Chapter 249: The Patriarch of the Decasus Family (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 249: The Patriarch of the Decasus Family (1)
"Vampires"—one of the mega-factions of the upper floors.
The solid pillars that supported them were the six great families of pure blood.
And one of them was the True Ancestor who led the Decasus Family, 'Amuram de Decasus.'
Needless to say, he was the strongest. There was no being more fitting to be described by that word.
Zzzzt! Zzzzt!
Mana tingled against his skin.
The source of this overwhelming pressure was undoubtedly the authority accumulated over eons.
For players who had only faced mid-floor monsters at best, he was an enemy on an entirely different level—one they wouldn't even dare to look in the eye.
'If I fight him one-on-one, my chances of winning are less than 3%...'
Jinhyuk licked his lower lip.
The only reason a monster like this could come here was because he had bypassed the system's restrictions by investing countless Coins and sacred relics. No, perhaps he had paid an even greater price.
'Which also means he absolutely must lay his hands on Balmung.'
Jinhyuk examined his target through 'Gluttony's Eye.'
[Amuram de Decasus]
Race: Vampire
Age: ????
Level: ???
Strength: ??? / Agility: ??? / Stamina: ??? / Magic Power: ??? / Authority: ???
Unique Ability: Blood Explosion
Skills: 'Poisoning' Lv???, 'Blood Coagulation' Lv??, 'Red Moon' Lv??, 'Blood Hound' Lv??, '???' Lv??, 'Liquid Alchemy' Lv??, 'Quadruple Shield' Lv49
Traits: Amuram possesses the most cruel and cold personality among the six patriarchs. Since he will stop at nothing to get what he wants, making an enemy of him can be extremely troublesome.
Detailed Description: Failed to view detailed information on the target due to the insufficient level of Gluttony's Eye.
[Copy Condition]
Amuram takes immense pride in possessing the purest blood. He is absolutely certain that anyone who drinks his blood will become a thrall bound to obey his commands. Drink his blood and break free from the thrall's mental control. If you succeed, you will be able to copy one of his unique abilities or skills.
Because the level gap was so extreme, he couldn't obtain all the information, but he was still able to confirm some quite important details.
The most eye-catching part was the copy condition.
As expected, another absurd condition had popped up.
'Break free from the mental control of a monster like this...'
It was no different from being told to drink from a poisoned chalice.
The mental control of an upper-floor entity—especially one bordering on divinity—was not something one could simply 'endure.'
Furthermore, after Amuram released his magic power, multiple presences began to make themselves felt.
"Hehehe."
"Are there only two warm-blooded humans?"
"What a shame. Just a few sips and they'll be nothing but skin and bones."
Playful laughter pierced his eardrums.
The Decasus bloodline had arrived as well.
'He would have been more than enough on his own... They really came fully prepared.'
Jinhyuk swallowed a bitter smile.
There were at least ten of them.
And just like the ones he had encountered on the 7th floor, they were all purebloods.
However, even in the face of this desperate situation, Jinhyuk did not lose his composure.
He merely calculated something intently with calm, steady eyes.
"You don't seem very flustered even after hearing my true name."
"That's because I already knew you guys were coming."
"Oh? You knew we were coming?"
"One of your subordinates was staring blankly at us during the castle's welcoming parade. If you wanted to spy on us, you should have sent someone a bit smarter."
What was the point of hiding in a crowd if you couldn't even conceal your distinct, insidious gaze?
"What did you say?!"
At Jinhyuk's smirk, the bloodline member in question flared up.
Perhaps finding it deeply humiliating to have been caught, his handsome face contorted viciously.
"You sure talk big."
"He's full of energy, so his blood must taste amazing. His right arm is mine."
"I'll take the left leg."
The other bloodline members around them bared their fangs in excitement.
Right then.
"Enough," Amuram spoke.
Instantly, the surroundings fell dead silent.
Just a slight hint of his displeasure caused the air of the entire underground chamber to sink like the deep sea.
Breathing became difficult, and veins constricted.
It was truly a terrifying pressure, almost too much to bear.
"Indeed... it seems our handling of things was a bit careless. But even if you knew, what do you plan to do about it?"
Amuram looked past Jinhyuk toward Phesis and the spirit beasts.
They were certainly impressive, but only by human standards. They were nowhere near enough to match a patriarch, who was considered the strongest even among vampires.
"..."
His gaze flinched slightly when it landed on Goguma, but it was only for a brief moment.
He knew that an ancient species could not manifest its true form unless specific conditions were met.
Furthermore, even if the ancient species did manifest its true form by some miracle, a victory against Amuram was far from guaranteed.
Yet, despite all this, Jinhyuk was smiling.
"You don't seem to understand. Even though I knew we were outmatched, and even though I knew you guys were coming, the fact that I still came here means..."
Think about it carefully. Use that brilliant brain of yours.
You probably don't get it because you've always been in an overwhelming position.
"This is exactly the situation I wanted."
The corners of Jinhyuk's mouth curled upward.
At the same time:
[The sacred relic 'Apostate's Bracelet' is activated!]
A heavy sense of incongruity washed over the area.
"Could this be...!"
Amuram's expression crumbled.
He couldn't help but be flustered.
Because the Apostate's Bracelet was a sacred relic that they themselves had possessed.
And that very bracelet had just been activated from right among the vampires.
* * *
The sacred relic 'Apostate's Bracelet' that existed on the 11th floor.
It was one of the cursed relics used to summon a Demon King, and the vampires had secured it to seek cooperation from the Demonic Humans.
The Decasus Family had been keeping the Apostate's Bracelet, but now, the relic had suddenly begun to activate its effects.
Whoosh.
Thick black smoke instantly began to fill the underground chamber.
"Which idiot... activated the relic?!" Amuram roared, turning his head.
And there, trembling uncontrollably, was...
"Ugh... I-I... It's not that I wanted to do this... I had no choice. No, I did it without realizing..."
A vampire stood there, utterly lost in regret and terror.
It was Ophelia.
She was the sole surviving vampire from when Jinhyuk had clashed with the hounds of Decasus on the 7th floor.
The fact that the vampires were interested in the Empire, as well as their goal being Balmung—all of it was information she had leaked.
'I didn't imprint her with the Brand of the Flame Soul, but I broke her mind to a similar level.'
Thanks to that, he had been able to make thorough plans.
How to obtain Balmung in the most effective way, and how to increase his chances of winning, even by a fraction, against a patriarch considered the strongest among vampires.
All of it.
And those minor preparations were finally bearing fruit now.
[By the will of the acquirer, ownership of the sacred relic is 'forcibly transferred' from Ophelia to Kang Jinhyuk.]
[Due to the relic's effect, the attribute effects of 'Apostasy' and 'Contamination' are applied.]
[Please select a target. (An activation preparation time of approximately 10 minutes is required.)]
The name 'Apostate' wasn't just for show.
True to its name, the relic's ownership method and effects were on an entirely different level compared to ordinary items.
Just like right now.
Crackle!
Jinhyuk looked down with satisfaction at the skull bracelet that had appeared on his wrist.
He had already figured out how to use the attribute effects.
All that was left was to hold out until the activation time.
Right then.
"Ophelia! You dare betray me? Did you think you would be safe after choosing a mere human?!"
Amuram swung his claws ruthlessly to tear the traitor to shreds in an instant.
However, what his claws sliced through was not a body of flesh and bone.
Shatter!
An ice sculpture in the shape of Ophelia shattered into pieces.
It was a dummy made with Glacial Shaping.
Since he had also applied a 5-star barrier to create a proper illusion, it had served its purpose perfectly as a one-time distraction.
"A decoy...? When on earth did you...?"
"When you turned your head for a split second. Normally, it would have been impossible, but because you were flustered, a subtle gap appeared in your magic power. I guess the bracelet and Ophelia were quite shocking to you, huh? For a patriarch to show an opening like that."
"You're saying you capitalized on such a tiny opening?"
"That's more than enough of an opening for me."
It wasn't even that much of a feat.
It wasn't his first time dealing with absolute-class monsters, after all.
"...I thought you were just a pup, but it seems you have some fangs."
The way Amuram looked at Jinhyuk changed.
It was a gaze that acknowledged him as an enemy, if only just a little.
"But what a pity. If you had used that opening to attack me or eliminate my bloodline, your chances of survival might have increased slightly. Why did you save Ophelia? Now that you have the Apostate's Bracelet, it shouldn't matter to you whether she lives or dies."
"She's still an informant who provided me with crucial information. I couldn't just let you kill her."
"What...?"
This time, even Ophelia's eyes widened in surprise.
Her face showed she had never imagined he would care about her, a former enemy, to that extent.
"Are you foolishly sentimental? Fine. Take that traitor with you. I was planning on wiping all of you out anyway."
Amuram raised his right hand.
That was the signal.
Thud!
Tap!
With the light sound of feet kicking off the ground, the hounds of Decasus moved.
They were fast.
Closing the distance in an instant, the vampires drew cold weapons that glowed with a dark red light.
Just as the certainty of being wiped out if they didn't respond set in—
"Mosquitoes!"
Goguma commanded the summons.
"Got it."
"Okay!"
Clack!
The spirit beasts and T-Bone moved.
As if proving they hadn't wasted their time in the insect labyrinth, they took their positions in perfect order, showing a high level of coordination.
[Undine & Sylphid activate 'Elemental Shield'!]
Water and wind blended together, forming a pentagonal shield.
Thud!
Splash!
Claws and blades clashed against the shield.
"Damn it, the wind is in my eyes! Ugh!"
"W-What is this?! Dammit!"
"Cough! Ack!"
Blades and claws repeatedly slashed at the shield, but they only cut through useless water and wind.
Physical attacks were completely useless against elemental magic.
And the moment the vampires hesitated, cracks split the ground, and a giant hand made of rock rose to swallow them.
[Gnome uses 'Land Fist'!]
Rumble!
A deafening explosion rang out as thick smoke billowed.
But the attack didn't end there.
Whoosh!
Roar!
Salamander's flames and Goguma's Breath merged into one.
The lights of two different attributes blended together, making the air inside the chamber so dry that their lips parched instantly.
It was as if foreshadowing what was about to happen.
"You're going to let them use Breath in a cramped space like this? Are you serious?"
"My kids aren't really the type to think things through," Jinhyuk smiled brightly.
Since it's come to this, let's just test whose body is sturdier.
And with those final words—
Boom!
A condensed beam of light tore through the center of the tomb.
The immense heat and blinding flash dyed everyone's vision pure white.