At that moment, it felt like a Night Troll had grabbed my wrist.
“……!!”
The searing pain, as if my bones were being crushed, caused my legs to buckle and an unsightly groan to escape my lips.
Countless questions raced through Pete’s mind.
What, what the hell……?!
An unimaginable strength that seemed impossible to come from such a slender hand.
Pete, his eyes bloodshot, looked up at the culprit who was twisting his wrist.
“I understand you’re angry because of my insistence,” said Ruth Fried.
Ruth’s cold eyes bore down on Pete, who had collapsed to the ground.
“But I cannot forgive outright rudeness.”
“You, you damn bastard…! Argh…!”
Ruth tightened his grip just slightly, cutting off Pete’s vulgar curse.
Simultaneously, the mocking and jeering from the crowd shifted into murmurs of confusion.
“That’s… gotta be a joke, right?”
“……If that expression’s a joke, he should be on a stage, not adventuring.”
“Whatever it is, Pete can’t even budge. That kid must have some serious strength, despite appearances.”
Amid the unexpected scene, the onlookers’ eyes filled with intrigue as they watched Ruth.
But as they caught his gaze, they felt a chill run down their spines.
The look in his eyes was as if he were dealing with an insect on the roadside.
It was as though he might render Pete crippled at any moment.
Then—
“Enough.”
A voice pierced through the overheated atmosphere, chilling it instantly.
Glenda, who had been silently observing, stood up to mediate the situation.
“……”
Ruth, who had intended to stop at this point anyway, immediately released his grip and stepped back.
Pete, clutching his wrist, gasped as if he had narrowly avoided suffocating.
Glenda glanced between the two before stepping in front of Ruth with a steely expression.
The mood was a stark contrast to the dismissiveness she had shown earlier, calling him a naïve brat.
“What’s your name?”
“Ruth Fried.”
“I’ll apologize for mocking you earlier, Ruth. If you managed to subdue Pete, you’re clearly not some amateur.”
“I also apologize for my discourtesy toward your companion.”
“But I still have no intention of including you in our labyrinth expedition.”
Glenda’s firm stance began to irritate Ruth, who had been keeping his composure.
“Subduing Pete with brute strength was impressive, but it’s not enough. In a battle against monsters, what we need is someone who fights well—not just someone absurdly strong. And when it comes to the labyrinth, I know far more than you do.”
“I understand.”
“In that case… how about this?”
Glenda pointed her thumb at the tavern’s swinging door. It was clear she wanted to take this outside.
She seemed intent on gauging his strength firsthand; if he could beat her, she might actually let him join the expedition.
While Ruth understood her intent, he was starting to find the situation tedious.
From the look on her face, it’s not really about sparring—she just wants to fight me.
Her eyes practically sparkled with competitive spirit.
No matter how much he needed to join the labyrinth expedition, Ruth wondered how long he’d have to humor their whims.
He’d already had an exhausting day, starting with the temple ordeal.
Deciding to wrap things up, Ruth dragged a chair over and sat near Glenda’s companions.
Glenda frowned at his actions.
“What’s this? Was my gesture too complicated? I was asking you to—”
“Please, sit. I have a few things to say.”
“……”
Baffled, Glenda returned to her seat.
As she stared at him, signaling for him to speak, Ruth leaned forward and whispered something quietly.
“Uh… what’s going on? Wasn’t this about a fight?”
“Damn, just when it was getting interesting.”
“What are they whispering about? I can’t hear a thing from here.”
“Ugh, this is so frustrating.”
The onlookers, who had been hoping for a brawl, were visibly deflated.
But Glenda, the instigator of the potential fight, now stared at Ruth with a pale expression.
Even her companions, who had been listening in, wore similar looks of shock.
Ruth leaned back in his chair, exhaling lightly.
“So, do you feel inclined to include me in the expedition now?”
The departure date Glenda had set was the very next day.
Come to think of it, these guys had been drinking heavily just a day before their labyrinth expedition. Were they even sane?
Still, it was good news for Ruth. Given his deteriorating vitality, he needed to proceed with his plans as quickly as possible.
So this is what it feels like to be cursed.
After parting ways with Glenda, Ruth rented a room at a nearby inn. He walked restlessly by the window, biting his nails without realizing it before forcing himself to stop.
Damn it.
He’d always known that vitality was synonymous with life force for a blood mage, but he hadn’t expected it to be this severe.
The withdrawal symptoms were overwhelming.
He felt like he was dying—not in a physical sense but in a way that made his very existence feel as though it were eroding.
It was as if his body couldn’t tolerate even the slightest depletion of vitality.
He had thought the sacred blood he absorbed at the cathedral would last him for days, but now he understood. It didn’t matter how much vitality he stored. Unless he replenished it continuously, the withdrawal symptoms would persist.
Why now, after all this time…?
Suddenly, a sharp pain snapped him out of his thoughts.
Looking down, he realized he’d bitten the skin of his thumb until it bled.
I’m losing it.
Unless he resolved this penalty soon, he feared he might truly lose his mind.
But then a thought struck him as he stared at the blood dripping from his finger.
What if… I used my own blood?
Would the system recognize it as vitality? If it worked, he could avoid being constantly reliant on external sources.
Blood mages were known to crave human blood, but Ruth was still human. In theory, it should work.
With a mix of hope and desperation, he activated <Vitality Absorption>.
[You cannot absorb vitality from your own blood!]
Figures.
Feeling defeated, Ruth sighed. There was no point dwelling on it.
He cast <Protector’s Blessing>, a skill he’d inherited from Bismarck through the Blood Link.
The reddish energy seeped into his wound, quickly healing it. The calming sensation even eased his mental exhaustion.
[Your blood has come into contact with sacred energy for the first time!]
[You have met a hidden condition!]
[You have acquired the blood mage-exclusive skill, <Sacred Blood>!]
“…What now?”
Opening the skill details, he read:
【Sacred Blood】
When your body comes into contact with another’s blood, your wounds will heal. The source of the blood does not matter.
It was a self-healing skill—useful in the midst of battle.
Satisfied, Ruth smiled faintly. There was still much to discover about his powers, but for now, he needed rest.
The part about being indifferent to whose blood it was particularly appealing. Blood from monsters that had been useless to me until now could be used like potions when needed.
“Not a total loss, it seems.”
The instincts of an experienced player kicked in.
There was a definite sense that a Blood Mage had other hidden powers beyond this.
It was something I would discover gradually in the future.
For now, though…
I need to sleep.
Given my current condition, falling asleep wouldn’t be easy. But if I wanted to tackle the Predator’s Labyrinth with a clear head tomorrow, I’d have to force myself to rest.
The next morning.
“Ruth, are you okay? The shadows under your eyes are practically down to your chin.”
“…I’m fine. I guess I was restless at the thought of going into the labyrinth.”
“Nervous? At times like this, you have a cute, childlike side.”
In the end, Ruth hadn’t gotten a wink of sleep the night before.
No matter how much he tried, his body and mind were endlessly craving blood energy, making sleep impossible.
As a result, Ruth, looking even more haggard than usual, had to head to the rendezvous point at the edge of the Forest, where he joined the adventuring party.
The group moved to the rock crack where the Predator’s Labyrinth lay. Priests waiting at the entrance verified their identities.
“All members are of the ‘Companion’ rank. Yes, confirmed. I will now disable the barrier.”
“May fortune smile upon you. May the blessings of the great goddess be with you.”
After handing over a Return Scroll to Glenda, the leader of the expedition, the priests lifted the barrier at the stone gate.
And then—
Goooooooo—
A wave of death energy.
They hadn’t even stepped into the labyrinth, yet a thick, ominous aura of death hung in the air like a stench, raising the hairs on their bodies.
Without a word, Glenda and the others froze, their expressions stiffening.
Among them, only Ruth appeared calm.
“……”
No, it was only on the surface.
Inside, he was equally taken aback.
The Predator’s Labyrinth isn’t an easy place, but it shouldn’t be radiating death energy this intensely.
As he considered this, a troubling thought crossed his mind.
Given that this world diverged from the original game in many ways, it didn’t seem likely to be mere paranoia.
I’d better prepare myself mentally.
Meanwhile, a man named Owen turned to Glenda.
“Captain, we’ve been through all kinds of hell together, but have we ever encountered a labyrinth that felt this grim from the entrance?”
“……”
Instead of answering, Glenda glanced at Ruth. Her eyes silently asked if last night’s story could be trusted.
Ruth’s silent reply was clear.
“We’ve come this far; we can’t back out now. Let’s go.”
Nodding once, Glenda was the first to step into the entrance, followed by the rest of the group.
Contrary to the ominous entrance, the labyrinth’s interior was unexpectedly straightforward.
The passageways were linear, there were no significant traps, and glowing stones embedded in the ceiling provided decent visibility.
Compared to other labyrinths, where traps like collapsing floors were common within the first three minutes, this one seemed distinctly different.
Not a single rat, let alone a monster. Are there even creatures here?
Should I feel relieved it’s quiet, or dread what’s to come—
Suddenly a deafening roar shattered the silence.
Kieeeeeeeeeeeek—!!
Startled, Glenda and the others froze in their tracks, their eyes fixed ahead.
From beyond the shadows, slow, deliberate footsteps echoed.
Thud, thud, thud—
That was when the reason for the labyrinth’s name became clear.
Kikikyak—
Kyagagak—
The sound of metal scraping echoed, grating on their nerves.
And then they saw it.
A four-legged beast covered in tentacle-like seaweed.
Between the flailing tendrils, glimpses of its face revealed a grotesque sight.
Its teeth were where its eyes should have been, and its eyes were where its teeth should have been.
“Damn, what an ugly bastard,” Glenda spat out.
Its name was Eater.
Kkiggegegek—!!
The Eaters twisted their bodies grotesquely before charging forward.
As the adventurers readied their weapons, Glenda, standing at the front, raised her massive sword and swung it down at the nearest Eater.
Slash—
The creature’s body split cleanly in two. Or so it seemed.
Like slime, the severed halves twisted and quickly reformed into two identical Eaters.
One monster had become two.
“Disgusting creatures,” Glenda muttered.
The sight could’ve easily made her mind go blank, but Glenda kept her composure.
Even though it was her first encounter with Eaters, she wasn’t panicking.
“Eaters divide repeatedly, exhausting their prey before tearing them apart with their teeth. That’s their hunting method.”
She recalled Ruth’s explanation from the tavern the night before.
“Unless you eliminate the split entities first, you can’t damage the main body at all.”
“But if you attack the splits, won’t they just multiply again?”
“Yes. That’s why there’s only one way to kill them.”
Whoosh—!!
Flames erupted from Glenda’s sword.
Using a Flame Stone, she had enchanted her weapon with fire.
Burn them to death.
“Die!”
With a fiery streak, her blade struck the split entity, engulfing it in flames.
Fwoooosh—!!
The creature turned to ash in an instant.
Kkiggegek—!!
The main body writhed in agony.
“Can’t you just attack them with fire from the start?”
“The Eater’s core only stabilizes in the main body after all the splits are destroyed. Otherwise, it moves unpredictably within their bodies.”
So splitting them first makes it easier to deal with. Damn, what a hassle.
Glenda’s sword pierced the Eater’s skull.
Crunch—!
She felt something spherical shatter beneath her blade.
Krrrk…
The Eater collapsed lifelessly.
It worked exactly as Ruth had explained.
If not for his advice, she would’ve been overwhelmed by the multiplying entities.
The other members of the party, having dealt with their own Eaters, were similarly shaken.
How did he know what kind of monsters were in an unexplored labyrinth?
I didn’t believe him, but…
Is he some kind of prophet? Just who is he…?
Their astonishment grew when they turned to Ruth and saw the seven defeated Eaters piled around him.
We’ve barely managed one, and he’s taken down seven?
How is that even possible?
Even though they knew the same strategy, the gap in performance was staggering.
It didn’t take long to understand why.
Kkiggegegegek—!!
Kkagagagak—!!
Five Eaters charged at Ruth simultaneously, recognizing him as the most dangerous opponent.
“……”
Ruth calmly gripped his blood-red spear, created using Blood Weapon, and assumed a stance.
With his left foot forward and his right foot back, his focus sharpened.
As he extended his senses, the Eaters’ cores were projected in his mind like a radar.
In that moment, the Blood Mage’s talent for weapon techniques exploded into action.
Crack—!!
The spear lashed out like a ray of light, piercing all five Eaters.
Each strike precisely destroyed their cores without missing a single target.
“Unbelievable,” Glenda muttered, nearly dropping her sword.
