How to Live As the Vampire Lord

After leaving Silion behind in a farming village near the forest, Eugene led the subjugation squad through the deep forest and arrived at the low hill, where the dungeon was located. Eugene first ordered the troops to conduct a search around the entrance of the dungeon, just as Galfredik had done during their first subjugation.

No new monster holes were discovered, perhaps due to the fact that they exterminated quite a few low-rank monsters during the first subjugation. “If there are no problems, we will enter right away.” Eugene walked towards the entrance, and Partec followed right behind. A large latch was blocking the passageway into the dungeon. Eugene had replaced it after the first subjugation.

“I will help you, Sir Eugene.”

“No, it’s fine.”

After shaking his head, Eugene placed his hand under the latch without any hesitation. Maverick and his mercenaries scoffed after seeing the three-meter-long latch. Its surface was wrapped in steel, and it was thick.

Even if he wanted to show off, he was clearly overestimating himself. How could he possibly lift a latch that weighed as much as an intermediate-rank monster by…

Boom.

Himself!?

“…..!”

The latch fell with a heavy thud. Maverick and the mercenaries stared with blank looks.

“What are you standing around for? We will be entering right away.”

The mercenaries were shaken awake by Eugene’s voice. They quickly shook themselves out of their daze and started entering the dungeon in orderly rows.

‘Hmph! It doesn’t matter. You will still die if I stick a sword in you. It’s all the same.’

Maverick also headed into the dungeon whilst desperately trying to disregard Eugene’s display of incredible strength.

***

Aroooof! Kieeeng!

The last kobold collapsed while letting out pitiful cries. Its head was almost decapitated.

“Confirm and report the damages,” Eugene turned around while shaking the blood off his battle axe.

“No issues.”

“One with minor injuries. None are dead or have serious injuries.”

After listening to the reports of both Partec and Breen, Eugene turned his head once more. After receiving Eugene’s gaze, Maverick spoke with a stutter. “Uh, none are dead. None are seriously injured. Minor injuries…ah, three, there are three of them.”

“A completely crushed arm. Are you calling that a minor injury? Or perhaps he’s left-handed?”

“….”

Maverick shut his mouth after glancing at the injured mercenary. His wrist was in tatters after being bitten by a kobold.

“So there’s one who is seriously injured and two with minor injuries. To think it would be like this after only the second battle. Sir, it’s been half a day since we’ve entered. Do you know that we still haven’t met even 30% of the minimum conditions?”

“I know. I know. It doesn’t matter, does it? I can still fight, and there are five more without any injuries. I’ll cut ‘em all down, whether it’s kobolds or goblins…”

“What if an intermediate-rank monster shows up? Do you think you can handle it by yourself, Sir?”

“Fucking hell! I can take care of it!” Maverick shouted while throwing his helmet on the ground.

“Make sure you take responsibility for your words. Partec, Breen, get it started.”

“Yes! Sir Eugene!”

With Partec and Breen in the center, the mercenaries began gathering the monster corpses along with the porters into piles with familiar movements. About twenty bodies of kobolds were dismantled at a rapid pace, and a small mound of mana stones and by-products was soon formed.

In the meantime, the mercenaries following Maverick sat down awkwardly and rested. Nine of them entered. But one was already dead, and two of them had sustained heavy injuries. The other six weren’t unscathed either. They jumped in surprise from time to time, looking around with faces filled with anxiety.

It was clear from their reaction that they were filled with fear, rather than moderate tension. Eugene wouldn’t have known why they were acting as such in the past during the first subjugation, but now he could make an educated guess.

‘They’ve only ever dealt with roamers. I guess they assumed monsters inside a dungeon would be the same.’

Unlike the outside world, evil energy flowed inside of evil lands like these dungeons. As such, the monsters inside dungeons matured much faster than roamers. In addition, they were stronger and much more ferocious. Since Maverick’s mercenaries only ever experienced dealing with roamers, it was only natural for them to suffer a setback after entering a dungeon for the first time.

From their current reactions, it appeared that Maverick’s mercenaries had never dealt with monsters inside of an evil land. At the same time, they seemed unaware of a dungeon’s unique environment.

‘It would have been much better if Galfredik was here.’

Decent mercenaries in nearby areas could only be found in cities such as Maren. Galfredik’s predictions had been spot on. He was correct when he said that only inadequate nobodies would flock to the Tywin territory.

Moreover, Galfredik had led the mercenaries with strong leadership skills even though perhaps half of them were powerless nobodies. Eugene realized once again that Galfredik was an outstanding knight.

He focused his senses on the deeper parts of the dungeon.

‘A group of goblins about 300 meters ahead. They are screaming while almost running. Based on the strong smell of blood… There is an intermediate-rank monster ahead.’

Eugene examined the map created during the first subjugation, then looked over the terrain and the passage that existed between the humans and the goblins. Then, he spoke to the resting mercenaries. “Until they are done with the dismantling process, we scout ahead. You, you, and you. Follow me.”

Eugene pointed towards three of Maverick’s mercenaries. Compared to the rest of the group, they were in relatively good condition.

“Ah! I can also…”

Breen started volunteering himself as well, but Partec blocked him and shook his head.

‘Sir Eugene has a reason for everything he does. Just stay down.’

Breen grasped Partec’s thoughts from his expression, and slowly lowered his hand. The three selected mercenaries slowly stood up. It was obvious from their expressions that they were reluctant to go, but they dared not raise any objections, especially when they recalled Eugene’s outstanding performance from the previous battle.

Maverick snuck up in the meantime. “I will go with you as well. Who knows, perhaps an intermediate-rank or a high-rank monster will make an appearance.”

“….”

How could he not know that at least one knight must remain with the main army? This was just… too much. Maverick was truly pathetic.

“As you please.” However, Eugene nodded.

***

‘Dog-shit bastard. You dare insult me?’

Eugene took the lead with a torch and a shortsword in hand and a spear slung across his back. Maverick glared at him with contempt. Ever since their first meeting, Maverick felt distaste for the arrogant bastard. He did not like the fact that Camara Tywin, the lord, had favored Eugene and secretly rated the bastard higher than himself.

‘Even so, he’s only good at catching monsters.’

With such thoughts, Maverick observed his surroundings. Up ahead in the distance was a dark area without much light. Patches of glowing grass were sparse.

‘Good. I’m very lucky. Hehe.’

Maverick licked his lips. He had been troubled because he couldn’t find any chance during the battles, but to think that the bastard would scout separately from the main army of his own volition. Moreover, the three mercenaries that Eugene called out were the strongest in the group he led.

‘Once again, God is on my side.’

God showed favor to powerful knights and blessed them with blessings and luck. Maverick thoroughly believed that this was evidence of his superior fortune.

‘What are you going to do if I pierced you from the back through the gap in your armor? Those born in better families are always haughty and arrogant, but they always shriek like a dirty pig when they die.’

It had been the case with the previous owner of the chainmail he currently adorned. He remembered the pathetic expression of that knight as he begged for mercy, desperately trying to bargain for his own life – that his cousin would pay a handsome ransom.

He felt even more thrilled imagining the pale-faced bastard begging for his life. A man with a pretty face like a girl was about to beg for his life like a dog.

‘Where should I stab you?’

Maverick scanned Eugene’s back to search for a point of attack. Soon, the group arrived in an area without any glowing grass, and the mercenary walking next to Eugene glanced back. As soon as Maverick gave a small nod, the mercenary threw his torch far away.

“What are you doing?”

Even before Eugene could finish his words, Maverick charged like a bison and stabbed his rondel dagger under Eugene’s armpit. Although plate armor boasted invincible defense, the gaps in each joint were connected by chains rather than metal plates.

A rondel dagger possessed a pointed tip like an awl. It was a weapon designed to drill into the tight holes of chain mail.

Crack!

Maverick felt the weapon penetrate through the chain mail as he tackled Eugene. A loud metallic noise resounded as two sturdy knights in metal armor rolled on the ground. Perhaps because of the shock, Eugene floundered around. A torch dropped and rolled away from a nearby mercenary’s hand after making contact with Eugene’s foot.

“Fire! Bring the torch! Kill this bastard!” Maverick repeatedly stabbed the rondel dagger into Eugene’s armpit while shouting crazily. Another mercenary continued hitting Eugene’s leg with his mace.

Boom! Boom!

However, there was a good reason why plate armor was known to possess the strongest defense. Even though the mercenary struck Eugene’s leg several times with his mace, it failed to make even a single scratch, let alone a dent.

“D-dammit!”

“Aim for the joints, you fucking idiot! Motherfucker!”

Maverick was also feeling a sense of urgency. The rondel dagger had penetrated the gap between the chain mail. He was sure. He should have immediately felt the sensation of his dagger digging into flesh, but it still felt as if he was stabbing into something hard.

‘Was he wearing inner armor as well?’

Thinking as such, Maverick hurriedly attempted to peer into Eugene’s armpit. However, the torches lying on the floor were suddenly extinguished one after another. None of the mercenaries could even guess that a water spirit was responsible for this.

“….”

The surroundings were plunged into darkness. Since Maverick deliberately chose an area without any glowing grass, perfect darkness engulfed everyone.

“Lights! Turn on the light! Huh? U-uwah?” Maverick started yelling in the darkness, then was taken aback. Although he could not see an inch in the darkness, it felt as if his body was being lifted into the air.

‘Could it be?’

Maverick hastily gave strength to his limbs, but he could not finish his thoughts.

Boom!

“Kuagh!”

He crashed into a wall before falling to the floor. His vision started swimming from the shock. His entire body throbbed in pain. It appeared that he had also broken quite a few bones.

“Ahhhh!” Then, a desperate scream tore through the darkness.

“W-what is it?” Maverick forced himself up and unsheathed his longsword. Perhaps a monster had appeared. However, he couldn’t give strength to his left hand. It seemed to have fractured when he was thrown against the wall.

“Aaaaaghhh!” Another scream resonated through the dark. And that wasn’t the end.

“Help! S-save me! Save… Keugh!” The remaining mercenary’s pleading words suddenly disappeared beyond the darkness.

Fwooosh.

A gust of wind from inside the dungeon swept across Maverick’s body. He felt his hairs standing on end, and an eerie silence permeated the oblivion.

Maverick looked around while letting out ragged breaths. All he could see was overwhelming darkness. He couldn’t even find where the north and south were.

“Keugh!”

Fear of darkness was inherent to humans, and it was gradually eroding Maverick’s mind as well.

“Come out! Come out, you bastard! Fuck you!”

Shiiing! Shishing!

Maverick continued swinging his longsword with his uninjured hand like a madman. The sword sliced through the air, then erupted into sparks after hitting the wall. Even as he reeled back from the impact, he never stopped making his blade dance.

“Come out! Come out, you…”

Suddenly, a pair of red eyes appeared in the dark. Maverick instinctively stabbed his sword in its direction.

Clang!

His longsword was reflected by a tremendous force.

“Keugh!”

A vicious grip latched onto Maverick’s neck and lifted him up, even though he was a giant weighing well over 100 kilograms with the addition of his armor. The owner of the grip easily lifted him off the floor as he struggled in the air.

“Kuagh! Kek!”

He struggled to breathe, and saliva began dripping down Maverick’s mouth. He tried kicking and thrashing with all his might, but the opponent did not budge. The only thing that he could see amidst his blurry vision was a pair of burning red eyes. Those eyes seemed to have become a pair of spheres that melted the darkness around him.

“Didn’t you say that you will kill me…?”

“Keugh! Kereu!”

“A weakling like you?”

“Kuah….”

Tududuk!

As Maverick slowly lost his mind from the overwhelming fear, his chainmail was ripped off from his head to shoulder. The red eyes drew closer and closer.

Soon, a deep gloomy voice resonated in Maverick’s ears.

“I had originally planned to kill you right away, but I’ll need you to hold on to that dirty life a little longer.”

Crack!

Something sharp dug into Maverick’s thick neck.