Chapter 43: Reaching a Consensus (1)

Lee Seonah stumbled over to my side, visibly shaken. “What… what’s going on here?” she asked, her voice trembling.

“It’s a vampire,” I replied. “Everyone’s fallen under its enchantment.”

“A vampire?!”

Lee Seonah and Kim Jihoon’s eyes widened in unison.

“No fucking way,” Kim Jihoon muttered, gripping his dagger in reverse. “A vampire? And a high-ranking one that can cast enchantment magic? Where the hell do we even begin to tackle this…?”

As if it wasn’t bad enough that the Quest NPC in this Artifact Exploration Dungeon turned out to be a monster… Now we’re facing a high-ranking vampire, the kind that even seasoned A-Rank Hunters struggle against.

But dungeons, by their very nature, are uncharted dimensions where anything can happen.

That’s why I said…

“Now isn’t the time to be nitpicking,” Lee Seonah muttered.

No sooner had she spoken than—

“Krrraaaa!”

The vampire emerged from the wreckage, scattering a thick cloud of dust. Its luxurious velvet robes hung in tattered shreds, and its dust-caked face was twisted hideously with rage. Yet the gaping wound in its side had already healed, and the face that had been swollen like a punching bag from Lee Seonah’s relentless assault was now perfectly intact—a testament to its regenerative abilities.

“Of all things, it had to be a high-ranking vampire,” Lee Seonah muttered, biting her lip. “And I don’t have any vampire-slaying items…”

High-ranking noble vampires like this one were virtually impervious to most conventional attacks.

Even if you could slice their throats clean with a razor-sharp sword in a single stroke, or pierce their hearts with a single shot from a mana sniper rifle designed for colossal monsters, it would be impossible to truly kill them. Only by wielding Sacred Relic-grade Artifacts with long histories, like the Spear of Longinus or the Holy Shroud of Magdalene—or at least replicas of such venerable relics—could one vanquish a high-ranking vampire.

“Well, what choice do we have? If we don’t have fangs, we’ll have to bite with our gums. From the looks of it, that bastard seems a bit weaker than your average high noble vampire,” Kim Jihoon said, glaring at the vampire panting in the distance.

Of course, he was right. Thanks to my intervention, Duke Duas hadn’t fully regained his strength.

“Keep your eyes peeled. Now’s our chance!”

Kim Jihoon launched himself forward, charging at the vampire.

“Deputy Team Leader, wait—!”

Lee Seonah’s cry was cut short by his lightning-fast advance.

Like a streak of lightning, Kim Jihoon closed the distance and swung his twin swords at Duke Duas’s neck.

Right.

Duke Duas hadn’t fully recovered his strength. He wasn’t yet at the level of a high-ranking noble capable of holding his own against most S-Rank Hunters.

But as Kim Jihoon had confidently assessed, he was far from an opponent who could be brushed aside with a mere flick of the wrist.

So, the moment Kim Jihoon was within striking distance, the Duke narrowed his eyes and casually swatted him away, as if brushing off an annoying fly.

Thwack!

“Ugh… huck!”

A sickening crack echoed.

Bang!

The A-Rank Hunter’s body was pinned against the wall of the Lord’s Chamber like a broken doll.

“Ugh… what the…”

Kim Jihoon, thrown to the floor, lay sprawled out, coughing up blood. Fortunately, he had twisted his body at the last moment, narrowly avoiding a fatal wound as the Duke’s claws sank in.

His head lolled to the side with a sickening thud.

“Deputy Team Leader!”

I held Lee Seonah back with a gesture. “It’s alright. He’s not interested in the Deputy Team Leader anymore.”

Duke Duas remained rooted to the spot, showing no inclination to attack the incapacitated Kim Jihoon. Instead, his eyes, now completely black, were fixed solely on me.

He wasn’t staying put because Lee Seonah and Kim Jihoon had joined the fray. He was concentrating all his attention on me.

Because he was focused solely on me with all his might, he wouldn’t make a move until I did.

Therefore, the first thing I had to do was…

“Lee Seonah, stall him for a few minutes.”

I needed to divert his attention from me.

“Huh? Why do you need me to stall him? What are you planning?”

“Just a few minutes.”

”…”

Lee Seonah stared at me for a moment, then let out a soft sigh.

“Alright.”

Tch!

Lee Seonah’s figure seemed to vanish, leaving behind only an afterimage.

In an instant, she reappeared right in front of Duke Duas.

”…!”

The vampire’s eyes widened.

A flash of light.

Swish!

“Ugh…!”

Forced back by the silver flash of her sword strike, the vampire staggered back with a pained groan.

This time, I knew I couldn’t possibly keep up with Lee Seonah’s movements. Even among A-Rank Hunters, Kim Jihoon and Lee Seonah were in completely different leagues.

Having seized the initiative instantly, Lee Seonah relentlessly pressed her attack against the monster.

Clang! Clang!

Her sword strikes were shallow, but they flowed ceaselessly, like water. It was a wise tactic. She wasn’t aiming for a decisive blow, but rather, as I had requested, to buy time and disrupt the vampire’s focus.

“Insignificant creature…!”

Her plan worked perfectly. Duke Duas’s attention finally shifted from me to Lee Seonah.

“She really does have a knack for this.”

I watched Lee Seonah fight for a moment before turning away. I needed to finish my task during the precious minutes she bought me.

Kim Jihoon’s words echoed in my mind: “Better a gum than a tooth.”

But that only works when your gums are up to the task. Trying to use them on solid steel would only result in a bloody mess.

So, what should I do?

It’s simple.

I need to find some teeth—adamantium teeth that can chew through steel.

About five minutes later, a sale post appeared before my eyes:

It wasn’t difficult to find vendors selling vampire-hunting supplies on Parsley Market. Among them, this “Nonviolent Priest” stood out as the most trustworthy figure in several respects.

For some inexplicable reason, his nickname inspired boundless confidence. The subtle madness in the tone of his posts perfectly matched his chosen moniker.

The sale post boasted overwhelmingly more glowing reviews than any other listing.

Honestly, it would be foolish to choose another seller with reviews like these.

But the problem arose after I inquired about a transaction with the Priest.

When I revealed I had “only” around 3,200 Coins, the Priest looked troubled.

This was hardly surprising. Hunting a noble of that stature required a replica of a unique-grade sacred artifact. Such replicas easily exceeded 500 million Coins. Even at the Parsley Market, acquiring an item of that caliber for pocket change was unthinkable.

As I pondered how to resolve this dilemma, the priest sent another message. Perhaps he felt uneasy about leaving the “young lamb” unattended.

A gun specifically for conversing with vampires?

Of course, I didn’t possess such a thing.

Among my Shinwa teammates, Roh Yeongcheol carried a Mana Rifle, but that was a far cry from the “gun” the priest was referring to.

Silver bullets.

Even standard Grade 1 silver bullets were astronomically expensive, averaging over 500 Coins per round. And these “Pope-blessed” silver bullets were exclusively handled by this priest.

Ten rounds for just over 3,000 Coins was practically a steal.

But here was the problem:

Even if I had the bullets, I had no way to fire them.

In that instant, something flashed through my mind like lightning.

Ah.

A well-known “theory” had just struck me.

If I could put it to use…

It might be possible.

“Then, could you provide me with ten silver bullets?”

The pacifist priest replied, “Ah, thankfully, you seem to have a firearm designed for conversation. I’m relieved. If the young lamb had wandered off and fallen prey to a vampire horde, it would have weighed on my conscience for days.”

My remaining Coins vanished as the gear-shaped Dimensional Gate opened, ejecting a small leather pouch.

Honestly, I was disappointed to see my Coin balance dwindling to zero.

But it was alright.

If this could help me drive off those vampires, I’d acquire far more essence stones than I’d lost.

“Then, by all means, I hope you have a pleasant conversation with the noble lord,” the pacifist priest said.

“Yes, I’ll send you another message once we’ve reached a smooth agreement.”

With that, I closed the Parsley Market window.

I opened the leather pouch and checked its contents.

Silver bullets, slightly thinner than my thumb, gleamed softly.

Each one was a meticulously crafted holy relic.

Delicate crosses were intricately engraved on their surfaces, and sacred inscriptions, appearing as a band of recessed characters, encircled them.

I took a few silver bullets from the pouch and turned my gaze toward Duas, who was locked in combat with Lee Seonah.

It was time to start a proper “conversation” with him.

Duas bit his lip, his sharp fangs pressing into his flesh as he swallowed the boiling rage within him.

Just one more step. If I could just take one more step…!

One more step, and he could reclaim all his power.

One more step, and he could transform into the ruthless, colossal evil that had once plunged an entire continent into terror.

Yet, barely a few days after transmigrating to this world, all his plans were on the verge of collapsing, thwarted by a single human.

No, the word “mere” needed revising.

There was something strange about this human.

His enchanting gaze, which had corrupted even a noble saintess, had no effect.

He had effortlessly dodged the strike that had instantly pierced the Knight Commander of the kingdom.

He had beaten Duas, a high-ranking vampire noble, like a punching bag before tossing him into a corner like a sack of flour.

Even though I haven’t fully regained my perfect power…

Right.

That creature was far too monstrous to be dismissed as “mere.”

They couldn’t afford to let their guard down for even a moment.

“Get out of my way! I don’t have time for gnats like you…!” Duas snapped impatiently, slashing his claws at Lee Seonah.

The only problem was that human.

Even with defeat looming, if they focused solely on him, they still had a chance to turn the tide.

After all, none of them possessed weapons capable of killing him.

He was among the noblest of vampires, a member of the upper bloodline.

Not only were ordinary weapons ineffective, but even anti-vampire weaponry, unless exceptionally well-crafted, couldn’t inflict fatal wounds on his body.

That was why, no matter how much they cut, slashed, or smashed him…

He would resurrect endlessly, and with immortality as his foundation, he could surely turn the tide of this battle.

Therefore, if he remained vigilant against that one human, his opportunity would inevitably come.

“Lee Seonah.”

Just then.

“I’ll take it from here.”

A voice, soft as a whisper, reached the vampire’s keenly alert ears.

It was the human’s, the one he had momentarily taken his eyes off.

As the persistent fly that had been disrupting his focus sheathed its sword and darted aside, the human figure standing a short distance behind it came into view.

Lee Taejun.

“Heh heh heh.”

Duas narrowed his eyes and smirked.

He had worried that while the fly distracted him, the human might have been preparing a fatal move.

Fortunately, nothing had changed.

Taejun remained unarmed and unarmored.

And in his left hand…

Whoosh!

A crimson fireball blazed to life, its flames flickering like a living thing—a fireball Duas had already tasted before.

Since even broken bones and torn flesh healed instantly, Taejun had apparently switched his attack strategy from physical blows to magic.

Though this fireball seems different from ordinary spells, it’s still not potent enough to deal me a fatal blow.

Duas inwardly cheered.

This is even better.

He would feign moderate damage from the fireball, waiting for Taejun’s mana to run dry.

And the moment the mana-depleted foe showed an opening…

He would rip the heart from his chest.

Having reached this conclusion…

Whoosh!

Even as the blazing Fireball hurtled toward him, Duas made no move to evade it. Instead, he raised his arm to shield his eyes, confident that such an attack could never inflict a fatal wound. The healing reduction effect might be a minor annoyance, but he remained certain of his safety.

“Are you sure you’ll be alright?” the human asked, observing Duas’s posture. A faint smile played on his lips as he added, “There’s a rock inside that thing.”

Duas blinked in confusion. A rock?

Before he could fully grasp the meaning of those words, the Fireball struck.

Pababerabak!

“Grk!”

The Fireball detonated against Duas’s arm with the sickening sound of flesh tearing, as if riddled by bullets. His limb exploded outward in a bloody mess, shredded by an invisible blade.

“Grah… GRAAAAH?!”

The vampire’s eyes contorted in agony. His arm, hardened to the point where it could shatter solid rock in a single blow, had been pulverized as if riddled with dozens of high-caliber bullets.

“Ugh… what in the world is this?” Duas groaned, clutching his mangled, dangling limb, his voice filled with confusion.

The torn flesh and shattered bones refused to regenerate. Instead, a radiant light erupted from the wound, accompanied by silvery smoke that formed a pattern resembling a crucifix.

“T-this can’t be…”

This was no ordinary physical injury. It was the mark left by a Sacred Relic, an artifact of such divine power that even vampires dared not gaze upon it. It was the kind of wound left behind when one came into contact with such a powerful sacred object.

“The Holy Stigmata…”

More than pain, confusion overwhelmed the vampire’s mind.

This can’t be happening. This is impossible. How could this be?

From his arm, where flesh and bone lay exposed, emitting wisps of smoke, something began to fall with a series of metallic clinks, rolling across the floor with a clatter.

”…What?”

The vampire froze, staring blankly at the objects scattering across the floor. Even after shattering his arm, they retained their shape and radiance.

Duke Duas, a vampire who had lived for countless centuries, battling countless holy relics, saints, holy knights, and hunters, had never seen anything like this before.

Silver bullets, each radiating the intense light of holy fire.