Chapter 58: Coast of the Dead (2)
Gaiard, intent on killing me.
Now, he fought the Hydra behind and the black humans ahead.
“Damn it!”
He’d adjusted to the pain from the Hydra’s blood in his veins.
This allowed him to focus more on using his power.
“Persistent pest!”
Gaiard gathered the blood of scattered monsters on the coast.
Forming it into a massive spear, he hurled it at the Hydra.
―Whoosh!
A steel head emerged, blocking it.
The spear and head clashed briefly before the spear split into dozens.
―Thud thud thud!
The spears pierced each of the nine heads.
But the Hydra retaliated unscathed, spewing poison and fire at Gaiard.
―Sizzle!!!
Gaiard felt only pain, not death.
It was a phenomenon distinct from his regeneration.
“Hah!”
“Saaak!”
The Hydra’s pierced wounds and Gaiard’s melted skin healed, a meaningless war of attrition.
‘Damn it, to send me here. Yes, to isolate me and this thing forever, this place is perfect.’
Knowing where he was, Gaiard changed tactics.
He fended off the Hydra and gained distance.
‘I need to regroup. Dealing with that brute comes later. Its blood keeps bothering me—I need to purge this filthy blood.’
He reached out, absorbing all remaining blood around.
Forming wings from the blood, he soared high.
“Saaak!”
Flying out of the Hydra’s reach, he headed inland.
‘Where can I hide?’
Flying, he spotted Bentram Fortress and me sitting atop the Mage Tower.
‘That bastard!’
Perhaps the cause of this mess, Evan.
Seeing me sit leisurely boiled his blood.
“Huh? Here!”
I even waved at him, as if he were a friend.
“There you are, you damned pest!”
Gaiard veered, crashing into the Mage Tower at full speed.
―Rumble!!!
The tower collapsed from the middle, dust billowing.
Gaiard rose, scattering the thick dust.
“Where are you!”
The magic sword Venus pierced his back, and I appeared.
“Cough! Are you insane? Just come normally. What are you, a buffalo?”
“You! Because of you, sitting so smugly!”
He twisted to grab me.
I ducked, spinning the sword to bisect him.
Gaiard didn’t die, reattaching his body and lunging at me.
―Clang!
His hand gripped the magic sword, and we faced each other.
“I’ll rip that face off alive!”
Gaiard’s claw seized my face.
I yanked the sword free, stabbing his heart.
As he tore my face’s skin, I kicked him, pulling the sword out.
Before our wounds healed, we clashed again.
Cutting arms, severing legs—a back-and-forth struggle.
After killing each other ten times, we faced off again.
“Laughing?”
“It’s absurd, isn’t it? Neither of us can die, yet we fight to the death. Funny, right?”
“All because of you!”
Gaiard formed a blood blade, slashing my neck.
―Slash!
It cut halfway but reattached.
“It hurts, but it’s pointless.”
“Damned pest.”
Gaiard knew we couldn’t die.
And that the Hydra’s presence was closing in.
His eyes sharpened, and he grabbed my collar, hurling me at the fortress wall.
His eyes held rage and urgency.
―Boom!
He thrust blood spears dozens of times.
―Rumble.
He stopped panting only when the wall collapsed.
I brushed off dust, rising from the rubble.
“Thinking about it, it’s unfair. I didn’t attack first. I didn’t seal you. I’m not even from the kingdom…”
I almost said I was from the Empire.
“Anyway, can’t you ease up? We can’t die—how long will you vent?”
“Damned pest. No matter how I slice or beat, that mouth won’t shut. Truly infuriating.”
Gaiard sighed, calming his anger.
I edged closer, but his fierce glare made me step back.
“Still?”
“…….”
I raised my hands, signaling no intent to fight.
Yet, Gaiard floated blood spears, ready to strike.
“…Damn it!”
Changing his mind, he absorbed the spears.
Gaiard gave up fighting.
“Fine. You’re stuck in this wretched place too, so I’ll settle for that. Survive on your own. You’ll end up dragged off by the black humans anyway.”
―Boom!
The ground shook.
The familiar tremor signaled the Hydra’s approach.
“Or crushed by the Hydra.”
“Don’t worry. I’m good at hiding.”
I headed to the underground dungeon.
Gesturing to the stunned Gaiard.
“What? Feeling lonely now? Come in. Plenty of space.”
To act so relaxed with someone who just tried to kill me.
Gaiard couldn’t fathom my intentions.
“…….”
“Don’t want to? I’ll close it then.”
Gaiard pondered and followed.
The Hydra was near, targeting him first.
He needed a hiding spot, and he could escape if I tried anything.
“If this is a trap or a trick…”
“Oh, how could a lowly me dare trick the great vampire lord?”
Mimicking a vassal, I made Gaiard want to smack me.
‘This guy?’
He stayed vigilant.
He’d been outwitted by this cunning youth before.
‘If I sense anything off, I’ll kill him dozens of times. He won’t die, but the pain will be real.’
But, contrary to expectation, I did nothing.
I’d come to hide in the dungeon.
“Shabby, but good enough to hide.”
Looking at the cell, Gaiard threatened again.
“If you’re planning to lock me in that cell…”
“Oh, how could a humble me dare to cage the noble vampire lord—”
“Enough with that tone.”
Gaiard pulled a chair, keeping distance.
I deliberately sat closer.
“…….”
Gaiard said nothing.
He had little to say.
But I had plenty to ask.
“By the way, did we introduce ourselves? I’m Evan Lafard.”
“…Gaiard.”
“Hm?”
Reluctantly, Gaiard introduced himself.
“In your terms, Gaiard Lecan, also called the Red Count.”
“Oh? You have a surname and title? Was this island your territory?”
“Yes. I was its original master. But your kingdom’s humans acted like they bestowed it upon me. Arrogant pests.”
“Well, royals and nobles always think the world revolves around them.”
I recalled what Ernst told me when I got Venus but feigned ignorance.
Gaiard scoffed at my claim of being different.
“Ha! Not a noble, I see. Definitely not royalty.”
He was right, given my humble origins.
But hearing it stung my pride.
Do I not look noble?
“No, I’m a count, technically. The young count of the Lafard Family.”
“Lafard Family? Never heard of it.”
“What? It’s a prestigious house.”
I wasn’t truly part of it, but I took pride.
“Well, that makes you even odder. Call me by my name. Being addressed by a title or surname from inferior species feels foul.”
“Yes, Count Lecan.”
“…….”
Ignoring his glare, I continued.
“You seemed to know where we are earlier.”
“Was dragging me here to hear that?”
“Among other things.”
“Then it’s a pity. I’ll tell you, but it’s useless.”
“Useless?”
“You might’ve guessed, but this isn’t your world.”
I’d suspected it, and it was true.
Not another place—an entirely different dimension.
“So this is really another dimension?”
“Yes.”
“Can human magic do that? Move an entire island to another dimension?”
I’d heard of famous Empire mages, but none spoke of dimension-crossing magic.
“Ernst managed it. We’re proof. Though I didn’t expect he’d send us to this vile place.”
Gaiard shook his head.
What was this place that even this resilient creature recoiled?
“So where are we?”
“This is called the Coast of the Dead.”
“Coast of the Dead?”
“Yes. Simply put, it’s where the dead go. In your terms, you’d call it hell.”
Coast of the Dead.
Though new, I knew “hell.”
“What? Shocked now? That’s why you and I can fight and remain unscathed.”
“What do you mean?”
“This is the world of souls. As long as your soul is intact, bodily harm is meaningless. You felt it, didn’t you?”
My questions about cutting my toe were resolved.
“I did. It didn’t feel like vampire regeneration or time reversal.”
“Exactly. Normally, the body is the soul’s vessel. Here, it’s the reverse. As long as your soul is unharmed, infinite regeneration is possible.”
The sensation in my severed toe was my soul’s form.
“Seeing such absurdity, it must be hell. Or the Coast of the Dead?”
“Call it what you want. It’s a damned place either way.”
“Hmm…”
As I pondered coming to another world, Gaiard stared bitterly into the void.
“Filthy kingdom bastards. Begging me, then sealing me and sending me here.”
“Is there no way out?”
Gaiard smirked at my question.
“There is. If there’s an entrance, there’s an exit. Like Ernst’s black curtain spell…”
“A spell?”
The next answer was ludicrous.
“Or kill the god of the dead, Hel.”
His slight smile dared me to try.