Chapter 18
Chapter 18
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: 5. Stat Training Center (2)
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In the darkness.
Kang San focused his senses.
In that instant, a sharp glint flashed, and he instinctively raised his shield. A powerful impact transmitted through it.
Clang!
Whoosh.
That was the beginning.
Without even a moment to catch his breath after blocking the first attack, arrows launched from all directions at regular intervals. He blocked most with his shield or dodged them. Stage 1 training was manageable with Kang San's abilities, but the problem was gravity—sometimes it made attacks he couldn't handle slip through.
Swoosh!
An arrow slicing through the dark.
He dodged two in front, but another followed right behind.
It targeted his sensory blind spot precisely.
Thanks to his focused senses, he reacted quickly, but his body lagged behind his thoughts.
'Too slow.'
Dodging was impossible.
And it was outside his shield's range.
Kang San made an efficient call.
As a tanker going forward, there would be times he'd have to take a hit to flesh instead of a fatal wound.
Like right now.
'Iron Body.'
Iron Body (★)
Defense increased
Thud!
The arrow embedded itself.
Iron Body reduced the impact, but the pain of it piercing flesh never got easier. Still, Kang San tried to react as calmly as possible. Taking hits to the body and enduring the pain—that was the tanker role. On this perilous path where a split-second could mean death, he pushed to adapt as a tanker.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The training continued.
For an hour, arrows fired endlessly. By the time his breath grew ragged and his body heavy, it ended.
"Finally over."
Just stage 1.
This was only his second time through stage 1, yet it was grueling enough that advancing further felt impossible.
Considering the Stat Training Center's conditions, he needed at least stage 5. The thought alone drained him mentally. Dodging arrows in the dark sounded simple, but evading life-threatening shots for an hour was hellish. Normal training hadn't been like this. His prior reaction training involved dodging rubber bullets, but Azmun's trials changed everything.
'Think positive, positive... yeah right.'
He swallowed a curse.
He had to get used to it, but it was still tough.
Dragging his exhausted body to the waiting room, Kang San burst into laughter at his reflection in the mirror.
"Pathetic."
He looked wretched.
Bloody mess.
His body was soaked in sweat and blood.
He'd healed with Aura of Recovery alongside, but punctured clothes and dried blood didn't vanish. His outfit was in tatters, once-white parts stained red. He usually wore armor for hunts, but regular clothes for training led to this.
Kang San let out a weak, "Pffft," chuckle.
Ending up like this in stage 1 made the next 300 days worrisome.
'Still gotta do it.'
This wasn't a game.
To grow stronger, there was a price, and wagering his life meant big rewards in short time.
That was Kang San's belief.
Slower to grow than others, he needed exponentially more effort to surpass them.
No time for rest.
Next training awaited.
He hauled his heavy body to the skill proficiency training ground.
The training ground was simple inside.
A vast, flat space ended at an iron gate where he could set monster summon numbers. Monster type: same Lizardmen from the link. He'd requested a similar setup, so 20 Lizardmen waited beyond the gate.
'Start with 5.'
Beep.
What a convenient world.
A system providing monsters for training.
Higher ranks limited monster grades, but low ranks like his had no equal. Byproducts went to the center—users bought training rights, not loot profits.
Creeeak.
The gate opened.
Light revealed 10 starved, gaunt Lizardmen. (Note: Text says 10, but earlier 5; adjusting contextually to 5 as set.)
Grrr.
Skree!
Lizardmen charged ferociously.
Fewer than the link, but Kang San stayed vigilant.
Just 5%.
Ironically, the link's numbers helped him endure. Same-grade Lizardmen couldn't penetrate his defense much, and terrain use let him fell 20. But now, every hit could be fatal—no reckless brawls.
Clang!
Kaang!
He started light, shield-blocking.
Side-stepped linked attacks, slashing at openings.
Slash!
Skree!
Blood sprayed from a Lizardman's forearm.
Then frantic exchange. Starved Lizardmen ignored defense, charging madly. Kang San blocked with shield, countered calmly. He felt his explosive growth. Normal hunters struggled with 2-3 same-grade; his stats and skills shone despite gravity.
'Blood Demon Sword Art, First Form: Blade Kill.'
Flash.
Killing intent exploded.
A Lizardman glancing up split apart.
Splatter!
First sacrifice.
His heart pounded.
Blood Demon Art's side effects hadn't fully kicked in, yet memories of that blood-soaked moment resurfaced. Losing reason for power. He aimed to recreate it. Blood Demon Art solved his attack lack; to master it, face the issue head-on.
And.
'Since I've learned Blood Demon Art, it's a problem I must solve.'
Head-on.
He felled Lizardmen one by one.
After 5, summoned 5 more, chaining the effect.
Finally.
10 kills.
His body burned hot.
Stats didn't show it, but overall ability surged. Sharper senses dodged easily; spotting vital points was huge. 10 took time, but at 10%, he butchered them incomparably fast. Lizardmen fell like wheat. By 20, wounded but victorious, the last head flew.
Slash!
Thud, roll.
"Hah."
Kang San gasped deeply.
Pupils dilated.
Guardian's Will on cooldown—no activation.
Blood Demon Art.
The demon within awoke.
It was a memory fragment.
A man.
Precisely, a Blood Demon in Kang San's form wandered aimlessly.
His hair ragged, eyes lifeless—alive but not living.
One day.
An elder blocked his path.
"Eyes that gave up on life, yet brimming with killing intent. If a guy like you gained 'power,' what chaos in the world? A ruthless killer upending the martial world. Kahahaha, sounds fun. Child, you've a grand chance. To prove worthy of my gift, show in 100 days your thirst for murder. Prove it, and I'll grant unrivaled might."
The Blood Demon looked up.
No—wrong term.
That life's Kang San was ordinary; the elder was the true Blood Demon.
Mouth parched.
A week without water, cracked lips parted, eyes flickering with murder.
"You will see me again."
100 days later.
He killed countless.
Rumors spread of his infamy; over a hundred dead by his hand, righteous or demonic, even civilians.
Thus Blood Demon Art began.
"Blood Demon Art draws 'power' from killing intent."
The Blood Demon's teaching.
It stabbed into Kang San's chest.
Qi Deviation!
"Urk."
Splat.
Kang San vomited everything.
Heart racing.
Mind spinning, blood boiling to explosion, face flushed.
"Grrgh."
Killing intent surged.
Blood Demon Art's core.
Power from killing humans—he unwittingly envisioned murders. Each brought nauseating bile. Even imagining felt like real kills; unbearable.
"Fuck..."
Killing 20 without Guardian's Will.
Mistake.
It was his safety net; discarding it led here.
But rewind time, same choice.
Blood Demon Art.
Now part of him.
Couldn't rely on Guardian's Will forever—must claim it.
"Huff, huff."
Gulping air raggedly.
Killing humans.
Even imagining immersed him.
He gritted teeth.
Rejecting the Blood Demon's overshadowing presence with all his might.
'I'm not that trash.'
During the link.
Saving people brought positivity. Civilians he'd helped thanked him; unconscious smile.
That's me.
Not a mindless killer for power; he had a warm heart.
'Murderer life? I'd be in hell already.'
Past years.
Full of twists.
Misfortunes nearly dragged him to evil.
One day.
A teacher beat him excessively.
Frequent tardies/absences from woes; homeroom "mad dog" loved the rod. Butt bruised blue. Cumulative beatings birthed "kill the bastard" thoughts.
Misfortune his fault?
No.
He tried hard; unpredicted blows unbeatable.
Bus flips.
Subway stops.
Unjust hits bred inner demon.
Then.
Parents' memory surfaced.
'But I survived.'
Parents died young for him.
Blurry, but they sacrificed.
That life, not ruined by abusive trash.
Suppressed murder.
Reported rationally to education board.
25 years.
That's Kang San.
Won't kneel to unknown past Blood Demon, slave to killing.
"...I didn't live this long to become scum like you."
Flash!
Mind cleared.
Seizing killing intent vanished.
Then.
Blood Demon Art.
It underwent new change.