"Hmm. Nothing Special."
"Hmm. Nothing special."
"Ugh... Uaaah..."
Vlad clutched his head and wailed. I just wanted to live a quiet, honest life scamming gullible vampires! Why must I face such trials?! Is this because I betrayed Salabian?!
Regardless of Vlad's existential crisis, Tae-hyun watched the emissaries flee with a relaxed expression before speaking.
"Alright. They won't be back for a while since they need time to prepare. Should we conquer this area in the meantime?"
Why fight for a territory? For the profits, of course! If it were a barren wasteland, no one would fight over it. There had to be something of value. Tae-hyun planned to search the surrounding area for anything useful.
I'm not asking for much. I just want to break even.
His goal in claiming Knema Island wasn't grand. Just spreading the faith of Archisus and picking up some vampire warriors along the way. For Tae-hyun, who only ruled a portion of the Atali Kingdom, having another territory on a nearby island like the Blood Archipelago was a solid strategic move. In an emergency, he could summon reinforcements!
But to do that, there needs to be something here...
A territory had to be wealthy and prosperous to churn out vampire warriors for an army. If it had nothing, they wouldn't even spawn properly.
The territory lacks funds. Vampires are fleeing.
The territory lacks funds. Vampires are growing discontent.
Tae-hyun's group spent some time scouting the area for anything useful.
"Hmm..."
"Mmm..."
"Hrrrrm..."
They quickly reached a conclusion. What kind of godforsaken land is this?
"Is the Blood Archipelago always like this?"
"Vampire territories are always like this. What did you expect? Sunny skies and fertile crop fields?" Evangeline replied, looking at him as if he were absurd.
The Blood Archipelago was a vampire-specialized region perpetually devoid of sunlight. Naturally, farming was out of the question.
"Still, this is a bit much. Hmm... I wonder if the faith of Archisus can do something about this..."
A penalty is applied to farming due to the lack of sunlight.
◈ Nourished by the dark energy of vampires in a land devoid of sunlight.
◈ An emaciated cow from having too much of its blood sucked. It is best not to expect any milk...
The ranches were terrible, and the only notable resources were a few local reagents.
"Ah. But the grapes are delicious."
"What? Really?"
Tae-hyun looked at Evangeline skeptically. Delicious grapes? Is her sense of taste broken because she's a vampire?
Carbanog remarks that this is rich coming from an Archisus who walks the path of Abnormal Cooking.
◈ A specialty red grape of the Blood Archipelago. The more blood they consume, the richer and more savory their flavor becomes.
"Oh? It's true."
"...Do you really distrust my words that much?"
Ignoring Evangeline's grumbling, Tae-hyun turned to Lee Da-bi to brainstorm.
"The grapes seem useful. What should we do with them?"
"Should we make a commercial item out of them? Like Power Warrior's signature popcorn?"
"That's a good idea, but what would work?"
"How about wine? If we sell it in the Valley, players will drink it, get drunk, and spend even more money."
The two of them were already plotting to squeeze every last penny out of their customers! The rest of the party shuddered at their sheer ruthlessness. So terrifying!
The economic state of your currently occupied territory is extremely poor.
The public security of your currently occupied territory is unstable.
Even with a rough plan, it didn't change the fact that their current territory was a complete mess. If this place was like this, the rest of Knema Island was likely no different.
Even if the Blood Archipelago is desolate, this is too much. Why are they fighting so hard to claim a land with a terrible economy, zero culture, and awful security? Is there some other reason?
Tae-hyun sensed something was off. NPCs never threw themselves into a meat grinder without a good reason.
"Vlad. Is there some hidden treasure on Knema Island?"
"Huh? If there was, I would have taken it already."
A wonderfully honest answer from Vlad!
"Ah. But Count Knema was a truly legendary vampire, so there might be some hidden treasure..."
Count Knema was indeed a powerful vampire who inherited ancient bloodlines. It was highly possible that incredible treasures slept within his castle.
"...?" Tae-hyun looked puzzled. "Hasn't Count Knema been missing for quite a while? And there are still treasures left in the castle?"
"No one can enter Count Knema's castle. The gates will not open unless you are the rightful ruler of the island."
A powerful magic warded Count Knema's castle, repelling any unauthorized intruders. There was only one way to open the gates and enter!
One had to be recognized as the rightful master of the island and become Count Knema's successor.
The Legacy of Count Knema
📍 Objective: Become the rightful master of the island and enter Count Knema's castle!
🎁 Reward: ?, ???
Oh...
Tae-hyun's interest was piqued when he saw the quest window. Seeing how desperately the other vampire counts were fighting, there was definitely something inside. A robber's... no, a player's intuition!
"Shall we go take a look?"
"What? No, the castle is warded by magic, so no one can enter..."
"Vlad. Cast aside your stereotypes. You shouldn't give up before you even try."
"..."
Vlad began to feel a deep sense of dread. What kind of "Archisus-like" scheme was this Archisus plotting now?
Rumors began to circulate throughout the Blood Archipelago. A new force had appeared in the Knema Island territory war!
Vampire players were intrigued. The number of players who chose the Vampire race in Pandemonium Online was extremely small. While the race had clear advantages, its drawbacks were equally glaring! Consequently, novice vampires mostly resided in the Blood Archipelago. On the continent, avoiding sunlight and dealing with other racial penalties was a massive hassle.
In the midst of this, news of a territory war caught everyone's attention.
It felt as if a massive superstar had suddenly visited a remote countryside village! When the rumor of Tae-hyun's arrival spread, the vampire players went wild. The real Kim Tae-hyun is here?!
It was a highly convincing argument. With the tournament just around the corner, what kind of madman would be here instead of clearing dungeons?
Yet, the vampire players couldn't let go of their lingering hope. If it really was Kim Tae-hyun... and they missed this chance...
I'll regret it for the rest of my life!
The vampire players moved out, exchanging awkward glances. Even those who had scoffed "that makes no sense" just moments ago had quietly slipped into the crowd.
Please let it be real!
"I-It's really him?!"
In the distance, a man was yawning while swinging a massive warhammer. It was Cain!
The vampire players gasped. It really was Cain. If he was here, did that mean Kim Tae-hyun was here too?
"Huh? What the?"
Cain, who was reinforcing the fortress walls, was startled. Dozens of small rowboats were swarming toward the shore.
Before leaving for Knema Castle with Vlad, Tae-hyun had given Cain a command.
I don't think they'll attack before I get back, but if they do, handle the defense well. I've left behind everything from the artillery units to the knight order, so even you should be able to hold the line.
Even if Cain's Tactics skill was low, the artillery and knights were capable of fighting well on their own!
Cain swallowed hard.
Y-Yes! If I do a good job here, I can make a name for myself as a great tactician.
In Pandemonium Online, players capable of commanding large-scale battles were extremely rare. Deciding where to deploy dozens or hundreds of players and how to coordinate them was not a task just anyone could handle.
But those who excelled at it earned immense fame. "The Supreme Tactician," "The Archmage"... Whenever articles about Tae-hyun were published, those flashy titles were always included.
• Kim Tae-hyun crushes the Guild Alliance on the plains and slays the Black Dragon...
• Not just a PVP master! Analyzing Kim Tae-hyun, Pandemonium Online's greatest strategist!
Cain desperately wanted a cool nickname like Tae-hyun's. Not something like "Cain"! The nickname he had earned during the arena tournament had stuck like glue.
If I ever catch the bastard who called me Nongae...
Gritting his teeth, Cain was about to declare an attack when—
"Lord Cain!!"
"You're Cain, right?!"
"Uh... huh?"
Cain slowly lowered his raised arm. The vampires who had disembarked from the rowboats were rushing toward him, their eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Y-Yes, I am."
"I knew it!!!"
"What brings you here?"
"Are you going to stay here long?"
"But isn't the tournament starting soon?"
"Where is Lord Kim Tae-hyun?"
The vampires swarmed Cain, firing off questions like excited fans meeting their idol. Cain was bewildered but secretly thrilled by the reception.
W-What is this? Is it a trap?
"It's getting gloomier."
"Ah. Yes."
"Are there any known traps or hazardous terrain we should avoid here?"
"Probably not."
"I see... You're not shifting your eyes around trying to find a way to escape, are you?"
"!!!"
Vlad flinched in terror. How did he know?!
"Vlad. It's fine to run, but just keep one thing in mind."
"...?"
"The Salavian Cult tried to run too, but I caught them and wiped them all out. Do you really think you can escape me?"
"...!!"
Vlad is consumed by terror!
Supreme Eloquence has been activated.
Vlad's terror has reached its maximum!
"H-How could I ever dream of running away? Your Majesty has bestowed such immense grace upon me..."
"Haha. At least you know."
Tae-hyun stopped in his tracks. In the distance, towering high atop a hill, stood Count Knema's castle.
It looks suspicious...
The Blood Archipelago was already dark, but the area around Count Knema's castle was pitch-black. Not a single ray of light pierced the thick shroud of clouds.
Well, I can always run if things go south.
Tae-hyun was entirely confident. No matter what situation arose, he was certain he could save his own skin and escape!
Carbanog applauds, noting that this is indeed the confidence of Archisus.
"..."
Tae-hyun's confident expression soured. No, I'm different from Archisus...
Carbanog says you are exactly the same.
...Whatever.
Tae-hyun approached the castle.
You have not obtained the rightful ownership of the island. Count Knema's castle rejects your approach!
A curse descends upon you!
The closer you get, the worse your misfortune becomes.
There was a reason the other vampires had left the castle alone. Before they could even do anything, merely approaching it triggered a barrage of curses that rendered them completely helpless!
In fact, Vlad had barely taken a step forward before he tripped, fell into a pit, and began rolling down the hill.
"...?"
Tae-hyun watched Vlad tumble into the distance, thoroughly baffled. What was his deal?
"You're not trying to run away, are you?"
"Does this look like running away to you, you son of a... I mean, Your Majesty!"
Vlad realized something was incredibly wrong. Why is he completely fine?!