Chapter 12
Chapter 12
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: 3. Memories of the Past Life (3)
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Even when he opened his eyes that morning, Kang San hadn't imagined he'd be fighting a Dullahan today.
But this was reality.
Ever since accepting this damned trial from Azmun, Kang San could no longer predict even a step ahead.
Kwang!
The Dullahan's head smashed into the ground.
Though it had once been human flesh, the head was harder than steel, shattering the floor outright. Getting hit by that would leave no body intact. Kang San sharpened his senses. As the Dullahan stepped forward for another attack, Kang San moved first.
'Right side.'
Whoosh!
The Dullahan's head passed by with razor-thin margin.
He hadn't dodged by sight.
From observing its patterns so far.
Having grasped that the Dullahan's attacks were simple, Kang San chose his evasion direction based on the initial motion of its strike.
His opponent was a high D-Rank monster.
A beast known for average stats over 75, so with Kang San's agility just reaching 36, dodging by sight was practically impossible—even with Berserker's speed boost. Thanks to the buffs, though, he could dodge and counter at the same time.
'Target the legs first to cut its mobility.'
Pat!
Sslash!
The sword flashed.
The feel was different from usual.
Infused with Sharpness, attack power, and speed buffs, plus white holy power, the blade sliced straight through the Dullahan's leg.
Kreeeeek!
The Dullahan screamed.
The attack landed.
Not a fatal wound to drop it immediately, but Kang San's gamble had inflicted damage on a high D-Rank monster. Yet his expression wasn't bright. He'd hoped for at least a limp, but the Dullahan erupted in madness, moving even faster.
Whoosh!
'Can't dodge.'
He judged quickly.
In close quarters, predicting and evading every attack was impossible.
Kang San hurriedly raised his shield.
Just as the Dullahan's head was about to slam into his chest, the shield thrust up to block it.
'Iron Body.'
Kwang!
"Kuhk."
His head rattled.
Iron Body boosted defense and reduced damage, but the Dullahan's power overwhelmed it. Guardian's Will doubling defense? Useless. Blocking 100% attack with 100% defense only worked if stats were equal. The enemy averaged 75; no matter how hard Kang San thrashed, he couldn't stand on equal footing.
Tadak.
He leaped back.
A head-on fight was suicide.
Glancing around, Kang San backed against the cave wall, eyes locked on the foe.
'Now!'
Whoosh!
Kwang!
The Dullahan's head crashed into the wall.
Kang San rolled across the floor to evade, then from a low stance swiftly severed the Dullahan's Achilles tendon. A desperate counter risking his life. This time, it worked. No matter how different its muscles, severing the tendons holding up its leg caused problems.
The Dullahan staggered.
Kang San dove in instantly for a combo attack.
He slashed its chest once. As it swung at his side, he blocked with the shield and countered by slicing its flank.
Kraaak!
The Dullahan shrieked.
Holy power inflicted pain even on the undead.
Against a Skeleton, it'd be mental damage, but for the Dullahan, his mere 8 holy power wasn't lethal. Instead, it fueled the beast's frenzy. Limping forward, ignoring defense, it swung its head wildly.
Kwang!
He blocked the first blow.
But then.
Thud!
"Guhk!"
Kwadang!
A kick to the gut sent Kang San tumbling back.
After rolling once, he scrambled up and spat blood pooling in his mouth. No time to soothe the stinging shock. The Dullahan was already upon him. Its red-hot killing intent screamed intent to take his life.
Whoosh!
The head plunged straight down!
Instinct screamed.
Blocking that would still kill him.
The shield would shatter, and then no chance remained.
'Damn it.'
He gritted his teeth.
What grudge did Azmun hold to inflict this trial?
Vain hope that mercy might follow compliance was brutally crushed by the Dullahan's head.
'I'm not dying. I don't want to die.'
Whoosh.
Kang San hurled himself forward.
Into the Dullahan's embrace, no less.
Their bodies overlapped. The Dullahan's wide swing left it unable to react fast; Kang San thrust his sword from below upward. Puk, it pierced the heart. As the crude blade mangled the organ, the Dullahan's fist smashed Kang San's side.
Thump!
Thud, roll roll.
He tumbled across the floor.
Even with Berserker active, his mind nearly blanked; blood-mixed saliva dripped from his mouth.
But Kang San's eyes still burned with life.
By a hair's breadth.
Just before the fist connected fully, he'd felt the heart tear.
Stagger.
Thud!
The Dullahan collapsed.
Its heart powered a headless body. Destroyed, even a high D-Rank couldn't endure. Seeing it motionless on the ground, Kang San finally flopped backward. His head spun, body screamed in agony—he felt on the verge of death.
"At least I didn't die."
He grinned.
His life was flickering out.
He'd felled the Dullahan, but at the cost of wrecking his body.
Ribs shattered, shards piercing organs.
He wanted to close his eyes.
Drift off, escape his wretched life for eternal rest.
'No. That'd land me in hell with karma waiting. I won't die. I'll survive somehow, live happily before those who gave me this trial—just to spite them. Dying miserable would be too unfair.'
Flash.
White light flared.
Aura of Recovery activated; pain-twisted features began to relax.
Treatment took considerable time.
His life force had dipped below 10%—a dire state.
So he invested time to heal.
Repeated Aura of Recovery restored enough strength to move.
"Finally took it down, and it's just an empty can."
Tap tap.
He kicked the Dullahan's corpse.
Blood Orcs dropped skill spirits and stones, but this yielded nothing.
Bitter taste lingered.
Why risk life and limb?
Recent events sparked slight regret over accepting the trial. He acknowledged growing stronger via skills and stats, but crises demanding his life left no time to feel it. No different from before. Arrow Sponge days facing F-Ranks were risky; now nearly dying to a D-Rank Dullahan was the same—life on the line.
Still, he survived.
Who knew tomorrow or the next? But today's survival mattered.
"I absolutely won't die."
A murmur to himself.
Azmun or Luca Bellino—whatever.
Kang San wouldn't let another's will end his life.
'So how do I get past life memories?'
He looked around.
No leisure to inspect mid-battle; now the surroundings came into focus.
A dank cave.
A chest sat in the corner.
Kang San approached, opened it: a skill spirit and a small vial.
'Skill spirit?'
Unexpected reward.
Checking the skill name, deeming it useful, he consumed it immediately.
1. At the caster's will, draws the attention of all nearby monsters to oneself. (Cooldown: 5 minutes)
2. When activated, defense increases by 20% temporarily.
3. When activated, recovery effects double temporarily.
"...Should I be happy about this or not?"
Shield of Trials.
A full 3-star skill.
A rare treasure granted to few lucky ones, yet Kang San's face wasn't lit up. The effects were impressive, no doubt. Common aggro skills targeted dozens at most; this could handle hundreds. Unprecedented power—no such skill known worldwide. But the effects felt like Azmun's scheme to kill him. Aggro? All nearby monsters attacking him, basically.
His head throbbed.
Rewards naturally shoving him into peril weren't pure joy.
Next, the vial's liquid.
No description visible.
If this dungeon run aimed for past life memories, this liquid likely tied to it.
He hesitated briefly.
Past life memories.
Maybe Pandora's box.
No guarantee it'd benefit him, but Kang San had to accept this reality.
'I want to know about my past life.'
Blood Demon.
A heinous butcher.
Was he really that in a past life? Kang San had lived distant from evil, yet hearing it left unease.
Why his misfortune?
Why bear this karma?
He craved the truth.
Even dying as Azmun's apostle, he'd feel less wronged.
'Let's see.'
Gulp gulp.
He downed the liquid.
Nothing at first.
Then.
Ping.
Dizziness hit.
A new world unfolded on Kang San's retinas.
People fled.
Like spotting a demon, barefoot and shoeless, they scattered every which way.
"R-Run!"
"The demon's here!"
Innocent civilians.
Guiltless folk.
Unversed in martial arts, yet the man called demon showed no mercy.
Puk!
"Agh!"
He stabbed a fleeing woman's back.
Blood gushed from the blade protruding through her chest; a side swing cleaved men rushing to protect her in half. Pitchforks and sickles couldn't touch the demon. Blood rivers formed instantly; relentlessly, he hunted and slaughtered them all.
Blood, blood, blood.
Everything dyed red.
Having butchered the village, the demon perched on a corpse pile, waiting idly.
Soon.
"Y-You demon!"
A group charged in.
Righteous sect warriors.
Displaying proud Nine Sects and One Gang insignia, rage boiled at the sight.
Their families.
Their friends.
All slain.
The apparent leader stepped forward, drawing his sword—gleaming in sunlight.
"I am Do Jang-hyeon of Mount Hua. On my name, I vow to slay this blood-mad demon."
The man was resolute.
Nigh a hundred men charged; the demon rose leisurely to meet them.
A slaughterfest.
Blood sprayed.
Screams echoed; lifeless bodies thudded down.
How much time passed?
Do Jang-hyeon collapsed.
Drenched in blood, unfocused eyes, coughing crimson.
"Still alive?"
The demon.
Squatted before Do Jang-hyeon.
All others dead.
Do Jang-hyeon struggled to speak, hatred blazing in his gaze.
"...Wh-Why, why slaughter innocents?!"
Voice thick with fury.
The demon grinned.
"Just because."
That ended it.
As Do Jang-hyeon's head flew, Kang San's vision snapped back to reality.
And then.
A system alert.
An utterly unforeseen reward.