From the start, I knew.
It was a dream beyond my station.
To be the protagonist on stage, monopolizing the dazzling spotlight.
For people like us, living ordinary lives...it was a too ambitious, too big a dream.
So, I dread a small dream.
I didnt even want to monopolize the spotlight. Id be content if I could just catch so of its glow now and then.
Simply, just... to be on that stage.
Even as a naless supporting role, just to remain on the stage.
I wished for just that.
***
Boom-!
Blood splattered all around.
From Hesens bitten neck, droplets of blood scattered. The vampires sucked the life out of Hesen, spewing blood in every direction.
Watching this, Dion wondered.
What was that guys dream?
He had heard the story just a day ago, but he couldnt recall it clearly.
Was it about saving money for an operation, or sothing like that...?
Thud!
Hesens lifeless body, drained of all blood, collapsed onto the ground.
The comrades who were watching this sudden tragedy scread in shock.
"Hesen-!"
"You, damned monster bastards!"
As Dion held back his colleagues who were trying to rush forward, he gritted his teeth.
"Calm down! Calm down! You need to keep your cool! Maintain the formation!"
Ah, ugh...!
Hesen, Hesen is...
Watching the trembling Dion rcenary Group, the vampires chuckled sinisterly.
"Your comrades blood is too rich, its overpowering."
A vampire, wiping the blood-stained corner of his mouth with his hand, flashed a dreadful smile.
"I prefer sothing lighter... this one really spoiled my taste. Tch!"
The vampire spat blood-mixed saliva onto Hesens corpse.
Seeing this, the last thread of sanity broke.
"We will kill these bastards-!
Whoosh!
The partys star, thief Aila, leaped forward.
Aila! No! Damn it!"
An exasperated Dion eventually gave the attack order.
"We cant be divided anymore! We move together!"
"Ive been waiting for that, Dion!"
"Lets make these mosquito bastards pay for killing Hesen!"
Whoosh-!
All four mbers of the Dion rcenary Group charged forward in unison.
However, this was a miscalculation.
There were three reasons.
Firstly, the Dion rcenary Group was primarily trained in defensive tactics.
In a defensive situation, they could handle several vampires, but on the attack, even two vampires could be overwhelming.
Secondly, until now, the Dion rcenary Group consisted of five mbers.
With a stable composition of three tanks and two dealers, their synergies could face any enemy.
But now, one tank was missing. There was a world of difference between five and four.
Lastly, the dealer Aila was not in the backline but at the very front.
These small factors combined and created a chain reaction.
Thunk!
Boom!
Thud...!
In a pathetic and horrifying manner.
The Dion rcenary Group t their annihilation in an instant.
Aila, who had charged ahead first, stabbed her silver dagger into the enemy vampires stomach.
However, the vampire, with a grin, gripped Ailas wrist and,
Boom!
Slashed his longsword down, severing Ailas forearm.
Ah...?!
Two more vampires charged towards Aila, who was about to scream. Their blood-drenched claws targeted Ailas neck and chest.
Thump!
Slam!
Two other rcenaries - Lok and Chay, who had dived in between, blocked the vampires attack with their shields.
The problem was, there were two more vampires.
Thunk!
Thud...!
As if predicting the movents of the two shield warriors, the attacks from two other vampires who leaped in a beat late pierced Lok and Chays bodies.
"Cough...!"
Khhk?!
At the struggling pair, the other two vampires, whose attacks were blocked by their shields, raised their claws with a laugh.
"Humans must be so weary? Being so sensitive about the life and death of their comrades."
"For us immortals, who live as long as our Lord does, its hard to understand this... Haha!"
The vampires claws fell towards the two warriors necks.
The two shield warriors made a last-ditch attempt to swing their held silver swords in retaliation, but the counterattack was weak.
Thunk! Thump!
The two silver swords were lodged into the vampires arms, but they, unphased, swung their claws and decapitated the two warriors.
Blood splattered in all directions.
"Lok! Chay! No-!
Roaring in defiance, Dion charged forward, gritting his teeth. He was desperate to save even a barely alive Aila.
Vampires blocked his path, laughing at his efforts.
Clink-Clink-Clink!
Dion swung the silver daggers in his hands with reckless abandon.
Their claws clashed with his daggers, and a fierce battle ensued in the blink of an eye.
Even as the young leader of a small rcenary band and the leader of the party, Dion managed to stand his ground against the vampires with his agile swordplay. But that was it.
The vampires, laughing, successfully parried Dions attacks, and Dion was the first one to run out of stamina.
Ha-heck, ha-heck...!
Stumbling back, Dion watched the vampires grinning as they grabbed Aila by her hair and paraded her in front of him.
If your comrade is so dear to you, well give her back.
Thump!
In the next mont, a vampires longsword pierced through Ailas back, protruding from her abdon.
We didnt say wed give her back alive, did we?
Ah, uh-
Kicking the whimpering Aila, the vampire sent her rolling towards Dion, covered in blood.
Aila!
Dion rushed to her side.
Sorry, ha... Dion...
Aila, vomiting blood from her mouth and belly, looked at Dion with empty eyes.
I, did wrong, ha...
...
Sorry for running ahead. No, for pushing you to beco a rcenary...
...
Whats the point of ambition, in the end... My mistake...
Dion gave a small nod, forcing a smile.
...No.
Tight.
You didnt do anything wrong.
Gripping the rapidly cooling hand of Aila, Dion gritted his teeth.
We didnt do anything wrong.
Was their dream too lofty?
The money to buy new gear, for marriage, to send ho, to raise a younger sibling.
Just to earn that. Was this modest dream, this petty wish, too much to ask for?
No.
It cant be.
They had long given up on the dream of being the protagonist. They rely wished to remain on stage, even if as naless supporting actors.
This couldnt be too much to ask.
We were born as humans...
Dion, unable to let go of Ailas lifeless hand, hung his head.
We should be allowed to dream as long as were alive...
Childhood. The stars seen from the well were beautiful.
But they were too high, too far, so they gave up.
They turned their eyes towards a lower, closer light. A nearby fla that seed within reach.
But were they to be burned even by such a modest fla?
Were not moths. Were humans.
Dion gritted his teeth, glaring at the vampires closing in on him.
Theres nothing wrong with dreaming...
It was then.
Theres no wrongdoing in dreams.
A voice ca from behind him.
But face reality, lad. It wasnt a dream that killed your comrades, but monsters. And a failed strategy.
...!
When Dion turned around, three tanks and a wizard from the Old Hunters were approaching him.
Get up, lad. The battle isnt over yet.
The old rcenaries began preparing for battle.
Yenich, the ice wizard who helped Dion up, looked at the vampires with cold, focused eyes.
Your comrades didnt die in vain.
Following the wizards gaze, Dion looked at the vampires and soon understood what he ant.
Their bodies were pierced with silver swords.
Weapons that Aila, Lark, and Chay had struck them with before they died.
They didnt seem to mind the silver swords sticking out of their bodies as they confidently approached.
Three of them have silver swords in them. Just stick it to two more, and the rest is up to the wizard.
...
Can you do whats left?
Dion clenched his silver daggers in reverse grips, gritting his teeth.
Ill give it a shot.
Show . Dont let the na of Dion rcenary Group be just a tombstone for the young who died in vain.
Ice magic ford in Yenichs hands. Yenich spat out a battle cry.
Kill them and leave a mark. rcenaries speak with the heads of their enemies, not their own gravestones!
Arrrgh-!
Dion charged forward, and the three tanks of the Old Hunters closely followed him.
The vampires tried to stab the charging Dion, laughing derisively, but a frost spell from Yenich flew towards them, a half beat quicker.
"Performing magic right before us... how arrogant!"
Of the five vampires, two who were untouched by the silver sword were blood magic skill wielders.
Their eyes glowed bright red, and a ford blood-red barrier effortlessly neutralized the freezing spell.
"Enough with the childish gas, sorcerer!"
The two vampires simultaneously shot blood-red magic toward Yenichi.
Kwa-kwang-!
"Cough!"
Yenichi, swept up in the blood magic bombardnt, vomited blood and was thrown backwards.
However, this gave the charging party so ti.
Approaching close range, Dion threw the two silver daggers he held swiftly.
The dagger throw of a level 27 rogue boasted a force comparable to a bullet.
Chang! Chaeng!
However, the three other vampires stepped forward, effortlessly deflecting the attack.
Then, they lunged their swords and claws toward Dion, whose hands were now empty.
Puk! Tuhuk!
The attack was intercepted by the tanks from the Old Hunters, who had charged out from behind Dion.
However, the vampires attacks were not ordinary, and the Old Hunters tanks couldnt escape unscathed.
A sword broke through a shield and pierced a shoulder, a claw cost an arm, and a side was penetrated.
It doesnt matter.
Dions eyes bulged.
All he was focused on was the task he had to accomplish.
In the split second when three vampires and three humans were entwined with swords, claws, and shields, Dion agilely rolled out of the ss.
In his hands were again the two silver daggers he had drawn from his belt.
Then, Dion rushed towards the two vampires yet untouched by the silver sword.
Puk! Puhuk! Pook-!
After a monts exchange of attack and defense.
Dions silver daggers were undeniably lodged in the necks of the two vampires.
But, smiling at the sight was Dion, whose head was already severed, held in one of the vampires hands.
Having lost his head, Dions body staggered a few more steps, then powerlessly collapsed onto the ground. Thud...
"Weak."
The vampire indifferently gazed at Dions head in his hand, then flippantly threw it away.
Whish-
Cheol-peok. De-gurur.
Dions head rolled across the top of the wall, splattering blood.
"Tasteless."
The vampire grumbled discontentedly as he licked the blood sared on his hand.
"Lets finish off the remaining bastards quickly, and kill the humans inside the castle."
"That sounds good. I feel like eating until my belly bursts."
The five vampires slowly advanced to finish off the Old Hunters rcenaries who were still breathing.
Thats when it happened.
Krrung, Krrung...
Suddenly, the sound of thunder echoed.
Dark clouds suddenly crowded the clear sky, and blue lightning began to flash.
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