Ha! We had that fat idiot now! By the stupid look of despair on his dumb face, I could tell he knew he was a dead man too.

Bob and Az’ga bet me that he’d turn tail and run. I knew he wouldn’t.

But even if he did, everyone would follow him to the fourth area and there’d be a bigger fight. That was the plan we last heard at least. He was trapped!

We had known something like this was being set up for a while. We thought Mystozagan was coordinating, but the high pantheon was actually involved too. They wanted Dan dead.

We had no idea when Lilith was going to visit. The bigwigs do as they please when they please without caring how it affects us. That’s why it’s good to be on top.

Lilith was Dan’s last chance. As soon as he refused her, I got ordered to appear and manipulate him into going to the Crucible.

We posted Dan’s new status. I don’t know if the other techs relayed it to these participants, but I assume they were competent enough to do so.

As I’ve mentioned a few times, patronage offers are rare. When a participant gains a patron, it’s usually from some nobody, at least according to everything I ever heard and all the scuttlebutt.

These participants all swore to the biggest of wigs, the high pantheon hotshots. The top of the top.

Well, discounting our Dark Master. He’d never offer patronage to any shithead mortal like these ones here.

[That’s not true. Every member of the high pantheon offers deals to mortals. None of them do so nearly to the extent as the Shining One does. Why do you think he’s constantly walking all worlds?]

Yeah, I heard that too, but I meant in the Game, Boss.

All us techs were ordered to rank the top threats among participants. The top 50 received offers of patronage from the high pantheon. I guess that’s the cap for a Game. Fifty.

From how I heard it, they really poured the pressure on these participants. All but two or three accepted patronage.

At the time, these nine were the only ones strong enough to have a chance against Dan. Discounting Hector. There were other plans for him. Devious plans.

Leena was killing it for her low tier, but that was a recent development. Almost all these participants were picked on day four. She didn’t form her core until the eighth day, and this was late into the tenth day.

Every one of these nine participants was a real monster. For a Game, I mean. None of them were true threats. No matter how good they seemed, left on their own, they’d all end up being mediocre Sovereigns at best.

With help, these participants were directed around and walked through how to gain power. Not one of the nine had Dan’s strong foundation but they all had some levels on him. Two had a tier on him.

When scrubs like these are offered patronage, it’s always from some wannabe hotshot of probably the sixth layer, never anyone of note. Fifty traitors and all sworn to the high pantheon. Amazing.

This Game has been very unique.

Do you like how I did this? How I hid this from you? I knew it was coming up and said nothing. To increase the drama. Did it work?

[Somewhat. It seems like quite a predicament, but I know Dan’s still alive. I’ve known that since before you started this story.]

Well, I’m doing my best with the cards I was dealt. I think I’m doing pretty great considering. So, Dan…

“Xotl, I’m projecting directly to you. I wanted to tell you personally you no longer have to worry about being executed. For the time being.”

Huh? Who are you?

“Gabrodyl. I had you slated for execution right now, but I decided to cancel it. What you did was brilliant! Truly brilliant! Good work!”

Execute? Me?

“Yes. For being an idiot that looks so stupid and failing so much. Everyone knows Kobalites are perverts that suck in bed anyway. But I see something in you. Your plan was ingenious! You really cut him down to size. He’s still moping around and crying like a little bitch.

“Keep up the good work and don’t let me down. I must go. I have a date with a dumb Asmodite broad. Your boss, Zixy. That girl has spunk! And I don’t just mean she’s filled with the substance from being a proper whore. Spunk as in the quality. She’s got a bright future ahead of her and is really going places. Gabrodyl, over and out!”

Oh my Shining One! That was Gabrodyl! She’s an old! Disgusting! Blech!

The members of my team might not believe in science, but Ace Blacky does. The sight of that disgusting old made me throw up in my mouth a little. Yuck!

She is so disgustingly and shockingly old. Did you throw up in your mouth too? You must’ve.

To think, not long ago, I told you that I wanted to go all the way and proudly spawn get with an old! Her facial orifices were disarmingly uninteresting. It’s even worse than anything I could’ve ever imagined.

Did that dumb broad say she was going on a date with Zixy?

[She did.]

And what the Heaven is wrong with being a pervert? Those rumors about Chamosites sucking in bed and being prudes were true all along.

My whore mother lied to me. How could she? Mother, no! I’m so glad I murdered her now. This confirms doing so was the right decision. My only regret is not being able to murder her all over again for her filthy lies.

And Gabrodyl said she was going to have me executed. Me! Ace Blacky!

I’m the only one that has hurt Dan in a meaningful way. It was my idea that cut him down to size. Ace Blacky’s idea. Not Zixy’s. Not Gabrodyl’s. Mine!

They’re all conspiring against me. I know it. I know it more than I’ve ever known anything prior to knowing this. They’re all conspiring against me. Laughing at me.

I slave away at my terminal killing participants like a legendary champion and those dumb broads are laughing at me behind my back. And often right in front of my face too.

That’s it. I’ve had enough of this shit. I’m signing up for flying lessons. Ace Blacky can only be pushed so far! Know what happens then? You get a plane flown right into your building! Right into it!

They want to play games? Oh, Ace Blacky can play games. And not just the guessing game either. These broads are about to find out.

[Take a moment to collect yourself. Such a dramatic and final end may not be necessary. Finish the story and your fate may just well improve.]

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

You mean improve in a far more significant way than the upgraded status you already promised to buy me as a reward?

[I promised no such thing. I believe you remember exactly what I said.]

I do. Can’t blame a demon for trying though, right?

[If you’ve calmed, continue. Dan entered the sixth area. The 20 infernals. The nine marked mortals. Etcetera.]

That was exactly it with no etcetera. Just the 23 infernals and nine turned participants. Oh, there could be an etcetera. A lot of these mortals came from big teams with a lot of techs. Sortilege could be an etcetera.

Oh, and there were only supposed to be eight participants there. I never found out where the ninth came from. And there were a lot more participants there too, but we’ll get to that later.

Those are the only other possible etceteras I can think of. But my mind’s still a little frazzled. I can’t believe that old broad was going to have Ace Blacky executed.

You know who should be executed? Olds, that’s who. All of them. They smell and they’re so disgusting to look at. Aaugh! I want to fly a plane into her building so badly.

She’s in this building, right? She must be. We left Hell for the mortal realm. She didn’t look all that different from the Chamosites of my layer. No way that dumb broad is powerful enough to project herself from Hell to this realm, so she must be in this building.

I just wish I knew how to fly a plane. There’re always a few flying vehicles on the roof. If you know how to, is there any chance you’re willing to fly a plane into this building? I’ll be right there with you. I say it’s blaze of glory time.

[No.]

I figured. Nothing ventured and all that. What a bitch Gabrodyl is, huh? I have to respect it though. Why even bother having power if you don’t abuse it? I sure would.

[The story. Continue.]

Jeez. Okay. So, where was I? I remember – explaining the etcetera you mentioned.

So…wait, I can’t do this. I need a couple more minutes to settle down. I’m still furious.

[Fine.]

I’d calm down a lot quicker if I could explore a new orifice or two. Since I’m easy like Sunday morning, even minor and uninteresting holes would do. A nasal or ear cavity maybe.

[Absolutely not. I know what a morning is, but not a Sunday or why it’s easy.]

It’s an Earth song. A great one. I now plan on singing it to Gabrodyl as I torture her to death. You’re not a dumb broad, are you?

[I am not.]

That’s good. Since you’re so greedy with your head holes, can I at least tell you the best way I’ve come up with to incorporate lasso into my name?

[I guess so.]

The word on its own just doesn’t fit well. Ace Blacky Lasso or Ace Lasso Blacky or Lasso Ace Blacky just doesn’t sound as good as all three of the best words ever should sound when brought together.

My solution is to break it up.

Be prepared to have your mind blown. Are you ready?

[I am.]

Listen to this – Acesso LaBlacky! It just rolls off the tongue. Pretty legendary, huh? And it’ll be spelled with all capital letters.

[I like it. Ready to continue?]

Not yet, and you don’t seem nearly as excited as the name de…one second, let me rephrase that. The name didn’t seem to fill you with all the awe and excitement it should’ve filled you with. You should be writhing on the ground at my feet and praising my mind for thinking up such a glorious name.

[It was a close thing. I barely managed to contain myself.]

Seriously, do you really like it? Should I bite the bullet and put in another name change?

[If it’ll help you calm down more quickly, why not?]

Yes, why not? This is very exciting! Just give me a minute while I complete the form.

.

.

.

And submit!

Why hello there! You’re looking at the proud new owner of the most glorious name ever! ACESSO LABLACKY! It’s spelled with all capitals and ends with an exclamation point. I’m not sure if how I yelled it out conferred its accurate spelling.

And such a glorious name must be yelled. I’m sort of having second thoughts about the exclamation point. That’ll restrict placement.

Curses! I wish I had thought of that beforehand. Now I’m stuck with my name only ending sentences for the rest of my life.

[That’s quite a predicament. Speaking of predicaments, we should get back to Dan’s.]

I guess you’re right. Calmed down significantly, has ACESSO LABLACKY! Damn, I’m going to sound like Yoda whenever I use my glorious name.

----------------------------------------

The infernals immediately began invoking and moving towards Dan as he dropped his backpack, but all their invocations were fire-based and could be safely ignored.

Xie Xu, his long gray beard blowing in the breeze, in heavily accented English, told the other humans, “Remember, his invocations have limited range. When he joins battle with the infernals, stick to ranged attacks. Don’t let him get close to you. Keep retreating.”

Xie Xu was by far the oldest of the nine traitors. Dan knew him as a good and honorable man. He had never talked with the elder, but he had seen him often, especially as it got closer to summoning Asmodon. There were only a couple thousand humans remaining in the Game by then.

Each of the eight people Dan recognized were good and honorable. Seeing them all as traitors killed him a little inside. But it also steeled his resolve. He hated traitors with a passion.

After all that happened last time, it didn’t really bother him to kill humans he thought deserving of it. He didn’t like it, and he would rather no one did anything they deserved to be killed for. He wished everyone would just behave civilly and work together to save Earth.

Most people did. Some didn’t, and those had to be killed. He didn’t lose much sleep over it, but he didn’t like it.

Killing traitors on the other hand – he enjoyed that. If anything, it made him sleep more peacefully. There were only three traitors he knew of last time, and he killed two of them himself.

Those two, along with Dan, were the only humans to survive the battle against Asmodon’s forces. They were both far more powerful than he was. Though it had taken years, he still killed both.

No one deserved death more than traitors. Dan had said he’d start regulating. These nine humans fell squarely within the jurisprudence he had granted himself.

He had failed to refill his core before the big battle the demons set up for him in the Boneyard. He was caught again with low mana not too long after that. He hadn’t yet adjusted to having such a limited amount of mana.

When he ascended to Jade and summoned Ashen Ruin at its new higher tier, he made sure his core was topped off. He’d never make that same mistake again.

It would take a while for him to get back to a core size, Stats, shape, and tier he was more used to.

But he was getting there. And he had a Legendary 6-Star Class. He hoped it’d be enough.

I reckon I’ll know soon, he thought.

Dan ordered Ashen Ruin to only cast Incinerate at the humans and engage the infernals in melee. He had already activated Molten Armor before entering Crucible. A sword of lava extended from his hand as he charged the closest infernal.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ashen Ruin’s Incinerate invocation blocked by Sven Sturm.

Damn, cursed Dan in his mind.

The giant infernal he was rushing at took a step forward to smash its arms down on Dan. He sidestepped the arms, used its thigh as a step to jump off of, stuck his sword in its mouth, ripped it free as he flipped over its head, and continued forward.

The infernal fell over dead, causing the ground to shake as Dan cut a leg off the new one in front of him.

Cutting through stone wasn’t easy. Internals were usually immune to heat, resistant to a lot of mana-types, and could soak up a lot of damage, the reason why he ordered Ashen Ruin to use Incinerate on the humans and engage the infernals in melee.

STORM would damage them, but they could take a lot of damage, and a big hit to the chest wouldn’t kill them outright. He needed that cooldown for the traitors.

Dan’s Strength was only B-grade with 13 points in it. He wasn’t all that physically strong yet.

He knew the weak points of the rock bodies of these enemies, and the knee joint was one of them. He had had the Spot Weakness Orbment slotted for a handful of years. He knew all the weak points.

B-grade Strength with 13 points in it was plenty enough to separate the lower leg from the upper for infernals at these levels.

Dan felt the BOMBARDMENT Orbment target him and ran out of its area of effect. The infernal in front of him lost its arm at the elbow and then toppled over as it lost one of its lower legs. Then it got a sword in the mouth.

The next infernal was used as a shield to block the invocations flying Dan’s way. He didn’t even have to kill it. The traitors took care of that for him.

As Dan rode the rock-creature to the ground, all the remaining infernals were behind him. Only humans were in front of him.

He formed a decently large shield with his left hand and quickly blocked two invocations. The lava of his sword turned into three balls, and those three balls blazed towards Max Zamotin.

Dan knew Max had no defense Orbments. He knew the build and powers of eight of these traitors well.

Before he had even battled beside any of these people, he had known what each could do from hearing all the stories about them going around. Only the traitor he didn’t recognize was a mystery.

Except that all of Dan’s knowledge applied to another time. A time when things had gone differently.

Max invoked Dodge, an Orbment he shouldn’t have, and easily avoided the three balls of lava streaking towards him.

Dan was letting Blessing Gumede creep closer to him. He knew exactly what she’d do. His plan was to turn it around on her.

Except she didn’t do what she should’ve done. Instead, she hit Dan with a heavy stun, a power she shouldn’t have.

He froze in place and nearly fell over. While he was frozen, the other traitors released a barrage of invocations at him. He watched his death approach.

With a flex of willpower, the stun dissipated long before its effective time ended. Dan had been stunned so often over the decades, removing the effect was second nature.

He dove to the side and rolled. All but two of the invocations were safely avoided. Block prevented the two that landed from causing damage.

Dan rolled again and kipped up, trying to think of a new plan.

Even when he thought he knew the power sets of the traitors, he didn’t think his chance of getting out of this fight alive looked so good. Now, he was really worried.