Chapter 74
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 74
Chapter Title: Floor 8 - Lv. 415 Lava Hammer Battalion (1)
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In the chilly dawn, across a frozen plain where patches of snow still refused to melt, it was impossible not to build a fire.
We'd gathered firewood from the ruins of the shattered fortress—bits that looked like they'd burn well.
No matter which way we went, we'd just end up outside a Greenskin village, so tonight it was camping for sure.
The open plains were dangerous. Even the glow of a cigarette at night was visible from kilometers away, they said.
A bonfire went without saying.
But with a touch of magic, it wasn't a problem. It didn't even need to be perfect, like [Invisibility].
The magic circle could be as simple as a circle in some cases. Just a crude symbol scratched into the dirt.
This wasn't even real magic. It was just a minor trick to bend and block light to some degree.
One big reason Labyrinth mages had to study magic themselves. These parlor tricks weren't implemented as skills.
The game-era Labyrinth had no such thing as life.
It was just a bunch of AIs that only activated when you approached.
So everyday magic like this had no room to squeeze in as a skill.
My frozen hands began to thaw.
The warm flames felt like a lifeline.
A common misconception: thick winter gear doesn't generate heat.
It only slows the loss.
No matter how much you bundle up, there's no enduring subzero cold without a fire.
That's why resistance skills like [Cold Resistance] grow more vital. Extreme environments pop up more as you go deeper.
In that sense, the undead vampire wasn't fazed by the cold.
She looked like a tiny, heat-craving kid, but she wasn't tired or shivering at all.
She didn't even breathe. Her meals were human blood only.
Even as everyone else slumped exhausted around the fire, the little vampire hadn't changed a bit.
But her body could still freeze. Undead races just numb to things not directly tied to their unlife.
I could see the tips of her fingers starting to frost over.
I called her over to warm up.
The kid plopped right onto my lap like it was her designated spot.
And then she said,
"It's warm. It's my first time in a warm daddy's arms."
"Guess you never got held before becoming a vampire."
Vampires run cold. Holding hands would feel chilly, not cozy.
The Girl's eyes on the little vampire, rubbing against the new sensation, were something else.
Not jealousy. More like... that irresistible urge when you see something too cute.
"Uncle."
"Yeah?"
"I've always wanted a little sister since I was a kid."
"You're the mom."
"No, that's... I mean, that's nice too. But a daughter. I never thought about it."
"Sigh."
At least she's not my biological kid. Thank goodness.
No, physically impossible anyway, but it still creeped me out.
Outside, I'd never even held a girl's hand.
In the Labyrinth, I'd dated around, but never had kids. Never in my life.
Having a child in the Labyrinth is a raw deal for both parent and kid.
"First time being called daddy."
"Thought you'd done everything, Uncle."
"Raised kids, sure. But they still called me Uncle."
You gotta draw a line with affection. But I'd told her to call me daddy first. Go figure.
This run felt normal in some ways, but refreshingly new.
Maybe emotionally too.
Feeling more than camaraderie with party members wasn't rare, but dating a high school kid?
I cracked my neck and looked up at the sky.
Mana steadily draining for the camouflage to hide the light felt oddly pleasant.
The warm bonfire felt good. The even tinier kid squirming shyly in my lap felt good.
The Girl beaming dreamily right in front of me felt good.
It hit me: despite this tougher-than-usual tutorial stretch, I was more relaxed than the difficulty warranted.
"Eh, not bad."
You can't succeed as a pure machine repeating design and execution. Realized that around 80 years ago.
Learned I needed some humanity for my own sake about 60 years back.
Ditched the stubborn gamer mindset separating me from the Labyrinth 40 years ago.
Twenty years ago, I thought I'd sorted the petty inefficiencies from necessities.
I've inched closer to clearing every year. Some backslides, but more progress.
Change is good. Even without that mantis monster's words.
Fail to embrace it, and you die. As a Challenger.
"C'mere."
"Service?"
"Yeah."
The Girl scampered over and plopped beside me, pressing close like sharing warmth—and not letting go.
Nah, she straight-up nuzzled. Cat much?
Eh, we're dating anyway. Different from the decided future, but not like the idea repulses me.
Wait, this little vampire from the future might be why I feel off-guard.
Hm, a scheme? From future Girl?
Time paradox. Chicken or egg.
Future events ripple back, altering that past, and so on...
Ah, too complicated. Drop it.
Everyone dragged their drowsy bodies into sleeping bags.
Flat ground, but we'd dug to block the wind somehow.
The little vampire topped it with cloaks from the future. Tent? Underground tent.
"I practiced a lot keeping a low fire going."
"Oh yeah?"
Heating duty: little vampire.
Heard the gist, so sleep and think tomorrow.
Raced nights on end. Gotta rest deep if I wanna live.
Watch duty: the sleepless little vampire.
Woke clearer-headed. Brain must've been fried from overdoing it.
First, shoved off the clinging Girl.
"Whoa, easy. Even if future's like that, can't guarantee it here. This place's time travel runs on parallel worlds with branching timelines."
"But yesterday you were sweet. We're dating from now on!"
"Age up first."
"That matter in the Labyrinth?"
"I'm a South Korean citizen."
"Pfft. You'll cave anyway."
Pouting, but grinning ear-to-ear since morning.
Like a weird certainty settled in. Her lately wilting affection got its spark back...
Tough, huh.
Night was insanely comfy. Cozy like an ondol floor.
Hard to believe it was roughing it.
Little vampire wasn't fibbing about fire practice.
"Hated learning magic at first, so I slacked. Wasn't much help."
"Something change your mind?"
Suddenly clammed up, ran to the Girl, and hugged tight.
"Not telling now."
"Oh my god, too cute!"
Left 'em be and got the info future me relayed.
Detailed notes. First line had me bursting out laughing.
"Whoa, one of the three spacefaring powers dividing the planet's orbit is the Gobleteria Federation?"
[Nature's God finally conveys that the Lava Hammer Battalion has ceased their offensive.]
"Goblins... not just surviving, but thriving big time."
"Worth the grind, Boss."
The maknae nodded vigorously, lost in thoughts.
From what I heard, their homeworld had tales of exploited workers...
This make sense?
Glanced at the Girl. Whatever, things were rolling big.
Goddess of Luck. Game just name-dropped her, no details. Probably cut content.
Goddess mentions aside, she's tied to it somehow.
Girl's a walking bundle of info even I didn't know from playing outside.
Probed before: zilch.
She knows nothing.
Still, good news for now.
"Anyway, space is huge. Without the Temple of Time, doubt we'd pierce it right."
One after another, spectacles. Space wars now?
Future intel's priceless. Now I know what's coming.
Course, little vampire's from a divergent timeline, so not exact.
Stuff'll veer off bit by bit.
But prediction accuracy beats raw data synthesis. Big win.
Hunter looked thrilled too. Don't harsh the vibe.
[Nature's God says more fairies are gathering toward the human kingdom.]
The fortress fell day one. Heavy losses after. Just a special battalion, but borders are wrecked.
Supply worries halted deeper push, but even the skirmish showed the class gap.
Fairies shoring up final line via human alliance, looks like.
Time to ponder.
Options galore right now.
Future me didn't log every nitty-gritty event foolishly.
Other timelines: near-identical parallels. Broad strokes same, details differ.
Knowing the future doesn't chain me. Free will lingers. Most events ain't set.
Me learning the future now amps divergences.
Time travel: endless chain from who-knows-where.
Wipe Gobleterians now? Post-floor-10 plot shifts.
What's best? Info overload hit sudden.
"Head back, nuke the Lava Hammer Battalion?"
[Nature's God says it's not yet time to deploy the Spirit King.]
"That so? Then snag the saintess first. No need for Spirit King then."
On a whim, chatted with my long-neglected contracted Spirit King.
Can't summon solo, but its ego's faint.
Ignore too long, it sours. Gotta raise right. More firepower impact than expected.
Tried linking briefly, then sighed.
"She's sulking. This one."
Talk and pamper more. Spirits are pains.
Tiny dragon sprite ignoring me for now.
Gauged little vampire's limits. Magical aptitude: exceeds expectations.
Girl marveled at the array of magics.
"Alright, let's move."
Goblins left at dawn, guided by Nature's God through woods. Technically, Chaos Goddess revelation.
That tiny band becomes future mega-commie federation. Future me described evil empire vibes. This okay?
But those bastards are our bastards.
Future little vampire said current her's caught by Stormhowl Brigade.
Couldn't find her. Orcs nabbed early.
Trdongt back to floor 2, poached via my Karkrish kill.
All cards in hand. Shred floor 8 fast, prep 10.
Boss tougher than space maybe.
"Still, no matter how fast we hustle, Stormhowl Brigade remnants link with Lava Hammer Battalion."
Inevitable.
Per future little vampire, Trdongt fully cooperative by then.
Won't derail that. Issue solved. Good job, future me!
But fierce battle till linkup too.
She lacked will to live then.
Lost family, starved wandering, nabbed by orcs.
Just knew fight happened, ended. No details.
Future me's notes imply safe saintess grab, no specifics.
Classic past/future detail flux.
Checked [Human Card] in my pocket. Smooth plastic texture on fingertips.
Goal crystal: link with Trdongt amid Stormhowl remnants and Lava Hammers, persuade saintess.
No way our party beats Lava Hammers straight-up.
But [Hero Unit] [Great Saintess Merilliss] returns? Easy.
Persuade, revert to human. Victory con.
Hero units are that game-changer.
One long worry solved too.
"No Barbaroi in your future, right?"
"Not dead, but... kinda different."
What tangled weird? Check later.
"Anyway, no worry I'll end up under Barbaroi's thumb. That was top concern."
Clan vamps are clan master's property.
Bloodlink for his powers? Risk his dominion.
Super risky, had to watch.
Switch races worry-free.
Sat, wiped neck clean. Feeding the kid—gotta be tidy.
"Bite."
Little vampire crept up shyly. Girl eyed enviously.
"I wanna bite too... Can I later?"
Isn't it usually the reverse?