While the attack squad was getting in, Kerren had a conversation with the automatons, their plan dissatisfied Kerren a lot.
- What do you mean you will give up on the facility? -- Kerren said angrily.
- We mean what you heard. We are not allowed to kill any intruders. -- "1" said weakly.
- Who told you that u're not allowed to kill? Your creator? Whoever programmed you? They're not even alive anymore! What the hell are you doing throwing your life away like that!? -- he was red with anger, he didn't understand them.
- This is not up to you to decide -- 1 continued -- You are just a guest, we gave you an option to leave, you refused, and now you want us to break our program? -- he stared at Kerren -- If so, why dont we kill you first? -- he then asked.
- Kill me first? Fine, if you destroy the attack squad afterwards and then seal the facility - i agree! -- Kerren said holding his head high.
- I agree with the boy -- another automaton added, his name was "2", he was the protector in charge of defending the facility. -- We should've done as i said from the very beggining! I cant believe this youngster is smarter than the three of you! -- he sided with Kerren, it was not that he liked him, it's just that he was a warrior that wasn't allowed kill, why wouldn't he be on the side that wanted destruction?
- If we listened to you, this boy u're referring to wouldn't even be alive right now -- 4 said while looking at 2, then he gaze fell on Kerren -- Boy, why do you want us to kill your comrades so much? -- he asked worryingly.
- Why? Because i want this whole facility to myself, of course! If you dont kill them - i wont have a chance to take even a single artefacts of yours! -- Kerren said, was it a lie or was he really that greedy?
- Hmm... -- it was the first time 3 spoke -- I think this boy is right. We should kill them, even if we die doing that, he knows many of our secrets, our art will dissapear. -- he mumbled.
- Elder, even if we wanted to kill them, you know this is impossible. -- 1 responded with a wry smile.
- No, we still have our greatest weapon -- he pointed above -- We will use our heart. -- he smiled.
- Elder! Even for me this is too much! This explosion will wipe out half of our world if not all of it! -- even 2 was afraid of such a thing.
- You know that we no other choice. Moreover, we cant set off the explosion directly, that why... 5 went and did the thing. -- 1 said with a sad expression.
- Yes, but the boy can. -- 3 looked at Kerren -- If you set the explosion you will have time to leave, we will stall for time. Also, if 1 permits it, i will give you a set of artefacts that belonged to our creator. -- he said with a smile.
- That is a good idea, but... -- as Kerren wanted to continue...
- I agree with the Elder! -- 2 said loudly -- Even if we die along with our legacy, the boy will live and carry on our knowledge! 5 already spent a consierable amount of resources on him. -- he said with an angry face.
- Then it's decided -- said 1 -- Boy, come here, i will tell you how to overload the heart. -- he waved his hand as a giant panel appeared.
- I didn't even agree! I dont want to ruin this whole place! Not only it's a gold mine, it has so much knowledge, it will help me ascend above my own world! -- he was getting greedy.
- Boy, we would be happy to give it to you, but... -- 4 said while looking at 1 -- 5 already went and disturbed the flow of mana, this place has a few days left, wether you want it or not -- he said weakly.
- So that's what 1 meant... He's not coming back, is he?.. -- Kerren said with a surprisingly sad face
- No. -- 1 responded.
Kerren was silent for a while, even thought 5 was tens of thousands of years older than him and was on a completely different level from him, he still considered Kerren a friend, first human human he interracted with in the span of thousands of years.
- Fine, show me how to do it. I will do it. -- he sad with a confident voice.
- Good, come... - as he was about to continue, an explosion sounded not too far away.
- Looks like we dont have any more time! -- 2 said worryingly -- Boy, quick, go to the portal! You will not have another chance! -- he said, pointing on a portal that was here the whole time, it led outside, using it Kerren would arrive to the entrance of the dungeon and will simply have to wait until 1 died, then he will be able to exit the place.
- If it has come to this - i wont leave, show me how to make it go boom! -- Kerren said while running to the panel.
- Fine, boy. Listen...
Meanwhile, the entrance to the control center.
- Men! Be careful! This place must already be prepared to receive us, watch where you step and be close to each other -- the Lady said loudly.
For the time being nothing major happened, Kerren was setting off the explosion, attack squad advanced closer to the control room, after Kerren went in, the place was shut off from the world.
It was now filled with monsters, traps and barriers protecting the seemingly small entrance to the main room. Of course, the place where the advancement took place wasn't unimportant, it was still a part of the control room after all, if they tried to study it, they would find out that they could control almost every part of the facility, with the exception of mana lines and and the Dragon Heart itself. of course, the main cotrol room was out of the question.
It was a good thing they didn't have the time, otherwise they could've noticed that anomalies closely tied to mana-overload slowly corroded the systems, if before one could change the layout however they wanted, now it was simply impossible since the amount of mana stored in those rooms was way above the norm, it was high to the point of forming new mana crystals with a speed that could be seen with a naked eye!
If this continued, any lifeform that was left in those mana-overloaded rooms would die a horrible death, such a high mana-density was usually a good thing, but the only reason to that is because mana crystals formed by it were the purest, far above A crystals people in Kerren's world use to trade with, they were insanely rare thus the enormous price - 1 kilogram of 100% pure A crystal for a single gramm of S crystal.
Why was it so special? Because it didn't break after one use. Normally, after mana was sucked out from a crystal - it would break. S crystals were different, they dimmed, but never broke no matter what, of course, such rare items belonged to the elite, that's why even if someone found such a crystal in a dungeon - they would think it's something new or unusual, not knowing that the thing in their hands will probably get them killed if known to the certain circle of people.
Now, the facility was filled with those crystals! Such amount and size of the crystals could allow one to buy half of the planet and rent out the rest! Of course, Kerren didn't know that they existed and neither did the attack squad, so that thing was unnoticed until much later in the story.
Dozen of minutes later, attack squad finally arrived to the central control room, where they saw Kerren proudly standing on a platform above them. None of the squad actually noticed him, until...
- Fellow comrades! I welcome you in my facility! I, as the new owner, bow to the mighty warriors! -- Kerren said... why was he roleplaying now?...
Just as someone was about to answer...
- It's you! -- the beautiful Lady shouted -- What the hell are you doing here! -- she pointed at him with ther sword for some reason, as if she wanted to pierce him!
- Me? Oh, yes-yes, once i was a porter in your raid! Oh, i'm sorry, a lot of time has passed that i almost forgot -- he said while pretending to remember -- How much was it, my friend? -- he looked at 1.
- 3 thousand and 64 years my Lord. -- he answered, bowing.
- Oh, right! Such a long time! I'm afraid i almsot forgot i was once miserable! -- he continued with a smile -- Fret not, my friends, i welcome you, so sneathe your weapons, we will have a great conversation about all that happened! -- he pretended to be kind.
- U're that porter who the Lady was talking about? -- the man in golden armor asked -- What do you mean 3 thousand years passed? -- he said with a confused expression.
- I mean that i've spent 3 thousand years here, of course! And so did you, my fellow comrades! -- he said with a smile -- Fret not, timeflow is different here! So.. in our world... around 5 hundred years have passed, maybe a bit less! -- he smiled even harder.
- What!? -- half of the attack squad suddenly shouted.
Kerrens words confused them! What do you mean 5 hundred years passed!? What do you mean u're here for 3 thousand years!? How is that even possible?! We haven't even spent a year here!
Of course, all this was simply a plot, what 3 thousand years? Kerren was simply stalling for time! After all, to overload the Dragon Heart he needed time, and the only way to do that was to confuse the attack squad!
- What bullshit! Men! Dont believe a single word of his! He's still wearing the same attire he was in when we first entered! -- the Lady suddenly shouted. -- What is your purpose stalling for time, little thief!? -- he was not buying his bullcrap.
-* Oh damn, i knew i forgot something! -- Kerren was dissapointed in himself.
- Oh, that? Hahaha, i decided to change it so you would believe me, of course! If i wore my usual attire you would think i'm one of the automatons! -- he didn't give up.
- So we would believe you? Believe what? That u're the new owner of the facility? Not in a thousand years will i believe that ever happened! -- the Lady shouted back.
- I am not asking you to believe, i'm simply stating the fact. If you sneathe your weapons and talk to me i will explain everything that happened slowly, dont worry, i bear no harm! More than that, i want us to make a contract! -- Kerren said happily.
- Contract? What do you mean? -- man in golden armor suddenly asked -- What can you, a porter, offer us? -- his gaze was full of scorn.
- What else but the possibilites of this facility! You see, your little was with my automatons dwindled their number a little, of course, i still have 6 thousand of them working on artefact production, but i dont want to lose anymore, it would cost me my profits! -- he said with a somewhat sad expression.
- Artefacts, you say? What kind? -- Lady suddenly asked
- Every kind! -- Kerren answered with a huge smile -- This facility is capable of making thousands a month! Imagine the possibilities! That's why i'm here talking to you! I need people to sell them to! And since you, my friends, each represent a guild - i offer you a contract! -- he said while barely holding his laugh.
He then threw a bag towards the attack squad
- Look, those are made here! Inspect them all you want, i have tens of thousands more! -- he was still smiling, as if everything he said was true.
The Lady, man in golden armor and man without a shield started inspecting them and... they were in shock! Such quality! Those artefacts were the top tier! No, even better than that! Each and single one of them was worth tons of 100% pure A crystals, and he threw them a whole bag!
- See? Take this as a token of good will! Now, do you believe me? Sneathe your weapons, lets us talk about the contract terms! -- he was repeating himself over and over again, not progress the conversation beyond what he initially wanted.
Attack squad, while not being the smartest people of earth, understood that something was not qutie right. Of course, this might really be the truth, but... Did he really need them? If he had 6 thousands more automatons, why would he need a few guilds? There were stronger guilds in the world... also, even without them he could easily sell them on the outside world! Something did feel right!
- So? What is your decision? Do we continue battling or we start talking? -- Kerren sounded confident that he could battle them anytime.
- Let us hear your terms. -- the Lady, as the "leader" said.
Kerren started talking, his monologue lasted for a long time. His plan was simple - to stall for as much time as possible! His only goal as of now was to kill every single person in front of him, and the only way he could do that is to make them stay in this room, because by now, if even one of them got out - he would instantly see that the whole facility was now a giant mana crystal!
As Kerren was talking, he first made absurd demands, like 99% of the profits for him, and the rest to the guilds, of course the disputed it instantly, he still tried to convince them but didn't go overboard, he behaved like he imagined a dignified archmage would, arrogant but kind on the outside! As time passed, the came to a consensus. The deal was made!
But... What was the point? He didn't have anything he claimed he had. Of course, he had a large amount of artefacts but no way to produce them on a scale he claimed, after all, all the automatons were now dead, and those that were left didn't have enough knowledge or resources to make such an army. Even if they did, would he really need those guilds?
As they were talking, 1 came closer to Kerren and said with a huge smile - My Lord, it is time.
- Time? -- the Lady asked -- Time for what? -- she said with concern in her voice, her hand already was on her sword.
- Oh, that? Excuse me my manners! It is time for a surprise! Rejoice, for you are to experience what none of the humans ever experienced and will never experience -- he waved his hand above, and a giant hole opened on the ceiling, of course, he didn't do that, 1 did, but he played along to very end, making it look like Kerren truly had the full control of the facility -- death by explosion of the Dragon Heart!
He then started his uncontrollable laugh, wether it's out of pure dread or was he truly happy that he was about to die? Perhaps he was happy that his plan worked? Who knows, but his happy laughter was the last thing that every single person around him heard.