Inside the room, I was being guarded by a squad. Through the concrete walls, we could still hear gunfire, shouting... and, most horrifying of all—pleas for rcy.
These demons knew neither compassion nor forgiveness. All they craved... was slaughter.
The entire squad was terrified for their lives—their eyes told everything. But even more than their fear of death, what weighed heavier was their sha. They weren't on the battlefield. They were here... guarding .
"Can you teach how to use demon blood?" I asked their captain, an A-rank hunter.
His eyes twitched in disbelief. With a tense gaze, he looked over.
"You don't know how to use it...? That explains why we've been assigned to you. We're all dead if the S-ranks fail..."
"Then do you enjoy sitting here, waiting for death?!" I raised my voice, firm and unwavering. "And your comrades out there—dying for us—does that an their sacrifice is in vain?!"
"What the hell do you expect us to do? An A-rank can't fight a swarm of demons! They call you the strongest in the world, but it's because of you our people are dying!"
"Hold your head high, A-rank. Teach how to fight, and we'll join the battle too."
"Fight...? You don't feel it at all?"
"Not even a drop. I've never used it before."
"Strange... It usually cos as a gift. Well... listen. You feel the blood in your veins, right? The surge through your arteries?"
"No..."
"Then focus on your fists. Visualize the power flooding into your knuckles..."
The A-rank began demonstrating. Slowly, the skin on his palm darkened—crimson blood hardened and ford a carapace over his flesh.
"This is how we enhance our bodies. Demon blood makes us stronger, tougher. Until you reach Kanketsu, learn the basics first."
"I must feel the flow..."
I extended my hand, imagining my ntal energy pouring into my fist. But nothing happened. My heart sank. Could it be... I really have no power?
My mind spiraled into self-doubt, my focus shattered by despair, and what little force I had began to fade.
"It's not working!"
"Calm down. What I told you is from the academy manual. Every hunter finds their own way. Your strength cos when you understand your reason to fight. Power is intertwined with the soul."
Those words struck .
My reason...
I rembered the scene from my childhood—my mother's lifeless body, hacked and desecrated, lying in our ho within the so-called safe zone. Her eyes stared blankly, her torso unnaturally twisted.
I clenched my eyes. My voice trembled with bitterness.
"My mother died in her own ho. Not a trace left behind. She was torn apart... I know it was a demon. I must... grow stronger. It must pay for what it did."
Rage erupted from within. My eyes burned with fury, my body tense with thirst for vengeance.
"Wait... Was he that kid from the news?" one of the soldiers whispered.
"In that case..." the captain said, regaining his composure, "Hold on to that rage. Let it fuel you. If vengeance drives your soul, then let it drive your blade."
Vengeance... That's it.
Among all the feelings I've buried, it's the one that truly remained—pure vengeance. This rage—it made feel alive, stronger...
Then I felt it.
For the first ti, sothing surged within. My fists began to glow red—an aura of hardened blood wrapped around my knuckles. Demon blood!
The commander's eyes widened in disbelief.
"He... he actually managed to activate it?!"
But just as quickly, I lost focus. The power faded, my arm returned to normal.
The hunter sighed. "Still... you're weak."
"Huh? What do you an?"
In defiance, I rechanneled the blood—not just in one hand, but both arms. Red light pulsed around . Then sothing more—blood leaked from my armor, swirling mid-air, forming a floating circle.
"Incredible..." the hunter muttered.
"I don't know how to summon a weapon. I don't even know what kind it should be."
"Your Kanketsu reflects your inner world. Try strengthening your whole body. Maybe it will co."
"My... inner world?"
Outside the compound...
The S-rank hunters stood frozen.
The demons—once scattered—had begun regrouping, forming a tight, ominous circle.
From the sky, sothing tore through the clouds like a falling teor—so fast that even the sharpest eyes failed to trace its path.
One of the demons, seeing the hunters' hesitation, lunged at Chan-wook. It gripped his skull and tried to crush it with brutal force.
"You bastard!" Chan-wook roared, struggling helplessly in its grip.
The demon shattered his mask, pressing against his eyes. One more second and he would've been blinded—but Ryu-ji, their commander, smashed into the demon with his war hamr, sending it flying dozens of ters and shattering its bones.
"Wake up, Chan-wook!"
The hunter got back on his feet, guilt-ridden and shaken. He hated himself for being a burden.
Then it ca.
A force from above smashed into Ryu-ji with such velocity that it ruptured the ground. Dust exploded outward. When the air cleared, what remained silenced them all—Ryu-ji's mangled body lay sprawled into the earth, his legs flung across the battlefield like broken branches.
"Commander Ryuji!"
Atop his corpse stood a demon with blood-stained wings, his head twisted upside down. He cast off his cloak, revealing razor-sharp claws that glinted under the red moonlight.
The hunters stared in confusion. Where had he co from?
"Did... did he fall from the sky?"
The demon's gaze locked onto Ji-sun—the only hunter who didn't flinch.
"Who among you... is the strongest human?"
With every step, the earth cracked beneath his feet.
"His power... it's unreal. Where did he even co from?"
"But the Blood Moon hasn't even risen yet!" Min-ho said, adjusting his grip.
"State your na!"
The demon looked at them, unimpressed. "None of you look worthy. Where is the one who stood above the rest today?"
Min-ho smirked. "So that's who you want. Too bad—he's not here."
"Not here? Impossible. You would never leave him unguarded. If you're here... so is he."
"You bastard!" Chan-wook growled, his eyes burning red. "You killed Ryuji. You'll pay!"
"And what will you do, pathetic human? Touch ?"
"Don't underestimate us," said Min-ho.
In an instant, the demon struck.
With blinding speed, he punched Min-ho in the chest, shattering his armor. The hunter flew into a wall like a ragdoll, coughing blood. No one even saw the move.
Standing between them, the demon declared:
"I ask again—Who among you is the strongest?!"
Reviews
All reviews (0)