Chapter 7
For a split second, Pete thought his wrist had been grabbed by the Night Troll again.
“…!!”
An excruciating pain, as if his bones were being crushed, caused his legs to give out and an ugly groan to escape his lips.
Countless questions swirled through Pete’s mind.
‘W-What the…?!’
This kind of absurd, overwhelming strength—coming from such thin arms?
Pete glared up at the culprit gripping and twisting his wrist, veins bulging in his eyes.
“I understand you’re angry because I forced the issue.”
Ruth Fried.
The gaze looking down at Pete—now slumped on the floor—was utterly cold.
“But I have no intention of understanding rudeness.”
“You… you son of a—! Argh…!”
Ruth applied just a tiny bit more pressure, instantly silencing Pete’s thick stream of curses.
At the same time, the jeers and mockery from the onlookers turned into bewildered murmurs.
“Is… is this a joke…?”
“…If that expression is an act, that guy should be on stage instead of adventuring.”
“I don’t know what’s going on, but look—he can’t even move. That skinny kid must have insane strength despite how he looks.”
The unexpected scene drew fascinated stares from the surrounding crowd.
But the moment they met Ruth’s eyes, a chill ran down their spines.
That look—like he was staring at an insect on the roadside.
The kind of gaze that could cripple Pete right here and now without hesitation.
At that moment.
“Enough.”
A single voice cut through the overheated atmosphere like ice water.
Glenda, who had been watching the whole time, finally stood up to intervene.
“…….”
Ruth had already planned to stop here anyway, so he immediately released his grip and stepped back.
Pete gasped like someone who had just escaped suffocation, clutching his wrist.
Glenda alternated glances between the two of them before stepping in front of Ruth with a hardened expression.
A complete 180 from when she had called him a clueless kid earlier.
“Your name?”
“Ruth Fried.”
“I apologize for mocking you earlier, Ruth. If you can overpower Pete like that, you’re clearly not just some brat.”
“I also apologize for disrespecting your comrade.”
“But I still have no intention of letting you join the labyrinth conquest.”
As Glenda stubbornly refused, Ruth’s patience was finally starting to wear thin—
“But overpowering Pete with raw strength was impressive. Still, that alone isn’t enough. What matters in a monster fight isn’t just brute force—it’s combat ability. I know far more about labyrinths than you do.”
“Understood.”
“So with that in mind… how about this?”
Glenda jerked her thumb toward the tavern’s swinging doors. An invitation to step outside.
She clearly intended to test him in a proper spar—if he won, she’d seriously consider letting him join.
Ruth understood the implication, but he was starting to get annoyed.
‘Looking at her eyes, this isn’t really about testing me. She just wants to fight.’
Pure competitive spirit was practically pouring out of her gaze.
Even though he was the one who needed the favor, how long was he supposed to keep humoring her whims just to tag along on one labyrinth run?
Especially after an exhausting day that had started in the sanctuary.
Deciding it was time to wrap this up, Ruth pulled a nearby chair over and sat down next to Glenda’s party members.
Glenda frowned at the sight.
“What the hell? Was my gesture too hard to understand? I was saying let’s go outside and—”
“Come sit. There are a few things I’d like to say.”
“…….”
Confused, Glenda reluctantly returned to her seat as instructed.
When she looked at him expectantly—like go ahead and talk—Ruth leaned forward slightly and whispered something quietly.
“…Huh? Wait, wasn’t this supposed to turn into a fight?”
“Damn it, I thought it was about to get interesting.”
“What the hell are they whispering? I can’t hear a thing from here.”
“Ugh, this is so frustrating I could die.”
For the onlookers who had been hyped for a brawl, the tension completely deflated.
In contrast—
“…Who the hell are you, really?”
Glenda—the very person who had proposed the fight—stared at Ruth with a deathly pale face.
The expressions of the three party members listening beside her weren’t much different.
After finishing what he had to say, Ruth let out a soft sigh and leaned back in his chair.
“So… are you feeling a bit more inclined to let me join the expedition now?”
***
Glenda had set the departure date for tomorrow.
Now that he thought about it—these people were out drinking heavily the night before their labyrinth conquest?
Were they insane?
Still, the fact that they were leaving tomorrow was actually good news.
Given his current situation—where blood ki was constantly draining in real time—he needed to move the plan forward as quickly as possible.
‘Damn it… so this is what it feels like.’
After parting ways with Glenda and securing a room at a nearby inn, Ruth found himself pacing restlessly near the window for no reason.
He only realized he had unconsciously started biting his nails when he hurriedly lowered his hand.
…I’m going insane.
I knew blood ki was essentially the same as life force for a Blood Mage, but I never imagined it would be this bad.
Is this what withdrawal feels like?
I’m dying.
It’s not that I’m in excruciating pain or struggling to breathe,
But ever since earlier, I’ve been seeing strange hallucinations—like a drug addict losing their mind.
It feels like a transparent eraser is slowly wiping me away, starting from the tips of my toes.
Every time the blood ki existing in my cells diminishes even a little, it feels like the existence called “me” is shrinking along with it.
Even <Iron-Blood Heart> was useless in the face of this primal terror that shook the very foundation of my soul.
‘I thought the star blood I absorbed in the Star Hall would last me until the day after tomorrow at least.’
Now I understand. No matter how much blood ki I store in my body, the quantity isn’t what matters.
As long as I don’t replenish blood ki 24 hours a day, this damned withdrawal phenomenon will never stop.
My body simply refuses to accept the reduction of blood ki itself.
‘Why is this happening now, after it was fine until…’
Crunch!
A sharp sting snapped me out of my thoughts.
I frowned and looked at my thumb—where the skin had been slightly torn.
I must have been biting my nails again without realizing it.
This is ridiculous. Seriously.
If I don’t resolve this cursed penalty soon, I’m going to lose my mind—
“Wait a second.”
Staring at my bleeding finger, a sudden idea flashed through my mind.
What if it was blood from my own body?
Would the system still recognize that as blood ki?
If it did, I wouldn’t have to suffer from the blood ki supply penalty anymore.
I could just cut myself, extract the blood ki from my own blood, and become self-sufficient.
A Blood Mage is a being that craves human blood.
And for now, Ruth Fried is still a member of the human race, isn’t he?
In theory, there was no reason it shouldn’t work.
With rising excitement, I activated <Blood Absorption> on my own blood…
[Cannot absorb ‘blood ki’ extracted from your own blood!]
Of course the hopeful idiot is me.
I’m a person too, so why the hell doesn’t my own blood count?
“No gains at all.”
All I got was stinging bitten nails.
I considered going downstairs to ask the innkeeper for some ointment, but it felt like too much hassle—so I opted for another method.
“<Adversary’s Blessing>.”
A skill inherited from Bismarck through Blood Link.
In addition to granting divine power to a specific target, <Adversary’s Blessing> had one small secondary function:
Healing.
It was nowhere near as strong as a proper <Heal>, but it could easily handle a minor scratch like this.
Oooong—
A reddish aura emanated from my hand and seeped into the wound.
As expected. In the blink of an eye, the bleeding stopped and the cut closed.
Moreover, because it was sacred power befitting the name, even my anxious mind strangely began to calm.
While I closed my eyes for a moment to savor the peace—
[Your blood has come into contact with divine power for the first time!]
[Hidden condition satisfied!]
[You have acquired the new Blood Mage exclusive skill: <Sacred Blood>!]
“…Huh?”
What is this now?
Another message I’d never seen before.
I immediately checked the skill details.
【Sacred Blood】
When another being’s blood touches your body, wounds are healed. The source of the blood is not restricted by race.
As skill proficiency increases, both the amount of healing and the range of wounds that can be healed will expand.
Oh…
In short, it’s a self-heal skill. Not bad at all.
In the middle of a brutal fight where blood and flesh are flying, this could allow me to continuously heal myself under the right conditions.
Even better—the fact that it works with any blood, regardless of source, was incredibly appealing. Monster blood, which had previously been useless to me, could now be used like a potion in certain situations.
“Not entirely without gains.”
My veteran intuition kicked in.
There were definitely more hidden powers for the Blood Mage class waiting to be discovered.
Something to explore gradually moving forward.
‘For now, though…’
I should get some sleep.
Given my current physical state, falling asleep wasn’t going to be easy.
Still, if I wanted to tackle <Predator’s Labyrinth> with a clear mind tomorrow, I had to force myself to rest no matter what.
***
The next morning.
“Ruth, you okay? The bags under your eyes are practically down to your chin.”
“…I’m fine. I guess thinking about the labyrinth kept me up all night.”
“Nervous? Even you have a cute side when you’re acting like a kid.”
In the end, Ruth hadn’t slept a wink.
No matter how hard he tried to rest, his body and mind kept desperately craving blood ki, making sleep impossible.
As a result, Ruth—already pale to begin with—arrived at the meeting point at the entrance of Tailve Forest looking even more haggard.
After joining up with the party there, they headed toward the rocky crevice where <Predator’s Labyrinth> was located. The priests who had been waiting at the entrance verified their identities.
“All members confirmed as copper-badge rank. Yes, verified. I will now release the barrier.”
“May you have safe travels. May the blessing of the great goddess be with you.”
The priests handed the party leader, Glenda, a <Return Scroll> before dispelling the blocking barrier over the stone door.
And at that moment—
Huuuuum—.
Death energy.
They hadn’t even entered the labyrinth yet, but an oppressive, foul-smelling aura of death made every hair on their bodies stand on end.
Glenda and her party members stiffened instantly—no one needed to say it out loud.
The only one who remained outwardly calm was Ruth.
“…….”
Well, outwardly.
Inside, even he was considerably shaken.
‘<Predator’s Labyrinth> isn’t supposed to be an easy place, but it shouldn’t be radiating death energy this thick right from the entrance.’
The moment that thought crossed his mind, an ominous suspicion crept in.
This world already had so many differences from the original game—maybe this wasn’t just paranoia.
‘I should brace myself mentally.’
Meanwhile,
A man named Owen turned to Glenda.
“…Captain, we’ve been through all kinds of hell, but isn’t this the first time the entrance itself feels this creepy?”
“…….”
Instead of answering, Glenda gave Ruth a sidelong glance.
Her eyes carried a silent question: ‘Can I really trust what you told me last night?’
Ruth returned the look with an equally silent reply.
“…We’ve come this far. No turning back now. Let’s go.”
With a single nod, Glenda took the lead and stepped through the entrance. The rest of the party followed one after another.
Compared to the deeply unsettling entrance, the interior structure was unexpectedly straightforward.
The passage was linear, there were no obvious traps, and luminous stones embedded in the ceiling provided ample visibility.
It was noticeably different from most labyrinths, where traps like collapsing floors usually triggered within the first three minutes of entry.
‘…How is there not even a single rat in this labyrinth? Are there actually any monsters?’
‘Should I be relieved it’s quiet, or is this even more ominous—’
Mouth… no.
Sometimes it’s better not to jinx things by thinking them.
KieeeEEEEEEEK—!!
The moment they felt the silence was too perfect, a piercing, beastly roar exploded.
Glenda and her party froze in alarm.
Beyond them, through the darkness—
Thud. Thud. Thud—.
The very reason this place was called <Predator’s Labyrinth> revealed itself.
Kigigyak—.
Gyaguguguguk—.
A grating, metal-against-metal screech.
Their appearance was even more grotesque.
They were quadrupedal beasts, but their entire bodies were covered in wriggling seaweed-like tentacles.
Every now and then, through the swaying tendrils, glimpses of their faces appeared.
Eyes where teeth should have been. Teeth where eyes should have been.
“Fuck. They look disgusting as hell.”
A curse slipped from Glenda’s lips.
『Eaters』.
That was the name of these monsters.
Kigeggegegegek……!!
The Eaters rushed forward, bodies contorting wildly.
The party members drew their weapons and assumed combat stances.
Then—
“Hup…!”
Glenda, standing at the front, swung her massive greatsword—almost the size of her own body—and brought it crashing down on the lead Eater.
At that instant.
SPLAAAAT—.
The Eater’s body, which should have been cleaved in two, instead split apart.
Like a slime.
The severed portions wriggled a few times before rapidly reforming into exact duplicates of the original body.
What had been one monster had now become two.
“Disgusting bastards.”
The sight would have turned most people’s minds blank with shock, but Glenda didn’t panic.
Even though this was her first time fighting Eaters.
She had no choice but to stay calm.
—They repeatedly split to exhaust their prey before finally tearing them apart with their teeth. That is the Eaters’ hunting method.
Ruth had already explained everything to her at the tavern last night.
—If you don’t eliminate the split bodies first, you can’t deal any damage to the main body at all.
—H-Hold on, but if you attack the split bodies, won’t more split bodies just appear from them?
—Exactly. So there’s only one way to kill a split body.
Hwarrr—!!
Flames erupted along the blade of Glenda’s greatsword.
She had enchanted her weapon with the fire attribute using the <Ignition Stone> she’d prepared in advance.
—Incineration.
Burn them to death.
“Die!”
Glenda’s greatsword drew a blazing red arc as it slammed down onto a split body with the force of a gale.
Hwaaaaa—!!
In an instant, flames spread across the split body, reducing it to ash that crumbled away.
Kigigigigek……!!
The main body convulsed violently, letting out an agonized scream.
—Wouldn’t it be easier to just attack with fire from the very beginning before they split?
—The Eater’s core only stabilizes inside the main body after all the split bodies are dead. Normally, the core moves around freely inside like a ball.
—So you actually want them to split first—it makes them much easier to deal with. Damn, even just hearing about it makes them sound like a pain in the ass.
—Anyway, once you’ve killed all the split bodies, the spot where the core finally locks in place inside the main body is almost always…
‘…The head!’
The greatsword stood straight up vertically.
Crack—!
The blunt edge of the blade hammered down like a nail directly onto the crown of the Eater’s head.
For a fleeting moment, Glenda felt something round—like a marble—being crushed under her grip.
Kik… ggek……
With its core destroyed, the Eater’s body went limp.
Even Glenda herself could hardly believe what she had just done.
‘…It’s exactly like Ruth said.’
She had followed his instructions to the letter—and without breaking a sweat, she had taken down an Eater with ease.
If she hadn’t known his method, she would already have been surrounded by countless split bodies, facing a gruesome death.
The other party members were equally stunned even after successfully killing their own Eater.
‘This is an unexplored labyrinth—there was no way to know what kind of monsters would appear!’
‘I honestly didn’t believe it…’
‘That guy… is he some kind of prophet? Just who the hell is he…?’
They were far more shocked now than when they first encountered the Eaters.
All at once, their heads turned toward Ruth.
And as if on cue, every single one of them widened their eyes in unison.
Exactly seven.
Seven Eater corpses were piled up like a mountain right beside Ruth.
‘W-While we were each struggling with just one…?!’
‘Is this even possible?!’
They all knew the exact same strategy Ruth had taught them—yet the gap in performance was absurdly wide.
But it didn’t take long for them to understand why.
Kigigigigek!!
Gagagagagak!!
Five Eaters charged at Ruth all at once.
They had realized he was the most dangerous threat.
“…….”
Ruth looked at the incoming Eaters with an indifferent gaze, then tightly gripped the blood-red spear he had created with <Blood Weapon> and assumed a stance.
Left foot forward. Right foot back.
His focus sharpened to a razor’s edge.
The moment his fan-shaped senses spread outward—projecting the insides of the Eaters like radar—
The Blood Mage’s innate weapon mastery talent exploded.
Crackle—!!
A barrage of spear strikes shot out like streaks of light, piercing through all five Eaters without missing a single one.
And not just piercing—
Destroying.
Every single core moving freely inside their bodies.
With perfect, flawless precision.
“…Insane.”
Glenda nearly dropped her greatsword.