Blood Demon of the Past Life – Chapter 167

Chapter 167: S-rank Outbreak （11）

A little while ago.

Park Mun-do, the mayor of Pohang, received a call from reporter Kim Min-yeong.

『……The current atmosphere in the capital is like this. So, I have a favor to ask. Could you check the Gokumsan area with a drone? If we can show people how Kang San-nim is stopping the Outbreak, we can sway public opinion more definitively to our side.』

“Well, about that…”

It was a reasonable suggestion.

Due to Kim Min-yeong breaking the embargo, the Korean government’s lukewarm response was already under fire.

If they presented more definitive, visible evidence in a situation like this, the flames of public opinion would surely blaze even hotter. Despite that, Park Mun-do couldn’t readily agree. Breaking the embargo meant going against the Korean government, and if he sided with Kim Min-yeong, he could get swept up in it too.

Ultimately, he was a politician.

To maintain his position as mayor, he had to be cautious in any situation.

『Make a wise decision. If you can’t properly stop the disaster, you’ll never be able to keep your seat as mayor. From the moment the disaster breaks out, the person in charge of that region is no better than a fly waiting to be swatted. And above all, the government’s influence in this country drastically decreases the further you go from the capital. In that case, wouldn’t it be better to find a way to solidify your position as ‘Mayor of Pohang’?』

He pondered.

He had already deployed several ‘Reinforced Drones’ to grasp the situation, so all he had to decide was whether to share the footage with Kim Min-yeong, a single reporter. In truth, he was also furious about the situation where support troops weren’t being dispatched immediately. The reason Park Mun-do could hold the position of Pohang mayor was because this was his hometown, and it was only natural for a person’s heart to lean towards their hometown.

Mayor Park Mun-do said,

“Alright. I’ll share the drone footage.”

『Thank you, Mayor!』

Control room screen.

He transmitted the footage of the drone heading towards Gokumsan to reporter Kim Min-yeong in real-time.

Kim Min-yeong explained that she was currently conducting a live broadcast, so the moment Kang San was spotted, everyone would be able to see it before the government had a chance to intervene. His heart pounded. He had only encountered Outbreaks through the news; he was nervous to witness the starting point firsthand.

“Mayor!”

“We see a person!”

『Growl.』

『Screech!』

The undead surged in like a tidal wave.

Beyond the undead pouring out from the collapsed section of the barrier, they could see the figure of a single human engaged in a fierce battle with a gigantic being. It was definitely Kang San. The Kang San he had met before was truly fighting at the epicenter of the disaster.

However.

“Huh?”

“…No way.”

Cracks appeared on the faces of the control room staff.

Just then, the Reinforced Drone was swept away and crashed, engulfed by the powerful magical energy emanating from the Dark Lord.

『Boom━!』

『Crackle, sizzle.』

The screen went black.

The captured footage lasted only about three seconds.

That was enough.

The control room staff, Mayor Park Mun-do, and reporter Kim Min-yeong, who was receiving the footage, all saw it.

They confirmed the identity of the ‘monster’ Kang San was fighting.

Mayor Park Mun-do screamed,

“…This is insane. A Dark Lord! Then this means it’s an S-rank Outbreak!”

✦✦✦✦✦✦

The broadcast went haywire.

Dark Lord.

It was a being that had revealed itself to the world once before, so the viewers immediately recognized it.

━ What the…

━ A Dark Lord?

━ If it’s a Dark Lord, that’s an S-rank monster. We’re screwed. A Dark Lord is a monster that creates an undead army if the initial response fails, so this might not end in Pohang. Korean government, you bastards! Move quickly! An S-rank Outbreak has occurred, and you’re doing nothing but not sending support troops!

━ Isn’t there no precedent for an S-rank Outbreak occurring worldwide? Even an A-rank is enough to wipe out a decent-sized city. If it’s an Outbreak caused by a Dark Lord, Pohang is practically finished.

It was pandemonium.

Everyone was in a state of chaos.

Faced with a disaster with no prior examples, everyone felt like their minds were about to explode.

Kim Min-yeong felt the same.

She wanted to rule out the worst-case scenario as much as possible, but she was speechless at the reality unfolding before her eyes.

‘…An S-rank Outbreak. What is Kang San-nim thinking, confronting that monster alone?’

She acknowledged Kang San’s abilities.

He had proven himself to be at least A-rank, and she had entertained the naive thought that his tanker abilities, which he had demonstrated so far, might be enough to hold out. However, an S-rank Outbreak was different. It was a catastrophe that even Kang San, even if he were an S-rank Awakened, couldn’t withstand. She gulped, her eyes trembling.

━ Those watching this live broadcast, prepare for a ‘Dark Age’ from now on. Pohang’s forces won’t last long, and the Dark Lord, having absorbed a city, will soon spread throughout South Korea. Don’t expect Kang San to buy us time. It will take at least 3-4 hours for support troops to arrive in Pohang, and that’s a time even the White Knight couldn’t endure. Kang San will die soon. And South Korea will be punished for its complacent response.

She couldn’t refute it.

Her thoughts were the same.

The answer to the question of whether Kang San could endure was a 100% certain death.

Reality was cold.

The outcome of sacrifice wasn’t always hopeful, like in hero stories.

Kim Min-yeong was a professional.

Faced with the definite outcome of Kang San’s death, she had to at least ensure his death wasn’t meaningless.

“From now on, we…”

Kim Min-yeong continued, her voice filled with despair.

She thought,

Kang San will die.

Now that they had confirmed the Dark Lord, that would be the unchanging outcome.

✦✦✦✦✦✦

At that moment.

Kim Chun-sik, who had arrived in Busan first, received the urgent news while riding in a military truck.

“…Is that true?”

“Yes. It’s been reported that the Dark Lord was actually captured on reporter Kim Min-yeong’s live broadcast a short while ago.”

“Damn it.”

His face contorted.

It felt like hope was crumbling.

Kim Chun-sik, who had hastened his steps to help Kang San, knew this was a situation he couldn’t resolve. If it were an A-rank Outbreak, he would have somehow lent his strength. However, with a mere B-rank stat, even as a Special Forces soldier, there was nothing he could do with the power of someone from a civilian background.

It was devastating.

He had struggled to become stronger, but it felt like all of it was becoming meaningless.

At the same time, a thought crossed his mind.

Bringing soldiers into this chaos could be a choice that would send them to their deaths.

“Let’s keep going.”

“What?”

It was Sergeant Park.

Led by him, the soldiers in the truck showed unwavering gazes.

“I know what you’re thinking. You’re probably thinking that S-rank power can’t change the tide, so it’s wrong to sacrifice us needlessly. We don’t care. We’re soldiers before we’re civilians, and we’re ready to lay down our lives to save Kang San-nim, not anyone else.”

“These bastards, really.”

“Captain. There’s no time to hesitate. Let’s figure out what to do.”

The soldiers added their voices.

The countless dangers they had overcome together.

They believed they had lived meaningful lives as Special Forces soldiers.

In a life that couldn’t always be safe, they weren’t realists who would turn away even if death was certain.

They were foolish and stubborn.

That’s why they had followed Kim Chun-sik all this time.

His thoughts were read.

Just as he couldn’t bring himself to answer, he heard a strange voice.

『You have met the special conditions.』

『Your physical abilities will improve due to Awakening.』

“?!!!!”

It was out of the blue.

Awakening?

When he checked his status window, his stat, which had been B-rank, had increased to A-rank.

‘What in the world…’

He couldn’t understand it.

He was just riding in a truck, and the miracle of fulfilling the Awakening conditions had occurred.

Was it because of the soldiers’ sincerity?

No.

Kim Chun-sik knew that things like this happened frequently.

When he first Awakened, he thought he had met the Awakening conditions in a desperate situation where he was trying to save people. But from then on, it was a different story. From E-rank to D-rank, D-rank to C-rank, C-rank to B-rank. All three Awakenings were sudden. And without fail, the common fact he could confirm was that he heard about Kang San achieving some kind of feat afterward.

Perhaps it was the same this time.

He didn’t know what had happened to Kang San, but there was no other way to explain this situation.

‘Is this even possible, logically?’

He didn’t know.

He had to confirm it.

To be precise, with his ability increased to A-rank, he gained a bit of confidence that he could be of some help.

He looked at the soldiers.

“I’m sorry. And…”

He gritted his teeth.

From now on, he focused solely on his meaning as a soldier.

“We will continue the operation. The priority is to ensure the safety of Pohang’s citizens.”

✦✦✦✦✦✦

Two hours after the incident.

They were able to arrive in the Gokumsan area, shortening the 3-4 hour journey by more than an hour.

It was a result achieved through sheer determination.

They hadn’t entered the Gokumsan entrance yet, but even from a short distance away, a battle was already underway.

“Block them━!”

Bang!

Rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat!

Pohang’s soldiers.

They unleashed their firepower.

They had set up barricades to initially block the undead and were pumping bullets into every single one that rushed at them with rage-filled faces. Most of the citizens had already been evacuated. The only people left here were soldiers, government-affiliated Hunters, and civilian Hunters operating nearby. Since civilian Hunters couldn’t be forcibly mobilized, only those who volunteered to help were here, fighting the undead alongside the soldiers.

Kim Chun-sik disembarked from the truck as if flying.

He rushed forward, immediately shouting at the soldiers,

“I’ll take care of the rear.”

“Yes, sir.”

He increased his speed.

Leaping over the soldiers already engaged in combat, he drew the B-rank machete specially supplied by the military and smashed an undead’s head.

Crack!

Squish.

That was the beginning.

Kim Chun-sik smashed the heads of three undead rushing at him from all directions in succession, then plunged into the space teeming with undead. Strangely, he didn’t have a single combat skill. After evolving through Awakening, he had heard the voice saying he had failed to learn a skill, and this case was unprecedented worldwide.

Instead,

He gained heightened senses.

The stat Super Sensory led him to a completely different world.

‘Right.’

Whoosh.

He dodged an attack.

It was a swift movement, and he swung the machete hanging from his neck, slicing through the undead.

It was the same just now.

As soon as he sensed an attack and turned his head to the left, an undead’s filthy hand reached out to grab his head.

Whack━!

He spun around and smashed its head.

One at a time with each strike.

He chose the surefire method of crushing their heads.

From behind, the soldiers concentrated their fire around Kim Chun-sik, and although he had only been deployed a short while ago, he had already taken down more than a few dozen undead. He continued to advance. He killed, and killed, and killed again. He knew he had to break through the undead surging in like a tidal wave to reach Kang San, who was facing the Dark Lord.

However, even after 5 minutes passed,

And 10 minutes passed,

The undead showed no signs of diminishing.

The monsters that had bubbled up from the abyss of hell had already secured an overwhelming number.

‘…Damn it.’

Kang San was in danger.

The Dark Lord.

If he was facing that monster alone, even if they arrived right now, it wouldn’t be considered fast.

He was in a hurry.

Despite recklessly wiping out the enemies, the space teeming with darkness remained unchanged.

That’s when it happened.

“Get out of the way━!”

An intense heat erupted.

As Kim Chun-sik instinctively threw himself to the ground,

Boom!

Kaboom! Kaboom! Kaboom!

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

A tremendous firepower swept through the surrounding area.

✦✦✦✦✦✦

Kim Chun-sik wasn’t the only one who hastened his steps.

People were arriving one after another.

And among them,

“I’ll take care of the rear from now on.”

Whoosh.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.

A being engulfed in flames.

Yeon Woo-bin’s eyes, dyed a deep blue, shone brightly.