Chapter 188

Inside a castle where a desolate darkness had fallen.

Lightning striking outside the window illuminates the dark interior.

Kugoong—!

The blue light of the lightning seeped in, illuminating a woman with lusciously rich, red hair and a man with grayish-white silver hair, who had collapsed and was bleeding in front of her.

The man's appearance, revealed by the blue light, was wretched.

There was not a single part of him that was unharmed.

Small cuts covered his entire body, and the clothes he wore were torn in places or burnt to ash.

Furthermore, a fist-sized hole was pierced through his chest, as if he had been staked.

But the mere fact that he had not died instantly and was gasping for breath, barely propping up his upper body in front of the woman, gave a glimpse of what a superhuman being he was.

On the other hand, the red-haired woman standing leisurely in front of him, who was covered in wounds, was dressed as refreshingly as if she were out for a spring stroll.

The woman standing there majestically, Helena, smiled brightly as she watched him try to raise his body and asked.

“It would be better to just lie down quietly.”

“……Pfft, for someone who has dealt with all my familiars, your words are quite vulgar.”

The man sneered, calling her elegant appearance vulgar, and wiped the blood flowing from the corner of his mouth as he jeered.

Helena looked at him and nodded her head.

“A man who suits the title of Monarch very well.”

“……There is no being more suited to be a Monarch than I.”

“Hmmm, is that so?”

Helena tilted her head and smiled as if she found it amusing.

She watched him quietly.

Helena opened her mouth.

“For someone like that, you were using your familiars to torment the weak and feeble around you, weren't you?”

“……That is the true virtue of a Monarch. The weak must be sacrificed for the Monarch, and it is natural for all things to be held in the Monarch's hands. To think you, a Monarch yourself, don't even know that.”

Helena did not even bat an eye at his unpleasant words and actions.

Well, that was why she had come to kill him herself, wasn't it?

However, Helena laughed at his words as if she found them even more amusing.

“Ahaha. How amusing.”

“……What's so funny.”

“The fact that you, a pathetically weak creature, are still trying to maintain the dignity of a Monarch.”

“……”

“Hmm, so what should I do with you.”

Helena said so and pondered the man's fate.

Did he perhaps catch a glimpse of her thoughts?

“Do you dare to decide whether to let me live or die? I will recover my body. I will tear your limbs to shreds and quench my throat with your blood. It will happen without fail.”

“Hmm, impossible.”

She asserted with a single word against his hateful speech.

It was something one could not know until they tried, but.

Did the man perhaps realize that himself?

“……How vexing. But if you let me live, I will at least be able to deal with any successor you may have in the future with my own hands.”

“Hng? A successor?”

Helena asked back as if she were amused by the sudden topic.

Seeing Helena's interested expression, the man shouted, his crimson eyes glistening as if bloodshot.

“Yes, if it's your successor, I can tear them to death in your stead.”

With those words, steeped in hatred and killing intent, cracks formed around the castle.

It was a measure of just how powerful the man was.

However, Helena, paying no mind to the man's actions, was lost in her own thoughts and then spoke to him.

“Hmm, I don't think so. Wanna bet?”

She said with a bright smile.

For a moment, the man looked at Helena as if he had misheard.

She wants to make a bet when I said I'd tear her successor to death?

He could not understand.

‘Does wanting to make a bet mean she will let me live?’

Watching Helena, who was spouting incomprehensible words, the man asked.

“……What kind of trick is this?”

“A trick? How rude. I'm asking in all seriousness. I don't know who my successor will be yet, and I don't think it will be one of my disciples. It seems like it will be a long time from now, but no matter what, if it's my successor, I'm sure they can beat the likes of you, right?”

“……”

It was so absurd that he did not even feel anger.

It was just too preposterous.

But, this was an opportunity.

The only chance to survive this demon-like woman.

The man's eyes held a fierce desire, so much so that one could see that thought in them.

And Helena, who had read the look in the man's eyes, stretched out her hand.

Then.

Pop.

From the tip of Helena's hand, specifically her index finger, a single, tiny drop of blood bloomed.

And it floated in the air according to Helena's will.

Seeing this, the man's eyes trembled violently in reaction to that drop of blood.

Could it be?

As he looked at Helena with that exact expression.

Helena smiled gently and said.

“Then I'll give you my blood, which you desire so much. In return, if you defeat my successor, you can take it, and if my successor wins, that blood will go to the successor. Got it?”

With those words, she sent the drop of blood towards the hole in the man's chest.

Then, Helena's blood multiplied like a blooming flower and filled the man's chest.

The man's eyes flew open as he felt that abundant power.

If he could just obtain this power, he could become a higher being.

As if sensing this, a craving bloomed within him.

Helena looked at him and said.

“Then I'll let you awaken when our successor meets the conditions in the labyrinth. Sleep until then. And don't forget to deliver my blood to our successor properly.”

At the end of those words, Helena used her power.

The man with grayish-white hair was buried in the castle's dungeon along with the large sarcophagus, and the castle itself sank into the Crevice of the Labyrinth.

Watching this, Seonghyun thought that the Helena of the past was truly amazing.

‘Incredible.’

Seonghyun thought so as he floated in a spirit state, characteristic of an event scene, and watched the spectacle.

That man was by no means weak.

He could clearly feel the man's strength even through the event scene.

It was just that Helena was too strong.

Seonghyun thought so and stroked his chin.

To think he now had to fight such an opponent directly.

It would surely be quite exhausting.

And yet, Seonghyun's expression was not dark.

Rather, it was an expression of anticipation.

‘I wonder how strong he is.’

The Lord of Blood, Lajeare, a being that Helena herself had to step in to deal with.

With that anticipation, Seonghyun came out of the event scene.

As he came out of the event scene with a feeling as if his body were floating.

The surrounding scenery had changed.

Just a moment ago, he had been inside the labyrinth.

It was the place where Branch Manager Belmore had given him the Overlord's Compass.

But now, it was a completely different place.

A wasteland that stretched out endlessly.

It was a place reminiscent of the Dune Wild Trail, but he could realize that it was fundamentally a different place.

Looking at the wide wasteland before him, he could realize it was the Crevice of the Labyrinth, which he had left not long ago.

And not far from his sight was a single, desolate castle.

It could be called a normal castle, but.

It was a castle that was already familiar to Seonghyun.

‘So that's it.’

The castle of the Lord of Blood, Lajeare.

That is that castle.

Having steeled himself, Seonghyun tried to summon his familiars.

However.

[This is the 3rd Class Advancement trial location.]

[You cannot summon familiars yet.]

[Once the 3rd Class Advancement trial begins, you can summon familiars in order.]

‘I can summon familiars in order?’

It was an incomprehensible message.

He could understand not being able to summon them yet.

But being able to summon them in order?

It seemed to be a message related to the trial that would follow.

He did not think about it too deeply.

Since the message said so.

There probably would not be a sudden ambush or anything.

The man he saw in the event scene also seemed to value dignity.

Of course, that did not mean he let his guard down completely.

As he walked towards the castle with a certain level of caution.

He was able to enter the castle without any hindrance.

‘There really was nothing at all.’

As Seonghyun naturally looked around the castle and moved his feet.

He was able to stand before the last remaining great hall.

The battle will probably take place here.

Seonghyun thought so, and as he opened the door and stepped inside.

He was able to meet the master of the castle, who sat loftily on a throne with arrogant, crimson eyes, as if looking down on everything.

The man who was identical to his appearance in the event scene.

As he came face to face with him.

[You have encountered the Lord of Blood.]

[A monarch of the past, forgotten even by vampires, the Lord of Blood has awakened.]

[In accordance with the pact with the previous Overlord, Helena, he must engage in battle with you.]

[He is extremely weakened.]

[The power of the Lord of Blood, Lajeare, will be adjusted to match the level of user 『Seonghyun』.]

Many messages appeared.

A message saying his level had been adjusted to match his own.

He thought it would be similar to when he had gone to the past to fight.

‘I wonder how strong the Lord of Blood will be, having appeared adjusted to my level.’

As Seonghyun thought that and was about to fight at any moment.

Lajeare looked at him and scowled fiercely.

“You are as vulgar as the previous Overlord.”

“……?”

“A Monarch is a being who nobly commands from the rear of the battlefield. To fight directly is an act that severely lacks dignity. Both you and the previous Overlord are vulgar beyond measure.”

“……Hmmm.”

A sudden rant.

However, Seonghyun did not say much.

He did not know about the 'vulgar' part.

But the statement that a Monarch is a being who commands from the rear was not exactly wrong, so he remained silent.

Although it was not unconditionally correct either.

He just did not feel the need to refute it.

As Seonghyun remained silent.

“For a vulgar creature, you are clever. The power of a Monarch is determined by the familiars who follow him.”

As Lajeare said so and snapped his fingers.

Tak!

A sound of something moving was heard from within the large hall.

And a large stone slab rose up from the floor.

A flat stone slab, like an arena.

It was larger than he had thought, and on it, devices were prepared so that they could each fight.

And on the side opposite Lajeare, a chair that looked similar to a throne also rose up.

Lajeare gestured with his head as if telling Seonghyun to sit.

Of all the enemies Seonghyun had met so far, his dignity was certainly top-notch.

As Seonghyun, in a daze, took a seat on the throne that had appeared opposite Lajeare.

Lajeare opened his mouth.

“I don't know if you've noticed, but I am not very strong. However, I possess the ability to grant immense power to those who follow me by fulfilling a contract of familiars.”

Listening to the explanation, it could certainly be called a vampire-like ability.

At those words, Seonghyun was able to get a hint about the 3rd Class Advancement trial.

So that's why he could not summon all his familiars.

As Seonghyun came to an answer in his head.

Lajeare looked at Seonghyun and smiled as if to mock him.

“Even a vulgar creature such as yourself must have a familiar or two who follows you.”

“I have some.”

“In accordance with the pact with the previous Overlord, the outcome of our battle will be decided by a proxy war between our familiars.”

A battle between familiars.

This was turning out to be quite interesting.

As Seonghyun nodded his head as if he liked the idea.

Lajeare asked, as if it were pathetic.

“How many familiars do you have? I will match your number.”

Lajeare said so, sensing that Seonghyun was at most Level 150.

No matter how great an Overlord he was, with such meager power, he would have few summoned creatures worthy of being called familiars.

That was why he confidently said he would match his number.

And after Seonghyun counted the number of his familiars in his head.

He said to Lajeare.

“About twelve.”

At that answer, Lajeare.

“……That's quite a lot.”

His two eyes trembled violently.