Chapter 125
Chapter 125
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 125
Chapter Title: 23. People Who Have Lost Hope (4)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
After the tenth trial.
Kang San often lost himself in imagination whenever he had a spare moment.
If he faced the Werewolf Lord again—the one who had displayed such overwhelming force—what could he do to survive?
The outcome of his imaginings was always the same.
His limbs torn apart by sharp claws, drenched in cold sweat from the rough breath ripping at his nape as he snapped out of the vision. It was a catastrophe, pure and simple. While facing hundreds, even thousands of werewolves, Kang San replayed those nightmarish moments, always training under the assumption of the absolute worst. The destructive power and speed of the monster I have to handle isn't just this much, he would chide himself, conjuring the phantom beast in his mind.
And that was why.
Whoosh—
The wind howled.
At a speed that even most B-Rank Hunters couldn't react to, Kang San precisely raised his shield to block it.
Boom—!
Scraaaape.
He was pushed back.
There was no time to catch his breath.
The presence assaulting his sharpened senses dove through the air, launching another attack.
"Iron Shell."
Boom.
Thud, thud—!
They clashed fiercely.
Stat-wise, there was at least a fourfold difference on average, but Kang San had skills to bridge the gap. Guardian's Will boosted his defense and stamina regeneration by the number of heads around him; Glory Aura increased defense by 10%; Body Reinforcement added another 10% to base defense; Iron Shell reduced damage by 10%; Thorn Armor reduced it further by 10%. On top of that, upgrading his item's quality meant the impacts were now manageable—unlike their previous encounter.
Thud.
Tap, tap.
He was pushed back again.
Keeping his eyes locked on the relentless killing intent pressing in, Kang San didn't just defend—he struck back as well.
"Blood Demon Sword Art, First Form: Blade Kill."
Flash.
Spurt.
Blood sprayed.
In the tangle of their bodies, the Werewolf Lord's expression twisted savagely.
'It landed.'
His heart pounded.
The monster from his imagination.
The nightmare he could never overcome, the being he couldn't handle.
His growth proved things were different now.
Which meant Kang San didn't need to unleash his full power in this situation.
'If things get dire, I could use Glory Aura and Sanctuary, but with the flow like this, it's different. I have to handle it. Not just scraping by at my limit, but taking down an A-Rank monster even in a normal scenario.'
Something possible because he wasn't alone.
He didn't need to shout it out loud.
From the moment the Werewolf Lord appeared, the entire party's mindset reverted to "one month ago."
One month ago.
After arriving in Kitakyushu, Kang San's party roamed the Green Zone daily, taking down as many monsters as possible. The rumors were spot on—this place was perfect for growth. The Japanese government settled rewards based on the number of monsters killed, so they divided the daily haul evenly four ways and invested it all in advancing.
But that wasn't their only routine.
Even after a full day of grueling hunts, Kang San gathered his younger comrades for special training.
"The moment we enter the Yellow Zone, we might run into an A-Rank monster if luck's really against us. From now on, we're training for that exact scenario."
A possibility.
Literally, an unexpected case that might happen. But Kang San treated it as a certainty—they would face an A-Rank monster. Azmun's trials always imposed the worst possible situations, anytime, anywhere. Preparing for the "if" was only natural in a setup that forbade optimism.
Kang San asked.
"Let's assume a scenario. We're in the thick of fighting monsters when an A-Rank suddenly appears. Retreat's not an option, and we have to take it down. How do we handle that beast?"
"First off, I'd help you block it, hyung. No way you can tank an A-Rank solo, right?"
It was Jeong Chan-woo.
Logical, but not what Kang San wanted.
"No."
"Then me or Woo-bin should harass it to disrupt its focus. An A-Rank's destructive power is too much to tank head-on, so we'd weaken it with ranged attacks. Secure minimal defense—that's the top priority to bring it down."
Jo Han-byeol this time.
Yeon Woo-bin nodded in agreement.
But.
"That's not it either."
"It's not?"
"No. Our scenario assumes we're already under attack from other monsters. Focusing everyone on one A-Rank would create openings in the chaos—variables we can't ignore. For the worst case, we need one core premise: I hold off the A-Rank's attacks alone, no matter what. It sounds impossible, but if you trust me, our strategy changes completely."
An absurd premise.
A freshly promoted B-Rank like Kang San tanking an A-Rank solo? Far from easy.
Yet no one objected.
As always.
"We let it play out one-on-one, intervening only when openings arise to chip away at its health. That's our approach."
His comrades trusted Kang San.
Killing intent flashed.
Sensing claws aiming for his nape, Kang San stepped back half a pace and raised his shield.
Boom—!
The impact hit.
No time to dwell on it—Kang San's sharp eyes tracked the frantic movements.
'Incoming.'
Thoom.
Thud, thud, thud!
Attacks rained down in sequence.
Missing the nape strike, the Werewolf Lord dropped low, sweeping at his legs. No hesitation even on another block. Its foul breath tickled his nose. The mad chain of assaults made him think raw skill alone couldn't block it.
'Strong.'
A-Rank.
A whole different world.
Its powerfully swung claws made his body lurch; all Kang San could do was endure.
Swoosh—
The attack grazed past.
Kang San deliberately dodged left.
He had to.
Only then.
"Focused fire."
Thwack—!
The Werewolf Lord, glued to him, missed the arrow piercing its blind spot from the opposite side.
Kraaaagh!
The arrow didn't sink deep into its hide.
Just a flesh wound, but its red eyes blazed as it closed the distance furiously. Kang San focused solely on defense. One lapse, and his limbs could be shredded—this breathless standoff only gave his party "breathing room" when he took the risk.
Like just now.
Jeong Chan-woo finished the werewolf he was tanking, then leaped to Kang San's rear.
Crunch.
Kang San blocked the Werewolf Lord.
More like they grappled. In the clinch, Jeong Chan-woo's sword sliced its ankle.
Spurt.
Kraaaagh!
Little by little.
They whittled it down.
Kang San stuck to pure defense, forcing a strike only when he guessed the bleed effect had faded. He never expected to overwhelm it outright. By any means necessary. As long as they achieved the goal.
Wounds multiplied on the Werewolf Lord.
Jo Han-byeol's arrows, Jeong Chan-woo's sword, Yeon Woo-bin's magic.
They struck at fleeting openings.
The chances Kang San created by blocking with his body—opportunities they had to seize without mercy.
Boom!
Roooar of flames.
Flames erupted.
Its burning flesh only fueled the Werewolf Lord's savage fury.
Kyaaaagh—!
It charged.
Even as Jo Han-byeol's arrows hammered home relentlessly, it barreled forward as if Kang San were the only thing in sight. The Werewolf Lord instinctively knew it had to break him or die. It bared its killing intent, willing to sacrifice limbs to finish him.
In the face of it all.
Kang San bided his time.
The Blood Demon Sword Art he hadn't truly acquired yet.
Pondering the essence of "Slaughter Yield," he welcomed the Werewolf Lord's oncoming fury.
Clash—
They tangled.
As its claws swung to decapitate him.
Flash.
Spurt.
He evaded.
By a hair's breadth, they crossed. Kang San's keen gaze fixed on the beast's gaping maw.
Stab.
Grrraaawl.
He jammed his sword under its jaw.
The Werewolf Lord crashed onto him.
They tumbled in a heap, and even as it thrashed undying savagery, Kang San shouted.
"Now!"
"Fire Cannon."
Yeon Woo-bin unleashed his spell.
The 5th-circle magic exploded outward, engulfing both Kang San and the Werewolf Lord.
Boom—!
Roooaring flames.
It was a sight to make eyes bulge.
Kang San would burn too at this rate.
Yet.
Grip.
Grrriiind.
Amid the inferno.
Kang San drove his sword deeper.
Yeon Woo-bin's spell wasn't a mistake—it was deliberate.
Fire Attribute Immunity.
Using the cheat skill that halved fire damage, they mimicked mutual destruction as a finisher. Even the mighty Werewolf Lord couldn't withstand it. Amid the roaring blaze, the sword plunged relentlessly; the screeching monster finally collapsed.
Thud—
Kang San tumbled back too.
Gasping amid heaving breaths, his face lit up.
Taking down an A-Rank without going all-out.
'Success.'
It was an achievement that swelled the chest with pride.
The 900 days in the stat training ground.
And the past month.
His efforts hadn't been in vain.
Kang San hauled his weary body up, immediately activating Aura of Recovery and chugging a potion.
"Hyung!"
"You okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine."
They rushed over, faces etched with worry.
Even knowing his Fire Attribute Immunity skill, turning Kang San into a full sacrifice was unnerving. Truth be told, it wouldn't have worked without it. Guardian's Will secured his stamina regen, and Aura of Recovery let him endure.
This battle proved two things.
Kang San could now hold against an A-Rank monster, and his party had the firepower to finish it. Monumental progress. The once-hopeless S-Rank outbreak might not spell the end after all.
"Let's move."
The break was brief.
Less than an hour left.
No time for complaints or leisure—Kang San took point again, scouting the path.
'Definitely tough to navigate without the system. No wonder the Japanese government gave up.'
Through the fog.
The landscape shifted constantly.
Relying on sight alone? Lost in a minute.
The government's call wasn't mere irresponsibility.
Powerful monsters? Throw more force at them. But Kitakyushu's Red Zone's dangers were unknown; no comms, fog interference—even army-scale forces crumbled. With over 90% Red Zone, no solutions for monster waves or worse.
A real conundrum.
Japan let it fester for three years unsolved.
More fights followed.
Pressing on urgently, Kang San finally reached the presumed destination.
But by then.
Shhh.
The fog began to lift.
Visibility cleared, revealing the system-marked spot in the distance.
"Kyaaak—!"
"Run!"
"Aaaagh, aaah!"
The scene before them.
Nothing like expected.
The village, thought hidden from monsters, was under sudden assault—indiscriminate slaughter. Ogres, werewolves, trolls snatching and crunching humans. No mercy for elders or children.
And among them.
"Eileen!?"
Jessica bolted forward.
A familiar face amid the panicked flight.
The system was certain.
It had guided them precisely here, so Kang San's task was clear.
"...Damn it. Shield of Trials."
Whoosh.
Grrrrowl.
Killing intent converged from all sides.
In this insane mess, he had to save Eileen and the others.