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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Azantu (2)
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Heinz shared his suspicions, adding that he wasn't entirely sure, but Diana's face still paled as she listened.
"Th-they're an organization called 'Barcolak' that manages this district. But why... We paid the tribute on time."
Even as she said it, deep down, Diana believed his guess was spot on.
She had learned something growing up in this city.
"This city... is ruled by vampires."
"Vampires?"
Of course, it wasn't something just anyone knew.
Most citizens, and even most of the gang members who controlled the streets, were clueless.
Knowing would only bring danger, so Diana had kept it to herself until now.
"Organizations like Barcolak are mostly under the vampires' command. They manage the citizens on their orders."
The reason Diana knew was simple.
She had an incredibly sharp sense of smell.
Sharp enough to border on a supernatural ability.
'I was so careful, avoiding places thick with the scent of blood on purpose!'
It wasn't just physical smells—she could detect odors from dangerous places or the souls of perilous people.
Thanks to that, she and Aaron had been cautious, but this time, it seemed they'd fallen into their trap.
"Then we're in a pretty dangerous spot right now. Has this happened before?"
"...I've experienced it a few times before. The scent of people who vanished after not paying tribute—it came from those who reeked of blood."
When she first discovered her ability, she just thought they were scary people.
The local bosses from the gang groveled before them nonstop.
But as she grew older, thought more deeply, and observed and heard more, Diana realized the truth.
"This city is their farm. The order they maintain is just to keep their food supply from spoiling."
Pay the tribute on time, and you're safe. Even in the back alleys, no drug trafficking.
Pay for treatment, and you could get healed from illnesses.
"Never thought about leaving for another city somehow?"
"At first, I tried to leave no matter what. But..."
There had been people who left the city before, but Diana knew.
None of them actually made it to another city.
"The next day, I saw gang members with the stuff those people took when they left. You could call it coincidence with similar items, but I could tell."
She could identify the original owners by their scent.
And what happened to them went without saying.
From then on, she gave up leaving the city, moved to paths vampires avoided, steered clear of danger, and lived carefully.
"So they let you graze freely inside the city since they can take you anytime, but slaughter you the moment you try to escape..."
Heinz organized his thoughts and grimaced.
"Let's move for now. I don't know why they targeted Aaron despite the tribute, but if it's true, we don't have much time. Do you know where their base is?"
"Yes! I do. But... are you going to help too, mister?"
Diana bit her lip and looked up at Heinz.
Now that he knew everything, he must realize how dangerous it was.
He wasn't even a local, so leaving the city right now would be no issue for him.
But Heinz grinned and ruffled her hair.
There was nothing in this world he feared.
"I told you, right? Now that I know, I can't just look the other way. I'm a pro at screwing over bad guys. Just trust this 'big bro'!"
Heinz emphasized "big bro" in particular.
At twenty years old, it was a sensitive topic for him.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
A small village reduced to nothing but ashes.
Amid the ruins, not a single intact structure remained.
"Hmm, the air reeks of black magic. What the hell happened here?"
The pale-faced man blocked the flying ash from approaching and circled the village, examining the few traces left.
Places that looked like they once had buildings, faint marks of battle on the ground.
"This... corpses? Burned them all in one spot?"
He found what seemed to be a mass cremation site.
Most had scattered as ash, leaving no traces, but that was no issue for him.
'No signs of any power besides black magic used on the whole village, clear undead clash happened, yet they burned the bodies and left?'
His initial thought upon inspecting was infighting among the 'Covenant of Reverse Heaven'.
Their loot was tempting enough for it.
"No clue what went down. Too bad, anyway."
He'd been preparing to snatch the Immortal King's fragment once it ripened nicely, but it had vanished without a trace.
"Don't know who beat me to it, but I'll catch them soon. You can't hide something like that easily."
The man turned his gaze to where the final traces led.
Undead movements heading into the eastern forest.
'Perfect direction, right on time. Luck's on my side?'
After a brief scan of the village, his body dissolved into bats and scattered toward the eastern woods.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
I headed to Barcolak's base with Diana.
We had to rescue Aaron before they handed him over to the vampires.
Hans might handle vampires, but Heinz couldn't.
'Regular gang members should be manageable, though.'
With my enhanced body from awakening, constant training, and Super Recovery, I could take ordinary thugs.
To sync physical enhancements from the Karma Shop to the avatar, I'd need to resummon.
'No time for that now. Can't even get Hans's help right away.'
Three days left until I could use the transfer circle again.
Heinz had to handle this alone.
I glanced at Diana leading the way.
Her hands trembled with worry for her brother as she hurried, but she used her nose to pick paths with no people.
We couldn't expose ourselves when we didn't know what lay ahead.
'A kid that young fighting desperately to protect family—I can't bail now.'
Diana had lived with responsibility for her brother as her driving force.
A fragile hope in life's harsh weight that she clung to.
And now, that hope was about to shatter.
'Yeah, I've got nothing major to lose, so I'll do what I can. Feels like [Quest: Help the unfortunate girl find her brother]. Reward... random, I guess.'
To me, this was a quest.
And Korean gamers never abandon quests midway.
As I steeled myself, Diana ahead suddenly stopped and sniffed.
"Ah! I can smell Aaron now. He's definitely at Barcolak's base."
"That confirms it. Sucks that my bad guess was right, but good he's still there, not handed to vampires yet."
I followed Diana as she started running again, preparing for combat.
"Mister... can we really save Aaron?"
Diana whispered anxiously.
Couldn't see her face from behind, but it probably wasn't great.
"Yeah, we'll get him quick. Just trust me."
Rescuing him wouldn't solve everything.
That would be the real start.
The city was under vampire rule; these kidnappers were just minions.
'Think about that later. Put out the urgent fire first!'
As dusk fell, we reached Barcolak's base.
A small two-story building deep in the alley.
'No sentries.'
Made sense—back-alley gangs all under vampires, no need to guard against each other.
"Any idea how many inside?"
"Sniff sniff, about fifteen? It's their base, but like an office. They usually scatter across districts."
I nodded at Diana's answer as she sniffed with eyes closed.
Fifteen was doable.
"I'll go in, grab Aaron, and come out. You wait back here."
"...I know it's shameless, but please, mister."
Diana knew she'd just hinder, bit her lip hard, bowed, and retreated.
'Alright, time to go in.'
I had a rough plan and some preparations.
Now for skill and a bit of luck.
'And my luck's been peak lately!'
I quietly opened the door and entered.
The first floor was like a bar—surprisingly clean for a gang base.
'Expected chaos, smoke everywhere, drunks gambling.'
Guess they kept it tidy for occasional vampire visits.
Still, some were drinking and gambling in a corner.
"What? Who's this?"
"Hey, buddy, come here nice and easy."
They spotted me, whispered, and beckoned.
I walked over casually.
"Hey? Ain't this the guy from earlier?"
"What? You know him?"
One was the burly guy who'd taken "donations" from me in the street.
"Buddy, what's your business here? Tribute not enough earlier?"
I smiled softly at the chuckling burly guy approaching.
"Oh? Smiling? You little—gurk!"
I drew my dagger, stabbed his nape, yanked it out, and charged the others before they reacted.
"Wh-what the hell!"
"You know where you are? Kill him!"
My body moved fast, but Clear Mirror Still Water kept my mind calm, countering their moves.
One hand stabbed a temple of a guy rising; the other drew the sword from my waist.
A sword from black magic minions—not familiar, but necessary now.
'No skill to hit vitals one-shot, so aim for immobilizing wounds!'
I slashed a leg.
Hit his arm instead; Sturdiness kept the wound shallow.
Super Recovery healed it fast anyway.
"Guh, this guy's blade ain't cutting!"
Stabbed his gut, but I wore Earth-made stab-proof clothes underneath.
Ignored pain with Mind Hub, slit the throat of the guy who'd paused to stab me.
Crash!
Bottles and furniture shattered; inside turned to chaos.
I stayed calm, disabling them one by one.
Crack!
A club aimed at my head mid-fight, but the magic tool's barrier absorbed it.
"Guh, what the hell is this guy with magic tools... khek!"
Effects weren't infinite, so I protected vitals while fighting.
Downed one, slashed legs.
Stabbed another; ignored backstab, counterattacked.
Stab—
Blade stuck.
Snatched a downed guy's hand axe, swung sideways.
Blocked an incoming knife with one arm.
Limbs shredded.
Magic tool effect ended; blood from split brow obscured vision.
The guy in front glanced behind me.
Eye contact with someone.
Another targeting my head.
I ducked, grabbed a fallen weapon, swung back.
"Aaaagh!"
The rear guy collapsed clutching his ankle, but fight not over.
Without Sturdiness and Super Recovery, I'd be immobile long ago.
No fear of death, no battle thrill—just mechanical calculations, trading blows to drop foes.
One, two, three...
...and the last.
"Augh..."
"Grr, what the hell are you..."
After endless fighting, only sprawled bodies around me, including those from upstairs drawn by noise.
"Hoo... no runners?"
As fight dragged and I looked on the brink, bloodied, they thought they could win.
Once momentum broke, some tried fleeing—but too late.
Most leg-focused attacks crippled mobility; I targeted runners, wiping them out.
Last resort: used limited self-defense magic tool.
Had to, or some would've escaped.
"Hoo, haa."
Battle over, I stood catching breath.
Blood stopped; wounds slowly healing, but still drenched.
"Hey, where's the boy you grabbed today?"
"Guh, what the—aaargh!"
I dug into a guy's wound for chit-chat.
"Basement! Basement!"
"Shoulda said sooner. No key needed?"
"On the door! That's enou—!"
After more questions, I stood and surveyed.
Wrecked interior, writhing thugs, lifeless corpses.
Picked up a weapon again.
For my scenario, no survivors allowed.
"W-wait! Mercy! Mer—gurk."
I began confirming kills one by one.
Mind Hub active, still felt dirty, but they were pure harm alive—moved mechanically.
"Kid'll faint seeing me like this..."
Spotted booze and water buckets, poured booze over head to body, washing blood.
'Booze scent better than blood.'
Blood mostly gone, doused head with water bucket.
'Good enough now.'
Clothes rags with stains, but way better.
I headed to the basement door.