Blood Demon of the Past Life – Chapter 44

Chapter 44: The Presence or Absence of Just One Person （7）

At that moment.

Yeon Gyu-seong couldn’t hide his bewildered emotions at the situation where Yeon Woo-bin wouldn’t give up until the very end.

“…Just how long does he intend to keep this up?!”

It was already over.

Far from dealing with the Hobgoblin, Yeon Woo-bin’s magic was completely depleted just from dealing with the monsters below. In truth, Yeon Gyu-seong thought he would surrender by now. No matter how desperate he was, this was only a test, and he didn’t think Yeon Woo-bin was foolish enough to struggle to the bitter end in a situation where defeat was certain.

But then.

Yeon Woo-bin entered meditation.

From that point on, Yeon Gyu-seong couldn’t stay still. As he showed signs of anxiety, his secretary spoke.

“Should we deploy the bodyguards?”

“Damn it.”

He couldn’t bring himself to answer.

Yeon Woo-bin hadn’t raised the white flag yet.

If Yeon Gyu-seong sent bodyguards to rescue his son now, the father-son bet would end in his son’s victory.

That couldn’t happen.

Even though it meant sending his son into danger, Yeon Gyu-seong’s body trembled, but he couldn’t bring himself to utter the words, “Save him.” The problem was that meditation on the battlefield was extremely dangerous. If Yeon Woo-bin were to receive an external shock, he might suffer permanent disability, even if he didn’t die. It was a tremendous dilemma. He wanted to save his son, but whenever he recalled the moment he’d wept after losing his wife, his mind went blank.

Yeon Gyu-seong said,

“…If, and only if, I can’t break my son’s stubbornness. If he truly wishes to live as a Hunter, regardless of the outcome of our bet, I must confirm two things. How Woo-bin responds to variables beyond his control. And.”

Beyond the screen.

He watched a single person.

In fact, the current situation wouldn’t have even come to pass if it weren’t for that tenacious individual.

“What kind of people the colleagues he believes in are.”

✦✦✦✦✦✦

Meditation.

Yeon Woo-bin’s consciousness sank into darkness.

His vision went dark. He tried to sever his connection to reality and focus on the flow of mana as much as possible.

Kwaang━!

“Ugh.”

The sound forced its way through the darkness.

Even though he hadn’t visually confirmed it, the image of Jeong Chan-woo suffering from blocking the rock attack came to mind. In fact, Yeon Woo-bin hadn’t been injured even once during the battle. Although he’d suffered a few scrapes from rolling on the ground, the monsters had never directly attacked him.

It was all thanks to his companions.

At the forefront, Kang San.

And at the rear, Jeong Chan-woo.

They had risked their lives.

In situations he hadn’t even recognized as dangerous, they had appeared out of nowhere and taken the brunt of everything for him.

‘Why am I so desperately struggling like this?’

It was just a test.

No one had forced him to walk this thorny path.

If he compromised with reality, the power his father held would guarantee him a comfortable life. Yet, he had defied his father’s wishes. Even though he knew his father would be upset and it would cause conflict between them, Yeon Woo-bin didn’t want to let his special talent go to waste.

He was just like his father.

If.

If only.

If a danger arose that even his father couldn’t handle, what should he do?

In a world where even the president of a nation could die, no matter how great the power his father possessed, could it truly protect him?

Kyaaak━!

He heard his mother’s scream.

Like his mother, who had fallen and disappeared after being pushed by the crowd, Yeon Woo-bin needed the strength to push through the crowd and reach out to his mother if he faced the same situation again. Beyond himself, he wanted to cultivate the strength to protect those around him.

Both his father and himself.

They were doing it for each other.

Their intentions were simply different.

And just like Jeong Chan-woo, Yeon Woo-bin looked at Kang San and discovered his own ideals.

‘I want to be like Kang San-nim. Someone who steps forward for the people he wants to protect, someone who achieves his goals even at the risk of his life. I can’t live under my father’s shadow forever. If only I had been there for Mom back then. If I hadn’t existed under Mom’s shadow, she wouldn’t have died like that.’

He caught his breath.

His head cooled down.

He needed Kang San in the future.

Beyond simply passing the test, he wanted to build a future together with Kang San.

‘It’s not just because it’s safe with Kang San-nim. No matter how disadvantageous the situation, no matter how slim the chances of winning, Kang San-nim never gives up. He fights to the end and always finds the answer. If I can learn even a fraction of what he’s like, and if I can have such an amazing person as a colleague, it will be a tremendous help as I live as a Hunter. So I have to prove that I’m someone worthy of Kang San-nim’s acceptance. No one may recognize Kang San-nim now, but in the future that will surely come, not just anyone will be able to stand beside him.’

A needle in a bag.

His presence would be revealed someday.

Even though he was currently just an E-rank Hunter, Yeon Woo-bin was certain that the future would be different.

Therefore.

He needed to prove himself.

That Yeon Woo-bin was a talented Mage and that he would be an asset as a colleague. Simply finishing the test wasn’t the only important thing. Yeon Woo-bin was thinking about the future beyond that.

Ssseuk.

His consciousness sank.

He immersed himself in his own world.

He forgot the passage of time.

He focused on controlling the mana spreading throughout his body and recovering as much ‘pure mana’ as possible.

He trusted his colleagues.

They would surely endure.

And so, time passed.

✦✦✦✦✦✦

Barely 3 minutes.

In reality, it felt like 30 minutes.

1 second, 2 seconds, during the time the second hand ticked by, nails and weapons teeming with murderous intent came striking from all directions, and Kang San had to block them all without even a moment to check what was happening behind him.

Hook.

Crack.

“Heup.”

He blocked the Troll’s face with both hands.

Sharp teeth chattered menacingly right in front of him, and as soon as he lowered his head, an arrow struck between his eyebrows.

Puck━!

It was Jo Han-byeol.

The Troll roared with the arrow still embedded.

When the Troll, who wouldn’t go down from just an arrow, swung its arms, Kang San once again raised his shield to block the attack. Thud, his body was lifted. He was physically exhausted. At first, he hadn’t shown any sign of faltering under such attacks, but as fatigue accumulated, Kang San started to waver.

‘This is my limit now.’

He knew it himself.

It was an impossible fight.

Finally, the human wave tactic was nearing its end, but at the cost of Kang San and many others expending too much stamina.

However.

He couldn’t possibly give up.

Burning Time aside, giving up was no longer an option in the life Kang San was living.

‘It’s not just for the mission. Leaving aside the fact that I’ll lose everything the moment I fail, I need conviction to live this new life. The conviction that my comrades will be safe no matter how dangerous the trials I face. I need to prove myself now.’

It was a fundamental issue.

Regardless of success or failure.

He needed a process to gain that conviction.

Kyaak━!

The Troll lunged its face forward.

Kang San parried the attack once, then explosively unleashed his magical power.

‘Blood Demon Sword Technique, First Style: Blade Kill.’

Flash.

Puck━!

The head flew off.

Simultaneously.

『The effect of Blood Demon Art has been activated.』

『Attack power temporarily increases by 40%.』

40.

For a moment.

He felt his mind expand.

His head seemed to heat up, and more detailed sensations than before surged through the cells of his entire body.

Blood Demon Art.

Primal instinct was tinged with madness.

It was a dangerous state.

But he saw it as an opportunity.

When he experienced the Link phenomenon, Kang San had confirmed that Guardian’s Will controlled his primal instinct.

‘I’ll use the risk to my advantage.’

Pat.

He kicked off the ground.

The moment Guardian’s Will activated.

His status abnormalities disappeared, and his health recovered.

It was a reliable mechanism for Kang San, and he charged into the space swarming with enemies, launching an offensive.

Kyaak!

A Goblin’s face appeared.

He split it in half at once, then slashed at the Goblin that rushed in next.

The Goblins could no longer withstand the attack power enhanced by Blood Demon Art, and even the Trolls were torn limb from limb when he attacked using the Blood Demon Sword Technique. His head spun. Murderous intent filled his mind, and his eyes, quickly scanning the surroundings, identified his opponents’ vital points. In the instant his sword flashed, he struck those vital points. Even the Troll’s tough hide, protected by armor, fell backward with a death rattle.

Thud.

Rumble.

He drew a line.

Between himself and his comrades.

He slaughtered the monsters that crossed that line.

Kang San was a breakwater, and it seemed he was holding back the surging waves.

“……!”

Beyond the sky.

Until a massive flame came flying.

Kwaang!

Whoosh!

His body was engulfed in flames.

In the tremendous heat that burned him, Kang San gritted his teeth.

“Kkeueueuk.”

『Guardian’s Will has been activated.』

『Health is fully restored, and defense is temporarily doubled.』

『The status abnormality Madman’s effect disappears.』

A bright light emanated from his body.

Guardian’s Will meant that if the skill hadn’t existed, he would have died from that attack.

Splash━

『……Human ……die.』

Beyond that.

He saw a Hobgoblin.

Although he had recovered his health with Guardian’s Will, Kang San knew that the situation was worse than before.

The Hobgoblin’s target had changed.

The monster, which had been trying to target the Dealers in the back as much as possible, was now directing a deep-seated murderous intent specifically towards Kang San.

“……This is a really crappy difficulty.”

He steeled his resolve.

Holding his shield close to his body, Kang San once again prepared to face the enemies.

But at that moment.

“Dodge!”

Right behind him.

He heard Yeon Woo-bin’s urgent shout.

✦✦✦✦✦✦

When he finally opened his eyes.

Yeon Woo-bin felt something special.

『Magic Eye evolves due to the effect of Open Eyes.』

Skill evolution.

It was an incredible event.

Whether it was mental growth or something he gained through meditation, the process wasn’t clear, but Yeon Woo-bin knew that his ability had reached a new level. And the effect was immediate. Not only was his magic power amplified by the effect of Magic Eye, but he could also cast magic in a new realm, assuming the cool-down time had been met.

‘Salamander’s Breath.’

Whoosh.

Whoosh!

He cast the spell.

And.

‘Berserk.’

The effect of Magic Eye.

It explosively increased the power of his magic.

With Yeon Woo-bin at the center, magic power surged, and flames erupted like a volcanic explosion, sweeping the surroundings.

“Gasp.”

“…Wh-what is this?”

Jo Han-byeol and Jeong Chan-woo, who were guarding him, were startled by the sheer power.

They quickly dodged the heat that seemed to burn them even with a graze.

The problem was.

Kang San was at the end of it.

Thinking that Kang San might get caught in the flames, Yeon Woo-bin hurriedly shouted.

“Dodge!”

Kang San’s reaction was swift.

Even if he didn’t understand it rationally.

He trusted Yeon Woo-bin’s instructions.

As soon as Kang San threw himself aside, the overflowing flames swept through the monsters.

Kwaaang!

Whoosh.

Whoosh!

Kieeeeeeeeeeek!

It was a horrifying sight.

The Salamander’s Breath, amplified by Magic Eye, had a destructive power comparable to C-rank from the beginning, but the effect of Berserk proved to be even more powerful. The monsters melted away in an instant. The same was true for the Hobgoblin. The Hobgoblin had made the mistake of closing the distance to attack Kang San, and when the flames reached it, the Hobgoblin jumped back in surprise.

It was an opening.

Kang San didn’t miss that opportunity.

“Now’s our chance!”

Kang San charged forward.

As he broke through the monsters engulfed in flames and lunged at the Hobgoblin, the Hobgoblin hurriedly cast a spell.

『Dark Sp…….』

Flash.

Clang━!

Blood Demon Sword Technique.

The spell was canceled.

All the heads that the Hobgoblin boasted were gone.

The Hobgoblin couldn’t handle the momentary lapse.

In this situation.

Kang San wasn’t the only one who hadn’t lost focus.

‘Focused Shot.’

Whizz.

An arrow flew in from afar.

And finally.

Thwack━!

It pierced the Hobgoblin’s forehead.