episode_0533

I move forward with heavy steps, ignoring the violent crash sound coming from behind.

Eventually we arrived at the 14th floor.

The Marquis on the 13th floor passed by was the ninth, so this is the tenth Holy Blood, and it is normal for a vampire whose rank is presumed to be Duke to appear.

“What… , there’s no sign of anything, right?”

“Completely empty.”

There was no sign of anything on the 14th floor.

But this place was filled with more tension than any other place I had passed by so far.

However, the source of tension is not here on the 14th floor, but overhead.

“… 15th floor.”

The cause was the force leaking from the last floor of the old castle.

One thing is obvious without even having to say it.

Francis Meyer.

Then who is that opponent?

“… … .”

I was curious from the moment I received information from a low-ranking vampire.

There are a total of ten Seonghyeols who have inherited the blood of their true ancestors.

It is said that the place where they settled down was from the 5th to the 15th floor of Goseong.

Isn’t it strange?

If you count the 5th to 15th floors, there are a total of 11 floors.

Assuming that each Precious Blood is used one layer at a time, one layer remains.

So, who is this remaining floor for?

The answer was derived without difficulty.

I don’t want to admit it easily because it is the worst situation, but now I have no choice but to admit it.

“… Jinjo.”

The father and king of all vampires.

Jinjo has woken up.

This must be the monster that Francis Meyer is dealing with.

“Damn.”

All kinds of questions pour in like a flood.

When?

how?

I do not know.

That’s why it’s even more frustrating.

However, one thing is certain.

Kugugoogung!

Oh my… !

Kaang!

The power of the awakened Jinjo is not lacking at all, even compared to that of Francis Mai.

Coo!

no… , maybe even higher than that.

I feel impatient.

In terms of momentum, it seems like the situation is tight, but it probably isn’t a very good situation for Francis.

That’s because there is a volunteer group around him.

Although their divine power was great, their existence itself was nothing short of shackles.

Because priests, like wizards, invest all their abilities in divine power, their physical abilities are significantly lower than those of other hunters.

I don’t know if I would let them die… , well.

“That can’t be possible.”

The Francis Meyer I know is not that kind of person.

I urge my colleagues to take a moment to catch their breath.

“It goes up quickly. It looks like Mr. Francis might need our help.”

Then they laugh.

“Kuh… , it really is a dream-like situation.”

“That monster needs our help, right?”

“This is your only chance to repay your debt… !”

People who raise their bodies with joy.

I really think he looks like a veteran.

The fact that Francis needs help means that there is a powerful enemy.

Even in such a gloomy situation, aren’t you suppressing your agitation with a very relaxed attitude?

“Then let’s go right away… !”

It was time to join their mood and shout loudly.

“You don’t need to come up.”

A cool, low-pitched voice comes down from the stairs upstairs.

Again and again

Soon the sound of shoes is heard.

A man appears with a leisurely beat that strangely creates tension.

Eyes that are a mixture of black and red.

A pointed nose and a stylish mustache growing underneath it.

A middle-aged man with so much dignity and elegance that one wonders what nobles in the Middle Ages would have been like.

He comes down with his long cloak waving and declares.

“This is your grave.”

Soaring corners of the mouth.

Coo coo coo… !

At the same time, a strong momentum arises.

“Uuut… !”

“What, what is this ridiculous momentum.”

“Where did such a monster come from!”

My stomach is twitching.

He tries to figure out the identity of his opponent by rolling his head, which has been slowed down by the force.

The conflict that can be felt upstairs is still felt.

That means Francis and Jinjo are still staying there.

So what is that little monster?

There is only one person that comes to mind.

The person who should have greeted us on the 14th floor.

“… Is it a peacock?”

Peacock.

He nods.

“Correct answer.”

He greets me in an elegant manner and continues to introduce himself.

“Vlad Chepeş.”

As soon as I heard that name, a person in history who had both notoriety and prestige came to mind.

A war hero who fought against the Ottoman Empire.

The duke of the Principality of Wallachia, who practiced a reign of terror with the heinous punishment of skewering.

Vlad III.

Chepeş is a nickname.

Meaning ‘one who pierces’.

“… … !”

The moment I remembered this, the smell of blood from the ground stung my nose.

This is definitely a sign of something.

I shout in a voice filled with evil.

“Everyone, watch your steps!”

As soon as the words are finished, red thorns shoot out from under the ground.

Shoo shoo shoo!

It’s big enough to pierce a person and hang them in the air.

Colleagues react to the warning one beat faster.

“Ugh!”

Some people got scared and avoided it.

“This… , keaaagh!”

Phew!

Some people are unable to escape and are pierced from the buttocks to the chest and lose their lives.

In the midst of the chaos that suddenly unfolded, I turned on my eyes and looked around.

What about Seoyeon?

What about Yujeong?

What about Elena?

Juyeon… , And what about Sihu and Harin?

“Ugh… !”

“Eright!”

“Uriyaaaat-!”

“Holy Shield!”

“Sihu, this way!”

“Uh, yes… !”

Fortunately, everyone is okay.

Seoyeon cut off the thorns with her sword, and Yujeong and Elena cut the thorns with their shields and pressed them down.

Juyeon spread a wide protective shield with divine power and protected Sihoo and Harin, who were almost in danger.

“Phew… .”

I feel relieved for a moment.

“Ho, you block pretty well. but… .”

But the crisis did not end there.

“It’s not over yet.”

The thorns rise again.

As if what was shown at first was just a taste, the longer and thicker spines moved at a much faster speed.

Shoo shoo shoo shoo!

Fu shoot!

“Quaaaagh!”

Puhak!

“Que black… .”

Pukkakak… !

Constantly standing at the crossroads between life and death.

Those who avoid or block survive, and those who do not die die.

Those who survived, but had their arms and legs pierced?

Push shot!

“Crrr… .”

“Cough!”

He is unable to avoid the second or third thorns that grow and loses his life.

Their form was terrible.

The corpses hanging in the air on long thorns have their eyes wide open.

And fear and pain are engraved in those eyes.

It’s like a stain that won’t come off even if you wash it again and again.

“Huhuhuhu… , What a beautiful expression. Isn’t that right?”

“… … .”

The ground is wet with blood flowing from their bodies.

And from the blood, another thorn emerges and threatens the life of a comrade who barely survived.

A technique truly optimized for massacre.

Lift one foot and stamp on the ground.

Wow… !

The magical power that was stored throughout the entire foot spreads through the ground and touches the blood.

Grumble!

The rising flame burns away the blood.

Then the rising thorn also stops its advance and finally disappears.

“Ho… , I never thought I would burn my blood with flames. That’s a smart response.”

… Damn the clever response.

More than seven people have already died, and three barely survived on the verge of death.

Can this really be called a shrewd response?

“Fuck.”

My appetite is bitter.

I feel sorry for not being able to properly save them.

Still, I feel relieved that my colleagues are fortunate to be alive and not dead.

Laughter bursts out.

“Quukkeut.”

After all, I am fake.

A fake that is different from the real thing in every way.

If Francis were a true hero, he would have shed tears at the sight of this terrible scene.

But I’m just laughing.

Then the Duke looked at me quizzically.

“Hmm? Laughing in this situation… , Did you go crazy from such a big shock?”

I answer.

“It can’t be.”

There are too many things I’ve experienced so far to be this crazy.

However, I just came to my senses a little.

I was mistaken for a moment while I was with Francis.

Since I was with these people who were full of spirit, I also walked around as if I were a hero.

In fact, there is no reason to do so.

okay.

Strictly speaking, the people who are dead now aren’t even my colleagues.

Rather, it is just a potential threat.

So I can be happy.

An enemy that I might have had to kill one day was solved by someone else’s help, right?

On the contrary, maybe I should be grateful to that guy.

Thank you, Vlad Chepeş!

For killing my future enemies instead.

so.

“You die too.”

Because hunting dogs are no longer needed after hunting.

To prevent the opponent from reading the move, close the distance by pushing the ground with only your toes.

A new model that moves smoothly.

Eventually, the sword was swung in the area where it touched.

From your feet on the ground to your knees, waist, sides, shoulders, and arms.

A strike with minimal movement that could be interpreted by the opponent.

Kaang!

However, it is blocked by the opponent’s leisurely outstretched wrist.

To be exact, it is a red barrier surrounding the wrist area.

“What a great move. I almost gave up my head.”

Be sarcastic at the other person’s admiring tone.

“Stop saying things you don’t even want to say.”

It wasn’t blocked because the numbers were read.

It’s a difference in skill.

Until the very end, you can leisurely check where the sword is headed and raise your arm.

I ask the guy who is relaxed with a sincere smile.

“That was your real expression.”

“… … ?”

The guy who gives you a puzzled look as if asking what that means.

My stomach has been churning ever since I first met him.

Is your body tense from the overwhelming force?

no.

This trembling is not mine.

The identity of the tremors is the heartbeat felt from the gluttony coiled in the stomach.

And I have already felt this pain once.

“I knew that pretending to be a good person was a lie, but I never knew that race itself was a lie.”

“… … .”

The guy’s face hardened as if he had sensed something.

On the contrary, I grinned and spat out the last words as if scratching his insides.

“The game of martyrs fighting for their failing country ends here.”

The true identity of Vlad Chepeş.

“Viktor Vadim.”