Chapter 113
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 113
Chapter Title: 12th Floor - Lv. 355 Straggler Clans (4)
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The dwarf arms dealer viewed everything in the world through the lens of his profession.
To him, only two things mattered.
Money, and weapons.
Fundamentally, it all boiled down to money. Stronger weapons meant bigger profits, after all.
In that regard, Exiles were superior to any weapon out there.
If he could just capture them and put them to use, the gains would be incomparable to anything else.
Mind-control techniques weren't common, but they did exist.
If that wasn't an option, he could always lock them away somewhere.
They were golden geese, plain and simple.
And by sheer luck, a Healing Spring had bubbled up right in his mansion—a perfect stroke of fortune.
Even if he had to kill a few, keeping just one alive would let him corner the potion market.
Still, he planned to capture them all if possible.
The special potion bottles that preserved the spring's waters could only be used by one living Exile each.
There were no substitutes.
Only those bottles could transport the spring water over long distances.
A miraculous cure-all that healed any ailment.
He'd seethed with envy watching the fairy mafia rake in cash by capturing Exiles just like this.
Their Healing Spring's location was a total mystery.
The same went for [Moru]. As long as he, a rock dwarf, remained on this planet, an Exile's arrival meant [Moru] would appear too.
There were still mysteries to unravel about how Exiles used it, but no denying it was an incredible tool.
Fortunately, most events on this tiny planet reached his ears.
And there was another player with similar power.
Vampires who had staked their claim on this eternally dark world. Annoying pests, but desperate survivors all the same.
With so few humans around, they'd have no choice but to buy blood.
Their interests aligned perfectly.
The vampires were just as jealous of the fairy mafia's potion racket.
The dwarf arms dealer signaled his men with a hand gesture to check the prepared ambush.
This mansion was, naturally, a fortress of sorts.
He'd be away from home for a day, so a full inspection was in order.
The arms dealer brimmed with confidence.
Exiles were threats, sure—but that very danger had spurred plenty of research on countering them.
This Exile party looked downright unimpressive at a glance.
Top-tier Exile gear from centuries ago would have been treasures.
Gleaming armor, flashy weapons.
But in this era, gear with just basic enchantments was little more than antiques.
And most of them were still human. Humans were weak.
These ones looked adequately feeble.
The vampires agreed, and the lure had worked.
Now, before the idiot orc gang caught wind and muscled in, he'd wrap this up swiftly.
The clan master was standing by nearby. For a sure capture, he'd need that level of muscle.
"Dinner won't take long to prepare. Care to discuss some business in the meantime?"
The dwarf arms dealer grinned broadly as he offered seats to the Exiles.
The neatly groomed vampire leader smiled back and sat.
The party was a bit odd in makeup. A vampire and an orc together?
No mythical beings like angels or demons, though.
"What kind of business? I can help with [Moru] activation, sure. But I'd rather know where the stairs are."
"Can't do that. They might vanish to the next floor anytime. I respect Exiles, but I know you're wanderers at heart."
"Trust is in short supply, I see."
"Indeed. No time to build it now, so let's keep our agreements and talk. Oh, right—anything you want to forge? I hear [Moru]'s a big deal for Exiles."
* * *
Something was fishy, no doubt. But the offers weren't bad.
Even if they planned a backstab, they were playing it cautious.
This called for sharp instincts.
I'd walked in assuming it might be a trap.
It was a game of who struck first at the critical moment.
They had home-field advantage, so they'd be off-guard. And I knew that.
Would've been nice to send out a bat, but vampires were guarding the perimeter—no stealth option there.
Tea arrived.
Blood for me and the kid, the vampire perks.
The kid eyed the sweet milk tea served to the Girl with envy.
The Hunter asked a servant to swap. The dwarf arms dealer nodded.
The Girl took a delicate sip of the steaming tea, smiled, and set it down.
She didn't swallow. A quick glance my way.
Damn. They'd set everything up before calling us in? I'd figured it'd start at the inn to buy time, but they moved faster.
I didn't touch my cup.
Neither did the others.
The dwarf arms dealer launched into [Moru] talk.
"Some of my VIPs are obsessed with Exiles. Especially gear made from those mythical beasts unique to you folks."
"Sourcing the materials is the hard part, no?"
"That's why I'm saying—if you've got any, I'll buy high. Cash or trade for weapons. You like guns?"
The 10th-floor boss hadn't dropped materials since it wasn't a brute-force monster.
The arms dealer seemed disappointed.
But securing weapons was a win for me.
Still, he wasn't handing them over easy, talk or no talk.
Watching for the spark, it felt like they were prepping right now.
Servants passing by had subtle tension in their faces. Occasional commotion outside.
The party's expressions soured.
No one said it, but we all sensed trouble brewing.
The dwarf sat there, brazen as ever.
Whether from backup or just underestimating us, who knew.
I stood up.
"Something wrong?"
"We'll talk details later."
"Hm?"
The warrior's magic range was about two meters for direct spells, not just aftermath.
But the arms dealer was within it.
Sparks flew with a sharp crackle.
The dwarf's eyes widened.
"What the—!"
His words turned to agonized screams.
I'd crippled all his limbs. Cauterized the stumps with fire to stop the bleeding. Spring was right there anyway.
Keeping him alive wouldn't be hard.
"We'll get the full story soon. Hope we can make a deal."
No muffling the screams. Enemies stirred from all sides, murmuring.
Clanking metal, heavily armed footsteps.
The Girl shot upward, kicking through the ceiling before flying off.
I followed right after.
* * *
It was all planned out.
Since becoming a vampire, the leader had agreed to split for PvP like this.
The clan master was asymmetric warfare incarnate.
The Girl too. They'd disrupt the flanks and take out key targets on their own.
The rest of the party played it by the book.
Left in charge: the Hunter.
"Armory first!"
No reason to stick at the scene. That'd just be begging to get surrounded.
The kid approached the writhing dwarf and hoisted him piggyback.
She was learning spells, but not combat-ready yet.
The leader chuckled, calling her more of a magic researcher hooked on curiosity.
Ten-ish in looks, but vampire strength outpaced humans.
Dwarf was kid-sized anyway. Minus limbs, even lighter.
The youngest raised his shield uneasily.
Still a wall indoors.
Door wouldn't budge. Sirens wailed.
Auto-locking mechanism.
The old timer stepped up. One lightning-wreathed hammer swing crumpled and blew the thick steel door.
But outside, seven dwarfs aimed guns. Plasma rifles.
Youngest raised shield. Sparks flew. [Barrier] deployed.
Superheated plasma mist hammered the shield.
The little mage unleashed her prepped [Lightning].
She'd leveled plenty, focusing on lightning without direct casting, per advice.
Skill-acquired spells activated fast.
Dazzling bolts lit the hall.
Three dwarfs toppled. Others ducked behind cover at the end.
"Magic? Damn it, they've got a mage!"
We had guns too. Alliance-standard plasma rifles glowed pale blue.
Shield forward, advance. Doors opening behind too.
Everyone bolted.
* * *
Gunfights are a hassle. Exhausting.
Distances once safe now invite lethal fire.
But AoE attacks had tapered off.
This era's tech was magitech at core, yet undeniably scientific.
Most advanced weapons counted as "physical attacks."
I climbed the path the Girl had roof-breached.
She's fast. Always was, but more so lately. Stats up, plus [Dagger Mastery] stacks and minor buffs.
Could probably hang with hero units now.
From the roof, I dissolved into mist, spreading everywhere. Red blood fog blanketed the area.
A few beams targeted me. Mist in their path dissipated.
It stung.
But not much.
Mist settled slowly.
This planet knew vampire terror.
Snipers pulled grenades in unison.
Not modern frags.
Plasma grenades to scorch space itself.
From the fog, bats and wolves charged.
They snatched thrown grenades and hurled them back.
Dwarfs panicked. Unseen tactic.
Shots at beasts, but they misted and reformed.
Fog closed in.
Time to cook them slow...
Something odd caught my eye.
Rocket? Not obsolete here. Particle beams and plasma outdid explosives, but solid projectiles endured.
Beams and plasma were just convenient.
But this rocket was hollow... filled with spring water?
Others hooked high-pressure sprayers—garden hoses?—to the Healing Spring.
I reformed the mist in a rush. Solidified, landed on the roof, and sprinted.
Rocket incoming. Packed with healing potion.
Explosions trailed my rooftop run. Water sprayed wildly, countered by blasts that propelled me forward.
I put max distance.
High-pressure jets arced everywhere. A few grazed me.
Drops hit my arm—searing agony.
"Hey, you bastards! That's too far! You cowards!"
* * *
The Girl kept ascending.
Flight via [Dash], like against the angel.
Not breaking atmosphere.
Even she couldn't push that far.
Up to where the whole mansion sprawled in view.
A bit higher.
Soon, it was palm-sized below.
[Hero Landing]
Power and radius scale with fall height.