the face of disaster, Kang San had no other choice.

Taat━

He kicked off the ground.

As if waiting, the Dark Lord spread the fingers of both hands and swung the dark whips.

Kwaang!

Kwang, kwang, kwang, kwang!

Attacks exploded all around.

Even though he grasped the direction of the attacks with Killer’s Mindset, it was an attack that was difficult to avoid even with stats boosted by buffs. Still, he took the risk. If he didn’t close the distance, there was no chance of winning, so he didn’t slow down even though his skin was torn in several attacks.

Whoosh.

He reached close range.

“Blood Demon Sword Technique, Third Style: Explosive Kill!”

Kwaang!

Kwarurururung.

The attack exploded.

Even though the attack, maximizing destructive power, plunged down, the Dark Lord’s unscathed figure was visible through the thick smoke.

At that moment,

Whoosh.

Thwack━!

He raised his shield.

It was an instinctive action as soon as he sensed the killing intent, and a sharp, awl-like energy tried to pierce his chest. He spun around and landed on the ground. Faced with the immediately following attack, Kang San’s movements drew a smooth curve.

“Blood Demon Sword Technique, Fourth Style: Lure Kill.”

Whirl.

Flash━!

He led the attack.

He aimed for an attack that shot out like lightning, aiming for the gap in the moment when the opponent’s energy was completely misaligned.

It was a desperate struggle.

Even if the attack worked,

He knew it wouldn’t affect the odds of winning, but Kang San had to do something.

Had 10 minutes passed?

Had 20 minutes passed?

He couldn’t count the time.

He continued to struggle.

His skin was torn, and holes were pierced all over his body, but Kang San continued to fight the Dark Lord while recovering with Healing Aura. Pohang’s forces would somehow be able to deal with the undead. But unless reinforcements arrived, it was clear that the moment he let the Dark Lord go, disaster would begin.

Thwack━!

The attack struck.

With blood spraying from his mouth, Kang San’s eyes lost their strength.

‘……Why do I have to endure such hardship?’

Trials stemming from his past life.

He didn’t know anymore.

Was it right that he had to endure this because he was the Blood Demon?

Dirty past lives like Im Chan-yeong lived in luxury, so why did he have to endure such adversity?

It was beyond his comprehension.

Thud.

He braced himself with his hind legs.

He dashed forward again, charging at the Dark Lord.

He would face reality.

Not because he was righteous, but to survive, as always.

The moment Kang San broke into the Dark Lord’s space,

Thwack━!

Something pierced his heart.

Strength drained from his body, and he collapsed on the ground.

Thud.

“Ugh.”

He vomited blood thickly.

His body trembled.

His head was dizzy.

Was Guardian’s Will still active?

Even if it was, how much longer could he hold out against the monstrous Dark Lord?

『You are a pathetic being.』

Thump.

Thump, thump.

He heard the approaching tremors.

It was over.

Even if the Guardian’s Will effect was triggered, he didn’t think he could hold out any longer.

They would take care of the rest.

The trial, which had seemed hopeless, didn’t deviate from his expectations.

Something that was impossible from the start, logically.

The end of the trial was failure.

His weakened eyes looked up at the Dark Lord, towering high like the sky.

That’s when it happened.

『Guardian’s Will has been activated.』

『Health is fully restored, and defense is temporarily increased by 5 times.』

At the same time as his health was restored,

Kang San’s eyes widened.

A strange illusion overlapped before his eyes, and his vision spun.

✦✦✦✦✦✦

It was a familiar face.

The master of Seo Mun-ho, who was called the previous Blood Demon.

The old man said with a solemn face,

“The time has finally come.”

The time?

What did that mean?

Seo Mun-ho’s heart pounded, and it was transmitted directly to Kang San.

“The time to burn down the wicked Murim in the name of the Blood Demon!”