/
Awkwardness enveloped the group. Rahmadat scratched his biceps indifferently.
“It’s probably because of me.”
They could still remember that Rahmadat got bitten by a vampire on the street the other day. He immediately removed the flesh where he was bitten and regenerated it, but it seemed that the System still judged him unclean.
“...Rahmadat. Step out,” said Skaya.
Rahmadat nodded and stepped out of the elevator.
Skaya’s trembling finger pressed the button for the 1st Floor.
[This is the 1st Floor. The door is opening.]
Skaya’s forehead ached, and she held it as she said grimly, “Is it okay if you wait for us on the 1st Floor? I have to go and talk to that idiot.”
“I can’t let you go alone,” said Kim Woo-Joong. He still looked drowsy, as if he had just woken up. The others seemed like they didn’t want to get out of the elevator either.
“Let’s go together, Miss Skaya. A True Vampire might show up once again while you’re talking to him.”
“I will protect you this time,” said the Frost Queen.
“Thanks, everyone…” Skaya muttered. Then, she pressed the button to the 6th Floor and immediately ran out.
“Hey, you idiot! Where are you going!?”
“Hm? What’s going on?” Rahmadat was about to leave. His eyes widened when he saw the others. “Why did you guys come back up?”
“We should at least talk about what we should do from now on.”
“It’s not like we can come up with an answer even if we decide to talk about it right now.”
Rahmadat glanced at the damp and dark street before continuing. “We can only hunt the vampires down. We have no choice but to do that if we want to know how to break this curse.”
“Sigh… Before anything else, I’ll go and look for a Player who can remove curses.” Even Skaya herself was doubtful that a Player could remove a curse that would change one’s race, but Skaya had no choice but to try anything at this point.
“Anyway, just stay still and lie low until we return.”
“I’m not going to make any promises.”
“Hey! What if you run into a True Vampire again?”
“I’ll win next time. I just got caught off guard.”
‘This musclehead…!’ Skaya walked over and lightly punched Rahamadat’s side.
“I’m being serious right now. Can you please lie low and wait for us?”
“Can you really call yourself a Player if you’re going to run away just because you lost to a strong enemy?”
“...” Skaya didn’t know what to say. She suddenly recalled the judgment she had made the moment she met Rahmadat. Back then, she judged that she would never be able to truly get along with Rahmadat.
Right now, Skaya was once again convinced that it would forever remain true.
‘This idiot…!’ Skaya could only stare at her friend in frustration. She knew changing Rahmadat’s mind at this point would be incredibly difficult.
Rahmadat sighed and said, “Don’t worry too much about me. I’m not an idiot, you know? I’ll try to avoid the True Vampires as much as possible.”
‘I’m worried because you’re an idiot!’ Skaya stared at Rahmadat as if she were looking at a dumb younger brother. Eventually, she sighed and spoke in a serious voice, “I intend to enter the Magic Tower as soon as I go down. I can’t think of any other way to become even stronger at this point.”
Skaya was planning to pass all of the Magic Tower’s tests and become acknowledged as a mage of the Magic Tower. She would then have access to high-ranked and powerful magic spells.
Skaya was convinced that it wouldn’t be too dangerous for them to meet Ghost once again by then. At the very least, they wouldn’t have as much trouble as they did earlier.
“That’s not a bad plan.”
“So don’t die until we come back. I’m going to kill you if you die before we’re back.”
“I won’t die. You know I’m the Immortal Rahmadat Khali, right?”
Rahmadat grinned with his teeth showing and saw off his colleagues.
***
“What the heck is going on?” Shim Deok-Gu’s eyes narrowed.
The advance team returned earlier than expected.
“We found some clues about the 6th Floor’s Floor Master,” Skaya said.
“Oh, that’s good news. But…” Shim Deok-Gu swept his gaze across the advance party members. “Where did Rahmadat go? Did he go to the bathroom or something?”
“That idiot couldn’t come down with us.”
“What? Tell me more.”
They quickly informed Shim Deok-Gu of the current situation, and once they were done, Shim Deok-Gu tapped on his Vita and called the secretary’s office right away.
“Contact the World Player Association and the Big 5. The goal is to search for a Player capable of removing a curse. A high-level player is preferred, and make sure that their skill grade is the highest among the candidates as well.”
Shim Deok-Gu quickly sorted out everything necessary.
We are bit.ly/3iBfjkV, find us on google.
Skaya was relieved to see him sort things out.
“Thank you. I’ll leave everything to you since I have to leave right away as well.”
“Where are you going?”
“To the Magic Tower.”
Shim Deok-Gu could see the determination in Skaya’s eyes. He looked around and saw the anger on everyone’s faces. Even the famous Sword Saint was fiddling with the handle of his sword with a dissatisfied look.
“...I failed to cut the enemy down at the most crucial moment. I should have cut him down,” Kim Woo-Joong said. He seemed to be deeply regretting what had happened as he continued. “Excuse me. I lack training and mental discipline.”
Gong Ju-Ha and Cha Si-Eun also bowed and left not long after Kim Woo-Joong left.
“Should we tell Mio and Gilbe about this?” Shim Deok-Gu asked carefully.
“...Yeah, we should tell them the truth. They deserve to know it,” replied Skaya.
With that being said, Skaya went over to the Magic Tower on the 2nd Floor right away.
There was an old man sitting in a room that smelled of old books. It was only natural because the room was full of ancient books and magic scrolls. The old man was reading an official letter. He noticed Skaya’s arrival and glanced at her.
“Your eyes are full of anger.”
“Well, something very upsetting happened to me.”
If one were to ask Skaya to list down the names of the people whom she thought to be the most important to her, she would immediately list down the names of four people.
It wasn’t strange that she was angry.
After all, she had just left one of them in a place that was no different from hell.
“But I’m the most upset with myself…” Skaya could still remember how often she boasted about her prowess, so she was ashamed that she wasn’t able to move, let alone do anything at all in that crucial moment.
On the other hand, the constant target of her teasing, Rahmadat, bravely charged toward the opponent while she was frozen stiff from the sheer pressure their opponent was emitting back then.
Skaya briefly closed her eyes to compose herself.
Eventually, she opened her eyes once again and said, “Teach me the thing you mentioned last time.”
“I’m sure I already told you that you need to be qualified if you want to take my class.”
On the day of the seventh-floor occupancy test, Skaya left the Magic Tower to meet Seo Jun-Ho. Skaya didn’t really think much of her actions back then, so she had no idea that there was a huge commotion within the Magic Tower over her sudden departure.
“The senate members were saying that your right to live on the sixth floor should be forfeited, and you should be expelled from the academic world as well.”
“Hmph. What did I even expect from those boomers…”
“And I partially agree with those boomers.”
“...”
The old man was Marcus Asir, the owner of the City of Magic, Magino Novilis, where the Magic Tower was established. He was famous as a genius among geniuses and an incredibly strong mage whose prowess was apparently as high as the heavens itself.
He was also familiar with Seo Jun-Ho because of Seo Jun-Ho’s contribution to defeating Nazad Hallow.
“You told me that I had to be a resident of the ninth floor at the very least before I can receive your teachings,” Skaya said.
“Correct.”
Marcus had a very high opinion of Skaya. Therefore, he felt betrayed when she left the Magic Tower without even a single word to him.
‘She’s back.’
She came back because she needed strength, so she would definitely stay here for quite a while.
‘And it will be tremendously difficult as well…’
Becoming a resident of the Magic Tower’s ninth floor meant becoming one of the strongest people of Frontier, and only those who had done the following could become a resident of the ninth floor—developing an unprecedented theory, defending their theses, passing a test, writing essays on magic, and eradicating certain monster species.
‘To do all those, she would have to stay in the Magic Tower for the next few years. It doesn’t matter how hard she tries and how much effort she puts in.’
However, it seemed that Skaya thought otherwise.
“I’ll be up there in fifteen days.”
“Hah! That is not funny at all. You shouldn’t underestimate the Magic Tower.”
“Have you forgotten that I’m an unprecedented genius? Let’s make a bet if you don’t believe me. Promise me that you’ll teach me your magic as soon as possible if I managed to climb up to the ninth floor in fifteen days.”
“You got yourself a deal.” Marcus willingly nodded. Climbing up to the ninth floor within fifteen days was simply impossible. Actually, Marcus thought that fifteen days wouldn’t be enough for Skaya to gain enough inspiration to start working her way up the floors.
“If you somehow became a resident of the ninth floor in just fifteen days, then I will teach you the essence of my magic as the Archmage of the Magic Tower.”
***
“Hmm.” Rahmadat was using his brain for the first time in a while.
Squeak! Squeak! Squeak!
He could even hear the squeaky sound of his brain spinning against his skull as he pondered. ‘I did say with confidence that I will be fine on my own, but I have no idea where and how to begin.’
The first thing Rahmadat did was to rule out the option to raid churches like last time. Considering that Ghost appeared right after the raid, True Vampires seemed to be capable of locating the other members of their race.
‘Then where should I go? Should I just get a decent job to disguise myself and live a quiet life?’
“Ah!”
While Rahmadat was grumbling at his sad plight under the rain, a woman limped into the alley.
‘Torn clothes, bare feet, and bloodstains here and there…’
The woman was obviously in bad condition, and her eyes widened upon noticing Rahmadat.
“A-a human? Why is there a human here?”
Rahmadat turned toward the sound of many footsteps approaching the alley.
‘There are twelve of them.’
Rahmadat quickly figured out that there were four people blocking each end of the alley, and there were four people on the roof of the buildings around them.
The woman closed her eyes tightly and apologized. “...I’m sorry.”
Rahmadat clicked his tongue. He chose this alley because he didn’t think that anyone would come to such a quiet back alley.
“Why are you apologizing?” asked Rahmadat.
However, the woman wasn’t the one who answered his question.
“Probably because she got you involved.”
The voice came from one of the people blocking the alley, and their eyes were fixed on the woman.
“So you decided to run here?”
“A dirty back alley… huh? Haha, I must admit that this is a suitable burial place for a dog.”
“It’s a shame that you didn’t lead us to your home base, but you’ll soon end up telling us where it is, anyway.”
“Yes, you will surely tell us once you become one of us.”
The pursuers laughed. Then, they turned toward Rahmadat.
“There’s even a decent meal here. Thank goodness. I was getting tired from all the running.”
“He doesn’t look like he’ll taste good, but I’m too lazy to hunt another one.”
Rahmadat quietly listened to their conversation.
Eventually, he opened his mouth and asked, “Are you all vampires?”
“...”
The pursuers abruptly closed their mouths.
Pitter-patter, pitter-patter, pitter-patter…
Aside from the sound of raindrops hitting the ground, no other noises could be heard in the alley.
“Hmm, this is bad.” The man who seemed to be the leader scratched his nose. He looked at the others and asked, “Since when did our existence become known to the general public?”
“I-I have no idea…”
“Sigh… it seems like I have a lot of homework to finish tonight. Anyway, overpower that woman first.”
When the order was given, the vampires immediately jumped at the woman.
The woman looked at Rahmadat and urgently shouted, “Run! Now!”
Awoooo!
The woman let out a bestial cry and faced her pursuers head-on.
‘She’s fast…’
It was a fact that vampires were superhumans, but the woman seemed like she wasn’t ordinary as well. Rahmadat’s eyes tracked the woman as she charged toward the vampires.
“Don’t let your guard down! She’s considered one of the strongest among those dogs!”
“She is the daughter of their chief. You can cut her limbs off, but we need to keep her alive. I’m sure she knows a lot.”
The woman was physically stronger than the vampires, but the vampires were better than her tactically. They took advantage of their numbers to corner her.
“Let’s stop messing around.”
“Argh!”
The leader of the pursuers tripped the woman over and slammed her head into the ground. The woman struggled under the leader, but she couldn’t do anything against multiple vampires restraining her at once.
“Let’s start by giving you a medicine that will make you listen...” said the leader of the pursuers as a white canine protruded from his lips. He moved his head over to the woman’s neck.
Seeing that, Rahmadat finally spoke, “I think we’re the same.”
Crack. Crack.
Rahmadat stretched his shoulders lightly and added, “I also have a lot of homework to finish tonight.”
“What bullshit are you spouting? It’s not your turn yet, so you better wait.”
The leader gestured, and four vampires started walking over to Rahmadat.
“Hey, I know you’re a bit big, but you better stop pretending that you’re hot shit. You need to learn your place.”
“How dare a mere human speak in front of—”
Pop!
With a sound similar to a balloon being popped, the heads of the surrounding vampires actually burst like balloons.
“...Huh?”
“Tandav,” Rahmadat remarked casually.
The eyes of the surviving vampires widened at the unbelievable sight.
However, another burst of light briefly illuminated the alleyway.
“Fuck!” The leader of the pursuers cursed without realizing it. He couldn’t really be blamed because when the burst of light vanished, he saw that every vampire in the alley, even the ones on the roof of the nearby buildings, had died inexplicably.
‘I chose the wrong opponent. Who the hell is he? Did the dogs manage to develop a way to hide their smell or something?’
His train of thought was interrupted when Rahmadat grabbed his head.
“I have many questions for you...”
Crack!
Rahmadat’s fingers slowly dug into the leader of the pursuer’s skull.
“So, sleep for now...”
“...!” The leader of the pursuers directly fainted from the pain and shock.
The woman hurriedly stood up, and she was confused as she stared at Rahmadat.
“You’re not… like me, are you? Just who are you?” asked the woman.
The large-framed Rahmadat was far stronger than she could have ever imagined.
Rahmadat turned to look at her and replied, “I’m Rahmadat Khali, a Player.”