Re:Arifureta - From Commonplace to the World's Strongest

Chapter 7: Arc I: Orcus Great Labyrinth - Part 07

DISCLAIMER IS IN THE FIRST CHAPTER!

ARC I: ORCUS GREAT LABYRINTH — PART 07

—»O«—

After Hajime and his group left the room were Yue had been sealed with the harvested flesh from the defeated scorpion and cyclopes, they then carried it all back to their base. Transporting such a huge quantity of meat was no easy feat, but after giving Yue more of his blood to restore her energy, Hajime was able to enlist her help. Kaori and Shizuku also helped carrying the monster meat. With their combined strength, enhanced by Yue's body-empowering magic, they were able to transport the vast quantities of meat to their hideout.

Originally, Hajime had suggested using the room as a new base, but Yue had rejected the proposal. He supposed it was understandable. She was probably sick of staring at the walls of what had been her prison for centuries. Even if they were going to be stuck on this floor until Hajime replenished his stock of supplies, it was better for her mental health to have Yue out of that room. Thus, they were spending the time talking and getting to know each other better while they scavenged for supplies.

"So that means you have to be at least 300 years old, right Yue?" Hajime inquired to the vampire who was sitting at his left while Kaori took the spot on his right. The light magic user had started to talk again after they arrived in the hideout. Since Hajime was used by Kaori's clinginess and her blatant attempt in seduction, Hajime didn't seem to be bothered by Yue as an addition. Inwardly, he couldn't help but think that he was fortunate to experience "a flower in each hand" scenario.

"It's rude to ask a girl her age." Yue glared angrily at Hajime. It seemed even in parallel worlds asking a girl about her age was taboo.

"That is right. Hajime shouldn't ask a girl about their age! That's super rude even the one you asked is actually very old," Kaori nodded while giving Hajime a reprimanding gaze. She totally missed the murderous glare from the old vampire in the question.

Hajime sighed heavily and stared at the stone ceiling in resignation. Inwardly, his mind was somewhere else. From what he recalled, the vampires had been destroyed in a massive war that had enveloped the land 300 years ago. Chances were Yue had lost track of time, trapped in the silent darkness as she had been, but it stood to reason that she must have been at least that old. If she'd been sealed at the age of twenty or so, then she was most likely far older than even 300.

"Do all vampires live as long as you?" Hajime inquired after he returned back to his work, creating his new weapon.

"...No, I'm an exception. I don't age because of my regenerative powers."

According to Yue, she had stopped aging ever since she had awoken to her powers at her thirteen years old age. Average vampires could still extend their lifespan by drinking the blood of other races, but even then they couldn't live much longer than two hundred years or so. As a frame of reference, humans in this world lived an average of 70 years, while demons' lifespan was a bit longer at 120. Beastmen had varying lifespans, depending on the specific race. Elves, for example, could live for centuries.

The reason for Yue's exceptional powers was because she had inherited the blood of the ancient atavistic vampires, or so she believed. Her lineage had made her one of the strongest creatures in the world at the time, and she had ascended to the throne at the tender age of seventeen. Yue's «Demigod» status gave her with the «Automatic Regeneration» and «Direct Mana Manipulation». Better yet, she was nigh immortal. Only gods or devils could aspire to that level of strength. And it seemed Yue had been classified as one of the latter. It was ironic though, since she had a body worthy to house divine soul.

Yue believed that her uncle, blinded by his greed and ambition, had perpetrated the misconception among his fellow vampires that Yue was indeed a devil. He had then used that as justification to try and kill her, but had been stymied by her automatic regeneration. As a result, he had ended up sealing her here in this underground abyss instead. At the time, she had been too shocked by the sudden betrayal to resist capture. By the time she'd regained enough of her composure to understand what had just happened, she had already been sealed
inside the rock cube.