Chapter 29

In such a "lively" place, it was no easy feat to find a safe haven. Neither the succubus protagonist nor the young man wanted to give up easily. If they were to fight, it might draw attention from others, which would go against the purpose of seeking refuge. Moreover, seeing that the other had made the same choice, a sense of mutual respect and empathy arose. Thus, in the end, both the succubus protagonist and the other individual made the same decision: to coexist peacefully.

"Hey." ×2

The succubus and the other person almost greeted each other at the same time.

Then it became awkward.

"Ah, that..." ×2

"Stop copying me, will you?!" & "Sorry, I think I said something wrong."

It was good. Although the first two sentences were quite similar, the third sentence finally revealed the different natures of the two. One was a short-tempered, impatient devil, and the other was a self-proclaimed gentleman, a pretentious vampire.

Yes, the pale-faced young man standing very close to the succubus protagonist was a vampire. He had no breath, no heartbeat. Apart from a face that looked no different from a normal human, he didn't resemble a living person in any other way. He wore a half-plate armor made of mithril, with a long sword in a gem-encrusted scabbard at his waist. He was adorned with various gems, jewels, and patterns, dressed very lavishly.

He had a head of beautiful golden hair, looking almost like the protagonist of a story. His appearance was slightly effeminate, but unlike the succubus protagonist, he wouldn't be mistaken for a woman.

This guy was the kind of person who made you want to punch him in the face and disfigure him.

"By the way, are you also a gladiator?"

After a slightly awkward cough, the pale-faced vampire started making small talk.

"Sort of, although I haven't registered yet... I didn't expect this to happen before I registered." The succubus replied, "So, you're also a gladiator."

"Yes, I just became a gladiator." The pale-faced vampire said with a hint of helplessness, "To be honest, I'm not really interested in fighting. I'm sure you can understand. As a non-demon race, living in the Abyss is quite uncomfortable."

"Ah... ah..." The succubus was slightly surprised. The other seemed to have mistaken her for a non-demon. But that was understandable. She had used a potion to eliminate the aura of the Abyss and wore a mask, covering herself completely. Most importantly, she hadn't participated in the demon's party.

The pale-faced vampire seemed to take the succubus's "ah ah" as agreement. He really got into the conversation and started complaining to her. He said that life in Latheal was boring, the demons in the Abyss were all crazy, and living there would lead to mental breakdowns. If possible, he really wanted to go to the Material Plane.

"Why don't you go then? I know it's difficult to go to the Material Plane, but if you try hard, it's not impossible." The succubus asked.

"Because of responsibility." The pale-faced vampire said, "I have a responsibility to my family. My family has worked hard to raise me, so I must repay them! That's why I became a gladiator. Vampires and undead are a minority in the Abyss. To establish ourselves in Latheal, we must prove our strength! I need to win in the arena and show the demons our power, so they won't look down on my family. This way, our rule in Latheal will be secure."

At this point, the pale-faced vampire's eyes sparkled.

"Ah, ah, so boring." The succubus found it very boring, "Talking about serious matters in an entertainment place, you're really boring. If you want to fight, just say you want to fight. If you want to kill, just say you want to kill. Life should be lived to the fullest— even in the Abyss."

"Ah... hehe, is that so... Maybe you don't have the burden of a family, so you don't feel this way." The pale-faced vampire seemed a bit embarrassed, "But apart from that, I do have a bit of selfishness."

"Selfishness? What is it?" The succubus asked half-heartedly.

"My mother promised that if I win first place in this gladiatorial competition, she would give me a fifty-year vacation to travel and gain experience."

"First place, huh." The succubus perked up, "You can forget about that."

"Why?" The pale-faced vampire asked curiously.

"Because the first place in this gladiatorial competition has already been reserved by me! No one else is more suitable for this honor than me."

Hearing the succubus say this with a matter-of-fact tone, the pale-faced vampire was taken aback and then couldn't help but burst out laughing, "Ahahaha."

"Quiet down, bastard! Do you want to attract those lunatics here?!" The succubus, with a changed expression, punched the pale-faced vampire's head.

"Sorry, sorry, but... it's just too funny... hehe, you really told a good joke. Are you a bard by profession?"

"By profession, it's a secret." The succubus replied, "And, is what I said really that funny? You bastard?!"

"No, no... ah, I'm really sorry." The pale-faced vampire, trying to suppress his laughter, his abdomen twitching as if in spasm, said, "But, you're new, right? Just arrived in Latheal, right?"

"So what if I am?" The succubus asked, visibly upset.

"Indeed." The pale-faced vampire, now serious, said, "Meeting you here is a kind of fate. So, I'll give you a piece of advice. If you want to survive, don't participate in this gladiatorial competition."

"Why?" The succubus asked, "Is it difficult? Are there many strong opponents? I know that, it looks like all the idiots in the city have gathered here. And if you're talking about a high death rate, I'm prepared for that."

"You're very confident." The pale-faced vampire said.

"Yes, very confident. I'm confident that there's nothing I can't do in this Abyss." The succubus said.

The pale-faced vampire sighed, "Then I have to advise you even more. It would be a pity if someone as interesting as you dies. This gladiatorial competition isn't just about having many strong opponents or a high death rate. It's about only one person surviving in the end."

"Only one person?!" The succubus was slightly surprised, then became indifferent again, "Then that person will definitely be me."

"No, it definitely won't be you." The pale-faced vampire said, "You don't understand the significance of holding this gladiatorial competition at this time. If you're a native of Latheal, you would know. Each gladiatorial competition is held to mark the coming of age of a Mocavie family vampire. These aren't gladiatorial competitions; they are hunts for young vampire nobles to gain recognition in the Abyss. That's the purpose of the gladiatorial competition. And..."

At this point, the pale-faced vampire stood up. To not be outdone, the succubus also stood up.

Both ignored the ongoing chaos around them, which had reached the later stages, and stood facing each other.

"And this time, the one who will win this hunt is me, Daniel, Daniel von Mocavie. You're an interesting person, so I'll give you a piece of advice: I don't want to encounter you in this hunt. If you want to become famous and rise to prominence, I can teach you a faster and safer way. Just take this card to the southern part of the city, where my family's castle is located—"

The succubus slapped the card he held between his fingers away.

"I really hate you." The succubus said to the pale-faced noble, "I hated you from the moment I saw you. At first, I thought it might be my imagination, 'Maybe this guy just looks unpleasant, but he's actually a good person.' But in the end, you're still hateful."

The pale-faced vampire's expression was ugly. But that was understandable; anyone treated like this would be angry.

"So, you're also prey." The pale-faced vampire's eyes became sharp.

"Wrong." The succubus wiggled her finger, "You're the enemy."

"Is that so?" The pale-faced vampire chuckled, "In my dictionary, prey and enemy are the same word. What a pity, it seems I'll lose my new friend soon."