Chapter 43: Terrible loneliness and emptiness

There are various types of vampires that appear in dungeons, but among them, there exists a higher-ranking monster. Its name is Derthod.

The terrifying aspect of Derthod is that, despite being a vampire-type monster, it possesses intelligence comparable to that of a human.

It knows how to absorb human blood and use that energy, and it also understands how to engage in combat strategically.

Therefore, when Derthod appears, it is crucial to concentrate firepower early on and eliminate it swiftly.

The longer the fight against Derthod drags on, the more people will die, and it will use the energy from the dead, making it extremely disadvantageous in a prolonged battle.

Of course, since Derthod is a rare monster that only appears in black gates, it was impossible for the students to be aware of this.

Puk

Tremble

“Haah—!”

Derthod pierced another person with its tentacle and began to absorb them.

“I can taste the freshness of this blood. How long has it been since I last fed?”

Derthod trembled with excitement as it savored the blood it absorbed again and again.

“R-Run! Hurry!”

“Everyone, move! Get out of the way!”

The students of Helmunt Academy frantically ran in all directions. Derthod laughed and shouted.

“Foolish humans. Do you think you can survive by running away from me, even if only for a moment? This dungeon will not open until I am slain. In other words, regardless of how long it takes, you will all eventually die.”

At that moment, Derthod felt someone’s gaze.

‘What is this?’

A chilling sensation pierced his heart. It was an unpleasant, sticky stare. When he looked in that direction, a small girl stood there.

“What an annoying human. Do you wish to die first?”

The one Derthod was staring at was Park Hyeyeon.

She replied.

“Disgusting. Do you enjoy tormenting others?”

Park Hyeyeon’s words pierced coldly. Derthod sneered as he responded.

“Of course, crushing the weak is always thrilling. From the start, aren’t humans a different species from us vampires? A superior species dominates and preys upon an inferior one. This is a natural behavior practiced by all living beings since the dawn of time.”

He withdrew his tentacle and slowly walked toward Park Hyeyeon.

“What makes you humans any different? When you encounter weaker beings, you devour and exploit them, yet you possess such filthy hypocrisy.”

Park Hyeyeon, deciding no further words were needed, prepared for battle.

“Oh… Are you not afraid, human? Can’t you sense it? The difference in power between us? Even though I just revived, I have absorbed multiple people, increasing my abilities.”

“I may not be at my peak, but killing one human mage like you is nothing.”

As Derthod licked his lips, Park Hyeyeon began chanting a spell.

[Absorb]

As she used the absorption skill, the [SS] mana resonance crystal that Choi Juwon had given her began to glow from her pocket.

Thanks to this mana resonance crystal, even though Park Hyeyeon hadn’t fully mastered external mana yet, she was able to skillfully absorb, rotate, and release it, allowing her to utilize external mana.

“Oh… has the way humans utilize mana changed while I was dormant?”

The moment he saw it, Derthod realized that Park Hyeyeon’s aura was no ordinary one, and he also began preparing for battle.

‘There’s a human beside the cave.’

Derthod quickly scanned the surroundings and roughly noted the positions where people were hiding. By doing so, he planned to minimize casualties…

It was because he could quickly drain the life from humans when he wore it.

To Derdot, humans were just moving potions and lunchboxes. Nothing more, nothing less.

[Release]

In that instant, Park Hyeyeon’s mana coalesced and flew toward him.

Derdot smiled and reached out his hand.

“Pfft. Did you think you could kill me with such a pathetic attack? Foolish human. How complacent.”

Just as Derdot was about to defend against Park Hyeyeon’s mana—

• Whoosh

The mana slithered like a snake and struck his face.

• Kwang-!

With a dull sound, smoke billowed up.

“Did… did I take him down?”

The masked instructor’s disciples, who were waiting to support in case of a crisis—Seo Chan-woo, Lim Se-a, Min Da-yoon, and Kang Eun-byul—held their breath and watched the scene.

• Pushhh

But, of course, a high-ranking vampire wouldn’t go down from such an attack.

“Ah… it’s been a while since I’ve been irritated.”

“I was planning to toy with you slowly… but now I think I’ll just kill you all.”

• Paaah

In an instant, the tentacles sprouting from his back began to spread out in all directions.

Outside the dungeon, Choi Joo-won stared blankly at the sky.

‘I just entered the dungeon. It should take some time to clear, right? Since this is a double dungeon, the space will be wider…?’

Just as he was thinking that, Yang Han-gil, who was beside him, spoke up.

“Aren’t you going to just sit here? If you don’t want to see my face, why not just go somewhere else?”

I looked at Yang Han-gil and replied.

“I’ll handle it myself, so stop rambling. You’ve been trying to pick a fight since a while ago; if you keep it up, I won’t stay silent. Or should I crush that mouth of yours first?”

Yang Han-gil flinched but answered nonchalantly.

“Well, I wasn’t trying to pick a fight. I’m sorry if I upset you.”

I looked at him and thought.

‘What a pathetic guy.’

It was ridiculous. He looked so pitiful trying to maintain his pride while tucking his tail between his legs at the slightest hint of someone stronger.

I had no understanding of why I was driven out and that idiot took my place.

‘What if I hadn’t been driven out?’

That thought suddenly crossed my mind. If I hadn’t been falsely accused and driven out.

No, even if I had been falsely accused, what if someone had believed in me? How would things have turned out then?

‘All of it is futile.’

Years of being an instructor, countless connections with students, all severed in just a day. And now I was just wandering around, wearing a clown-like mask.

‘It’s lonely.’

Suddenly, that thought crossed my mind. In a situation where I couldn’t reveal my identity, I felt a deep sense of loneliness and solitude in being abandoned by everyone.

• Ding

At that moment, my phone notification rang.

• Joo-won, where are you?

‘Sureun is messaging me.’

The guild master of the high-ranking guild, Luter. She was the woman I had saved before and someone who has supported me with many things I needed during my time here without asking for anything in return.

‘Right. I do still have someone by my side.’

It’s not as many people as before, but there is someone who unconditionally believes in me and helps me. There was at least one person like that in my life.

‘I don’t know if it’s because of the sense of debt for saving her life or for some other reason.’

In any case, having someone who acts for me without me having to do anything was suddenly a source of comfort.

• Joo-won, where are you? I have something to ask.

I stared at Seol Eun-a’s message for a long time before sending a reply.

• What is it?

At Seol Eun-a’s home, she sat on the couch, contemplating how to respond for a long time.

• What is it?

‘Ugh… how should I reply?’

She contacted Choi Joo-won not for any particular reason but because she wanted to see him.

‘He seems to be having a hard time lately…’

She suddenly recalled the worried expression he had when she last saw him, filling her with concern.

‘He must be pushing himself again to nurture his new students…’

Since Choi Joo-won started working as a masked instructor and took on new students, he has been spending every day with them without a break.

Because of this, she naturally hasn’t been able to meet him.

‘Maybe he has some time now?’

She wanted to see his face, even if just for a moment. She wanted to have a brief conversation with him. That’s what Seol Eun-a thought.

• I have some time, so if possible, would you like to meet? You seem to be having a hard time lately… with all the new students you’re nurturing.

Seol Eun-a began to type the message but then deleted everything.

‘Saying I miss you might be too straightforward? He might feel pressured…’

Instead, she sent a short message.

• If possible, would you like to meet for a bit? If you’re busy, I can come to where you are. It doesn’t seem like a message I should send.

There wasn’t any particular reason to meet, but she felt that if she asked to see him without any reason, he might refuse.

‘If we meet, I should mention something about NATUBE.’

‘Ugh… am I being too proactive? Did I say I would come in person for no reason?’

She lay down, kicking the blanket with her feet as she anxiously waited for a reply.

Not long after, another message arrived. The sight of a high-ranking guild master kicking the blanket out of embarrassment resembled that of a young girl in her teenage years.

• Ding

Thud!

She hurriedly sat up to check the message but stumbled.

“Ugh…”

Even in her fallen state, she managed to check her phone.

• It seems my students have just entered the dungeon, so I should have a bit of time. But there’s Yang Han-gil next to me; is that okay with you?

‘Huh? Why is Yang Han-gil there?’

She briefly recalled the past when Yang Han-gil had cursed at Choi Joo-won and treated him roughly.

The day Choi Joo-won was expelled from the academy, Yang Han-gil had called him out for a drinking party.

Thanks to Yang Han-gil, Seol Eun-a had the chance to meet Choi Joo-won again.

However, after witnessing Yang Han-gil’s ugly behavior that day, she had cut ties and stopped acknowledging him.

Since her interactions with Yang Han-gil had been limited to a few work-related encounters, it wasn’t difficult to sever ties.

‘Ugh… I don’t want to see that lowly person again…’

‘But… since Joo-won is there.’

She imagined meeting Choi Joo-won after a long time.

‘I hope I look pretty in front of Joo-won…’

Seol Eun-a looked around her face, smiling as she did.

In front of the gate where Choi Joo-won and Yang Han-gil were.

• Whoosh…

A loud noise began to echo as the gate started to darken.

“Shit… what is this?”

Yang Han-gil stared blankly at the gate.

I also gazed at the gate. The magical energy began to gather, and the entrance was completely sealed off in an instant.

‘This is bad.’

My head spun. It was a familiar situation. The place where Seol Eun-a had nearly died in the past.

The Black Gate.

It just had to happen while all the students had entered.