Vampire's Castle

Choi Jae-jun fought relentlessly without rest.

Just when he thought he'd cleared the monsters from his floor, the upper levels crawled with even more gargoyles and ogres.

The good news was that repeated battles with the gargoyles had let him learn their patterns.

'Claw attack this time!'

He dodged swiftly and dove into the gargoyle's embrace.

Slash!

Destroying the heart embedded in its chest halted their movements instantly.

A few more ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠strikes after that, then back off at a distance—that was it.

Whew.

After taking down so many of the two monster types, even several kills barely netted a level-up anymore.

Jae-jun approached the people huddled trembling on the floor.

"You all okay?"

"Evacuate to a safe spot until the situation stabilizes. Got it?"

Most people split into two reactions at words like that: they either stuck to him like glue or got pissed.

"You're from the Hunter Association, right? What the hell took you so long?"

"We almost died!"

This time, it was the latter.

Sheesh.

If they had energy left to complain, they should've used it to run their asses off.

'Whew.'

"You sighing right now?"

"Do you know who I am? Can't you see this badge?!"

Jae-jun slowly approached the man and lightly chopped the nape of his neck.

Thud.

As the badge-wearing man collapsed, a young guy next to him stepped forward yelling.

"Wh-what the hell are you doing?!"

"Quiet down unless you wanna join him. I'll say it one more time: evacuate to safety until things calm down. Got it?"

This time, Jae-jun made no effort to hide his annoyance, glaring at them.

The people flinched but nodded.

"Wh-what's your name? No, who the hell are you?"

As Jae-jun turned to move elsewhere, the man shouted after him.

His flushed face didn't scream good intentions.

"Me? Hwang Dong-su!"

Jae-jun spat the words and leaped away.

Hope this doesn't bite me in the ass later.

But I'm pulling the Hunter Association's weight here—they should cut me some slack.

He justified it to himself and kept hunting monsters.

Rawr!

He incinerated two ogres and collapsed onto the floor.

These damn monsters seemed endless.

But the spoils made it worthwhile.

The items only dropped from ogres.

'Probably 'cause they're covered in that iron plating.'

Better than nothing, so he equipped them all. Unlike the ogre necklace, they resized to fit his body perfectly upon wearing.

'Last floor now?'

The escalator to the final floor loomed ahead.

'Quest!'

The initial quest would end in just 78 minutes—nearly five hours had passed already.

Jae-jun pondered.

The boss was probably on the top floor if there was one. Did he really need to go up?

Wouldn't it be smarter to wait down here for escape?

'Even the gargoyles heading up seem to be gathering in the boss room.'

No desire to volunteer for unnecessary danger.

And besides.

Fatigue was already in the danger zone. Fighting the boss and taking a penalty from it would spell disaster.

'Just a short break.'

He leaned against the wall and sat.

In the darkness and silence blanketing the department store floors, intermittent sobs echoed from the people.

But then.

Grrr.

Grrrrr.

Sounds of gargoyles and ogres moving.

Not just one or two.

As if every hidden one was emerging, they poured down from above.

'Huh?'

'What's that?'

And amid them, a monster descended under monster escort.

Or was it a monster?

It looked human.

Just unnaturally pale skin and red eyes.

Jae-jun felt a sudden unease and quickly ducked behind the wall.

'Lesser Demon Kin?'

Jae-jun's face twisted sharply.

Kin sounded like a lowly secretary serving demons—probably just another ogre ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠or gargoyle. Risking his life for that? Ridiculous.

The problem was the failure condition: death of every human except him.

Haa.

If he were pure demon, he'd shrug and wait out the timer somewhere.

But fused with a human soul, he couldn't ignore the rising emotions inside.

Damn shitty system.

At least cough up a better reward!

'Whew.'

Jae-jun sighed deeply and secretly observed the vampire.

'...Strong.'

He could tell just from the aura radiating off it.

Even with his boosted stats, the outcome was unpredictable.

The vampire slowly scanned the surroundings as it walked.

Floats of flame drifted up around it, illuminating everything without effort.

Now its form was clearer: ornate silk robes draped with a cape.

And its eyes fixed precisely on the hiding people.

Jae-jun instinctively melted into the shadows.

The Shadow Robe's effect blended him perfectly into the darkness.

Then the vampire halted.

As if savoring the tension of the hidden ones, it glanced around before doffing its cape and speaking.

"Vermin humans."

"Hiding like bugs here and there, eh?"

"Come out now and bow your heads, and I'll forgive your crime of slaying my kin!"

A soft, melodious voice laced with eerie vibrations.

It burrowed into the mind like an imprint, heavy with pressure.

"Come out already. I'll forgive you all."

As the voice rang out again, a few people walked toward the vampire.

Upon seeing its face, they wore ecstatic expressions and knelt.

"Y-you'll spare us?"

"Come here."

The woman kneeling at the front flinched and approached.

The vampire's pale, slender fingers brushed her face.

"You want to live?"

"...Y-yes."

She trembled but couldn't tear her eyes from its face.

"But I don't wanna."

"...Huh?"

The vampire giggled as if her blank confusion amused it, then flicked its fingers through the air.

Crack—

Her neck snapped, head tumbling backward.

From the cleanly severed stump, red blood sprayed like a fountain, painting the air.

The vampire spread its arms wide and opened its mouth.

It savored the fullness of warm blood filling its throat.

"Kill every last one! Bring them to me as blood and flesh!"

At its roar, the surrounding gargoyles and ogres screeched and scattered in all directions.

People screamed and fled, but none outran gargoyle claws.

And no hiding spot survived an ogre's mace.

'Crazy bastard.'

Breaking through that horde to reach the vampire? Tough.

And fatigue was critically high, regardless.

A brief rest hadn't helped much—still at 79.

Jae-jun frowned watching people die.

Then the vampire's body slowly floated up.

Black lightning gathered in its hand.

Crackle!

Crrackle!

Observing intently, Jae-jun felt the power's danger through his whole body.

The current swelled blindingly, amplifying like a storm.

Finally, the vampire thrust its hand downward.

Toward the floor.

BOOM!

Rumble!

A deafening roar tore at the ears.

Dust billowed from the debris, obscuring vision.

Cough!

Cough!

'What the hell did it just do?!'

As the dust settled slowly.

Jae-jun couldn't hold back his shock.

The thunderbolt had bored a massive 20-meter-radius hole from the top floor straight through to the first.

And through that hole, monsters began scattering outward.