[You have entered the Vampire’s Underground City (7).]
[The entrance of the dungeon is blocked. Contact with the outside world will be blocked.]
[The dungeon boss smells an intruder.]
[The dungeon boss has discovered your ident.i.ty and hurriedly retracts his magic power.]
[The entrance of the dungeon is opened. The external barriers are removed.]
[The dungeon boss ‘Noll’ cries out to the city’s vampires.]
“He is my master.”
[The dungeon vampires are astonished.]
[They ask if he is stronger than the farmer.]
[The dungeon boss ‘Noll’ hits them.]
“Shut up.”
[The dungeon vampires close their mouths.]
[You control the Vampire’s Underground City (7).]
[This is the first time you have visited the dungeon after conquering it.]
[The dungeon information will be updated.]
[Vampire’s Underground City (7)]
[Rating: S (Temporarily Downgraded)
Boss: Noll
Monsters: Vampire familiars. Low-grade vampires, intermediate vampires, true blood vampires.
Monster Resp.a.w.n Standby Time: 1 minute – 59 minutes.
Acceptable Monster Number: 10,890
-A dungeon where agriculture is actively developing thanks to the intervention of a legendary person. The dungeon is becoming a ‘village’ due to the agriculture phenomenon.
The vampires’ hunger is at a low level due to eating the ‘blood potatoes’ that are being grown. The vampires in the city feel a faint appeal toward humans due to the influence of the boss ‘Noll.’ Once the dungeon’s village is completed, the already sp.a.w.ned monsters will change to ‘NPCs.’ They will become your precious people.
* There are 159 days until the village is completed.
* Pray that as many monsters as possible are alive when the village is completed.
* The type of dungeon monsters might vary if the boss is changed.]
“What type of wind did you bring with you?”The boy who approached Grid had a beauty that went beyond human standards. Human modifiers could never describe the beauty of this boy. The vampire earl, Noll—he had been born directly from s.h.i.+zo Beriache’s body, and now he served Grid thanks to the effect of Pangea’s Duke of Virtue.
[Name: Noll
Age: 221 Gender: Male
Species: Direct Descendant Vampire
t.i.tle: Fourth Child of s.h.i.+zo Beriache
* Has inherited Beriache’s attribute of compa.s.sion.
* Can use blood magic that has a beneficial effect on his allies.
t.i.tle: Vampire who has Overcome the Curse of Idleness.
* Has a strong desire for life. If his health falls below 10%, he will become a coward. He will lose his purpose and only strive to survive.
* Has a strong desire to broaden his horizons. He will actively want to learn.
t.i.tle: A Predator
* Once hungry, his true power will be exerted. The higher the fighting energy, the higher the abilities. The current hunger level is 4/10.
Level: 433
Strength: 3,621 (▼) Stamina: 2,567 (▼)
Agility: 2,310 (▼) Intelligence: 3,580 (▼)
Skills: Blood Farming (A), Direct Suppression (SS), Blood Transfusion (S), Blood Donation (SS), Blood Magic (S+), Run Wild (SSS)
* A child who s.h.i.+zo Beriache especially loved.
Beriache was excited about the attribute of compa.s.sion sleeping deep in Noll’s heart. She hoped he would give great strength to his brethren and overcome trials with his brethren.
Despite this, by now, most of his brothers have left the world. Noll considers Grid, who took off the Curse of Idleness and protected his life, as a replacement for his brothers.]
[Run Wild]
[The cooldown of all magic will be 3 seconds. However, mana consumption will double.]
Noll was the most special vampire that Grid knew. Perhaps he was even more special than his brother, Braham Beriache. He could heal and strengthen his colleagues, and he also had a wide area skill. Noll was stronger in a group than when he was alone. He was distinctly different from the other direct descendants who threatened humans alone. This ‘difference’ was sometimes a great strength. Grid relied on Noll. He didn’t doubt that Noll was necessary for the future of the Overgeared Kingdom.
‘His specs are still crazy.’Grid couldn’t help smiling when he saw the Blood Farming skill that wasn’t there before. He asked, “Why are you giving the cold shoulder to someone you haven’t seen for a long time?”
“The problem is that you didn’t come for a long time! You...! Do you know how much shame and humiliation I’ve experienced in the last two years?”
Noll’s words weren’t wrong. He had been 219 years old when Grid first met him, and now he was 221 years old. However, Noll still had the appearance of a 13-year-old boy, and a vampire’s ego was influenced by their appearance. As such, Noll was a child. “You didn’t come to see me...!”
“...”
“Considering I had to throw away my pride and serve a human, you should be visiting me often...!”
“...”
“I said I would serve you, not that crazy farmer! So why…?! Why did you let that crazy b.a.s.t.a.r.d…?!”
“I’m sorry.”Grid grinned and stroked Noll’s head.
‘Piaro isn’t a bad person, so don’t hate him. He is teaching you to farm because he wants us to coexist.’Grid didn’t say these words.
It was a fact that Noll already knew. Yes, this was just Noll acting spoiled. He wanted his ‘brother’ to protect him. So, he was venting about the ‘brother’ who neglected him.
“...Bad person.” Noll was no longer shouting. He blushed as he was reminded of his mother’s hand. It was the kind, soft, and warm touch of his mother who watched anxiously as he slept in his coffin. Grid’s hand was different from Noll’s mother, but it wasn’t bad.
***
“What? What crazy nonsense are you talking now?”
It was a castle where hundreds of coffins were displayed as ornaments. Noll sat at a long table opposite Grid and faced him. Red juice flowed like blood flowed from the potato Noll was eating. No matter how much he ate, it was fake blood that didn’t make him feel full. Still, it was precious food for vampires in the seventh city.
“Are you a fool?”Noll’s face distorted as he wiped the juices off his mouth with a handkerchief. “We are vampires. Among them, we—direct descendants—are perfect creatures. We can’t be described using the standards of a human. Yet you dare...”
“You are perfect despite sleeping all the time?”
“...It is true that the Curse of Idleness made us incomplete, but I overcame the Curse of Idleness. One day, I will destroy the great demons and G.o.d Yatan who dared insult my mother.”Noll’s anger was real. “I am complete. It is an insult for me to use these trivial tools!”
Grid said he would make a weapon and armor for Noll, who then felt insulted by the suggestion. Tools were things that weak humans relied on.This was what Noll thought. It was also why the vampires that Grid met previously hadn’t been armed. Some vampires might use tools like a ‘sword’, but that was just for their amus.e.m.e.nt. Vampires were beasts who preyed on other creatures using their natural physical abilities and magic power.
However, Grid thought it was mistaken idea.“Tools are trivial? A person who almost lost his life to a trivial tool is saying this?”
“...!”Noll closed his mouth, remembering how he had almost died from Grid’s sword and the crazy farmer’s equipment. “T-That...” Noll tried to defend himself with a red face, but it was impossible.He realized he wasn’t perfect and that tools weren’t trivial.
“What if you had armor at that time? Do you think Piaro’s hand plow, my sword, and Jishuka’s arrows could have beaten you?”
“...”
“Being overgeared is important. It is a concept that makes the strong stronger, not just the weak.”
“...”
“Noll, don’t be stubborn. The world where vampires can rely on their natural abilities is over. Do you like heavy armor or light armor? Think about which armor is more comfortable for you to use and answer me.”
All the legends had fallen asleep, and 200 years had pa.s.sed. The world welcomed new legends, and those who reigned during the gap between legends became weak again. The relations.h.i.+p between Grid and Noll represented this change. In the end, Noll lost his stubbornness and accepted reality.“...I would prefer armor like what you wear. Oh, I don’t want to look at you or something like that.”
“I understand. Your weapon will be a s.h.i.+eld.” Grid’s voice was gentle and careful as he spoke to Noll. Grid’s feelings toward Noll were very complicated. After all, he was the person who killed Noll’s brothers. A vampire and human’s thoughts were different, so Noll didn’t resent Grid. Still, Grid felt sorry toward Noll.
“I’ll make you a strong armor.”
“Hmph, do whatever you want.”
The first preparations were beginning. Grid would set up a new smithy here and produce items for Noll. Then the ‘armed’ Noll would be copied and become the 4th heavenly king of the National Compet.i.tion.
***
“The protagonist is a blessed person.”
They got overwhelming support from the audiences and readers.
“As long as the wishes of many people support the protagonist, the protagonist is bound to be strong.”
Of course, this wasn’t universal. The protagonist was sometimes weaker than everyone else. Why?
“The protagonist also suffers through trials. It is a fate that can’t be avoided. Then the protagonist will become stronger after the trials.
At the S.A Group’s New York branch, a man who was partic.i.p.ating in the US representatives selection was talking to the other candidates. His name was Zibal.
“I have overcome the pain of my last trial.”
He was the strong ranker who had once represented the United States, but he received the stigma of a punching bag after losing to Kraugel and Grid. Zibal declared, “I am the protagonist.”
He had fallen to h.e.l.l from the best place. Zibal was like a monk walking the path of penance. He endured the ridicule and contempt of the people and endeavored to overcome his limitations. n.o.body could ignore him. People might not want to acknowledge him, but they had to respect him.
However, one person downplayed ZIbal.
“No, I will be the new protagonist.” It was Haster.
The appearance of an unexpected character shocked many people.
“Get out of the way, Zibal. I have to experiment with my strength.”
Haster thought it was natural that he couldn’t beat Grid at the present time. However, Hurent...?
Haster was someone who had beaten Kraugel. So, Haster felt there was something wrong. He needed to figure out what was wrong and fix it immediately. Then this person interfered, “Haster? Weren’t you a pro golfer?”
“Pro gamer!!”
It was the punching bag Zibal.
[The selection will start soon. All candidates please enter.]
Unlike in other countries, this was a rare scene where many high rankers could be seen. Hundreds of strong players, including Zibal and Haster, were entering the preliminary elimination rounds.