Bloodhound’s Regression Instinct

Chapter 79

The fully risen Abomination pounded the ground with both arms and let out a roar.

Kiyaaaah!

The noise, like scraping metal, made the trainees wince and cover their ears. Even those with weaker mental fortitude collapsed as if struck by a gust of wind.

This was one of the Abomination’s defining features: its “repulsive roar.” Those who hadn’t reached Grade 6 were mentally drained just from hearing it.

Yan clenched his teeth as trainees around him succumbed to panic. The Abomination’s emergence was a rare occurrence, as it required specific conditions—namely, a mountain of corpses.

In other words…

“Eamon has taken an interest here,” Yan thought.

He surveyed the number of undead climbing the castle walls. Fortunately, the zombies that had served as makeshift ladders were gone, providing some breathing room.

Even if he momentarily left his post, there would be enough backup. It would take a considerable amount of time for the other undead to climb back up.

“Everyone, hold your positions!”

Yan shouted as he climbed onto the battlements. Startled trainees grabbed his clothes.

“What are you doing?” they asked.

“Trying to get yourself killed?” another added.

Yan smirked, freeing himself from their grasp. “Did I come here to die? No, I’m here to defend this place.”

With those words, Yan’s new recruits plummeted beyond the castle walls.

“Yan!”

One trainee called out as he fell, but another pointed below.

“Look!”

Down there, Yan stood unharmed. The attention of his fellow trainees, along with Kasa and the others defending against the undead invasion, shifted toward him.

Thud?

A figure emerged from the crowd, attempting to climb the wall. The undead’s heads snapped toward the intruder.

But it wasn’t Yan; it was an ordinary person. The sight was terrifying enough to induce cardiac arrest.

The eerie gazes of countless undead focused solely on that individual.

Tap, tap, tap!

Skeletons and zombies began their slow approach toward Yan. Initially sluggish, they gradually accelerated, some even sprinting like mad dogs.

Yan trembled as the undead closed in on him. “Ugh, disgusting.”

Despite witnessing countless horrors, he couldn’t entirely shake off the revulsion. He leaped down but remained frozen in place, as if the ground had turned to stone.

“What’s that guy doing, not running away?”

“Yan, run!”

“Get a rope!”

Trainees clawed at Yan, fearing he might become the first casualty. Panic spread among them.

Meanwhile, Yan’s companions remained calm.

“Yan wouldn’t do something thoughtless,” Cruel said.

“Exactly,” Charl replied.

Roman, however, watched Yan with concern. “Is he really okay?”

Cruel chuckled. “You forget, he’s been through worse up north.”

“True.”

As Cruel and Roman bantered, Yan began to move.

* * *
Ascalon sliced through the undead like a tailor’s scissors, and Yan leaped into the encroaching horde.

In an instant, the undead surrounding him drooled or chattered their jaws.

Yan’s mind accelerated. He recalled the voice he had heard at the Palace of Innocence and analyzed it.

“She” said that the energy arose when one became overly attached to life.
“This energy emerges at the extreme limit of survival instinct within the death line.”
The essence of divine power is purified life force. The more one yearns for life, the more divine power they harbor.
“Purified life force is akin to mana, including divine power.”
From then on, I pushed myself into the abyss of death. I sought out insurmountable foes, chewed on venomous herbs, and swallowed them.
“Gon’gukje chose to cross the death line by threatening their own lives.”
I faced countless trials.
Unable to die due to unfinished business, I genuinely yearned for life, and that’s when a new energy began to surge within me.
“I cannot die. Not until I reunite with my family!”
Yan’s arms and legs mechanically struck the surrounding undead.

He sprinted toward the slowly advancing Abomination in the distance.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

The undead tried to wound or tear at Yan’s flesh by any means necessary.

When he reached the enemy’s front lines, Yan found himself in an environment where death seemed inevitable.

The castle, where he could escape the undead, was hundreds of meters away, and the sheer number of undead surrounding him was staggering.

Yet Yan continued to swing Ascalon mechanically, pressing forward.

“More! Even more!”

The sun still showed no sign of emitting divine power.

Crunch!

A zombie sank its teeth into Yan’s forearm.

His face twisted, but he didn’t stop.

“Not enough yet!”

More, even more.

He forced himself deeper into the jaws of death.

Kyaaaah!

When he finally reached the Abomination, Yan hoisted Ascalon diagonally.

In that moment, mana surged explosively from the sword, unlike anything before.

『Amryonggong – Breath of the Dragon』

Yan’s body spun, and Ascalon swung at an otherworldly speed.

Tremendous energy poured out of the blade.

Originally, it should have been a dark force, but the released energy displayed the opposite color.

“This is… divine power!”

A brilliant white light enveloped everything.

* * *

The trainees watched Yan with fearful eyes as he trudged toward them.

Strength could be a double-edged sword.

With a single strike, Yan had decimated over a thousand undead. He was already being treated like a mutant among them.

No trainee could discern the divine power concealed within Yan’s blows. They could only assume that his swordsmanship skills were enough to annihilate the undead.

“….”

Yan, concealing his trembling arms, searched for Kasa. It had been about two hours since they arrived.

The makeshift warp gate had been sufficiently charged, leaving them with ample time.

“Uh… Yan, what’s happening?”

Kasa greeted him, swallowing nervously.

“Come down. We’re almost ready.”

“Ah!”

Kasa exclaimed, following Yan as he led the way. They passed by the trainees still fending off the lingering undead, their faces grimy from the dust.

Despite the unpleasant odor, Kasa’s expression brightened. The hope of finally leaving this place buoyed their spirits.

Together, they found the makeshift warp gate on the watchtower. Yan skillfully operated it and placed it on the ground.

Suddenly, a clean blue door materialized.

Seeing it, the trainees gulped nervously.

“Alright, line up.”

Yan’s command prompted the trainees to form a queue eagerly.

One by one, they stepped inside.

Whoosh!

“Thank you. Without you, I’d be buried here.”

“Of course.”

Whoosh!

“Sorry earlier… I was so scared.”

Whoosh!

“When we return, let’s meet at the training camp!”

“Okay.”

…

As more than fifty trainees were transported, the warp gate began to exhibit anomalies.

The once pristine blue door gradually blurred, and noise interfered, indicating issues.

Finally, when everyone except Yan, Kasa, and their group had entered:

[Now only one more person can go in.]

Monmon’s voice sounded embarrassed.

But this should suffice; everyone who needed to enter had done so.

Yan glanced at Kasa.

“Now only one more person can enter. Hurry up. If you’re late, you’ll miss your chance.”

“…Yan.”

Kasa hesitated, as if struggling with something.

Yan raised an eyebrow, prompting Kasa to speak.

“I… I can’t go now.”

“What?”

“If I return empty-handed, I’ll definitely be disqualified. Not only will I fail to revive our family, but other noble families will mock us. My path will become even thornier.”

Yan immediately understood what Kasa wanted to say.

“You want to share the credit with me?”

“Is that okay?”

Kasa’s voice sounded guilty, aware of the audacity of the request.

Yan chuckled, lifting Kasa’s chin with his hand.

Kasa stared back with a dazed expression.

“Don’t take it lightly. Accept it sincerely.”

Yan’s serious tone made Kasa tremble.

But soon, Kasa’s eyes brightened, and they nodded heavily.

“I won’t forget this favor.”

“Naturally!”

Yan raised an eyebrow.

“Take it seriously. Remember that promise.”

Yan shouted loudly.

“Charl! Hurry and get inside!”

Now, there were occasional undead climbing up, but Charl, who had been pushing them back, rushed over upon hearing Yan’s shout.

“Me?”

“Yeah, you. Only one more person can go in, and this one isn’t going.”

“But it feels wrong to leave you behind.”