“What just happened and where are we?” I asked as I looked down at the bearded man.

“Just kill me, demon. I’ve done my job. I’ve saved Gransus from you,” he replied in a snarl.

I really want to hit him, but I need to stay calm. I heard the ‘voice of the world’ claim something about a mana lock when he touched me, but I don’t feel like my mana is sealed.

In a quick test I used the skill -Stat Increase- and it worked fine. I could feel strength filling my body. I wasn’t sealed in any way.

“My God, you have so much mana. Whatever that skill you just used, it required more mana than I possess in my entire body but it hardly touched your pool,” said the man in a sad tone.

How could he tell I used a skill? More importantly, how could he see my mana at all?

It was at this point that I finally noticed something strange. The mana I was feeling wasn’t just my own. There was something else there. I met the man’s eyes and I could tell, just by his expression, that I was feeling his mana pool. It was linked with mine.

“The Mana Lock wasn’t something to seal me, it was something to bind my mana pool with yours…” I mused out loud.

“Correct, monster. We couldn’t use the Tartarus Charm on you directly, but by linking your mana with mine and using the charm on me, the effect would teleport you by proxy as well. I normally wouldn’t have the mana for such a thing, but with our pools linked the charm used a portion of yours to activate.”

The beardo was oddly talkative now. Perhaps he’s resigned himself. He did seem to think I’d kill him just moments ago.

“Please, tell me where we are,” I asked.

“Heh, a mighty demon begging from me. It feels good... This is the Calico Labyrinth Dungeon.”

My blood ran cold at his familiar words. The name Calico Labyrinth was something I recognized. It was a thousand floor dungeon of the worst kind back in the SHO days. The upper floors were terrible mazes and rearranged themselves every three days. The lower floors, while not difficult to navigate, were filled with monsters ranging from Rank 6 all the way up to Rank 9. If I was really in the Calico dungeon, then simply getting out could take months depending on how far down I was.

“What floor are we on?” I asked.

The man looked at me with a shit-eating grin.

“We’re on the 500th floor. It will take you at least forty years to navigate out of here through it. By then, my Lord Thomas will have adequate time to prepare for you. He will strike up a coalition of nations and they will find a way to put you down, demon. That is if you can even survive down here. Now kill me. I’ve served my purpose. I was useful to my lord. I can ask for no better fate than that.”

I need to escape. I need to get out of here. Thomas said he was attacking Lily’s faction tonight. This ‘prince’ had tried to have her assassinated before… She was in danger. If I’m on the 500th floor then there’s no reasonable way I can escape upwards in time to get back tonight. I don’t have a path correction skill, so finding my way through the mazes on the upper floors is impossible alone. My only option is to clear the dungeon and reach the teleport crystal on the thousandth floor. 

I didn’t wait any longer. This was no time to be dallying around. I took off running down the corridor, but when I reached about thirty feet away from the bearded man I felt my surroundings shift again. Another chunk of my mana vanished and I was right next to the fake butler once more. He started laughing.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

“As long as we’re linked, you are bound by the Tartarus Charm too! Just kill me, demon, and then spend the rest of your miserable life lost in this labyrinth.”

My breath hitched at his words. I looked at him with a wild stare.

“Tell me how to break the Mana Lock!” I demanded.

“Mana Lock is a deity class skill! It’s a skill only one person in a generation will ever be born with! And it’s a skill that can only ever be used once in a lifetime. We are bound till death, demon. Just kill me. I’ll die either from starvation or a magical beast if I’m left down here anyways.”

My mind was racing and I could feel my heartbeat accelerating. In haste, I grabbed the man and threw him over my shoulders. If he’s with me, perhaps we won’t get teleported back?

After thirty steps, my theory was proven wrong as another chunk of my mana was drained. I only had about half of my pool left, now.

“The Tartarus Charm is a recall point the original founder left in this dungeon. I’m bound to it and unless you know space-time magic you cannot unbind me. I don’t know why you won't just kill me, but please… Do it. My life wasn’t a happy one. Let me have my fucking pride AND KILL ME!”

…

“The first time I ever killed a man was by accident. The four after happened because my body wasn’t under my control. Please, don’t make me do this,” I asked, as my eyes began to sting.

“You don’t have to. Just stay down here and wait until I slowly die of hunger or thirst. That’s always an option,” replied the man in a tired voice.

“What’s your name?” I asked as I finally made up my mind.

“Heh, it’s Ren. Ren Calinston. I was an orphan. I don’t have any family to mourn me... But, I guess someone will. That makes me a bit happy, you know. Even if it’s a demon like you.”

“I’ll make it quick,” I said, holding back a sob.

“Please do.”

I raised my hand up and I could feel my arm trembling. I closed my eyes and I could see Lily’s face. She needed me. I didn’t have time to waste here. If something happened to her because I delayed now, I’d never forgive myself.

“I’m sorry,” I said as my hand chopped down, cutting the man’s head off in a clean stroke. His face was smiling, even in death. I could feel his mana pool disconnect from mine. The Mana Lock was broken.

I didn’t wait any longer. I took off running into the dungeon’s depths. I didn’t have a lot of time. I needed to hurry. I could feel it in the very depths of my soul. If I didn’t hurry I would regret it for the rest of my life.

With a thought, I retrieved Belial’s Blade from my Spacefold Item Pack. I could feel the power coursing through it. It was a Deity Rank Item. It was equal in power with Heaven’s Downfall. I didn’t have the luxury to hold back.

As I rounded a corner I came face to face with a horde of Rank 7 beasts. They were Chaos Dragons, and there were at least 100 of them. I didn’t even pause to think as I swung the sword in front of me.

-Brutal Power-, a Master Class Skill, activated and caused the very edge of reality to fold along the sword’s edge. In one stroke, every single dragon fell to the ground in a bloody heap. I didn’t stop moving.

The Heaven’s Demon Garb transformed into its original shape as the blood of magic beasts hid my tears.