All in Charisma (A LitRPG/Isekai Adventure)

Justin activated Vorthak's Flame, bathing the tunnel in brilliant orange-red light.

"He's on fire!" Tennyson screamed. "We're doomed!"

"Relax," Justin said. "It's just an ability I have."

Myrelle studied him. "You're... a Fire Affinity?"

"That's... not relevant. We just have to decide what to do."

"What about Celine?" Myrelle's voice trembled. "Are we really going to abandon her?"

Nearly a minute had passed since the tentacle attack, and Justin had a hard decision to make. There was nothing he could do underwater against an unknown predator. He understood his limitations. He could dive in to bait the creature and surprise it with Sapphire Aegis.

But that would be a desperate gambit with minimal chance of success.

"Listen carefully," Justin said. "I don't know if they're alive or dead. Maybe Theric managed to kill that beast and they're on the far side of this water. We'll wait a few more minutes, and if there's no sign of them, we move on."

"Move on?" Myrelle repeated, horror creeping into her voice. "Dear gods, Justin, I'm sorry we didn't listen to your warnings. You clearly have experience in these situations, and I—"

Justin raised his hand. "This isn't the time for regrets, Myrelle. The vampire is still lurking somewhere. We just need to work together and stay focused."

At the five-minute mark, Justin had to abandon hope. He doubted a Level 35 Dungeon Delver had simply perished in an underwater encounter, but with luck, perhaps he had saved Celine, too.

"Follow my lead," Justin said.

They backtracked to the first side passage, a narrow tunnel branching to the right. Justin paused at the entrance. Without Theric in their party, they no longer had access to Adventurer's Guile.

He activated his Ring of Hygiene's wardrobe transformation enchantment, and his fine clothing shifted into his Dapper Adventuring Set. He'd trade a few attribute points for Adventurer's Guile, especially in their current situation.

"What did you do?" Myrelle asked, watching the magical transformation with fascination. "More specialized equipment?"

Justin adjusted his newly materialized fedora. "This set will give me advance warning of traps and ambushes, now that Theric isn't close enough to share his party tactic."

"For all the good it did last time," Tennyson grumbled.

Justin ignored him. "Stay close and keep pace."

The tunnel proved too narrow for Atlas, so Justin absorbed the construct into his ring. He entered first, with Myrelle and Tennyson following closely behind in single file.

Every thirty seconds or so, they encountered new branching passages leading in different directions. Justin chose paths that angled downward.

Eventually, their descent brought them into another expansive cavern. Justin summoned Atlas now that space permitted, and his fiery illumination revealed the edges of another underground pool.

There was no sign of Theric or Celine, so Justin approached the water's edge to investigate. If those tentacles came back, he had Gentleman's Sidestep on standby.

"There," Myrelle whispered, pointing toward a shadowy corner. "Do you see that?"

Indeed, Justin's flames revealed a motionless mass floating in the darker recesses of the pool. The creature was best described as a small kraken, its tentacles limp and lifeless. Dark stains in the surrounding water could only be blood. The creature was just large enough to pull a fully grown adult into the water. Now that the creature was confirmed dead, Celine's prospects were much better.

Following the shoreline, he soon discovered more signs of survival: a clear trail of water droplets leading away from the pool and deeper into the cavern system.

"It's strange that he wouldn't attempt to return and find us," Tennyson said, his brow furrowed. "Why wouldn't he swim back with Celine once the threat was eliminated?"

"Perhaps we somehow missed each other in the tunnels," Myrelle suggested.

"It is a little strange," Justin admitted, studying the wet footprints closely. "But they clearly decided to move forward for some reason. And perhaps they didn't know the way back." He indicated the trail with his glowing cane. "Look—two distinct sets of footprints."

[Danger lurks behind.]

Justin twisted, peering into the darkness, but no danger was visible. Atlas scuttled to his side defensively.

"Combat positions," he said.

"Danger?" Tennyson asked, hefting his polearm.

That was when a low groan echoed from the darkness ahead.

A line of humanoid figures emerged from the shadows. They could only be described as zombified miners. Except instead of normal zombies, their bodies were encrusted with layers of crimson stone that gleamed dully in the firelight. Each clutched a rusty pickaxe. Justin's monocle identified them as Level 17 Shambler Thralls.

"Focus fire from left to right," Justin ordered. "I'll draw their attention while you two eliminate them."

He moved forward, activating Dandy's Swagger and strutting to make himself an irresistible target.

Instantly, all three shamblers lurched toward him.

[1 Advantage Gained.]

Justin sidestepped the first shambler's swing with Gentleman's Sidestep, counterattacking with his cane's bone blade extension. The enchanted weapon chipped at the creature's rocky armor.

[Elegance in Motion is active.]

Moving with fluid grace, Justin dealt steady damage to all three to keep their attention. Atlas coordinated with him, using his twin drills to weaken their crystal armor. Myrelle and Tennyson focused their attacks on the leftmost shambler, as instructed.

Justin patiently waited until each creature's protective coating had been compromised before striking harder. As the crystal armor cracked and fell away, what emerged were more conventional zombies dressed in torn and bloodied mining gear. These forms were faster and more feral than their armored states.

The first shambler fell to a combined assault from Myrelle's cane strikes and Tennyson's polearm thrusts. The second crumbled under Atlas's drills while Justin delivered the killing blow with a perfectly timed thrust to the skull. The final creature managed a few desperate swipes before succumbing to their coordinated attack.

Within two minutes, all three shamblers lay motionless on the cavern floor.

"Everyone okay?" Justin asked.

Myrelle nodded, though her breathing was still somewhat unsteady. "Those creatures were absolutely terrifying."

"Indeed," Tennyson agreed, straightening his polearm. "But we handled them efficiently."

Justin noted the renewed confidence in both nobles' voices. It was good to know they could fight when properly coordinated and led.

Hopefully, it would be enough for the vampire.

Justin nodded. "Let's follow that trail and stay alert for any threats."

Justin led the way. They encountered more groups of zombified miners, but the nobles were finally beginning to fight with confidence. Justin wondered how they had gained enough experience over their lifetimes to reach mid-teen levels. He realized that a more cautious approach to Vault exploration—spread over years rather than weeks—likely allowed for such advancement. A combination of instant class adoption at age twenty, along with the vast resources of noble houses and access to superior equipment, could yield impressive results under the right circumstances.

As they pressed deeper into the mine, a rhythmic hammering echoed through the tunnels—the unmistakable sound of picks striking stone.

At last, they entered a vast excavation chamber that marked the end of their underground journey. Along the chamber walls, about a dozen zombified miners continued their eternal labor, digging into the living rock. Mining carts filled with gleaming aether crystals were arranged in neat rows, their contents deposited into a massive container in the chamber's center.

Dominating the space was a blood-stained stone altar roughly the size of a human form, surrounded by flickering black candles.

Looming above the altar stood Theric Wren, with Celine's motionless form lying atop the stone surface. Theric was chanting in a language Justin recognized from his encounters with Valdrik—the harsh, guttural syllables of Vranthillis.

Crimson and black energy lines pulsed between Celine's body and the surrounding aether crystals, infusing them with a scarlet light that seemed to pulse in rhythm with the chanting.

"Theric!" Justin shouted, his voice echoing through the chamber. "Stop that immediately!"

Theric looked up, his expression shifting to shock and relief at Justin's entrance. The zombie miners continued their mindless excavation, completely oblivious to the newcomers.

Theric flashed a smile. "Ah, Talemaker! Perfect timing. I'm trying to free Celine from this infernal contraption, but the magical bindings are too complex for me to handle alone."

"We should help him," Myrelle said, stepping forward.

Justin placed a restraining hand on her arm. "How about you come here instead, Theric? Away from that altar?"

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"Justin, we don't have time for caution!" Theric's voice was urgent. "With each passing minute, more of her Life Force is being drained. Stop arguing and help me save her!"

Justin looked at his companions, his voice steady. "Follow my lead and be ready for anything."

"Is something wrong?" Tennyson asked.

Justin kept his suspicions to himself for now. He quickly downed his evasion potion and approached the altar while keeping a careful distance from Theric, noting how he had positioned himself between them and Celine.

"Release her from those bindings," Justin commanded. "Now."

Theric's eyes widened. "Talemaker, I truly don't understand what you're implying..."

Justin reached into his coin pouch and pulled out a handful of silver coins. He tossed the coins toward the older man, but Theric smoothly stepped out of their path.

"Talemaker!" he said in a huff. "That was quite rude and unnecessary."

"Silver coins," Justin said with deadly certainty. "Pick them up with your bare hands. Now."

Theric watched him carefully. He knelt slowly and deliberately produced a pair of leather gloves from his pockets before reaching for the scattered coins.

"With your bare hands, Theric." Justin's voice cut through the chamber like a blade. "Touch the silver directly."

Theric chuckled, the sound somehow different from his earlier laughter. "Of course, my suspicious friend."

With theatrical deliberation, he removed the gloves and reached toward the nearest coin, his fingers approaching the gleaming silver surface...

...and just before making contact, he struck with inhuman speed, long fangs bared and gleaming in the firelight.

[1 Advantage gained.]

Justin activated Gentleman's Sidestep, barely evading the vampire's lunge and positioning himself for a counter-strike...

...only to find that "Theric" had muttered a few arcane words, vanishing completely, leaving only empty air where the vampire had been.

"Invisibility!" Tennyson shouted in warning.

"Behind me," Justin commanded. "Free Celine from those bindings."

Both nobles moved swiftly behind him, just in time. When the vampire reappeared with a shimmer of displaced air, it bore no resemblance to Theric.

It was tall and gaunt, with pale skin stretched tight over sharp bones. Its eyes burned with crimson light, and from its mouth protruded needle-sharp fangs. Tattered remnants of fine clothing hung from its emaciated frame, while long, claw-tipped fingers ended in blackened nails.

The fell creature drew a thin, curved blade, its surface swirling with dark magic that seemed to absorb the surrounding light. Justin's monocle revealed the monster to be a Level 19 Vampire Lord of the Guardian rank—a formidable opponent by any measure.

This would be a challenging fight, but with Atlas at his side, it was manageable.

Justin activated Dandy's Swagger, and the vampire's grotesque smile widened. "Ah, a fellow Socialite, I perceive. I was once of your class, before certain... realities could no longer be ignored."

The vampire muttered a rapid incantation, conjuring a roiling fireball that streaked directly toward Justin.

He dodged by expending his Advantage, then immediately used Upper Hand to gain four more Advantages in quick succession.

Justin activated Poison Barb as he parried a strike. "You mean the reality that no one wanted to hang out with the pasty weirdo who smells like expired milk? That's why you became a vampire, huh? Well, you're really showing 'em now, champ!"

When the vampire hesitated, Justin struck hard, knocking him back a few paces.

The creature regained its balance and hissed. "Morvath take your cursed soul!"

It bared its fangs and surged forward, blade drawn.

Justin sidestepped, landing a solid strike on the vampire's exposed flank. The monster found no reprieve on its other side as Atlas extended his drills, forcing the creature back. Justin took the opportunity to nail it with a silver coin, the metal leaving a smoking burn mark across its pale face. The creature hissed in pain and rage.

But it was fast... devastatingly so. It struck at speeds Justin could barely track, forcing him to expend another Advantage for a crucial 15% speed boost. Even enhanced, he was compelled to burn yet another Advantage just to dodge a lethal strike. He had only two Advantage charges remaining, and despite the help from Elegance in Motion, the vampire was proving deadly accurate in its strikes.

Justin unleashed Drake's Breath. The frost magic scored a direct hit, slowing the creature enough for Justin to press his attack. He landed several solid strikes that interrupted the vampire's spellcasting.

The vampire gained some distance, and with a few uttered words, vanished into invisibility once more.

Justin didn't hesitate; he consumed his own invisibility elixir from his belt.

His form faded from view—he couldn't see his arms or legs as he moved toward the altar where Myrelle and Tennyson were still struggling to free Celine from the magical bindings. Justin's instincts screamed that the vampire would target one of the vulnerable nobles. He positioned himself protectively near both and waited.

His prediction proved accurate. The vampire materialized directly behind Tennyson, fangs poised to strike.

Justin immediately activated Sapphire Aegis, his invisibility ending as protective energy erupted around him and his allies.

The attack that would have ended Tennyson's life was absorbed harmlessly by the magical barrier. Justin counterattacked recklessly, leaving himself open as the Sapphire Star blazed on his chest. The vampire managed only a few desperate slashes before realizing that continued aggression was causing no damage.

As the aegis dissolved, it redirected the absorbed damage into Justin's cane.

Justin charged, unleashing the stored energy in his next attack, also activating A Proper Sendoff for triple damage.

The creature screeched as the enhanced strike sent it sailing through the air, away from the altar.

[1 Advantage gained.]

As if responding to their master's distress, the zombified miners abruptly halted their mindless excavation. In unison, a dozen shambling figures turned toward Justin and his companions, rusty pickaxes raised.

"Myrelle! Tennyson!" Justin shouted. "Hold the miners back! I'll handle the vampire!"

"Understood!" Tennyson called back, positioning himself defensively with his polearm.

Myrelle moved to his side, her cane ready. "We've got this!"

Justin quickly expended all three Advantages to refresh his cooldowns. Another Sapphire Aegis was now available if needed, as well as Proper Sendoff. He had a feeling he would need both.

Atlas had already charged the downed vampire, slamming into the creature and driving it back. But the undead horror was recovering, slashing at the construct with renewed fury. Sparks flew as its magic-infused blade cut deep into Atlas's body. Ethereal fog began to spill from Atlas's core as the construct beeped in dismay.

Behind Justin, the sounds of combat erupted as the first wave of miners reached his companions. He heard the clang of pickaxes against Tennyson's polearm and Myrelle's sharp commands as they worked together to create a defensive perimeter around Justin's fight.

"Stay focused!" Myrelle shouted to Tennyson. "Left to right, just like before!"

Justin couldn't afford to look back. He charged behind the vampire while it was distracted with Atlas, striking with the bone blade extension of his cane. The creature did not seem to register the pain, spinning and unleashing a flurry of strikes that Justin parried. Without enhanced speed or additional Advantages to deploy, Justin found himself on the back foot.

The groans of the attacking miners and the clash of weapons created a chaotic backdrop to his duel. He caught a glimpse of a miner crumbling under Tennyson's thrust, even as more pressed forward.

Justin needed an edge. Fire or silver were proven methods for destroying a vampire. But there was no way to find the breathing room to launch more silver coins.

Then Justin realized he had possessed the means to eliminate this monster from the beginning.

The vampire had been consistently avoiding close contact—initially, Justin had assumed it was merely evading his strikes.

In truth, it was desperately avoiding his Vorthak's Flame.

"Come here, Dracula," Justin said. "I want to give you a proper farewell."

The vampire hissed and struck. Instead of using Gentleman's Sidestep to dodge, Justin used the skill to step directly into the creature's path...

...which wrapped the monster entirely in its flames.

The creature shrieked in agony, but the fire didn't slow its movements. If anything, pain drove it to fight with even greater ferocity.

Justin activated Sapphire Aegis again, wrapping his arms around the stinking, burning creature in what could only be described as a hug of death.

The smell was positively revolting, beyond anything Justin had ever experienced.

He activated Poison Barb. "Time for your final curtain call, asshole."

The vampire's only response was a screech.

When the Sapphire Aegis finally dissolved, Justin activated Proper Send-off, channeling every ounce of remaining power into the most devastating attack he could muster.

The effect was exactly what he had hoped for. Justin's cane strike pulverized the ancient creature, reducing it to glittering ash that scattered across the chamber floor.

Immediately, the necromantic bonds holding the remaining undead miners collapsed. All around the chamber, zombified workers crumpled to the ground, what Justin realized were probably the corpses of previous adventurers, or simply those who had wandered too close to the mine.

Justin turned to see that the magical tethers binding Celine had also evaporated.

He rushed to the altar where Celine lay motionless, her eyes fluttering open. Her face was deathly pale. The others joined him.

"Here," Myrelle said gently, placing a pink-tinted healing potion at Celine's lips. Justin's monocle identified it as gold quality.

Just a few sips revived her significantly. Celine sat up slowly, supported by Myrelle's steadying hand.

Tennyson knelt beside the altar. "Are you all right? What did that monster do to you?"

"Let her recover first," Myrelle chided softly.

Celine took a shaky breath before speaking. "I'm alive. That's what matters." She paused, gathering her strength. "Theric... he killed the tentacled monster easily enough. Placed his amulet around my neck—I suddenly didn't need to breathe underwater." She touched the blue sapphire pendant she still wore weakly. "When we got out, he said we needed to keep moving. I didn't argue."

"And the altar?" Myrelle prompted gently.

"We arrived here, and he said some words I couldn't make out. I felt very sleepy, then... horrible dreams. And now I'm awake." Celine's voice trembled slightly. "In truth, I still don't understand what happened."

"It wasn't Theric at all," Justin said grimly. "He was the vampire the entire time."

"How is this even possible?" Tennyson asked. "Vault Masters shouldn't be able to leave their domains. They're bound. And how could he perfectly disguise himself as Theric, down to his level, class, and abilities?"

"This one managed it somehow," Myrelle said.

"The magical disguise was his method of luring victims," Justin said. He nodded toward the surrounding bodies. "These were not so lucky."

"But why specifically impersonate Theric Wren?" Myrelle pressed. "That seems more than random chance."

At that moment, a heavy stone slab at the back of the chamber rolled back of its own accord, revealing a deeper passage.

"Perhaps it's not random at all," Justin finally said. "There's more to discover here."

With help from both Tennyson and Myrelle, Celine managed to stand. Justin quickly examined all party members for bite marks but found nothing concerning.

Celine, despite her ordeal, approached the container of crimson crystals. "Blood crystals. Absolutely fascinating from a research perspective."

"Are they dangerous?" Myrelle asked cautiously.

"They can be, depending on their application," Celine explained. "Typically, aether crystals connect to the Aether itself, as expected. Blood crystals, however, connect to the Nether, enabling magical possibilities that standard crystals cannot support. What he wanted from me... that is becoming clearer. Using core magic, he was siphoning my Life Force to create these. And he likely planned the same for all of you once I was dead."

Justin shuddered.

"But why blood crystals?" Tennyson asked. "What did he plan to do with them?"

Celine answered, "They are used for necromantic enchantments, core magic, Life Force transference—the kinds of magic forbidden by most civilized nations. And likely worse. This is an enormous quantity of them. I've only encountered blood crystals in small research samples, but it's clear this vampire was conducting a large-scale mining operation."

"For what purpose?" Tennyson asked again.

"Perhaps the answer lies in the Vault's description," Myrelle suggested. "It specifically mentioned that 'recent upheavals in the capital' were connected to this place."

Justin's mind raced with implications. Had this abandoned mine, operated by the vampire, been supplying resources to the Cult of Morvath? Had the location only manifested as a Vault upon their approach, triggered by some deeper magical mechanism?

"That still doesn't explain the specific choice to impersonate Theric Wren," Tennyson pointed out.

"Only one way to discover the truth," Justin said, gesturing toward the mysterious passage. "We press forward. The dangerous part is behind us now."

"We should confiscate these crystals," Celine said. "As evidence and to prevent their misuse."

Justin recognized the wisdom in her suggestion. When the Vault eventually dissipated, they couldn't risk leaving such dangerous materials to fall into the wrong hands—especially if the Cult of Morvath had plans for them.

They divided the blood crystals into four equal parts, with Justin's share fitting securely in his enchanted pack. The weight was considerable but manageable, thanks to the quality of his equipment. Given the new weight in his pack, he doubted he could have carried it all by himself, especially after scrounging every other aether crystal from the surrounding containers that hadn't been corrupted yet. These would be invaluable for Rinna.

"Ready?" Justin asked, ensuring everyone had sufficiently recovered.

The others nodded with varying degrees of confidence.

Justin walked over to inspect the spot where the vampire had fallen. The dark blade was gold-tier.

His scryer's lens revealed the weapon provided only a +2 to Power, but it had an enchantment called Deathtouch, granting a 1% chance of instant death upon striking an opponent. Justin decided to pack it, not for future use, but to prevent such a dangerous weapon from falling into the wrong hands.

After that, Justin led them toward the newly opened passage, Atlas at his side. He absorbed the construct into his ring so it could begin the process of self-repair.

It was time to uncover the rest of this twisted story.