Azhantu (2)
Heinz shared his suspicions, but with uncertainty. Hearing this, Diana couldn’t help but become pale.
“They’re an organization called ‘Barcolak’ that manages this area. But why… they’ve paid their dues on time.”
Even as she spoke, Diana secretly believed he might be telling the truth.
She had grown up in this city and had learned some facts.
“This city… is ruled by vampires.”
“Vampires?”
Of course, not everyone knew this fact.
Most citizens, and even the gang members controlling the streets, probably had no clue.
Knowing it would only put her at risk, Diana hadn’t mentioned it until now.
“Most organizations, including Barcolak, are under the vampires’ command. They act as they wish and manage the citizens.”
The reason Diana figured this out was simple.
She had a very keen sense of smell.
To the point of transcending normal ability.
‘I’ve been avoiding places where the smell of blood is strong!’
Not just the physical smell, but she could detect the scent of danger from places or people’s souls.
Using that ability, she had been careful alongside Aaron, but it seemed they had finally fallen into the vampires’ clutches.
“If that’s the case, it seems we’re in a dangerous situation. Has something like this happened before?”
“I… I’ve experienced it a few times before. The scent of people who suddenly disappeared after not paying their dues smells like blood.”
When she first became aware of her ability, she thought it was only terrifying people.
Even the older guys in the organization were too busy fawning over her.
But as she grew up and started thinking more deeply and witnessing various things, Diana realized.
“This city is their farm. The relative order must be to manage their food supply without it going bad.”
As long as dues were paid on time, they could do as they liked, and despite being in the backstreets, there were no drug trade either.
As long as one could pay for medicine, they could treat diseases.
“Have you ever thought about leaving for another city?”
“At first, I thought about leaving no matter what. But…”
Many people had left the city before, but Diana knew.
None of them had actually reached another city.
“I saw the belongings of those who left being carried by the gang members the next day. They might seem like just the same items, but I know.”
She could tell through the scent whose belongings they were.
And there was no need to mention what had happened to them.
Since then, she gave up on leaving the city, moving her residence to paths that the vampires didn’t frequent and being cautious in dangerous areas.
“If we stay within the city, we can take them anytime, but if we try to escape, it’s a slaughter…”
Heinz grimaced as he organized his thoughts.
“Let’s move. I don’t know why they targeted Aaron even after paying the dues, but if it’s true, time isn’t on our side. Do you know where their base is?”
“Yes! I do. But… will you help us?”
Diana bit her lip and looked up at Heinz.
Knowing the situation here, she surely realized how dangerous it was.
He wasn’t a resident of the city, so he could leave at any time without any issue.
But Heinz grinned and ruffled Diana’s hair.
In this world, there was nothing for him to fear.
“I told you, now that I know, I won’t pretend I don’t. I’m good at making bad guys suffer. Just trust this ‘brother’!”
Heinz particularly emphasized the word “brother.”
At twenty years old, it was a sensitive topic for him.
*
A small village that was nothing but ashes.
Nothing intact remained in the full of ruins.
Hmm, the smell of black magic was wafting, but what the heck happened here?
A pale-faced man blocked the swirling ashes from coming near, surveying the few remaining traces in the village.
Areas that looked like they once had buildings and faint signs of combat on the ground.
“Are these… corpses? Were they gathered and cremated?”
He found a spot that seemed to be for burning the corpses.
Though they were mostly turned to ash and blown away with no trace left, this was no issue for him.
‘There’s no trace of any power other than black magic used across the village, and it’s clear there was a clash involving the undead—burning the corpses and leaving?’
When he first surveyed the evidence, the initial thought was that there had been internal strife among those bound by the ‘Oath of Reversal.’
What they possessed was sufficient to ignite greed, so it was understandable.
“I don’t get it. What happened? Anyway, what a pity.”
He had been preparing to seize a Fragment of the Undead King when it was believed to have matured, but it had already vanished without a trace.
“I don’t know who jumped the gun, but I should be able to catch them soon. That’s not something you can easily hide.”
The man turned his gaze towards the last trace leading into the eastern forest.
The movements of the undead headed into it.
‘The direction seems just right. Is luck on my side?’
Then, in a moment, the man transformed into a bat and scattered into the air, disappearing into the eastern woods.
*
I headed to the base of Barcolak with Diana.
We had to retrieve Aaron before he fell into the hands of vampires.
It wouldn’t be a problem with Hans, but opposing vampires with Heinz would be a stretch.
‘Regular gang members should be manageable, though.’
With enhanced physical abilities from awakening, continuous training, and the power of Super Recovery, I could probably take down average gang members.
To synchronize the physical enhancements from Karma Shop with the avatar, a re-summoning process was necessary.
‘At this point, I can’t afford such luxury. I can’t even get Hans’s help right now.’
There were three days left until I could use the transportation device.
I had to somehow manage it with just Heinz’s strength.
I looked at Diana, leading the way.
Worried about her little brother, she was hurrying her steps, tightly clenching her trembling hands, choosing paths where no one was around using her keen sense of smell.
We couldn’t expose our trail, not knowing what might happen next.
‘If such a young girl is desperately trying to protect her family, I can’t just back out here.’
Diana must have lived thus far using that responsibility as a driving force for her life, shielding the small hope she clung to even while being weighed down by reality.
And now, that hope was about to shatter.
‘Well, I don’t have much to lose, so I should do what I can. [Mission: Help the Unfortunate Girl Find Her Brother]. Reward… random.’
For me, this was a kind of quest.
And gamers in Korea never abandon quests halfway.
As I was steeling my resolve, Diana, who was ahead, suddenly stopped and began sniffing.
“Ah! I can smell Aaron now. He’s definitely at the Barcolak’s base!”
“That confirms it. It’s unfortunate that my bad suspicions were true, but it’s good news that he hasn’t fallen into the vampires’ hands yet.”
I followed behind Diana, preparing for battle as she started running again.
“Sir… do you really think we can save Aaron?”
Diana whispered in a voice filled with concern.
I couldn’t see her expression from behind, but it likely wasn’t good.
“Don’t worry, I’ll get him back soon, just trust me.”
Truthfully, saving him wouldn’t fix all the problems.
In fact, that’s when the real beginning would be.
This city was under the vampires’ reign, and those who snatched him were merely their pawns.
‘I’ll think about that when the time comes; for now, let’s put out the immediate fire!’
As it grew dim, we would soon arrive at Barcolak’s base.
A small two-story building located in an alley.
‘No guards on duty.’
Well, considering all the organizations in the back alleys were under the vampires, they wouldn’t be on guard against each other.
“Do you have any idea how many are inside?”
Sniff sniff, “Around fifteen? Though it’s supposed to be a base, it’s more like an office. I believe they usually live scattered around the streets.”
I nodded at Diana’s answer as she closed her eyes and focused on her sense of smell.
Fifteen was manageable.
“I’ll go in and bring Aaron out, so you just stay back and wait.”
“…I know it’s selfish of me, but please.”
Understanding that she would only be a hindrance, Diana bit her lip, bowed her head, and stepped back.
‘Alright, let’s go in.’
With a rough scenario in mind, I had some preparations made.
All that was left was to show my skills and a little luck afterward.
‘And my luck has been at its peak lately!’
I carefully opened the door and stepped inside.
The first floor was set up like a tavern, surprisingly tidy for a gang’s base in a back alley.
‘I was expecting a mess filled with smoke and gang members drunk and gambling everywhere.’
Though the vampires sometimes visited, they must’ve kept it in good shape.
Still, it seemed I wasn’t completely wrong, as a group was gathered in one corner drinking and gambling.
“What? Who the hell is that?”
“Hey there, buddy, come over here when I’m being nice.”
Noticing me, they began whispering and gestured for me to approach.
I casually walked over to them.
“Hey? Isn’t that the guy we saw earlier?”
“What? You know him?”
Among them was a hefty guy who had received my donation on the street earlier.
“Hey buddy, what brings you to this part? Did you think my first gift was lacking?”
They snickered together and stood up to approach me.
“Hey? Smiling? What’s with you… cough!”
I immediately pulled out a dagger and plunged it into his neck, attacking those who hadn’t reacted yet.
“What the hell is that guy doing!”
“Do you know where you are? Kill him!”
Even as my body moved quickly, I responded to the enemy’s movements with a calm mind thanks to Clear Mind.
With one hand, I stabbed the guy trying to get up at the temple and drew my sword with the other.
It was a sword imbued with the black magic used by the black magic users, but I wasn’t accustomed to it, yet there was no other choice in this situation.
I couldn’t aim for their vital points in one go, so I aimed to inflict wounds that would limit their movement!
I swung the sword to cut the enemy’s leg.
Instead, I slashed an arm, but thanks to “Sturdiness,” the wound wasn’t deep.
That wound quickly healed with Super Recovery.
“Gah, what the hell! This knife isn’t going in!”
I got stabbed in the abdomen, but I was wearing an Earth-made stab-proof outfit underneath my clothes.
Ignoring the pain through Mind Hub, I beheaded the guy who halted to stab me.
Crash!
Bottles and equipment shattered, turning the interior into chaos.
I calmly moved my body as I incapacitated them one by one.
Smash!
Meanwhile, a thug with a bat aimed for my back, but the shock was minimal thanks to the magical equipment’s protective barrier for my vital areas.
“Gah, just who the hell are you, with magical equipment… cough!”
But the effect of the magical equipment wasn’t infinite, so I fought while protecting only the vital areas.
I knocked down one thug and cut a leg.
Another got stabbed in the ribs, but I ignored them and attacked.
Wooosh—
I stabbed, but the blade wouldn’t come out.
I quickly snatched the ax from the fallen thug and swung it sideways.
In that instant, I blocked a flying knife with one of my arms.
My limbs were turning to pulp.
Before I knew it, the effect of the magical equipment had worn off and the blood flowing from a split in my forehead obscured my vision.
At that moment, the thug in front of me seemed to meet someone’s gaze behind me.
As if he locked eyes with someone.
Another thug seemed to be aiming for my back.
I immediately bent down to grab a weapon that had fallen on the ground and swung it behind me.
“Ahh!”
The thug fell, clutching his ankle, but the fight wasn’t over yet.
Without Sturdiness and Super Recovery, I wouldn’t have been able to move long ago.
Devoid of fear of death and excitement for battle, I mechanically calculated and exchanged attacks, taking down the enemies.
One thug, two thugs, three thugs…
…And finally.
“Agh…”
“Guhh, who are you to do this…”
As the battle raged on, thugs lay sprawled around me, including those who had come down from the second floor due to the commotion.
“Phew… Is there anyone who managed to escape?”
As I stood there covered in blood, nearing collapse, I figured I could catch anyone fleeing if I pressed further.
After their morale was completely broken, some tried to run, but it was already too late.
Most of them took heavy damage to their legs from my starting attacks, reducing their mobility, and I focused on those showing signs of escape, ultimately wiping them out completely.
In the end, I even had to use my last resort magical equipment due to the restrictions…
But if I hadn’t done that, I might have missed someone.
“Phew, phew.”
After the battle ended, I stood there for a moment, catching my breath.
The blood had dried, and my wounds were slowly healing, but it didn’t show much since I was totally blood-soaked.
“Hey, where’s the boy you guys caught today?”
“Guh, what does that suddenly mean… Aaaah-!”
I scratched at the wound of the guy trying to act clueless.
“Downstairs! In the basement!”
“Should’ve said that sooner. Don’t you need a key?”
“It’s hanging by the door! Just that much!”
After asking a few more questions, I stood up and looked around.
The interior was a wreck, with writhing gang members sprawled and corpses already lifeless.
And then I picked up a weapon again.
To stick with my scenario, there couldn’t be any living enemies here.
“Wait, let me live! Please! Sal… gag.”
I started confirming each one was dead, even using Mind Hub, though it felt disgusting.
But with the idea that they would only bring harm even if they were alive, I moved my body mechanically.
“They’d scare the kid if I went in like this…”
While scanning the area, I headed to a side where bottles and water containers were placed.
I popped open a few liquor bottles and poured it over my head first, washing off the blood.
‘Better a smell of liquor than blood, right?’
Once I rinsed off enough blood, I grabbed a bucket of water and poured it over my head again.
‘This should be passable now.’
My clothes were in tatters, and bloodstains remained, but compared to before, it was much better.
And I headed towards the door leading downstairs.
