WeTried Translations

Translator: Joy

Editor: Joy

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Damned Transmigration

Chapter 41

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If it isn’t Logos

“Who are you?”

Haryeong didn't brandish her dagger. Instead, she chose a question as her opening gambit.

The odds of talking their way out of this were nonexistent, she knew, but a conversation might reveal a weakness, an identity, anything to give them an edge when the inevitable violence began.

“If you wish to know my name,” the old man crooned, his voice a dry rustle of dead leaves, “is it not proper for you to introduce yourselves first?”

He was in no hurry. He’d told them he wasn’t hungry, and that he had already “tidied up” the area.

The previous night, he had slaughtered more than ten adventurers and dragged their bodies back to his lair. Had these new arrivals tried to flee, he would have hunted them down without a word.

But these two… they looked like they were willing to put up a fight. It promised to be an entertaining appetiser.

“I am Haryeong of Salhomun.”

“Salhomun?”

The old man chuckled, a rattling sound in his chest.

“An assassin of the Faceless Killer. A pointless name to learn. What could be more meaningless to your kind than a name?”

His gaze slid from Haryeong to Elena, who stood rigid, her wand aimed like a spear at his heart.

“Elena Heinderga,” she said, her voice tight but unwavering.

“Of the Dersia Mage Tower.”

“Oho. I thought that was some rather flashy lightning. Dersia, you say?”

While the name Salhomun might be whispered only in the darkest corners of the underworld, Dersia Mage Tower was a name that could make emperors tremble.

Killing one of its mages was to invite the wrath of the Heavenly Thunder herself. The old man, however, seemed utterly unconcerned. A wide, yellow-toothed grin split his wrinkled face.

“I am known as the Blood Fiend.”

The name struck Haryeong like a physical blow, and the world seemed to tilt on its axis.

“Woo Jin-yeol… the Blood Fiend?”

Ten years ago, that name had been synonymous with terror.

One of the Seven Evils of the Demonic Cult, a grandmaster whose power was spoken of in the same breath as the revered masters of the orthodox and underworld factions.

But that was before. Before he was defeated by the Demon-Eyed Saber Master, cast out from the Seven Evils, and vanished from the world.

Why was a legend like him here, in Logos of all places?

‘Wait…’

Haryeong’s eyes narrowed, studying him with a new, critical intensity.

His face was a roadmap of deep wrinkles. His exposed hands were gnarled and liver-spotted. Though he stood tall for a man of his apparent age, his frame was frail beneath his robes.

This did not match the records.

A martial artist’s aging slows dramatically after reaching the 6th Circle. At the 7th, they undergo a rejuvenation, regaining the physical prime of their youth.

Haryeong had never seen the Blood Fiend in person, but the intelligence reports from a decade ago described a vital young man with a physique to rival the Fist Wolf’s.

‘…'

Could this truly be the same man? She didn't voice the question. Instead, fragments of old intelligence reports began to click into place in her mind.

Ten years ago, a duel with the Demon-Eyed Saber Master. A humiliating, one-sided defeat. The Saber Master’s blade had carved a wound deep into the Blood Fiend’s abdomen. He had survived only by begging for his life.

A fatal wound. A crippled dantian. The shame of grovelling for mercy.

The once-great Blood Fiend had been forced into seclusion, not just to heal, but to escape the contempt of his own cult.

An injured dantian… a body that could no longer defy the ravages of time.

‘Qi deviation.’

It was a catastrophic failure in one’s internal energy.

Had it happened while he was recuperating? Or was it a demon of the heart, born from his obsessive training for revenge? Whatever the cause, one thing was certain: the withered old man before her lacked the overwhelming, suffocating presence she had felt from a true grandmaster like the Moonlit Reveller.

“You don’t seem to believe me,” the Blood Fiend noted, his smile never wavering.

“No,” Haryeong replied, her face a blank mask.

“I believe you.”

“You are thinking very hard, little assassin. What conclusion have you reached?”

“For recovering from Qi deviation,” she stated, her voice flat, “a secluded mountain valley would be a far better choice than here.”

At her words, the Blood Fiend’s grin widened into a grotesque parody of delight.

“Had I trained in the sanctimonious arts of the righteous path, perhaps you’d be right.”

It was a tacit admission. He wasn't denying it.

Haryeong let out a short, sharp breath and took a half-step back.

“Why here? There are countless mountains in this world.”

“Do you believe in superstitions, little assassin?”

“Pardon?”

“I do,” he said, his smile becoming confessional.

“My wounds from a decade ago are healed, but the damage to my internal energy, the deviation… it is irreversible. My body can no longer hold back the tide of age.”

“…”

“It’s a common tale, isn’t it? That drinking the blood of the young and pure can restore one’s youth. I built my legend on a foundation of human flesh and blood. It is how I perfected my body in the first place.”

Elena’s face contorted in revulsion.

“And Logos is a veritable feast,” the Blood Fiend continued, his voice dripping with relish.

“So many young adventurers, fresh and full of vitality. If one dies, the monsters get the blame. It is the perfect hunting ground. Such wonderful variety, too.”

“I am aware of your history of cannibalism, Lord Blood Fiend,” Haryeong said, her tone like ice.

“But while my life may be of no consequence, if you devour a mage from Dersia, the Heavenly Thunder will descend upon this mountain and burn it to ash.”

“To the man I am now, the name Heavenly Thunder is indeed fearsome.”

The Blood Fiend’s lips parted. A pale, coated tongue slithered out from between his yellowed teeth.

“But if I devour you both, leaving not a single bone behind, how would she ever know? And if it truly becomes a problem, I can simply make you my last meal here and move on. You needn't worry on my behalf.”

“Must you do this? If you let us go, I swear on the name of Salhomun that we will speak of this to no one.”

“Killing you is a far more reliable oath. No, little assassin. Whatever you say, my mind is made. Did I not tell you? I am a very superstitious man.”

Ssslither…

His long tongue darted out, licking his cracked lips. A crimson, mist-like energy began to bleed from his pores, enveloping him in a shroud of malice.

“Of all the prey on this mountain, you two are the most exquisite. Your talent is a marvel for your age. Your flesh and blood will not only be sweet, but they will surely seep deep into these old bones and grant me new life…”

He was utterly insane.

Invoking Heavenly Thunder had failed. He was never going to let them go. But the conversation had not been a waste.

Qi deviation. Depleted internal energy. An aged body.

The Blood Fiend of today was a pale shadow of the monster he once was, likely incapable of wielding the full breadth of his martial arts.

‘Even so…’ Haryeong’s mind raced.

‘He was still one of the Seven Evils.’

The fact that he had confronted them openly, rather than striking from the shadows, spoke of absolute confidence. Even diminished, a grandmaster would not misjudge a battle.

‘There is no choice.’

[My lady, are we truly going to fight?]

Haryeong sent the telepathic message, a thread of pure thought.

Startled, Elena quickly formed a reply with her own magic.

[I told you. I’m not fast like you. Neither is Yuri.]

[I believe I can buy some time.]

[And what then? He kills you and comes for us anyway?]

[If that happens, I will be dead, so it will no longer be my problem. We shall likely be reunited in his stomach.]

[Don't say such horrible things! If we fight together… what are our chances?]

[Honestly? I do not know. This is an opponent unlike any other.]

[Then it’s about time you stopped keeping secrets.]

The red energy swirling around the Blood Fiend intensified.

Crackles of blue electricity began to arc around Elena’s body. Haryeong let her arms hang loose, her internal energy surging through her meridians.

[Haryeong, what is your Circle?]

Her guard was an enigma. Her name was an alias. Her age was a mystery. And she had never, ever revealed the depth of her power.

[5th Circle.]

This was no time for secrets.

Elena let out a short, hollow laugh. She’d assumed Haryeong was older, but had guessed their Circles were comparable.

[I don’t know how old you are, but a 5th-Circle at your age… you’re a genius.]

[Have I not told you repeatedly? I am an exceptionally skilled and fearsome assassin.]

WHOOSH!

A virulent green Ganggi exploded from Haryeong, coating her dagger in a sickly light. At the sight of it, the Blood Fiend’s wrinkled eyes widened. He had assumed she was 4th-Circle at best.

“Oh, Evil God! I thank you for this daily bread!” the Blood Fiend roared to the heavens.

It was a prayer, but no divine power answered.

He had come to this mountain clutching at straws, a desperate gambit to restore his shattered body. But now… was this magnificent meal not a blessing in itself? If he consumed these two prodigies, surely he could cast off the shackles of his affliction!

A wide, ecstatic grin split his face as he kicked off the ground.

“Run first,” Elena whispered to Yuri, her eyes locked on the charging monster.

“It’s still dangerous, but it’s better than staying here. Run straight down the mountain. If… if you find anyone, ask for help.”

She didn’t wait for an answer.

Focusing all her will, all her soul, she drew upon the raw mana of the mountain and unleashed the most powerful spell in her arsenal.

Thundering Flash Strike.

CRACK-BOOM!

A colossal spear of lightning tore through the air.

The Blood Fiend’s eyes widened, but instead of meeting it head-on, he leapt high into the sky. The spear of lightning then defied all logic, swerving sharply upwards in hot pursuit.

“Kuhahaha!”

The Blood Fiend laughed and swung his arm.

Crimson Ganggi slammed into the lightning. A blinding flash, and the spear shattered into a million glittering fragments. His sleeve, scorched black, disintegrated into ash, but the old man’s body was unscratched.

Haryeong was already moving.

As the Blood Fiend began his descent, she hurled her Ganggi-wreathed dagger.

CRASH!

A casual strike from his palm intercepted it in mid-air.

BOOM!

The force of the impact pushed him back, and when he landed, the very ground shook. Haryeong clicked her tongue and leaped back to avoid the shockwave. Elena, caught off guard, threw up a hasty barrier.

“Run, Yuri!” she screamed again, charging forward.

They had to draw the fight away from him.

CRASH! CRASH! CRASH!

The sounds were deafening, the clash of Haryeong’s daggers against the Blood Fiend’s bare hands echoing like hammer blows on an anvil.

She maintained a precise distance, her daggers flying from her hands like extensions of her will. But she could not penetrate his protective aura.

‘Qi deviation,’ she confirmed.

Though she couldn't break through, his crimson Ganggi wavered with every impact. A 5th-Circle master should never be able to make a 7th-Circle’s aura tremble.

His reserves were crippled. But even old and depleted, the knowledge that had brought him to the pinnacle remained. His mastery of technique was still absolute.

‘His protective aura consumes immense energy. If I can drag this out, I can win.’

It was a sound conclusion.

‘A long fight… is it possible?’

The Blood Fiend answered her unspoken question with a hideous smile.

BOOM!

He closed the distance in an instant.

Haryeong’s footwork was a blur, leaving a faint afterimage as her real self slipped to his flank. She thrust her dagger, but he was waiting, his Ganggi flaring outwards.

BOOM!

Haryeong gritted her teeth as she was sent flying, the taste of blood flooding her mouth.

“Haryeong!”

Elena’s cry was followed by a volley of lightning bolts that streaked past Haryeong towards the Blood Fiend.

Weaving through them with impossible grace, he unleashed attacks of his own, formless blasts of crimson energy that sent Haryeong stumbling, her bones and organs rattling from the concussive force.

‘His mastery of Ganggi is on another level…!’

If this was his power even now, what had he been like in his prime?

“Aargh!”

A scream from behind her.

The Blood Fiend’s assault wasn’t focused solely on Haryeong. Elena’s barrier shattered, and she staggered, coughing up a spray of blood.

“Assassin,” the Blood Fiend rasped, his breath a foul stench of decay.

“Your style is familiar. You’re from the Dang Family, aren’t you? Curious. A member of the ruling family serving in Salhomun? Your techniques are similar to the Style of Merciless Assassination, but… different. You try to hide it, but it is brimming with emotion.”

“You stink,” Haryeong spat, her lips twisting in a snarl.

“Your breath smells of filth.”

Her body trembled, and her green Ganggi vibrated, then exploded outwards in a storm of emerald daggers.

“A crude imitation of Heavenly Downpour!” the Blood Fiend scoffed, his crimson aura forming into two giant hands that swatted her attack from the air.

“Haryeong!” Elena cried, rushing to her staggering companion’s side.

And Yuri… he watched it all.

Excluded.

The monster hadn’t given him a single glance. From the very beginning, he had been irrelevant.

Haryeong, whose face was a perpetual mask of indifference, had grabbed him and Elena and run. When escape failed, she had become the shield she always claimed to be, facing an impossible foe without a moment’s hesitation.

Elena had not run. She had stayed and fought, knowing it was their only chance. Her last coherent thought had been to scream for him to save himself.

No one here believed Yuri could fight. To them, he was baggage. A liability.

And they were right.

Running was the correct choice. It was the only choice. He was 3rd Circle. The man the Blood Fiend had crushed like an insect had been 3rd Circle.

Yuri could do nothing here. Not as Haryeong spat blood onto the forest floor. Not as Elena’s lightning sputtered and died against the monster’s hands. Nothing.

To survive, he had to run now, while they still fought. If he was lucky, he might find help.

Yuri clenched his fists until his knuckles were white.

It was his fault they were here. His idle curiosity about adventurers had led them to this mountain. To this monster. If not for him, this would never have happened.

He didn't want to die. He wanted to live. As for returning to his old world… if he was being honest, it was a distant, faded desire.

There was nothing for him back there. No family, no friends, no purpose. Lee Su-hyeok had been empty. He had merely existed.

When he was dragged into this world, he had cursed his luck. But a part of him… a part of him had thrilled at it.

He had been chosen. For a nobody who had never been chosen for anything, it was an intoxicating feeling. Maybe, just maybe, his life here could be better. That sliver of hope… it was why he so desperately wanted to live.

But if he ran now, Elena and Haryeong would die. He might live. For the hope he held, it was the logical choice.

‘If I run and survive… how will I remember today?’

He would try to forget it. He would call it a nightmare. He would regret it for the rest of his life, and wish he had died with them.

I am the fire that enacts heavenly punishment,

the asura who annihilates evil,

the apostle who rights the course of heaven's will.

My hands uphold the sacred flame,

my feet shall tread upon demons.

Lee Su-hyeok… Yuri… did not want to live with that kind of regret.

And so, he took a step forward.

A flame ignited in his dantian. In an instant, it engulfed his entire body.

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