The Shut-in Vampire Does Business in the Labyrinth - Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Conquering Layer 1

TL: DDTL

As my Control Power rose, the Vampiric Goblins multiplied just as fast.

[A goblin has used Bloodsucking.]

[Would you like to proceed with Thrall Making?]

[A goblin has used Bloodsucking.]

[Would you like to proceed with Thrall Making?]

[A goblin has used Bloodsucking.]

[Would you like to proceed with Thrall Making?]

Right around the time I was sick and tired of the endless notification windows.

[Thrall Making Auto-Consent ON/OFF mode has been unlocked.]

“Yes, process them all!”

The system must have been struggling too, because it stopped asking for confirmation and just converted them all into thralls.

[You have made 100 goblins into thralls!]

[Remarkable achievement! A privilege is granted!]

[Multiple goblin classes have been unlocked!]

-Goblin

-Warrior Goblin

-Rogue Goblin

-Shaman Goblin

-Poison Master Goblin

[You have made 500 goblins into thralls!]

[Incredible achievement! A privilege is granted!]

[Title: Goblin Chieftain]

-Exerts tremendous pressure on goblin-type creatures.

-Enemy goblin ATK reduced by 40%.

-Ally goblin ATK increased by 40%.

Achievement rewards poured in as I increased the number of goblin thralls.

[Your thralls’ average abilities have reached the target threshold.]

[Your outpost has leveled up!]

[Labyrinth Outpost LV3]

[Outpost Facilities]

-Outpost Gateway

-Simple Storage LV2 (Level-up available)

-Defense Wall LV1

-Outpost Lodging (Unlockable)

-Outpost Mess Hall (Unlockable)

-Outpost Workshop (Unlockable)

-Outpost Training Ground (Unlockable)

And with that, even the Labyrinth Outpost leveled up.

Using ether to raise my Control Power was effectively the same as another awakener pulling their level-ups forward.

All of my abilities were breaking through their peaks.

Overnight, I had become the commander of a 550-strong Vampiric Goblin army.

But I had no intention of leading each and every one of them personally.

How was I supposed to micromanage this many little guys?

The golden rule of labor management: automate the workforce.

And to do that…

“Gob.”

“Grk.”

“Get ready. You’re taking down the Layer 1 boss.”

“…Grrk!”

I needed at least one commander to take my place.

***

“…Is this the right place?”

The delivery driver from Nongjin Foods kept tilting his head in front of the delivery address.

Today’s shipment was a full truckload of jjajang ramen.

He had naturally assumed it would be some large grocery store, but he’d arrived at an unexpected location.

“No matter how I look at it… there’s no mart here. And the third floor, on top of that?”

The driver checked his delivery slip again.

The address was correct.

Officetel, third floor, unit 302.

One truckload of jjajang ramen, weekly recurring delivery.

“…??? A recurring delivery, even?”

Just as he stood there dumbfounded by the absurdity of it all, a young man walked out with a cap pulled low over his face.

“Thanks for your hard work. Do I need to unload all of this myself?”

“No, I’ll carry it up. But is this right? Third floor of an officetel?”

“Yep, that’s right. Can I use that hand cart over there?”

“Huh? Oh… sure. I’ll handle it.”

“Let’s do it together today. I’m already down here anyway.”

The young man pulled the cart from the truck and calmly began loading ramen boxes onto it.

Then, as if something had occurred to him, he rummaged through his pocket and pulled out a canned drink to hand over.

“Will you be the regular driver? I look forward to working with you.”

Long sleeves, long pants, a cap, and even gloves in this weather.

The driver wondered if he wasn’t hot, but that was none of his business. He accepted the canned drink and asked.

“Yes, I’ve been assigned to this route. But… this isn’t a business, is it? What do you need a whole truck of ramen for…?”

At the driver’s question, the young man pulled down his mask and smiled awkwardly.

He was a young man with notably sharp canines, slightly pointier than an average person’s.

“Yeah. I’m just someone who does regular ramen donations, that’s all.”

“Oh!! So you’re doing charity work?? But couldn’t you just order it delivered directly there?”

“Ha ha. That’s a bit… complicated.”

The young man took a sip of his canned drink and let out an inscrutable sigh.

“I do it in secret, you see.”

***

“Hey, hey kids, come get your ramen!!!”

“Grrrrk!”

“Kyaaahk!”

“Kieeeek!”

The moment I opened the outpost door and shouted, the goblins came charging over in perfect formation.

A full truckload of ramen, moved into my room.

After the driver left, I had the goblins carry all the ramen from my room over.

The facilities that had appeared when the outpost leveled up were all fully constructed as well.

The Outpost Mess Hall had goblins designated as cooks boiling ramen nonstop.

The Outpost Lodging was a space where goblins could sleep.

It was an oversized barracks, but just sleeping there granted the goblins a buff called Vitality.

With reduced fatigue decay, they could now maintain peak condition for much longer while scouring the labyrinth.

And with the Labyrinth Outpost reaching Level 3, two newly unlocked facilities appeared.

[Outpost Workshop]

-Ruin Plank (200/200)

-Ruin Scrap Iron (200/200)

-Black Forest Timber (0/100)

-Black Forest Coal (0/100)

[Outpost Training Ground]

-Ruin Plank (200/200)

-Ruin Scrap Iron (200/200)

-Underground Ruins Wooden Puppet (0/100)

-Underground Ruins Stone (0/100)

Each of these two facilities required junk drops from places called the Black Forest and the Underground Ruins, respectively.

Of course, all I had to do was farm them, but the problem was that those two locations weren’t on Labyrinth Layer 1.

To open the Workshop and Training Ground, I would need to enter Layer 2 of the labyrinth.

I looked around.

550 goblins, ceaselessly hauling items in from outside.

Over the past two weeks, I had acquired two more ether, and the goblins had all reached an average level close to 10.

And Gob…

[Gob LV 15]

-Class: Warrior Goblin

-STR: 17

-AGI: 22

-INT: 20

“Gob.”

“Grrk..! You called? Boss!”

With growth that outpaced every other goblin by a mile, he had already reached Level 15.

Level 15 was respectable enough to hold his own even on Layer 2.

It was about time to graduate from Layer 1.

“Round up the crew and gear them up.”

“On it! Get ready!”

“Yeah. Let’s go claim Layer 1.”

“Grrrrrk! Let’s go!!”

Today, Gob would kill the Layer 1 boss monster.

***

Labyrinth Layer 1 was roughly the size of Seoul, minus the river running through the center.

Completely collapsed high-rise buildings.

Villas and houses thick with moss.

Roads that had caved in from neglect.

If an apocalypse hit Seoul and twenty years passed, it would probably look something like this. That was Labyrinth Layer 1.

And the rulers of this place were goblins.

Regular goblins appeared in groups of two or three around the outskirts, their numbers increasing toward the center.

And past a certain point, Warrior Goblins began to appear.

Larger builds, wielding longswords or blunt weapons, these were goblins between Levels 5 and 6.

“Kyaaaaaahk!”

Two Warrior Goblins spotted us and charged ferociously, but it wasn’t long before they stumbled backward, hesitating.

“Grrrrk.”

“Grrrrrk.”

“Kill… kill former kin!”

540 goblins striding behind me with imposing swagger.

The Warrior Goblins, intimidated by the sheer presence, tried to flee, but…

Thwk! Thwk!

Two Rogue Goblins materialized out of nowhere and drove their daggers precisely into the Warrior Goblins’ necks.

And then, slurp slurp.

The wild Warrior Goblins became the daily meal.

“…Did I really need to tag along?”

It had already been over two hours since we started walking toward the center.

So damn far.

I’d said I would come to cheer Gob on, but…

Then again, this might truly be the last time I personally moved around in the labyrinth.

Since it was a landmark occasion, a little suffering was fine.

Maybe it was because my physical abilities had improved along with my rising Control Power, but even though I’d been a total shut-in, my feet didn’t hurt after walking for over two hours.

Moments like this made me understand why awakeners caught Labyrinth Sickness.

In here, I was superhuman, but the moment I stepped outside, I was just an ordinary person.

That whiplash really hit different….

After walking roughly another hour, a vast clearing with no buildings appeared.

At its center stood ten Warrior Goblins.

And.

“Grrrrrng.”

A single Hob Goblin, far larger than a regular goblin, with dark green skin.

Estimated Level 12.

Classified as a boss monster.

That thing was the final boss of Labyrinth Layer 1 and the gatekeeper to Layer 2.

Normally, by the time an awakener reached this point, they would be well past Level 15.

Killing ten Warrior Goblins and taking down one Hob Goblin on top of that required thorough preparation.

But what about me?

“Gr… grng?”

The Hob Goblin saw us and froze.

“Hey there. Feels wild being on the receiving end when all you’ve ever done is gang up on people, huh?”

A normal awakener would arrive here alone, but I had a 540-strong goblin army at my back.

And I planned to lift nothing more than a finger.

“Alright kids, set the stage!”

“Kieeeek!”

“Kyaaahk!”

The goblins charged in ferociously.

The Warrior Goblins and the Hob Goblin panicked under the overwhelming swarm.

So what if it’s a boss monster?

It swung the war hammer in its hands wildly in confusion, but not a single Vampiric Goblin was caught by the attack.

Our goblins’ average level was 12.

They were far past the point of getting hit by blind swings.

Just like that, the ten Warrior Goblin escorts were instantly turned into daily drinks, and all that remained was the Hob Goblin, alone.

“Gob, you ready?”

“Grrk… ready. Boss!”

The stage was set.

Go, Gob. Time for a change of ownership on Layer 1.

Gob gripped a dagger in each hand and stepped forward, his expression steeled.

“GRAAAAAAAH!!”

The Hob Goblin roared, looking around frantically as if in disbelief.

Then, spotting Gob approaching, it raised its war hammer, ready to swing.

Gob dropped low and burst forward in an instant, closing the gap on the Hob Goblin.

His speed was incredible, but the Hob Goblin was no pushover either.

Say what you will, it was still the strongest boss monster on Layer 1.

CRAAASH!

The war hammer slammed into the ground and the asphalt shattered to pieces.

Gob dodged it easily, weaving at high speed to carve wounds into the Hob Goblin’s body.

The Hob Goblin began swinging its massive war hammer faster, visibly irritated.

Like spectators watching a medieval knight’s duel, over 500 goblins waved their arms wildly and screamed.

“Grrrrk!”

“Grrk!”

“Grrrk!!”

The low-level goblins who could still only screech, and…

“Kill it!!”

“Bite ‘im, Gob!”

“Grrk!! Snap its neck!”

The high-level goblins who had started speaking actual words.

Amid the roaring cheers and shouts, Gob’s speed gradually increased.

The goblins might have been on the edge of their seats, but I wasn’t.

“There’s no way he loses.”

Thanks to my title effect, that Hob Goblin’s attack power was currently at -40%, while Gob’s was the opposite at +40%.

He outleveled it, and I had outfitted him in a full Magic-grade set, head to toe: shoes, armor, weapons, accessories, the works.

“GRAAAAAH!”

Sure enough, the gap in the fight widened quickly.

Gob’s daggers severed the tendons in both of the Hob Goblin’s legs.

Thud!

“Grrk… I won…!”

Gob let out a heavy breath and approached the Hob Goblin, now on its knees and glaring up at him.

And immediately…

Crunch!

Gob sank his teeth into the Hob Goblin’s neck.

“…Hmm. Maybe I’ll just let this one go.”

I had considered turning the Hob Goblin into a vampire too, but I decided to leave it this time.

It would respawn after the next reset anyway, so I’d let this one be Gob’s trophy.

Slurp slurp.

Gob drained the Hob Goblin’s blood like a man possessed, gulping it down desperately.

Just as the Hob Goblin was shriveling up like a crushed milk carton…

[Goblin (Gob) has consumed the blood of a higher species within the same lineage.]

[Absorbing its power!]

“Huh?”

Absorbing its power?

Crack. Crunch. Crack crack!

Changes began overtaking Gob’s body as he drank.

His body contorted, his frame grew larger, and his skin darkened shade by shade.

“GRAAAAAAAAH!!!!”

Having drained every last drop, Gob threw his head back toward the sky and roared.

[Gob LV 16]

-Class: Hob Goblin Warrior

-STR: 25

-AGI: 27

-INT: 27

Looking pleased, Gob wiped the corner of his mouth and tossed aside the mummified Hob Goblin.

Fshhh.

The Hob Goblin’s corpse crumbled to dust.

[The boss of Labyrinth Layer 1 has been defeated.]

[The gate to Layer 2 is now open.]

[First boss defeated! Rewards are being distributed!]

[The Noble system has been unlocked!]

[Noble]

-The Progenitor may designate a special individual to serve as an aide.

-A vampire designated as Noble receives a growth bonus and a portion of the Progenitor’s power.

-A Noble can command subordinate entities.

“This is perfect for Gob. Hey, Gob.”

“Grrrk.”

When I called, Gob picked up the war hammer from the ground and walked over.

He used to only reach my waist, but now he came up to my chest.

Seeing him drag that war hammer over at this size was a little intimidating, honestly.

But a vampire couldn’t harm me.

“A trophy, Boss!”

“Yeah, good work. But I don’t need that.”

When I held out my hand, Gob seemed to understand immediately and offered his dagger.

I pricked my fingertip with the blade and held it out.

As I let a single drop of blood fall onto Gob’s outstretched palms as he knelt, a system window appeared.

“Noble designation.”

[Would you like to designate Gob as a Noble?]

“Yes.”

[Gob]

-Noble Goblin (Hob Goblin Warrior)

-STR: 25 > 30

-AGI: 27 > 32

-INT: 27 > 32

His body didn’t physically change like an evolution, but I could feel something shifting within Gob’s core.

“From now on, you’re the leader of the goblins.”

“Grrk. I will follow you for life, Boss!”

“Good.”

With this, the complete conquest of Labyrinth Layer 1 was finished.

Layer 1 was now nothing more than an item mine with zero threats.

“Now then…”

I looked toward the center of Layer 1.

Three gates had appeared where the Hob Goblin had died.

A green gate, a gray gate, and a red gate.

Starting from Layer 2, a lot of things changed.

The field changed with every reset, and the monsters were different too.

Most importantly, from here on, I would encounter other awakeners inside the labyrinth.

“…I need to pay the Association a visit.”

Two Ether Points, saved up for this very day.

I had enough ammunition.

All that was left was the negotiation.

“Gob. Head back and gear up the crew. Light loadouts, so they can stay hidden as much as possible.”

“Grrk. Understood!!”

Preparations inside the labyrinth were complete.

Now I just needed to wrap things up in reality.