Chapter 148

148 – The Third Stratum – The Realm of Vampires and Underlings 3

The third stratum Floor Boss – the Vampire Queen Carmilla.

There were four people behind her that were dressed in aristocratic costumes.

Of course, they too are Vampires.

While not as strong as Haagenti, they are people with excellent combat capabilities.

「Strong? Fufufu, the Hero of the Cursed Sword Hervor, what exactly is strength to you?」

「Huh? …Oh, you’re one of those, huh? You expectin’ me to say I’m the hard-headed type that’d never let someone die without tryin’ to help’em?」

「Of course not, I can tell just by looking at your allies. You do not disapprove of them relying on weapons or tools. That is exactly why I find your definition of strength to be blurry. There is not a clear line to how strong one has to be in order to be included.」

Herv cocks her head at Carmilla’s words.

「It’s true that I hate dull things. But that’s just my temperament or…personality. If I had to say if something is interesting or not, I’d say it isn’t.」

「You hold a standard for strength that overcomes subjectivity, I see.」

「Yeah, it’s the simplest way. Even a kid can understand it. If you win at the end of a match, you’re the stronger one.」

As an Adventurer fanatic, I read those exact words in an interview article she did in the past, so I wasn’t surprised.

But Carmilla’s lips parted slightly in surprise. It soon returned to her smile.

「That’s a very interesting condition you have. Well, if that’s the case, then we can answer the often discussed question,「If someone poisons a strong person, does that mean that person is stronger?」. Defeat that is imposed on the opponent without waiting for the match to be concluded is not proof of strength.」

「Yeah, that’s why you can all accept setting traps, right? We’re attacking, you’re defending. That’s how the match is set. All that’s left is to see which side wins. I don’t really care what you throw at me. I’ll bust through’em all and beat the Demon King.」

「I’m relieved.」

「Wha?」

「Shall we begin? You shall pay for the sin of hunting down my subordinates with your lives.」

Herv suddenly burst out laughing at the line Carmilla said in character.

She was curious but not enough to ask her why.

「Give it your best shot.」

「Then, without further ado.」

In an instant, the church turned into a scene out of Hell.

「Huh?」

Go a few of the Adventurers. Several of them made similar sounds, so I’m not sure who exactly said it.

The church is wide. As soon as you enter, there is an aisle that leads to the stone altar, where a red carpet is laid out.

To the left and right of the aisle are rows of long stone benches, all lined up.

From the red carpet and the shadows of the benches…

…stretched countless blood thorns that assaulted the Adventurers in an instant.

「Whoa, whoa… There’s way too many of them.」

Even the ever calm Wraith’s eyes twitched.

He immediately pulled Fran closer and deployed a wind barrier to defend against the thorns.

But not everyone was able to deal with this.

And the surprises didn’t end there.

「What…the hell…?」

It was the Roaring Gunner Emeline

A gunner who wields a cannon as large as a large man.

She quickly tried to fire a cannonball at the chair that seemed to be the source of the thorns, but the arm supporting her cannon…dropped like a sack of bricks.

Like a detachable piece, the cannon falls to the floor.

Carmilla puts her hand to her mouth as if she was concerned. She says in a voice kind enough to give the illusion that she’s genuinely sympathizing.

「Are you quite alright? Has your body become fragile? Be sure to eat healthy meals…or perhaps it would be better to consider the management of your Magical Energy. Next time…」

「Em…!」

「Sorry sis, looks like I messed up…」

Thorns wrapped around Emeline and soon after, Magical Energy particles could be seen shining through the gaps.

The cannon disappeared as well.

「Dammit! What is this? Wh-what is happening…!」

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The Martial Artist Amelia dodged, parried, pulled, anything she could to defend against the thorns, but at some point, her posture crumpled. She began to crumble from her knee down.

「I don’t-」

-understand. That’s probably what she was trying to say.

The thorns spread out and wrapped around her, restraining her…and was defeated.

「Amelia… Sister Herv, we overlooked something seriou…s…」

One of Carmilla’s subordinates pierces the Summoner Margret through the chest from the front with their hand.

Her current equipment are a nuisance. Garments that protect her from surprise attacks, and a cross that suppresses the special abilities of Vampires.

That’s why it was necessary to defeat her fairly and directly.

Her partner, the bear Demi-beast Nick, isn’t here to help.

The others before her had their bodies swallowed and crumbled by the thorns.

She wasn’t given any time to summon someone or something else.

「Damn…! Maggie…!」

「The ones causing the Avatars to be brittle are possibly the Vampi-」

Margret was defeated.

With this, the only one left in the Hervor party is the leader.

「…I ain’t gonna ask you what you did to’em.」

Hervor was still smiling, but it wasn’t out of joy.

She may love to fight, but she isn’t the type to find joy in her allies getting defeated.

「Oh? I don’t mind explaining it, you know? You see, from the very start, you all were-」

A thunderous roar.

The floorboards of the church flipped up, as Herv’s figure disappeared.

Before anyone realized it, Herv had swung a fist at Carmilla.

Carmilla deployed a protective wall made of a huge amount of blood from the vast room to deal with it, but it disappeared in an instant as if it had evaporated. Blood splattered from the impact of her blow.

「I don’t care.」

「…I see.」

「Oh and you can have this back.」

Herv threw something on the floor… It was the head of the Vampire who defeated Margret.

「…!」

Did she rip it off on her way to hit Carmilla?

It was already way too fast if she was going straight, but she took a detour to take down a Vampire as well?　

If you look at the Vampire from the neck down, their Magical Energy organ was crushed as well.

Without looking, Herv stomped on the head.

There’s no regenerating that. The Magical Energy particles danced in the air. Defeated.

「To be able to manipulate this much blood, you have to be the Boss, right? Which means, it’s all over if I hunt you down.」

「Do you think that someone who would be so easily hunted would be appointed as a Floor Boss?」

「Like I said, it doesn’t matter. If it’s a match, I’ll win.」

「Please, don’t be so upset. It’s true that our hospitality feels a little lacking than usual for intruders.」

「…A hah hah. Don’t mess with me, woman.」

The thorns coil around Herv. The thorns pierce and bite into her skin.

But she still takes a step forward. She doesn’t stop. One step after another, getting ever closer to Carmilla.

「…Are you even Human?」

「Who knows.」

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Carmilla becomes more vigilant and extends her nails near her wrist.

She slashes her wrist and the blood that flows out quickly turns into a sword for her.

「My apologies, but I am not particularly proficient in hand-to-hand combat.」

「Do whatever you need to.」

The battle rages on.