A few days had passed since Ace had slain the Fallen Luna. Despite the lingering gloominess he carried, Ace continued to progress through the remaining floors of the Dungeon.

Throughout his journey, Ace had found a prized relic treasure for himself. The relic was a retractable shield mechanized within a light and compact gauntlet, capable of forming a small kite shield on his arm. Ace kept experimenting with the device, continually retracting the shield as a form of amusement.

"To think Artes called this thing a prototype." Ace retracted the shield.

"He was the demigod of crafting, after all."

Darklin continued to watch Ace play around with the shield as Ace attempted to fit the new piece of equipment into his fighting style.

"I wonder what we'll get at the end." Ace turned his head, looking at Darklin, but Darklin's attention lay elsewhere.

"I would not know, but first, we have company." Darklin's eyes began to glow, activating his Dragon Sight.

Ace also activated his Dragon Sight, finding a familiar enemy waiting amidst the Darkness. Their heat signatures were different from regular enemies due to their cold-blooded nature. It was not the first time they had encountered these sorts of enemies, but they often gave trouble to both Ace and Darklin as they could barely see the heat signatures from the enemies, but they could more or less sense their presence.

"[Offensive Art: Dashing Edge: Four-fold]"

In a moment, Ace charged towards the cloaked enemies, dashing in quick succession, where he killed four enemies immediately. Their bodies revealed themselves to be giant lizards capable of cloaking themselves and would ambush the duo when they let their guard down. Fortunately, this was not the first time, and Ace had learned to deal with them over time.

"I honestly hate these things," Ace commented.

"Continue to be on your guard. Behind you!" Darklin breathed out a wide flame.

Although Ace was caught in the crossfire, he gave a nod of approval to Darklin before going into a guarding stance to take on the flames, relying on his magic resistance.

Watching the cloaked bodies burn, Ace went to finish off the burning bodies, with one slash after the other, knowing that they had taken many of the enemies down. However, although the situation seemed to calm down, Ace felt hissing right beside him, knowing a cloaked enemy was near his vicinity. He summoned his retractable shield to block the surprise claw attack from the giant lizard, following it up with a shield bash. Ace finished the monster off with his sword, slashing its head off.

"If this were the old me, I would have been hit."

"That is true. It's better if you get hit than me. This body cannot take a beating."

"That's why I'm the frontliner. Come on, this is the last floor. There's bound to be something waiting for us."

The moment Ace was about to walk ahead, Darklin flew onto his shoulder, giving a small suggestion for their current plan.

"Perhaps a little break will do. It would be a shame to let these lizard bodies go to waste. Their bodies will soon turn into mana particles if we do not act soon."

"A break would be nice, and we ate lunch quite a while ago too. But eating these things..." Ace held a troubled expression, picking up one of their body parts.

"Is it the taste?" Darklin turned his head.

"No, it’s just the thought."

"Well, it will be the last time to eat such an exotic monster, right? We are very close to the surface. Or are you willing to fight on an empty stomach?"

"I’ll eat it." Ace gave a dejected look at the lizard corpses.

With that, Ace and Darklin took a small break in a safe area where no monsters were roaming around the floor. After a reluctant dinner, Ace only ate the bare minimum to function while Darklin was satisfied with the meal.

"How long until the end?" Ace asked after finishing his share of the meal.

"I wish I knew."

"I wonder how I survived in this place for so long..." Ace exhaled and breathed out a sigh.

"It's quite a miracle that you fell in the room where Artes placed me."

"I couldn't have done it without you." Ace held a small smile.

"I have done nothing to receive such unnecessary gratitude."

"Saving my life is one of them. I think you should know that much."

"For my own purpose."

"And I'll do my best to help."

"As much as I appreciate it. But you have not had time to grieve for Luna."

"I'll be fine," Ace replied in a dejected tone.

"Are you really? I would hate for you to be distracted if it were the case."

"*Sigh* Yes," Ace said with a troubled expression. "Come on, let's get going. I think we overstayed our short break." Ace stood up and took out one of his blades, in case an enemy came near him.

"If you say so." Darklin flew onto Ace's shoulder as they progressed through the deeper end of the Dungeon.

The foresty layout of the floor gradually changed as Ace slowly walked across the hallway. Both he and the Dragon had their senses heightened, ensuring they were ready for another sneak attack. The more they stepped forward, the more they noticed the same stone architecture around them, consisting of different symbols and pictures.

Further ahead, there was only one path. A door at the end and before the door were several statues, consisting of knights and mages, all lined up as if they were there to guard the door.

"That's the final door. It has to be," Ace said.

"Hmm... but these statues, I simply do not like the look of them. Care to check for me, Ace?" Darklin asked.

"Why don't we destroy the statues just in case? I don't believe the final floor should be this easy." Ace charged up a Dark Nova spell in his hand while Darklin flew to the other side and charged the same spell.

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"Ready...?" Ace waited for Darklin to be in position.

"Whenever you are," Darklin replied via telepathy.

In a few moments, both Ace and Darklin fired a Dark Nova spell each almost simultaneously. The spells travelled on each side, destroying two statues each, with the last six reacting to the unwarned disruption.

Only two mages and four knights remained. All six stood up and moved into formation.

"You were right. These things were golems," Ace said, taking a stance.

"Of course. We are close to the surface."

"...Then let's get to it."

[Draconic Art: Dragon's Might]

With Darklin as his mentor, Ace was taught Draconic Arts to harness the power of his Dragon Blood. These abilities simply amplified Ace's stats both offensively and defensively. Dragon's Might is a simple ability to enhance Ace's strength, capable of crushing anything with his fist if he needs to.

Ace charged forward with Darklin close behind, providing support. The golems were in formation, with the midline defending the back and the frontline focused on taking down Ace. He activated his retractable shield, imbuing mana to enhance its strength and durability, and used it to bash the first golem with tremendous force. He then used the momentum to strike the second golem in the head again with his shield.

As Ace cleared the frontline, Darklin finished charging a condensed flame capable of exploding upon impact. The moment Ace finished with the second golem, Darklin signalled him to duck.

[Dark Flame Burst]

Boom!

All remaining golems were destroyed instantly, leaving them with only the final door to open.

"That was the last of my mana. If there's something behind that door, I can provide basic covering fire. If the situation calls for it, I can drain your mana," Darklin warned.

"Well, something is definitely behind that door. If this was a typical dungeon, there would be some sort of final boss. Sigh I still have enough mana to use several Arts if needed," Ace replied.

Ace walked toward the door, sword in hand and shield activated. Darklin sat on his shoulder, ready to unleash the basic flames he could dish out.

"Ready...? 3, 2, 1... Go...!" Ace opened the door.

As he barged in, he felt only relief that the room was a simple study. But there was more to it than met the eye. As Ace looked around, he saw the final warp point and a crafting area with various gear.

"You were saying something was going to be behind that door?" Darklin asked sarcastically.

"You were the one who said that," Ace replied.

"It is best to be cautious."

Ace sighed. As he took one more step, the symbols on the floor gradually lit up, and the mana particles formed a hologram of a masked man. The man wore heavy-plated armour in a style Ace had never seen before. Darklin recognized the person immediately and spoke out.

"Artes...?"

"Good to see you well Darklin." The hologram looked in Darklin's direction, with a relieved tone in his voice. Once he noticed Ace he gave a small bow. "Greetings, Hero. I congratulate you on conquering my dungeon. My name is Artes, the demigod of crafting. As you can see, I am merely an artificial personality since the real me is already gone. I'm impressed that Darklin has chosen you I don't have to put up my guard being the case."

Ace analysed the way the hologram spoke. It responded to Darklin like it was an actual person surprising Ace.

"You're not a recording? If not, is there any sort of reward here for me to take?" Ace asked.

"Ah, right. Yes, there are numerous relics here most of them prototypes for you to take. This dungeon was the final dungeon I constructed before I have died so the only thing I had left to preserve was my crafting abilities. I only have sufficient mana to grant only one Hero of my abilities, but seeing that you are alone

"Of course, it'd be unwise if I declined," Ace replied.

"Good. Please bear with the pain."

"What?" Ace responded with a shocked tone.

The hologram clicked, causing the mana particles to flow into Ace's mind.

Ace felt a zap, and every bit of information about crafting, smithing, building, and everything else that Artes knew of poured straight into his head.

"Hnngh...!" Ace held his head, gritting his teeth in pain.

"Forgive me. I believe that my knowledge is the greatest treasure I can offer in this dungeon of mine."

"Tsk... at least give me time to prepare myself."

"I don't have much time, this will be the first and last time we will speak to each other."

"Artes do you sense it too? The miasma in the world?" Darklin asked.

"Of course, he's made his way into this Dungeon. But he wasted too much energy doing so. Hero what is your name?" Artes turned his head over to Ace.

"Ace."

"Has Darklin filled you in on the current situation?" Artes asked.

"Yes, he has," Ace replied.

"Good, then you're up to date. I'm sure you're somewhat aware of how to get out of this world."

"I am familiar with this 'Light Dragonstone'," Ace said. "Darklin has told me about it. But with the knowledge you've imparted on me, I can also waste time finding my own way home too."

"Very impressive, but Darklin here can sense a person's true desires," Artes said, shaking his head. "I know full well that you have no intention of leaving this world."

"What if I did want to leave? Hypothetically, of course," Ace asked.

"Not to threaten you, but if Vumor gains enough power here, he could easily conquer your original world. His influence can break through timelines and other worlds, running away will only delayed the inevitable of his onslaught." Artes replied.

"There have been cases where people from this world migrated to yours. Such a feat is possible and very catastrophic if Vumor reigns victory here." Darklin added.

Ace can only look back at Darklin's face in surprise at that information. He let out a tired sigh.

'I have no choice but to fight anyway.'

"Okay, and how long do we have till Vumor makes his entrance?" Ace went back to the topic.

"With this." Artes raised his hand, prompting a small stone tablet to emerge in front of him, displaying a simple stopwatch. "This is a relic I have developed and scattered in every dungeon," Artes explained. "Though it is a stopwatch, its purpose is to time when Vumor will return to this world. Every hour that passes on this clock represents his weakening seal in the Dark Territory and his ability to summon Fallen creatures."

Ace nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "So it's a doomsday clock, essentially?"

Artes smiled wryly. "That is an interesting term, but yes, you could say that. It works by absorbing the miasama in the air powering the watch. Once the watch has completed its rotation, Vumor's onslaught will begin, and he will destroy everything in his path."

"What's his agenda for killing everyone?" Ace asked.

"To punish us," Artes replied solemnly. "His power is growing, and his Fallen have already begun to appear. You may have only a few years left."

Ace studied the stopwatch. "What can I do to stop him? Should I explore more of your dungeons? Find more allies?"

"You must find more allies to fight with you. Vumor's onslaught isn't a one-man army."

Ace nodded, taking note of the Artes hologram's advice. "What will it take to defeat Vumor when the time comes? A unified front?"

"Optimistically, yes. If worst comes to worst, you must seal him with the strongest mages you have, using the Dragonstones as a catalyst. No matter the cost."

Ace felt a hint of concern with that thought.

"So, it's a do or die."

Ace contemplated the situation, imagining the endgame and playing out various scenarios in his head. He couldn't fathom the strength of a Dark God, and the thought of finding new allies troubled him. He longed to find Luna, but without her, he worried about how he would prepare for the future.

"You have to start preparing, no matter what."

Artes's hologram began flickering, and the symbols on the floor followed suit. "Ah, if only I was alive to help. My time is running out," Artes said. "This will be the last time I can communicate with you. Do you have any last questions to ask of me?"

Ace thought for a moment. "When's the best time to strike?"

Artes smiled knowingly. "When you have gathered enough strength to step into his territory." The hologram looked down to notice that his time was up. He turned in Ace's direction with a faint smile. "I wish you luck, Ace."

And with that, the hologram vanished, leaving Ace to ponder his next move.