Chapter 76
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: Pureblood Duke's High Castle (4)
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“More terrifying rookie than I expected. Name’s Damo.”
The man who’d been talking extended his hand.
“Omer. What’s the power of that ring of yours? The vampire contractor over there bit the dust too, so you’re all I’ve got to count on.”
“The ring’s power…”
[Due to the effect of Trait ‘Noble Vampire Blood (A+)’, you can interfere with vampire-related matters.]
[Skill Blood Control (A) activated]
A red mist filled the staircase.
A path wide enough for one person to pass opened up through it.
“It’s a ring that seals a vampire.”
“I see. So you can wield vampire powers.”
Damo nodded and asked.
“What’s the plan once we head up? There are vampires up there, you know. Does that ring have a function to boost their favor toward vampires? Or maybe create a situation where we can talk?”
“A vampire noble is sleeping inside this ring.”
Gonghyeok stroked the ring.
“This guy’s gotta negotiate with the vampires.”
“Straight shot to the top. I’m counting on you.”
Damo gestured to the group.
“Everyone, follow slowly. Me and Omer here will head up first.”
“No. We wanna hurry up and follow.”
The outlaws pointed at the necromancers.
The necromancers were gleefully converting the blond man with the severed head into a dullahan.
“...Do whatever.”
Step, step.
The group carefully ascended the stairs behind Ju Gonghyeok.
Scattered across the stair floor were the weapons of the Crusaders who’d fallen to the mist.
“That’s weird.”
Damo muttered.
“There are weapons from dozens of people who died, but not a single corpse.”
“Those Crusader guys? Every time they died, they burst into light and vanished right away, right? Isn’t that why?”
One of the contractors picked up a weapon and replied.
And it was true.
Damo had confirmed it himself when he killed the priest earlier.
‘Why don’t the corpses disappear? It’s not like this is a real game.’
Gonghyeok watched Damo, who harbored the doubt.
‘Sharp one.’
The reason Crusader corpses vanished upon death.
It was because the Crusaders had created a ‘sanctuary’ beneath the high castle.
‘Nephilim Descent Sanctuary’
The exorcists and Crusaders who died in the high castle had all been offered to the ‘sanctuary’, becoming the foundation for the descending angel Nephilim.
Once over 80% of the Crusaders were wiped out, the offering would complete, and the descending angel Nephilim would arrive.
‘That one’ll be delicious.’
Gonghyeok licked his lips slightly.
There were good humans to serve as vessels, and the sanctuary had plenty of holy relics and soul fragments.
The fourth sephira.
Time to ascend to Netzach.
“Halt!”
At the top of the stairs.
A voice stopped the ascending outlaws.
The high castle’s vampires, dressed in butler outfits and armor, had formed ranks before the stairs.
“Come out, Guardsand.”
As Gonghyeok stroked the ring, the faintly pulsing red gem throbbed violently.
[‘Oath-Receiving Princess’s Ring (S+)’ reacts.]
[The ring’s vampire, Guardsand, appears.]
[Ability restriction 39%. Viscount-level authority granted.]
The vampire sealed in the ring, Guardsand, revealed himself.
“You there, human. I was listening from inside the ring.”
He turned awkwardly toward Ju Gonghyeok.
“This body is a vampire, but from the Pezelon dimension. This dimension and affiliation are different. No, there’s no connection at all to begin with!”
“The world may differ, but we’re both vampires.”
Gonghyeok pointed at the haughty vampires.
“Negotiate. Unless you wanna get beat in front of everyone.”
“Kraaah!”
Infuriated by the merciless insult, Guardsand’s veins bulged.
Swoosh.
“Eek!”
But as the fist rose quietly, Guardsand reflexively shrank back.
It was because ruthless violence was etched deep into his instincts.
“In front of people. Let’s keep it gentlemanly.”
“Hngh! Hnggh.”
Guardsand’s eyes reddened at his own pitiful plight.
But he couldn’t ugly-cry in front of humans and fellow vampires.
Hiding his teary eyes, Guardsand stepped forward.
“Ahem. Hm. Fellow kin. As for me, in the past, I received the grace of Lord Graduit…”
Guardsand began his explanation, mixing in rumors he’d overheard.
Even he had clues from info heard during his heavenly knight days and mission names.
Guardsand gestured emphatically.
‘I noble. These guys my slaves. Came to help you.’
“Aah! Welcome! We were in a crisis, unsure how long we could hold out.”
A junior viscount-level vampire emerged and welcomed Guardsand.
“Right now, this place is blessed by the Pureblood Duke and the fourth princess. We’ll grant it to you temporarily.”
[Pureblood Duke Graduit’s Blessing applied to the group.]
[Until dawn, your race changes to vampire.]
[Bring Crusader blood for commensurate rewards.]
[Bring bishop blood to audience with ‘Vampire King’s Fourth Princess Dorothea’.]
“Kuugh… Fangs?”
“Never even dressed up as a vampire when drinking virgin blood. Guess I’m trying it now.”
Guardsand returned to the group triumphantly.
“Hahaha! A simple task for this body.”
“Good job. Lilianne. Come here.”
“Yessir. What is it, customer~?”
As Gonghyeok snapped his fingers, the succubus clung to his back.
“New quest accepted.”
“What kind?”
“Full vampire evacuation.”
Gonghyeok stepped forward.
“I have a message for the princess.”
“Such rudeness all of a sudden—what nonsense!”
“Staying here means you can’t fend off the Crusaders’ endless assaults. It’s obvious it’ll fall.”
“...”
The junior viscount shut his mouth.
Gonghyeok spoke the truth.
The Blood Palace where the Vampire King resided teetered on the brink of falling to the Crusaders.
The Vampire King’s bloodkin had scattered in all directions to escape the flames.
The fourth princess had hidden herself while coming here to awaken the Vampire King’s brother, the sealed Pureblood Duke Graduit, in this rural high castle.
But the Crusaders’ invasion had trapped them.
“So. You have some kind of plan?”
Gonghyeok raised his hand.
The Oath-Receiving Princess’s Ring glowed.
“This ring can hold vampires. Hide all of you inside and slip past the Crusaders’ eyes.”
[Demon-side Quest ‘Great Vampire Escape’ generated.]
[Put the vampires in the ring and escape the high castle.]
[Vampires remaining 0/145.]
The outlaw behind him gaped.
“Whoa, fuck, that’s badass.”
“Summoning demons, calling vampires. Dude’s hogging all the action.”
As the outlaws whispered in awe,
The junior viscount’s face twisted ominously.
Commotion stirred among the vampires.
“Look at that ring.”
“But that ring… doesn’t it look familiar?”
The uproar grew.
A massive flail was drawn from the junior viscount’s waist.
“You traitorous bastards! You tried to deceive us!”
The junior viscount bellowed.
“Everyone, arm yourselves! That’s the first princess’s ring!”
“First princess?”
“Gasp! Why is the first princess’s ring there?”
Clank!
The vampires drew iron weapons and blood-forged arms.
“Die! We’ll appease the first princess’s vengeful spirit with your blood!”
Damo placed a hand on Gonghyeok’s shoulder.
“Hey, over there? Didn’t you say you’d negotiate with the vampires?”
“I will negotiate. Guardsand.”
Amid the sudden shift in mood, Guardsand flailed.
“Human! What the hell! I went to all the trouble to soften the mood…”
“Shut up. Chop off all those bats’ limbs.”
“No way! I’m not doing it! Kraaaah!”
Pale flames sparked across Guardsand’s body.
[The ring-bound Guardsand refuses the command.]
[-S-grade Flaw ‘Ju Gonghyeok’s Slave Seal’ manifests.]
[For insubordination, 45% of bodily blood reverses flow.]
[For insubordination, elemental resistance drops to F-grade.]
[For insubordination, A-grade lightning magic activates.]
[For insubordination, A-grade fire magic…]
“Fuck.”
“Yes.”
Guardsand rose, mumbling.
“Why me. Why me. Why me. I hate it. I hate it. I hate it…”
The outlaws recoiled at his clearly broken demeanor.
“Uwaaaah!”
“Traitors!”
“Vengeance for the first princess!”
The enraged vampires charged.
A blood-forged whip flew at Gonghyeok, who stood at the front.
Snap.
He caught the whip lightly and yanked hard.
“Wha-wha-what?”
He seized the flying vampire’s head and smashed it into the floor.
Crack!
“I’ll negotiate.”
Black wings extended from his back.
[‘Fallen Lucifer’s Twin Wings (SS-)’ activated.]
[All demon-realm skills gain +1 grade correction.]
[Demon Art Variant – Black Feather Flying Dagger (A)]
[Demon Art Variant – Severing Axe (A)]
[Demon Art Variant – Piercing Hero Black Sword (A)]
[Demon Art Variant – Five Segment Spears (A)]
[Demon Art Variant…]
Clangclangclang.
Terrifying weapons filled the wings.
“Let’s start with a good beating.”
“W-With that, we’ll… Hyaak!”
Thud thud thud!
He delivered it to a vampire pinned to the wall by arrows.
“I’m saving you all.”
“Bullshit!”
*Puke*
A spear impaled the gut of a charging vampire.
“I.”
*Slash*
Both hands of the greatsword-wielding vampire were severed.
“Am.”
*Crunch*
The side of the mace-swinging vampire shattered.
“Saving.”
The vampires began slinking back.
“Lord Denbark, that guy’s weird…”
“Shut up! Don’t retreat! Fight bravely!”
The legs of the shouting junior viscount Denbark refused to move.
“Kraaaah!”
A butler-clad vampire lunging from above fell in three pieces.
“I’m rescuing.”
Rrrrip!
“Kraaa…”
“You’re being rescued.”
The knees of the pissing vampire shattered.
“I’m rescuing.”
“Hya aaaah!”
“You’re being rescued.”
“Aaak! Aaaaah!”
The vampire’s body stuck to the wall like wet clay.
“No! We’ll all die like this!”
“I’m rescuing.”
*Slice slice*
“Stop! Please stop!”
“You’re being rescued.”
*Crunch crunch crunch*
Uwaaaaaah────
The dismembered immortals’ bodies piled in the corner.
Gonghyeok mounted the last remaining vampire.
Crack.
“I rescue.”
Squelch.
“You’re rescued.”
Crack.
“I rescue.”
Crack.
“You’re rescued.”
Blood sprayed in rhythm with the mechanical punches.
“St-stop… plea…se…”
Gonghyeok’s fist halted abruptly.
“Finally accepting it? My sincerity?”
“Y-Yes. I ge-get it. Plea-se st-stop…”
The junior viscount trembled, covering his ruined face.
Gonghyeok extended a hand.
“Then you’re Day 1 starting today.”
“D-Day 1?”
[Vampire Denbark and 34 others accept blood domination.]
[99% blood dominion transferred to Ju Gonghyeok.]
[Ju Gonghyeok’s seal engraved on Vampire Denbark.]
[Life-and-death unity authority over Vampire Denbark and 34 others transferred to owner Ju Gonghyeok.]
[Great Escape Quest progress 34/145]
“Yeah. Slave Day 1.”
The surrounding vampires melted into blood and were absorbed into the ring.
Lilianne fluttered her wings and approached Gonghyeok’s back.
“Customer, you’re as terrifying as ever today.”
“Lilianne. New quest.”
“Huh? What now?”
“You lot over there.”
Gonghyeok suddenly pointed at the outlaws standing awkwardly behind.
“Y-Yes, sir?”
“What do you need, sir? Ha. Ha.”
Gonghyeok nodded at the stiff group.
“Here. Guardsand takes care of the Crusaders—kill every one you see.”
“Oh~ like that?”
“Wipe out every Crusader in the high castle.”
[Demon-realm Quest generated!]
[‘High Castle Crusader Annihilation!’ Remaining 897/897]
[Rewards scaled by kill count.]
[They have secret weapons. Dodge if flames of resolve ignite in their eyes.]
“You’re grabbing quests left and right~ I’ll cheer for you, oppa. Fighting…”
“Lilianne.”
Gonghyeok’s gaze was ice-cold.
“Haven’t seen you much lately—your speech got casual?”
“...No, it hasn’t. Oppa. Hehe…”
“Good luck.”
“Eek!”
Gonghyeok’s hand trailed down Lilianne’s voluptuous back and gripped her tail firmly.
Her wriggling hips brushed his grasp.
“I-I’ll head in now! Bye!”
Lilianne vanished like her tail was on fire.
The outlaws and Guardsand stared dumbfounded.
“What’re you waiting for.”
Gonghyeok’s wings twitched violently.
“Don’t wanna?”
“We’ll do it.”
“My lifelong dream is to do this forever.”
“The Crusaders actually killed my parents…”
“Alright, guys. Enough chit-chat—let’s move.”
Damo led the group scattering to other rooms.
Rustle.
Gonghyeok pulled a cigarette from his pocket and lit it.
Smoking was ‘Ju Gonghyeok’s’ habit, so ‘Omer Ashk’ couldn’t smoke in front of others.
- Um, hey.
A voice tinged with worry echoed from somewhere.
- Wasn’t that a bit too much just now?
It was Gonghyeok’s companion angel, Nathaniell.
Smoke rose quietly to the ceiling.
“Nathaniell.”
- Yes.
“Right now… I’m in a shit mood?”
- …….
“Don’t nag. Yeah? Shut up for a bit.”
Hurtful words.
Nathaniell bit her lip.
‘Crazy bipolar bastard.’
Past Nathaniell would’ve thought that and let it slide.
Ju Gonghyeok was just a tool to clear Babel.
No matter his manic bullshit, she’d give mild advice and move on.
But something had changed.
‘I really wish he’d stop.’
She thought.
She wanted to change him.
She didn’t know where the wounds came from.
He’d been hurt countless times.
Traces of him trusting someone.
Trying to do the right thing.
‘You’re strong, aren’t you?’
Strong enough to clear Babel easily…
‘So, can’t you open your heart one more time?’
To his heart stained with violence and blood.
She wanted to shine sunlight on it once more.