After what felt like an eternity of struggle, Zane finally ran completely out of energy, and collapsed down in a chamber.
These catacombs were like a maze—but Zane had no time to be considering if they were going towards an exit or not. Usually in Dungeons, the entrance was also the only exit, but sometimes that was not the All he knew was that he needed to get away from that golden cage area, and so he kept going until he could no longer hear the blood-curdling screams of his former party members. He almost hoped that the sight he saw there was all just an illusion too—but he knew better.
Now was not the time to be optimistic.
Gently laying Leo down beside him, letting him lean on the stone wall, Zane took a seat on the ice-cold floor as well, taking a few deep breaths. As a porter, he was used to carrying heavy loads, so he was able to escape and bring his friend all the way here. Unfortunately, he wasn't quite out in the clear yet—the problem was—
"… What now?"
—Correct. He had not brought any food or water with him during his flee, as there was no time. Now, they may have escaped immediate danger, but they were stranded in an enormous labyrinth of a Dungeon, with no food or water. Eventually, the Hunter's Association should send somebody to save them, but… that's if the Gate didn't close altogether.
There have been cases like this before, and to this day, those Hunters have not returned. Their fates were easily imagined, and presumed dead.
Zane did not want to end up like them.
"Damn it… Leo, can you hear me?"
"Ngh…"
A groan. Okay—at the very least, that meant he was still conscious, and actively trying to fight the whispers in his mind.
"Alright, here's what's going to happen. You're going to stay right here, and wait while I go find some food or water for us. Got it?"
Another groan. Zane took that as a yes. Just as he was about to leave, however, a hand suddenly grabbed his forearm, and he froze.
"No… listen closely…"
"Yes…?"
Through grit teeth and a insanely firm grip, Leo mustered out a few harsh words.
"You have to… kill me. Now… while I can still… control myself…"
"W-What?"
Faced with this ridiculous request, Zane could only blink in wonder for a few seconds. Then, he hurriedly shook his head in frustration, and proceeded to punch Leo straight in the face.
"Ngh!"
"Are you crazy?!" Zane yelled, unable to control himself. "What kind of stupid idea is that?!"
"LISTEN TO ME, ZANE!" Leo stormed in an even louder voice, echoing through the catacombs. Zane cautiously looked around for a moment, making sure no monsters were approaching, as Leo continued.
"This… is not a joke, or a game. I'm being serious. Once I lose control… I don't know what I'll do to you. It's only a matter of time until then, so please… kill me now, while I can still retain my sanity. From friend to friend… this is my final request."
"…"
Zane stared at Leo for a good few moments, thinking back on all the memories they shared—both good and bad. While everyone else looked down on the infamous Porter of Porters, Leo alone remained by his side. It was him who grew up with Zane. Him who saved Zane's life multiple times in a Dungeon. It was thanks to him, that Zane was even a Hunter in the first place. And now, he was supposed to repay all of that by murdering him?
Calming down a bit, Zane let go of his friend's collar, and clenched his fists.
"… I understand."
Zane owed Leo far too much, and he knew damn well he would never forget this day. But this was his friend's final wish—and from man to man, he wanted to honor Leo's dying request.
Somewhere deep down in his heart, Zane held a faint glimmer of blind hope. A hope that maybe, Leo would just suddenly burst out laughing like he usually did, and tell him it was all a joke.
But in the end, he knew better. That faint glimmer was nothing more than his denial, disguised as hope. It was his lack of bravery to face the reality before his eyes, despite having witnessed countless deaths. He just never expected it to happen to Leo—and that he himself would have to be the killer.
"Thank… you, Zane," Leo whispered, using the last of his remaining strength and consciousness. "You were… the best friend… I could ever ask for. After I'm gone… say hi to your sister for me, yeah?"
Despite his pale, bloodstained face, Leo forced out a smile—that beautiful, bright, and ever-optimistic smile of his.
Zane, wiping the tears from his eyes, let out a soft chuckle underneath his breath.
"Heh… how many times do I have tell you she's off-limits?"
Together, the two shared a blissful moment, smiling at one another. But time was fading away by the second, and after a few seconds, Leo slowly lifted his shaking arm, fist clenched. It was an invitation for a fistbump. Their signature handshake.
"… Get out of here and live, you hear me?"
Zane nodded firmly, and brought his fist up to meet Leo's.
"… For the both of us."
"For the both of us."
With strained eyes and a shaking hand, Zane drew Leo's sword from its scabbard. It was ridiculously heavy—Zane would never be able to use this thing in actual combat. But Leo had always been obsessed with the ancient samurais, and when those ancient warriors died, they stabbed themselves in the stomach with their own sword while someone else helped finish them off. In this case, Leo was too weak to even stab himself, so it was up to Zane to do all the work.
Taking a deep breath, Zane forced his tears back into his eyes, and resisted the urge to cry as he lifted the sword into the air with all his strength.
"… Goodbye, Leo. Don't worry—I'll finish what you started, your dream. The greatest Hunter of all time? Exterminating every last Dungeon? Heh… I got you."
Leo, with a gentle smile, closed his eyes, and accepted his fate.
"Heh… you better."
SWISH.
The blade cut downwards, and sliced his head clean off.
[Hunter Leo Miller (Lv. 20) — Defeated!]
[+450 EXP (Reduced EXP gains due to Player kill)]
*****
The deed was done.
Zane Silverdale had murdered his own best friend. It didn't matter whether or not Leo asked him to do it—the fact was the same.
Leo's head lay separated from its body a few meters away in the corner of the room, eyes rested in an almost peaceful manner. Zane, sitting in the opposite corner, held his marble piece in his hand tightly, as he thought about his next plans.
He did not repent. He did not cry. He simply did what had to be done, to live.
To survive.
In his heart, he felt empty. There was no sadness, no frustration. Just a cold, lonely emptiness, much like the catacombs that surrounded him.
He was out of food. Out of water. The noise in the golden cage room had died down, and Zane could only assume that one final victor had emerged. Without that background noise covering for him, he could not risk going out into the catacombs on his own with all the monsters that lingered here. That's why he didn't even cremate or bury Leo's body—so that he could use it as emergency rations, should the need arise.
He was stuck. Lost.
Thirsty.
By this point, the effects of the food and wine he drank earlier during the feast were finally beginning to kick in. He could feel it—the same whispers that Leo had been talking about, drowning his thoughts. Zane had drank more of the wine than ate the food, so he was feeling thirst more than hunger.
He glanced at Leo's body, with fresh red blood spilling out of it. Had it been before, he would've yelled at himself for even considering the thought.
But he was not the old Zane anymore. Something within him had changed.
He'd already killed Leo to live. If he were to die now, wouldn't that make Leo's death pointless?
Slowly, he edged closer towards his friend's headless body, and leaned in before whispering:
"Thank you, Leo."
Bending his head, Zane began licking the fresh blood off the stone floor. It was a repulsive act, but desperate times called for desperate measures. There was no other liquid source around, and this would provide Zane with the energy he needed—at least, to go a bit further.
The instant he swallowed a drop of the red liquid, however, his eyes widened, and his body froze.
He felt his veins tighten, his muscles buckle. Something was happening in his body. Something big. A fluid different than human blood coursed through his veins, All sense of thirst and hunger immediately disappeared from his mind, and he marveled as the wounds on his body all faded away, both fresh cuts and old scars.
And then, right before his eyes, a holographic screen popped up, displaying the message he'd been waiting for ever since the Day or Ruination.
[Requirements Met!]
[Congratulations, Hunter Zane Silverdale. Your Physique has been UNLOCKED.]
[Vampire Devouring System]
[Initializing…]
Below, lines of text appeared one by one.
[Injuries — Healed.]
[Debuffs — Cleansed.]
[Bloodline — Awakened.]
Then, finally, at the very bottom:
[Become the Void you desire. Eat, Mutate, and Evolve. Command your army, leave no survivor. Devour them all.]
[Vampire Devouring System]
[Initialization complete.]
[Welcome, Vampire. Your legend begins now.]