Blood Demon of the Past Life – Chapter 172

Chapter 172: The Rapidly Changing Tide （1）

On the TV screen, the announcer spoke with a serious expression.

『An Outbreak has occurred in Pohang. Currently, the Outbreak’s rank is being assessed, and it has been confirmed that the entrance to a dungeon, previously hidden due to the earthquake, has been opened. Citizens residing in Pohang, or those nearby, are advised to evacuate quickly. Once again, we inform you, an Outbreak has occurred in Pohang…….』

It was a scene from Kang San’s memory.

After the screen briefly showed static noise, the announcer had conveyed the devastating reality in a despairing voice.

But now, it was different.

『This is shocking news. While the dungeon’s rank has been confirmed as S-rank, it has been confirmed that there is a being blocking the Dark Lord at the forefront. That person’s identity is none other than Kang San. Kang San, who has made a name for himself in Korea through various acts of kindness, and is especially called the Hero of Kitakyushu in Japan, is currently facing the Dark Lord alone. As the Dark Lord is a monster that requires a very important initial response, according to experts, it is the dominant prediction that the worst-case scenario has been prevented thanks to Kang San holding out.』

People flocked to their TVs.

People walking down the street also stared blankly at the news reports playing on their phones or on electronic billboards.

『A moment ago, news has been received that the Dark Lord has been defeated. Citizens of Korea, an unprecedented catastrophe, an S-rank Outbreak, has struck Korea, but thanks to Kang San’s noble sacrifice, we have overcome the crisis. You can now rest assured. Currently, Guardians have been dispatched to the scene, and they are dealing with the remaining monsters and checking for any potential additional dangers. Meanwhile, countries around the world have expressed their admiration for Korea’s swift and decisive response. According to their judgment, this disaster was a groundbreaking result created by a single individual named Kang San, and one expert even stated that if the Dark Lord had been given just 10 minutes to produce enough undead, a completely different situation might have unfolded.』

People cheered.

Everyone embraced each other and shouted with joy at the news that the catastrophe, which could have started in Pohang and spread nationwide, had been prevented.

One person’s name was firmly imprinted in their minds.

Kang San.

It was thanks to Kang San.

No matter how much the government tried to stop it, with the live broadcast, there was no way to hide his contribution.

People flocked to Seoul’s Teleport Gate.

The reason was due to an additional news report.

『There is news that Kang San will be returning to Seoul soon. We will connect with a reporter on the scene to deliver the situation in real-time.』

Amidst the huge crowd that had gathered to welcome Kang San.

The image of a reporter preparing for Kang San’s interview was transmitted on the TV screen.

✦✦✦✦✦✦

Whoosh━

A bright light arose.

As Kang San appeared using teleportation, people simultaneously erupted in cheers.

“Kkyaag━!”

“It’s Kang San!”

“Korea’s hero!”

“Thanks to you, we survived!”

“Kang San! Kang San! Kang San!”

“Kang San! Kang San! Kang San!”

It was a massive tide.

Even when the government was using the strategy of spreading conspiracies, people showed a tendency to be easily swayed by the news they were shown. Back then, it seemed plausible. It seemed like there would be someone behind the scenes for the rapid growth of an F-rank human shield, and there were points that were difficult to accept logically, such as the incident in Kitakyushu.

But no one doubted after seeing the truth.

At the moment of disaster.

Kang San existed.

An S-rank Outbreak was something that couldn’t be manipulated even if one tried, and Kang San had even stopped the Dark Lord, hadn’t he? Moreover, the reporters who went to Pohang reported through interviews with Mayor Park Moon-do that they were able to safely overcome the crisis thanks to Kang San. This disaster started and ended entirely with Kang San. People accepted Kang San’s existence completely without a shred of doubt.

Kang San walked through the crowd.

The reporter captured his appearance on camera and conveyed the situation through the microphone.

“The hero has finally returned. Kang San’s expression is clearly tired, but fortunately, it doesn’t appear that he has any particular injuries. This is incredible. Especially according to interviews with people who volunteered as support, there is testimony that Kang San single-handedly blocked the indiscriminate attacks of the S-rank Dark Lord. In other words, this means that Kang San’s skill, which was estimated to be A-rank, might actually be S-rank. In Korea, after Lee Han-seong and So Yi-hyun, and Flare’s Master, a total of 3 S-ranks, the moment of the birth of the 4th S-rank has finally arrived. While we look forward to Kang San’s future endeavors, we will conduct a brief interview.”

Kang San approached.

He was passing by, and as planned, the reporter held out the microphone.

“Kang San-nim. Since you must be tired, I’ll only ask one thing. What were you thinking when you took on such a reckless task? Even for you, Kang San-nim, the decision to stop an S-rank Outbreak couldn’t have been easy.”

He stopped.

He stopped walking.

Kang San looked at the reporter, and beyond him, at the camera.

He had already finished calculating how he would answer before he arrived.

Now that the government was displeased with him, he had no intention of remaining someone they could control at will.

Kang San spoke.

“I simply did what I had to do as a citizen of Korea.”

A statement refuting the claim that he was a Japanese spy.

And as Kang San immediately resumed walking, a tremendous roar and a barrage of camera flashes erupted.

Flash, flash, flash.

Flash, flash, flash, flash, flash, flash, flash.

✦✦✦✦✦✦

Kang San headed home for now.

A conversation with the government was scheduled, but he needed time to organize his thoughts for the time being.

Thud.

“Sigh━.”

He slumped into a chair.

With a blank expression, he stared at the ceiling, calmly settling his complicated thoughts.

“…To think that White Knight Lee Han-seong’s past life was Moyeongcheon.”

It was shocking.

In the midst of a complicated and intertwined relationship, Kang San had discovered an unexpected truth.

This confirmed it.

It wasn’t a coincidence that he had gained the Memory Playback skill, and past relationships, such as Im Chan-yeong and Kim Chun-sik’s past lives, were continuing into the present. The problem was that Moyeongcheon was a terrible enemy to Seo Mun-ho. Come to think of it, even though Im Chan-yeong had a less severe relationship with Peng Mujeong and Moyeongcheon, they clashed constantly in the present life. Kang San couldn’t simply accept Moyeongcheon’s past life without any concern.

Moreover.

‘Lee Han-seong’s childhood was strange too. If his good deeds weren’t genuine, but rather artificially crafted to gain recognition from people, then Lee Han-seong’s true nature might be different from what we know. Just like Moyeongcheon, who lived as the symbol of justice, the Murim Alliance Leader, at the pinnacle of the righteous Murim.’

It was complicated.

The more Trials he solved.

The more he peeled back the layers of his past life’s secrets.

He couldn’t understand if this was truly the process of resolving his karmic debt.

Luca Bellino.

And Azmoon.

What was their purpose?

If he carefully recalled the words the Dark Lord had uttered, there were more than a few strange parts.

‘There’s no way for me to find out the truth as I am now. In the end, I have no choice but to move like a puppet according to their intended purpose. Calm down. What I need now is not to be swept away by the incoming waves, but to exist as myself in any situation. As Kang San, not Seo Mun-ho.’

He took a deep breath.

He found equanimity.

Just as his body was becoming stronger, Kang San’s spirit was also growing stronger.

Kang San checked the rewards.

Strangely, not only the twenty-eighth Trial to stop the S-rank Outbreak, but also the twenty-sixth Trial to change the hearts of the heretics had been solved together.

First, the twenty-sixth reward.

『Special Skill』

『Resonance』

1. People who believe in and follow the caster become attuned to the caster’s emotions.

『Special Skill』

『Transcendence』

1. In front of people who believe in and follow the caster, temporarily boosts stats beyond their limits.』

They were unusual skills.

It seemed that he had obtained skills of a similar nature since the Trial was about changing the hearts of heretics.

The stat increase was an added bonus.

And the reward for the twenty-eighth Trial.

『6-Star Skill （★★★★★★）』

『Metamorphosis』

1. Temporarily transforms the caster into the desired form. When imagining a desired form in categories such as attack or defense, it evolves into the ultimate form of that type. The duration is unlimited, but the longer it is maintained, the more the caster loses their sense of self.

2. When using Metamorphosis, lower-ranked beings can be put into a state of fear.

『Special Skill』

『Drain 』

1. Absorbs the target’s health and magic power. This may succeed or fail depending on the caster’s stats.

Two skills.

One was a 6-Star skill.

Although there was a tremendous penalty of losing one’s sense of self if maintained for a long time, just by looking at the description of evolving into the ultimate form, one could tell how destructive the skill was. Certainly, as the Trial stages increased, the rewards also became more powerful. And even without the Trials, there were new things he had gained.

『Kang San』

━Strength: 1022

━Agility: 1038

━Divine Power: 380

━Reaction Speed: 510

━Toughness: 555

━Mental Strength: 358

『Growth-type Skill』

『Guardian’s Will』

1. Defense and health regeneration increase by +3% for each enemy faced.

2. When health drops below 10%, health is fully restored and defense is increased by 5 times. （Cooldown: 1 week）

4. Guardian’s Will will grow when Divine Power reaches 500. （380/500）

『Conditional Skill （★★★★★★）』

『Blood Demon Sword Technique, Fifth Style: Annihilation』

1. Only those who have mastered the Blood Demon Art can use the Blood Demon Sword Technique.

2. Explosively releases the magic power of the Blood Demon Art to unleash a powerful strike. Attack power momentarily increases by 500%, and attack power further increases by the amount of attack power stat accumulated through the Blood Demon Art. Targets that ‘bleed’ from this attack cannot be healed for a certain period due to the bleeding effect. （Cooldown: 30 minutes）

A dramatic increase in stats.

A-rank was based on a minimum stat of 500, but Kang San now boasted more than twice that amount. This meant that he had reached S-rank. And in the case of Guardian’s Will, it had already entered a new realm through the Kitakyushu Trial, and the Blood Demon Sword Technique, Fifth Style: Annihilation showed a destructive ability that increased attack power by a whopping 500%. Even though the Fourth Style: Lure Kill was a 4-Star skill, it was rated as 6-Star, making it the most destructive skill Kang San possessed.

It was a tremendous reward.

He could tell that he had now entered a completely different world.

Kang San needed time to test out the skills, but now that the Outbreak was over, he wasn’t allowed any leisure.

Just then.

『Can we meet for a moment?』

He received a message from Saito Shusuke.

✦✦✦✦✦✦

The meeting took place at his home.

Presumably because he was concerned about the public’s attention, Saito Shusuke personally visited Kang San’s home.

Kang San spoke.

“Thank you for coming all this way to help me. Thanks to you, I was able to stay safe.”

“No, it was me who would have been dead if it weren’t for Kang San-nim. I will gladly give my life for Kang San-nim if anything happens to you in the future. I made that resolution on the day I was saved.”

“You don’t have to go that far….”

“You don’t need to feel burdened. This is just my will. Anyway, let me tell you why I came here.”

Seeing Kang San’s troubled expression at his strong will, Saito Shusuke hurriedly changed the subject, lest he be dissuaded.

He took something out.

It was a laptop, and he played a connection program while adding an explanation.

“Actually, it’s nothing else, but the Japanese government has expressed their desire to contact Kang San-nim directly. It will be something that helps you, Kang San-nim, so please have a conversation with them.”

“Alright.”

The connection was established.

On the other side of the screen.

He saw the familiar face of Ito Kentaro.

『Kang San-nim. I’m glad you’re safe.』

“Thank you. Thanks to the support you sent, we overcame a great crisis.”

『Japan simply did what it had to do. We received a favor during the Kitakyushu incident, so it would be worse than beasts to turn our backs on our benefactor’s hardship. The reason I contacted you like this is because of the Korean government.』

“The government?”

『Yes. When Japan dispatched the support troops, I got a strange feeling from the Korean government. They didn’t seem to be actively responding to their own country’s disaster, but rather seemed very wary of the situation where you, ‘Kang San’-nim, were receiving high praise. In fact, in principle, even if it’s an allied country, when dispatching support troops, a reasonable reward is usually given, but Japan had to give up even that to use the Teleport Gate. So be careful. Now that the situation the Korean government was most worried about has occurred, there’s no telling what kind of plot they might devise against Kang San-nim. If the worst comes to pass, the Japanese government is on Kang San-nim’s side, so please contact us if you need help.』

“…Alright.”

The conversation was brief.

The purpose was sufficiently conveyed, and after sending Saito Shusuke back, Kang San fell into thought for a moment.

‘The Korean government.’

Their intentions were malicious.

They had belittled him before the disaster struck, and as soon as the disaster was over, they sent a message wanting to talk.

Ito Kentaro’s advice was valid.

A situation where he didn’t know what might happen.

But he didn’t avoid it.

‘Perhaps they too are a result of the karmic relationships from my past life.’

He stood up.

It was time for the appointment.

He would respond to the government’s meeting request.

And what they would say, how they would act.

He intended to experience it firsthand.

A warning that it was a dangerous situation?

It didn’t matter.

Now that he had even stopped an S-rank Outbreak, Kang San wasn’t an individual who would be helplessly swayed by the government.

Kang San organized his thoughts and headed to the meeting place the government had specified.