Chapter 161

Chapter 161

He had neatly combed black hair. Dressed impeccably in a black imperial-style uniform, he wore a refined smile on his handsome face.

"The one behind looks like a spellcaster, Ian."

"All vampires are spellcasters."

"I know that, but he seems to mainly use spells."

As Philip swallowed dryly, the conversation between Charlotte and Ian reached his ears. Both spoke in a calm tone.

While Ian shrugged as if suggesting they wait and see, the vampire in the uniform bowed politely.

"Welcome to the Labyrinth Mansion, Sir Ian the Dragon Slayer, and your companions. I am Alfwyn, the head butler of the mansion. We have been preparing to receive our esteemed guests under the command of Her Majesty."

"You welcome guests by looking down on them?" As the group each steadied their stances, Ian asked in a composed voice.

Alfwyn, with a faint smile, replied. "Please understand. We know you prioritize action over words, Sir Ian. It is an honor to greet you for the first time."

"If we had taken a different path, would others have greeted us?"

"Of course. We could not predict where you would go. Unfortunately, thanks to you, not many are left."

“There’s no need to thank me.”

Even with Ian's provocation, Alfwyn's smile remained unbroken.

"Do not worry. Now that you are here, you will soon meet them all. Of course... some faces may be familiar."

Charlotte growled lowly, likely thinking of the twins immediately.

"Leave him to me, Ian. Please."

As she spoke, Alfwyn placed a hand over his chest and added.

"Before that, we will do our best to keep you entertained."

Swoosh.

A black mist spread from the hand over his chest. Alfwyn's smile deepened as he looked down at Ian.

"We understand we can't stop you on our own, but...."

In the mist, a black sword shape emerged. It was a deformed sword with a large crescent blade in the middle, resembling a large hook or a scythe. Alfwyn, holding the sword beside his face, concluded.

"Your companions may not be as fortunate."

"Confident, aren't you? And quite talkative."

As the atmosphere grew tense, Ian spoke in a steady tone. By now, a faint red divine power was shimmering across his body.

"Let's see what you've got."

As soon as he spoke, Ian shook his left hand without warning. Alfwyn deflected the flying throwing knife with a smile.

"Gladly."

Whoosh!

As soon as the words left his mouth, Alfwyn dashed forward, a dark shadow trailing behind him. Despite the distance, it was an instant.

Charlotte stepped forward, blocking Ian almost simultaneously.

Clang!

The crescent sword and fang sword clashed. As their gazes met,

"Come down here, coward!" Philip shouted, pointing his sword at Nathan, who was still standing atop the vine wall.

Nathan displayed a nervous smile on his lips.

"Would you come down if you were me, boy? I will never come down from here, so try to drag me down."

He casually flicked his ebony staff. A large rose that had been blooming at his feet fell and spun, flying toward him. The spinning petals quickly disintegrated, turning into a mass of blood. Nathan's smile deepened.

"If you can."

Bam—

At the same time, red thorns shot out from the blood mass. Philip instinctively raised his right arm. A golden barrier erupted, enveloping both him and Mev, larger and more vivid than usual.

As the blood thorns burned away upon touching the barrier,

Clang!

After exchanging a few blows in an instant, Charlotte knocked aside Alfwyn's crescent sword and lunged at him. She extended her clawed hand, aiming to grab his neck. Surprised by her strength, Alfwyn's eyebrows shot up, but then his lips curled into a smirk.

Swish—

"...!"

From beneath his shadow, a wavy dagger blade shot up. A woman with pale skin emerged from his shadow, thrusting the dagger forward.

Charlotte's eyes widened in an instant.

Thud.

As he leaped, his raised hand brushed through his pocket dimension, and a new sword appeared. Bloodshot filled Nathan's eyes.

"You crazy monster... You're no different from Karha!" Nathon urgently flung himself, his cloak fluttering as his body swiftly crossed the air.

Ian, turning his head mid-air to follow his movement, clicked his tongue.

What a mosquito-like bastard.

Crash!

In the midst of this, Ian struck his sword into the barrier, skillfully slashing through the thorns and kicking them away to clear a space, then steadied his posture.

He hung from the sword hilt, which would usually be a tiring position, but with the Blessing of Battle activated, it was nothing. Even though he was using divine power minimally, he was still much stronger than any average barbarian warrior.

"Tsk...." Ian's gaze, which had been following Nathan's back as he flew across, finally dropped to the chaotic battle below.

"Screech!" The maids rushing in from all directions with blood-curdling screams no longer had human forms. Their eyes were entirely bloodshot, and their teeth jutted out like shards of broken glass.

Their dagger-clutching hands had claw-like nails glinting, and their hair flapped as if alive. Yet, Charlotte in the midst of it all did not retreat an inch.

Having drawn her silver sword at some point, she fought fiercely without pause, like a beast. She didn't hesitate to use not only her blades but also her shoulders, elbows, and knees to strike.

Despite this, any gaps that formed were immediately covered by the rising golden barrier. Phillip, who had raised his shield high, focused on defense at the edge, supporting Charlotte and Mev.

Clang.

At that moment, Mev was the one confronting Alfwyn. She deftly parried and deflected the erratic trajectory of the crescent sword, never missing a beat. Meanwhile, she casually swung her slender sword, piercing a maid’s head or slicing their neck. Sometimes, she even used the hilt to strike, its silver decoration proving destructive enough against the vampires.

Thud!

In an instant, her sword pierced Alfwyn’s shoulder. Instead of retreating, Alfwyn pushed himself deeper into the blade. Simultaneously, a thin arm wielding a wavy dagger emerged from his shadow.

Swish—

A shadowy mist formed on Alfwyn's crescent sword, and a maid who had crept up unnoticed aimed for the gap in Mev’s armor.

Crash.

Ian's sword struck the maid's head as he rushed forward. Without stopping, Ian then charged toward Alfwyn, whose eyes widened in alarm.

"You're just acting like a spellcaster."

With those words, Ian’s iron fist smashed into one side of Alfwyn’s face.

Crack—

The beautiful face twisted horribly and was flung away. The force of the punch was so great that the blade embedded in his shoulder tore through the flesh as he was sent flying. Ian didn’t even glance at him as he tumbled on the ground.

"Don't let your guard down." Without waiting for Mev's response, he charged again, slashing at any maids he encountered.

Crash! Slash–-

A few maids rushed at him desperately, but they couldn't stop Ian's advance. His sword even broke under the strain. Ian tossed it aside without hesitation, using his fists to strike the maids as he passed.

"Raaaah!" Charlotte roared, covering Ian’s back. The maids swarmed with screams that blurred the line between battle cries and cries of pain.

What a mess.

Despite his thoughts, Ian's gaze was fixed on the barrier in the distance. He had to crane his neck to see the top now. Nathan had already created another blood prison.

"...!"

Their eyes met, and Nathan's eyes widened as he completed his spell. Thorns of blood shot out like rain from the blood prison.

Ian gathered strength in his legs.

Boom. Swoosh!

The ground caved in as his body shot up, and simultaneously a blue force field flared around him.

Crackle!

The rain of blood thorns battered the force field. Most of them missed him, but those that did were vaporized by the divine barrier that sprang up just in time.

Yet, Nathan’s lips curled into a faint smile. It was because Ian’s trajectory wasn’t enough to reach him. As he prepared his next spell, Nathan spat out a taunt.

"Instead of wasting your strength, why don’t you go and–-"

With a flash of light, Nathon’s body bent forward like a shrimp.

A silver-decorated dagger had suddenly embedded itself deep in his abdomen. It was the fairy’s dagger.

"Urg, wha—?" Nathan groaned, his eyes widening. His gaze filled with Ian's figure descending from the wall. In Ian's outstretched hand, a massive greatsword appeared.

Nathan finally understood Ian's intent.

Ian had never intended to reach the top. He just needed to get close enough to ensure his thrown dagger wouldn't miss.

Shwoom—

A reddish light began to spread along the blade, and the calm vanished from Nathan’s eyes. He desperately clutched the dagger in his abdomen. With a sizzle, the silver decoration on the hilt burned his grip. Gritting his teeth, Nathan tightened his grasp.

"Come down here, bastard."

Ian snarled, twisting his body in mid-air to bring his greatsword crashing down toward the approaching barrier.