Chapter 536: Bloody Requiem (11)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 536: Bloody Requiem (11)
The Sanctuary of Mercy.
The miracle that manifested from the orb, into which the Saintess had poured all her strength, was truly magnificent.
“My wounds are healing…”
“It’s much easier to move now.”
It healed the wounds of all allies within the domain and strengthened their bodies.
“Look over there! The sanctuary’s ground is returning to its original color!”
And it purified.
As the red earth within the domain regained its original color, the vampires weakened drastically.
“Kuaargh… This filthy divine power is enveloping my body!”
“N-No… I can’t breathe!”
Not only had their advantage vanished, but the very ground had begun to suffocate them.
For us, on the other hand, it was an incredible boon.
The restraints that had weighed down our feet were gone, and we could now wield even greater power.
Thanks to this, the unfavorable tide of battle slowly began to turn.
“Wipe them all out!”
“We’ll help too!”
Our comrades, their strength restored, launched a massive counterattack alongside the volunteer group that had been held captive on the 15th floor.
The vampires were being eliminated at a rapid pace.
But this alone wasn't enough.
The ones dying were mere foot soldiers, grunts the True Ancestor could churn out at will.
To truly uproot them, the True Ancestor’s death was essential.
“Haaah!”
“Hmph…!”
Francis Meyer, the leader of the Raid Team, and the True Ancestor, king of the vampires.
At a glance, the duel between the two beings seemed evenly matched, but a closer look revealed that the True Ancestor held a slight advantage.
Behold.
Clang-clang-clang-clang!
Crack!
“Tch…!”
Even with the Saintess’s power backing him, Francis’s strikes were being blocked time and time again.
The True Ancestor’s power was just that astonishing.
Unlike his underlings, who drew upon vast quantities of blood, he could conjure horrifying scenes with but a single drop.
Fwoosh-!
Pew-pew-pew-pew!
Do you hear that?
That unbelievable, air-rending sound.
Amazingly, that is the sound of just a few drops of blood flying toward Francis’s heart.
But the shock didn't end there.
Kaaang!
The sound of the blood drops shattering against the flat of Francis’s raised sword was anything but ordinary.
It meant that each and every one of those drops was packed with an immense amount of power.
What’s more, the True Ancestor suffered no disadvantages within the Sanctuary of Mercy.
It seemed that even the Saintess’s power wasn't enough to hinder an old monster who had lived for centuries.
“This isn’t good.”
In a fight, offense is said to drain stamina far more than defense—a seven-to-three ratio.
In other words, Francis, who was leading the attack, would tire out faster than his opponent.
The True Ancestor was undoubtedly waiting for that opening.
He would surely use the moment the assault slackened to land a fatal blow.
There was only one way to avoid the worst-case scenario.
I had to join the fight and support him before it was too late.
To do that…
“I have to do something about this old geezer first…”
The fight between the Duke and me also held considerable significance.
If one of us won and joined the leaders’ battle, it was highly likely the scales of victory would tip dramatically to one side.
For that reason, I had to end this fight, and quickly.
“Hmm, what to do.”
It wasn’t easy.
Unlike the True Ancestor, the Duke had lost some of his power within the Sanctuary of Mercy.
About ten percent, I’d estimate.
Conversely, even though I had grown stronger, the balance of power between us had only just now evened out.
That just went to show how large the gap between us had been.
When two people of similar skill fight, the one who makes the first mistake is bound to lose.
The problem was that mistakes are usually born from impatience, and I was the one feeling impatient.
Between Francis and the True Ancestor, the latter was the one with more leeway.
He had no reason to rush into this battle.
In the end, to seize a quick victory, I needed to disrupt this tense equilibrium…
Just then, I saw them.
“Die, die! I hate mosquitoes more than anything in the world!”
“Exterminating… pests!”
“Just a little more… If we fight just a little longer…!”
They were light, but they were weights that seemed sufficient to shatter the balance between the Duke and me.
That’s right.
“Twilight Guild members!”
How could I have forgotten?
“Form up on me—!”
The fact that modern dungeon raids are built on party play.
“Sunbae-nim, us too?!”
Yeah, no.
Ha-rin and Si-hoo, you two just stick to catching the baby vampires.
*
We fell into formation.
Shin Yu-jeong and Elena raised their shields at the front, on the left and right respectively.
Ju-yeon took her position behind them, with Seo-yeon and I flanking her, covering her back.
It was the most basic formation for protecting vulnerable healers and mages in close combat.
But even this basic formation becomes quite interesting when used by Kim Do-jin’s party.
It began at the front.
“Elena, I’ll strike first. Follow my lead.”
“Understood.”
Shin Yu-jeong, more agile than Elena, dashed forward and swung her weapon down at the Duke’s head.
One thing that had changed from before was that she, who used to wield a sword, had started using a mace with a round, hard steel ball at its end.
Two factors had played into this.
One was her teacher, Angela.
The other was the realization that her evolved trait was better suited for a blunt weapon than a sword.
“Die!”
“Hmph, where do you think you’re going, you fly.”
A shockwave erupted.
A force that pushed the opponent back while simultaneously inflicting heavy damage throughout their body.
Understanding his intent, Shin Yu-jeong immediately slammed one of her steel-booted feet into the ground.
Kooong-!
At the same time, she lowered her stance, crouched, and raised her shield to block the shockwave head-on.
“Kugh…!”
The force that flowed through the shield made her hand and arm tingle.
To think it was this powerful from blocking just one light attack.
As she was once again struck by how incredible Kim Do-jin was for driving such a monster into a corner, a surge of determination rose within her.
‘I’ll follow him even if I die…!’
She tried and tried, yet the gap between them only seemed to widen.
Despite the dizzying feeling that she might never close it, she never once thought of giving up.
She only resolved to work several times harder than before.
And that would begin with tying down the monster before her.
“Chaat!”
The impact that had traveled through her shield.
She channeled it through her arm and into her mace.
Vwooom!
An aura flared up, raging like a fierce flame.
This unique form, created by combining mana and impact, held a significant advantage.
It could attack the opponent’s insides and outsides simultaneously.
Kwaaaaaang!
“Kuh…!?”
The Duke’s face, having easily blocked the attack with a red barrier, twisted slightly.
The shock that had traveled through the barrier made his palm sting.
It was a faint pain that couldn't affect his body in any way, but it wasn't a pleasant feeling.
After all, it meant a part of the impact had pierced his barrier.
“You insolent wench…!”
Flames ignited at his fingertips.
A crimson flame that burned blood as fuel.
Even as the blaze, as powerful as any high-level magic, rushed toward her…
“Heh.”
She smiled.
A smile that seemed to say, how pathetic.
Shin Yu-jeong’s shield couldn't completely block those fierce flames.
But that was fine.
Her shield might not be able to, but Elena’s could.
“Hraaaah!”
A massive tower shield shot out, blocking the space between Shin Yu-jeong and the Duke.
Krrrrrrrr…!
The superheated flames beat against the shield.
Her arms grew scorching hot.
The damage triggered her trait.
“Deep-Rooted Giant Tree!”
A sticky mana spread out from her, creeping toward the Duke’s feet.
His face hardened further as he suddenly felt his feet grow heavy.
“Nice, Elena.”
“You too, Yu-jeong. Good.”
The two bumped their fists together.
Seeing this, a light of fury appeared in the Duke’s eyes.
No matter what they did, they could never be his match.
But they were annoying.
The ability that slowed his feet, and the one that bypassed his barrier to accumulate shock.
If he let them tie him down for too long, he would surely fall to Kim Do-jin, who was watching for an opportunity.
“Kuh…!”
Feeling a sense of crisis, beads of blood dripped from his pores.
The ground was instantly stained red.
“I’ll skewer you all!”
Massive thorns shot up from the ground.
Fshshshshk!
Crack!
Crr-ack!
Shin Yu-jeong and Elena worked in perfect sync, blocking the thorns with their two shields.
But it was only for a moment.
Fsh-sh-sh-sh-sh-shoot-!
“Kuk… There are too many thorns!”
“…Let’s fall back!”
“Yes!”
Startled by the dozens, hundreds of thorns that erupted in an instant, the two stepped back.
And the thorns followed them relentlessly.
Fshk!
Skrr!
As the two became disoriented, red lines began to appear on their bodies one by one.
They winced, their faces contorting from the considerable pain.
“Ugh… This hurts like hell…!”
“The pain is too intense!”
A reasonable distance opened up.
That’s when Kim Do-jin stepped forward.
“Fall back, now.”
He ordered the two back and swung his sword.
From left to right.
Fwoooong-!
A single line of Sword Aura, pouring out along the trajectory of the blade, sliced through the thorns.
Thud-thud-thud-thud!
A new path appeared where the thorns had been cut down in clumps.
As if she had been waiting, Son Seo-yeon dashed across it.
Tat-tat-tat-tat!
Whether monster or human.
There was one commonality, if you could call it that.
A small opening is created after using magic or an ability that consumes a large amount of mana or resources.
That opening was always her responsibility.
A momentary gap.
The role of thrusting a sword into that gap.
“Haat-!”
Like a rabbit dashing through a forest, she weaved back and forth, instantly arriving in front of the Duke.
Her eyes gleamed.
Reflected in them was the desire for ascension.
‘If only I can cut this monster…!’
The vampire before her was a monster of monsters, one that even Kim Do-jin couldn't guarantee victory against.
If she could cut down such a being, her own stagnant state might also advance.
She calmly brought her hand to her waist.
There was once a Nertube program called ‘Son Si-woo’s Swordsmanship Lecture.’
On it, her father had offered a sharp piece of advice to those who wanted to learn Battōjutsu.
-“Planning to get yourself killed after one fancy slash?”
Battō is the art of cutting down an opponent while drawing the sword from its sheath.
Therefore, you only get one shot.
One chance to draw your sword from its sheath and attack an opponent during a battle.
Then someone asked.
Couldn't you just sheathe your sword again if an opening appeared during the fight and then draw it again?
Son Si-woo had retorted.
-“If you get a chance like that, it just means the enemy is an idiot.”
If you get a second chance, it’s not because you’re good, but because the enemy is an idiot.
After his scathing critique, he had, funnily enough, gone on to explain Battōjutsu in detail.
She, too, was one of his many students.
At the end of the video.
Son Si-woo’s final closing words were seared into her mind.
-“All you Battō-addicts across the country, remember this.”
Simultaneously, she drew her sword from its sheath.
「Battō is a one-time use!」
Shwiiick!
“Keoheok…!”
A single strike, usable only once per battle, slashed a long gash across the Duke’s chest.