Chapter 28: Lord of the Fallen Corridor (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 28: Lord of the Fallen Corridor (2)
How long had they been walking?
Finally, a massive door appeared before the two of them.
It was adorned with decorations reminiscent of ancient Greece.
However, it wasn't the mere exterior that caught his attention.
'This is...'
Jinhyuk frowned.
Zing! Zing!
It was an immense amount of mana.
To feel this level of pressure despite the door blocking it...
Glancing to his side, he saw Teresa's face had turned completely pale.
"W-we have to face a monster like this with just the two of us?"
Her voice trembled faintly.
And understandably so.
The mana currently pricking her skin carried a weight that crushed the very will to fight.
"There's no need to be afraid. Didn't we already know our opponent would be strong?"
"T-that's true, but..."
"Besides, the stronger side doesn't always win in battle."
Strategies and tactics were created precisely to overcome a disadvantage in raw power.
If battles were decided solely by the magnitude of one's mana...
'I would never have reached the top floor of the Tower either.'
"Do you have a plan?"
"Just one. No matter what happens in there, you must trust me."
With those brief words, Jinhyuk drew his dagger.
"What? What do you... mean by that?"
Teresa asked, but Jinhyuk didn't answer.
Instead,
Creaaaak...
He reached out and pushed the door open.
* * *
A magnificent sight unfolded alongside a dazzling light.
Floors and pillars made of gold.
And where the long red drapes hung, a majestic throne was situated.
"You have finally arrived. I was growing tired of waiting."
The woman, resting her chin on her hand, smiled.
Jinhyuk looked straight at her.
'No matter how many times I see her, she's stunning.'
Long silver hair reaching down to her waist, and crimson eyes.
A body that was not just alluring, but exuded a decadent beauty.
Indeed, she possessed an appearance befitting a vampire blessed with immortality.
As if dealing with her alone wasn't terrifying enough...
There were also twelve of her kin lined up beside the True Ancestor.
Every single one of them looked formidable.
"Are the people safe?"
"You need not worry; I haven't laid a finger on them."
Alice gestured lightly.
Then,
[Lv. ?? 'Dimensional Severance' is deactivated.]
The veil was lifted, revealing the captured hostages.
"Mmph!"
"Mmph! Mmph! Mmmph!"
They were bound, their senses cut off by gags and blindfolds.
From the raid team, including Song Cheon-hwa...
To Foreman Kim and the porters.
Most of them appeared to be unharmed.
...Thank goodness.
[Lv. 2 'Eye of Truth' has been activated.]
Jinhyuk scanned the crowd with 'Eye of Truth' active.
Dozens of status windows flashed past.
Though it drained his mana rapidly, Jinhyuk pushed himself to check everyone's names and stats.
He had to find him.
Among them...
'That guy.'
Right then.
"Now that you have seen the hostages are safe, is it my turn to ask a question?"
Alice, who had been waiting, spoke.
She framed it as a question, but it was a one-sided ultimatum demanding an answer.
A threat that if he refused, she would slaughter every human in this palace.
"Go ahead. Honestly, I was curious why you went to all this trouble to set up such an elaborate stage."
"The reason I invited you here was because of the scent emanating from you."
"A scent?"
It certainly wasn't sweat.
If it was a scent that could stimulate a vampire... could it be?
"Yes. The blood scent wafting from your body! A sweet fragrance incomparable to ordinary humans stimulated my senses."
Damn it.
I'm just a dime-a-dozen Type B guy. Why is she suddenly talking about sweet blood?
Jinhyuk pressed his temples with his index fingers.
"You seem quite troubled."
"Well, who wouldn't be troubled when told they're going to be sucked dry and turned into a mummy?"
"I am not a fool who devours a delicacy all at once. I will grant you at least sixty years of life, so you need not be so afraid."
Hearing that made him feel even less reassured.
In short, she was saying, 'I'll keep you by my side for the rest of your life and stick a straw in your neck whenever I'm hungry.'
"I appreciate the offer, but I have no desire to live as a vampire's premium lunchbox."
She should take that sadistic hobby elsewhere.
There were bound to be some weirdos who would actually enjoy it.
"I am sorry, but I was not giving you a choice."
"I know. And I'm not asking for a free pass either... I'll offer you something else instead of my blood."
"Oh?"
Did the audacious proposal pique her interest?
The smile on Alice's lips deepened slightly.
But only for a brief moment.
"Nothing is more precious to us than delicious blood. No matter what you propose, my mind will not change."
"Even if that 'something' is 'freedom'?"
"...?!"
At Jinhyuk's words, Alice's expression shifted.
Simultaneously,
"How dare you!"
"To utter that word here!"
"I will tear you to shreds, human!"
The vampires lined up on either side of Alice roared in unison.
Their words dripped with murderous intent.
And understandably so.
To them, freedom meant far more than just a word.
The ages they had spent exiled in endless darkness...
The beauty of the stars and the moon illuminating the night sky,
The gentle touch of the wind, and the freshness of the grass—
All had been lost to them long ago.
"You... you had better be able to take responsibility for the words you just spat out."
"If I couldn't, I wouldn't have come here in the first place."
Jinhyuk pulled a mask from his breast pocket.
It was a black mask engraved with geometric patterns.
He had used it in the labyrinth as well, but its shape was slightly different now.
The rune characters engraved with mana on the right cheek stood out.
"That is..."
Alice's eyes narrowed.
As expected, she recognized it.
She knew the meaning behind this mask.
Jinhyuk bowed deeply.
He had laid down enough bait; it was time to get to the point.
"My name is Kang Jinhyuk."
Let's brainwash myself.
"Representing the Demonic Humans of the Tower."
Into the character I must play right now.
And,
"From this moment on, I shall break you out of this place."
Even down to that character's personality and goals.
* * *
Demonic Humans.
A term referring to those who turned their backs on humanity for money, revenge, or personal beliefs.
Demonic Humans hindered players from climbing the Tower,
And they even joined hands with the monsters in labyrinths and ruins.
Just like now.
Since the Tower of Trials manifested in reality, their numerous evil deeds, including the [Coin Farm], had been heavily covered by various media outlets. Consequently, the notoriety of Demonic Humans was on par with any large guild.
"I have heard of them. But you are saying you are one of them?"
Alice wore an incredulous expression.
Indeed, a mere mask wouldn't be enough to convince her.
In that case,
He just had to feed her more information.
Information that only a Demonic Human would know.
"We have already established contact with the [Temple] on the 27th floor of the Tower. They were the ones who informed us of your presence here, Lady Alice, as well as the method to bypass the seal enveloping the entire ruins."
The words flowed smoothly without a single hitch.
His calm, nonchalant expression was a bonus.
"Indeed... If you know of the Temple, it is not mere bluster."
"Then, do you believe me?"
"No."
Alice shook her head.
"You know too much about us. Furthermore, you claim to be able to solve in an instant what we have deemed impossible for ages."
A beautiful rose always has thorns.
"Above all, I cannot easily trust someone who is merely smooth-tongued."
A rejection.
If this had been a simple request or proposal, they could have just parted ways.
But here, rejection meant death.
Alice slowly raised her hand.
The vampires standing in line shifted restlessly.
The moment the order was given, they intended to capture Jinhyuk alive and kill Teresa.
'This isn't as easy as I thought.'
'She hasn't lived all these years for nothing, huh?'
"If I prove that these aren't just empty words, will you believe me then?"
"Hmm?"
Alice paused her hand mid-air.
"It would be quite a burden for you to reject the Temple's proposal and ours based on mere suspicion, wouldn't it?"
"..."
"I will do whatever it takes. Just give me a chance."
"Very well. If you truly are a Demonic Human..."
Alice's gaze drifted past Jinhyuk, landing on the space behind him.
"You should feel no aversion to slaughtering humans."
Along with her words, a blue status window appeared.
[Sudden Quest]
Objective: Kill the companion who came with you.
Reward: Alice's Trust
Failure: You will no longer be able to persuade Alice with any words.
Kill, or be killed.
A choice with only two options.
And Jinhyuk...
"Understood."
He gripped his dagger without a shred of hesitation.
Feeling a thrill as everything proceeded exactly as planned.
* * *
"What on earth do you think you're doing?!"
Teresa screamed, her face contorted with betrayal and rage.
He had been a strange man ever since they first met.
Though he was just a porter, he had displayed overwhelming martial prowess.
He had a mysterious, yet somehow warm impression.
That was why she had held back her doubts, repeatedly recalling his words to trust him.
But the moment she saw him nod without hesitation at the command to kill his companion...
Her suspicion turned into certainty.
His true identity was indeed one of the Demonic Humans.
"From the very beginning... did you plan to use me?"
"Isn't it a bit too late for questions like that to matter?"
Jinhyuk pointed his dagger forward.
As if dialogue was no longer necessary.
"I won't go down easily."
Teresa covered herself with her shield.
It seemed she intended to hold out by focusing entirely on defense.
"I know you're no pushover, Teresa."
The legend of her stopping the outbreak in Amsterdam all by herself didn't come from nowhere.
But that was when she was fighting monsters.
"Have you ever... fought against a human?"
Dash!
Jinhyuk's figure vanished.
"...!"
Behind her!
Teresa whipped her head around.
Screeech!
A heavy impact reverberated through her shield.
The dagger scraped against the metal and vanished.
'He's fast!'
Moreover, his movements...
They were not just irregular; they were downright bizarre.
Clang! Cl-cl-clang!
Teresa's face turned pale under the relentless barrage of attacks.
She had thought she could easily hold out if she focused solely on defense.
What a massive delusion.
At this rate, five minutes? No, not even three...
The moment she bit her lip hard,
"Ah..."
A desperate gasp escaped Teresa's lips.
She had misread his move.
And because of that, her defense faltered.
Of course, Jinhyuk was not one to miss such an opening.
Thuck!
An exposed gap left open to allow smooth joint movement.
The dagger plunged into the spot unprotected by her armor.
Teresa's body swayed violently.
With her artery severed, crimson blood spurted from the wound like a fountain.
It was a fatal blow.
"Ah... ugh..."
Groaning, Teresa finally collapsed.
And just like that, she drew her last breath.
'One won't be enough.'
Flicking the blood off his dagger, Jinhyuk turned around.
The trembling raid team.
Jinhyuk stood before a dozen or so people among them.
He had already verified it with 'Eye of Truth', so there was no mistake.
Crack!
Jinhyuk broke the gag and ripped off the blindfold of the man at the very front.
Instantly, the bound man let out a cry of joy.
"A r-rescue team...! Thank you! Thank you so much, I'm saved... Huh?"
Overcome with emotion, the man's voice trailed off.
His face immediately contorted in sheer horror.
On the other hand,
Jinhyuk smiled brightly.
"Hey there."
It's been a while.
You piece of trash.