Optimistic Game Chapter 88

Edited by: Marethyu, Priapus

Standing in front of the shining door of the legendary dungeon, I take a moment to reflect. It didn’t take me too long to get the key— the area surrounding this dungeon was a Grimm nest inside a cave far away from civilization on the eastern side of Mistral, so I just had to go in, wipe everything out, and eventually the key would drop. Though finding dungeon keys has never really been an issue. In my experience, one nearby Grimm is guaranteed to drop it.

How does that work? I dunno. It’s just system bullshit, I guess. Works for me since it gives me more excuses to kill Grimm. Not that I needed any.

But now, staring at the door…

I grimace.

Last time I went into one of these, I got hard-countered by a boss that pretty much disabled all attempts at magic, my most powerful and versatile weapon. Not only that, but I didn’t even have my inventory to fall back on, and had to be bailed out by the goddess to stand a chance. All that just for the whole thing to end in a tragedy anyway.

So yeah, to say I’m a little hesitant would be an understatement.

I don’t know what I’m about to find in there, what sort of limitations I’ll have to work under, but I am PRAYING it’s not as bad as the last one. Yes, I’ve improved significantly since then, and yes, I’m overleveled as fuck, but that wouldn’t matter much if I have to fight a guy who just goes ‘Nuh-uh’ to everything I throw at him.

But you know? I can tolerate that. I’m okay with getting the worst ass kicking of my life, because I can probably figure out a way to win eventually. I always do. Really, as long as there aren’t any innocent people in there, I’m happy. So please, Goddess. I know I haven’t paid what I owe yet, but please don’t fuck me over.

I take a deep breath, check if I have everything on me for the umpteenth time. Armor, weapons, potions— whatever I need to fight another godawful disease from outer space. Once I’m done going over my gear, I step forward, shut my eyes as I open the door, and enter through it.

I open my eyes again once the bright light dies down, seeing that I’m surrounded by a regular forest—towering and wide trees, obscuring the skies with their giant leaves, as well as a thick fog that envelops everything in sight. It’s almost impossible to see more than ten meters ahead. Creepy enough as is, but what makes this more unnerving is the overwhelming scent of blood wafting in the air.

Jesus. It almost makes me wanna gag. I never smelled anything like this before. And I’m used to smelling blood.

Though what I’m really worried about at the moment is something else. So, since the system likes to lag, and I haven’t gotten the notification telling me to go fuck myself and die in a hole yet, I decided to use what time I have left to pray.

Pleasenotmyinventorypleasenotmyinventorypleasenotmyinventorypleasenotmyinventory…

Gamer’s Mind disabled

Gamer’s Body disabled

“Oh, thank fuck.” I sigh in relief.

I can handle these two being disabled. I didn’t really feel all that different back when Gamer’s Mind was disabled in the previous legendary dungeon, and I doubt Gamer’s Body would be that much worse. I think. Hopefully. Legitimately cannot be worse than losing my entire inventory.

Seeing this, I send all my extra shit back to my inventory and wait for the quest to pop up. In the meantime, I explore the area a little, cautiously walking through the painfully dense mist. I sure hope nothing tries to jump me from behind when I’m not paying attention.

That’d be pretty bad, especially when I can barely see what’s in front of me.

I almost want to roll my eyes as I casually avoid the pounce of whatever it is that had a death wish by stepping aside, immediately incinerating it with a burst of flames. And I mean immediately. I barely even had the time to use Observe on it. Couldn’t even get a good look at it before it turned into a pile of ash.

Name: Blooded Hound

Level: 102

HP: 0/24,000

…That’s certainly a hint at what I’m dealing with here.

“Undead? Or Vampires.” I mutter. “Explains the smell.”

Then again, strangely enough, I can’t really… sense anything. As in neither mana nor presence for whatever reason. Danger sense/future sight from Observation does work, thankfully, but beyond that? Yeah, I got nothing. Weird. No problem, though. I should get a good look from above.

As I lift myself off the ground by jumping, I promptly fall back down after only a second of flight. I blink and frown in confusion, try again, and all I do is a pitiful jump. I quickly connect the dots and realize that something is disabling Sentry’s ability to fly. That’s annoying, but again, no problem.

Instead of relying on my armor’s flight, I prepare to do it the good ol’ way of propelling myself to the sky with fire magic. As power gathers in my two hands, I’m immediately warned of an incoming attack. However, this time, it’s fast. Not as easy to avoid as that hound, so I end up using my spells to propel myself to the side, rolling on the ground and preparing for battle.

Until I’m suddenly cut through my armor several times in a second, making me grunt in surprise and pain. Not even a moment later, I realize something pretty bad for me. Why losing Gamer’s Body might actually be a lot worse than I initially thought.

With it, whenever I’m hit with something or injured in any way, the pain doesn’t linger. It hurts for less than a second and quickly disappears, regardless of the wound's severity. For example, speaking as someone who has lost his arm before, I can say that without a doubt, it fucking HURTS. A lot.

But with how the perk functions, it was never really distracting. And getting distracted in the middle of a fight can be pretty bad.

Now, though?

I brush a hand over where the persisting pain is and grimace. This is gonna suck…

“You’re here early. Too early if I’m being honest.” I sigh, standing up and staring at the Elf Divine Champion. She glares back at me with righteous fury, pulling back her blade and returning to a combat stance. “Not even calling out to me anymore, huh, Vaeri? Just attacking on sight.”

“Keep my name out of your wretched mouth, Leviathan.” She scowls. “You will not escape from me this time.”

I really don’t want to deal with her right now. Game, please give me the quest already.

“I guess not…” I pause for a moment. I gotta buy some time. “I don’t even know how you keep finding me so quickly. Do you have me on a tracker or something? I’m genuinely curious.”

Game?

“That does not concern you.”

“It sorta does.” I disagree with a shrug. “Look, I’m sure you’d love nothing more than to tear my heart out with that weird sword of yours, but maybe we can do that later?”

“Begging for mercy at last?” She scoffs. “That’s new. And here I thought you’d try to run away like the coward you are.”

I frown in annoyance behind my helmet, but I rein in my frustration.

Game. Quest, please.

“I’m saying killing each other here wouldn’t do either of us a favor,” I argue calmly. “There’s something seriously wrong here, and you know it.”

Quest added

Fucking finally. Jesus, what took you so long?

[Blood of the Ancients] – Quest

Objective: Clan Folguis, an old and powerful group of vampires, has taken residence in this forest, tormenting its denizens and nearby villages and towns for centuries. Moreover, they’ve found the Void-Touched Eyes, an extremely dangerous relic fragment of a set capable of destroying all of reality under the right circumstances. Recover the Void-Touched Eyes and wipe them out.

Bonus Objective: Team up with the Divine Champion of the Moon and make sure she stays alive.

Rewards: Greatly increase reputation with the gods of Teralos, Raise cap on all skills by 10, 20 Gacha Tokens, 500 Stat Points, [Void-Touched Eyes] Item (if Bonus Objective is not complete)

Bonus Rewards: 5 Gacha Tokens, 200 Stat Points, Option to trade [Void-Touched Eyes] Item for [Minor Blessing of the Moon] Perk, Massively increase reputation with Vaeri Elanoir (if trade is taken), Massively increase reputation with the Lunar Goddess (if trade is taken)

That’s… a lot of stuff. Huh, trading rewards? Never seen that before.

I’m guessing Vaeri would want to recover the eyes if the trade-off is a blessing from the goddess she serves. Hopefully, that would also get her to forgive my crime and stop sending her champion to hunt me down? Cuz if so, fuck, take the eyes. I don’t care.

“Something wrong? Are you saying you came to this forest not knowing what lurks here?” Vaeri questions, looking at me in surprise and suspicion.

But for now, time to bullshit my way out of this situation.

“Of course I do. Why do you think I showed up here at all?” I scoff, pretending that I didn’t get the info I needed three seconds ago. “Thing is, that’s why you’re here too, right?”

She says nothing—a good sign.

“You’re not here to arrest or kill me. You saw me and decided to attack, but you’re actually here to recover the Eyes.” I add. “Isn’t that right?”

“So you’re here to take them as well.” She assumes.

“Yeah. Better than leaving them in the hands of a bunch of bloodthirsty vampires, right?” I point out. “So, how about we set our differences aside and work together? Just this once.”

“Do you think me gullible enough to believe such foolishness?” Her eyes narrow. “And, pray tell, what makes me sure a despicable villain like you won’t stab me in the back the moment you get your hands on them?”

Lady, I LITERALLY saved your life.

I bite down that retort, calm myself, and respond with composure.

“I don’t want to hurt anyone, Miss,” I swear. “I just want to help people.”

“Likely story.” She remains unconvinced. “You’ve committed an unforgivable sin, Delmar. You’ve communed with Oblivion itself, and yet you insist on such nonsense?”

“The towns you’ve found me in each time you tried to catch me.” I continue. “All of them are full of people I’ve helped, and you know it, don’t you?”

She hesitates.

“Whether they were being harassed by monsters or bandits or suffering from a shortage of food, I helped every single village I stumbled on,” I claim. “And that’s what I always wanted to do. Yes, maybe I fuck up sometimes. Maybe I make things worse by accident, but I really mean no harm to any innocent person.”

Vaeri remains silent once more.

“And if that’s not convincing, then it’s fine. I get it. But are you really gonna risk fighting a whole clan of vampires by yourself? Without any backup?” I challenge. Her expression shifts into one of annoyance, but before she can respond, I continue. “I know you’re strong. You’re a Divine Champion for a reason, Vaeri. I get that. But I am strong too. And unlike you, I’m pretty damn skilled in fire magic. Something vampires don’t really like as far as I’m aware.”

Again, no response. Though she still doesn’t seem convinced, making me sigh.

“I get it, okay? I’m a villain. I’ve broken divine laws. What I did was done out of desperation, and while I don’t regret it one bit, I still understand that I committed a grave sin.” I add. “So let this be my way to atone for that, alright? If all of that is still not enough, then I’ll let you arrest me. Put me before your goddess if you wish. All I’m asking is to give me a chance to make it right. Please.”

After a moment of tense silence, her frown turns from angry to contemplative. I don’t know what’s going on inside her head at the moment, but I can tell that, while still very suspicious of me, she believes me to an extent. Or, I guess, she wants to believe me.

It’s easy to tell that she’s not a bad person, as annoying as she may be. She’s just following orders, and, from her perspective, she has a genuine reason to want me dead, as I’m not exactly the most wonderful guy around. The ritual of resurrection is forbidden for a reason. Sure, I don’t know the exact ramifications of doing it, but it’s dangerous enough for gods to send their champions after me, so I know it’s bad.

I also have to keep in mind that, to them, I’m not a world-renowned hero like I am in Remnant. I don’t have the political power to bend the rules whenever I feel like it. Here, I’m just a regular guy. Or, I guess, the last prince of a dead empire.

Eventually, Vaeri relaxes slightly and huffs.

“I… suppose I could use a hand. Very well.” She says, still glaring at me. “But you will follow my orders and do everything I tell you to do. Am I clear?”

“Crystal clear, ma’am.” I give her an OK sign.

“Good. I’ll be keeping an eye on you, Delmar. Remember that.” She sheathes her sword. “And once this is over, I’m taking you in to face justice, so don’t get any ideas.”

…I’m sorry. I know what I said, but I can’t let you do that. Not when Remnant still needs me.

“Sure…” I reply. “So, what’s our next move?”

Vaeri hesitates again, but eventually responds.

“Follow me.” She says, striding past me. “And stay close. It’s easy to get lost in this mist.”

“Alright.” I nod, catching up and walking beside her. “Where are we going?”

“I’ve set up a camp nearby.” She tells me. “We can discuss what to do next once we’re there. Away from prying eyes and ears.”

“Understood.” I nod again, offering a fist bump. “Onwards to a successful quest, eh, partner?”

“Don’t push it.”

Yeah, I don’t think she likes me very much. Not like I’ve given her a reason to think otherwise.

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The journey to wherever her camp is quiet. A few hound attacks here and there, but they’re easily taken care of. Unfortunately, things are still a bit too awkward for my taste, but I mean, why wouldn’t they be? I attempt to start a conversation with her several times, but all I receive are brief, curt responses or deafening silence. Not even Sienna was this unpleasant when we first met. This is the first time I’ve ever worked with someone who hated my guts.

My REP with her is in the minus. For good reason, yeah, but it’s still bothersome. I really hope this doesn’t make her difficult to work with, though. Bickering when we’re trying to recover some world-ending relic wouldn’t be smart. But she’s older than me by two centuries, so I think she knows that too.

Here’s hoping finishing this quest is enough to make her think of me in a better light.

As we arrive at her campsite, I notice that the fog isn’t anywhere near as oppressive here as it is in the rest of the forest, seemingly warded off by the odd yet cool-looking campfire in the middle. The flames are silver in color, and they almost look like they’re sparkling. I can immediately tell that this is divine in nature, something similar to how my fire magic looks and feels whenever I inject Sentry’s divine essence into myself.

The scent of blood here is a lot fainter, too. It’s there, but it’s not suffocating.

Next to the campfire are only two things. A small blue tent and a crystal ball on top of a stand. You know, when I pointed out that she didn’t have backup, I was only bluffing. I genuinely expected one or two more champions or at least a battalion of soldiers to help her out.

“Stay here.” She points next to the campfire before heading toward the crystal ball.

I stare at her in confusion and mild intrigue as the ball begins glowing in her presence. Obviously, I know that these things are essentially less advanced versions of scrolls or phones. I’m more interested in the fact that she’s okay with me listening in. Not like she’s that far away from me, and she has to know about my super hearing.

That interest persists until she speaks in a language I don’t know. I recognize it— I’m almost sure it’s Elven, but I have no idea what she’s saying. The languages I know are English, or I guess ‘Modern Valean’ in Remnant, a little Leviathan, and a tiny bit of Abyssal purely for some rituals. Never really had a chance to study anything else.

Weirdly, Elven sounds a little like French.

Having no idea what she’s saying, I instantly lose interest, even if I’m certain that the commanding, almost ethereal voice responding to her belongs to that of the goddess she serves. I highly doubt she’d translate anything if I ask.

So with nothing to do as I wait for Vaeri to finish her conversation, I look her up and down, then focus on the sword strapped to her hip. It resembles a Chinese saber, but it's significantly larger and longer. Its grip is made of black dragon scales with the symbol of a blue crescent moon at its center. The sharp blade is a dark blue, while the non-cutting edge is black. It’s a simple-looking sword if not for the unusual colors.

And after using Observe on it, I understand why it’s such an annoying thing to deal with.

[Darkest Crescent] – Legendary Item

A divine artifact crafted at the heart of a blue moon by the first Lunar Goddess and imbued with magic by her successor, this blade is bestowed upon the most devoted followers of the Lunar Order. A powerful weapon that distorts the fabric of space with each swing, bypassing armor and guaranteeing a strike even when the blow appears to miss.

When an attack lands, it deals 2500 + STR+DEXx7 Physical Damage. Ignores all armor and durability perks. Has a chance to hit up to three more times, each dealing half the original damage.

If an attack fails to hit, based on the proximity of the blade to the target, it has a chance of landing up to five ‘mini-slashes’, each dealing 1500 Physical Damage. Ignores all armor.

Suddenly, I’m very glad she never landed a proper hit. This thing is crazy strong. It’s one thing to ignore perks and armor, but to straight up bend space to guarantee a hit? Its base stats are also higher than Goldbrand’s. Though considering what we’re up against, I’ll stick with my fire weapon, thank you very much.

Can’t believe it took me this long to check it out, but this is the first time we’ve met where she’s not trying to kill me. I was busy trying to run away from her to use Observe on it.

Also, first lunar goddess? Are there multiple gods ruling over the same thing? Can one ascend into that position? I thought becoming a god meant you gained your own domain instead of succeeding one. It could be that both things are true, but I don’t know. Something to ask Sheekh, I guess.

Eventually, the glow emitted by the orb dies down, prompting Vaeri to glance at me.

“You’re in luck, Delmar. My lady chose to give you the benefit of the doubt.” She tells me, stepping into her tent and looking for something inside it. “You should be grateful.”

I don’t respond because I don't know how to. I’m starting to realize that I really don’t like being treated like a fugitive. Something to think about whenever I decide to resurrect someone, I guess.

Once she finds the item she’s looking for, she approaches me with it—a map.

“We are here.” She points at where we are on it. A dot south of center. Then she points at the dot in the center. “The eyes, and subsequently Clan Folguis, are here. They occupy a large palace at the center of the forest, protected by several barriers and seals. This mist being one of them.”

That makes sense. I guess one of these seals is what’s preventing Sentry from flying.

“I’m assuming directly raiding the palace is out of the question.” I assume, picking up on what she’s implying.

“Quite literally impossible. As I said, the mist is a barrier, meaning it’s magical. It prevents anyone within it from sensing mana, and causes severe confusion the longer you are in it.” She explains. “Moreover, it casts powerful illusory hexes that erase recent memory. It even causes the target to think they’re lost.”

Which wouldn’t have been much of a problem if I had Gamer’s Mind.

No, I’m not complaining. I’d still take this over no inventory.

“But if you’ve noticed, over here—” She points at another dot. This time, southeast of the palace. “Is another place of interest. It’s an entrance to a sewer system that leads directly to the palace, avoiding the mist entirely.”

“That sounds like a massive oversight on their part.” I glance at Vaeri in mild concern. “Are you sure that’s not a trap?”

“It isn’t. The Folguis aren’t aware that the sewer system extends this far.” The Divine Champion answers. “Mainly because another vampire unrelated to them made his home there, and made sure to lock it up.”

“Which is another thing we have to worry about. Can’t I fly above the mist and approach from above?” I suggest. “I can propel myself with fire blasts and get a better look that way.”

“That could alert them.” She argues. “Keep in mind that our priority is acquiring the eyes. Destroying the clan comes second. If they become aware of our presence, then it’s highly likely that they hide them somewhere we could never find. Or, even worse, use them against us.”

I don’t really have a reference for how dangerous these eyes are on their own — since you need a ‘set’ and ‘right circumstances’ for them to destroy reality — but I’d rather not fuck around and find out.

“Right. Sounds reasonable.” I nod. Never done a proper stealth mission before. “What else do we need to worry about? Rather, who?”

“Clan Folguis is one of the oldest vampire clans in the world. Even their weakest member isn’t to be trifled with. Powerful, quick, and a single clean hit could turn you into one of them. Not to mention their proficiency in blood magic.” She lists off. “Naturally, the lord and lady of the clan are the strongest. Avoid them at all costs.”

“But they are weak to fire, right?”

If they aren’t, I swear to god—

“Fortunately.” She confirms. Good, good. “Remember, we are here for the eyes. Do NOT engage unless we’ve secured them, or unless necessary.”

“Got it.”

Vaeri squints as she rolls up the map, almost looking suspicious for some reason, before moving on.

“Then, let’s move.”

I resist a sigh of exasperation as she takes the lead. Man…

Being glared at like that by a pretty lady fucking sucks.

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– Vaeri Elanoir –

Standing before the sealed sewer entrance, she observed the palace in the distance, barely visible within this oppressive mist. This wasn’t the first time Vaeri had dealt with vampires, but an entire clan of them? And not just any clan, but one of the most dangerous in the world. Some of whom had lived for thousands upon thousands of years—villains who had crushed and devoured countless heroes in the past.

These were monsters of terrifying might. Even worse than that, they had somehow gotten their claws on one of the worst relics in existence. So vile that most empires across history agreed to keep them locked away forever, knowing what consequences followed after using them.

Shards of an ancient evil that not even the gods could vanquish. Only by working together had they barely managed to imprison him.

It was hardly surprising that the Lunar Goddess had promptly dispatched Vaeri upon discovering the location of one of the shards. This mission was of utmost importance, and it was one she was prepared to risk her life for, but there was no denying that accomplishing it alone was quite challenging, even for a Divine Champion such as herself.

Unfortunately, no one in the Lunar Order was as qualified as her. As for other Divine Champions? Vaeri wasn’t sure. She’d expected one or two other gods would want to recover the Eyes of the Deserved before anyone did something utterly catastrophic with them, but apparently not.

Then again, there weren’t many of them left in this day and age. She knew of the Divine Champions of the Seas and Light who were around, but she had never met them personally. And her goddess didn’t seem to like them or their patron gods very much for whatever reason.

“So this is the place?” The Leviathan next to her leaned forward, grabbing the iron bars of the sewer entrance. “You’re right. There’s not as much mist in there. Are the bars enchanted? Feels like it.”

Lucky her, though, she’d just had to stumble on the Delmar fugitive right in the middle of her mission. Almost as if it was fate that brought him here to torment her. Vaeri had no idea what he was doing in a place like this, but she had half a mind to take his head right here and there. How dare he show his face like this? Talking about ‘atonement’ as if he understood the ramifications of what he had done.

There was no atonement after that—no possible way to make up for his sin other than through death itself.

With a grunt, the Leviathan shook the iron bars a few times.

“Yeah, definitely enchanted.” He quickly deduced. “Can’t be broken through with physical force. Are you sure this isn’t some kind of trap?”

Unfortunately, he brought up a good point. Even though every word he uttered made her want to strike him down where he stood for his insolence, she knew that she couldn’t possibly recover the Eyes on her own. She needed backup, and admittedly, this Leviathan did sound somewhat sincere when he had said he wanted to help.

But that was a ridiculous idea to entertain. A Leviathan wanting to ‘help people’? What nonsense was that? All they ever did was conquer and enslave, dominating anyone they deemed weaker. What could someone like him possibly understand?

…Then again, he did seem relatively young, and Poseidra had fallen a long time ago. Perhaps he was raised by someone else? But even if that was the case, the desire for violence was in their very blood…

Regardless, as much as Vaeri didn’t want to work with someone like him, she knew there wasn’t much she could do. Yes, she could’ve ignored his plea and killed him, but that would have left her exhausted and unable to continue with the mission, so no, not really an option. Not when the Lunar Goddess had given her permission to work with the fugitive, leaving Vaeri with a warning that failure to retrieve the Eyes was grounds for expulsion from the Order.

Besides, he wasn’t weak. Though Vaeri had never seen him fight, somehow avoiding her multiple times should attest to his resourcefulness at least. Moreover, this armor of his was something else. She’d never seen it before. What sort of artifact was it? As laughable as that thought was, was he a Divine Champion, too? If so, whom did he serve?

“…What?” He asked as he noticed her gaze.

Although she couldn’t see his face due to the helmet obscuring it, she sensed both confusion and mild frustration in his tone. Vaeri said nothing, however, and decided to move on with the mission. She’d have her answers soon enough.

“Step aside.” She shoved him away, grabbing one of the bars. Power gathered in her hand, making the iron glow a bright silver. Before, eventually, the enchantment broke, and with that, Vaeri yanked the iron bars. “Here. Now we can go.”

“Woah.” The Delmar was impressed. “What kind of magic was that?”

“Spellbreak.”

“The hell it is.” He responded. Although appearing confrontational, he sounded far more impressed and interested. “Since when can Spellbreak destroy enchantments? It’s Sorcery. Enchanting is Arcane. They’re in entirely different schools and shouldn’t interact with each other like this.”

“Unless you cast the spell using the fundamentals of the Arcane School, rather than simple Sorcery.” She argues, going ahead of him. “Which is what I did.”

“You can do that?” He wonders out loud, following her closely. “Huh. You learn something every day, I guess.”

“It’s only useful with a select few spells.” She clarified briefly, unsheathing Darkest Crescent. “Weapons up, and I’m sure you don’t need to be told this but don’t use magic. We don’t want to alert them.”

“Got it.” The Leviathan nodded, drawing his golden sword.

Silence then followed as the pair wandered through the sewer system. Both were on their guard, blades in hand and cautiously making their way to their destination. Vaeri wasn’t sure how the system was laid out, but she had a good enough idea of its basic structure.

According to her sources, there should be a lab somewhere ahead that had an illusory wall leading directly to the foodbank inside the palace. From there, they could start looking for the treasury. That was likely where the Eyes were being kept.

Resistance was inevitable, but as long as they recovered them before the court was alerted, they should be able to make a quick escape. Perhaps then they could ask for the help of other Divine Champions and wipe these monsters out for good.

“Man, it smells like shit in here.” The Delmar suddenly said, making her eye twitch in annoyance.

“What did you expect?” Vaeri glared at him. “Roses and lavenders?”

“But that’s the thing. Do vampires need to shit? They’re undead. Walking corpses.” He argued. “Maybe they piss the blood they drink or something, I don’t know. Still kinda doesn’t explain the smell here, because that’s definitely not blood.”

“Must you really say such a thing out loud?” Her expression turned into one of disgust. “Keep these thoughts to yourself next time. How vulgar…”

“It’s a valid question.”

She was rapidly losing her patience with him.

Thankfully, something was kind enough to interrupt their bickering as it pounced. Vaeri had seen it coming — a blood-starved rat the size of a wolf — and was more than quick enough to tear it in half, but the Leviathan moved faster, swinging the blade and cleanly cutting through it. The two halves of the monster then caught on fire, incinerating it in a matter of seconds.

“I had it covered.” She said with an annoyed tone.

“I know.” He replied. “My body moved on its own. It does that sometimes.”

“How patronizing.” Vaeri scoffed, gaze shifting toward the incoming vermin—hundreds of various sizes, approaching from nearly every direction.

“Ah, fresh meat.” A raspy, shaky voice echoed through the sewers. “How nice of you to present yourselves to us.”

Voice projection. She quickly concluded. Meaning he’s nearby.

“And what have we here? The sweet fragrance of an elven maiden and…” He paused, tone becoming surprised. “The scent of a mighty Leviathan? Hahaha! By the ancient blood, what a catch!”

“Jesus. This guy’s a creep.” The Leviathan shuddered. Vaeri silently agreed. “This is the unrelated vampire?”

“Most likely.” She nodded.

“Ah, I’m afraid I cannot let either of you leave this place. I must have you for myself~” He giggled maniacally. “But the little ones are oh-so hungry~ They haven’t eaten in so long.”

The vermin then began to approach the pair, squeaking and growling threateningly.

“Perhaps I should let them have a bite first?” He hissed. “I’m a good master, after all. Unlike those arrogant bastards above.”

“Watch my flank,” Vaeri ordered. “We don’t want to be overwhelmed.”

“Aye, aye, partner.”

“And stop calling me that.”

A couple of vampire rats weren’t what she would call a problem, but with their great numbers and in tight corridors like this, they might prove to be a little troublesome, especially when using magic risked alerting the Folguis.

Generally, though, this shouldn’t pose much of a threat. This vampire shouldn’t be on the same level as even the weakest of the Folguis clan, and he had likely been starving for gods know how long. If mere rats were all he could muster, then his fate was sealed.

And she wasn’t going to make it quick. Especially after that ‘sweet fragrance’ comment.