Chapter 96: Vampire Queen Eldiria (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 96: Vampire Queen Eldiria (5)
Eldiria.
She had abandoned everything.
No, it went deeper than that—she had surrendered herself to utter despair.
Not only had she been defeated, but her very memories had been trapped and defiled by the Tower. Players who shared no connection to her past came seeking her out, begging for her affection as if she were a mere prize.
To her, this world was a living hell disguised as reality.
Dozens of times a day, she contemplated ending her own existence, living only because she lacked the means to truly die.
She hadn't expected much from Kang Jun-hyeok, either. To her, he was simply a decent way to kill time before the end.
But.
‘…Truly?’
Could he truly do it?
She didn't want to rely on anything anymore. She simply wanted to wither away and vanish.
But for one last time...
If there was ever a moment to stake everything on a single challenge, when would it be if not now?
Eldiria’s eyes grew calm, sinking into a deep, dark resolve.
The next day, Eldiria sought out Kang Jun-hyeok.
“I shall bestow my True Blood upon you.”
“Thank you.”
Kang Jun-hyeok gave a thin smile. Eldiria’s face contorted slightly at his expression; he looked as though he had known she would succumb from the very start. However, she said nothing more and raised a finger.
“Kneel before me.”
Kang Jun-hyeok lowered himself at her feet. Her fingertip split open, and a single drop of pitch-black blood formed.
“This is my True Blood.”
The pure essence of the Vampire Queen, Eldiria.
If one were to measure its worth, it would rival the value of an entire planet. And that wasn't all.
“With this, I shall forge a Blood Pact between us.”
Kang Jun-hyeok’s eyes widened.
A pact forged with vampire blood was a sacred rite, performed only between family members or those bound by the deepest of ties. Eldiria continued in a low, solemn voice.
“You shall act as the proxy for my defeated will. You shall carry my name upon your back as you climb the Tower by your own volition. And at its end, you shall fulfill both my wish and yours. Do you swear?”
“I swear.”
Kang Jun-hyeok nodded. With a faint, ghostly smile, Eldiria extended her finger. Kang Jun-hyeok quietly kissed the tip of her finger.
The black blood flowed into his throat. Eldiria immediately took a step back.
“Endure it. Otherwise, you will die.”
The moment she spoke, Kang Jun-hyeok’s body began to shake violently.
Rumble!
She was the Vampire Queen, a being of the highest order in the universe. Her True Blood, imbued with her immense stature, took root directly inside Kang Jun-hyeok’s body. A series of shocks tore through him, as if hundreds of bombs were detonating in rapid succession within his flesh.
Kang Jun-hyeok’s raw power at this stage wasn't particularly great. While his potential for growth was astronomical, at this moment, Eldiria could have killed thousands like him with a flick of her wrist. Normally, receiving True Blood imbued with her stature should have caused his body to instantly atomize.
However, Kang Jun-hyeok’s face remained remarkably serene.
The violently raging power of the True Blood slowly subsided, as if being swallowed by a vast, bottomless ocean. Eldiria let out a hollow, disbelieving laugh.
“I expected as much, but this is absurd.”
Kang Jun-hyeok was devouring the stature within the True Blood without any resistance.
It meant that Kang Jun-hyeok’s spirit—the very essence of his being—resided on a plane even higher than her own.
‘Where on earth did a monster like this spring from?’
Rumble…
Finally, the power within the True Blood was perfectly contained. In that moment, Kang Jun-hyeok realized he had evolved into something entirely different.
[Feat +3]
[Active Skill: ‘Royal Blood’ has changed to Passive Skill: ‘Royal Blood’.]
[You have acquired the Active Skill: ‘True Ancestor Awakening’.]
[You have acquired the Title: ‘Queen's Successor’.]
[A Hidden Quest has begun.]
[Hidden Quest: The Queen’s Proxy]
• Description: Act as the proxy for Eldiria’s will and slay her ancient enemy.
• Condition: Kill the ‘Rooting Tree’ with your own hands.
• Reward for Success: Eldiria.
• Penalty for Failure: None.
* * *
“Whew.”
Kang Jun-hyeok slowly gathered his strength and began to check his gains.
First and foremost, Royal Blood had evolved. What used to be an active skill was now a permanent part of his physiology.
[Passive Skill: Royal Blood]
• Rank: Authority
• Proficiency: E
• Effect: Health is slowly restored through True Blood (Auto-regeneration). When an opponent is defeated, you can absorb their blood to recover health. A level of absolute dominance over blood is established.
Royal Blood had jumped from High-Rank to the Authority rank. Simultaneously, the skill’s details had changed significantly.
The first thing that caught his eye was the auto-regeneration.
‘Constant recovery.’
Normally, a Player’s health did not recover automatically. One could only heal by leveling up, using expensive recovery potions, or utilizing specific skills with long cooldowns. Kang Jun-hyeok’s own Grace of Benevolence was a prime example of those limitations. Because of this, health management was the most grueling part of climbing the Tower.
That problem was now solved. Not only did he have auto-regeneration, but he also gained health back for every kill.
Kang Jun-hyeok let out a breath of genuine admiration. In terms of pure stability, this was a top-tier skill even compared to everything he had acquired in his past life.
Then there was the dominance over blood. Kang Jun-hyeok lightly flicked his finger. A stream of blood slithered out of the air and coiled around his hand like a loyal serpent.
‘The raw output is weaker than when it was an active skill.’
But it was more than enough to use as a combat aid. Since it was now a passive effect, there were no time constraints or mana costs, making it a massive net gain.
It was a very satisfying change. However, the next skill was slightly puzzling.
[Active Skill: True Ancestor Awakening]
• Rank: Authority
• Proficiency: E
• Cooldown: 3 Days
• Effect: Awaken as a True Ancestor for 10 seconds. All health is restored, and all stats increase exponentially. You gain near-absolute dominance over blood.
“Am I not a vampire right now?” he asked.
“Do you wish to discard your humanity and become a monster?” Eldiria countered.
“It’s not that. I just thought the True Blood would change my race.”
“Who do you think I am? I am the Vampire Queen, Eldiria. Suppressing the corruption of the blood to maintain your humanity is a simple task for me.”
Eldiria replied nonchalantly.
“Right now, you are a human who possesses the abilities of a vampire. When you use that skill, you will temporarily become a True Ancestor in the truest sense, but you will always return to being human. If you’re dissatisfied, I can turn you into a full vampire right this second.”
“Not a chance. This is perfect.”
Kang Jun-hyeok shook his head flatly. Unlike ordinary vampires, a True Ancestor supposedly had no weaknesses, but they were still limited by their nature. They lacked the sheer versatility and growth potential of the human race.
To wield the powers of a True Ancestor while remaining human was an unexpected, optimal outcome. Kang Jun-hyeok grinned.
“Thank you for your consideration, Queen.”
“I hate that smile of yours. I almost turned you into a thrall just now,” Eldiria grumbled.
Kang Jun-hyeok chuckled and checked the next reward.
[Title: Queen's Successor]
• Description: The one and only successor personally recognized by the unique Vampire Queen, Eldiria.
• Effect: Vampires will react in one of two ways: they will either show absolute respect for the Queen's recognition, or they will be consumed by jealousy and hostility.
“Am I really your successor?”
“You are the only one who has ever survived my True Blood.” Eldiria gave a thin, knowing smile. “It is a feat no other vampire has ever achieved. Above all, since you have forged a Blood Pact with me, it is only natural to call you my heir.”
“It’s a poisoned chalice.”
Eldiria’s original subjects were all dead. However, there were still countless vampires scattered throughout the various floors and dimensions of the universe. From their perspective, Kang Jun-hyeok was an outsider who had suddenly appeared and monopolized their Queen’s legacy. They were unlikely to take it well.
Eldiria wore an expectant expression. “With your abilities, you should be able to beat them into submission, right?”
Every vampire in existence would eventually target him. Among them were surely beings who bordered on the Transcendent realm. It was a burden in every sense of the word.
However, Kang Jun-hyeok looked rather pleased.
“Fine by me.”
To put it another way, it meant he could crush them all and exercise absolute authority over the entire vampire race. Since it was more of an opportunity than a threat, there was no reason to fear it.
Perhaps because his attitude was so nonchalant, a hint of disappointment touched Eldiria’s face.
“I thought you’d be more intimidated, but you’re far too confident. No fun at all.”
“If I were the type to be intimidated, I wouldn't have accepted the pact. More importantly… what is this quest?”
Kang Jun-hyeok tilted his head at the screen.
[Hidden Quest: The Queen’s Proxy]
• Condition: Kill the Rooting Tree alone.
• Reward for Success: Eldiria.
It was a strange quest. There was no penalty for failure, and the reward was simply her name. Eldiria leaned back in her chair, her eyes tracking his.
“Since you claimed you would fulfill my wish, it means you intend to kill the Rooting Tree with your own hands.”
“That’s right.”
“Then consider this a formal contract. If you truly, without borrowing anyone else’s strength, kill that thing with your own hands…”
Eldiria placed a hand over her chest. Her jewel-like eyes locked onto his.
“I, Eldiria, shall give myself to you. I will become your family in the truest sense.”
“…Are you serious?”
“I am. Why don't you give it your best shot? Despite my current state, I am quite famous for being one of the most beautiful beings in the universe. Don't you think that’s worth risking your life for?”
Eldiria spoke playfully, her tone suggesting she didn't truly expect him to succeed. Even though she had regained some of her spirit, she still judged the odds to be near zero.
Defeating a Victor—a calamity-class entity—all by himself was something even she hadn't managed to do at her peak. Even if it could be defeated, it would normally take an army of high-ranking Players to barely scrape a victory. To her, the quest was essentially a joke.
However, there was one thing Eldiria didn't know.
Kang Jun-hyeok had already killed the Rooting Tree alone in his past life.
“I’ll give it my all,” Kang Jun-hyeok replied with a short, confident laugh.