Rogue Villain-Chapter 363: Human Records

"Heeey~ You up yet?"

Shanshi poked Ackster’s enviously smooth cheeks. They had regained their color and luster a while ago. But this new master of his had yet to wake up.

Shanshi had tried to take some blood to regain at least a little strength. He could tell he had already succumbed to the effects of the Deal, so he wouldn’t be able to do anything against Ackster. But the feeling of being strong and Ackster’s blood were addictive.

Moreover, it was horrible to instantly become so weak again in an instant after regaining his peak strength.

However, without Ackster’s permission, Shanshi couldn’t take any blood.

Shanshi noticed a couple of living beings in the tunnel Ackster had come from. But they were both covered in Ackster’s scent. Shanshi didn’t dare touch them. He could only wait and hope Ackster would be a generous master.

Although Shanshi wasn’t looking forward to a life of servitude, he had a feeling Ackster wasn’t the long-lived type. He had impressive regeneration and talent. But that would only make the already reckless Ackster even more reckless.

Besides, compared to a veritable eternity as a gatekeeper where the only entertainment was daydreams and nightmares, Shanshi had a feeling that it would be a lot more exciting to accompany Ackster.

Ackster grabbed Shanshi’s wrist, stopping him from continuing his incessant poking.

"Touch me again, and I’ll kill you."

"Sheesh. I was only helping you wake up. No need to be so pissy about it."

Ackster kicked Shanshi in the chest and sent him crashing into the wall.

"It didn’t work?"

Shanshi massaged his chest as he got up.

"Oh, it worked alright."

"Then why are you so fucking annoying?"

"I could ask you the same. You didn’t even get your ass handed to you by some maniacal toddler."

"So you’re mad ’cause you lost? I told you, didn’t I?"

"Once again, if some crazy toddler that smells like his mother’s milk told you he was going to beat you up, would you believe it?"

Ackster shrugged and headed to the gates while sending a telepathic message to Mio and the bird.

"If that toddler had beaten six beings slightly weaker than me right before, I would at least be open to the possibility."

"There are only six gatekeepers before me? I thought I would be the final boss."

"You’re saying there’s more?"

Shanshi shrugged as he followed Ackster into the tunnel.

"Should be. I doubt that maniac would be satisfied with just seven gatekeepers."

"What if he could only get ahold of seven that fit his requirements?"

"His requirements?"

"The gatekeepers I’ve fought all were immune to the passage of time or at least wouldn’t die of old age. Finding seven gatekeepers with that property and the requisite strength shouldn’t have been easy for even the Alchemist, right?"

Shanshi shrugged again.

"No idea. But the Alchemist, as you call him, could have probably made some if they wanted."

"Made some?"

"Yeah. If there was anything I would say that maniac was good at, it would be making things. I mean, the Alchemist is a pretty good name. But in my time, most people just called him the Creator."

"’The Creator’? That sounds very extra."

Shanshi shrugged under Ackster’s doubtful gaze.

"He created things no one else thought or could do. Besides, this place, if it had been completed, would have been like another world separate from Millmeria. I don’t think Creator is inaccurate. Maybe too soon of a nickname. But that’s it."

"’Another world’?"

"Do you like repeating what I say, or what?"

"...No. I’m just having trouble believing it."

Shanshi gave the bird beneath Ackster a meaningful glance. He could smell the air of the Alchamaze from its blood.

"Are you?"

"No..."

In fact, Ackster already considered the Alchemaze a separate world after running through the primeval miniature world. Obviously, it wasn’t separate from Millmeria due to all the entrances littered throughout the world. But the Alchemaze contained so many secrets, beings, and treasures, and it took up so much space that one could spend a lifetime exploring it without mapping a third.

"So, how much time has passed since the Creator made this place?"

After getting some time to settle his thoughts, Shanshi started getting curious about the outside world that had continued in his absence. Since no one remembered his name, a lot of time had passed. But people forget their ancestors after only a few generations.

Besides, Ackster looked like a human. Maybe other races remembered him. Shanshi was sure the elves in that Forest of Eternity of theirs or the dragons would remember his name, at least.

Ackster glanced at Shanshi.

"No idea. To the people of today, the Alchemaze has just kind of existed for as long as there are records. No one knows when the Alchemist built it or when they existed."

"Human records, I presume? Let’s find a dragon when we get out of here and ask them."

Ackster nodded.

"Right. They had that thing. Sure. But there’s no need to do that when we get out of here. I know a dragon roaming around in here somewhere. You don’t happen to know if or where there are any demons, do you? He said he was going to hunt them down."

Shanshi raised his eyebrows as he looked at Ackster.

"You know a dragon?"

"Several."

Ackster paused for a moment as he tilted his head.

"But I think most of them are pretty young. I’m not familiar with the lifespan of dragons. But I have a feeling that younger dragons are more active than the older ones, right?"

Shanshi nodded.

"That should be pretty accurate still. I have a hard time seeing they would change, even after so long."

"You haven’t heard of Mastrax, have you?"

Shanshi thought for a moment before slowly shaking his head.

"...No. But I was never close to any dragons other than when I drank their blood."

Ackster’s eyes lit up slightly as he got an idea.

"What about the Sword—"

Shanshi’s eyes opened wide in alarm, and he hurriedly clasped his hands over Ackster’s mouth to stop him from finishing that sentence.