Vampire from the Ceiling
The temporary expedition of six, including the Dorne Party, approached the down portal to the second floor of the Western Labyrinth. Lucian felt a pang of regret.
"I wanted to meet that vampire rumored to come from the first floor. What a shame. It would have been a chance to see how it differs from the second-floor ones, and what effect different floors have on monsters...."
Lucian caught Eresa's burdened glare, as if she were saying, 'Are you telling me to guide us back up here after coming this far?' He quickly made an excuse.
"Ah, I'm not suggesting we change the plan. I'm against wandering the first floor indefinitely too. Don't worry."
Eresa's resolve softened at Lucian's wistful expression. Though it wasn't the promised time, she activated [Danger Sense]. She had mana to spare anyway—just in case.
—!
Something pinged.
"Dorne! Something's above your head! It's falling!"
With Eresa's shout, something dropped from the dark ceiling between the window frames.
—Boom!
The thing that smashed into Dorne's upraised shield plummeted into the center of their formation.
—Whoosh, slash!
The vampire effortlessly dodged Lilia's reflexive spear thrust and Raon's sword swing, targeting Eresa who illuminated it with her lantern. In the Eastern Labyrinth, Eresa led due to traps and darkness, but here, simple forward progress needed no lantern, so the scout was placed in the rear guard.
—Thud!
The pale-skinned vampire lunged forward but tripped and was dragged back, skidding across the floor.
Dorne's long arm had seized its ankle and yanked.
The vampire twisted its head, clawing wildly at Dorne's hand and wrist. Nails sharp enough to shred a human left only red welts on his skin.
—Scratch! Scraaatch?
The vampire's face twisted in bewilderment. It had expected him to release or for blood to flow for a taste.
—Stab! Stab!
Raon and Lilia stabbed from both sides, but the vampire kept writhing, seemingly unfazed.
"Pull your weapons! Drain its blood."
At Dorne's command, the two warriors widened the wounds while retrieving their sword and spear to restrict its movement.
—Spurt!
The large gash on the vampire rapidly knit closed once the weapons were withdrawn.
Raon watched briefly, then swung his sword, severing the vampire's head from its body. Tough from god-knows-how-much blood it'd guzzled, it took three swings. As it healed, it seemed to consume ingested blood, leaving the shriveled corpse finally still.
Dorne released his reddened hand, scarred but un torn thanks to [Iron Skin]. It looked whipped raw—any normal skin would have been shredded.
Dorne felt relief and gave Eresa a thumbs-up for spotting the ambush. Though she'd used her ability off-schedule, it earned praise, not rebuke; her face lit up.
Lucian examined the decapitated vampire.
"Mr. Dorne. Could you reattach its head?"
The request sounded mad, but Dorne inwardly nodded. Knowing enemies' abilities in detail was invaluable.
Thus, the temporary expedition ran experiments on the dead vampire. The headless body didn't revive. Its pale skin, crawling with vein-like vessels and devoid of hair, was finally freed. Its magic stone, behind the eyes, left the corpse eyeless in moonless dark—far larger than a goblin shaman's.
Hearing comparisons, Lucian pondered mass-producing stones via vampires, then shook his head. Such gruesome experiments risked branding him a black mage. Just a fleeting thought. True researchers paced themselves.
—Whoosh.
Inoi flipped the eight-hour sand timer and channeled holy power to heal Dorne's inflamed skin. He felt the warm embrace mending it via 【Self-Reflection】, marveling anew at the mystery.
This world's wonders weren't just monsters and labyrinths. Even without labyrinths, humans wielded abilities unseen on Earth. Ability-less folk used holy power, magic, 【Fighting Spirit】. Gaining abilities amplified their innate gifts synergistically.
"Thanks, Teacher."
"I'm not your teacher anymore. Just call me by name."
"Got it. Inoi."
Inoi found it surreal: Dorne, a teen she'd minded at the orphanage months ago, now a towering warrior. He'd always been eccentric, but not this reality-defying.
"Treatment's done, and we've experimented on this dead vampire as much as we can. Let's head to the second floor."
Dorne rallied his comrades and resumed the expedition. As the six moved out, Inoi caught up to the lead, addressing Dorne softly after a pause.
"Dorne... how have you been?"
She hadn't pried into strangers' private lives before, but seeing Dorne and his party proven capable stirred her.
Inoi's labyrinth delves exceeded mere friend-helping; she had greater aims.
"Well... the day orphanage life ended, I set off for the labyrinth city with my savings."
"I knew you'd saved up, but enough for the journey from an outskirts village? Impressive."
"Haha. Took a while."
Dorne and Inoi shared tales of his pre-city days, unknown to the party. Members feigned disinterest in their admired leader's past but listened raptly.
Dorne summarized succinctly: hitching with merchant caravans, paying for wagons when needed, fighting monsters alongside travelers. His old club, shield, and padded armor? Rewards from aiding Hailock's smith's son.
He shared openly, deeming it cathartic with Inoi and beneficial for bonding his found family—party, Lucian, Inoi—as trusted kin.
The more they heard of the orphan youth's arduous trek, condensed in Dorne's words, the deeper their understanding—and emotional bond.
Their image of Dorne was the current one: early labyrinth starter, lucky ability hunter, cool-headed leader in and out of battle, trustworthy man.
But now, the foundational Dorne emerged: orphanage kid who'd prepared for all this. Even sans luck, he'd have seized it. An extraordinary man.
Farmer-son Raon had always respected him. But Lilia and Eresa, from privileged youths, gained fathomless insight into his impoverished rise to their guide—elevating trust to reverence.
"Anyway, that's the gist. Luck favored me post-start. Few snag two combination abilities on the second floor. How about you, Inoi? Curious about your story too."
Lucian, curiosity piqued as a fellow human—not just researcher—listened intently. Confused: betrayed that this giant named Dorne hadn't even set foot on the third floor? Or thrilled at his boundless potential beyond mere experience and abilities?
Inoi, having heard the orphan-to-giant tale, began hers.
"Truth is, I volunteered at the orphanage for a purpose."
She started pre-Dorne.
"Not some grand conviction or noble spirit. I'm an orphanage alum too, seriously gunning for high priest. Volunteering and delving? Steps toward that."
Dorne gently coaxed the windfall gourd.
Inoi's confession wasn't casual chatter; Dorne's standing in her eyes had elevated.
"How do volunteering and delving lead to high priest?"
"Church high ranks demand conditions."
Locking eyes with Dorne, Inoi continued. Even labyrinth-illiterate Dorne Party hung on her words. Beastkin ears perked despite pretense.
"First, pious life for holy power. Second, possess 【Revelation】. Meet both, then brutal competition whittles qualifiers to one or two priests per slot. High posts have quotas; incumbents live long."
Dorne admired Inoi's long-game life plan—labyrinth-delving decades like Lucian seemed fitting.
"Priests get abilities too? From which labyrinth?"
"Any labyrinth grants priest abilities. But rare, and holy users can't get others. 【Revelation】? Handful ever bestowed."
"Challenging such odds?"
"Some call 【Revelation】 probability. Most like me? No—it's divine selection."
Inoi spoke of God's choice, but to Dorne, even that felt probabilistic. How did she believe divine favor? Pious communion?
Silence fell; Inoi outlined her plan.
"Anyway, I'll stack priest abilities, snag 【Revelation】, then rack merits cleansing frontiers or aiding pioneer cities. Rivals dominate politics; merits are my edge."
Inoi paused, facing Dorne.
"So... your party delves densely. Mind me joining as fixed member awhile? Even post-【Revelation】, longer term possible. Deep delves count as church merits."
What a gem. Her high-priest motive unknown, but joyous for Dorne. How to cook this gourd—steam, roast?
"Welcome aboard, Inoi. I'll pray fervently for your ascent."
"Thanks, Dorne. You might be divinely favored. Your prayers could mean much."