Chapter 82
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 82
Chapter Title: Floor 9 - Lv. 60 Weaklings (2)
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He'd poured every ounce of his strength into praying for death, but it was true that there was still a decent chance he might survive.
Vampires had faint presences.
With no heartbeat and barely any body heat, they were a race perfectly suited for hiding away.
Even if it was his first time in the Abyss, a seasoned Clan Master would have quickly figured out how to survive there.
Humans, as the base race, had aptitudes for all sorts of classes anyway.
Vampires were fantastic if you only looked at their strengths. They just had equally glaring weaknesses.
"The Vampire Lord seems to have reached his limit. I even saw him licking the remnants off corpses that had fallen into the Abyss. Still, he held out impressively long."
Blood was both food and water. How long had he lasted without any?
It seemed survival instincts in extreme situations applied even to the undead, who were already dead.
'How's his condition? Is he dying?'
"He'll dry up soon. It's been nearly two months by that side's time. After a while, he was wandering around looking for any god of the Abyss."
'Looks like he couldn't find an Abyss god's altar.'
"What Labyrinth Resident would think an Abyss altar is sitting on top of a massive golem stomping around like an idiot? He'd just assume it'd kill him if he got caught."
That made sense. At a glance, it looked like nothing more than a ridiculously powerful boss monster. No one would imagine something good perched on top.
In fact, once combat started, the altar vanished.
The gods of the Abyss were among the easier greater gods to encounter, but that didn't make it easy.
'Then let's extend a hand. Wouldn't it be great if the forces we can build on this server grow stronger, oh Goddess?'
"I'm sick of running a massive church."
What was this now?
'No way you actually ran the Church of Chaos and Freedom properly, right?'
"Everyone starts off enthusiastic at first. Being a god is a blast when you're new."
'More capable than I thought. But then why'd someone like you beg to be saved...'
"Erase that from your memory, you dog. Did you freak out seeing that Provence guy or something because you didn't know any better?"
'Fair point.'
Mental states didn't flow however you wanted them to.
Sure, plenty of people could confidently claim they were fine, but even they ended up seeking some pillar to lean on.
A suicidal god.
Maybe challengers never showed up, or they didn't want to hand over the throne but the ones who did were too weak.
Something like that. But it seemed she'd had a change of heart worth retracting it.
Humans didn't even know their own hearts. It happened.
'Can you let me talk to him? And how long are you lending him out to the God of Nature?'
"Hm, I was just gonna give him to you outright."
'What, is that all our relationship amounts to?'
"She said over there that he's fine and to just watch him until he reaches the kingdom. Said it looks fun."
'Everyone's bored to death. Live a little harder, you know? Where's the passion?'
"By year 97, lacking passion is normal. You're the weirdo overflowing with it."
[The God of Nature says he borrowed it to watch this.]
'Lord Nature, you sound like a creepy perverted uncle.'
[The God of Nature says it doesn't matter if it's true.]
What the hell.
Come to think of it, petal fairies were mostly narcissists. Perverted ones, at that.
The Vampire Lord Barbaroi cursed his situation. He cursed it again and again.
But that changed nothing.
Where had it all gone wrong?
Being chased by those damn humans, the Knights or whatever they were?
That had to be some other clan pulling the strings. Vampires and humans had no choice but to coexist.
There was no way they'd hunt him down so relentlessly.
He'd already fled to the edge of human territory by then.
But it was fine. The eastern lands they'd lived in were barren anyway. Few humans. Land tough for humans was just as bad for vampires.
So he'd slipped into human countries. Attacked and driven out by the turf wars of other vampire clans, but he'd managed to scrape by near the human border.
The swamp castle swarming with undead sat ambiguously close to the human kingdom's border.
Not a bad spot for Barbaroi and his clan to nest.
If not for that Exile...
The old days had been good.
Back when humans and vampires didn't divide themselves by clans or affiliations.
Humans lived everywhere on the continent but lacked a center for ages. Until a thousand years ago, when they seized the chance from the fairy wars to build a nation.
Even after, humans were weaklings for a long time. No room to reject each other, and vampires were the same.
Barbaroi prayed to the god, reminiscing on those times.
Begging to be pulled from this place.
He had clan members to protect.
Families built over centuries wandering the borders.
Many already dead, more dying now, but he had to hurry back and shelter them.
Revenge meant nothing before survival.
But even as he prayed, a horrific face crept up unbidden.
If not for that Exile...
And the god answered.
Or more precisely, it was that voice that still echoed in his nightmares sometimes.
The voice laid out all sorts of enticing conditions. Calling it mere sweet talk wouldn't cut it—they were practical proposals he could actually benefit from, which pissed him off more.
'What do you say? Good for both sides, right?'
But it was too good to refuse. He just had to swallow his pride and honor.
Truth be told, he'd tried rejecting it the moment he heard the voice. But realizing it was divine mediation, he had to listen.
His body, at the Vampire Lord's limit, offered no other choice.
The conditions slithered like a snake's tongue—reasonable. But the nightmare from back then, and the mantle of authority clearly now in that opponent's hands...
They darkened a corner of his mind, crawling up with unease.
Even after centuries, Exiles were unknowable.
Some were bug-level idiots driven by greed.
Others terrifyingly so. More demonic than demons.
"I... accept..."
'Already so polite. Quick on the uptake.'
He had no choice but to obey this demon.
He knelt at the altar, offering prayers. Not to that vile Exile, but to the god.
'Goddess, bring that guy over nicely then.'
"Vampire followers are piling up. Kin of Chaos! Hahaha!"
Barbaroi doubted his own ears amid it all.
Divine speech?
No, more than that. Conversing so casually and flippantly with an Exile?
He'd never been her follower, but as one called kin of chaos, the reverence he'd held wavered slightly.
With complicated feelings, Barbaroi swore. He wouldn't dominate that Exile, who'd unknowingly become his kin.
For the man who'd become a vampire, that was probably the key point.
"Service! I've stocked up some power lately."
The goddess spoke cheerfully. Like a cheeky girl next door, not divine speech.
Boom. An Abyss exit dropped.
Like it fell straight from the sky.
Barbaroi sighed, wondering what his two months of survival had even been.
"Stings a bit. I was the one blocking him from finding the exit."
'You went that far? The Abyss gods don't complain?'
"Haven't seen a message from that guy in so long I can't even remember. Probably fine."
'Why are greater gods' asses so damn heavy? That rumor must be true.'
"What rumor?"
'That they exist transcending Runs.'
It wasn't explicitly stated even back in my gaming days. I hadn't cared much then anyway.
Story didn't matter for efficient play.
My focus was skill and gear efficiency, probability tweaks—not how in-game gods lived.
Looking back, knowing more about the Labyrinth's essence would've helped.
I didn't know everything.
The goddess answered curtly.
"How should I know."
Business with Barbaroi wrapped up. We'd meet again on Floor 10.
There, I'd formally receive the Clan Master title.
It was makeshift, but I already had the symbol, and as a legitimate vampire clan member, I could exercise those rights.
I'd return it later anyway.
I wouldn't stay a vampire forever.
Was this what the kid meant by things turning out a bit differently?
The servant bond reversed, sure, but it felt like there was more to it.
Still, the Abyss was unpredictable—better watch my mouth in future Runs.
Chaos altars were already finicky; neglect them, and even the god didn't know where they'd end up.
The Girl was still slung over my back, chat with the goddess done.
I headed out into the blizzard.
"Eek! The blizzard's too fierce! It hurts!"
"Quiet. Stay still. Gotta check your form."
"Can't we do it inside?"
"Besides not seeing well, no big deal."
It was dying down a bit now. Darkness was the only real issue.
Floating a magical flame fixed that.
"Not sparring—just form check. I think you've grown like 2cm? Arms and legs feel off-balance, right?"
"Huh, really? Kinda felt that. A bit unbalanced."
"Adjust little by little as you grow. Sudden growth messes up control."
"How tall are you, Uncle?"
"Me? 185cm-ish."
"Hmm."
Close-quarters drilling in blinding snow and wind was its own training.
Even as a top exorcism hero outside, most fights were in controlled settings, it seemed.
The Labyrinth killed relative powerhouses constantly.
Too many environmental variables.
I advised, fine-tuning her form. Once used to it, I ditched the flame.
Thrashing through pitch-black woods.
Blizzard picked up again. Dashing forest paths in howling gales.
Distinguish footsteps from wind, track incoming attacks.
Since becoming a vampire, I'd been pushed back against the Girl in close combat.
Stats aside, lost minor passive stacks.
But mainly, her skill had visibly improved.
Humanoid fights demanded finesse.
Later floors had enemies shrugging off one or two finishers. Regen or resurrection.
No damage accumulation allowed. Unilateral beatdowns were key.
Took two hours to return to the warm hearth cabin.
"Quite the intense date."
"Since when was swinging blades at each other's throats in the dark a date?"
"I liked it! Achoo!"
"Whoops. Blizzard too much? Look at that runny nose. Handkerchief there."
"Eww? I'm not a kid! But I like this too."
"Throat okay? Drink some warm water."
The Hunter shook his head.
The little mage and other Exiles were out cold, eyes shut.
Old man Trdongt was diligently... bench-pressing.
"What's that? Who made it?"
"Heh, chatting muscles made me wanna try. You Exiles know such wonders."
The youngest nodded happily.
"Feels great on the soreness, right, Elder?"
"Reminds me of my warrior days swinging axes. Shaman life was just fatigue. Orcs are muscles, after all."
"Humans too! Hahaha!"
Well, well. The old man had storm clouds on his face as a shaman—hated it that much, huh?
Even on Floor 2, gentle coaxing might've worked.
If unlucky next Run and met old Trdongt again, worth a shot.
The Hunter grinned sweatily at the scene, happy no matter what lately.
I sighed deeply, heading to the still-unconscious kid.
"Gotta feed her more blood."
The Girl approached, snorting.
"I'm the mom! Right, Dad?"
"Honestly, one's enough with just Blanche."
"Heehee."
Someone was watching that cabin.
The suddenly appeared cabin wasn't small.
More barracks than cabin, really.
Such a building popping up drew eyes.
Mages skipped mana detection to avoid notice.
They'd cast suggestion spells from afar, even insulation despite the strain.
No one'd expect a blizzard rush—perfect ambush.
"Suspicious, Leader."
"Never heard of a house-building skill."
"Tons of chopped wood nearby—maybe they built it."
"Telekinesis or something?"
One thing was clear.
"Better than ours? Let's move in. Wipe out whoever's inside."
"No way they expect attack this late."
"Seasoned, maybe, but Labyrinth waits for no one—sloppy means dead."
In this free PK zone, they'd been grinding levels hard.
31st-year vet, 11 kingdom runs, godlike on Floor 9—nodded with a smug grin.
The outer tripwire shook. Inner daggers clinked too.
Metal clashing rang out.
Most Exiles lacked military experience—missed simple signals like this.
Too used to skills filling gaps.
Low levels acting high-level.
"Ooh, no need for your blood. Rest that cold off."
"Enemy?"
"I'll handle solo. Sleep."
"Yell if another angel shows."
"Sheesh, if they do, is this even a game?"
Should ask the goddess about the angel sometime.
For now, absorb all blood to raise my vampire rank. Leave scraps for the kid.
Rank mattered. Couldn't take the clan next floor without Lord level.