Novel Will Be Taken Down on 17 May or Earlier Chapter 18 - It's getting worse (2)

『Manifestation.』

 

I altered the shape of the statue.

 

I slimmed up the muscular legs that support the huge body.

 

Shutter–!

 

Then the stone statue lost its balance and fell to its knees.

 

It could happen because the stone statue was not a monster.

 

It wasn’t.

 

How can I be so sure?

 

That’s because I’ve checked it in the update history.

 

──────

 

A new rupture, ‘Count’s Citadel’ is added.

 

New named monster, ‘Count Ascura’: Lv.430

 

──────

 

Count’s Citadel.

 

The only monster that appeared was Count Ascura.

 

In that case, direct interference might be possible…

 

That judgment was right.

 

Not being a monster also meant not being a demon.

 

Since [Natural Enemy Relationship] wasn’t activated.

 

My mana got consumed a bit, but it was fine.

 

“What was that noise just now…?! Hee?!”

 

“…Have you all seen it? That monster, at the first try!”

 

“Everybody move! This is not the time to be distracted!”

 

Even if it wasn’t me, there were a lot of players.

 

It was the signal to enter the main gate.

 

Knocking down a stone statue that served as a gatekeeper drove a wedge.

 

Players entered the inside of the castle like a high tide.

 

I couldn’t stand still, either.

 

Tap tap–

 

Above all, I had a clear purpose.

 

– Hunt the vampires. (In progress) ▲

 

• Let them know that the hunt has begun. (Successful)

 

• Let them feel the fear of being hunted. (In progress)

 

Am I going to destroy Count Ascura by myself?

 

That’s arrogance.

 

Just looking at the level alone, it didn’t make sense.

 

Level 100 vs. Level 430

 

However, I had a card called [Exorcism].

 

I brought the demon’s items that would be the offering of the exorcism ritual.

 

So my job was simple.

 

Making Count Ascura feel fear through the exorcism ritual.

 

The rest of the process after that…

 

‘I’ll leave it to the other players.’

 

My contribution would be recognized.

 

Of course, I could get the experience point.

 

If I got lucky, I might even get some loot.

 

Yeah, so…

 

How about walking a little slower, my legs?

 

I made a rational decision based on evidence, but…!

 

These legs had more confidence than I was.

 

Like a runway model.

 

I was walking proudly inside the castle.

 

“Do you still eat after seeing that kind of portrait? You have a good stomach, too. Ascura.”

 

I came to the huge table and poured out harsh criticism out of nowhere.

 

A portrait on the opposite wall.

 

It looked like the appearance of Count Ascura.

 

…Isn’t that too realistic?

 

Unhealthily skinny body.

 

Red eyes, protruding fangs.

 

The appearance of Ascura in the painting was that of a vampire itself.

 

In addition, the gloomy atmosphere of the castle made the portrait look even scarier.

 

Of course, I was looking at that portrait from an aesthetic point of view.

 

“The details and the expression of light and shade are poor. It’s embarrassing to even call it an artist’s painting.”

 

…How come you come into someone else’s house and only spit out vicious words?

 

Let’s think of it as a good thing.

 

If it wasn’t for this shit.

 

I wouldn’t have been able to work alone like I did now.

 

“It is unqualified, just like the statue.”

 

Tap tap–

 

*

 

Count Ascura’s Citadel.

 

Sure enough, it wasn’t a rupture you could take lightly.

 

The faces of the players were full of cold sweat.

 

They carefully looked around with nervous looks.

 

“…I feel suffocated.”

 

“Even with the buff, you can feel this much pressure.”

 

“Doesn’t it? I don’t have good feelings about every single one of them.”

 

It wasn’t an exaggeration.

 

In fact, from the moment players entered the castle.

 

They had been suffering from all sorts of status abnormalities.

 

[Count Ascura is watching you.]

 

[Your mental strength is too low]

 

[Status Abnormality: Fear occurs.]

 

They weren’t even facing Count Ascura.

 

Portraits of Count Ascura were hung everywhere.

 

The portrait’s red pupils were just watching the players.

 

“…I found it!”

 

Crackle–!

 

They found the portrait.

 

It was only when they burned it with their skill that they could breathe a little easier.

 

The players were tongue-tied.

 

“Damn it. The castle, the interior, everything is a trap.”

 

“I thought it was just a horror show. I was wrong.”

 

“Does it match the level? It’s tricky. Really.”

 

It really was.

 

It wasn’t just the performance.

 

Statue.

 

Portrait.

 

A bookshelf that was filled with at least one book.

 

“…What? ‘Human Cuisine’? What’s with the title?”

 

“Hey! Don’t touch that!!”

 

“…?!”

 

All of that.

 

It was causing status abnormalities to the players.

 

Guild, Gaon.

 

The analysis was delivered to Nam Taemin.

 

– Therefore, everything inside the castle is a trap.

 

“It’s vicious, really. I feel the malice.”

 

– It’s not a vampire’s castle for no reason.

 

Nam Taemin looked back on his experiences.

 

Including the days when Arcana was a game.

 

No matter how much he thought about it, this concept was new.

 

“If this was in the past, I would have loved it.”

 

Tricky as it was, raiding it would have been fun.

 

But not anymore.

 

A raid failure no longer resulted in a logout, but a death.

 

He also had a great sense of responsibility.

 

He owned the anguish contained in their short breaths.

 

He heard Nam Cheolmin’s voice.

 

– Don’t be so frustrated about not having solutions.

 

“…What are you talking about? All of a sudden.”

 

– I thought you must be blaming yourself again. Don’t do that.

 

Nam Taemin’s class was barbarian.

 

Except when [Enrage] was activated, his resistance to status abnormalities was low.

 

Due to the nature of the warrior class, it was unavoidable, but…

 

‘The healers have no choice but to bear the burden.’

 

Far from being helpful, he was just a burden.

 

Nam Tamin’s concerns were unavoidable.

 

– We just have different roles. Everyone understands that. I’m telling you not to go overboard by yourself. It won’t do you any good.

 

As expected, you can’t deceive blood.

 

Nam Taemin let out a chuckle.

 

“You know this so well. Anyone who heard it would think you were talking from experience.”

 

He heard a laugh.

 

– Haha. That’s a good guess.

 

“…A good guess? Were you really speaking from the experience?”

 

– Who knows? Anyway, I’m saying this as your senior in life, so keep that in mind.

 

At that moment.

 

Suddenly, a presence was felt from the front side.

 

Is it another guild? He wanted to think like that but he could only feel one presence.

 

“Who is it?”

 

Hawkeye.

 

A guild member identified the owner of the presence with their improved eyesight.

 

“I don’t think it’s Count Ascura… It’s a girl? Her blonde hair down to the waist… Wait a minute, she’s incredibly pretty! I can only see the lower part because she’s wearing a hat. Just by looking at her lower body, she’s really a beauty…! Ouch, why are you hitting me?”

 

Sigh–

 

What should he do with that?

 

Nam Taemin was so amazed, he even shook his head for a second.

 

Nam Cheolmin’s voice came from his ears.

 

– They said she’s alone, right?

 

He continued naturally.

 

– Recommended level, 400-450. Who’s the player who can walk around this castle alone, where the status abnormalities burst out everywhere you go? There’s only one person.

 

Nam Taemin nodded.

 

“Yes, there must be only one.”

 

A mage. Not just any mage.

 

Jessie Heinness.

 

It was definitely her.

 

*

 

My scathing evaluation continued.

 

“The structure isn’t intimidating at all.”

 

People might think I’m here to look at real estate.

 

Let’s think it’s fortunate that nobody sees this right now.

 

I recalled the structure of the castle I had passed through.

 

Main gate → Garden → Corridor → Banquet Hall → Study room

 

And the stairs in front of me.

 

Going this far, I hadn’t had any problems,

 

Nothing was particularly strange.

 

Oh, if I had to pick one, there was one thing.

 

That there were too many portraits of Count Ascura.

 

Thanks to that, I uttered vicious words without a break.

 

In terms of structure.

 

These had to be the only stairs that went upstairs.

 

I didn’t have to look all the way to the other side.

 

If Count Ascura had appeared, there would have been some sort of uproar. Count Ascura was more likely to appear on the second floor, then.

 

“Your attitude of welcoming guests is also unacceptable.”

 

It seemed no player had entered the second floor before me.

 

None of the players found these stairs.

 

I could be sure of that.

 

Even thinking like that, my steps were too fast.

 

Full of confidence.

 

It must have been because I walked with my legs straight.

 

“Hey!”

 

I heard a faint voice.

 

When I turned my head, I found a large pointed hat.

 

To be more precise, it was a woman wearing a pointed hat.

 

She approached me before I could say anything.

 

But what is this? This speed.

 

I checked to see if she had wings on her legs.

 

I was even more surprised.

 

‘…Levitation.’

 

Her legs are floating in the air!

 

I felt like crying.

 

“Some people have to bring up science to save up mana…!’

 

Someone was using magic like water.

 

I realized the gap between people who had poor and rich mana.

 

But I had no expression.

 

The pointed hat looked up at my face.

 

…The moment I thought about whether or not she would be able to see this direction.

 

The hat leaned back, revealing the woman’s face.

 

Blonde hair.

 

Green eyes.

 

White skin.

 

…It was a face I had seen somewhere.

 

If her face felt familiar, she must be a very famous player. When I thought so, my heart ached less.

 

Yeah, it’s not like dogs or cows can use levitation like that.

 

“I saw it!”

 

“?”

 

“You, very strange magic!”

 

She told me so out of the blue.

 

If anyone saw this, they would think I was Mr. ‘Very Strange Magic’.

 

But, looking at her twinkling pupils.

 

It seemed she was being sincere without any ill will.

 

“What kind of skill was that? It was a skill that I’ve never seen before! I watched that video dozens of times! But I can’t figure it out! There has never been a magic skill that I can’t figure out!”

 

That’s what she meant.

 

The video she had watched dozens of times must be referring to the battle in the central square.

 

The magic I had used there was a very simple magic of building walls and pillars.

 

But it was only natural that she didn’t notice. Right, it was 『magic』not a [skill].

 

“I-I am so curious that I can’t stand it!”

 

Bolt–!

 

I looked at the face pushed toward me.

 

It must have been done out of pure curiosity.

 

If she could understand my magic and left, maybe I would have answered it in the past. Even if I was mesmerized by that charming look.

 

“Can we talk about that strange magic?”

 

But not now.

 

I opened my mouth.

 

“Have some manners.”

 

“…What? Manners?”

 

“It’s a basic that a learner should have.”

 

That would be enough.

 

I added.

 

“Unqualified. You failed.”

 

“Oh…”

 

The exclamation mark was a question mark.

 

Will it be expressed if I say it with a period?

 

Her face had gone lifeless.

 

Even if I failed in college, I wouldn’t make that face.

 

There was a moment of cold silence.

 

Suddenly, words appeared in my field of vision.

 

[Skill ‘Natural Enemy Relationship’ is activated]

 

What the message meant was simple.

 

Count’s Citadel.

 

The only monster that appeared, Count Ascura.

 

In other words, he had made his appearance.

 

I reflexively looked up the stairs.

 

Then Count Ascura was there.

 

It was the vampire that looked exactly like the portraits.

 

“Ascura.”

 

When I said so, he replied.

 

“It’s ‘Count’ Ascura. You frail human.”

 

His breath reeked of fishy blood.

 

How many lives had those fangs taken?

 

Its concentration was very thick.

 

Tighten–

 

Even the woman wearing the pointed heat turned dazed and grabbed her staff.

 

But at the same time.

 

I only felt one emotion.

 

I ended up laughing.

 

“Count? That joke is passable. Ascura.”

 

“…Joke? I said it clearly. I’m Ascura, a ‘count’…!!”

 

“No. You are not a noble.”

 

[Necklace With Cursed Blood].

 

I pulled out the demon’s item.

 

“Falsely claiming an ugly curse as power. Such a curse is also attributed to your own power, and it is to be shared and then reaped. Furthermore, all the decorations in the castle that don’t have the slightest bit of dignity.”

 

“…What?”

 

“I am saying that you have no pride as a nobleman felt, Ascura. However…”

 

I fired a shot one last time.

 

“Why is the ugly vampire still claiming to be a noble?”

 

The provocation was a signal.

 

“Shut up!! I will kill you!! You worm-like human!!”

 

[‘Necklace with Cursed Blood’ has been chosen as the sacrifice.]

 

[The skill ‘Exorcism’ is activated.]

 

[Invite the vampire, Count Ascura, to the ‘ritual’.]