Age 12.
Two years.
I had spent two whole years inside the damp, echoey, brain-teasing hell known as the Maze Puzzle Dungeon. I was now twelve years old, and I had officially conquered Floor 100.
I stood before the final treasure chest, wiping sweat from my brow. I didn't fight a boss to get here. I solved a Sudoku puzzle that was on fire.
"Finally," I whispered, opening the chest.
Inside lay the holy grail of logistics: The Book of the Legendary Traveler Hermes.
This book granted the [Teleportation] skill (Mythic Rank). It also contained a database of every location Hermes had ever visited, including secret dungeons and boss guides.
Most people would want this for war or assassination. Me?
"Logistics," I drooled. "Pure logistics."
In this medieval age, travel takes forever. It's tiring. It smells like horse manure. But with Teleportation? I could deliver fresh vegetables from my future farm to the capital instantly.
Think of the savings! No cargo fees! No spoilage! I would dominate the organic produce market!
I looted the rest of the chest.
* Hermes Boots: Speed +70% when running. (Perfect for running away).
* Health Potions: (Always useful).
* Mana Potions: (Useless trash for Mr. Zero Mana).
* A Tattered Blueprint:
I picked up the paper. It was a fragment of a complex design.
"Part 3?" I muttered, seeing the label. "What is this for? Does Arcana have a blueprint quest? I can't remember."
I shrugged and tossed it into my Dark Space. I'd figure it out later.
"Okay," I stretched my arms. "Let's see the gains."
"Status Open!"
[Name: Curious Von Virgo]
[Age: 12]
[Level: 5] (I gained a few levels. Apparently, dropping rocks on slimes during puzzles counts as combat.)
[Class: Dark Mage (Forced)]
[Stats]
* STR: 16 (I can now lift a heavy chair without wheezing.)
* STA: 35 (Marathon runner levels.)
* MANA: 0 (The System hates me.)
* INT: 30 (Two years of 4D chess puzzles made me big brain.)
* LUCK: 86 (It went up by 1 point. Why? Who knows.)
[Titles]
* Reincarnator
* Heir of Bad Luck
* Breeding Horse (IT'S STILL THERE?! Why won't it go away?!)
* Conqueror of the Maze (Finally, a resume booster.)
[Skills]
* Basic Swordsmanship (+F) (Still F. Shameful.)
* Sprint (+E)
* Appraisal (Mid Rank)
* Dark Magic (Custom)
* Teleportation (Mythic Rank) (New!)
"Whew. I'm becoming decent," I nodded. "But STR 16 is still pathetic."
I needed a bodyguard. A meat shield.
My next destination decided itself: Atlantis City.
Located underwater, outside of any kingdom's jurisdiction, Atlantis was famous for its Black Market and Slave Auctions.
"I need a slave," I reasoned. "I don't support the system, morally speaking. But the world is ending in a few years, and I don't have time to run a civil rights campaign right now. I'll liberate them after I save the planet."
I packed my bag. I was ready to leave.
Until the door to the 100th Floor creaked open.
Clank. Clank. Clank.
A massive figure walked in. Full black armor. Blue flames licking the joints. A greatsword the size of a surfboard.
I froze.
A Dullahan? A high-level mob?
The armored man stopped. He looked at the empty chest. Then he looked at me, a twelve-year-old in dirty clothes holding a travel bag.
"What?" I snapped, trying to bluff. "Yes, I cleared the dungeon. What do you want? Gonna cry about it?"
The armor didn't speak. He just stared at me. It felt like he was X-raying my soul—or searching for my loot.
He stepped forward and raised his sword.
He wants a fight.
"I can't fight him!" I panicked internally. "My STR is 16! That's the strength of an aggressive toddler! He'll squash me like a bug!"
Think, Curious. Think!
I raised my hand. "Dark Out!"
Instant darkness filled the room.
I activated [Sprint] and the [Hermes Boots]. I was a blur of motion, dashing toward the exit behind his back.
Gotcha, slowpoke!
I reached the door—and a cold, metal gauntlet clamped onto the back of my neck.
He caught me?! In the dark?!
I dangled in the air like a kitten. I was screwed. He could see in the dark, and his reaction speed was faster than my buffs.
"Wait!" I shouted. "I have the ultimate escape!"
I focused on the entrance of the dungeon.
"TELEPORT!"
[System Error!]
[Warning: Insufficient Mana.]
[Activation Cost: 5000 Mana.]
[Current Mana: 0.]
"WHAT?!"
I screamed, kicking my legs. "5000 Mana?! I forgot about the cost! I'm a battery-less mage! Ahhhh! Stupid, stupid me!"
"I can't die here!" I wailed. "I haven't infiltrated the Demon Lord's castle yet! I haven't saved the world! My farm! My potatoes!"
The grip on my neck loosened slightly.
"You..." a deep, hollow voice echoed from the helmet. "You infiltrate the Demon Lord's castle?"
I stopped screaming. "Oh, wait. You can talk? Wow. Uh, yes? I plan to. So what?"
The armor lowered me to the ground. "Then we exchange. I help you infiltrate. You help me. I am from Demon Lord castle."
I blinked. "Why? Aren't you working for the Demon Lord? Why help a human?"
"I want Freedom," the armor said heavily. "You want Save World. Ask no more."
I looked at him. The blue flames flickered like a tired office worker's soul.
"Freedom, huh?" I dusted off my shirt. "I get it. Black companies are the worst. Strict bosses, overtime, toxic work culture. I yearn for freedom too. Okay, deal. It's better than dying."
We sat down. We talked for three hours.
I learned the truth. This was Kevius Sloth. The Sin of Sloth. One of the Seven Generals.
He was a Dark Elf. He wanted to die.
"My wife died 200 years ago," Sloth explained, his voice cracking. "I wanted to follow her. But she made me promise... 'Wait for a meaningful death.' I have searched for 200 years. I cannot die. I have eternal youth. It is pain."
He looked at me. "Helping the Savior of the World... that is a meaningful death. I will teach you everything. I will give you my identity. You will become Kevius Sloth. And then... you will kill me."
It was tragic. It was poetic.
It was also a terrible plan because I remembered his lore from the game.
"Hold on," I said, patting his armored shoulder. "Don't die yet, buddy."
"Why?"
"Because you're a deadbeat dad."
Sloth froze. "What?"
"You have a daughter," I dropped the bomb. "In the Elf Kingdom, Yggdrasil. She's alive."
"I... I have a child?" Sloth trembled. "For 200 years... I did not know?"
"Yeah, well, the game writers were fond of dramatic irony," I muttered. Then I looked him in the eye. "Listen, Kevius. In my past life's knowledge... your daughter joins the Hero's party. But she's weak. Like, D-Tier weak. Her bow skills are trash and her wind magic is mediocre."
I grabbed his armor. "If I'm going to save the world, I need strong allies. Go to Yggdrasil. Find her. Train her until she's a monster. Don't let her be a bench-warmer. Do it for her. Do it for the world."
Sloth started shaking. A sound came from the helmet—sobbing.
He hugged me. A metal crushing hug.
"Thank you... Thank you so much. You gave me a reason to live. I will make her strong. Strong enough to stand by you."
Oh man, I thought, tearing up. I'm getting emotional. Or maybe he's just crushing my ribs.
We finalized the plan.
* I took the blueprint piece (it was indeed Part 3).
* I took his spare gear.
* I would go to Atlantis City, get a slave, and steal Part 2 of the blueprint before Gluttony got there.
* After that, I would assume the identity of Sloth and infiltrate Nazaria.
"Go, Kevius," I said, pointing to the exit. "Go be a dad."
He nodded and vanished.
I stood alone in the empty boss room.
"Okay," I grinned. "Next stop: Underwater Black Market. Time to spend this 300 gold."
To be continued.