POTLS - Chapter 20: The Parties

The first thing Paul needed to do was run.

Not because he feared the Gargoyle, but to prevent the nine other Survivors from discovering his presence. If they spotted him, it would completely undermine his plans.

He pushed himself harder, forcing his legs to move faster. The Gargoyle flew just behind him, its head tilted to one side in curiosity. Paul's goal was to get far from the entrance, then duck around the corner of the outer wall. This would put him safely out of sight.

Once certain he hadn't been spotted, he turned to face the monster.

The Gargoyle, seemingly bored with the chase, bared its fangs and lunged forward.

Sparks flew as Paul swung his sword while dodging. The explosions from [Daybreak Executioner] sent the creature wobbling through the air.

Though Paul had never encountered a Gargoyle before, he'd studied them thoroughly. These creatures were anomalies among Crimson Moon Estate's monsters—purely magical constructs. None of the weapons provided to Survivors were particularly effective against them. Whips were considered most useful, as they could entangle the creatures' limbs and hinder their movement.

Fighting Gargoyles was primarily a test of endurance and explosive physical power.

Paul's [Daybreak Executioner] proved quite effective. The whip's [Double Edge] would have been a solid alternative.

The monster, staggered by Paul's attack, flapped its wings to regain speed.

Paul raised the flat of his blade to block. The creature's superior weight and strength pushed him backward, leaving twin grooves in the ground. Its claws extended and retracted, sending sparks flying from the sword.

When the momentum slowed, he shoved the monster back and thrust forward, combining [Daybreak Executioner] with [Crimson Echo]. The flashes of light struck like bombs, sending the Gargoyle's head reeling to one side. With its arms splayed wide, its chest was left defenseless against the phantoms that surged forward.

A sharp crack revealed the Gargoyle's first injury—a small fracture where the sword had struck.

Paul smiled in satisfaction. He activated [Blood Barrier] as the creature grew enraged, swinging wildly. [Lunar Flare] would be useless since Gargoyles sensed through magic; their eyes served merely aesthetic purposes.

Paul focused intently, countering when possible, waiting for the creature's fury to wane.

His skill set wasn't optimized for critical endgame battles like this. Both [Shattered Memory] and [Blood Resonance] were completely useless against Gargoyles. Balancing skills for each run was challenging and critical. Teams existed precisely to compensate for the gaps individual members were forced to choose.

Paul had prioritized faster leveling and efficient mob clearing. This meant his teammates needed to focus on builds for Lords and bosses.

Understanding was one thing; reality was another. Last time, he believed he only needed to defeat a group of elites on the seventh day to earn 500 essence. Now, with heightened competition, such casual plans were ruthlessly tossed aside.

The cracking sounds multiplied as Paul combined his two strongest skills, pushing the Gargoyle toward its breaking point.

Paul was somewhat surprised by the stone creature's durability. Fighting just one had already cost him 40 stamina. The monster's hardness forced him to strike with full strength rather than the precise control he'd use against softer targets. He imagined his kicks against the creature could break a normal person's bones on contact, turning internal organs to mush.

He stepped back, observing the Gargoyle on the verge of collapse, cracks spreading across its surface. Narrowing his eyes in concentration, he lunged forward as the monster spun and threw a punch toward him.

He deflected the creature's arm with his sword hilt. Using the momentum, he brought the sword to his shoulder and thrust forward. The blade's tip, enhanced by [Daybreak Executioner], exploded in a blinding flash.

Thud!

Stone fragments scattered everywhere as the monster crumbled. Its head split in two, rolling to a stop at Paul's feet.

He rested his sword on his hip and caught his breath. While not as powerful as a Lord, the Gargoyle was troublesome enough to rank alongside a Crimson Court Noble.

Despite losing a significant amount of stamina, Paul didn't hesitate to sneak back to the castle entrance. He crouched at the edge of the doorway, peering inside.

Within the courtyard before the main house, the Survivors battled Gargoyles that flew back and forth. Empowered arrows tore through the air, sometimes curving or wind-enhanced. The quivers of both archers refilled after use, significantly reducing ammunition concerns.

Looking closer, Paul noticed accessories worn at the waists of several individuals. Artifacts. They took various forms—interlocking discs, Rubik's cube-like objects, or simple watch-like devices. The materials were difficult to identify, but Paul was certain they originated from Portals, transported out by Survivors with the [Scavenger] talent.

While uncertain of most artifacts' functions, he guessed the watch-like ones allowed skill rerolls upon leveling. His team's previous artifact had been similar, though clearly the ones before him actually worked.

The other Survivors wielding swords and whips each had their own evolutions. He spotted one swordsman using [Daybreak Executioner]. A whip user didn't have [Double Edge] but left a red afterimage with each movement—[Blood Swing], a skill that drained monster vitality for personal use. Naturally, this proved ineffective against creatures without blood.

Elsewhere, a Survivor thrust forward as a massive cross materialized behind him. His sword, shrouded in a giant ethereal cloak, pierced through a Gargoyle, causing it to implode from within. [Heaven Judgement] was the name of that evolution.

An archer, sensing the perfect moment, dropped to one knee for optimal positioning. The bowstring stretched taut without an arrow. When the fingers released, visible air distortion rippled outward. The Gargoyles caught in its path shattered into fragments. Paul guessed this was [Silent Shot], another evolution.

Paul was overwhelmed witnessing so many evolutions in action, especially working in concert. A particularly bitter sight came from a woman using a whip. Upon closer inspection, green light emanated from her body—the evolution his former teammates had once targeted.

[Regen Aura], the evolution of [Healing Hand].

Their nonfunctional artifact had ultimately shattered their team's goal.

The members of the group before him could exert themselves freely thanks to [Regen Aura].

David had assessed this skill could help even the weakest team survive seven days. They had focused solely on obtaining it, regardless of other skills or synergy levels.

Yet these Survivors at Count Dracula's castle possessed not just the essential skills, but also the strongest synergies and evolutions.

Their target has been Count Dracula from the beginning, Paul realized with sudden clarity.

Multiple artifacts. Careful planning. Coordination built over time.

Paul suspected one or two were even Rank E.

They sought to defeat Count Dracula like that legendary team, earning the fame everyone craved.

And Paul was certain the system's reward for such an achievement would be substantial. Fame was attractive, but personal power mattered most.

Though intrigued, Paul restrained himself, remembering he couldn't afford to be reckless. Charging into the Secret Horde on the first day had been foolish enough.

The Gargoyles' defeat was inevitable. Their stone bodies fell, dispersing small dust clouds. All that remained were incomplete fragments and lifeless gray eyes.

The Survivors gathered together. Though two separate groups, they seemed to have a pre-existing agreement and were quite friendly with each other.

Rather than rushing into the main building where Count Dracula waited, they sat down to rest and recover.

Paul observed their leader giving a small speech, though he was too distant to hear clearly. Various potions were distributed to key members. The woman with [Regen Aura] received three Mana Potions.

The level of investment from these two groups astounded Paul. Converting to gold and then cash made his head spin. No wonder they could advance so far and dare to aim so high.

Paul withdrew deeper into hiding, avoiding detection should someone's intuition alert them to his presence as he tried to freeload off their efforts.

Only when he heard movement and the clinking of swords did he peek out again.

Nine people stood in formation before the large door.

The leader reached out to touch it. A loud creak echoed as the doors swung inward, releasing an ominous deep red glow.

Everyone tensed, including Paul.

The battle with Count Dracula had begun.