Optimistic Game Chapter 89

Edited by: Marethyu, Priapus

For a legendary-tier dungeon, the ‘fodder’ mobs are a lot weaker than they’re supposed to be. I mean, in the other one, even the infected villagers posed one hell of a threat in comparison, and not just in their ability to take control of my magic, but in their stats too. These things? Even weaker than Primal-class Grimm.

My sword cleanly slices through a pouncing rat, turning it into ashes in an instant. Despite feeling the heat coming off Goldbrand, it doesn’t deter the other blood-starved monsters from attacking. I guess they’re pretty relentless? Nonetheless, even with their numbers, none of them manage to get through our defenses, especially with a Divine Champion watching my back.

Though, to be frank, I think only one of us would be enough. Really, any of the girls back home could handle it with ease. As for me, even if one of these rats got a hit in, they wouldn’t really do any damage, seeing as Sentry pretty much covers my entire body. So there’s no worry of me contracting any diseases from them.

Even normal rats can be dangerous in that regard, but giant undead rats?

Another leaps toward me with a loud squeak, prompting me to respond by smashing its head with my fist, turning it into red mist. The primary concern here is avoiding magic. A simple blast of flames would wipe out most of them, but would also alert the big guys upstairs—something I probably shouldn’t do.

I know I’m overleveled for this dungeon, but each time I’ve ventured out to clear a rare or above dungeon, the main ‘boss’ would always be significantly more powerful than it was supposed to be. Always. Never have I fought and defeated a boss that was seemingly appropriate for its level, and I think that’s intentional system design. I’m not really sure why.

But I digress. I know not to underestimate the boss here, especially seeing what happened last time I went into a legendary dungeon.

“Just who do they think they are? This… moronic clan of fledgling vampires…” The other vampire growls, his tone laced with hatred. “A handful of upstarts believing they’re royalty! Don’t they know who I am?!”

My right eye twitches in irritation. This motherfucker has been ranting about the Folguis for the last few minutes, and I’m legitimately starting to lose my patience here. It’s one thing to have to breathe in this disgusting stench while fighting a never-ending swarm of vermin alongside someone who hates my guts, but to hear this dipshit yapping the entire time?

“I am Griswold Vanir! I am the true lord of this palace!” He screams. “They’re nothing more than traitors! Undeserving usurpers!”

I literally could not give less of a fuck who he is or what happened to him, not when his first response to seeing us is sending rats to eat us. I might’ve offered him some sympathy if he didn’t do that.

“They’re nothing, you hear me?! Nothing! A ragtag group of useless, arrogant fledglings!” He continues to whine. “I offer them a place in my court, and what do they do? They dare to spit on my face and stab me in the back!”

So to say I’m annoyed would be an understatement. Thankfully, I’m not the only one who feels that way, as I sense the wave of irritation coming from Vaeri, who seems composed on the surface. There’s even a hint of killing intent, so I know she has it worse than me.

“Bastards, the lot of them!” He growls. “When I have my revenge, I—”

“Can you shut the fuck up?” I respond as I slash an incoming rat, not even sure if he can hear me. Though from his following silence, I think he can. “I don’t care who you are, and I certainly don’t care about your sad backstory. Call your little pets off, or I’ll shove my sword so far up your ass you’ll be tasting metal for the rest of your life.”

That came out a little more aggressive than I meant it to be, but it works.

“W-what did you—”

“Seriously, do you even hear yourself? You’re stuck here in the sewers, surrounded by filth and vermin, complaining to two people you’ve never met about how some other batfuckers used to push you into lockers and steal your lunch money.” I scoff. “Boo fucking hoo, dude. You’re pathetic. Grow up.”

After that, there is silence. Finally.

“What are you doing?” Vaeri quietly asks after a moment, her slash killing three rats at once.

“Provoking him,” I respond, using my gauntlet’s bladed whips to destroy a few more. I’m counting for the both of us, and I’m currently winning. “I’m hoping he shows himself.”

That or he shuts up. Which he did, thankfully.

“I highly doubt he’s that foolish.” She responds.

“Maybe, but you did mention that he’s starving.” I point out. “Hopefully, that’ll be enough to push him.”

“Insolent Leviathan…” The now-named Griswold growls. “I’ll flay you alive!”

Right after he says that, I hear the faint crunching and cracking of stone, followed by a roar somewhere nearby. For a few moments, I think that Griswold has taken the bait and is on his way here, but then, I see a vision of something ramming into both Vaeri and me, prompting me to act fast. I turn around and push her out of the way, taking the full brunt of the attack.

Whatever it is that attacks me drags me through the swarm of rats, but before it can smash me into the wall, I plant my feet firmly into the ground and stop it right in its tracks. A creature made of stone, not unlike my golems, however, its claws glow red, imbued with vampiric blood magic I’m not familiar with.

But I’d recognize a gargoyle anywhere. Gotta say, I’m a little impressed. Better than many of the golems I created on Remnant.

“Crush him!” Griswold demands, making the gargoyle roar.

Still nowhere near enough to pose a threat, though.

The beast tries to push me back, but I’m far more powerful, and even as the dozens of vermin gnaw at my armor, they’re nothing more than annoying mosquitoes. It knows that, and so it swings its claws at me in hopes of doing something, but I catch its arms and twist them off before smashing my fist through its head.

The gargoyle stops resisting and crumbles into dust as Vaeri quickly catches up, and with a swing of her bullshit sword, she easily kills all the rats around me before I can do anything about them. Blood splatters and stains my armor as chunks of rat flesh drop to the ground motionless.

Suddenly, I’m very thankful that I’m wearing a helmet. Something tells me accidentally getting ‘vampire rat blood’ in my mouth would have very terrible consequences.

I exhale and look up at Vaeri, whose unfaltering stare of annoyance starts to get on my nerves. For once, I voice my frustrations.

“You know, partner, a ‘thank you’ would be nice.”

“I did not need your help, Delmar.” She sneers, making me clench my fists and scowl behind my helmet.

Not what my literal future sight told me, you arrogant bitch.

However, instead of getting into an argument, as tempting as that is, I barely manage to rein in my anger and decide to drop the subject. I don’t know what’s gotten into me that’s making me annoyed so easily, but getting into a fight with her here and now would be childish and idiotic.

Gamer’s Mind really is a blessing. Christ…

For a few moments, I say nothing in response, hearing more shattering of stone in the distance.

“You fool. You think you’re safe?” The blood-starved vampire growls. “Eradicate them, my pets!”

A lot more. Fuck.

That’s not good. One, two, even five are easy to deal with. But a high enough number, like what I’m hearing, can overwhelm me, seeing that I’m pretty limited. And tight spaces like this put me at a disadvantage.

And with so many rats…

Yeah, no.

“…More gargoyles are coming,” I warn her. “We gotta move. This way.”

Moreover, trying to fight them is pointless. They’re identical to my golems, meaning if we kill their creator, they should collapse. Or at least stop working entirely.

So I make a run for it, with Vaeri following closely.

“Run, little Leviathan!” Griswold laughs manically. “Entertain me!”

Several other gargoyles end up smashing through the walls, trying to get to us. However, they can’t slow us down, as we either dodge their claws or smash through their defenses with ease. I know if we were to slow down, though, we might get fucked.

I’m confident that I could take on hundreds of them with relative ease, but that would most certainly alert the vampires above us. Assuming they’re not already alerted.

“Do you know where you’re going?” Vaeri asks.

As I take another left after what felt like minutes of running, it only just occurs to me how fucking massive this sewer system is. Like Jesus Christ, it’s nearly as complex as the underground railroads spanning across Vale City. And those things are enormous.

“However you try, your efforts are in vain!” He proclaims. “I will feast on your corpse and… and… W-wait…”

Fortunately for me, though…

“Yeah.” I narrow my eyes and smirk. “I can sense his presence.”

He couldn’t hide even if he tried.

“Where are you going?! How are you—!” His tone turns from confidence into full-blown panic in the span of approximately three and a half seconds. “No, Stop! Stay back! Don’t come in here!”

Ignoring his pleas, I smash through the wall he’s hiding behind, revealing a large laboratory of some sort. Pretty spacious on the inside, with beakers, flasks, vials on several shelves, desks, and bookcases. The generic lab of a mad scientist.

And there he is— the terrified leech behind one of the desks. Dark brown hair, pale skin, and bloodshot red eyes, the self-proclaimed ‘true lord of the palace’ looks a lot different from what I thought he’d be. Vaeri mentioned he was blood-starved, but I didn’t expect him to look so… malnourished. His ribs are visible, as he’s wearing nothing more than a pair of pants. A body so brittle that it would collapse if I looked at him too hard.

Kind of depressing.

“Wait, wait!” His eyes widen as we approach him. “Hold on, let’s talk about this!”

“Oh? Now you want to talk?” Vaeri scoffs. “How convenient.”

“L-let’s not be hasty!” He panics, slowly walking backward until his back hits the wall. “I-I know we got off on the wrong foot, but—”

“‘On the wrong foot,’ he says. You were fully committed to killing us, buddy. You didn’t even stop to think and ask us what we’re doing here.” I cut him off. “I think we’re long past showing mercy.”

Though I get why he never bothered to attack us on his own.

Name: Griswold Vanir

Title: Lord of House Vanir

Age: 2,411

Race: Vampire (Human)

Level: 281

HP: 74,000

MP: 231,000

AP: [Locked]

STR: 841

VIT: 531

DEX: 991

INT: 1565

WIS: 2001

CHA: -20

LUK: 100

He’s pretty weak…

I’m almost certain it’s because he’s starving. He should be stronger than that if he’s well-fed. I don’t know by how much, though.

“Please…” He pleads. “Don’t kill me. Please. I’ve been stuck in this cesspool for centuries. Underneath those… those vermin!”

I hesitate slightly; however, Vaeri doesn’t, walking past me to deliver the killing blow. Surprisingly, Griswold doesn’t try to fight back. But he couldn’t, anyway. He’s too weak to do so. Instead, he falls on his rear and uselessly puts his arms in front of him, closing his eyes in fear. This is just sad…

“I-I’m the rightful owner of this palace! They stole it from me!” He insists. “I’ve done no crime— I’m the victim here!”

He’s telling the truth. There’s no hint of deceit in his words. Just panic and fear.

…

I look at the gargoyles behind us, then back at the cowering vampire. He’s going to die before they can reach us, and he knows that. He doesn’t even bother to defend himself.

I sigh deeply.

…Goddamn it.

“Call them off,” I point at the incoming gargoyles with a demand, right before Vaeri swings her sword at him. “Do that and we won’t hurt you.”

This causes the Divine Champion to pause and glare at me, silently asking me what the hell I’m doing. On the other hand, Griswold’s eyes open wide as he nods rapidly. Right before a gargoyle’s claws reach me, it freezes in place and retracts them, moving away.

“H-here.” He says, waving his hand. “I did as you demanded. You’ll let me go now?”

“I didn’t say that. I said we won’t hurt you.” I snort, making his breath hitch. “You still attacked us, and this ‘elven maiden’ here is a Divine Champion. That’s a pretty serious crime as far as I’m aware.”

Griswold’s eyes flicker to the angry Vaeri.

“By the ancient blood…” He gulps before he prostrates himself before her. “I’m so sorry. Please forgive me, my lady. I did not know.”

The Divine Champion, silent for a few seconds, eventually sheathes her sword, throws me a glare, and addresses the downed vampire. Aw, she can be nice.

“Raise your head, vampire.” She says, tone filled with venom. Or maybe not. “Listen and listen well. You will remain here until I’m done with Clan Folguis. If you try to run, I’ll make sure you face the executioner block. And you—”

She points at me.

“We agreed that you will follow my orders.” She reminds me. “Don’t go making demands without my permission.”

“Oh, come on. I know he attacked first, but he already surrendered.” I roll my eyes with a scoff. “And you wouldn’t wanna sully your blade with the blood of someone this pathetic, would you?”

“Even if that is true, I make the decisions,” Vaeri says, poking me in the chest. “Not you. Got it?”

Good god, I’ve never felt the urge to punch someone in the face this much before.

But, again, although it’s starting to be VERY fucking difficult, I remain silent and take it on the chin. This is not worth blowing up over.

“Now…” She addresses Grisworld once more. “You will show us the way to the foodbank.”

The trembling vampire nods, gets up, and puts a hand on the wall behind him. The wall immediately disintegrates, revealing a long hallway.

“Here. This way.” He says. “Be careful. These usurpers are not to be trifled with.”

Remaining silent, Vaeri takes that path, leaving me alone with Grisworld. I don’t immediately follow her, glancing at the starving vampire for a few moments.

…This is probably gonna end up biting me in the ass, but…

With a sigh, I take out a blood bag from my inventory and throw it to him. Grisworld barely catches it, takes a moment to process what he’s looking at, then looks at me, surprised by the gesture.

“I don’t know how much blood you vampires need for you to feel full,” I start. “But this should be enough for a little while. Try to get out of here while you can. Things are gonna get pretty chaotic soon.”

“Why…?”

“I dunno.” I shrug. “I guess I’m feeling nice today.”

I have too much of it for rituals, anyway.

“…I see.” He pauses, still in shock as he stares at the blood bag. “You’re rather kind for a Leviathan…”

…Is it me, or did that come off a little racist?

“Yeah, yeah.” I wave it off. Eh, whatever. Not something worth getting offended over. “Just stop getting into trouble. And next time someone visits, be nice to them, will you?”

Griswold says nothing, and I take his silence as confirmation, so I quickly follow after Vaeri, not wanting to fall behind.

Now for the real dungeon to start…

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– Vaeri –

Silently walking through the dark corridors, the Divine Champion glanced at the Leviathan next to her, as quiet as she was. She’d expected more of his idiotic and annoying quips, seeing how he didn’t know how to shut up, but it seemed that even he was feeling it.

Her grip over Darkest Crescent tightened, sweatdrops rolling down her cheek. This powerful, dark presence grew stronger and stronger the closer they drew. It had gotten to a point where, had she been a lesser woman, she would’ve turned tail and run away. Was it the Folguis leader’s presence, or the Eyes’ doing?

…This was what she was supposed to be dealing with? These vampires were beyond anything she was used to. No wonder they were as dangerous as the legends said. Even as a Divine Champion, Vaeri didn’t think she could ever do this on her own. Now she knew that she’d need an entire squadron of the Lunar Order, and even the assistance of another Champion, to really feel confident in her chances.

Though she might as well count her blessings. As much as she hated to admit it, the Delmar would be of great help to her here, even if he had just proven that he couldn’t follow basic orders. His strange proficiency in fire magic, despite being a Leviathan, and his powerful armor made him a formidable ally, something she desperately needed for this mission.

Her eyes lingered on him for a few more moments before she looked away. Beyond his strength, however, he was… odd. Different. Compared to every other Leviathan she’d met, all of which were arrogant, brash, and obsessed with conquest, he seemed far more humane.

Sure, she knew that he’d gotten increasingly furious each time they bickered, even if his helmet made him hard to read, but the fact that he managed to control his anger at all was unheard of and admittedly impressive. Leviathans were creatures of fury— they didn’t do ‘self-control’. Whatever they didn’t like, they destroyed without a hint of hesitation.

…Then again, the last Emperor of Posiedra had been different, too, hadn’t he? She’d never met him personally, but she’d heard rumors of him being a protector, rather than a conqueror, as laughable as it may sound. Could they be directly related? Perhaps there was some merit to these rumors after all?

As they reached the end of the hallway, Vaeri and the Delmar stopped before a ladder leading to the foodbank. Both of them took a moment to compose themselves, knowing what needed to be done. Their first priority wasn’t to pick a fight— they needed to get the Eyes away from the Folguis’ hands. Then, if they could, call for backup. Afterwards, they could think about wiping them out.

Easier said than done… She thought.

“So…” The Delmar started, looking at her, then pointing at the ladder. “Ladies first.”

For a moment, Vaeri didn’t say anything.

“Before that, I want to ask you something.” She spoke, staring directly at him.

He paused, then nodded.

“Shoot.”

“Why did you decide to spare that vampire?” Vaeri questioned without missing a beat. “What compelled you to show him mercy?”

The Leviathan put a hand under his chin and hummed.

“Dunno.” He shrugged. “He didn’t seem like a bad guy to me.”

“He tried to kill us.” She argued.

“Yeah, that’s true. But like I said, he surrendered. And he was also starving, wasn’t he? From the looks of it, he’d barely had anything for centuries.” He replied. “Shit, if I were in his shoes, I’d try to kill us, too.”

…He really was too strange for Leviathan standards.

“The real question here, Vaeri,” He leaned toward her slightly. “Why did you show him mercy? You seemed pretty happy to get rid of him.”

“Who knows?” She coolly responded. “Maybe you were right for once. He was too pathetic to dirty my sword with his blood.”

“Heh.” He snorted. “Yeah, I’m sure.”

Vaeri clicked her tongue.

“Don’t misunderstand, Delmar.” She scowled. “Just because we share a common enemy does not make us friends. So I suggest you stop acting like we are, got it?”

The Leviathan said nothing for a little while before quietly muttering.

“Can’t blame me for trying…”

Vaeri scoffed and climbed the ladder, just barely opening the hatch above. She surveyed the surroundings for any nearby enemies to confirm no one was nearby, then she stood up, dusting herself off. The vampire-owned food bank was very much what one expected.

 Where regular people would store vegetables, meat, and other food items— for them? It was a jail cell where they kept the sentient races like they were cattle.

“How awful…” She mumbled, her expression growing sorrowful.

The food bank was circular in shape, with cells holding humans, elves, orcs, even pixies and beastfolk, separated by race. So utterly broken that none of them had even noticed Vaeri coming up from the hatch.

The Delmar followed closely and stood right next to her, his breath hitching at what he saw.

“…What the hell is this…?” He whispered, almost in disbelief.

“What do you think?” She replied quietly. “It’s where they keep their food.”

She noticed the Leviathan’s fist clenching tightly, signifying his nigh unbridled fury. It surprised her— For once, it wasn’t out of hurt pride or ego.

He seemed angry for them. At the injustice he was witnessing.

“We have to help them.” He said.

“No. We will leave them be.”

The Delmar turned around and looked at her, and Vaeri could almost see his glare behind his helmet.

“Leave them be?!” He growled. “First thing you do after seeing this is to leave them alone like this?! They need help!”

“I understand.” She responded. “But remember why we’re here in the first place.”

“So? We can send them the way we came. They’ll be out of the palace in no time.”

“You’d send them to their deaths.” She argued. “Even if they get out of the sewers unscathed, the forest is still dangerous. Blood Hounds and similar monsters lurk in every corner.”

“One of us could escort them—”

“Look at them.”

He paused and turned his gaze to the blood slaves.

“There’s not even a drop of willpower left in them, Delmar. They’re utterly broken, in mind and spirit.” She said. “Do you realize how difficult it is to help those without a will to live? It’s essentially impossible.”

He remained silent.

“Make no mistake, however. We will be back for them and get them the help they need. I swear it.” She promised. “But right now, until we’ve secured the eyes, this is the safest place they could be in.”

The next few seconds were tense, and Vaeri thought that this was where he’d let his emotions get the better of him. Thankfully, however, the Leviathan once again managed to control his anger and relax his posture.

He really was different.

“…Yeah, alright.”

Vaeri nodded in acknowledgment, admittedly respecting both his compassion and ability to reason despite his bubbling rage. Then, she led him toward the exit, opening the door slowly and peeking to see if there was anyone nearby. Another long hallway, this time carpeted and decorated, dimly illuminated by candles lit with crimson blood fire.

Vaeri glanced at the compass in her hand. The treasury was directly forward. Good.

“Wait.” The Delmar gently pulled her back, offering her a vial. “Take this.”

Vaeri frowned, took the vial, and stared at him suspiciously.

“And what’s this?” She questioned. “A potion of some sort?”

“Yeah. Invisibility potion, to be precise. I’m something of an alchemist, you see.” He answered, opening another, identical vial in his hand. “Dunno how much it’ll help against vampires and their super perception, but I’m hoping it gives us some kind of edge.”

Vaeri was about to dismiss his idea, but then she saw his helmet suddenly shift, the lower part almost melting to open a way for him to drink the vial. He swallowed the whole thing in one gulp. Right after the helmet returned to its original form, the Leviathan suddenly vanished, making her eyes widen.

“…What?” He said. “Never seen invisibility before? Wait nevermind. That’s a dumb question. You can’t really see invisibility.”

“Er, no…” She glanced at the vial. “…The invisibility potions I know usually do not affect armor or clothes…”

“Oh.” He blinked. “That’s fucking stupid. What’s the point of them, then?”

Vaeri said nothing, staring at the Delmar — or where he had been standing before he went invisible — then back at the vial. Eventually, after internally debating for a few seconds, she decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and drink the contents of the vial. Shockingly, unlike every other potion she’d had in her relatively long life, it tasted quite pleasant, actually. Sharp sweetness followed by mild bitterness. Like a bizarre mix of blueberries, mangos, and dark chocolate.

At least it didn’t make her want to throw up.

Soon after, her form began to slowly become see-through. Strangely, though, she could still see herself as well as the Delmar, both of them taking an ethereal form.

“How come I can see myself?” She asked, glancing up at him. “How come I can see you?”

“A special twist I added.” He answered. “Anyone who goes invisible with this potion in particular can see other invisibles. Y’know, to avoid miscommunication with partners and whatnot.”

“I see… That is rather clever.” She complimented, slowly opening the door once more. “Come. Let’s not waste any time.”

“I’m right behind you.”

Peeking one more time and making sure nobody was there, Vaeri went through the door and closed it behind them quietly. With the Leviathan closely behind, they quietly walked through the empty hallway, going wherever the compass took them. They even walked by a few thralls, whose eyes were those of dead fish. Fortunately, unnoticed so far, Vaeri nonetheless felt threatened. 

The palace felt… eerily silent.

Even after taking several turns, entering a few rooms, and ascending the stairs, they encountered no substantial threat. More mind-broken thralls and slaves cleaning and dusting the hallways. Rather, it felt as if the collective presence of all of the vampires was in a single place.

…A place they had to pass through to reach the treasury.

The two looked at the door in apprehension, neither wanting to risk a mission as important as this.

Unfortunately, however…

“Is there no other way?” The Leviathan whispered.

“I’m afraid not.” She replied, just as quietly. “Don’t even breathe too loud.”

The Delmar nodded, prompting Vaeri to open the door as gently as physically possible. Thankfully, it didn’t make any creaking noise, and once they closed it behind them just as gently, the pair took a proper look at where they were.

On the other side of this room was another door, with no obstacles in the way despite the overwhelming presence of the vampires. In fact, unlike the other long hallways they’d grown used to since their infiltration, the door was right there. Less than thirty meters at most.

However, this room was an interior balcony that peered over a great hall—the throne room where the entire clan dined together.

“You seem rather dissatisfied, my love.” A sultry voice hummed. “What seems to be the issue? Is the feast not to your liking? Have you grown tired of me, finally? Or is this vulgar fool you call a jester too unsightly for you to bear?”

Lord Folguis was resting on his throne, twirling a wine glass in his hand with a bored look. Like most vampires, he seemed young— barely in his mid-twenties, with swept-back jet-black hair and crimson red eyes. Beside him, sitting on the armchair, was his partner in crime and lady of the clan. Dark red hair reaching down her waist, and eyes not unlike her husband’s.

In front of them was a strange… man in a dark purple and red jester coat. She’d never seen him before, and her sources had never mentioned him either. Although she couldn’t see his face from this angle, he didn’t seem like a vampire, nor was he some sort of thrall.

“Must your tongue be as sharp as your claws? How vicious! How cruel! ” The Jester replied with a gentlemanly bow. “Your words pain Perseus oh-so-much, Lady Anastasia.”

…Something about him was wrong. Almost as if…

…I’m staring at something that doesn’t exist. She thought. Who… What is he?

“Is that so, Perseus?” The Lady of the clan smirked. “You seem to imply you know how sharp my claws truly are. Perhaps you’d like to test this theory? I’ll happily oblige~”

“Such viciousness toward your own guest! Ah, how harsh! How cruel!” He giggled. “Even our lord would be appalled, Perseus is certain~”

“Oh, I wouldn’t think so. You were rather amusing for a little while, but now…” She chuckled. “My family has grown bored with you, so perhaps you’d let us rip you apart to get a last bit of entertainment value out of you, yes? After all, that’s what you jesters live for.”

The rest of the clan, who feasted on the long table, either glared or chuckled at the Jester. They were not weak by any means. Eighteen equally powerful vampires, but compared to their lord?

“Oh, how cruel! How deliciously cruel!” He continued giggling, unsettling even Vaeri. “But you’re right! You’re so right! What a vicious and terrible fate for innocent Perseus! A fate he embraces with open arms!”

That answer seemed to have annoyed the Lady of the clan, who frowned slightly. However, before she could do anything to the creepy jester, the Lord raised a hand and smiled.

“Dissatisfied? My beloved Anastasia, how could that be when the Folguis feast together like kings?” He said. “How could that be when I have you by my side?”

Overwhelming power radiated from him to a degree that it nearly triggered her fight-or-flight response. Even his wife, who was far stronger than the rest, was nowhere near his level. However, Vaeri remained composed and gestured for the Delmar to follow her. They needed more than a squadron to defeat them; that much was certain to her now.

“How could that possibly be when this kind gentleman has brought us a most wondrous gift?” He addressed the Jester. “To think I’d have my hands on a shard of the Deserved… You deserve more than mercy, Perseus. You deserve a place by my side.”

Him? Her eyes widened as she stopped in her tracks. He brought them the Eyes?!

“Oh, how kind! How merciful! Perseus truly does not deserve such compassion from you, my lord!” The Jester went down on his knees. “Ah, but Perseus mustn’t accept! He couldn’t! Perseus is nothing more than a Jester who serves another master!”

Who the hell is he? Vaeri thought. She then quickly shook her head. No, focus. Eyes first. Questions later.

As she and the Leviathan slowly advanced toward the door, she heard the rest of the conversation.

“And yet, he’d dare to reject the ultimate reward. How could I possibly be dissatisfied in the face of such astonishing loyalty?” He chuckled. “No, my dear. What truly disappoints me…”

Suddenly, Vaeri felt cold as Lord Folguis stared at her directly.

“…is how you’ve yet to get rid of the two rats scurrying above our heads.”

“Duck!” The Leviathan called out, pushing her down.

An instant later, an immensely powerful wind current cut through the balcony, nearly taking their heads. Following that, all the vampires reacted, charging toward them with the intent to kill quickly. However, as Vaeri prepared for battle, the Delmar cast a powerful burst of blue flames that surrounded them, keeping the vampires at bay.

“Go. Find the Eyes and get them out of here.” He told her. “I’ll distract them.”

“But you’ll—”

“Don’t worry, I can handle myself.” He assured her. “And one of us needs to recover the Eyes. So go. Now.”

Vaeri had to make a split-second decision, and so she chose to trust him.

“Understood.” She nodded. “May the light of the moon protect you, Delmar.”

With that, Vaeri leapt through the flames and made a dash toward the treasury, compass in hand. She glanced back for one moment, seeing a vampire chasing her get dragged back by the Delmar’s whips before she refocused on her objective, somewhat surprised that she’d pray for his safety like this. But honestly?

Better a sinner like him than these despicable beasts.

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– Reid –

Spotting another vampire trying to go after Vaeri, I extend my bladed whip at him, wrap it around his leg, and smash him on the long table in the grand hall below the balcony, which I jump into, knowing trying to get back into stealth mode isn’t really an option anymore. There goes our only advantage. I had a feeling that the invisibility potion wouldn’t have worked, but at least I can say I tried.

Oh well. I prefer being direct anyway. I never liked doing stealth missions.

The court of vampires surrounds me, some looking angry, others surprised, and a few even amused. All of them prepare for a fight, though, as magic flares within them all. And they’re not pushovers, either. If I were to compare everyone here to adversaries I’ve faced before, each is a little more than twice as powerful as Fenrir.  Yeah, sure, Fenrir hasn’t really been the ballpark for ‘strong foes’ lately, but that’s the best way to explain it since he was the most straightforward Titan Grimm I’ve fought.

And twice as powerful as the weakest Titan is still pretty formidable, considering this is just a stats comparison. They have blood magic and maybe other abilities I’m not aware of. If I get careless or arrogant in any way, I might just lose my life.

Also, there are eighteen of them versus one Reid. I can’t lie and say this is going to be easy, but it’s still doable. Very doable. I may be weaker in raw stats, but I can always close the gap with potions, Sentry, and other buffs. Fire magic is also a gigantic advantage, and with my inventory THANKFULLY NOT LOCKED, let’s just say that I like my odds of victory.

Of course, this obviously isn’t counting the Lord of the Clan here. Because if we are counting him, then oh boy.

Staring at the half-amsued, half-annoyed vampire lord sitting on his throne, I grin nervously. Well, then…

Name: Dimitri Folguis

Title: Lord of Clan Folguis

Age: 1,724

Race: True Vampire

Level: 521

HP: 2,020,000

MP: 542,000

AP: [Locked]

STR: 5125

VIT: 6664

DEX: 4991

INT: 4123

WIS: 3831

CHA: 2500

LUK: 100

He’s very powerful. Stronger than the Necrosidereus’ first stage, probably a master at blood magic, and I’m almost 99% certain he has a second phase sort of backup. Maybe a transformation or something. Because when wasn’t that the case?

Yup, this is going to be tough, and I’m not sure if I should feel anxious or excited. I’d still take this times twenty over one dickhead who can eat my magic, though.

“And the interloper decides to reveal himself in my grand hall.” The vampire lord says. “Had enough scampering about, little Leviathan? I am not surprised. You brutes wouldn’t know stealth if it hit you in the face.”

He sips from his wine glass. Surprisingly, it is wine and not blood. I can tell by the smell. Barely. The stench of blood here is even worse than outside.

“What I am surprised about, however, is that one of you still lives.” He adds. “Seems the Abyssal Witch has lost her touch.”

“Eh, I wouldn’t say that. That’d be discrediting me.” I shrug. “Personally, I’d say I’m a bit too difficult to kill.”

But the main problem isn’t that I’m forced to distract them. I’m pretty great at distractions, if anything. No, the issue here is that the lady and that weird jester are nowhere to be seen. Did they slip away without me noticing? If that’s the case, then they’re probably after Vaeri. That’s not good.

“Are you now? How amusing.” Dimitri raises an eyebrow. “You wouldn’t mind if we put that theory to the test, would you?”

Okay, Gwyn. They don’t know you exist, so when they least expect it, I need you to go after her. Help Vaeri out and make sure she recovers the eyes, alright?

Sensing my familiar’s understanding, I reply to the vampire lord.

“Oh, please.” I roll my neck and release my Conqueror’s aura, cracking the floor and walls from sheer pressure. “That’s no theory.”

He chuckles and snaps his fingers, prompting all eighteen vampires to rush me at once. Some attack with enchanted weapons, others draw their claws and charge their magic. In any other situation, this would’ve been terrifying to deal with. Thankfully, I’ve already removed my limiters and buffed with potions, so I’m more than prepared to take them on. And with my Observation Haki, I manage to defend myself.

I parry the swing of a sword with Goldbrand, ducking under a kick from another vampire, grab his leg, and slam him into his sword-wielding ally. Sensing the third in the middle of an attack, I blast her and her blood spear with a devastating fire wave, taking down half of her HP.

More and more attacks from several directions, prompting me to put Goldbrand back in its sheathe as I focus on dodging, countering with magic as I charge up one of my most powerful skills. If I aim it right, I can take out more than one at a time.

With Sentry’s flight, seeing that the mist isn’t here to obstruct it, I take the battle to the second floor, making a distance between me and the grand hall, going to the opposite side of where Vaeri went. All the other vampires, except their lord, of course, follow me relentlessly. Dozens of elemental spells fly toward me, from blood spears to great rocks, shadow tendrils, and wind slashes.

I see it all, but honestly, there’s way too much, so I get hit a few times. Although Sentry’s doing a fantastic job of protecting me, it still hurts, especially without Gamer’s Body to mitigate the pain. I don’t let it distract me, responding with my own fire spells.

They don’t try to clash with my magic using their own, focusing on dodging instead, once they feel how unreasonably strong my fire magic is. The only reason I even specced into it this much, despite being a water lizard, is because of the Fire God’s blessing perk I have, making it twice as strong as it’s supposed to be. But now I’m really glad I focused on it.

Some of the vampires try to cut me off by charging behind me, but I see that too, kicking one of them in the face, dragging it across the floor, then discharging an extra-charged flame blast from my foot, almost immediately killing it.

The death of one of their comrades doesn’t scare them off. If anything, it angers them even more as one of them manages to catch up to me, thrusting her halberd at me. She’s pretty damn fast, and with so many projectiles, I struggle to avoid her. She lands a hit here and there, but after a few attacks, I react fast enough and kick it out of her hand, then abruptly break my momentum and change my trajectory by charging forward instead of backward. This catches her by surprise as I smash my foot into her face, slamming her into one of her friends, through several walls of the palace, until we’re outside.

While in the air, I flip, kick the vampires down into the foggy forest, and follow up with a great fireball their way, just as three vampires reach and attack me at the same time. The swing of a great axe, the thrust of claws, and a close-ranged blast of ice magic. All of them land, successfully taking a decent chunk off my HP, but unknowingly forfeiting their lives in the process.

Because that’s when I swing Goldbrand again. Three hundred times in the span of a single second. None of them realizes that they were hit until they’re burning chunks of flesh falling down. This is what intimidates the rest of the court, as they finally hesitate to attack me directly.

“I said so, didn’t I?” I smirk. “It’s not a theory.”

Six batfuckers dead.

Twelve more to put down.

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– Ruby –

Taking off the welding mask, she sighed deeply at Crescent Rose. Or the state it was left in after their duel. He just had to break it, huh? That jerk. Didn’t he know what this masterpiece of a weapon meant to her? Her boyfriend could be rough at times. In more ways than one.

Her expression went from one of annoyance to sadness. He just had to be the way he was, didn’t he? She had always known it, hoping— praying she was wrong, that she was just being too negative, but after their battle, it confirmed her worst fears.

She was too weak to be trusted. They were too weak for him to share his burden. That’s how he viewed them. If they couldn’t even hope to measure up to him in any way, why would he possibly trust them with anything? How could they not buckle underneath that weight that he was struggling to carry?

What truly hurt Ruby, however, was knowing why he was doing this. It was not out of arrogance. Not out of a selfish desire to be the only one looked up to by everyone. No. Reid did this because he loved them. So much that he felt it was his obligation to shield them from every little thing that could potentially hurt them.

Ruby knew that. Because if she were in his place— if she were this almost prophesied hero that every single person on Remnant relied on, then she would’ve done the same.

And perhaps… he had a point.

As her breathing became shaky, Ruby wiped the tears away.

“Are you alright, Ruby?” Senketsu asked, noticing her feeling upset.

“Y-yeah…”

She quickly shook her head. No, she couldn’t afford distractions. She needed to fix Crescent Rose ASAP and figure out a way to catch up to Reid, because she knew that the only way to get him to rely on and trust her was to prove her strength to him. No matter what.

Her stare on her broken weapon lingered before she sighed again. At least it wasn’t so difficult to fix. The bladed edge of her scythe was a little chipped and bent after a battle that intense, and that broken shaft was the extent of the damage. No way was her baby reaching the end of its lifespan. For a weaponsmith like Ruby, this was a simple job.

If anything, she was planning to upgrade it even more. As she just happened to get her hands on a special blacksmithing guide that she most definitely didn’t steal from Reid’s library. She would never do anything that evil. No way.

She peered over the opened book and flipped through the pages, scratching the back of her head in a mixture of confusion and mild frustration.

“‘Under a moonlit sky, submerge a large-sized mana crystal into the molten metal and—” As she read one of the passages, her eyes widened. “I need to reconstruct my baby first?! Aww, you’ve gotta be kidding me!”

She clicked her tongue as her frustration grew. Did she pick the wrong book?

“Isn’t there a way to turn broken weapons magical without enchanting?” She mumbled, taking the book and flipping through the pages. “Please, there’s gotta be one way, at least.”

“I don’t believe skipping some steps is wise, Ruby.” Senketsu, being the voice of reason that she didn’t need at the moment, told her. “Especially when you’re a beginner in the arts.”

“Pfft, beginner?” She scoffed, pointing at the supply of manasteel she’d made. “What about this, huh?”

“This took you seventeen attempts to create.” He argued. “And you barely made enough for one weapon.”

“But— but—!”

“No, Ruby. I won’t let you do something so dangerous.”

“Ughhh…” She groaned. “I really don’t wanna melt Crescent Rose and recreate it! I can’t make two miracles in one lifetime!”

“I’m not sure if you’re being too confident or too doubtful of your abilities.” Her sentient uniform muttered.

“This is gonna suck…” Ruby sighed.

She didn’t want to go through the trouble of remaking Crescent Rose, knowing she would never be able to make the perfect weapon again, but she also really wanted to make a magical version of Crescent Rose. Not just through Reid’s enchantments.

According to Reid himself, this method was almost always superior to simple enchanting. Not only would Crescent Rose become a hundred times sharper, but it would also attain special abilities unique to it.

…And Ruby didn’t want his help. She didn’t want him to enchant Crescent Rose because this was a way to prove her own resourcefulness to him.

…

“Alright…” She conceded. “I’ll do it.”

She brushed her hand over Crescent Rose and smiled sadly.

“You’re the best partner I could’ve asked for.” She said, making Senketsu fake-cough. This prompted Ruby to roll her eyes. “Yeah, yeah, you too.”

But maybe this wasn’t the end for her baby. Indeed, Crescent Rose would be reborn into something better. Stronger. Something without a lifespan, an ultimate weapon that would endlessly grow with its user. Something even better than Reid’s Goldbrand and Devil Breakers.

A weapon worthy of the hero she had become.

And she was going to do it without Reid’s help.

With her resolve fired up and focus sharpened, Ruby grabbed the two halves of Crescent Rose, but before she could do anything else, the door of her workshop opened, revealing Titania.

“There you are.” She said. Before Ruby could ask what she was doing, Titania spoke over her. “Someone’s outside asking for you.”

“Huh?” She blinked. “Who?”

“Dunno. Small old lady. Wears funny-looking eye prosthetics.” She said. “Huge fan of yours, apparently. Won’t leave until she talks to you.”

“Ugh.” Ruby frowned. “This late? Can’t you tell her to leave?”

“I tried.” Titania shrugged. “And I dunno about you, but I’m not gonna force an old lady to leave. It’s not even my job.”

“You should speak to her, then,” Senketsu said. “It could be important if she is visiting this late.”

“I guess…” Ruby sighed. “Okay. I’ll go see what she wants.”

Ruby set her beloved weapon aside and exited the workshop— a small shed in the corner of Reid’s estate. It was near the front gates, so Ruby didn’t take too long to arrive, spotting the old lady behind the gate.

She really is small. Was Ruby’s first thought. 

“Aha, there you are!” The old lady said. “You really are the spitting image of your mother!”

Ruby paused, not expecting this kind of greeting.

“E-excuse me?” She blinked. “You… know my mom?”

“Of course, I do. I may be old, but I’d never forget that troublesome brat.” The lady confirmed, her tone filled with a mix of exasperation, fondness, and sorrow. “Name’s Maria Calavera.”

She grinned.

“I was Summer Rose’s teacher.”