Rogue Villain-Chapter 366: Hurtful Lie

Ackster had a lot on his mind and wasn’t in the mood to get any more on it by asking Shanshi further questions. So, he silently rode his bird while Shanshi walked next to him.

Shanshi also had a few things to think about. But he mostly wanted to get out of the Alchemaze and explore the world to see how much it had changed in his absence. Maybe he could find and catch up with some of his descendants.

However, the appearance of a set of double doors in front of them grabbed Ackster’s and Shanshi’s attention, distracting them from their thoughts.

"Maybe you were the final gatekeeper, after all."

Shanshi couldn’t help the smugness creeping onto his face at Ackster’s comment.

"Huhu, maybe I was."

"The only question is what you were protecting."

"I think we’re about to find out."

Ackster hopped off his bird and traveled the last bit until the doors on foot.

"Ahem."

However, Shanshi stopped him before he could put his hands on the door to push them open.

"...what?"

Ackster turned around with a displeased expression.

"Well, we can’t be sure there’s nothing dangerous on the other side, you know?"

"So...?"

"It wouldn’t hurt if you had someone to help out in case there’s something even stronger than me on the other side, would it?"

Ackster raised an eyebrow as he looked Shanshi up and down. Before Shanshi could say anything about Ackster’s mistrustful gaze, Ackster cut open his wrist and funneled the blood in Shanshi’s direction.

While Shanshi consumed the blood, Ackster returned to opening the doors. They were surprisingly light.

But what was even more surprising was the sight that spread out on the other side of the doors.

Torches on the walls and chandeliers on the ceiling lit up the grand room that bared itself to Ackster and Shanshi. No, ’room’ wasn’t enough to describe it. It was a grand space filled to the brim with shelves, books, items, treasures, scrolls, weapons, stone tablets, armor, and all kinds of furniture and raw materials.

Ackster scanned the room with his senses. Everything was incredibly valuable. And it was intact.

Ackster wasn’t sure what the books’ contents were. But they came from the Alchemist’s time. Just their historical value as objects from such an ancient time was incredible, not to mention the contents. The other items were also in a state far more pristine than anything Ackster had seen or heard of regarding items from the Alchemaze.

Ackster held out a hand and stopped Shanshi from stepping over the threshold.

"Something wrong?"

Shanshi wasn’t quite at his peak strength. But he was still strong, experienced, and sensitive. So, while asking Ackster, he scanned the room with his own senses. But he still couldn’t notice anything necessitating Ackster’s wariness.

"...I don’t know. It’s suspicious."

"Suspicious?"

Ackster looked around the room again.

"Yeah. After defeating seven gatekeepers and walking through a long ass tunnel, all I get is a room full of miscellaneous items? It’s worth a lot, sure. But only to people who treasure it. Someone who can beat you won’t care about solid gold chairs or diamond-encrusted swords. Of course, I can’t speak for everyone. But would you be satisfied with this if you had to kiss death to get here?"

Shanshi also scanned the room.

"...I guess not. But I think you’re not considering something."

"What?"

"People can’t beat me. Not alone, at least."

Ackster raised an eyebrow.

"I see. All of this is to recoup the losses an expedition this deep into the Alchemaze would incur. Or it’s enough funds for a party of adventurers to establish their own countries or live lavishly until they die of old age, even if they only get a fraction of all this treasure."

Shanshi nodded.

"I think it’s more along the lines than the rewards of a lone challenger who got this far."

Ackster furrowed his brow.

"I’m still not satisfied. There’s no way the Alchemist didn’t consider the possibility of a single person getting this far or the people getting this far wanting to go further and gain greater strength, not mortal treasure."

Shanshi shrugged.

"Maybe you just have to take a closer look. What if there’s a key to greater strength or the path further inside the Alchemaze if you investigate a little?"

"Fine. But if shit goes sideways, I’m blaming you."

"Naturally."

Ackster stepped inside the room. As soon as he did, it rumbled. A wall crashed down right in front of Ackster and blocked his view. A moment later, it flew back up.

In place of the treasure room from before were now three paths. However, unlike every other fork in the road, these paths had images showing where they led.

One path indicated the road back to safety. The second path had an image of a monster with a pile of treasure behind it. Ackster suspected that’s where the treasure from before had gone.

The final path had a downward arrow with a question mark carved above it.

Ackster launched a punch straight to his side, pulverizing Shanshi’s head.

After he healed, Shanshi sighed and rubbed his neck.

"Is there a point in doing that when it barely hurts and recovers instantly?"

"It’s to make a point."

As Ackster raised his fist, Shanshi flinched and stepped back.

"Ahem. So, where are we going?"

Shanshi desperately wanted to change the subject. He had lied when he said it barely hurt, after all. And, considering Ackster used his Ichor when punching him, Shanshi had a feeling Ackster knew it.

It would be great if it could all be over. For someone who had spent an eternity living, time passed extremely slowly around Ackster.

Ackster didn’t even look at Shanshi as he chose a tunnel and beckoned for the bird to slink in between his legs again.

"Is that even a question?"

In Ackster’s mind, there was only a single path for them to enter.

So, unaware that the Alchemaze’s remodeling wasn’t limited to the treasure room at the end of the gatekeepers, Ackster entered the tunnel marked by a downward arrow and a question mark.