Blood Demon of the Past Life – Chapter 71

Chapter 71: The Tenth Trial （2）

Hwaak-

The world shook.

As they reached the space beyond the gate, they saw a thicket bathed in moonlight.

“Werewolves have extremely developed senses of smell. This time, we won’t utilize scouts. We’ll form a line and enter directly.”

“Yes.”

The feeling was different from last time.

Back then, Kim Myeong-min and Sub-Tanker Kang Gi-dong took the front, but this time, the newly joined Main Tanker Ju Seok-hun stepped forward. He was a B-rank Hunter, no less. Not only that, but there were a few more members they hadn’t seen last time. Including Kang San, the party consisted of eight people, representing the full force of the Ranger team.

How long had they been moving?

The Archer, who had been following from the rear, spoke in a quiet voice.

“Movement detected ahead.”

Gleaming eyes.

He activated Hawk Eye.

Instead of deploying Gu Yeon-su, the Sub-Dealer and Scout, the Archer continuously checked the surroundings with his enhanced vision. His keen senses had caught a few movements. It was a voice so quiet that it would be difficult to hear if one wasn’t focused, but everyone reacted immediately as he issued the warning.

Ju Seok-hun stepped forward.

At the same time, they saw the bushes rustling.

“They’re coming!”

Kyaaak-

It was a Werewolf.

The monster, rushing like a quadruped, jumped momentarily and swung both arms.

Kaaang━!

The attack was blocked with almost disappointing ease.

Ju Seok-hun calmly blocked the continuous attacks, and the Werewolf, after swinging its claws a few times, had its forearm ripped off by Kim Myeong-min’s sword. It wasn’t just that. As arrows flew in and struck the Werewolf’s body, Yoon Ji-tae spewed out blazing flames.

“Fire Lance.”

Hwarrrr.

Kwaang━!

The target wasn’t the Werewolf in front.

The other Werewolves that appeared afterward screamed in agony from the blazing flames.

Kyaaak!

Keureureuk.

A melee broke out in an instant.

Ju Seok-hun blocked the attacks with a calm face, and Kim Myeong-min backed him up, firmly holding the front line. The Werewolves that charged from the sides were not a problem. Sub-Tanker Kang Gi-dong was there for situations like this, and he quickly subdued them by joining forces with Sub-Dealer Gu Yeon-su and another Sub-Dealer.

It was organized.

Once they entered the battle, they showed fantastic teamwork, like gears meshing together, without any special commands.

Puck━!

Kkeureureuk.

The last Werewolf was also dealt with.

Kim Myeong-min, wiping the blood off his sword, looked at the team members.

“If they’re attacking us like this from the entrance, the situation of the rescue targets might be worse than we thought. We’ll increase our speed from now on.”

“Yes.”

There were no objections.

It was the Ranger unit’s rule.

Before deploying on a mission, they accepted various opinions, but once the operation began, they blindly followed the team leader unless it was an opinion that required a certain level of consideration. A series of choices where a split second could mean life or death. They believed that the team leader, whom they had trusted and followed so far, would make the right choice now as well.

They didn’t even glance at the corpses.

They were people who lived with a sense of mission, not even thinking about the benefits of byproducts, and they moved forward quickly, led by Ju Seok-hun.

Following them.

Kang San moved along, blending in.

✦✦✦✦✦✦

Kim Myeong-min’s team.

They were definitely skilled.

Once their full force was assembled, even when Werewolves rushed in from all directions, not a single crisis occurred.

At the center of it all.

Was Main Tanker Ju Seok-hun.

He had apparently even undergone seclusion training, and it seemed that the time hadn’t been wasted, as he showed remarkable skills. The Werewolves couldn’t break through Ju Seok-hun, and he used Guardian Shield to appropriately distract them only when it was judged that the Sub-Tanker wouldn’t be able to react to the monsters that popped out irregularly.

It was impressive.

Ju Seok-hun perfectly demonstrated what it meant to be a B-rank Tanker with his flawless tanking.

And the team members who supported him.

They quickly moved towards their destination.

At this rate, they would find the rescue targets soon, but Kang San still couldn’t calm his pounding heart.

‘This definitely won’t end like this.’

He was certain.

He didn’t know what kind of variables would occur in the future, but as the Tenth Trial had warned, it was clear that it wouldn’t end with just a few Werewolves appearing. Perhaps that’s why his mouth kept getting dry. Even though the situation was proceeding smoothly and without any problems, the tension remained taut.

Pasak.

Hwek.

Even if someone just stepped on a pile of leaves.

His head turned sharply.

Kang San’s face, covered in cold sweat, seemed tense to others.

Kim Myeong-min, in particular, reevaluated Kang San.

‘…Even though his rank is low, I evaluated him as someone with great skills and will. But if he’s this scared in a C-rank operation, like the other team members said, I’ll have to reconsider Kang San’s position. There’s no way Kang San will survive in this world where even the most ideal performance at his current level puts his life at risk.’

Regardless of whether people’s eyes changed or not.

Kang San was consumed by Luca Bellino’s warning.

The strong conviction that disaster and variables would surely occur made him examine his surroundings with heightened senses.

Was he scared?

No.

He wasn’t even nervous.

He was just preparing.

His calm, focused gaze was ready to respond quickly, no matter what happened next.

The Ranger team members didn’t know.

That Kang San had overcome countless hardships and adversities, so much so that he wouldn’t be scared by a mere life-or-death situation.

‘I won’t die like this.’

A volatile situation.

They continued to move forward.

No matter how much he stayed alert and examined his surroundings, the anticipated variables didn’t occur.

Even until they reached their destination.

✦✦✦✦✦✦

It was a smooth mission.

No variables occurred, the problem was quickly resolved, and they were able to reach the location of the rescue targets before the golden time passed.

“Are you alright?”

“Heal.”

Kim Myeong-min checked the condition of the rescue targets, and the Priest began treating those who appeared to be injured. Fortunately, there were no particular problems. The rescue targets explained that they had rushed into the raid without sufficient preparation and suffered critical damage, and they had no choice but to send a rescue request as they became isolated in the hunting ground.

The series of events.

At Kim Myeong-min’s words that they would reorganize and depart, Yoon Ji-tae once again approached Kang San.

“Do you still think you weren’t being excessive?”

“…I won’t deny it.”

“I don’t completely disagree with your thoughts, Kang San-nim. Generally, raids are conducted with thorough preparation, so it must be quite burdensome for a D-rank like you to enter a C-rank hunting ground. However, we’ve carried out countless missions like this. If we don’t hurry, the rescue targets could be in danger, and if something bad happens to them, our existence loses its meaning. That’s why we have to take risks. Rangers are people who prepare for everything with minimal preparation and jump into the fire like moths. Do you understand now? What kind of world you’re trying to step into, Kang San-nim? And that initial fuss was the perspective of an ordinary person who didn’t consider this world at all.”

Perfect preparation?

Yoon Ji-tae himself wants it.

Even if Rangers accept death, they’re not psychopaths who actually want to die.

However, because countless incidents and accidents occur every day, they couldn’t prepare for every situation with their insufficient manpower.

And this operation.

They wasted time waiting for Kang San.

Originally, as a Ranger, he should have reported even leaving Seoul, if he wasn’t a mercenary.

That’s why he was even more sensitive.

It was ridiculous that Kang San, who had only dipped his toes in as a mercenary, was talking about variables when he wasn’t ready to risk his life.

The behavior he showed today was enough to evaporate even the little bit of expectation that remained.

“I’ll officially suggest it after this mission is over. You don’t belong here.”

Why?

Kang San found it funny.

The smoothly progressing situation, Yoon Ji-tae’s anger.

It felt welcome now.

“…Alright. If my worries are unfounded, I’ll accept any responsibility that comes with it.”

✦✦✦✦✦✦

Most missions are smooth from the moment the rescue targets are found.

Reaching the destination essentially meant that they had already secured the path to it.

It was no different this time.

Led by Gu Yeon-su, they quickly retraced their steps.

However.

“…Something’s strange.”

Gu Yeon-su looked around.

As a scout, he had marked the path they had taken, but even as they followed it, he kept getting the feeling that the surrounding scenery was unfamiliar. And the thick undergrowth prevented the moonlight from illuminating their surroundings. In a situation where only faint moonlight was allowed, Gu Yeon-su had no choice but to activate his skill.

“Road of Memory.”

A skill that helped retrace their steps.

A kind of support skill.

At the sight of the light that stretched out from where he was standing, Gu Yeon-su’s eyes became momentarily complex.

“What is this.”

The way back.

It should have been a single line, even if it was winding.

However, the path, spread out in all directions like paint splattered on the floor, couldn’t possibly be the path they had taken. Kim Myeong-min, who was following right behind, also noticed the sight. The problem was that before he could even finish thinking about it, they heard the sound of bushes being pushed aside from all directions.

“It’s a Werewolf pack!”

“Five, six? No, how many are there?”

The Archer’s eyes widened.

In his vision enhanced by Hawk Eye, the number of Werewolves surging from beyond the darkness was too many to count on two hands.

And then.

Kyaaak━!

Kuaaak!

Werewolves leaped from all directions.

Ju Seok-hun reacted quickly.

He drew their aggro with Guardian Shield, but because there were so many, he had to frantically block their attacks. Not only that, but when Werewolves appeared in the rear as well, Kim Myeong-min left his position, judging that Sub-Tanker Kang Gi-dong wouldn’t be able to handle them alone. The rescue targets trembled inside the formation, and everyone’s faces were filled with confusion as the situation became chaotic.

Hook-

Sugeok!

Kim Myeong-min cut down a Werewolf in an instant.

One, two, after tearing apart the enemies, Kim Myeong-min raised his head and saw more Werewolves continuously appearing.

‘It’s different from the report.’

This Moon’s Hill.

It’s not a hunting ground where this many individuals should exist.

It was already detailed in the exploration report, but even just looking at the number he could see in front of him, it exceeded the number recorded in the report. Even so, there was no reason to panic. The opponents were only C-rank Werewolves, and it was a problem that the party, which had even handled B-rank missions, could sufficiently manage.

That’s when it happened.

Awooooo━!

From afar.

A howl that violently shook his mind could be heard.

『You have been exposed to the Werewolf Lord’s Fear. Your physical abilities are temporarily reduced by 30%.』

“…What?”

His heart dropped.

It was something that shouldn’t have happened.

If there had been any such signs, if there had been any basis for disaster, it would have definitely been mentioned in the report.

Werewolf Lord.

An A-rank monster that shouldn’t exist here.

At the same time, the round moon that appeared in the sky cleared away the surrounding darkness.

Full moon.

The day when the wolves’ blood boils the most.

Suddenly, Kang San’s face came to mind.

He had a particularly tense expression, unlike usual.

‘…Could it be that it was a foreseen danger?’

The possibility he had dismissed as a mere worry.

Kim Myeong-min, smelling the approaching death, gripped his sword tightly.