Chapter 135

Chapter 135

I stare straight ahead at the newly ranked-up Dragon in front of me. Just yesterday it was no more than half my size, now it’s easily double. I grin and reply.

“Ember, I’m glad you’re rank-up went as planned. There have not been any changes. Our labyrinth is running smoothly.”

The jet-black glimmering Dragon begins to move around. The creature's speed has undergone a dramatic increase, while its finely honed cat-like agility remains as graceful and fluid as ever. The large monster glides through my piles of loot, circling me two times, then flapping its wings and lifting off into the air.

It hovers 10m above me for a moment, then glides back to the ground.

“Very well. If there is nothing new to report I will begin my next rank-up. This shouldn’t take more than 6 months. Please take care of the place while I’m under.”

I almost choke on my own tongue as I audibly gulp before replying through our telepathic link.

“Did you say 6 months? Half a year? It’s going to take that long?!”

The medium-sized Dragon smiles at me showing off its razor-sharp bone white set up teeth.

“It’s great, isn’t it? Only 6 months and I’ll already be at level 250. Having such a mana-dense Labyrinth is a lucky find. With readings like these, it’s almost like we’re in a Void Creeper’s Domain. I haven’t seen one of those disgusting creatures in a while. The last one I saw was before we even found this human realm. Those were the good old days weren’t they?”

With a puzzled stare, I try to piece together this monster’s babbling. There’s one thing I’m certain of, 6 months is not going to cut it. With my current food and water supplies, I’ll be lucky if I last another week....

I reply.

“Actually. There’s been a change of plans, I completely forgot... The humans sent a series of raids into the Labyrinth while you were out. I didn’t bother mentioning it earlier because they were far too weak to pay any mind.”

Ember’s eyes perk up. I continue.

“With that being said, your MP plundering allowance has risen. How much will you need to hit level 250? Is it considerably more than your first?”

“I’ll need close to ten million MP to rank up again.”

I nod, noting this very large increase... I’ll need to make reasonable, but also take into account my own urgency for time. I swallow hard, then reply.

“One week. Try to get your next rank-up done within a week.”

“Master- I mean Jay. Please consider your own safety. Plundering this much MP from even the largest of labyrinths would surely lead to a catastrophic collapse if done so abruptly. Sure, more monsters would invade the human realm, but it would be at the expense of another demon. That Demon, being you.”

I let out an exhale.

“I understand. This is an order. You will plunder 1.5 million MP per day. Rank up within the week.”

A sly grin comes across the Dragon’s face again.

“As you wish. It’s your funeral.”

I give the black-scaled crimson-glowing creature a firm nod. Ember folds itself up into a ball once again and starts to harvest the mana all around it. With this, I get back to work as well. My next long week of training begins.

The words said by the Dragon before its slumber stuck in my head though... Something about “Void Creepers”, could they have some correlation with the “Titans”? Also, Ember mentioned “the good old days” before “we found the human realm”...

The more I think about it, the more my mind races to connect with this newfound information. It all makes sense... I just don’t want it to...

Gates appeared about 80 years ago. The Great War was roughly 50 years ago. It’s said that there were massive breaks and monsters roaming free, terrorizing humans on both of these occasions. Other known terms for these two events are “The Arrival”, and “The Great Subjugation”.

“There’s really a way out of the Titan’s Domain...”

The moment I make this connection is the moment I lose it as well. The meter-long crack running along the white wall in front of me beings to shrink. The black swirling void begins to disappear from my mind’s eye as the wall somehow heals itself entirely.

Seconds later, my All-Seeing Eye is useless. The white wall looks completely unscathed, and I can no longer sense the void at all.

“...”

I slump over and let out a sigh.

It’s a little disheartening to see the wall heal itself in front of my eyes, but at least I’ve made some progress. My training may just be useless in the end, but at least it’s keeping my mind busy. Without a goal or challenge in this white-walled prison, I’d surely have gone insane by now.

My food and water supply lessens with each day that passes. I only have 1.5kg of jerky left and I’ve eaten my last ration of dried fruit. There are only 6 bottles of water left and it’s starting to really worry me.

I could finish all of this in one sitting, but I have to continue rationing it out indefinitely... I’ve lost nearly 7kg. My cheeks are starting to show signs of caving in and my abs are visible, at this rate, my ribs are next.

Ember glows brighter and brighter as he continues to level up. I make a mental log of his constant progression at the end of each day.

Day 1: [Lv. 133]

Day 2: [Lv. 174]

Day 3: [Lv. 207]

Day 4: [Lv. 224]

Day 5: [Lv. 236]

Day 6: [Lv. 242]

Day 7: [Lv. 247]

The monster’s leveling speed decreases as it rises higher and higher. This is much different from its last rank-up. For its first 5 days of mana consumption to rise from level 2 to 100, it took no more than 500k MP in total. I gave it an allowance of 1.5 million MP per day this time around, and on its final day, Ember only rose 5 levels. That’s an average of 300k MP per level on the final day, and it’s only becoming more and more costly.

I fall asleep on the 7th night satisfied with my week’s worth of training. I’m Eager to see what Ember’s new form will look like after this rank-up.

Many hours pass. My dreams of the outside world seem to just drift by as well... I’ve embraced the fact that whatever happens here, just happens. All I can do is continue what I started. I’m trying my hardest every day, training to exhaustion, and staying alive. If I make it out to see everyone again, I’ll deal with those consequences when the time comes.

A sudden jab in my side wakes me from my slumber. I don't flinch, nor do I immediately open my eyes. This kind of wake-up call was anticipated.

I activate my telepathic link while stretching and slowly adjusting to the blinding morning light of the white walls.

“Good Morning Ember. How was your- Oh-“

As soon as my vision clears up I see a majestic form in front of me. At over 4m tall while sitting down, and easily 7m from head to the tip of his long twisting tail, Ember spreads his wings and replies.

“It seems our labyrinth has not collapsed. You were right, I shouldn’t have doubted your judgment.”

The radiant black-scaled dragon lowers its head, directing attention toward its long crimson horns. Upon closer inspection, I notice that they're made of a material similar to a demon's horn.

The Dragon’s deep red eyes are the size of my open palms. It blinks at me a few times, then continues to speak through our link.

“Are there any updates? Or shall I begin my next rank-up?”