Volume 1 Chapter 50 The True Nature Of The Labyrinth
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
In a square surrounded by the Roses Wall, Aliona and the vampire ‘Leanan sídhe’ were engaged in battle in the back.
Meanwhile, Kian and Serena fought against the attacking ghosts to protect Esther and Robert, who were inside a barrier at the altar.
The Night Wraiths, cloaked in black, exhaled deadly poison from their skeletal mouths, embodying the very essence of fear.
Yet, despite facing these terrifying ghosts, Kian and Serena handled them accurately and swiftly.
”D-Dad…”
”Don’t worry, Esther! Hey, Kian! Can’t you do something!?”
”……”
Of course, he intended to do something.
Kian had been observing the thicket of Roses from which the Night Wraiths were emerging.
(They’ve been coming from the same spot… Probably, the vampire isn’t summoning them one by one; it’s likely set up to automatically spawn through magic. That means I need to find that spawn point──)
As he drained magic power from the ragged ghost’s body using Absorb Essence, Kian narrowed his eyes.
”Mr. Robert.”
”What!?”
”Ms. Aliona’s backpack is over there, right?”
”Yeah, so what!?”
”It should have ‘burning water’ inside. It’s a clear liquid in a glass bottle that looks like water at first glance, but it has a distinct smell. It’s in the right inner pocket. It should be about the size of your palm. There should be 4 of them. Hand them all over.”
’How do you know what is in that old woman’s backpack?’
(While moving here with the golem, I caught the smell of ‘burning water’ from the backpack. After that, I touched it with my arm to confirm its size and position.)
”Is this it!?”
”Yeah.”
After absorbing the essence of 3 ghosts, Kian received the bottles of ‘burning water’ from Robert.
”Serena. Hold on alone for ten seconds.”
”What!? Wait, Kian!?”
Serena let out a voice close to a scream, but Kian was already moving with a ‘Leap’.
Kian charged into the swarm of ghosts, holding the bottle filled with fuel.
The black ghosts rushed at him in droves, but he used the spark-producing device attached to his teeth and the oil in his mouth to unleash a fire shot, scattering them.
Esther screamed in shock at the street performer-like display.
Kian stepped forward and smashed the bottle of “burning water” against the Roses’ Wall where the ghosts were emerging, then ignited it with a fire shot.
As he leaped away, flames erupted dramatically.
The ghosts screamed in terror.
The firepower was impressive; with this, he only needed half the amount.
(Hoh, just as I thought)
Kian narrowed his eyes.
(The ghost spawns have stopped. Bingo.)
No more ghosts crawled out from beneath the Roses, and the number of ghosts around the blazing area visibly decreased.
Kian smiled faintly and used his leap to crush 6 more spawn points in the same manner.
By the time he finished, the number of ghosts had significantly decreased, partly due to Serena’s hunting.
Robert whistled, and Serena cheered, “Nice!”.
”My oil.”
Kian tossed his backpack at Serena’s feet.
”Use that to eliminate the remaining ones while you take care of the spawns. The places that need to be sealed with fire are the ones currently burning. Got it? I’m──”
He saw Aliona in the back pulling on her waist cord to use the “Beast-Attracting Scent.”
A vampire that looked like a giant gorilla howled, drooling as it lunged at her, crashing through the Roses’ Wall and rolling beyond it.
”I’m going to help Ms. Aliona.”
”Wait, Kian!”
”I’ll leave the rest to you.”
With that, he moved away from the barrier where the Pigfoot father and daughter were huddled.
He could hear Serena’s voice behind him, but Kian was no longer listening.
With the axe he had borrowed (or rather, taken) from Robert in one hand, he leaped through the broken Roses’ Wall.
”────!”
Beyond the crumbled Roses Wall, there was a space that was just slightly lower but about the same size.
As expected, there were multiple similar areas prepared, just as the term labyrinth suggested.
”GAHAAAH!”
”Ugh…”
In front of Kian, Aliona was fighting the vampire.
The high elf sister was still battling with her longsword.
Despite being skilled in magic, she showed no signs of using it.
’Vampires consume magic.’
(That’s right, you mentioned that when we first met.)
Kian readied Robert’s axe again, channeling his magic power while mentally agreeing.
’If you shoot magic at a vampire, it gets absorbed and strengthened. Therefore, vampires are the worst opponents for magicians. Without a vanguard, there’s no time to set up spells.’
Just as ‘glasses’ said this, the vampire’s powerful arm gouged into the labyrinth’s ground.
The impact shook the ground, sending mud flying and knocking Aliona’s slender body away.
The vampire emerged from the curtain of mud, extending its sinister claws toward Aliona’s chest.
”────!”
Aliona’s eyes widened.
But before the claws could pierce her heart, Kian aligned the blade of his axe with the vampire’s massive arm.
”…Hah!”
He pulled the axe back slightly, twisting in mid-air and changing the vector of his force at just the right moment.
Then,
”Ha!”
With a shout, he slammed the vampire to the ground.
It was a technique that utilized the opponent’s strength.
Aliona teleported and landed on the ground, kneeling beside Kian.
Kian stood up and faced the vampire, which was slowly rising, bones creaking.
”Phew…”
”Thank you, Kian. You saved me.”
”See? A vanguard is necessary, right?”
Kian said this and raised his voice toward the vampire.
”Who are you? You’re not a Leanan sídhe, are you? We were just trying to resolve this incident and leave. What reason could you have to try and kill us?”
”────”
The vampire stood up from the small crater in the ground, her limbs now more muscular than before.
(If its body were to burst like a fruit…)
’Its physical strength may have increased, but be careful of its mist attack.’
Kian readied his axe, holding it firmly in his hands.
(A vampire’s weaknesses are fire and silver. I’ll leave the finishing blow to Ms. Aliona’s weapon. Robert’s axe probably won’t be fatal…)
The vampire’s mouth tore open, reaching up to her ears, and she let out a hissing sound.
’A human wearing the skin of our kin. Your stench is unpleasant.’
”…”
(So she can speak.)
’You won’t be able to escape from here… Die!’
The vampire’s body turned into a black mist and began to dissipate.
Kian kept his eyes open, lowering his stance and quickly scanning his surroundings.
”Up!”
At Aliona’s voice, Kian leaped to the side without thinking.
A moment later, the black mist took the form of a giant arm and punched through the spot where Kian had been standing just a moment ago, causing the ground to crack and mud to fly up.
Kian took a defensive stance and leaped through the curtain of mud with his ‘Leap’ ability.
As he emerged from the mud, the vampire regained her physical form and pulled her fist out of the ground.
”…”
Kian imbued his axe with magic power.
Weapon enhancement ‘Impact’.
He leaped through the mud, stepping forward and swinging his axe towards the vampire’s arm.
The heavy impact made a ‘boom’ sound as it cut through the muscle, but not deep enough to reach the bone.
The vampire felt the pain, her mouth foaming and letting out a cry of agony.
”────!”
Aliona suddenly appeared in the air, brandishing a long silver sword with both hands.
She launched a swift attack from above, aiming for the vampire’s head.
”──────!”
The vampire let out a metallic roar, crossing her long claws to block the silver blade.
”Haaah!”
Kian reached into his pocket and threw a small amount of explosives at the monster’s feet, causing orange sparks to burst and beautifully illuminate the muddy ground.
”Huh…?”
Kian channeled his magic power once more, returning the axe blade faster than the hesitant vampire.
”Gaaah!”
The axe slashed deep into the vampire’s back, and the wounded monster, in a desperate show of strength, pushed Aliona away, wildly swinging her massive arms to escape the pain.
Kian leaped away from the spot, using the axe blade as a shield.
But Aliona was different.
Perhaps it was the Elf’s Future Sight.
She had predicted the trajectory of the vampire’s powerful arms and found the space where the attack would not pass.
She contorted her body in the air, narrowly dodging the bulging muscular arms with her agility.
”――――!”
With a swift motion, the enemy’s throat was slashed.
The arm swung down as if swatting away an insect.
Aliona teleported, while Kian clung to the monster from behind.
His teeth held a spark-emitting mechanism, and his mouth was filled with oil.
Clenching his teeth with a sharp click, Kian unleashed a torrent of flames aimed at the back of the vampire’s head.
A scream echoed.
A blood-curdling cry of agony.
Leaning his weight against the staggering giant, Kian pulled the creature backward.
The vampire’s jaw jutted upward, and Kian felt the severed veins tear through her lacerated throat.
A crimson flower of blood bloomed.
The monster fell onto her back, sinking into the mud.
Kian had already repositioned himself.
He mounted the vampire, pinning her muscular arm down with the blade of his axe, while pressing his knee against the blood-soaked creature’s throat.
(Now, Ms. Aliona!)
Responding to Kian’s mental shout, Aliona appeared near the fallen vampire’s head. She already had her sword raised high.
Her emerald-green eyes sparkled like gemstones, wide with determination.
”I’ve got you――!”
Her exhilarated cry was accompanied by the silver blade swinging downward.
Without deviation, it struck directly toward the vampire’s heart.
Yet, in the very next moment, the blade stopped as abruptly as it had descended.
Aliona’s eyes wavered.
The vampire’s face had transformed into the face of an unfamiliar woman.
The woman’s face looked sorrowful as she whispered to the elven sister.
”‘Aliona…you’re going to kill me again?’”
”────?”
”Ms. Aliona!”
Kian shouted, his voice strong.
The sensation of the vampire beneath him suddenly vanished, turning into mist.
A swarm of black fog gathered behind Aliona like flies.
”Ah…what?”
The woman’s words pierced Aliona’s stomach.
’Gaaaah!’
The vampire bared her fangs, her massive arms creaking in protest.
With a loud splat, Aliona’s sister’s body was flung into the air, landing with a dull thud in the muddy ground.
”Aliona!”
’You old hag, fooled by an illusion!’
A high-pitched metallic sound rang out.
Aliona had no time to look.
Kian faced the vampire in front of him, its nearly one-meter-long claws spread out, her bloodshot eyes filled with murderous intent.
”…!”
Kian gritted his teeth and held the axe in front of him.
──It was a one-on-one battle.
──He had to subdue this beast alone.
’Your armor is not something that a lowly creature like you should wear!’
The vampire exhaled a beastly breath, extending her ten claws towards Kian, closing the distance.
(How can I kill this thing alone?)
Kian channeled his magic power.
The ‘Nightshade’ coat, stained with blood from earlier, pulsated with increased strength.
The blood-sucking ability of the armor was enhanced.
”I’ll give it my all…!”
’Gaaahhhh!’
Kian leaped to the side, avoiding the descending giant arm.
He dodged the swinging arm from above, then from below.
He sidestepped the right arm and countered the left arm with a single strike.
The monster, now in close proximity, attacked from all directions, up, down, left, and right.
Mud splattered, and the thundering sound deafened Kian’s ears.
The enemy’s attacks were invisible.
However, the ‘Nightshade’ coat allowed Kian to sense them just enough to react.
’Die! Die! Gaaahhhh!’
”…., …!”
Kian did not back down.
He had been honing his martial skills for 15 years, faithfully replicating Azrael’s sword techniques.
He sidestepped the descending giant arm, then countered the sweeping left arm with a horizontal slash.
Creating a gap, he quickly slid his body through and readied his axe again.
(Faster…!)
Kian widened his eyes, following the trajectory of the enemy’s arm with bloodshot eyes.
(Faster…!)
Kian leaped with a burst of speed, his shoulder brushing against the vampire’s swinging arm.
With an ultra-high-speed leap, his brain surpassed comprehension.
Instinctively, he knew what to do.
Kian slashed diagonally downwards with his axe, meeting the giant arm.
BANG! The impact was loud, causing a sharp scraping sound as the blade met the giant’s limb.
The giant’s arm brushed past Kian’s strike, sending sparks flying everywhere.
Kian felt a sudden surge of pain where the giant’s arm twisted menacingly.
”──────!”
Still, Kian gathered his strength in his legs and jumped into the air.
’──────?!’
Placing his left foot on the muscular arm, he mounted it.
The arm of the enemy.
Kian put all his weight on the stomp, and the muscular arm sank into the mud.
The vampire opened her red eyes.
Kian swung the axe horizontally.
A thudding sound rang out.
The axe gouged out the enemy’s neck, spraying blood.
’Gaaah!’
Kian leaned back, bringing his face closer to the vampire, whose teeth clicked.
Sparks flew from the device attached to his teeth.
Once again, a vortex of flames erupted from 0 distance, scorching the vampire’s face.
”AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!”
A scream and piercing cry echoed.
The arm Kian had been using as a foothold swung violently, throwing his body into the air.
Even mid-air, Kian never lost sight of his enemy, readjusting his grip on the axe.
’Uuuuuuh…! GAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!’
Perhaps nearing her end, the vampire let out a furious roar.
Blood spurted from her neck, staining her entire body crimson.
With bulging, muscular arms, she spread them wide.
A dull, *thud* resonated as an impact rippled through the air.
Black fur began sprouting from the vampire’s skin.
’You insignificant human…! Even if I tear your body apart a hundredfold, this rage will not be quelled…!’
Crack, crack.
The sound of bones shifting echoed as the moss-colored dress she wore shredded without a trace.
Now, a black beast stood there, bellowing in rage.
Its rippling back muscles shuddered, and with a forceful burst, bat-like wings emerged.
Like a griffin asserting dominance, the enormous wings—stretching several meters—spread across the dark sky.
The fur-covered legs pushed off the ground with incredible force, exploding dirt upward.
Now airborne, the monstrous vampire overlapped with the pale moon hanging in the night sky.
It had transformed into a bona fide monster, no longer resembling any creature Kian had ever known.
A beast covered in black fur with bat wings—a form out of myths and legends.
”Demon…”
Looking skyward, Kian gritted his teeth and muttered the word.
The vampire bared its fangs at him.
’Know the wrath of Burgkain! Regret defying me in the depths of hell…!’
* * *
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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