Rogue Villain-Chapter 348: Changing Tunnels

’Deviant? No, that’s only seven. Devious? No, that’s also seven. Am I stupid? What about devoted? Why are all words seven letters? What the fuck?’

As he traveled through the Alchemaze on his bird with Mio happily jiggling due to the air pressure, Ackster tried to come up with what the word for his profession might be. He wasn’t having any luck.

’Demure? That’s six, and I don’t even know what it means.’

Ackster sighed. Words weren’t his strong suit.

’Destitute? ...eight, nine. I feel like Wilma would be good at this. Or Kargas, maybe.’

Ackster wondered if the Alchemaze would have a dictionary somewhere that he could use.

’In the first place, none of the words I know sound like professions.’

Nothing Ackster had come up with had sounded like something he could do as a way of life, except maybe ’deviant.’ But he didn’t want that as a profession. It also didn’t align with how he had lived or done to change his profession.

Ackster thought back and remembered that he had first noticed the changed profession after his visit to the Sea God Temple. He wasn’t sure what it had to do with his profession, but it had to be something.

Unfortunately, Ackster couldn’t come up with any more words at the moment. Instead, he focused on the scenery flashing past him as his bird looked for paths leading downward.

It was gradual, but Ackster could tell they had descended quite a bit while speeding through the Alchemaze. It made him wonder how the others were doing. He hoped they hadn’t gotten in too much trouble.

Time passed by almost as quickly as Ackster’s bird, especially when he focused on training his sources and trying to learn Anima. And before Ackster knew it, the Alchemaze’s tunnels had undergone a significant change.

Well, to him, it was a significant change. But Ackster had trouble putting his fingers on it. It just felt like he wasn’t in the same Alchemaze as before. Obviously, he was. But it wasn’t the same winding tunnels leading through empty and barren rooms.

The overall atmosphere of the tunnels changed. They grew slightly bigger, bit by bit. Their presence grew more solid. It was as if the bricks were denser and carried more weight than before. The air was richer in mana, and it became both harder and easier to breathe.

Ackster’s spine crawled in warning. He had left the region of the Alchemaze that people closer to Makkel’s level of strength could make it out alive from. He had entered the Alchemaze’s inner regions that few had set foot in and even fewer had returned alive from.

Ackster could feel it.

He wasn’t the strongest existence in this place. He wasn’t sure how he could feel it when he couldn’t feel anything beyond the tunnel’s next corner despite his senses. But he could. It was one of his supernatural senses that went beyond merely picking up smell, sounds, or the presence of a dense amount of vitality or mana.

Ackster’s eyes shone, and his lips rose. His bird shivered.

This place was why he had come.

The primeval world where he had found a great ride had helped develop his martial arts. But the most trying part had been not erasing the place out of frustration when none of the strongest beasts could put up a fight.

Ackster urged his bird forward. He couldn’t wait.

The bird’s senses were a little slower than Ackster’s, but it had evolved through countless generations to survive. It could tell that it was in danger simply by continuing. Something dangerous awaited it at the end of this path. But with Ackster on its back, the bird was caught between a rock and a hard place. It was a deplorable situation.

But if it continued with Ackster, the bird could at least retain hope of survival. If Ackster no longer found it useful or if it rebelled, Ackster would kill the bird. It wasn’t anything Ackster had said or threatened to do. The bird just knew what would happen if it went against Ackster. Its instincts told it.

Still, the bird lamented its fate when Ackster didn’t even let it slow down. He even wanted the bird to up the pace, which it could when the tunnels continued growing wider and longer with fewer sharp turns.

Before long, the tunnels greyed out. It wasn’t a sudden color change, as was common in the tunnels. The floor, walls, and ceiling were covered in a grey material that hid away the tunnel’s original cover.

Ackster had the bird stop as he jumped off right in front of the grey material.

’Clay?’

Ackster touched it. It was soft and pliable and cool to the touch. However, it was only soft to Ackster’s touch. Its softness was relative, and someone below the S-ranks would have trouble scratching it. But it was undoubtedly clay and not stone.

That wasn’t all.

Ackster turned his gaze deeper into the tunnel. He had felt some kind of signal travel through the clay when he touched it. It was magical clay controlled by someone or something beyond the tunnel’s end.

’Interesting.’

It was the first time Ackster had come across this kind of opponent. He was kind of curious about what it would be. He jumped up on the bird again and urged it forward. The clay could probably sense differences in air pressure.

But that wouldn’t matter if they flew faster than the air could transmit their presence to the clay or even the signals traveling through the clay. Ackster wasn’t sure how fast those signals were, but it was worth a shot.

Ackster leaned down and lay flat on the bird’s back to cut down on air resistance and drag. He also conjured his sword to cut through the air and make it even easier on them.

*Trust me and Mio. Go fast!*

Ackster’s eyes shone. It was time to see what his ride could do.