《Reincarnated As An OP Dungeon: Prequel》 1 Orai, The Dungeon Core "You know, you never expect to have a knife in your stomach until it''s there". Those were my last words before I bled out in the park. I currently found myself waking up in a strange, white room. The last memory that I had was being stabbed while protecting my college crush. Even in this strange place, I hoped that she got away from the killer. Actually, what was this place? Heaven? Hell? The area in between? "Hey! Are you really going to ignore me? Do you want to die again?", a strange voice shouted. I looked around the room to see who was speaking but all I could find was a basketball-sized orb. Upon picking it up, it began to speak. "Hello! Welcome to your new dungeon! My name is Orai and I''m your Dungeon core!", Orai said. "Doesn''t this seem kind of...I don''t know...empty to be a Dungeon? ", I asked. "What? What kind of question is that? Did you hit your head when you died? This is your dungeon! We need to start building it before we both die!", Orai said. "What do you mean? Can I die twice?", I asked. "Maybe you''re still under some form of shock? I saw your final moments before you reincarnated. The girl with you was cute. The serial killer...not so much. Here, I''ll take us out of the void space", Orai said. Orai began to gradually glow, as the white walls of the room slowly fell. It seems that we were teleported to the final room of the dungeon, where the dungeon core is supposed to rest. This dungeon looked to be new but old at the same time. This was most likely due to the rather basic materials that the Dungeon was made out of. Luckily, I played enough RPGs to get a gist of what was happening. It looked like I was in one of those isekai that I always thought about entering but the Dungeon version! I would''ve preferred playing the hero or being the Demon Lord but I can make this work. I might as well play along and see what this world has to offer me. I was known for my intelligence and good fitness habits but I also liked gaming and isekai. Usually, these types of worlds have some sort of system in place. "Orai. Correct me if I am wrong but does this world have a system? If it does, how does the system work?" I said eagerly. "Finally showing interest, huh? It''s about damn time! I''ll get in my humanoid form!" Orai said. Orai''s orb began to float away from my hands, moving to the center of the room. The orb began to glow a mixture of red and blue before emitting a bright light. After I covered my eyes for a few seconds, someone was tugging on my shirt. "Hey...you can open your eyes now", Orai said softly. As I opened my eyes, I saw a 20-year-old girl with silver hair and sky blue eyes. Her right eye was a gradient of red and blue, with the colors frequently moving around. She was also a D-cup, which was a pretty nice sight to see. "Well. Now you have my attention, Orai! My name is Jordan! I was a 21-year-old college sophomore in my previous life! I''ll happily serve a beautiful core like yourself!" I said confidently. "What did you just say? We need to focus on building the dungeon! Stop saying weird things and help me out!", Orai said. "As a Man Of Culture and a member of the Oppai Federation, I can''t just ignore your breas-" As the angry waifu core landed a sidekick across my face, I deemed that it was probably time to start dungeon building after all. I may have been a man of culture but I was also a lover of strategy games. Never Underestimate A Strategist. 2 How To Be A Dungeon Master As I was rubbing my swollen face, Orai explained the Dungeon Management System that this world followed. Apparently, I was reincarnated in order to take control of a new dungeon, hence the name ''Dungeon Master''. I was surprised to hear that I wasn''t the only dungeon master on the continent, which was called Orune. In fact, there were hundreds of dungeon masters on Orune, mostly consisting of the original dungeon masters that have been here for millennia. There has recently been a dungeon shortage in Orune so the God Of War decided to summon more dungeon masters. The new dungeon masters were people who were summoned from different worlds like myself. It sounded like the probability of them being from earth was either slim or borderline impossible. "So are we good guys or the bad guys?", I asked. "It''s up to you! Since the God Of War is in charge of the Dungeons, he allowed the summoned dungeons to choose their own path. ''It makes it more exciting that way'' is what he usually says", Orai said. "How will I meet the other dungeon masters in Orune? Can I leave the Dungeon?", I asked. "There is a dimension similar to D1 that''s exclusively for meeting other dungeon masters as well as everything associated with the Dungeon System. It''s called the Dungeon Dimension, better known by the abbreviation D.D. or D2. D2 is a dimensional city built exclusively for Dungeon Masters and Gods, where you can do many things. However, the primary reason to venture there is to gather knowledge and supplies", Orai said. "Interesting...so this is like a Dungeon Building game, right?", I asked. "No! This is more serious than that! If you get challenged to a dungeon battle and lose, the penalties are harsh! If you get your core destroyed, we will both die! Real Death!", Orai said. She listed out the penalties for losing a Dungeon battle one-by-one: 1. Death. The victor of the battle can decide to kill you for all the points that you are worth. They can then proceed to take your dungeon core and fuse it together with their own, making their core stronger. 2. Join their Dungeon. The victor can demand that you join their dungeon for good! You get to keep your core but you are forever enslaved to the victor. It''s only if the victor decides to let you go that you are able to restart your dungeon. 3. Having Your Core Destroyed. The victor can separate you from your core and kill the core. You will be stripped of your dungeon master powers and live the rest of your shortened lifespan on Orune. This is seen as the most brutal option available for dungeon masters who are close to their cores. It''s almost the same as dying to the dungeon masters. 4. Dungeon Takeover. The victor gains full control over you and the dungeon. Any DP that you earn is sent straight to the victor and maintenance of the dungeon is decided by the victor. It''s possible that they leave you for dead or buff you in order to keep you alive. This can be seen as the most humane option in the right circumstances. "Do you understand now? You may be slightly perverted but you seem like a bright person. I have high hopes for you!", Orai smiled. "I think I got most of the information. What is DP though?", I asked. "They are called Dungeon Points! You earn 100 DP/day and it is used to purchase items and mobs to build out your dungeon! You can earn DP by killing, absorbing, or having enemies in the dungeon. You can also earn points by having friendlies in the dungeon. These are the main ways to gain more DP points in Orune! Your Dungeon level[DL] is how strong your dungeon is while DM is how strong the Dungeon Master is! As of right now, we are level 1 but we will eventually make it up to 1,000! I know it in my core!", Orai said smiling. As I continued to listen to Orai and her explanations, I became interested in an idea. I didn''t know if it was possible but I was always known as a person with ambition. I mean, who says I can''t become an OP Dungeon? 3 Dungeon Planning I got a variety of useful information from Orai, so I opened the DP Marketplace. As expected, I already had 100 DP but received an additional 100 since I was starting out. Apparently, I can increase the daily rate of DP by 100 every 10 levels until I earn 10,000/day at the max lvl of 1000. Orai said that S-Class items tend to start at a minimum of 100,000 DP and S+ starts at a minimum of 250,000 DP. I knew I was significantly far from getting my hands on those Mythic rank items so I closed the store. Orai told me that I was able to leave the dungeon but leaving makes the Dungeon highly vulnerable. Until we teleport back to the dungeon control room, we don''t have complete access to the Dungeon. Thus, it''s recommended that you leave your dungeon when you have adequate defenses, mobs, etc. "I''m going to take a walk outside. Start drafting a basic plan for the dungeon and I''ll purchase the items when I come back. I need to stretch my legs and take in some fresh air", I said stretching. "I''ll watch the Dungeon, Jordan. Don''t go too far, ok?", Orai said. As I wished her good luck, I walked out of the dungeon. It didn''t take long to find the entrance since we were still a starter dungeon. The layout was currently a straight hallway leading to an open area, followed by another straight hallway to the dungeon core room. The dungeon control room is in the "D1 void", which is the room that''s generated when the dungeon is born. It''s was most likely the room that I initially woke up in. After walking out of the dungeon, it seemed that we were placed in the middle of a grass plain that had a radius of 1 mile. Surrounding the grass plain was a forest, which seemed to be quite large in comparison to the grass plain. I also saw some sort of smoke coming from the west, which was most likely some type of city or town around 3 miles away. Once I saw a flock of dragons flying after a griffin, I had to accept the facts. "I would''ve preferred the demon lord or hero route but I guess I can be a Dungeon Master. Not like I have a choice anyway", I said jokingly. According to Orai, the reason hostile mobs in the area weren''t attacking was us due to the God Of War putting a temporary shield around the dungeon. The shield, called "The Shield Of Hidarus", is deployed when the dungeon master gains consciousness and gives new dungeon masters adequate time to plan their dungeons. Logically, there is no sense in summoning a dungeon master just to have him die minutes later. It''s a counterproductive practice, even to an impatient person like the God Of War. That''s why the shield lasts exactly one hour after the Dungeon Master wakes up. After hearing Orai''s full explanation of the world earlier, I still had approximately 20 minutes left before the shield came down. The 1-mile radius of grass plains was considered part of the dungeon since it spawns with every new dungeon in Orune. Although the dungeon was primarily an underground structure, Dungeon Masters could choose how they present their dungeon on the surface. As you would expect, I turned around to see that our dungeon was built into the side of a mountain. A large, arched medieval double-door was the only thing stopping people from killing my core. In other words, we were defenseless. "I can see why Orai was so eager to start dungeon building. Even if adventurers don''t visit us, what would stop the monsters nearby from attacking us?", I said. Inside the 1-mile radius were friendly mobs that wouldn''t attack unless provoked. Rabbits, foxes, deer, birds, etc. were currently inhabiting the grassland. More than likely, they were spawned with us in order to provide us food to start out. Making the area around the dungeon favorable to edible animals was a great way to ensure that the dungeon master wouldn''t starve. It was harder for a Dungeon Master to starve compared to a regular human so the food was more of a want than a need. However, outside of the grassland were numerous beasts. Wolves, Bears, Tigers, Giant snakes, Griffins, Blood canines, etc. were currently barred from entering the grassland but not for long. If I had to guess the difficulty of this area, I would say that it was far from being beginner-friendly. I ran back into my dungeon and slammed the double-doors, fully motivated to start building. I was pretty sure that I made eye contact with a Dire Wolf, who seemed determined to kill me. Upon teleporting to D1, Orai handed me the schematic of the dungeon. "As you have seen, this is our current dungeon. This 50x50 ft. area is the only room we have right now, which we shall call the ''Main Room''. Additional rooms for a dungeon start at 100 DP each so it''s not economical to expand the dungeon at the moment. However, we can at least summon some mobs to protect us. The benefit of having such a large room is the flexibility it brings. A Hallway strip can also cost 50 DP so you should keep that in mind if you want to add more hallways in the future", Orai said. "Ok. I''ll keep that in mind. It looks like we''ll need to fill the main room with summoned beasts in order to protect our core. Then, once something is killed in the dungeon, you said we can absorb them for more points. Does [Absorb \u0026 Kill] work on the grasslands?", I asked. "The grassland is ''technically'' part of the dungeon but you can''t take advantage of the [Absorb \u0026 Kill] feature until you expand its effective area. You can look at the grassland as your potential for expansion in the future. We can expand the radius once we improve our DL but that would take a drain of resources that we don''t have right now. Take a look at the DP Marketplace and buy some mobs. We have 10 minutes before the shield falls. I''ll identify any threats that are in the area", Orai said. I sat on the floor and opened up the DP Market. The interface was rather modern and featured great UI/UX. After switching over to the ''mobs'' tab, I had a variety of common choices presented to me. Goblins, Slimes, Wolves, Golems, Elemental spirits, etc. were the current choices that were unlocked. It seemed that some of the items were locked behind some sort of level restriction, with the next group of mobs being locked at lvl. 5. With 5 minutes remaining, I decided that I would spend my DP points in the following configuration: ---------------------------------- Goblins x 5 [10 DP each] 50 Points Slimes x 2 [10 DP each] 20 Points Elemental Spirits x 2 [15 DP each] 30 Points Golems x 5 [20 DP each] 100 points ---------------------------------- After completing my order, 4 magic circles appeared around the main room. In an instant, the mobs that I had just purchased were quickly placed in the room. Luckily, we had a screen in D1 with the view of the entire dungeon on it. We were able to see a mini-map version \u0026 a full map version of where the hostiles, mobs, and friendlies were; which was indicated by their respective icons. As time finally expired, we heard a variety of noises from the forest simultaneously. We switched to the outside view of the dungeon and saw that the map had at least 30+ hostiles on it. They were most likely beasts that were emitting some type of general, killing intent in the area. However, as we saw some of the enemy icons converge towards the dungeon, one of my first worries had been realized. It seems that we have been found out already. 4 Defending A Dungeon I played Strategy games similar to this so I tried to apply the same principles. I started to arrange my troops into a formation that would increase the likelihood of winning. I put 3 golems in the front of the formation while 2 were sent to the back. I placed the Goblins and slimes in the second row, with the elementals spirits being in the third row. Confident with this logical formation, I opened the double-doors of the dungeon. It seems that the first enemies we would encounter would be magic-dominant dire wolves. They were a pack of 5, with 4 of the smaller dire wolves being fire-types. However, the leader of the pack had some type of dark magic aura around him, as well as casually being 10 feet tall. "Oi. What the hell is this? 10-foot dire wolves? Really? Is this a sick joke, Orai?", I said. "This is the God Of War we are talking about, Jordan. Do you really think he wants to spawn dungeons in beginner-friendly areas? This is how he sorts out the weak from the strong. If he spawned us here, he must have felt that we were smart enough to utilize 200 DP wisely. Then again, he can be an asshole at times", Orai said casually. As the dire wolves got closer, the troops began running towards the entrance. The water-type and Electric-type elementals that I bought were rapidly launching ranged attacks against the wolves, which seemed to be less effective the farther away the target was. "That''s not a bad amount of range. I''ll have to use elementals more in the future! The goblins on the other hand..." The goblins seemed to be less intelligent than the slimes, as they charged in front of the golems only to be killed seconds later. I essentially lost 50 DP points in a matter of seconds. "What a waste! Can they not follow orders? What do they think the golems were for? Decorations?", I said. "Goblins are mainly used for dungeon battles, Jordan. It''s the fact that they don''t follow orders is what makes them perfect for setting off traps. All they want to do is get to the core, which makes them a troop mostly for rushing", Orai said. "Shouldn''t you have told me that before I bought them?", I said. "I never saw it in person so I wanted to see if the data was true! It''s not like it''s that big of a deal. What would 5 goblins realistically do against Dire wolves, Jordan? Beat them to death with those tiny clubs? You may be cute but you need to think at a larger scale whenever you purchase mobs", Orai said. Damn. She got me good! Imagine spending 50 points on goblins! Probably wasn''t the best call in hindsight. "At least the slimes are doing well. Guess my hunch was right about their abilities", I said. The dire wolves were at the entrance of the dungeon, shooting their magic attacks at the golems. Dark magic, as well as Fire magic, was being thrown against the golems on the front lines. Luckily, my hunch was right about the slimes being resistant to magic so I had the slimes become armor for two of the golems. I told them to become armor for the golems if the enemies were magic-types. If the enemies were physical-types, the slimes would become sticky traps to slow the enemies. In hindsight, I could''ve spent the extra DP from the goblins to purchase more slimes but what''s done is done. Anyway, the elementals were the true key to this formation since they were the primary attackers. The two golems at the back of the formation were assigned to protect the elementals for as long as possible. Elementals were capable of decent damage spells if they were given enough time to charge their attacks. "Watch this Orai! This battle is over! I can feel it in our core!", I said excitedly. Once the elementals were finished charging their attacks, the water-type attacked first. It used a water trap spell in order to entrap the wolves in place. With enough casting buildup, the spell was able to inflict the ''crippled'' status effect onto the enemies! One-by-one, the dire wolves howled as their hind legs were being snapped. The only beast that was unable to be broken by the strength of the effect was the pack leader. "Jordan! What do we do about the pack leader! He seems to be more resistant than the other dire wolves. Do you have a plan?", Orai said. "Don''t worry! That''s what the other elemental is for!", I said confidently. The electric elemental summoned a large, dark cloud over the pack of dire wolves. As the soaked dire wolves struggled to escape with their broken hind legs, the elemental shocked them with a large lightning bolt! The wolves howled as they were being shocked to death, before finally dying and being absorbed into the dungeon floor. All were defeated except the Dark-type dire wolf that was barely standing. "Ok Golems! Beat his ass and save the Dungeon!", I said happily. The 2 golems covered in the slime armor ran up to the Dire wolf and began to inflict damage! As they kept slamming, punching, and stomping on the dire wolf, I saw a notification pop up on the dungeon control screen: ----------------------- ''Do You Want To Capture [Dark-Type] Dire Wolf? Its current Class is [B+]''. ----------------------- "Hell yeah! How is that even a question! Do it before the golems kill him!", I said excitedly. The heavily injured Dire Wolf began to glow bright blue before eventually teleporting into the dungeon''s system. I guessed that the other monsters sensed the Dire Wolf''s passing, as the red dots on the map began to move away from the Dungeon. "Shit! I almost thought we were gonna die! What the hell was that?" , I said sighing. I spread my arms and legs before laying on my back. Orai copied me and did the same. "Hahaha! I''ll give you props, Dungeon Master. You''re smarter than you look!", Orai said smiling. We both started to laugh at her observation as a notification came up on the Control Room''s screen. ----------------------- ''The Domestication of [Dire Wolf] has been completed. Please Summon At Earliest Convenience.'' ----------------------- "Hey, Orai. How do I summon the Dire Wolf?", I said. "Oh! Just go to the dungeon''s storage by saying ''DS''. You can also summon the DP store by saying ''DP''. If your intent is to go to those places, then it should pop up instantly as a holographic screen", Orai said yawning. As Orai started to take a nap, I opened up Storage by saying ''DS!'' to myself. On the storage screen, the UI was divided among the categories of items. Upon clicking ''Mobs'', I saw the following list: ----------------------- Current Mobs: Golems [Deployed] Electric-Type Elemental [Deployed] Water-Type Elemental [Deployed] Slimes [Deployed] *Dark-Type Dire Wolf [Deploy] ----------------------- I casually clicked on the ''Deploy'' button for the Dire Wolf, not expecting it to instantly deploy beside me in its full, 10-foot height. The injuries that it had sustained were essentially gone, most likely due to the dungeon domesticating it. As it began to run in circles around me, I guessed that it was like a really big dog now. Happy to be domesticated, the wolf began to howl loudly in the Dungeon Control Room. He was quickly kicked out of the Control room by the aggravated Orai. 5 Preparing For The Dungeon Dimension The day after we got the Dire Wolf, Orai and I woke up from our slumber. Luckily, the dungeon control room had a King-Sized bed already installed, albeit uncomfortable. As Orai and I cracked each other''s backs, we looked at each other with drowsy eyes. We silently agreed that we needed to get ourselves a new mattress. As we drowsily got up, we saw that the dungeon control screen was showing us our daily report: ------------------------ [Dungeon Master Jordan] X [Dungeon Core Orai] DM: 1 DL: 10 300 DP/day DP: 500 ------------------------ I yawned, looking at the screen of information. "Look, Orai. Our dungeon is lvl 10 now. How come our DM hasn''t increased yet?" Orai rubbed her eyes, with her gradient right eye turning purple. "Oh yeah...DM is your rank. Every 100 levels that you increase the dungeon, your DM will increase by 1. The max rank you can have is DM 10. Also, DL is the average strength of the dungeon. If we didn''t have the Dire Wolf, we would probably be DL 4". Orai began to yawn as she walked to the screen. She was wearing dungeon themed pajamas, which featured a chibi illustration of her dungeon core with a crown. "Interesting Pajamas but where did you get it from? Doesn''t that core look a lot like you?", I said. As I smiled at the dungeon core''s cute pajamas, Orai''s face began to turn red with embarrassment. "If you laugh, I will literally dropkick you right now", Orai cutely pouted. Orai began to type into the Control screen, her right eye turning redder in the process. "I forgot to mention that this world works on the Letter Rank system. Any mobs, humans, friendlies, hostiles, etc. that you encounter will appear as a letter grade in your HUD. This is a skill that only dungeon masters and Gods can utilize, as the inhabitants of Orune don''t follow the concept of levels. They just gauge each others'' strengths and go from there. However, adventurers are easier to tell based on the guild''s ranking system", Orai said typing. When Orai pressed enter, the following screen appeared: ------------------------ S | 3200 DP A | 800 DP B | 200 DP C | 50 DP D | 0 DP ------------------------ "These are the values that the dungeon gives for any beast that you kill or keep in the dungeon. For example, those 4 dire wolves that we killed yesterday were C-ranks. That gave us 200 DP points in total. The Dark Dire Wolf we domesticated is currently giving us an extra 200 DP per day. If we were to kill it, we would get a one-time amount of 200 DP and some materials. Whenever the letter grade has a + next to it, like B+, that means that we have the potential to upgrade it to the next rank. Usually, that entails engaging in combat when it comes to mobs", Orai said stretching. "Enough about the dungeon though! I''m hungry!", Orai said. She was rubbing her stomach while her eyes sparkling. I didn''t realize that Dungeon Masters still had to eat so I deployed the Dire Wolf in the main room. After Orai and I teleported there, I rubbed the 10-foot beast''s back and told him to hunt us some breakfast. As I opened the doors, the Dire Wolf began to sprint out of the dungeon at full speed. As a surprise to Orai and me, hundreds of animals and mobs were scattered around the grassland of the dungeon! It seemed that when we scared the threatening mobs away from the grassland, we made a temporary safe area for us and mobs alike. Most of the passive mobs were D-ranked but there were a few that were C-rank. Orai and I walked out of the dungeon, taking in the amazing sight. "This is pretty incredible, Orai. Even if it''s temporary, it''s nice to look at", I said cheerfully. Before walking through the grasslands, I ordered the Golems, elementals, and slimes to watch the dungeon. After that was done, I walked through the vibrant, green grasslands that surrounded our dungeon. By the looks of it, the God Of War recently cleared the area when the dungeon was placed here. I could tell this by the behavior of the animals, who seemed to be new to the landscape. As Orai picked from a bouquet of blue flowers, she placed one of the flower heads to the side of her long hair. Upon seeing this cute side of her, I had to accept that I was developing feelings for her. When Orai turned around and saw me, she started to blush. "Ahem! Anyway, we need to get a new mattress! We could get one from the DP marketplace but it would be better to go to D2 and get a deal. Unlike the DP marketplace, we can get items that are currently lvl locked for us! As long as we have the required DM rank, we should be able to find a lvl 20 mattress instead of having to settle for a lvl 5!", Orai said. As the Dire Wolf walked towards us with multiple birds and pigs on its back, Orai told me she would handle the preparation of breakfast. We took the animals to the dungeon and teleported to the Dungeon Control room. For the price of 20 DP, we got ourselves a basic kitchen. We also bought a basic general-purpose table for 10 DP that came with 2 chairs. As Orai was cooking, she expanded upon what was available in D2. "The DP Marketplace is a convenient way to buy things but you can also purchase from the vendors in D2. However, compared to the marketplace, you can usually get better deals there. D2 is a big city so it''s only a good idea to visit when you have time to spare. As I stated before, it''s a dimensional city that''s made for Dungeon Masters so it should prove fruitful to visit. I''m looking forward to the food and the books!", Orai said. Orai handed me and the Dire Wolf our breakfast. Orai and I sat down at our new table, eager to finish breakfast and get a new mattress. As we were eating, I told Orai about my homeworld of earth, with the recent advancements in AI catching her full attention. Actually, it wasn''t surprising that she only wanted to talk about A.I. Even if I wanted to talk about earth''s culture and society. The Dire Wolf quickly finished his breakfast and was seeking his next command so we told him to go to the main room to guard the dungeon. After I got up to give him a congratulatory head rub, I sent him down to the main room. He sat in front of the hallway that leads to the core room and slept, ready to defend at any time. "This food isn''t bad, Orai! These eggs and bacon are pretty good! Well done, Well done!", I said happily. "Of course they are! A foodie like me has to keep reaching a new horizon of taste!". Her eyes began to sparkle as she struck a victory pose. "If I''m not conquering dungeons, I''m conquering the menu!", she said jokingly. As I began to uncontrollably laugh at her poses, Orai began to make her now-signature pouting face. However, I could tell that she was trying to stop herself from laughing at her poses. As we both laughed together, we had smiles beaming on our faces. It seems that our trip to D2 would prove to be an interesting one. 6 Goddess Of Wisdom After we set up the appropriate defensive measures for the dungeon, Orai teleported us over to D2. When we finally arrived, I noticed that it was a rather lively city. Gods, Dungeon Masters, Vendors, Mobs, builders, etc. were walking around the large, dimensional city. The city was also in the sky, with two islands connected to it by the use of bridges and mystical tree-like roots. I saw the currency of DP being exchanged in its physical form, which was golden coins with the face of a female Goddess on it. As I was taking in these strange sights, Orai began to talk to me. "While we are here for the mattress, we need to start learning how to build a proper dungeon. Like I said earlier, the primary use of D2 is to gather knowledge and supplies. The first thing we should do is go to D2''s premier library to gather that knowledge", Orai said. As we walked around D2, the architecture seemed to be a mix of Modern and Fantasy. It was pleasing to look at and seemed to made of a material that I was unfamiliar with. The City Of D2 housed Bars, Vendors, Libraries, Rest areas, Training centers, etc. that was made for the Dungeon Masters. We passed by mobs that I''ve seen in the Market and more powerful mobs that I had yet to see. Some of the vendors were actually subordinates of the Gods they worshipped since some of the souls were reincarnated from Orune. As we walked towards the bookstore, we heard various vendors marketing their products and services: "Need A Mob? Give A Job! Hire some High-Grade Demons to kill even the most stubborn adventurer! Get a B+ Demon for only 300 DP!" "Need Some Custom Walls? Hire one of D2''s most trusted builders and make your dungeon the stuff of legend! Basic walls starting from 50 DP!" "Want To Join In The Fight For Your Dungeon? Get some items to defend yourself! Bows, Swords, Magic Scrolls, and more are available for purchase! Starting from only 75 DP!" There were many vendors marketing the different aspects of a dungeon. The items they made, compared to the marketplace, were either customizable or made by the vendors themselves. The quality of the vendor, evidenced by their assigned letter rank, usually influenced the quality of the items. "We have around 470 DP so we should be able to get the books and have DP to spare. We should shop for things that can improve the dungeon", I said. "Yes. I wholeheartedly agree! After we get the books and the food, we will buy stuff for the dungeon!", Orai said happily. "Oi! That''s not what I said! We aren''t wasting our DP on food yet! Are you actually a foodie? Didn''t you say the dungeon comes first?", I said. In front of Orai and I was the ''Premier Library Of Excellence'', also known as PLOE. PLOE was a large, mystical structure, which looked to be even larger from the inside. As we entered the building, we could see that the bookshelves in the library reached towards the heavens. We saw what looked to be angels, demons, and fairies casually carrying the books above us while we walked to the front desk. "I thought Demons and Angels hated each other? How are they working together in here?", I said. "Remember when I said that Dungeon Masters can be good or evil? The God Of War wanted both types of dungeon masters to have the resources they need to run a successful dungeon. The library employees also act as endorsers of their party since Dungeon Masters come to the PLOE to become knowledgable", Orai said. When we got to the front desk, we were greeted with a divine looking woman. When she looked up from her book, she began to smile. "Orai! How are you doing! I heard that you recently came online yesterday! The books tell me that you are looking for something specific?", the woman said. "Jordan. This is the Goddess of Wisdom, Mera. She is one of the smartest people in D2 and the person in charge of the PLOE. She also oversees the selection of Dungeon Cores with the God Of War", Orai said. "Hidarus may be more brute then brains but it looks like he chose a good Dungeon Master. Not many Dungeon Masters lean toward the cute side..." "Hey! Mera! We are here to learn how to build a dungeon! Not to hear some old Goddess hit on a Dungeon Master!", Orai pouted. "You''re no fun, Orai! I''m only around 30 in Goddess terms! As for the books, I already have what you are looking for. They''re right here", Mera said. Mera reached under the massive front desk and gave us three books. The titles and prices were the following: How To Build A Dungeon Like A Pro! by Hidarus [50 DP] Encyclopedia of Mobs and Monsters! by Mera [50 DP] 99 Ways To Make The Best Food In D2! by Ambri [30 DP] "That''ll be 130 DP, please", Mera said. Before I got to argue about the last book, Orai walked over to Mera and gave her 130 DP. It seemed that Orai was able to generate our DP on command since the DP was stored with the core. "Thanks for being a member of the PLOE! We hope to see you again next time!", Mera said peacefully. As we walked out of the PLOE, Orai put 2 of the books in Dungeon Storage. Since we had 340 DP left to spend, we decided it was time to get stuff for the dungeon. We knew that another room would cost 100 DP and a hallway would cost 50 DP so we had to factor that in. That left us with 190 DP to spend on Dungeon items to fill those new spaces. "According to this book by Hidarus, we need to hire a Dungeon Architect to effectively build out the dungeon. Do you have any idea where to find people like that?", I said. "Of course! We need to head to the Dwarven District and see who''s looking for work! If we are lucky, we''ll find one who is also good at carpentry so he can make a new bed for us", Orai said confidently. As we both aggressively nodded in agreement, we headed over the dwarven district to find our new architect. ------------------------------------- It took around 20 minutes but we made it over to the dwarven district. Every building in the district was exceptionally well made and shining in the sunlight. The craftsmanship of the dwarves was on full display for us to see. "Luckily, after we hire the dwarf, he''ll only want food and booze as opposed to daily DP payments. This is part of the reason that architects are the people that Dungeon Masters buy first. However, this also means that the dwarves can deny rookie dungeon masters if they don''t like them", Orai said. As we walked along the dwarven district, we passed by the many bars and pubs that the dwarves built to satisfy their need for alcohol. We passed by many different vendors of dwarven products and services but couldn''t find what we were looking for. Either the vendor was too much, too little, too weak, too mean, too nice, or a variety of other faults that we encountered. We spent around 2 hours searching the dwarven district but was unable to find the dwarf that would solve our problems. Before we left D2, we headed towards one of the more popular pubs in the district: The Drunken Sprite. "I''m so tired of searching for this damn dwarf, I don''t even care that this isn''t one of the restaurants I wanted to visit", Orai said exhaustedly. As we walked in, we saw a group of angry Dwarves teaming up against a single dwarf! "Who the hell do you think you are, Briggs? You talk shit all over our crafts, consistently insult us personally, and then you have the nerve to show your face in this pub? Is your brain as small as your pecker?", one of the dwarves said. The dwarves had a unique, dwarven accent which was slightly slurred by their drunkenness. As we watched the dwarves fight for a few minutes, Briggs was somehow holding his own. I''m guessing it was thanks to his muscles and quick reflexes since he was actually winning a 5 vs 1. Eventually, three D2 knights came into the pub and took the aggressors away. The dwarves were significantly more bruised than Briggs so the soldiers had to carry the dwarves on their backs. Since Briggs wasn''t the aggressor, he was only told off with a warning. Judging from how the pub reacted, it seemed that bar fights were common in the Dwarven District. It didn''t seem like anyone cared what happened. After seeing that his letter rank was an A+, I decided to recruit him to the best of my ability. Even if the chances of him joining were small, we had nothing to lose at this point. "Hey! Briggs! Let a Dungeon Master buy you a drink!", I shouted. "Buy me 10 and I''ll call you whatever you want!", Briggs smiled. 7 Briggs,The Architect Part 1 It''s been an hour since I offered Briggs a drink and he was already on his 4th mug. During that time frame, we told Briggs about the events of the last few days and how we ended up at The Drunken Sprite. He had a dwarven accent, which was also Scottish in a sense. He was 4''8", bald, and currently sporting a great beard. Strong, stocky, and shorter than any other humanoid race, the dwarves were the ideal candidates for Dungeon Architects. According to Briggs, the dwarves are skilled builders who boast a strong tradition of courage and martial skill, as well as beautiful craftsmanship. Most of the dwarves in D2 were reincarnated from Orune but some were actually born here. Based upon a mix of merit and lottery, souls from Orune can be reincarnated into D2 to serve the Gods. Since they would never go hungry, sick, or poor while in D2, It could be seen as ''miniature heaven''. This was done to persuade the reincarnated residents to serve the Dungeon Masters and Gods to the best of their ability. Briggs told me all of this up to his 4th mug. As he ordered his fifth 50 oz. mug of dwarven rum, he decided to ask me the serious questions. "Let''s get to yer punchline lads! Yer looking for an Architect to build yer dungeon?", Briggs said. "Yes! As we told you earlier, we haven''t been able to find a good architect who met our requirements", I said. "Of course ye didn''t. These pantywaists can''t build ah damn wall if ye gave it to them! Haha!". As the dwarven woman gave Briggs his fifth drink, he took a sip of the rum. "It seems yer problem lies in yer demands. We are good builders but ye can''t expect us to be carpenters at the same time! Do ya even have the DP points required to hire such ah person?". Now that we thought about it, didn''t we spend 120 DP in this place? We only had 70 left to spend on an architect! "Oi, Orai! Why didn''t you tell me that we spent so much in this place? We still need to hire an architect!", I said. "What!? You''re going to blame me? You ordered food too, big baller! Aren''t you the one who ordered the Dwarven special for 30 DP?", Orai said. "Tch! Says the core who ordered 40 DP worth of food herself! Didn''t you say you wanted to eat your stress away? Make sure all that fat doesn''t go to your hips!", I said. As we argued and bickered over our Dungeon''s finances, Briggs began to laugh. "Hahaha! Yer quite ah pair of Dungeon Owners aren''t ye! However, if ya agreed to buy me 10 mugs, then wouldn''t that be almost all of yer DP?", Briggs asked. As I slowly turned my head to Orai, she lightly hit her head and said ''oops''. I grabbed her by the collar and shook her. "You dumb Dungeon Core! I thought you were supposed to be intelligent! Why didn''t you tell us that we were spending all of this DP in one place?", I said. "What''s wrong with spending our DP on some food and drinks? I think I earned it. They don''t call me Orai, the menu slayer for nothing!", Orai said smugly. I continued to shake her even harder than before, as we already spent a total of 120 DP without a single point spent on dungeon building. As I was shaking her, Briggs placed his hand on my shoulder. As I turned around, his face was beaming. "Hahaha! Ye two are funny and good kids! I made up me mind about ye two! I''ll help ye out with yer quest to build yer dungeon!", Briggs said. As I dropped Orai to the floor, she was currently in a moderate daze. I was confused by what Briggs told us so I asked him to repeat what he said. "Ye heard me! Since ye were willing to give ye DP to this arrogant Architect, I would be willing to come out of retirement to help ye. I turned down many of Dungeon Masters over the years but ye two seem to be different from the rest! While most Dungeon masters and cores look at us as tools, ye two look at us on equal footing. As an architect myself, I can''t overlook good people in this world", Briggs stated. "Are you sure though? Aren''t you an A+? You could be better compensated by a bigger dungeon than us. We can''t really offer you much since we just started...", I said. "It''s not always about the money lads! It''s about the happiness and enjoyment that ye have when ye building and planning! The least I could do for ye is help you begin your journey as a Dungeon Master! Ye may be new but you seem like you have ambition! Sounds like an interesting job for an experienced architect like me!", Briggs said. As Orai got up from the floor, she shook her head to get out of her daze. She cleared her throat and spoke to Briggs. "As a Dungeon Core, I need to know what type of payment you are looking for in exchange for your time and service. How much DP do you want Briggs? I can''t let an A+ Architect work for free!", Orai said. "Hahaha! This is why I like ye two. Don''t worry about the semantics! How about we share the next 5 drinks as initial payment and as a celebration! Ye just got one of the best damn Architects in D2!", Briggs said drinking. As Briggs began to shove Dwarven beer in our faces, we were happy to finally have our first Architect. We spent the next two hours celebrating our acquisition of Briggs and went through our full 190 DP allowance in the process. We celebrated with the other dwarves in the bar, who were happy to drink to a good cause. The Drunken Sprite was singing, dancing, and drinking to the successful hiring of Briggs. I overheard from the drunken dwarves that Briggs turned down a variety of Dungeon Masters despite his love of design. There was also a rumor that he turned down Dungeon Masters who were as high as DM Ranks 8-10. Although I didn''t know why he decided to go with a starter DM like me, I did appreciate his willingness to bet on me. I knew that acquiring a great architect was key in building an OP Dungeon but I didn''t expect to acquire one so soon. However, now that I have one, it''s about time we started building... 8 Briggs, The Architect Part 2 Before we left D2, we had to go to the bathroom to get the Dwarven Rum out of our system. Despite Briggs drinking more than Orai and I combined, he wasn''t even buzzed. Apparently, Dwarves can enjoy all the benefits of alcohol without much of the side effects. As I was throwing up in the Drunken Sprite''s bathroom, I wished that the mugs were smaller than 50 oz. It was clear that those mugs were meant for people with dwarven-like tolerance. Once Orai and I finished our business, we walked out of D2 with Briggs inbetween us. It was around 7:00 PM in the evening when we finally left The Drunken Sprite. We still had the 150 DP for the room and hallway but no other DP to spare. She inscribed magic markings with ''J \u0026 O'' on the back of Briggs'' hand so Briggs would be able to enter D1. While we were initially planning to visit Briggs'' place, Briggs decided to head over to our dungeon first. He said that leaving a dungeon unplanned was ''unacceptable'' for an architect. It also didn''t help that we nothing but a single room and two hallways. "Jesus, lads! I can''t let that shite slide! Is that actually the layout of yer dungeon? I can''t even call that layout ah dungeon! I see why ye needed an Architect so badly!", Briggs said. We headed over to the Dwarven District''s Townsquare and to let Briggs get gear from his house. As we waited for him, Orai and I took out the books we bought earlier. While I was looking through "How To Build A Dungeon Like A Pro!" and "Encyclopedia of Mobs and Monsters!", Orai was reading "99 Ways To Make The Best Food In D2!". I knew that Hidarus was the God Of War and Mera was the Goddess Of Wisdom but who was the author named Ambri? "Orai. Who is Ambri? Is she a chef or something?", I asked. "What? No! Ambri is the Goddess of Food and Wine! Everything she writes is considered gospel to cooks in D2! She''s personally one of my favorite Goddesses! I''ve never seen her in person so hopefully, I''ll get a chance to meet her. As far as I know, she helps train cooks who are A-rank and above at the culinary school in the academic district", Orai said. I thought it was interesting but I didn''t realize she like food that much. She was definitely a foodie. While we continued to wait, I was looking over ''HTBAD'' to see what was next on the agenda. It seems that we needed to work with Briggs to come up with an ideal layout before adding a more diverse set of mobs. Before I got to read ''EMM'', Briggs walked towards us. "Ok, lads! I''m ready to be yer architect! Take us to yer dungeon!", Briggs said. Briggs was currently sitting on the hand of a beautifully crafted Golem. The Golem was covered in matte-gold, paladin-like armor and seemed to be strangely human-like. It wore a helmet, with the inside glowing a goldish-yellow. It was slightly intimidating, as it stood 10-feet tall. As the golden golem placed Briggs on the ground, I noticed that it was wearing a large backpack, which was made with a mix of dwarven metal and leather. It seemed to be reinforced, with the dwarven metal being in the most critical places. "This is my Golem, B05E. I prefer to call him Bose though. He''s an A+ rank Golem that is in its fifth generation. Once I finally reach S rank, I''ll be able to make this beauty into an S-rank beast! Since I was retired, he''s mostly been helping me around the shop but he can be a great fighter when needed! He''ll help us by getting the materials that we need to build the structures, as well as helping me build them. Bose! Say hi to our new colleagues!", Briggs said. "Bose!", Bose stated. "Don''t worry. I can speak Bose''s language! I made it so you need this ring to understand what he''s saying. He can speak normally sometimes though. Bose! Speak normally!", Briggs said. "Bose. Say. Hi!", Bose said. As Orai began to inscribe a magic circle on Bose, we were able to get a good look at him. It seemed that Briggs was also an expert on creating golems since Bose seemed to be an advanced creation. Briggs told us that Bose ran on a rare Valsium core but he wanted to install a more legendary core. He said that he would be willing to create less advanced golems for us but he felt that it wouldn''t be needed. He said that the lowest Golems he can make are C rank. After we were done preparing, Orai started the teleportation process. It took a little longer than usual but that was due to the addition of Briggs and Bose. The four of us were taken to D1, with Briggs immediately looking over the design of the Dungeon Control Room. "Luckily, the dungeon wasn''t attacked while we were in D2! It''s almost 8:00 so I''m guessing the monsters are going to come out at night. We''ll need to ready our defenses and start building", I said. "What the fook is this lads? Do you call this ah bed? I wouldn''t even lay my arse on it. It looks as comfortable as walking into a succubus-joint with ya wife and kids! I see why ye were so desperate. Bose! Destroy this pile of minotaur shite!", Briggs said. "Bose. Destroy!", Bose said. As we watched Bose destroy our only bed, we saw Briggs take out drawing boards, protractors, compasses, pencils, drawing pens, brushes, gloves, hammers, and more items from Bose''s backpack. He began to quickly sketch a design before handing it to us. "I won''t let ya sleep on that centaur shite again lads. Nothing but ah eyesore to me! Bose is going to build beds for you and me while we start planning your dungeon design", Briggs said. The three of us teleported to the entrance of the dungeon, where the golems, elementals, and slimes were waiting. We also saw the Dire Wolf wake up and run towards us. "Oi. What the fook is that? I thought ye were ah beginner! That''s ah Dark Dire Wolf! Those are rare in Orune! I barely saw any when I was still living here!", Briggs said surprised. Briggs was initially wary of the Dire Wolf but the Dire Wolf began to lick his bald head. Since he didn''t have any hair, he wasn''t as mad as most people would be. After trying to hold it in, Briggs began to laugh. "Hahaha! I guess my hunch was right about ye two! This should be an interesting time together! Never would''ve guessed my head would be licked by a 10-foot Dire Wolf! Let''s begin the process of yer Dungeon Planning lads!", Briggs said. As Briggs walked with us outside of the dungeon, he was petting the Dire Wolf''s fur. It seemed that the Dire Wolf took a liking to him. "Lads. What''s the name of this pet of yours? It seems that I made ah new friend!", Briggs said. "We didn''t really name it yet but I was thinking of calling it Obsidian since it''s a dark-type", I said. As Obsidian and Briggs were getting along, Briggs looked at our dungeon from the outside. "Hm. It seems that this dungeon''s built into the mountain but it''s in the middle of the grasslands. We could build towards the top of the mountain or we could make it an underground dungeon. Personally, I would suggest making it underground since it will be sufficiently hidden. Making any potential enemies have to go deeper underground to loot and break the core will help us. The problem with making a vertical dungeon tower is that people could find ways around reaching the top. However, if we build it underground, we can have unlimited potential towards our dungeon planning. There''s also no size restrictions as well so I heavily recommend it for ye lads", Briggs said. It was clear by Briggs'' tone that he was gradually becoming his serious, architect self. It was like his personality completely shifted to one of a professional. Since he had his backpack on his person, he took out a sheet of Dwarven paper and a pair of pens/pencils. He began doing rough sketches of his ideas while looking at the landscape. "I guess we''ll go with an underground dungeon then. We can keep the first floor but move the core to the lowest level. I think that each floor of the dungeon should have multiple rooms, hallways, traps, monsters, etc. The longer we can keep hostiles in the dungeon, the more DP that we could gain. Is there any design that utilizes that concept?", I said. "Hm. Ye are a smart lad, Jordan. I was thinking the same thing! The question is how ye want it designed? Linear? Linear with sidetracks? Branching? Circular Routes? The Cross? Or maybe randomized? Just tell me which one suits yer fancy lad! Hahaha!", Briggs said. As Orai and I tried to keep up with the designs he said, we realized that we were utterly confused. Even though I played games similar to this, I didn''t know what the dungeon designs were actually called. Luckily, the ''HTBAD'' had a page of over 50+ dungeon layouts that we could seek inspiration from. Since I had to learn what they were called first, I decided to simplify our current design. "For now, we need an effective plan for our current dungeon once we add the hallway and room to it. Can you draft a plan that utilizes our current resources in the best possible way?", I said. With 2 rooms, three hallways, and our current selection of mobs; Briggs began to plan our first layout. He decided upon the name: ''The Constrictor''. 9 Planning out Constrictor After getting used to Briggs'' accent, I started to understand him normally. My mind began to ignore the accent altogether as if he didn''t have one at all. "Given the criteria, I think ''Constrictor'' would be your best bet. As you can see from this sketch, it''s a pretty simple layout. We place the rooms at the front and end of the dungeon, with the 3 hallways forming one giant corridor. With this layout, you can reduce the amount of space that intruders have while also increasing the density of the mobs in the dungeon", Briggs said. "We can also make the first room a rest area if we wanted to, right? If the hallways are filled with monsters in such a tight space, we can force the intruders to stay in the rest area longer. Then, once we get more DP, we can add more complex paths to the dungeon. We could even expand the rest area so we maximize the amount of DP that we can gain!", I said. "Impressive, lad. You catch on quick. I can see you are going to go far in the Dungeon World! Since the hallways are 100 feet long and 50 feet wide, we can have a 300-foot long corridor to house the mobs. It''s also wide enough to fit in any traps or mobs that we want to use against intruders. The rooms that we have right now are only 50 x 50, or 2500 square feet. Once we get on our feet and start earning more DP, we need to upgrade the important rooms to 100 x 100, or 10,000 square feet. I can also build the stairs that will lead to the Dungeon Core room on the 2nd level so we save DP on buying one. Once we make the stairs, we can just place the room next to it. Good thing the dungeon is built to be modular! Hahaha!", Briggs said. As we walked back to the dungeon, I saw Briggs continued to make the floor plan for ''Constrictor''. I saw him writing symbols, potential expansions, and personal architect notes on his paper. He was even drawing multiple versions of the initial layout with different modifications and mobs. Judging from what he was writing, it was clear that he was an expert at architecture planning. "We can replace the entrance doors once we finish ''Constrictor''. We''ll also need to upgrade the basic walls, floors, etc. once we finish since they only come as basic prefabs. Especially since these are only DM 1 prefabs as opposed to DM 5 or 6", Briggs said. "This seems like a considerable amount of work, Briggs! Are you sure you want to help us?", Orai said. "Stop asking the obvious questions and promise me you''ll build a bar outside of the dungeon! Whether you decide to be an evil dungeon or a good dungeon, building a bar outside wouldn''t be a horrible idea!", Briggs said. As we walked inside the dungeon and closed the doors, I decided to ask Orai and Briggs advice about choosing the Dungeon''s morality going forward. "If I wanted to be an OP Dungeon, would I need to be a good dungeon or an evil dungeon? Morality isn''t an issue as much as the projected power I could have. I want to be as strong as possible", I said calmly. As Orai and Briggs began to mull it over, Briggs decided to speak first. "Honestly lad, the only difference between a good dungeon and an evil dungeon is how friendly it is to intruders. For example, if you decided that building a rest area and a mini-town near the dungeon was worthwhile, your primary source of DP would be the friendlies who are near the dungeon. In contrast, if your primary source of DP was from the killing and absorbing of hostiles/friendlies, you would be considered an evil dungeon. The more bloodthirsty that you are, the eviler you are perceived to be. This is especially true if you send your mobs to kill citizens and bring them back to be absorbed. A dungeon could essentially act as a villain if it chose to. Personally, it would be best to start off as a neutral or friendly dungeon before moving towards villain status. Especially since you are still a young Dungeon Master! Regardless, I''ll help you two out until you don''t need this old dwarf! Hahaha!" Briggs said. "I would have to agree with Briggs. We need to build up our DP and build the dungeon before we purposefully piss off the locals. Of course, if someone dies in the dungeon, it''s seen as fair game. You wouldn''t be considered evil if someone willingly tried to obtain the treasure and destroy the core at the end of the dungeon. However, I would prefer that we go the neutral route to start off. When the time comes to decide how you want to become, I''ll fully support your decision to the end!", Orai said proudly. After hearing the encouraging words from my companions, my face was beaming on the way to the dungeon control room. Though, it seemed that their intentions may have been influenced by their desired buildings... --------------------------------------- It was around 10 PM at night in Orune. After we had come back from the outside of the dungeon, the three of us begun to work on our individual assignments. While Bose was busy building our beds, Briggs was currently sitting at his desk drawing and modifying the plans for the dungeon. If you are asking ''where did he get a desk from?'', it was the same question that I had asked him. Apparently, he brought a custom collapsable desk with him in the giant bag that Bose was wearing. The bag was significantly larger inside than outside, most likely due to some sort of spatial magic inscribed into it. Since he knew about our bed issue beforehand, he put the parts for a new bed in the bag. Judging from the current progress of Bose, it looks like he was building a Twin XL and a King bed set. Earlier, Bose went out to shear some sheep that were grazing the grassland. He eventually came back with batches of wool, plant fibers, and cotton. It seemed like the mattresses were done but the bed frames were unfinished. Despite that, we could still sleep on the brand new mattresses if we wanted to. Orai was doing what you would expect, which was reading the cookbook that she got from D2. However, while she was cooking with the ingredients she gathered earlier, her right eye was monitoring the inside and outside of the dungeon. Since she was the Dungeon Core, she had direct access to the Dungeon''s defensive systems. She was making fried snake and potatoes while managing our defensive systems. She wasn''t joking when she said defending the dungeon came before her culinary tastes. Anyway, Orai sensed a group of humans who were camping about 1.5 miles away from the dungeon. They were most likely from the settlement that was 3 miles away, which I saw when I left the dungeon on the first day. Since they were this far from the settlement, we all guessed that they were adventurers looking for treasure. This meant that we had to build ''Constrictor'' before they arrived. Based on their movement patterns, they were projected to arrive in two days by the defensive system. As for me, I was reading the two books that I had purchased from Mera at the PLOE. I had looked over the Dungeon Layouts that were listed as inspiration and told Briggs my numerous ideas. He was quick to deny as many horrible ideas as possible but was also quick to note the good ideas that I had. If I had to put a number on it, I would say that he agreed with nine of my new layout suggestions. Since that happened around 30 minutes earlier, I was currently reading the "Encyclopedia of Mobs and Monsters!" by the Goddess Mera. It''s to be expected but compared to the writing of Hidarus, Mera''s writing was more poetic in a sense. Every known monster in Orune and D2 was listed in the text, along with their strengths, weaknesses, magic types, rarity, and more. To call it comprehensive would be an understatement. However, the calm and soothing peace didn''t last for long, as Orai sensed 5 hostiles converging on the dungeon. Two were running and three were flying. They were all considered dangerous. 10 Griffin Defense Part 1 "It Looks like we have 2 minotaurs and 3 griffins heading towards the dungeon! We have about 5 minutes before they arrive but I''ll start preparing our defenses!", Orai said. From what I read in the Encyclopedia, Minotaurs were monsters with Superhuman Strength, Speed, and Agility. They can use the pair of giant horns on their head to ram into anything they encounter. Their ability to reason was also based on their rank, meaning that the stronger minotaurs were capable of more rational thought. This allowed a tribe of wild minotaurs to stay together, as the leader of the tribe was usually the strongest and smartest in the group. Judging from the map on the screen, it seemed that the minotaurs were running from the Griffins. They would most likely attempt to stay in the dungeon for temporary shelter, but it would be better to kill them while they are here. From what I read, we can build and customize our own monsters once we get enough materials. When I spoke with Orai and Briggs earlier, they told me that each dungeon master was born with a specialization in one of three branches. The branches of specialization are Summoner, Magician, and Warrior. As you would expect, dungeon masters can''t just watch intruders defeat their dungeons from the control room. Thus, the God Of War decided that Dungeon Masters can actively defend their dungeons if needed. However, similar to the core, if the dungeon master dies then the core dies as well. Luckily, I was given the summoner specialization, which means that I can start crafting monsters earlier than the other branches. This is also why Dungeon Battles were so popular in D2. It wasn''t just about the mobs of each individual dungeon going against each other. It was most likely a one-on-one with the other dungeon master and their own specialization. Dungeon battles took place in the Hidarus Coliseum on the Island Of Titans, which was the larger of the two islands connected to D2. The entrances of the dungeons would be linked on either side of the battleground, while the dungeon masters would fight in the area inbetween. I didn''t get any more information from Orai but I kept it in mind. I also read about the Griffins, which are said to be one of the more dangerous monsters in Orune. For one, the lowest level griffin seen in the wild was a B-rank, which is a rank higher than most other creatures. They could also come in a variety of magic types, making an already dangerous creature even more so. The fact that minotaurs were running from the Griffins made me wonder what rank they were. "Do you have a projected rank on the creatures? If minotaurs are smart enough to get away from the Griffins, they must be at a decent rank", Briggs said. "Hmm. They''re starting to get in range. Let''s see...Ok. It looks like the Minotaurs are both B+ while the Griffins are an A and a B+. I''m hoping the system is wrong about this information. I mean, can we defend against four highly ranked Minotaurs and Griffins?", Orai said. "Judging from the map, it looks like the third Griffin is a child. Its rank is indeterminate at the moment but it''s clear that it''ll grow up like it''s parents. The male Griffin is probably an A rank while the Female is a B+. I think we should try capturing that Young Griffin for the dungeon lads! We can speed its growth with the dungeon''s domestication system!", Briggs said smiling. "We don''t even have enough firepower to take on this many hostiles! How are we going to capture their child?!", Orai said. "Calm down, lad. Did you forget you have Bose and me? I hunted monsters when I was working as an architect for a different dungeon. I wouldn''t call myself an expert hunter but I know a thing or two! Bose was a combat Golem before I made him into my helper! He''s also an A+ after all! Hahaha!", Briggs said. "If we are going with that plan then I''ll spend the DP I was saving for the prefabs and buy some more mobs. When Orai and I checked earlier today, I was DM 1 and DL 10. Since we are earning 300 DP/day, it should be fine to spend some DP on the new mobs that I unlocked", I said. When I was reading the encyclopedia earlier, I went through the entire mob section and favorited the ones that I wanted to use. From my Favorites, this was the total list of mobs that I had access to after reaching DL 5 and 10: -------------------------------------------- (R) Slimes [10 DP] (R) Elemental Spirits [15 DP] (R) Golems [20 DP] (I) Slimes [20 DP] (I) Elementals [25 DP] (I) Golems [30 DP] (L) Orc [15 DP] (L) Cyclops [20 DP] (L) Giant Centipede [15 DP] (L) Giant Spider [20 DP] (L) Giant Serpent [25 DP] (L) Young Cerberus [35 DP] (L) Lich [20 DP] (L) Vampire [20 DP] (L) Skeleton Warrior [12 DP] (L) Skeleton Archer [12 DP] (L) Skeleton Mage [12 DP] -------------------------------------------- When I read the Encyclopedia, I was given a table of information regarding what each title meant: Lesser (C) Regular (C+) Improved (B) Improved+ (B+) Greater (A) Greater+ (A+) Mythic (S) Mythic+ (S+) -------------------------------------------- I already had Golems, Slimes, and Elementals so I decided to pick something new. I had 150 DP to spend and the knowledge of the Encyclopedia to support my decision. I picked the following mobs for our defense against the hostiles: Orcs [15 DP] x 5 Giant Serpent [25 DP] Lich [20 DP] Young Cerberus [35 DP] --------------------------------------- Once I completed my order, 4 magic circles appeared around the main room of the dungeon. Similar to my first order, they began to instantly appear in the room. The orcs were around 7''5" while the lich was 6''1". Meanwhile, Young Cerberus stood at around 20 feet tall. Luckily, the room was 50 x 50 x 50 so the ceiling was tall enough to accommodate his height. I read that the (Improved) Cerberus was 40 feet tall so this room should serve me well in the future. Since the 5 minutes had passed, the minotaurs were closing in on the Dungeon''s entrance. Bose teleported down to the main room while I was picking out my new mobs. He was currently in his golden paladin armor and had his weapon of choice: A matte-black, Axe-Greatsword. "That''s a pretty nice weapon, Briggs! Did you make that for him?", I said. "I had a friend make it for me! I can''t make weapons as good as I can make armor. As it pertains to your choices of mobs, I''m impressed. This should improve the effectiveness of ''Constrictor''. Our chances of getting that Griffin has improved", Briggs said. "Amazing! I always wanted to see Young Cerberus! He''s cute and terrifying at the same time. However, it looks like the minotaurs are about to reach us", Orai said. "Tell Young Cerberus to prepare for contact", I said smiling. As the doors of the dungeon burst open, I couldn''t contain my smile. What was better? The 400 DP that I could gain from the minotaurs or the 1000 DP I could gain from the Griffins? Either way, I was sure of one thing: I''m capturing that young Griffin. No matter the cost. 11 Griffin Defense Part 2 The doors of the dungeon burst open, as the 2 Minotaurs rushed in and quickly closed it. It seemed that they were being chased by the Griffins for eating their eggs, as I saw they had a mixture of blood, eggshells, and feathers around their mouths. Luckily, they ran straight into the Main Room. 5 Golems, 5 Orcs, 2 Elementals, 2 Slimes, 1 Lich, 1 Giant Serpent, and a Young Cerberus. These mobs were currently staring at the Minotaurs. Obsidian and Bose were also on standby to support the mobs if things got dicey. Unsurprisingly, the Minotaurs spared no time to attack, as they immediately began charging towards the Golems. Their speed was as fast as you would expect. "Hopefully, the slimes will slow them down. We need them immobilized", I said. Before the Minotaurs arrived, I turned the slimes into Slime Traps near the front of the Main Room. Initially, the trap worked and they were stuck in place for a number of seconds. However, they didn''t stay stuck for long, as they effortlessly used their battleaxes to cut the slimes into pieces. They used a mixture of lightning magic and pure strength to decimate the slimes. "Yikes! Their goes both of our Slimes. It''s to be expected when the enemy is a Dark-lightning type though. The slimes were effective at 10 DP, so I would suggest that we buy the (Improved) Slimes after this", Orai said. Although we lost our slimes, they bought the other troops enough time to enter formation. While the Elemental spirits were launching ranged attacks, the Lich was told to summon as many Archer Skeletons as possible. However, compared to the Skeletons I could buy, these skeletons only remain if the Lich isn''t killed. Thus, the Lich is a unit that is best placed at the rear of a formation. The Giant Serpent, also known as Titanoboa, was currently waiting to strike at its prey. The Orcs and Golems were initially assigned to attack the Minotaurs while they were entrapped but it turned into a frontal assault formation. As the Minotaurs charged towards the formation, the Orcs intercepted them first. Since the Minotaurs were only 6''6", the Orcs had the definite size advantage. However, the Minotaurs were more agile, faster, and stronger than the Lesser Orcs. Whenever the Orcs swung their Warhammers, it seemed to always be a step too slow. The Minotaurs would consistently parry their attacks and land hits against them. When the Golems finally arrived, they tried attacking the two minotaurs with blunt and physical attacks. Since the Minotaurs were B+, it was not surprising to see the Golems have their attacks be blocked by the Minotaur''s brute strength. The Golems were able to land more successful hits against them thanks to their size but they were able to be knocked back by the Minotaur''s charging Horns. However, since the Golems I purchased were Tank units that weighed 3 Tons, they were able to recover and charge back into the fight. The Titanoboa, realizing that the fight was looking uncertain, attacked the Minotaur to it''s left. It used it''s long, black tail to grab the minotaur and constrict him. Despite the initial effectiveness of the immobilization, the Minotaur was still able to use it''s lightning magic. It eventually shocked the beast to be released from constriction. "Well, shit. Looks like we need to send Obsidian and Bose after all. At this rate, all of the Orcs are gonna perish. They may have endurance but not as much as the Golems", I said. "It''s to be expected. They are all Lesser Mobs after all. Just imagine what they can do once they are B-ranks", Orai said. As the assault team was keeping the Minotaurs busy, Obsidian and Bose began to run towards their assigned Minotaurs. Obsidian had the one on the left, who was still recovering from Titanoboa''s constriction. I directed 2 Golems, 2 Orcs, Titanoboa, and the water elemental to give Obsidian back up. The rest of the mobs would be giving backup to Bose, who was taking on the other Minotaur. Time was also against us, as the Griffins were circling around the Grassland for the Minotaurs. It was only a matter of time before they picked up their scent and broke into the Dungeon. "Ok lads! I''ll put on my Dwarven battle gear and head over to the Core Room! The last thing we need is the Griffin destroying the core out of rage! I still have some general materials left over so I should be able to set up an ensnare trap for the Griffins!", Briggs said. "We wish you luck! We''ll try to finish off these Minotaurs before the Griffins learn their location", I said. "Given the Mountain, current weather, and the scent of the Minotaurs...I would say we have around 8 minutes", Orai said. As Briggs quickly put on his matte-black dwarven armor, I was surprised to see that he was an Archer. It seems that the only weapon he can make are bows, as the custom bow and string were matte-black and currently glowing neon blue. Before I got to ask him how he made it, he quickly teleported to the core room with his materials. We had around 6 minutes left. *Minotaur Moaning In Pain* "Judging from that sound, I''m guessing you have some good news!", I said cheerfully. "Looks like Obsidian bit off the Minotaur''s arm. I''ll put it on the screen for you", Orai said. Sure enough, the Minotaur was in Titanoboa''s constriction without his left arm. As the blood began squirting aggressively, I saw Obsidian glowing dark purple with the arm in his mouth. Since they were both Dark Types and of the same rank, I guessed that the lightning didn''t work on him. Dire Wolves, being natural hunters, had similar Strength, Agility, and Speed as the Minotaurs. Titanoboa quickly threw the Minotaur against the wall, with his unique battleaxe falling on the ground. I quickly put the item into storage while he was dazed and in shock. It took a number of seconds for items dropped on the Dungeon''s floor to be absorbed and added. It''s important to note that Minotaur''s derived their individual power from the special, rune-inscribed battleaxe that they carry at all times. This essentially meant that the disabled Minotaur could not use his lightning abilities without it. Since the Minotaurs were high-endurance creatures, it got up and took out the second battleaxe that it had on it''s back. Minotaurs usually dual-wield both axes when it''s not using its magic. Effectively using their magic required an open-hand and the inscribed axe, which the minotaur had neither of. Despite its current status, the minotaur still had to be taken seriously. As the Water elemental heavily restrained his only arm, the Golems and Orcs began their attack. While the Orcs left multiple cuts on the Minotaur, he was powerless to escape. When the Golems finally arrived, the Orcs stepped back and jogged over to support Bose. As the golems began to graphically smash and stomp on the Minotaur repeatedly, it was clear that this Minotaur was finally dead. "Jeez. That was kind of graphic. Good thing I don''t have to see that body for much longer. We''ll need those materials and 200 DP for our future plans", I said nauseously. I got the notification about the 200 DP and the components that I gained from the Minotaur. B+ Blood, Horns, and many more Minotaur components were added to storage. As I summoned the Minotaurs Axe, I got the same notification 20 seconds later with different components listed. Initially, I thought the system was bugged but when I looked at the screen, I saw a rather graphic image of the other Minotaur. Safe to say he wouldn''t have to worry about his headaches anymore. "Bose. Beat. Minotaur!", Bose shouted. Bose''s Axe-Greatsword was soaked in Minotaur blood, as he picked up the Minotaur''s Axe. Judging from his stance, it seemed that he knew how to dual wield. "Holy Shit! Brigg''s Golem is kinda badass! I know it''s an A+ but damn! I guess the real question is if the other mobs fought", I asked Orai. "Unsurprisingly, the answer is no. They were in Bose''s way so he told them to stand and watch. You should''ve seen the fight! The Minotaur was a Demonic Lightning type and still lost! To have armor with shock resistance that high, you have to wonder how Briggs made it", Orai said. As the Headless Minotaur fell on the floor, I was now 400 DP richer and with various high-grade components in my Storage. Since I was a summoner specialization, the Dungeon gained the ability to collect more components than usual. With these components, I can either craft a custom monster for the Dungeon or summon a beast for when I''m traveling around. After seemingly reaching the end of the battle, Orai and I fell onto our King-sized Mattress where we laid exhausted from the stress. Thankfully, the softness of the Mattress helped us to regain some of our energy and calmness. Our celebration was cut short, however, as we heard a mixture of Griffin Roars and Screeches. As we heard the Griffin roar, I remembered an important excerpt from the Encyclopedia and laughed: "A Griffin has an acute sense of smell and even a drop of blood is potent". That''s what funny. We had two pools of it. 12 Krotos, The Griffin Briggs teleported to D1, where we were still laying on the Mattress. Even though we knew the battle wasn''t over yet, we couldn''t help but lay down and rest. When Briggs checked the screen, he saw the pools of blood and Bose holding a Minotaur''s axe. "Safe to say the Griffins reacted to the blood, huh? You didn''t tell them to minimize the bleeding?", Briggs said. "I only remembered the Encyclopedia passage after we killed the Minotaurs. Speaking of, can''t we just negotiate with the Griffins? From what I read, most griffins are able to learn languages and speak it", I said. "Hm. We might be able to but it''s a gamble. We don''t know if the Griffin is passively hostile or not. We also have to factor in that the Minotaurs ate the eggs of the Griffins so they could still be hostile about that. The only way to truly know is by talking to them directly, lad. Regardless, we have to get that Griffin in the dungeon. A-rank Griffins are hard to find and even harder to catch", Briggs said. As if on schedule, we saw the Griffins begin to dive towards the Dungeon''s entrance on the map. After we heard a loud thud from their landing, we heard someone knocking moments later. A deep voice began to speak towards the Dungeon''s doors. "Ahem! Greetings, Dungeon Master! We have smelled the blood of Minotaurs that have wronged us! We are entering your Dungeon as guests!", the Griffin said. As the Griffins opened the Dungeon, we saw the Female, Male, and Child Griffin walk inside. According to the Encyclopedia, Female Griffins were 8 feet long, had a 25-foot wingspan, and weighed 700 pounds. The Male''s measurements were 16-50-1400, which was evident by the Griffin walking towards the Main Room. The three of us hesitantly teleported to the Main Room, hoping that the Griffins weren''t an immediate threat. As for me, I was somewhat nervous to converse with an actual Griffin. "We don''t want any trouble, Dungeon Master. Just show us where the-" Once the Griffins reached the Main Room, they saw the diverse set of mobs that near the 2 puddles of Minotaur Blood. He also saw Orai, Briggs, and myself near the back of the room with Cerberus and skeleton Archers behind us. The Male Griffin initially had a surprised look on his face but quickly gained composure. "Interesting. I see that you have taken care of the Minotaurs for us, Dungeon Master! Well done! You have the thanks of our family! My name is Krotos and I''m the son of the Legendary S+ Griffin, Apollo. My current Rank is A+, my friend", Krotos said. Once Briggs heard the Griffin''s name and rank, he became lightheaded and fell on the ground. Bose ran over with the two weapons in hand, dropped them, and picked up Briggs. After Placing Briggs on his shoulder, he picked up the weapons and stood in the spot that Briggs was standing in. He was ready to fight with Briggs on his shoulder? "Bose. I think your Priorities are uh...slightly incorrect at the moment. Are you really going to fight with Briggs on your shoulder? What if he falls while you are swinging your swords?", I asked. "There''s no need for that! I have no reason to attack your Dungeon. I only came to kill the Minotaurs. My wife and I have already satisfied our bloodlust by killing their entire tribe. These two were the stragglers who happened to escape. Nevertheless, we wish to hear the reward for your inconvenience.", Krotos stated sternly. "Huh? What do you mean? What reward are you talking about?", Orai asked. "Since these Minotaurs were stragglers that my son missed, I feel that it is our fault that you had to use your Dungeon resources. As the 4th son of Apollo, I have an honor and privilege to reward the ones who helped us", Krotos said calmly. When Orai heard that, she told the Griffin to give us a second. We quickly turned around and began to whisper to one another. "What do you think we should do? Apollo is a legendary creature with only 8 children, all of them being sons! We lucked out by being indebted to one of his sons but the question is what to ask for", Orai whispered. "Why don''t we ask for him to join our dungeon? It''s not like we can just ask for his child! I think that ship has sailed. With Briggs out cold, we have no idea what the process of capturing a Griffin entails. Not to mention Bose can''t tell us how since he can hardly speak! We are kind of on our own here so why not have him join? We could always change our request if he says no", I whispered. "What?! Do you really think that will work? He''s the 4th Son of the Legendary Griffin! It''s not that easy to convince someone like-" "Hello, Krotos! My name is Jordan and this is Orai! We are the owners of this dungeon! My request is for you to join this dungeon, as well as live on the top of this mountain!", I said. The Griffins were quiet for a few moments, before turning around and whispering to each other. Orai and I became nervous as 4 minutes passed with no answer given. Briggs began to finally wake up, as Bose took him off his shoulder and placed him on the ground next to us. "Lads! I just had the craziest dream. I dreamt that the Griffin was an A+! The only way that would be possible was if the Griffins were descendants of Apollo! Absolutely insane, right? Borderline Impossible! Haha...", Briggs weakly joked. "About that Briggs...we asked the son of Apollo to join our dungeon. It sounds crazy but it''s true. We are hoping they accept our offer!", I said smiling. "As long as it wasn''t insulting, we should be fine. If it feels insulting, it wouldn''t be hard to see Krotos start attacking us in retaliation. Children of Apollo traditionally hate disrespect.", Orai stated. "Indeed! I hope you two know what you are doing". Briggs knocked on Bose twice before motioning him towards the core room. Bose decided to place the weapons on his back and follow behind Briggs. "Bose and I will disarm the traps! You guys still owe me another beer so don''t die! Hahaha! C''mon Bose!", Briggs laughed. 30 seconds after Briggs and Bose walked away, the Griffins finally turned around. The faces of Krotos'' Wife and Child were beaming. Judging from the expression of Krotos, it seems the wife and child made the choice for him. "After hearing the opinion of my wife and son, we have decided to temporarily live on the top of this mountain. Our nest and cave were ransacked when the Minotaurs raided our eggs so we need a temporary home before we find a new nesting area. Since you have a brand new mountain and lots of grassland, it seems that this place will suffice for now. However! I will be the only one joining this Dungeon! My wife and child will not participate in defending your dungeon! I will also only defend the dungeon when I am able to! That means night till morning will be spent with my family!", Krotos stated. While the female and child faces were beaming, I could see a slight smile on the face of Krotos. Despite acting tough, he was glad to move to the top of the mountain. It''s hard to find the perfect hunting place for Griffins but this grassland would suffice. It was also safe enough to raise his son without worrying about another attack on his nest. Personally, I hoped the Griffin would stay as long as possible. I mean, could I really boss around the son of a legendary Griffin? Probably not. But I could still have the Griffin in the dungeon and earn the 800 DP per day that it brings. In that sense, I lost nothing but the two slimes and gained almost everything. Since Bose and Briggs are seen as part of the Dungeon, they only give 160 DP each or 20% per day. Having an A+ actually give what they''re worth was also a good feeling. I left the mobs in their positions and went to D2, where Orai and I fell onto our new mattress. As I began to fall asleep, there was only one thing on my mind. How the hell did I end up with 1520 DP/day?! ------------------------------------------------ Note For Reader: Krotos: 800 DP/day Obsidian: 200 DP/day Briggs: 160 DP/day Bose: 160 DP/day Lvl.10 Allotment: 200 DP/day ------------------------------------------------ 13 Constructing Holy Constrictor Part 1 I woke up from my peaceful slumber refreshed and ready to start building my dungeon! I just received the notification that the 1520 DP was allocated to us! Combining that with the 400 DP we gained from killing those Minotaurs, I had 1920 DP to spend on expanding my dungeon! When I turned my head and looked at the screen, the following information showed itself: ------------------------ [Dungeon Master Jordan] X [Dungeon Core Orai] DM: 1 DL: 20 1520 DP/day DP:1920 ------------------------ I turned to my left to wake up Orai, as she was currently sleeping on my chest. I didn''t know how she got there but I wasn''t really complaining. I decided to wait a few minutes before waking her up, not knowing when I would get this chance again. As I started to slightly shake her, she started to gradually wake up. Upon seeing the situation that she was in, she became red and flustered. "Tell a single soul about this and I will unleash unknown horrors against you...Jordy", Orai said blushing. "What are you two Dungeonites doing this early in the morning? Was the bed too big? Or maybe it was too small? Hahaha! It must be nice to be youn-" Briggs was unable to finish his sentence, as Orai jumped out of bed and tried to land a sidekick against him. As he caught her foot, she rapidly began launching multiple kicks and punches against Briggs. After he consistently blocked every single one, Orai jumped back. "So you have chosen death? It''s a shame. I was starting to like your personality", Orai said. "I see you are bashful when it comes to your feelings, Orai! Do you really want to duel over this? Do you think you have a chance against me? The time you could''ve spent improving your martial arts was spent cooking! You don''t stand a chance, lad!" Briggs said proudly. "Can''t a Dungeon Core get some exercise every once and a while? Show me what you got, you old man! I may be a B-ranked Fighter but I still know a thing or two! Don''t break your back when you try to attack!", Orai stated. As Orai and Briggs began their pointless duel, I noticed that they were both enjoying themselves. Their faces were currently beaming. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The humans that Orai sensed yesterday were still projected to arrive tomorrow. The Dungeon Defense System identified them as beginner adventurers, most likely around the rank of C+. While Orai was aggravated about her loss, she was cooking breakfast in our new kitchen. Since we reached DL 20, we unlocked the Improved Version of appliances among other things. Earlier in the morning, we purchased the following items: For the price of 100 DP, we purchased an Improved Kitchen [B]. Compared to the basic kitchen, this one featured improvements in every single known area. It was also changed to an Island Style Kitchen. Orai suggested that we buy this since the Kitchen we had previously was inefficient. For 50 DP, We bought an Improved Table. It was a matte-black conference table that could hold a max of 6 people. However, Briggs wanted it so he could spread out his blueprints and plans on a larger space. He was too busy with the plans for ''Constrictor'' to bother with building a good one from scratch. It would also be used as a dining table when we are eating. For 120 DP, we bought an Improved Bathroom. I bought this since I didn''t want to bathe or piss out in the open. I thought that was reason enough to buy it. For 200 DP, I bought Orai and I some B-ranked medium armor from the market. Until Briggs was able to devote time to his forge, we would have to settle for these. Luckily, they were customizable so we got the armor in the colors we wanted. Finally, for 200 DP, I bought Orai and I a pair of elemental swords, which were also B-ranked. They could change their elemental status at will, as long as the user was compatible with that element. We bought the Armor and Weapons so we could actively fight for our dungeon. We could also use our appearance to trick any intruders to enter the Dungeon, giving us free DP. Thus, these served as combat gear and disguises at the same time. After these purchases were made, we currently had 1250 DP to spend on ''Constrictor''. ---------------------------------------- Briggs was currently at his Architecture desk finishing the plans for ''Constrictor''. Today was the day that we would finally bring our plans to life! As he brought over the final plans and spread them over the conference table, Briggs fell to his seat with a large sigh. Around the same time, Orai brought us our breakfast. "How are the plans coming along Briggs? Have you finalized it yet?", I asked. "Pretty much. The plan for constrictor is finished. I''m currently planning the 2nd level since we have a good amount of DP leftover. Here''s the floor plan for it. You can start rearranging the dungeon and placing the prefabs down. Once you are done, Bose and I will head down to the 50 x 50 room to set up the traps", Briggs said. Bose brought over a large pillow and placed it behind Briggs'' back. It seems that he was still tired from defeating Orai earlier, as he wasn''t as young as he used to be. The pointless duel with Orai was more of a challenge than the dwarves he fought when we met him. I guessed that it was her persistence that made her so dangerous to him. As I ate my breakfast, I carefully looked over the blueprint. I opened up the DP market and purchased the following items that were needed: 100 X 50 Hallway [150 DP] 100 X 100 X 100 Giant Room [800 DP] 25 X 25 X 25 Room [100 DP] x2 50 x 50 Hallway [50 DP] x2 After I purchased the items, I brought up the Dungeon Builder UI. With a piece of toast in my mouth, I began rearranging the Modular Dungeon that we started with. Luckily, I could move the rooms on the screen with my finger, selecting from the list of available objects/prefabs. Our previous ''Main Room'' was pushed to the back. Our new ''Giant Room'' would become the Rest Area and the beginning of the Dungeon. I took the two hallways and combined it with the one I bought, which permanently upgraded itself into a 300 foot long Corridor. With the 50 x 50 room now in the back, I placed the two 50 foot hallways on the right and left side of the room. These would lead to the two 25 x 25 rooms, which would all house a variety of traps. I placed the Dungeon Core Room on the second level of the Dungeon, whose placement was suggested by Briggs. The middle of the previous ''Main Room'' would house the spiral stairs that lower to the 2nd level, which was currently only possible with a ladder. As I confirmed my decision in the UI, the mobs were automatically undeployed from the Dungeon. The system began spawning in the Prefabs and rearranging itself according to the order. As I ate my breakfast, I watched the UI rearrange the Dungeon live on the aerial map. It took about 5 minutes before the process was completed. As Briggs walked over and looked at my UI, he began to smile. "See what happens when you obtain a Griffin? Your Dungeon looks like a Cross! I updated the design to its second version, which is called ''Holy Constrictor''. This design will not only constrict its enemies but utilize deception for the intruders who make it to the end. I already finished my breakfast so I''ll go ahead and start placing the traps! Don''t forget about the notes I made! I gave some mob placement suggestions!" Briggs happily said. As Bose and Briggs put on their backpacks and headed over to the end of the first floor, I looked at the Dungeon''s map. It was a beautiful sight, as I was finally the owner of a legitimate dungeon. As I opened the DP Store and looked at what we unlocked, I smiled. We had a fresh batch of Mobs to choose from. Some way more valuable than the others. 14 Constructing Holy Constrictor Part 2 Despite our current balance of 0 DP, I looked over what was unlocked after successfully reaching DL 20. It seemed that the rate that I would unlock new mobs was dependent on my current DL. The following guides were included on all pages of the DP Market: -------------------------------------------- [*Dungeon Master Unlocks*] DL 5 [Basic Unlocks] DL 10 - 100 [Unlocked Every 10 Levels] (C rank through B rank) DL 100 - 500 [Unlocked Every 50 Levels] ( B+ rank through A rank) DL 500 - 1000 [Unlocked Every 100 Levels] (A+ rank through S+ rank) -------------------------------------------- [*DM Ranks*] DM1 [DL 1-100] DM2 [DL 100+] DM3 [DL 200+] DM4 [DL300+] DM5 [DL400+] DM6 [DL 500+] DM7 [DL 600+] DM8 [DL 700+] DM9 [DL 800+] DM10 [DL 900+] -------------------------------------------- Judging by the intervals for which I obtained new ranks, I guessed that being DM 6/DL 500 was a good place to be. By the time I reach DL 500, I would have most of the A-rank mobs unlocked. This would most likely put the dungeon''s classification into the ''Hard'' category. As I reach towards DM 10/DL 900, the dungeon would slowly become geared towards Experts. The classification, depending on how close to DL 1000 it is, would most likely be Legendary. However, as Orai explained before, I can earn 10,000 DP/day at DL 1000. S-Class items started at 100,000 DP while S+ started at 250,000 DP. To obtain those items was the goal of every single Dungeon Master in existence. However, when a legendary item is brought into Orune, the Gods send prophecies of its existence to all churches in the land. Thus, when Adventurers sent by the church want to obtain the Legendary items, it wouldn''t be strange to see the Dungeon Master risk their lives to protect it. This was what it meant to be a Dungeon Master under the God Of War, Hidarus. The more skilled the Dungeon Master is, the more combat they can expect. This meant that the Dungeon Masters who successfully make it to DL 1000 are given the opportunity to permanently become Demi-Gods. However, not many Dungeon Masters make it that far since the difficulty is so high. I looked over the complete list of C-rank mobs to see their DL requirements. It seemed that I would be able to obtain every possible C-rank mob by the time I reached DL 50. Similar to the Griffins, some monsters in Orune don''t start out at C or C+. Thus, while I would have access to the over 350+ mobs, I wouldn''t have every single type of mob available. We also have to consider the fact that C-rank mobs aren''t that strong. For example, Young Cerberus [C] is the downgraded version of King Cerberus [S+]. Another example is when we fought the Dire Wolves in our first Dungeon Defense. While the Lightning attack killed the C-rank Dire Wolves, it didn''t kill Obsidian since he was B+. Essentially, C-rank mobs were good ways to test out the creatures before investing more DP into them. Anyway, upon looking at my favorite list of mobs, I saw that 5 new mobs were added. Since I set the list to only show the highest rank possible, it looked like the following: -------------------------------------------- (I) Slimes [20 DP] (I) Elementals [25 DP] (I) Golems [30 DP] (R) Orc [25 DP] (R) Cyclops [30 DP] (R) Giant Centipede [25 DP] (R) Giant Spider [30 DP] (R) Giant Serpent [40 DP] (R) Young Cerberus [50 DP] (R) Lich [35 DP] (R) Vampire [30 DP] (R) Skeleton Warrior [20 DP] (R) Skeleton Archer [20 DP] (R) Skeleton Mage [20 DP] (L) Giants [25 DP] (L) Beholder [35 DP] (L) Wyvern [30 DP] (L) Demon Soldier [20 DP] (L) Angel Soldier [20 DP] (L) Mimic [15 DP] (L) Cyborg [40 DP] -------------------------------------------- "Orai! Look at this! Our list of available mobs was updated! We even got a Cyborg added!", I said excitedly. "Cyborg? What''s a cyborg? Is that an exclusive mob you unlocked? Let me see!", Orai said eagerly. As Orai came over and looked at the DP Market''s UI, she began to nod her head. As far as I know, there was no entry about a ''Cyborg'' in the Encyclopedia that Mera made. Since she was the Goddess Of Wisdom, I found the situation strange. "It seems that your Summoner Specialization is already bearing fruit! You''ll unlock access to mobs that come exclusively from your world! However, they''ll come with a premium price tag based upon their strength. You should also be able to craft them if you figure out what their components are. We''ll have to hire a skilled summoner in D2 when we have the chance. The summoners were the vendors who were offering mobs to us in the streets. They''ll be able to figure out what materials we''ll need for our summoning efforts but we could also try learning it from a book", Orai said. Orai and I teleported outside to meet Krotos, who was waiting to start his first day in the Dungeon. However, when we teleported to the entrance, we saw a man with a pair of Griffin wings on his back! He had white hair, yellow eyes, and looked to be 30 years old. He was donning matte black armor with gold accents while his sword was matte black with red accents. When he began to speak, I knew it had to be Krotos. "Hello, Dungeon Master Jordan! I''m here to fulfill my promise to you! Judging from the sounds I heard earlier, I''m guessing you were remodeling?", Krotos asked. "Yes. Thanks to your residence, we had enough DP to build the Dungeon Layout we planned. However, I have to ask this: Why do you look like a human?", I said. "Didn''t I already tell you? I''m the 4th son of Apollo! It would be weird if I couldn''t transform! Hahaha! Legendary descendants can do legendary things! Although, I haven''t reached S-rank since I''ve been busy caring for my family. I''m sure I''ll reach it once I fight some strong enemies! However, my family will always come first!", Krotos said. "Orai. Did you know about his transformation?", I whispered. "Do Legendary Griffins not take on a human form in your world?", Orai whispered. The obvious answer to that question was hard no, as I began to open the doors to the Dungeon. Once Krotos laid his eyes on the Giant room at the beginning of the dungeon, he began to smile. "Welcome to ''Holy Constrictor''! This is going to be the rest area for the dungeon! I''ll give you a tour while I redeploy the mobs!", I stated. As we began to walk through the dungeon and place the mobs, Krotos was smiling the entire time. He began asking questions about the dungeon, which Orai and I answered as best as we could. I followed Briggs'' mob placement advice and noted his suggestions as I placed the mobs in the corridor. Once we got to the end of the first floor, we met up with Briggs and Bose. They were currently finishing the Spike traps for the 25 x 25 room on the left side of the last room. According to the Floor Plan, its purpose was to serve as a decoy treasure room. "I see we have our Griffin finally going to work! Make sure you don''t step on any traps while you are defending! I''ll make a copy of the trap positions so you can study it", Briggs said. "Ha! Please! Like I would be caught in those things you call traps! I''m the 4th son of Apollo! A Dwarf can never beat a Griffin! No matter what!", Krotos said proudly. "Dwarves can never beat a Griffin? I see what you need Krotos. You''re misguided in your beliefs. How about we take this to the rest area? We''re both A+ rank, right? Let''s see if your sword moves as fast as your mouth!", Briggs grinned. "I like how you think, Briggs! I need to freshen up my sword skills anyway!" Krotos took out his sword, which seemed to be enchanted with a variety of runes. It began to glow once Krotos placed it in his hand. "Being a father has made me a little soft but I think you''ll make good practice", Krotos grinned. As Briggs and Krotos began staring at each other intensely, Orai jumped in and put her arms around them both. "Hey! Let me join you two! I want to train as well! I want to try out my new weapon!", Orai said eagerly. As Briggs and Krotos hesitantly walked with Orai to the rest area, Orai looked back towards me. "Are you coming, Jordan? We can''t start without our Dungeon Master!", She said. As Orai, Briggs, and Krotos smiled, I began to realize something important. The Dungeon started to feel more like home. A home that kills intruders of course! 15 Constructing Holy Constrictor Part 3 While a miniature version of Obsidian was watching from the corner of Rest Area, Briggs and Krotos were currently dueling with each other. Obsidian, after being deployed, decided to switch to his energy-saving form. This meant that Obsidian transformed into a Dire Wolf Puppy, significantly smaller than his 10-foot form. This was possible thanks to the domestication feature of the dungeon, which was designed to give us more room for mobs. Luckily, Obsidian would still be powerful in his 10-foot form but significantly shorter. Despite it being 2 hours since they agreed to their duel, Briggs and Krotos were still fighting. For the first 30 minutes, they fought each other with training swords that Briggs made. Since this was the first time I saw Briggs fight, I was impressed by his sword skills. However, Krotos and Briggs were evenly matched for the entire time they fought, which led Briggs to challenge him to a different competition. Briggs, Krotos, and Bose went to the forest and got the materials they needed to make an Archery Target stand. After it was built, they tried competing in an archery contest for an hour. Since Briggs was mostly an Archer, he consistently performed at a high level. However, since Krotos was a Griffin, his eagle-like sight allowed him to also perform well. Since that competition eventually became indeterminate, they agreed to a fistfight. That''s what they''ve been doing for the past 30 minutes. "Well, shit! I have to say Briggs, you are more impressive than you look! I thought most Dwarves were nothing but drunken Architects! It seems you are a unique case, my friend", Krotos said. "You aren''t too bad yourself! I''ve forgotten the last time I''ve had an equal in combat!", Briggs said grinning. Judging from the tone of their voices, it seemed that they finally earned the respect of one another. Around an hour ago, Krotos'' wife and kid popped into the dungeon to see how he was doing. They were in a similar form to Krotos, with their Griffin wings on the back of their human form. For the last hour, they''ve been sitting in the air watching them fight. Krotos'' wife looked to be around 25 while his son looked to be 5. Krotos told us during the Dungeon tour that his wife''s name was Elizabeth and his son''s name was Bruce. They seemed to be nice Griffins on the outside but they asked if they could eat any intruders we didn''t need if they appeared in the Dungeon. Unsurprisingly, I agreed with their request. While they were all focused on the duel, Orai and I walked around the Rest Area. As you probably know, 10,000 square feet is a ton of space to work with. We also had a 100-foot ceiling that cemented the room''s status as a ''Giant Room''. However, Dungeon Rooms are made to be customizable so we decided to edit the room. Included in the purchase of every room was the ability to add stairs, ceilings, walls, doors, and more that was free of charge. Since this was a Rest Area, we decided to divide the room into sections. First, Orai and I divided the room horizontally so it could have a top floor and a bottom floor. This allowed the room to be a two-story structure that featured 2 [100 x 100 x 50] foot rooms. We also added a staircase along both sides of the wall so we had multiple ways of reaching the second floor. After that was done, we divided the rooms in half so we could have four rooms that were 50 feet wide and 100 feet long. With that finished, we were done preparing Constrictor for any intruders. All we had to do was wait for anyone dumb enough to enter. Since I wasn''t human anymore, I didn''t care what happened to intruders. Even if they turned out to be human, I wouldn''t be afraid to kill them. "Dungeon Masters who hold back are Dungeon Masters who will perish". That was one of my favorite quotes from Hidarus'' book. I still didn''t know if I was going to be an evil dungeon or not but any intruders who move past the Rest Area will die for Trespassing. That was unavoidable for any true Dungeon. I also checked the list of all the deployed mobs in the Dungeon, which looked like this: --------------------------------- Young Cerberus [C] Lich [C] Giant Serpent [C] Elementals x 2 [C+] Golems x 5 [C+] Orcs x 5 [C] --------------------------------- "Yikes! We''ll need to buy more mobs in the morning tomorrow! Luckily, the adventurers are only C+ so we shouldn''t be overwhelmed", I said. "Yeah. We should have a window of time in the morning to use our daily allotment of DP. I wouldn''t worry about it", Orai said. We walked through the 4 rooms that we created for the rest area, which was the plan that I wanted to implement. Briggs gave me a few tips but I already had a good idea of how I wanted the Rest Area to be. The entire Dungeon used a variety of lighting fixtures but the main ways to light the Dungeon were by the use of Wall Lanterns and Torches. Those came free with the purchase of the Prefabs but we could buy or make better ones if we chose to. After we checked all the rooms and verified that they were ready, we walked back down to the bottom floor of the Rest Area. It seemed that Elizabeth and Bruce left the Dungeon while we were upstairs. We also saw that Briggs and Krotos were laying on their backs. As we walked over to them, they both turned their heads towards us. "Ugh! I''m going to be honest lads, I think we took it a little too far. Not only am I sore from the fistfight and martial arts, but I''m also not as young as I used to be! Good thing I already finished those traps earlier", Briggs said. "Indeed, Dungeon Master Jordan. This Dwarf may be old but he is a persistent one! Hahaha!" Krotos began to laugh while laying his head on the ground. Briggs quickly joined him in laughing at their situation, as they agreed to recognize each other''s merit. After that, Orai inscribed the magic circle onto Krotos'' hand so he could teleport to D1. We spent the rest of the day preparing the Dungeon for its first visitors. Briggs was drawing the plans for the second floor of the Dungeon at his desk in D1. It would most likely utilize a different design and be more complex than ''Holy Constrictor''. His plan was to have a max of 10 floors to the Dungeon. Since the floor size of the Dungeon was unlimited once it went underground, Briggs couldn''t contain his excitement. It was possible to actually have a floor be as large as a Town or City if you wanted it to! You could even make a floor covered in nature and install an Artificial sun on that floor using Crystals. It would be extremely expensive but the possibilities were literally endless. Briggs was unsurprisingly happy to begin his work. Krotos was in his Griffin form sleeping in front of the Corridor. He would be the first person that Intruders see other than Obsidian, who would also be near the front of the Corridor. Krotos would be the one to warn intruders that entry into the Dungeon would be certain death. He would warn them but he would never stop them from entering. If things got serious then he would teleport to the Dungeon Core Room to defend the Core with us and Briggs. However, I felt that we didn''t have to worry about that for now. Bose was building some of the objects needed for the Rest Area with the instructions that I gave. Things like Campfires, Wooden Benches, Training Dummies, Archery Target Stands, Storage chests, etc. that would help make the room more into a Rest Area. Obsidian was outside of the Dungeon looking for beasts to hunt. He was in a hunting party with Elizabeth and Bruce since nothing could really stop them from getting their prey. Since it was the Evening, they both needed to hunt for Dinner anyway. As for what Orai and I were doing, we were currently relaxing in D1. Ever since she was beaten by Briggs, her new hobby has been practicing her Swordsmanship and Martial Art skills. She still liked to cook for us and read Ambri''s cookbooks but it was clear that she became more serious towards her Dungeon Responsibilities. She told me she realized her tendency to think about food was hindering her progress as a Core. Thus, she would start to train and prepare for intruders who would dare threaten our peace! I was currently reading the Dungeon Building Book by Hidarus to see what I needed to do next. It seemed that ''Dealing With Intruders 101'' was the next thing I needed to read. As Orai, Briggs, Obsidian, and I ate our dinner, I was reading the chapter intensely. The things that Hidarus suggested were downright genius ways of interacting with your intruders. Even after dinner, I read the chapter until I finished it. It was around 11 pm when I completed my education for the Dungeon and I couldn''t stop smiling. Orai stayed up to practice her martial arts so we both went to sleep at the same time. However, I barely got any sleep that night, as I was excited to meet the adventurers tomorrow. Orai notified me earlier that the Dungeon predicted the arrival to be around 1 pm, allowing us to spend our 1520 DP before they arrive. As I sat in the bed with Orai sleeping next to me, I could only think of what Hidarus wrote. "Manipulation is a Dungeon Master''s most important skill". "Give a DM an intruder, and you feed him for a day". "Teach a DM to attract intruders, and you feed him for a lifetime". 16 Our First Intruders Part 1 "Are you sure that there is a dungeon this far out? I''m pretty sure there is nothing but forest for miles", Emily said. "According to the guild, they got word that another dungeon arrived a few days ago. Since it''s still new, this is a good opportunity to map the dungeon''s layout for the guild", Ronan said. "Who cares about that stuff! Think about the untouched treasure that''s inside! I heard we can get a nice amount of coins if we destroy the Dungeon core!", Miller said. Ronan, Emily, and Miller have been on a research expedition to find the newest dungeon, which arrived 3 days ago. They left their town of Ravenscar and have walked 3 miles to find the dungeon. According to the church, the new dungeon could be found in this direction. Their orders were to report back what they find and leave the dungeon as is. "I can''t believe the church would send one of their newest healers on such a long expedition! May the Gods bless my legs with more strength!", Emily prayed. "Stop whining! This is what we have to do if we want to get the treasure that awaits us! Think about it! If the dungeon is new then we should be able to raid it for loot! The mobs in there shouldn''t be more than a C-rank!", Miller said. "I already told you, Miller! Our orders were to leave the dungeon as is! Use your brain more than your muscles and you would know that every dungeon is different. We don''t know what to expect from this dungeon, so we should move carefully once we find it!", Ronan said. In this adventuring party were a group of three adventurers who were working together for the first time. Since the Guild marked it as a C-ranked quest, newbie adventurers were encouraged to accept it. Fresh from their training, they decided to have their first quest to be the easiest one to complete. Ronan was a sophisticated Mage fresh out of the Ravenscar Magic Academy. Despite being highly intelligent, he was still a beginner in the ways of magic. However, he was able to control multiple types of magic despite only being 18. His current rank was C+. Miller was a 19-year-old Brutish Warrior who was good at what he did but exhibited unfavorable characteristics. After years of training his body, he was officially able to get the title of Warrior from the guild. He was currently a C+ rank. Emily was a 17-year-old Holy Healer from the Ravenscar Church. Since she was a beginner in the ways of healing, the church sent her out on daily minuscule tasks. This was the first time she was assigned to help out adventurers, despite exhibiting lazy tendencies. She was also a C+. After walking through the forest for 3 days, they finally saw something other than trees: a large and circular grassland. It was currently 1 PM in the afternoon. "Grassland? That''s not on the map. This is too large to just be a cartography error! This must be what we are looking for!", Ronan said. The group of adventurers walked out of the forest and onto the grassland, where they saw a large mountain in the middle of the circular field. Upon looking at the top of the mountain, they noticed a large Griffin''s nest. Judging from the way the nest was made, it seemed that it was a new nest that housed at least two large Griffins. However, the Griffins in question were nowhere to be found. "Oi! Isn''t that a Griffin''s nest, Ronan? I thought you said it was rare to find one?", Miller asked. "Yeah! That''s because it is rare! We have to start recording this right now! The Griffin hunters have to know about this!", Ronan said. As Ronan, Miller, and Emily began to walk around the mountain, they couldn''t find a way to scale it efficiently. However, while walking around the mountain, they happened to find the double-doors of what looked to be a dungeon. The Dungeon doors featured a Griffin Emblem in the center and were made out of stone. The name of the dungeon was also placed above the door, which was on a stone plate with gold lettering on it. "The Dungeon of Constrictor? I''ve never heard of that dungeon before", Emily said. "This has to be the dungeon the guild was talking about. It also roughly matches the coordinates of the church. I think we should prepare before entering", Ronan said. As Ronan and Emily took off their backpacks, they took out the items needed for a Dungeon Crawl. Meanwhile, Miller decided to ignore them completely and walk into the Dungeon by himself. Before Ronan and Emily could warn him, Miller swung the doors open. "I''m sure we''ll be fine! We don''t even need that gear! How advanced can a 3-day old Dungeon really be?", Miller said. As Miller swung the door open, Ronan and Emily were surprised to see that the beginning of the dungeon was... a rest area? Training Dummies, Archery Target stands, Campfires, Water Fountain decor, benches, and more were surrounding the rest area. The dungeon (deceptively) seemed to be pretty safe at first glance. "See? Nothing to worry about! Let''s hurry up and raid this dungeon already!", Miller stated. As the other two adventurers hesitantly entered the dungeon, they noticed that a man with white hair was practicing his archery. He was donning matte black armor and weaponry, which seemed to be strong. As the adventurers called out to Krotos, he began to smirk. At the same time, a certain Dungeon Master and Core were planning their entrance. It was time to put Hidarus''s lessons to the test. First up? How To Deceive An Adventurer. 17 Our First Intruders Part 2 [10 Minutes Earlier] "Looks like they made it on time, Orai. Is everything prepared?", I asked. "Yes! Everything should be in place. The Dungeon still identifies them as C+ so we shouldn''t have much to worry about. Briggs finished the remodeling of the front door earlier while Bose finished furnishing the rest area. How was your mob selection?", Orai asked. "It was pretty good. I got to spend all but 15 DP on the mobs! Look at this!", I said. Upon opening the Dungeon Interface, I showed Orai the entire list of mobs deployed in the dungeon: -------------------------------------------- Slimes x5 [B] Elementals x5 [B] Golems x5 [B] Orc x15 [C+] Golems x 5 [C+] Cyclops x4 [C+] Elementals x 2 [C+] Giant Centipede x2 [C+] Giant Spider x2 [C+] Giant Serpent x2 [C+] Young Cerberus x2 [C+] Lich x2 [C+] Vampire x2 [C+] Skeleton Warrior [C+] Skeleton Archer [C+] Skeleton Mage [C+] Orcs x 5 [C] Giants x2 [C] Beholder [C] Mimic [C] Cyborg [C] Lich [C] Giant Serpent [C] -------------------------------------------- "Wow! That''s a nice list of mobs! Are you going to place the C-rank mobs at the front?", Orai asked. "That''s the plan! Constrictor would work best if the weaker mobs were in the front and the stronger mobs were in the back. I was thinking of moving Obsidian to the middle of the Corridor instead of the front. That way, he can have the backup of the C+ mobs instead of the C mobs. I''m going to try to stock up on Orcs since they are pretty versatile. That''s why I went ahead and bought 15 of them", I said. "Looks like the adventurers are walking around the mountain. I think they are trying to reach Krotos'' nest but they should find the Dungeon door eventually", Orai said. "I''ll go ahead and move down to the Rest Area. Briggs! Make sure to watch Elizabeth and Bruce! I still don''t trust Bose with them. I feel like he''s going to accidentally hit my son", Krotos said. "Don''t worry so much Krotos! Bose is watching the Core Room and your family at the same time! He''s an A+ rank Golem so just go to the rest area and enact the plan! I can''t even participate since they''ll know I''m an Architect. I feel like a dwarf sitting in a rehab clinic for Fairy dust abuse. Useless", Briggs said. Krotos hesitantly agreed and teleported down to the Rest Area. He closed the wooden doors to the Corridor and picked up the bow that Briggs made. As he was practicing his shots, he noticed that the Dungeon''s door opened. He saw that the group of adventurers were entering the dungeon, with a muscular warrior leading the way. "See? Nothing to worry about! Let''s hurry up and raid this dungeon already!", Miller said. "Who the hell does this guy think he is? Raid?? My Dungeon?! This guy has to die first! Orai! Get dressed in the armor! We''re going down there right now!", I said. "I mean if you say so but how do we explain our presence though? Won''t it be weird to see us randomly pop up?", Orai asked. "We can say we were sleeping in the rest area upstairs. We can also have Krotos back up our claims. I was planning to use Krotos to deceive them but I can''t let this asshole breathe another breath. It''s time to use what Hidarus taught me!", I said. ------------------------------------------------------ [Now] As the adventurers called out to Krotos, he began to smirk. "Hello, fellow adventurers! How are you doing today?", Krotos said. "Oi! Who are you and why are you in this Dungeon?" Miller took out his greatsword, which was a wide and brutal weapon. However, Krotos was unfazed, as he put the bow over his shoulder and placed his hand on his sword. Miller began to ask another question. "This dungeon hasn''t been here for 3 days and a C-rank dungeon has a Rest Area? You know something, don''t you?". Miller and Krotos began staring at each other, the atmosphere slowly becoming tense and hostile. Before Miller could do anything stupid, Ronan and Emily hit Miller in the back. He quickly fell on his face. "Sorry about this asshole. Miller''s good at swinging his sword but not so good at using his words. The problems of being an idiot, I suppose", Ronan said. "Anyway! My name is Emily and this is Ronan! This asshole down here is Miller and we were assigned to this dungeon by Ravenscar! What''s your name?", Emily asked. "My name is Krotos and I''m a wandering adventurer. I happened to find this strange Dungeon while walking through the forest. It''s times like these you wish you had wings, right?", Krotos joked. "Hey, Krotos! Are you done practicing your archery yet? We were planning on playing a game of cards while the food cooks!", I shouted. Orai and I began walking down the stairs in the armor and weaponry that I bought. Luckily, it made us look like adventurers. These served as good combat gear and disguises at the same time. "Who are these two? I thought you were a wandering adventurer?", Ronan asked. I ran into these two while running from a Dire Wolf. I''m only a B-rank so it''s scary when you run into a 10-foot B+ Dire Wolf! Luckily, they helped me kill it. They are fellow B ranks", Krotos said. As Orai and I walked over to the adventurers, we noticed that the asshole was on the ground. I decided to help him up, attempting to win his trust. "Hey, buddy! Are you alright? What happened? Your nose is leaking blood!", I said. "Really? Shit! These assholes kicked me in the back for no reason! I''m the one asking the right questions here! This guy has to be the Dungeon Master of this dungeon!", Miller said. "Hahaha! Krotos wishes he was the Dungeon Master! We still haven''t seen them but you are welcome to join us upstairs! We are relaxing in the dungeon for a few days since they built a comfortable Rest Area. It''s pretty comfy so let us take you upstairs", I said. As Miller happily agreed, Orai and I put Miller over our shoulders and walked him towards the stairs. Once we were far enough from Emily and Ronan, we turned toward each other. We both had the same sinister grin as we carried Miller up the stairs. They didn''t suspect a thing, which is exactly what we needed. ------------------------------------------------ "Good thing you had an extra 15 DP on you! 3 Sleeping Potions for 15 DP isn''t a bad purchase!", Orai said. After discreetly using the sleeping potion on Miller, we threw his dumbass on the ground. "Bitch ass brute! Try to raid my dungeon! I''ll kick your ass!", I said. "Oi. You know he can''t hear you right? He''s asleep. But what''s the plan now? They think we''re adventurers so what''s the next step?", Orai asked. "Well, if we can earn their trust, we can persuade them to enter the Corridor of their own free will. That way, if any of them die, the remaining ones will only see it as a casualty. It''s important that they trust us so we can persuade them to bring more adventurers here. Hidarus said that killing adventurers as soon as they arrive will stunt your growth as a Dungeon. However, if we can increase the notoriety of the dungeon, we can get more individuals inside. Some will die and that''s great but if we can get a large amount of them to stay in the dungeon at one time...", I said. "I see what you mean. You want to keep individuals in the rest area as long as possible while some adventurers give their life to the dungeon. Not a bad plan, Jordan", Orai said. "I know! The first thing we have to decide is who to kill though. They still think that this is a C-rank dungeon, despite the mobs being higher than that. They''ll have a 0% survival rate if they walk through most of the Corridor. That''s not even considering that we have two Cerberus dogs at the end of the first floor. The mobs won''t be able to hold back from killing them and some of the C-rank mobs will probably die. However, long-term, we can generate more intruders if we let at least one of them live", I said. "Does that mean we are moving forward with the plan that Briggs suggested? Are we really going to build a Dungeon Town around the dungeon? What morality are you pursuing? An Evil Dungeon that kills any and all intruders? A Helpful Dungeon that only kills when they have to? What side have you chosen Dungeon Master Jordan?", Orai asked curiously. As I kicked Miller''s body a number of times, I thought for a few minutes about what Orai said. After I was satisfied with kicking Miller''s body, I sat on the stone bench and gave my answer. "Honestly, I think I''ll be Omnimoral. It''s the only way to be the best dungeon, right?", I said. However, I couldn''t tell Orai the truth. I started to like the idea of killing intruders, despite only recently becoming a Dungeon Master. It seems that Hidarus is starting to rub off on me, as my humanity begins to wane. 18 Millers Rude Awakening Part 1 15 minutes after we took Miller upstairs, Emily and Ronan joined us for dinner on the Rest Area''s 2nd floor. Even though we initially used it for deception, good food was actually cooking over the campfire. As you would expect, Orai was seasoning it while it cooked. "This place is pretty comfy for a dungeon! I can feel the lord replenishing my strength!", Emily said casually. Emily laid her back on the ground and placed her hands behind her head. She closed her eyes and sat on the lukewarm dungeon floor. Meanwhile, Ronan was drawing the map of the dungeon and writing down notes. "Usually, we would immediately be attacked by mobs for entering a C-rank Dungeon. Isn''t it strange that the Dungeon already has a Rest Area installed? If the book on Dungeon types is accurate, this has to be a Dungeon Room of the Giant configuration! This doesn''t make sense but the evidence in front of me is so clear", Ronan proclaimed. "Oh. That''s because the dungeon isn''t a C-rank, Ronan. We opened the Corridor to see what was in there and it seemed like it''s at least a C+", I stated. "Guess that would make sense. To have a Griffin prominently displayed on a Dungeon Door, it has to at least be higher than an entry-level dungeon. A C+ is the most realistic rank after all", Emily yawned. Of course, this dungeon was already a B+ overall thanks to Bose, Briggs, Obsidian, and Krotos. I figured that making them believe the dungeon was still beginner-friendly was the way to go since I can start building the notoriety of the dungeon gradually. I can''t attract too many high-level adventurers at the beginning since I''m not armed for it. I have to gradually increase the rank of my intruders so I can have the mobs that are needed to kill them. Judging from what Hidarus wrote about an adventurer''s strength, it would only take 3 great A-rank adventurers to decimate all of my current mobs. That would leave Krotos, Briggs, and Bose to fight on the front lines since Obsidian is only a B+. We don''t have the firepower needed to deal with a threat like that so soon. If I can get them to tell the guild that this dungeon is gradually trending upwards in difficulty, I could lure more of the B-ranks and C-ranks over here while having the higher ranks ignore it. "We overheard you telling Krotos you were assigned to this dungeon by Ravenscar. Is that a person of influence?", I asked curiously. "You don''t know the town of Ravenscar? Have you been living under a rock?", Emily asked. Miraculously, a decent-sized piece of the dungeon conveniently fell on Emily''s head, putting her in a dazed state. I wonder how that happened in a Rest Area. Guess we''ll never know. "Great! Now they are both knocked out! What a bunch of idiots! Imagine someone of my intelligence having to party with a lazy healer and an asshole warrior. They don''t even know how to draw a Dungeon''s layout for the guild! They knew I was going to do all the work from the beginning!", Ronan fumed. "Relax, Ronan! The Chicken and Beef Kebabs are almost done! We also have some Rabbit soup cooking with Orai''s special ingredients!", I stated. "Well, it does smell good. I guess I have something to forward to at least. I''ll go downstairs to draw the layout of the first floor and the outside entrance. Just call for me when the food is done", Ronan said. As Ronan began to walk down the stairs, Krotos came from the shadows behind us. As Orai and I discreetly gave the last two sleeping potions to Emily and Miller, Krotos felt it was safe to speak. "What''s the plan, Jordan? I don''t know how much longer I can stand the stench of C-ranks near me. Those disgusting beings always attempt to hunt a griffin but never want the consequences! I feel like I''m suffocating without a drop of human blood. Are you sure you need them alive?", Krotos said. "Although they appear useless, they are the key to the dungeon increasing its notoriety. We need a steady stream of adventurers and inhabitants if we are going to reach S-rank. Hidarus said that killing adventurers as soon as they arrive will stunt my growth but I''m willing to make an exception for a certain asshole", I said nonchalantly. As we looked over to a sleeping Miller, I came up with a clever idea that we all agreed to. After telling Orai and Krotos my plan, Orai grabbed Miller and teleported deeper into a different part of the dungeon. Krotos took a Kebab and teleported to the middle of Constrictor, meeting up with obsidian. Meanwhile, I took a sip of the rabbit soup that she was making. Sometimes it was sweet but the aftertaste increasingly became sour. Guess we ran out of sugar. It''s better to balance your sweetness with your sourness. That''s how you make good soup. --------------------------------------------- "Hey, guys! Are you playing cards? Can I play?", Ronan lightly shouted. Ronan came from outside of the dungeon with a new sketch of the door and mountain. As he was beginning to walk over to the stairs, he noticed that the Corridor door wasn''t closed. Upon looking through the opening, he immediately swung open the door. "MILLER! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU SLEEPING!", Ronan shouted. "Shut up, bitch! I''m trying to sleep! My body is aching me for some reason. I think I landed weird when I fell on my face. You know my back is aching me right now?", Miller said. "WHY ARE YOU IN THE CORRIDOR! GET THE HELL OUT OF THERE, YOU DUMBASS", Ronan shouted. "Eh? What the hell are you yelling about? I''m upstai-" As Miller woke up from his slumber, he awoke to find himself 50 feet into the beginning of Constrictor. He was currently surrounded by the Dungeon''s C-rank mobs! "Oi! What the hell is this? Did Emily trick me again? That bitch!", Miller shouted. After hearing Ronan''s shouts; Emily, Orai, and I ran downstairs to the Corridor''s entrance. 3 feet inside of the corridor was a white line with a variety of skull types painted. Ronan and Emily were smart enough to stay behind the line since we told them the Dungeon''s minimum rank. Miller was the only one who didn''t know about the ranking. "Man, screw you guys! I''m taking the treasure for myself! I never liked you two anyway! Too soft for a warrior like me! First, I''ll start by killing these ugly ass C-ranks! Then I''ll go ahead and kill everything else in this Dungeon!", Miller shouted. As Miller took out his wide, brutal sword to defend himself, I was interested to see how he performed. He may have been an asshole but he was apparently good at what he did. That''s the only explanation for Emily and Ronan to accept this asshole into their questing party. I know Ronan is smart so Miller must be decent at what he does. However, the Dungeon told me why he was seen as a good warrior. Even though his skill was projected to be C+, his custom sword was apparently a B+ weapon. Take away his sword and you take away his pride. I think I''ll take that from him first. Among other things. 19 Millers Rude Awakening Part 2 As Miller readied his wide sword, I told the C+ mobs to stay where they were. Since Miller was 50 feet into the corridor, he was only 100 feet away from the C+ mobs that were surrounding Obsidian. Since the bulk of my purchase was C+ mobs, I decided to not waste any of them on someone like Miller. While the C-rank mobs were expandable, the C+ mobs were not. Given those directions, the current mobs surrounding Miller were the following: -------------------------------------------- Orcs x 5 [C] Giants x2 [C] Beholder [C] Mimic [C] Cyborg [C] Lich [C] Giant Serpent [C] -------------------------------------------- As I stated earlier, his sword outranked his individual skill so I knew he wouldn''t be able to fully harness the power of it. It seemed that the Wide and Brutal sword fed off of fear and hatred as the source of its power. Judging from the rest of his gear, he must have put all of his money into that weapon. "Hey, Ronan. Where did Miller get that sword from? It''s not a regular sword right?", I asked curiously. "No. Miller may be an idiot but he''s almost a genius when it comes to combat. As you can probably tell, he put more money into that sword than anything else that he owns. From what he told us in the bar, he had it custom made by a dwarf he was drinking buddies with. The sword itself is cursed since it needs to be fed hatred from the user, fear from the opponent, or directly fed with blood. If it doesn''t meet those two requirements, it steals the life of the user. That''s part of the reason the sword looks so brutal. Since It''s currently tied to Miller''s soul, it''s taking the shape of his personality. When Miller fights, he''s fighting with his life on the line", Ronan stated. I could tell he was telling the truth from seeing how Miller fought. Despite his arrogant nature and asshole personality, he was actually a good warrior. Unlike the Minotaurs, Miller was cautious about who he attacked. As soon as he took out his cursed sword, he went straight for the lich and cut it in half! I didn''t realize a sword could cut through bone so easily! The Titanoboa tried to grab Miller but he slid under the tail and cut it as he slid. He then jumped on the tail and leaped into the air. He spun in the air three times before throwing the sword straight into the skull of the Giant snake. He landed on the snakes head and grabbed the sword with his left hand, seconds before the snake fell! "Holy shit! That was unexpected! How is he able to do all that as a C+?", I said surprised. "The sword gives the user certain buffs to ensure that they meet the requirements of their contract. If I had to estimate what rank the sword is, I would say it''s B+. It wouldn''t be wrong to say that the source of his arrogance comes from that sword", Ronan said. After the Titanoboa and Lich were killed, I noticed that they were being absorbed into the dungeon. Since I reached DL 20 and primarily a summoner, I could recover some of the components that are present in deceased mobs. At DL 20, it begins to include my own mobs that are defeated in the dungeon''s territory. "He''s doing better than I thought. Guess he wasn''t speaking out of his ass after all", Orai said. "Let''s just hope he doesn''t bite more than he can chew! I don''t feel like healing him again", Emily said casually. Luckily, I had the option to mentally give orders to the mobs without blowing my cover as an adventurer. I mentally told the Mimic to retreat towards the middle of Constrictor while the Orcs and Giants began to surround Miller. The Beholder and Cyborg were currently on standby since I needed to use them wisely. Since the Beholder was mostly a ranged mob, I told it to charge it''s paralyzing ray as well as it''s Petrification ray. Meanwhile, the Cyborg would watch Miller''s pattern and intercept him once he understands his attacks. "What a bunch of green, ugly ass Orcs! The hell do you think you are going to be able to do against me?", Miller stated arrogantly. While the two 30 foot giants slowly marched over to Miller, the Orcs began to rush him at once! As they repeatedly swung their battleaxes and hammers towards Miller, Miller surprisingly held his ground. As the Giants finally approached, they began to swing their weapons of choice. While one Giant had a bronze hammer, the other one had bronze gauntlets. Miller quickly dodged both of their attacks but was met with the Paralyzing ray! As he was met with the ray, he immediately began to fall to the floor. "Shit! I can''t feel my legs! Ronan! Emily! Help me out here! I thought we were friends?! Get your asses over here!", Miller shouted. "Didn''t you just tell us to fuck off while you take the treasure for yourself? I think we''ve seen enough here Ronan. Let''s go upstairs and play some cards! Remember when you grabbed my ass on the way here? The Gods will forgive your transgressions if you pray hard enough. I have no obligation to help you", Emily proclaimed. "As much as we would like to help you, we wouldn''t really be much help anyway. You were our strongest party member so I think this is it, Miller. We''ll be sure to tell the guild that you died a noble death! Despite it being...less noble", Ronan said. As Ronan and Emily began to walk back up the stairs, Orai and I closed the Corridor''s door behind us. As we walked towards Miller, we couldn''t contain our smiles any longer. "Orai! Jordan! You''re going to help me, right! Thanks! I need you to kill that beholder so I can break free from this...spell?" As Orai and I walked towards him, he began to notice the mobs moving out of our way. Even though he was an idiot, he quickly began to put the pieces together. "Impossible! That''s god damn impossible! I won''t believe this! Why won''t they attack you! You are an intruder like me!", Miller shouted. "You dumb piece of shit. You thought you were getting away with talking shit about our dungeon? Know your place!", I said. As I placed my foot on Miller''s paralyzed body, the Beholder moved towards us. "Beholder. You should have enough charge to use a small amount of petrification right? Shoot it at his hand. Cyborg will take care of the rest", I said coldly. "Hey! What the hell! I thought we were friends! Why are you doing this!", Miller shouted angrily. "It''s nothing personal Miller. You were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. We still need you alive though. However, we will be taking something precious to you. Isn''t that right Krotos?", I said. Coming from the Corridor was Krotos, who was in his griffin form. As he approached us, he had a disgusted look on his face. "Ugh. Such a disgusting creature! Relying on brute strength and savageness is appalling! Are you sure I can''t eat him?", Krotos asked. "No! Remember your job, Krotos. After we are done with him, fly him over to Ravenscar and drop him from one of the buildings. He should be injured enough to be in intensive care for a few weeks. That should bring a good amount of intruders to us. You can have his hand though. The petrification is almost finished", I said. As Miller''s right hand turned to stone, the cyborg walked over. The cyborg''s hand quickly transformed into a saw, as he began to cleanly cut Miller''s hand with precision. Since he was paralyzed from the neck down, he couldn''t feel the pain of it...yet. As the Cyborg finished he knocked Miller out, throwing Miller onto Krotos'' back. He then threw Miller''s hand into the Griffin''s mouth. "It''s a little bit on the tough side! Thanks, Cyborg! I''ll go ahead and teleport outside so I can drop him off at Ravenscar. What will you do Jordan?", Krotos asked. As I picked up Miller''s cursed sword, I saw that it accepted me as its new master. It began to speak to me telepathically with praises of my achievements. "I think I''ll play around with this sword. Seems like things are about to get interesting. Make sure you cut one of his eyes too! That always seems to make people angry in the games that I played in my previous world", I said. As we teleported outside, we waved Krotos goodbye. I threw the sword into the Dungeon''s storage so it could be cataloged in the Dungeon''s system. Before we walked back into the dungeon, Orai and I teleported to D1 to check on Briggs. Upon arriving, we saw Briggs and Bose relaxing on a couch they made while we were in the Dungeon. Briggs'' face was beaming. "I already know what you are going to ask lads and the answer is yes! Give me the sword and I''ll make some modifications for you! Looks like the sword has the soul of a demon. However, I could rewrite the runes and make it into an A+ sword that collects souls! I just need some time to freshen up my knowledge of soul-based runes! Hahaha!", Briggs said. As Orai and I fell on the large couch, we brought up the Dungeon''s screen to check on the other two adventurers. They were happily playing a game of cards, seemingly unfazed by the fate of their arrogant companion. In fact, I''m pretty sure their faces were beaming. I guess they weren''t as pure-hearted as I initially thought. Looks like Orune is more interesting than I thought. I may have found my first pawns already. 20 Running A Dungeon Part 1 After Krotos dropped Miller off at Ravenscar, we met up and ate dinner with Emily and Ronan. We decided to use this time to not only fill our stomachs but to gather information. After around 2 hours of talking with the adventurers, we offered to do a night patrol of the grassland since we were in the dungeon before them. Since they were exhausted from their travels, they happily agreed to our request. After they wished us good luck on our patrol, we walked outside and instantly teleported back to D1. Krotos subsequently crashed on the couch. "Ugh. His hand was not as good as I thought. The meat was far too tender and his blood tasted like it was nutritionally deficient. It''s clear he eats meat and nothing else. I may have been hungry for blood but maybe I was too careless with my appetite", Krotos groaned. "Don''t worry lad! All you need is some good dwarven rum to wash away that taste! I had Bose bring a few with me!", Briggs smiled. "Yeah. If I wanted to throw up my entire stomach in the process, I would gladly take your offer Dwarf. However, seeing my family will probably be the better choice in this situation. I''ll see you guys tomorrow! Hopefully, my body''s excrement can help you farm in the future. It''s a key component in high-grade fertilizer!", Krotos said calmly. "Isn''t Griffin Excrement massive?! I''m not touching that! I''ll do anything but touch that! Matter of fact, we could just use our points to buy someone who can do it for us!", Orai quickly said. As we all smiled and shook our heads simultaneously, Krotos bid his farewell to us. Orai made it possible for him to teleport to the top of the mountain, which happens to be where his home currently resided. As he teleported away, Briggs walked over to our conference table and spread out his ideas for the second floor. "I''m thinking we should utilize the benefits of going underground to get more creative with our layouts. We can build layouts that enhance certain defensive and offensive strategies that you want to implement. I made a few drafts of certain layouts that seem to fit the way you run the dungeon but we need to acquire certain mobs for it to be effective. You''ll most likely need to reach DL 50 before we start construction so you can have access to the full suite of mobs we need. Luckily, ''Holy Constrictor'' is a simple but efficient layout that we can use while the second floor is underway. For now, we need to prepare the dungeon for more hostile monster attacks", Briggs stated. "Interesting points. Emily and Ronan are staying a few more days to map the dungeon before heading back to Ravenscar. We''ll see if we can learn something from them while they are occupying the dungeon. In the meantime, I''ll keep making modifications to the dungeon and upgrading the mobs. Once Miller awakes, he''ll probably cry wolf and get his drinking buddies to take back his sword and pride", I said. "Luckily, Miller is arrogant so he won''t tell the townspeople about us yet. However, judging from what Ronan told us, Miller has close friends he drinks with who are B+ adventurers. He''ll most likely tell them about us and send them to get revenge. We can expect at least 7 of them to be sent after us", Orai said. "Won''t they know you''re the Dungeon Masters since Miller saw you?", Briggs asked. "His friends might but the townspeople won''t. Part of the reason that Briggs was dropped from the rooftop was to give his claim less credibility. If we can convince Emily and Ronan that we are friendly adventurers, the townspeople will be more likely to believe the party members that were with him. Miller will essentially be the one who cried wolf", I said. After we all yawned together, we laughed at the occurrence and decided it was time to rest. As Orai and I got onto our mattress, we both stared at each other. As we both looked at each other in the eyes, I could tell a connection was happening. Orai and I began blushing before I noticed that she had a Teddy bear in her arms. It looked very similar to what I wore. "Oi. I''m not knocking your taste or anything but is that bear supposed to be me?", I asked curiously. As Orai began her trademark pout, she aggressively yanked the blanket to her side of the bed. It seems that my guess was right on target. Despite not seeing her face, I could tell that she was red with embarrassment. Whenever we have downtime, I may need to treat her to some restaurants in D2. ------------------------------------------------------------------ A brand new day comes with a brand new supply of DP! As I eagerly woke up from my slumber, I saw that Orai and Briggs were already up! While Orai was practicing her archery in the Rest Area, Briggs was working on something with Bose. "Huh? How are you two up before me? It''s still early in the morning", I yawned. "Orai has been wanting to increase her strength ever since she lost against me! Instead of spending our DP on training devices, I could just make them myself! I have to kill time until we reach DL 50 anyway! Just tell me any projects you want me to work on in the meantime! Bose is working on the sword you gave me. It''ll take a few days but it''s possible!", Briggs said happily. As I looked at the Dungeon''s screen, I noticed the daily notification of my Status: ------------------------ [Dungeon Master Jordan] X [Dungeon Core Orai] DM: 1 DL: 22 1620 DP/day DP:1620 ------------------------ Since Orai gave me the green light to make decisions regarding mob diversity, I went ahead and started my daily tasks as a Dungeon Master. I started the day by checking the list of mobs we had and spending 615 DP adding some mobs to the dungeon. The final list of deployed mobs was presented to me: -------------------------------------------- Slimes x10 [B] Elementals x10 [B] Golems x15 [B] Orc x15 [C+] Golems x 5 [C+] Cyclops x4 [C+] Elementals x 2 [C+] Giant Centipede x2 [C+] Giant Spider x2 [C+] Giant Serpent x2 [C+] Young Cerberus x2 [C+] Lich x2 [C+] Vampire x2 [C+] Skeleton Warrior [C+] Skeleton Archer [C+] Skeleton Mage [C+] Orcs x 5 [C] Giants x2 [C] Beholder [C] Mimic [C] Cyborg [C] Wyvern x3 [C] -------------------------------------------- After I deemed the list satisfactory, I teleported down to where Orai was shooting arrows. Luckily, Emily and Ronan were still asleep so I still had time to perform my Dungeon duties. It''s more efficient to manage the mobs in person than on the interface. "Good morning, Orai! Are you enjoying your training?", I asked happily. "Yes! This bow that Briggs made is of exceptional quality. I don''t think it would help your shooting though. Summoners aren''t that great with weapons so I wouldn''t expect you to be familiar with the art of-" As I shot a bullseye on my first try, Orai began to become serious. At that moment, a rivalry between Dungeon Masters was formed. Unlike most men, I believe in true gender equality. Despite that belief, I barely beat her in archery. We have to prepare for Miller''s revenge party so we''ll need to train more. Idiots like him always cause trouble. Idiots like him also get other people killed. 21 Running A Dungeon Part 2 After I spent some time with Orai, I teleported to the end of Constrictor. I saw that the ladder to the second floor was replaced by Briggs'' nearly finished spiral staircase. As I walked down to the 2nd floor, I was greeted with the Dungeon Core room. Compared to the rest of the dungeon, the room was the same as it was when I first started. Since I had 1005 DP, I decided to upgrade the room from its current rank of C. Dungeon Core Rooms are special rooms that are highly customizable. While some variants are locked behind a DM rank requirement, others are only locked behind a DL requirement. Dungeon Core Rooms have their own tab in the DP Market and have their prices derived under the "5 Day Rule". The rule states the base price of a DC Room would be the equivalent to a mob of similar rank staying in the dungeon for 5 days. For example, since Obsidian is worth 200 then a B rank room would cost 1000 DP. The following table was presented at the top of the tab: -------------------------------------------- Dungeon Core Room Base Prices Lesser (C) [Free] Regular (C+) [250 DP] Improved (B) [1000 DP] Improved+ (B+) [2500 DP] Greater (A) [4000 DP] Greater+ (A+) [10000] Mythic (S) [16000 DP] Mythic+ (S+) [40000 DP] -------------------------------------------- As you would expect, I felt my jaw drop to the floor when I saw the price of a mythic DC Room! However, the listed stats and benefits of obtaining the room were absolutely worth the price. Not only do you get some of the best materials on Orune integrated into the room but you get material that only the Gods have access to! Mythic rooms, as well as other rooms, can also spawn a limited number of mobs that are the same rank as the room. This meant you could get Mythic level mobs to spawn into the room without having to spend additional DP! The only downside is that the mobs can never leave the Dungeon Core Room. They are considered apart of the Dungeon Core''s Defense System so they are set to permadeath if they leave the room for more than 5 minutes. However, if they fight and die inside the room, they can actually respawn! Imagine Mythic level beasts respawning for free! That was enough to make my mouth drool. Anyway, I decided to only upgrade the Dungeon Core Room to C+ since I needed to distribute my DP evenly across the dungeon. As I pressed ''Confirm Upgrade'', I noticed that a wave-like light began to disperse from Dungeon Core in the center. The Room was being actively upgraded in front of me! The old and dusty walls were replaced with fresh, matte-black stone replacements. The Core began the process of surrounding itself in an armored shell of some sort, which was a mixture of White and Gold. I figured it did this to protect itself from ranged attacks and general damage. According to Hidarus, the only way to improve the health and Defense of the core is by upgrading the Dungeon Core Room that it''s housed in. In addition to that, I noticed that the flooring was made of a matte-black porcelain material, which subtlely glowed a mixture of red and blue. It seems that the Dungeon Core Room was directly tied to Orai''s core, as it seemed to suddenly come to life! Numerous types of C+ mobs began to spawn in the Core Room, mostly of the defensive type. The main one, which I deemed to be the "Boss" of my Core Room, was a Heavily armored Minotaur that had to be as tall as Obsidian at around 10 ft. Unlike other C+ mobs, this one could speak intelligently. "Hello, Dungeon Master Jordan. I am Vrudius and I''m the assigned boss of your Dungeon Core. As you upgrade this room, I will also upgrade with it. My duty, given by Hidarus, is to help protect your core. I may not be able to leave this room but I can still enter D1 if you wish. I do not eat or sleep so there is no need to think of me as anything other than your weapon. I will also manage the complete defense of this room at all costs", Vrudius said. "You can talk? I think you''re the first C+ mob that I know of that can talk. Do you spawn in any minions, AOE traps, or special abilities?", I asked curiously. "Yes. Depending upon the form that I take, I can use certain abilities. I am also ''Immortal'' in the sense that if I were to die, I would be reincarnated back into the dungeon exactly 12 hours later. For higher ranks, that number can be significantly higher", Vrudius said. Well, I guess I''ll leave you to it Vrudius! I''ll leave the day to day operations of the Dungeon Core Room to you! The room is 50x50x50 so I''m interested in seeing what you have to come up with!", I said walking up the stairs. "One more thing Dungeon Master Jordan! Send Dungeon Core Orai down here! We need to talk about her energy usage! Her Core is all over the place!", shouted Vrudius. As I walked up the Spiral staircase, I saw the two Young Cerberus beasts that were guarding the entrance to the second floor. As I saw them sitting in their guarding stance, I could tell they were highly obedient beasts. It sucks that I''m only allowed to have two of them in the dungeon at once but I guessed that it was for fairness. Luckily, I can still add the adult version of Cerberus to the dungeon so I could theoretically have a max of three Cerberus dogs in my dungeon. As I patted them both on the back, they began to faintly smile before quickly straightening their posture. With the daily management of the Core and Mobs completed, the next step on the list was to increase the Dungeon''s effective area. The greater the area, the more DP I could potentially earn. It was time to start the process of building structures outside of the dungeon. Whether they were hostile structures or not? That''s a choice for later. 22 Running a Dungeon Part 3 If I had to estimate when Emily and Ronan would begin to wake up, I would say I had around 30 minutes left to conduct my Dungeon Management duties. Like Orai stated before, the grassland is technically part of the dungeon but you can''t take advantage of the [Absorb \u0026 Kill] feature until you expand its effective area. The 1-mile radius of grassland was our potential for expansion on the surface. According to the book by Hidarus, you can request an extra 1-mile radius once you reach DM 8 or DL 750. Not only do you have to pay an extravagant amount for it, but Hidarus himself has to approve the request before you even get the chance to hear the price. As you already know, inside the 1-mile radius were friendly, passive mobs that wouldn''t attack unless provoked. Rabbits, foxes, deer, birds, elementals, golems, and other mythical creatures were now in the grassland. As you may have noticed, more exotic creatures are beginning to inhabit the safe area that is being projected by the dungeon. However, this also means that higher tier predators are also watching from outside the circle. More than likely, the mobs were using the ''sixth sense'' that allows them to know if an area is safe or not. In Orune, most mobs have an advanced intuition that''s partly influenced by their magical potential. For example, S-rank creatures have an absurd amount of intuition that makes them hard to capture, kill, or otherwise confront in the first place. On the other hand, you don''t need to be all that skilled to hunt a D-rank creature. That''s part of the reason why the dungeon doesn''t give any points for the killing and absorption of D-ranks. Not only was the outside of the dungeon favorable to the edible animals that we needed for food but the higher tier mobs meant that we had access to the higher tier resources that we needed to thrive. As a summoner who relies on some of these components, this was an important benefit of increasing our dominance in the region. When we first started, the mobs were mostly D-rank and were meant to be used as food sources. Now, on the fourth day, we had a plethora of mobs in the grassland, with the average rank being cited as B- by the Dungeon''s System. However, outside of the grassland were an additional amount of numerous beasts. Such additions included Blood Tigers, Corrupted Titanoboas, Dark-Lightning Griffins, Blood canines, Cursed Beings, Twisted Demons, etc. Since they were the predators of the B- prey, they were actually a diverse mix of either B or B+ rank. Many more variations of beasts were currently waiting for the chance to strike, as the Dungeon cited that our overall ''Wildlife Threat Level'' increased to B rank. As you would expect, as your dungeon increases in power, so do the threats that could attack it. This was mostly the result of a natural evolution in Orune but it was also due to Hidarus. Having stronger and more powerful mobs surrounding a dungeon helps to keep out any useless adventurers that would instantly die in the dungeon. The adventurers who could survive the threats that were surrounding the grassland were good enough to enter the Dungeon that occupied that area. Since Hidarus was the God Of War, I wasn''t surprised by his tendency to create conflict whenever possible. With all that in mind, I hopped on Obsidian''s back and teleported us to the outside entrance of the Dungeon. It seemed that the aforementioned mobs only recently arrived at night, as Ronan and Emily would have most likely died if they ran into them. Actually, they would have most likely died before they even reached us since they were only C+ adventurers. Luckily, the more aggressive mobs only came out around the late evening so they would have to travel most of the way back before then. Regardless, I pulled up the DP Store while on Obsidian''s back. While I was doing so, he began patrolling around the dungeon to learn the scent of the new mobs that came to the grassland. To purchase land for the dungeon, you do so by purchasing the radius by the Foot, Yard, or mile. I chose to pick the radius by the Foot so the following list was presented to me: ---------------------------------------------- Dungeon Radius Expansion Costs 1 Mile (5280 Ft) - [37,500 DP] 1/2 Mile (2640 Ft) - [18,750 DP] 1/4 Mile (1320 Ft) - [9,375 DP] 1/10 Mile (528 Ft) - [3,750 DP] 1/20 Mile (264 Ft) - [1875 DP] 1/50 Mile (106 Ft) - [750 DP] ---------------------------------------------- I went ahead and bought the Radius Expansion to increase the Dungeon''s radius to 106 feet. With this purchase, I felt that we could start the process of establishing structures for the Dungeon. This was also one of the reasons that the Dungeon needed an architect. You could choose the prefab structures that the Dungeon Store had available for purchase or you could have your architect construct a more personal structure for your dungeon. These structures could be a variety of different things; from Walls, Outposts, Mining Caves, Houses, Castles, Farmland, Towers, Towns, Cities, etc. The only limit that you had was the area that you purchased. Dungeon structures could not be placed on land that wasn''t apart of the Dungeon''s effective area. You could also place your Dungeon Mobs in the effective area without issue and they would still receive the blessing of the Dungeon. However, the only mobs that could leave the Dungeon were mobs that were B rank and above. Anything lower than that was way too weak to survive on their individual magic reserves. All Dungeon Mobs must return to either the Dungeon or Effective area exactly one week after they leave or risk the possibility of disintegrating into magic dust. However, this meant that I had the ability to conduct raids with the Dungeon Mobs that I accrued since Orai and I are considered the Dungeon itself. Thus, I could bring an army of mobs with me if I felt that the Dungeon was being threatened and protect the Dungeon without being in the Dungeon. "Taking Proactive measures allows the Dungeon a greater opportunity thrive". Those are the words that Hidarus said in his book. But as I saw a suspicious man watching me from the forest, I noticed something strange. He was wearing formal attire and had a large, sinister smile on his face. As he walked towards the Dungeon, I noticed that he was transporting suspicious ''Cargo'' that was walking with him. With this mysterious person were 6 young females of various races, which seemed to be a mix of human and Demi-human races. Two other men were also pushing a large cage behind him, which housed a woman with Demon horns but a beautiful face. However, all the women had strange matte-black collars around their necks, with a Pearlescent pearl in the center of them. As the man got closer, Orai quickly teleported next to me and Krotos flew down from his nest. Judging from their reactions, it seemed that this man was as bad as I thought. As he stopped 10 feet in front of me, the man who looked to be in his late 20s quickly introduced himself. As he lit a cigar, he began to speak in a calm and confident voice. "Hello, my boy! I see that you are the Dungeon Master of this Dungeon! May many intruders die a despicable death for their transgressions! My codename is ''Predator'' and I''m one of the Slave Traders in Orune. My sources tell me that you are one of the newest Dungeon Masters on the continent, so I wish to build a fruitful and profitable partnership with you! Men like us have to stick together, right?", Predator said. That was his first mistake. Who the fuck said I was scum like him? And why is trespassing near my Dungeon? 23 Helora, The Succubus Part 1 "What''s with those faces? I come in peace! I''m actually here to give you a gift! I primarily specialize in the pleasures of the flesh so I''m actually one of the better Slave Traders in Orune. If you think about it, I''m more of a brothel owner than a Slave Trader. I treat all my girls the best that I can!", Predator said happily. As the two men with him opened up the cage, I noticed that the demon in the cage was actually a Succubus! I recognized her race since I read most of the Encyclopedia that Mera gave me. I also noticed that Predator might have been telling the truth about his occupation. The girls that were with him didn''t seem as depressed or sad as I thought they would. Their collars were also made with high-quality material and didn''t seem to bother them much. They were clean, had decent clothing, and looked to be in good shape. Despite that, I still felt the same amount of threat being emanated from the trader. He may have been one of the nicer ones but he still looked like a seasoned warrior. He was a handsome person who was charismatic but also looked to be serious at times. You could tell he was a rich person since he wasn''t bothered by much and his clothes were high-quality. As the two men with him brought up the Succubus, I noticed that she was in handcuffs while floating in the air. Her collar featured a red pearl as opposed to a pearlescent one as she was handed off to Predator. The men that were with him seemed strong but they looked like they were nice people. Despite all these facts, Krotos and Orai still had their guard up due to the significant levels of threat that was being emanated by Predator. Predator noticed this and tried to calm them down. "You guys don''t have to worry! I get this all the time since I used to be one of the best adventurers in Orune! I used to be an S rank BattleMage so that''s probably why my threat seems to be so high. However, I retired young after I killed the Demon King 4 years ago! Since I was reincarnated into this world to defeat him, I eventually got bored so I decided to become the owner of a brothel. Now, at the age of 29, I am one of the most successful Slave Traders in Orune! All I do is find beautiful women who are being mistreated by other Slave Traders, buy them, and offer them the chance to have a better life by joining the brothel. If they don''t, I send them over to be servants at some of the restaurants that I have part ownership in. I''m really not a bad person!", Predator said confidently. "What about the other slaves that you encounter?", I asked. "I forget that I saw them and look for my next employees! What do you expect me to be? A Saint? I retired from being a hero! Sometimes, you have to ignore the bad parts of the business to bring out the good! That''s just the way life is", Predator said. "You said that you were reincarnated? Which world did you come from?", I asked. "I''m pretty sure I came from the same world as yours! I mean, those clothes are from Earth, right?", Predator asked. I knew that the new Dungeon Masters were reincarnated from different worlds but I didn''t think about the possibility that Orune''s heroes would be the same. I also knew that the probability of someone else being from the same world was small. Although, Predator told us that he arrived here at least 4 years ago so I guess it''s possible. I''m guessing that was what he meant when he said ''Men Like Us Have To Stick Together''. However, despite his attempts to be charismatic, I knew that he was hiding something from us. If he wanted to be the owner of a brothel, why did he need to become a Slave Trader? Couldn''t he just buy the girls and run it that way? He may treat the girls that he showed to us well but what about the ones that aren''t here? How did a hero that killed the Demon King turn into a Brothel owner in the first place? And why did he have a sinister smile when he was walking towards me? These were some of the many questions that I had for the strange man but I decided to gather more information before I asked him about it. If he is really an S rank battlemage, he could easily kill Orai and I. If Orai and I die, the Dungeon will die with us. It''s important that we handle this suspicious person with the utmost care to protect the Dungeon. "Anyway, I came to gift you with this Succubus! She''s an A+ rank Succubus that can do it all! Not only can she give you sweet dreams but she can be your worst nightmare! I''m transferring Helora''s ownership to you so we can begin the process of building a business relationship! It''s early in the morning so I''ll take my leave! One day, I''ll teach you my instant teleportation spell! It''s pretty handy!", Predator said happily. As soon as he snapped his fingers, Predator and his party were teleported to their next location without a trace. Meanwhile, I was left with the Succubus named Helora, who looked to be around 23 years old. As I found the button to release her handcuffs, the Succubus jumped on me with her mouth-watering. I was understandably confused. "My name is Helora and I know this is sudden but I need your life force, Dungeon Master!", Helora said. As I smiled and quickly agreed, I closed my eyes while relaxing my body. I read in Mera''s encyclopedia that succubi can''t kill Dungeon Masters since their life force was unlimited. This meant that I could enjoy her all I want and not have to worry about dying. Even Orai couldn''t complain about this! However, after a few moments, I began to notice a sharp mix of pain and pleasure around my neck so I opened my eyes. It seems that Helora was actually a Vampire-Succubus, as she happily drank my magic rich blood. This led me to be slightly disappointed at the outcome but since Krotos and Orai were behind me, it would be awkward if she did what I hoped. After she finished drinking, she regained her composure and quickly re-introduced herself. "Ahem! My name is Helora and I''m your new Vampire-Succubus! I''m an A+ rank Succubus who specializes in Offense and likes to take naps every now and then! I hope to serve your Dungeon well!", Helora said. That''s good and all but why was she wearing a maid outfit? Not like I''m complaining or anything. 24 Helora, The Succubus Part 2 Since it was early in the morning, I decided to invite Helora to D1 for breakfast. Helora and I were currently sitting at the Conference Table while Orai kept the adventurers busy. Krotos was currently talking with Vrudius in the Core Room while Briggs was performing maintenance on Bose next to us. "Quite the team you''ve assembled here, Dungeon Master Jordan. Including myself, you already have 4 A+ members in your Dungeon. Predator told me you guys have been here for five days so how did you pull off such a feat? You shouldn''t even be higher than a C+ right now and yet, you can already be classified as a B+ Dungeon. I mean, it''s mostly because of the powerful companions you have recruited so far but having B rank mobs this early is extraordinary", Helora said calmly. "Has it been five days? Feels like it''s been four. To tell you the truth, I don''t know how we pulled it off. It seems that I''m a rather lucky person at the moment. I don''t really expect things to keep going this smoothly forever though. That''s why I''m always preparing for the worse scenario when I''m building the Dungeon. However, Briggs has been a huge help to the Dungeon ever since we acquired him on the second day. I''m not sure I would''ve survived this long without his expertise in Dungeon building. We had to face B+ Minotaurs a few days ago, despite only recently arriving here. Luckily, we had this golem named Bose here to help us out!", I said happily. "Bose!", Bose said proudly. "Stop moving, Bose! You''re gonna make me accidentally disable your arms! Stay still, lad!", Briggs said annoyed. "Not only do you have a decent Dungeon so far but your blood tastes like the blood of a Summoner! Those are one of the few individuals who have the blood that I need. Not to mention you are cute for a Dungeon Master! Not a ton of slim muscular Dungeon Masters in Orune. Most of them have too much muscle from being a warrior or too little from being a scholastic mage. You have just the right amount since you are a summoner! I think I''m starting to grow fond of you...do you happen to have a girlfriend by any chanc-" Before Helora got to finish, Orai quickly placed Helora in a chokehold from behind the chair. Her face was filled with the intent to kill. "Oi! What the hell do you think you''re talking about? Jordan''s only obligation is to the Dungeon and the Dungeon alone! I won''t let some horny Succubus who gets off on drinking Jordan''s blood mess up the Dungeon!", Orai said angrily. "Huh? You''re telling me that he can''t have a life? There''s more to being a Dungeon Master than running the Dungeon! It''s not uncommon for Dungeon Masters to have a love life you know. Hehehe. It sounds more like you just want to keep Dungeon Master Jordan to yourself than anything else", Helora said giggling. "What''s that supposed to mean! Do you want to be fed to Cerberus that bad?", Orai said. Helora quickly turned into a bat to get out of Orai''s chokehold. After flying behind Orai and transforming back into her maid outfit, Helora whispered something into her ear that I couldn''t hear. "Do you know that Succubus can sense the feelings of love being emanated from a person? Guess how you really feel about your Dungeon Master...", Helora whispered. After a few more moments, Orai face suddenly began to turn bright red from what looked to be the feeling of embarrassment. She quickly moved away from Helora and sat next to me at the Conference Table. She was trying her best not to make eye contact with me, as she was trying to calm herself down. "Anyway, I''m happy to join your Dungeon! You seem to be pretty good at being a Dungeon Master so far. Like I said earlier, I specialize in Offense but I''m also one of the most intelligent Demons in Orune. I used to serve directly under the defeated Demon King before Predator killed him in the last war. Luckily, he was kind enough to spare most of the high-ranking demons after his mission was completed. Not only was he a powerful hero back then but he was also a good person at heart. When he was a hero, he was called ''The Chosen Hunter''. After some months passed by, he retired from being a hero and went by the name Predator. Of course, that was before he...", Helora said trailing off. "I''m guessing Predator doesn''t want you spilling his secrets, huh? I figured as much", I said. "It''s not that I don''t trust you or anything! It''s just that...it''s only a theory that I haven''t had the chance to confirm. However, I can say that Predator was being honest when he said that he came in peace. He was supposed to give you one of the B rank Demi-humans that was with us but he changed his mind once he saw you in person. It seems that he has taken a liking to you for some reason. Given Predator''s influence and power in Orune, that could be a good thing or a bad thing", Helora said cautiously. "Why were you in the cage with handcuffs though? Were you a prisoner of his?", I asked. "Not exactly. Hehehe. You see...I''ve been craving magic rich blood for a while now so it gradually turned into bloodlust. I''m not happy to admit it but that''s why I have this collar around my neck with a red, magic pearl inside of it. It helps to control the bloodlust and keep me sane. I''ve been somewhat weakened for a while now so I couldn''t break the collar without drinking the right type of blood. However, I guess I can take it off since I have your blood now", Helora said happily. Helora calmly placed her hands on the strong and sturdy metal collar and easily broke it into pieces! As soon as it hit the ground, we could hear a large thud from what seemed to be an extremely heavy collar. As Helora stretched her body, we could sense a drastic and exponential increase in her magical aptitude and strength. It seems that the Collar also served as a sort of limiter for her powers. "You should repurpose the metal and pearl for something in the Dungeon. These are some of the best materials that Predator could buy. It would be a shame to waste it", Helora said yawning. As Helora placed the materials on the table, she flew over to our mattress and jumped onto it. Before she took her nap, she gave us some important information. "Oh, I forgot to tell you. We came in the morning because Predator said you are going to be tested by Hidarus later tonight. On the fifth day, Hidarus usually sends the nearby predators to the dungeon to test your preparations. I think Hidarus was initially going to send easier mobs but since you''re established already, he''ll probably send more experienced beasts. On the bright side, this is a good time to impress him. You might even get early access to Dungeon Battles or whatever it''s called. Hidarus will probably send you a warning in a few hours so you can give him a good show to watch later. If you have any DP left, spend it wisely...", Helora said yawning. As Helora quickly fell asleep, I looked at Orai and Briggs. They seemed to be as surprised and shocked as I was. However, I saw this as an opportunity to show Hidarus what we were made of. "Gather everyone important to the Dungeon and meet me in the Core Room. We have a Dungeon to defend, Ladies and Gentlemen", I said confidently. Orai and Briggs quickly got their things together to meet us in the Core Room. Orai was going to persuade the adventurers to leave the dungeon while Briggs was going to get Krotos and Obsidian. As I was getting ready to teleport to the Core Room, I pulled out the book that was written by Hidarus. I noticed that a new chapter was added and currently exhibiting a faint glow. As I turned to the page in question, I immediately noticed the title on the top of the page: "How To Survive A Hidarus Challenge? Expect The Unexpected." 25 Vrudius, The Dungeon Core Defender "Whoa, Whoa, Whoa! I need you to slow down, Master Jordan. Can you repeat it again?", Vrudius said. "You can see it right here, Vrudius. It''s in the book and it''s in the Dungeon''s System. It says the boss of the challenge will match the highest rank person in the dungeon and its minions will be a few ranks lower. That means the Boss will be an A+ rank monster of some sort and its minions will be B+. I don''t see what''s so hard to understand", I said. "Huh? Are you serious? Your Dungeon''s Boss is lower than the hostiles! I haven''t even been summoned for a day and I already have to face the possibility of being wiped out! Why don''t you put some DP into getting me a B rank Room already?", Vrudius said. "You worry too much, Vrudius. You''re acting like you won''t have any help from the other members of the Dungeon. Besides, I only have 5 DP left so we need to make do with what we have", I said. Vrudius and I were currently waiting in the Dungeon Core Room for the other members of the Dungeon. While we were waiting, I was learning certain combat and military tactics from Vrudius. As you would expect from a Dungeon Boss, he specialized in the efficient and effective use of his powers and troops. Vrudius told me some of his personal background while I was practicing my summoning abilities. To start off, Vrudius and Helora were apart of Demon King Quillian''s army at the same time. Helora was one of Quill''s numerous Concubines and held a high position as his strategist. Although she seemed slightly perverted and lewd on the outside, her intelligence was on another level. She was also an expert user at most types of Offense but at the expense of having zero defense. Thus, she usually had an expert healer or a defense-heavy bodyguard with her at all times. She was lucky enough to be spared by ''The Holy Hunter'' minutes after he killed Quill. Meanwhile, Vrudius was one of Quill''s most trusted bodyguards and heavy units. Vrudius used to be an S+ Titan-Class Demon who stood 30 feet tall and possessed levels of strength that earned him the title of ''Demon Of The Abyss''. However, he fell to ''The Holy Hunter'' and his party 2 weeks before the death of King Quill. Ever since then, he has been waiting in Hell for his chance to redeem himself. Luckily, Hidarus gave him that chance. "I''m surprised Hidarus is allowed into Hell! I thought Demons and Angels hated each other?", I asked. "We hate those fucking angels but Hidarus is cool in our book. We pray to him and the Overlord of Hell every night. All demons in Hell respect Hidarus and value his opinion so when he speaks, we all listen. I''m pretty sure we would be at War with the Heaven''s if it wasn''t for Hidarus. It''s not surprising that he''s friends with our Overlord. He''s the only God that doesn''t have the self-interest of the Heaven''s in his mind whenever he speaks to us. Of course, if you piss off Hidarus, he''ll turn back into his former, sadistic personality. Sometimes, I wonder if he''s either a God or a Demon in disguise. I think that''s part of the reason why Demons respect him so much", Vrudius said calmly. "Interesting stuff, Vrudius. Do you mind telling me how you died to Predator?", I asked curiously. "Hahaha! Hell no", Vrudius said smiling. "Eh. Fair enough", I said casually. While I was listening to Vrudius'' story, I got the components together that I needed to summon my first beast. For my first summon, I wanted to combine the Minotaur and Dire Wolf components with some of the components that Helora gave me. Krotos was also kind enough to give me a vial of his blood and some of his feathers. With these components, I was confident that I could make a decent mob without spending any DP whatsoever. It''s better for the Dungeon if I can make high ranking mobs without spending an exorbitant amount of DP on the mobs. With the Hidarus challenge looming over us, it was the appropriate time to create my first pet. A custom mob with an unknown weakness. This was one of the many benefits of being a summoner. 26 How To Be A Summoner "Vrudius, why do I feel like I''m making this more complicated than it is?", I asked. "It''s because you''re indecisive about what to make, Master Jordan. I think you''re overthinking the process", Vrudius said. Vrudius was right. The summoning system itself wasn''t too complicated. It was integrated with the Dungeon''s System so I could source the components straight from the Dungeon''s storage. After collecting a certain amount of components, you had the ability to either recreate the mob or combine it with another. You also had the ability to customize multiple aspects of the summon with the Summoning Interface. You could summon and create creatures in three distinct ways: -------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Manual Summoning [If you like the more traditional way of summoning, you can manually draw the summoning circle and place the components. It can have certain benefits in the right situation.] 2. Summoning From The HUD [The most popular and preferred method of summoning by Orune''s Dungeon Masters. Whether you are on the front lines defending your Dungeon or exploring Orune for components, this way of summoning is considered the best. Your arms are inserted into 3 magic circles each and give you the ability to summon and create anywhere in Orune.] 3. Summoning From The Dungeon''s Interface [If you are creating bulk creatures for the Dungeon, wishing to customize the creatures more, or just prefer the Dungeon''s interface; this method will suit your needs the best. It''s also quicker than the other two but restricted to only being available in the Dungeon''s Effective Area.] -------------------------------------------------------------- Since Dungeon Masters have high mana, the most important thing we have to manage is fatigue. Depending on your DM and DL, the amount of fatigue that is generated from your abilities is higher or lower. For example, if I tried to summon an S rank beast, I probably wouldn''t make it through the summoning without passing out. On the other hand, if I were to summon multiple C+ beasts, the only limit I would have is how many components I own. This is how Hidarus regulates and establishes fairness amongst the Dungeons in Orune. Essentially, if you want bigger toys, you have to work for it. "Hey, Jordan! What are you guys talking about? You seem focused!", Orai said happily. Orai instantly teleported to the Core Room and seemed to be in a good mood at first glance. As she walked over to us, it became even more apparent. "What has you in such a good mood, Dungeon Core Orai?", Vrudius said curiously. "I not only convinced the adventurers to leave the Dungeon but I also got them to trust us! Jordan and I should be able to maintain our cover as adventurers if Miller tries to tell the townspeople. If we ever need to travel to Ravenscar, we shouldn''t have any issues!", Orai said proudly. "That''s good. I forgot about that sack of shit Miller already. If we survive this challenge, we need to beef up the Dungeon''s Defense with any DP we earn. While the Dungeon''s classification is B+, that''s only because of our member''s ranks. It''s more accurate to say that the Dungeon''s True Classification is C+", I said confidently. "That''s true. We need to invest our DP into getting more mobs. We could always place any extra mobs outside in the Effective Area. Judging from the magic circles on your arms, I''m guessing you''re attempting your first summoning?", Orai asked. I quickly nodded. I was currently adorned with a total of 6 blue magic circles on my arms. I was an intelligent person in my previous world so confusion with the system wasn''t the problem. The problem was that I wasn''t sure what I wanted to make! You could say that I was crippled by the overwhelming amount of opportunity. However, I remembered that the Summoner Class had an ability that no other class could do: The ability to edit an already existing mob. "Since Obsidian is already domesticated, I might as well make him stronger. I''ll have the Dungeon teleport him here. Hopefully, he''s not in the middle of anything important", I stated. After navigating to the Mob Menu of the Dungeon, I put in a teleportation request for Obsidian. The Dungeon quickly began the process of phasing in Obsidian, who was currently sleeping in his miniature form. As you would expect, Obsidian looked like a cute, baby Siberian husky despite still being as strong as his regular form. As I walked over to him, I picked him up and petted his head. He gradually began to wake up, as a large smile began to form on his face. "Good morning, Obsidian! I hate to wake you up from your slumber but I need your help with something. I need you to maintain this form while I perform some tests on you. Can you do that?", I asked. Obsidian quickly nodded his head, smiling at me while I brought up the Summoning System. I quickly began the process of editing Obsidian''s Genetic Makeup. To begin, I started with the Griffin components since they would be the most mana intensive of the other materials. With the help of the magic circles on my arms, I switched out Obsidian''s B+ blood with Krotos''s A+ blood. That alone drained more mana than I initially thought. However, Griffin''s blood has natural regeneration properties as well as being more magic rich. Since Krotos was the son of Apollo, these attributes were more pronounced than usual. I was also able to give Obsidian a pair of Griffin wings since Krotos gave me some of his feathers earlier. To complete these two processes took around 7 minutes, which led Obsidian to not only have the blood of a Griffin but also a pair of black wings with red accents. Given the fatigue that I was currently experiencing, I guessed that I used around 60% of my current ''allotment''. Despite this feeling of heaviness, I decided to press on. Luckily, the minotaur components were B+ so they shouldn''t be as draining as the A+ components. Since we killed two minotaurs, we had a variety of components to choose from. However, I decided to add a pair of Minotaur horns to Obsidian, which would allow him to charge at enemies more effectively. I also combined his flesh with Minotaur flesh since it was a strong and lightweight material. I felt that he''ll be more effective on the battlefield with this addition. This entire process took around 6 minutes to finalize, with Obsidian''s new horns gradually turning black. I was most likely around 80% of my allotment so I decided to stop there. After placing the miniature Obsidian on the ground, he began to fly around the room with his tiny wings and horns. Orai couldn''t handle the cuteness. "I HAVE NEVER SEEN SOMETHING SO CUTE IN MY ENTIRE LIFE! Why is he so kawaii! I can''t handle this!", Orai said loudly. "Oi! This isn''t how a core should behave! Behave yourself in front of the Dungeon Master! Have some class woman!", Vrudius said firmly. "Not like you can talk, Vrudius! I heard the stories from Helora! You may have been an S+ Titan-Class Demon but you were as perverted as her!", Orai stated. "Wha-! No! I don''t know what you''re talking about! Lies, Woman! Lies!", Vrudius said. "Oh, really? So you didn''t visit the Succubi brothel every day you were at Quill''s castle? Multiple times a day? You didn''t remark to the other bodyguards that you were a demon of culture and felt that oppai was the best thing since the Overlord of Hell came into power?", Orai stated. "Well...I mean. Uhh...", Vrudius said embarrassed. As Orai and Vrudius were bickering, Obsidian landed on my right shoulder. After landing, I noticed that the Dungeon''s interface had a new notification. Upon clicking it, I was presented with this message: --------------------------------------- [Dungeon Master Jordan] X [Dungeon Core Orai] DM: 1 DL: 24 1620 DP/day DP: 05 Notice: The Mob [Obsidian] has been upgraded to [A rank]. --------------------------------------- 27 Vargoz, The Devourer Of Souls "I know that you called the members of the Dungeon here but...why are you two laying on the floor?", Helora asked. As Helora walked in, Briggs and Krotos followed behind her. Helora was correct in her observation, as Orai and I were currently resting our heads on the floor of the Core Room. Since the floor was passively infused with magic, it was not only comfortable to us but it helped reduce any fatigue that we experienced. Since I incurred a large amount of fatigue from editing Obsidian, it was essential that I fully recovered before the challenge began. According to Hidarus, if fatigue ever gets to 100%, I will be rendered immobile for a number of minutes. The last thing that I wanted to do was collapse while fighting in the challenge. As unprofessional as it may have looked, it was the most effective means of replenishing my ability to summon. Obviously, once I get more DP, I can purchase items and structures that can do that more effectively. "If I had to make a guess, I would say he used his summoning powers since Obsidian has wings now. Judging from the quality of the process, I would say he used a large amount of his allotment. I mean, he used all those materials at DL 24", Briggs stated. Briggs walked from behind Helora, with the new, custom version of Miller''s sword in his hand. It looked more...sinister. The sword was completely matte-black, featuring a black demon skull covering the Hilt and a large, closed eye in the middle of the sword. It also faintly alternated between the colors of Red and Blue. As Briggs got closer to me, these colors began to shine brighter. "Is that the new sword? Looks pretty epic. What''s with the giant eye though?", I asked. "Well, since you are a summoner, I thought it would be appropriate to add some more demon components to the sword. I had some leftover from my last Dungeon assignment, which wasn''t too fancy of a material. Despite this, the demon in the sword reacted more...positively than I expected so...yeah. It has an eye now. That''s a thing. I made the matte-black skull that you see on the hilt but the eye began to gradually grow. This is the first time it''s started to glow different colors so I guess it worked out?", Briggs said. Briggs handed me the Demonic Sword, which began to glow a bright red before eventually switching to a more faint blue. As I felt the sword and touched the weird eye, I decided to give it a name. "Thank you, Briggs! This sword shall be named ''Conquerer''. I can''t believe it came out so go-" "FOOL! You dare try to name the devourer of souls? The man who served under the Overlord Of Hell! The man who was tricked into being sealed into this god damn sword?! Know the name of Vargoz...please?", Vargoz said. "Uh...what the hell was that? I thought he could only talk to me telepathically? And what''s with that personality?", I questioned. "Oh! I see what''s happening! Your Dwarf friend messed up the combination process! He must''ve purified the Demon Parts he used. I think you accidentally purified a section of his personality. From what I remember, Vargoz was more of the ''Kill all your family and then eat them in front of you while laughing'' type of person. The fact that he actually talked like a regular person is pretty rare", Helora said. The Demonic sword, who named itself Vargoz, rapidly opened his giant red eye. Startled, I dropped the sword from my hand but the sword began to float before it hit the ground. "Yes, sexy succubus! Now bring me my god damn sacrifices before I rip your fucking soul out of your chest! But also, I don''t why I''m always like this since I respect Succubi for running the brothels in Hell. Have you ever tried the Succubus special? They always bring the Succubi with the biggest pair of oppai!", Vargoz said. "Wait a minute! I know that special! That''s my favorite one!", Vrudius said. "Really, Vrudius? C''mon man. I thought you said you weren''t perverted. You''re not even helping your case right now", I said. "Interesting scene to walk into. Not only does Obsidian have the dark version of my wings but we now possess a talking, demonic sword? This is a rather interesting Dungeon indeed", Krotos stated. "Enough of this talking bullshit! Let''s get to the task at hand! I heard about the Hidarus Challenge, you pieces of fucking filth. Find solace in knowing that I''m willing to aid you in this challenge. I''m willing to work with others if it means I get fed with numerous showers of souls and blood! I also know that this surprisingly decent Dungeon Master is a summoner who is worthy of me. I can sense the potential from within him. Yes! Either he''ll be the evilest being Orune has ever known or he will save it from utter fucking destruction. Either way, I can tell that this Dungeon Master will commit many murders in the name of the Dungeon. That''s the type of Master I can get behind! Miller may have been a good partner up to this point but he was kind of a pussy ass bitch. I can''t believe that bitch ass shopowner sold me to a bloody C rank! If I ever see that idiot again, I''m cutting off his arms and legs and feeding it to my friend, Cerberus!", Vargoz said. "Vargoz, if we are going to work together, you need to follow all of my orders. Other than that, I should be able to help you with your bloodthirsty habits. You scratch my back, I''ll scratch yours...metaphorically of course. Otherwise, I''m just purifying you until you submit", I said. "I got it! I got it! You didn''t even have to threaten me! Vrudius and Jordan are my favorite companions. I like the color of your souls. They look...nice. Let''s kill women and children together under the blood moon while Hidarus gives his blessing! Ahem! Sorry, force of habit. No purification is needed, my friends! Hahaha!", Vargoz laughed. With all the important members of the Dungeon around me, I decided it was finally time to start the meeting and plan out what we were going to do against Hidarus. At least, that was the plan before a large Hologram appeared before us. It was obvious to all of us who the man was. The Dungeon attached the following information as the Hologram began: ----------------------------------------------- Hologram Transmission from: [Father H.] Status: Currently Live, Urgent Rank: Incalculable Dungeon Threat Rating: Unknown Location: Dungeon Dimension, Hall of Champions ------------------------------------------------ 28 The Hidarus Challenge Part 1 "Greetings, Dungeon Master Jordan! As you can probably guess, my name is Hidarus and I''m the God in charge of the Dungeons! I heard that you already met Goddess Mera, who just so happens to be my sister! Mera helps me run and maintain the Dungeon Systems across Orune. However, to make sure that our efforts are not wasted, new Dungeons must be tested on their fifth day of operation. Thus, you will now be subjected to the Hidarus Challenge", Hidarus said. I quickly got up and sat on the floor. This was the first time that I saw Hidarus but I knew that he was strong just from looking at him. He had black hair and wore an eyepatch over his right eye. His left eye was red and possibly magical, as it had a large, moving magic circle in it. He had the beard that you would expect from a warrior and a body that had just the right amount of muscle. He was currently sitting in a comfortable chair while wearing some type of royal attire. I could tell that he was not only a handsome fellow but a charismatic one. With a personality like that, it''s not surprising that he''s friends with the Overlord Of Hell. However, before I got the chance to talk to him, Hidarus recognized some of my companions. "Is that Vrudius and Helora? How are you guys doing? I haven''t seen you guys since the fall of Demon King Quill! If the Holy Hunter didn''t end Quill''s life with the blessed sword, we might have been able to have his soul present in D2. Not only that but I see that you have recruited one of Apollo''s sons. Krotos, The Griffin of Ice wasn''t it? You could''ve already been an S rank if you didn''t start a family with Elizabeth. However, your son Bruce seems like he has the potential to be as great as his grandfather", Hidarus stated casually "Hidarus. You declared that we will be tested but when will we be subjected to the challenge?", I said. "I''m not sure I understand your question, Dungeon Master Jordan. I already told you. The Hidarus challenge begins now. Even at this very moment, the mobs are being teleported, summoned, and directed toward your Dungeon. You have 7 minutes before they make it near the entrance. Please keep in mind that the penalty for failing this challenge is death. As for your companions, they will be subjected to reduced lifespans. Another thing. I''m an impartial God so I will be hitting you with mobs ranging from B+ rank all the way to A+ rank. We are not friends, Dungeon Master. We are acquaintances. Never forget this", Hidarus stated. "Wait! Before you go, what''s the reward for beating the challenge? Your book doesn''t list the rewards!", I said. "I would tell you but you have bigger things to worry about. I''ll be watching, Master Jordan", Hidarus smirked. The hologram transmission ended, as the Dungeon''s system alerted us about the beginning of the challenge, as well as the incoming hostiles that were appearing around the grassland. Numerous alerts were popping up left and right: ----------------------------------------------- [ALERT!] The Hidarus Challenge Has Begun. Beginning the Assigned Protocol and System Configuration. Scanning For Potential Hostiles And Warning all Dungeon Mobs... ----------------------------------------------- [ALERT!] Multiple Behemoth Class Creatures Have Been Sighted. [ALERT!] Multiple A rank Creatures Have Been Detected. [ALERT!] A Large Number Of Hostiles Are Present In The Grassland. [ALERT!] Creatures Carrying Rare Artifacts Have Been Detected [ALERT!] Dungeon Preparedness level Has Not Been Met. Dungeon Member Assistance Required. ----------------------------------------------- "I can taste the valuable souls, Master Jordan. It''s time to shine, my friend", Vargoz said. "Shit! Shit! Shit! I didn''t expect him to start the challenge so soon! I thought we had more time! We are not prepared for the challenge yet! I still need to set up some of the defenses!", Orai panicked. "Really? This is a pretty common thing for Hidarus to do. I mean, he is the God Of War after all. He likes Violence and Chaos, despite his charismatic personality. Why do you think the Demons like him so much?", Helora said. "We don''t have time to talk about it! We need to set up our positions and fast! It seems that everyone needs to be on the front lines for this battle. I also need someone to help me guard the Core Room since I''m still a C+ at the moment. If it''s okay with Jordan and Orai, I''m willing to make some suggestions", Vrudius said. While Vrudius was currently stuck in a C+ vessel of a body, his mind was still an S+ rank. Since he specialized in the efficient and effective use of his powers and troops, his opinion on how to manage our forces was appreciated. We also had Helora, who was one of the smartest Demons in Orune. While Vrudius specialized in things regarding military tactics, Helora had advanced knowledge about most things in Orune. It was one of the reasons that she was granted the chance to be Quill''s concubine, other than her attractive succubus appeal. With everyone looking at me with hope, it was hard not to collapse under the pressure. However, if strategy games have taught me anything, it''s that you have to prepare for the unexpected. After I got up from sitting on the floor, I decided to give them a short speech to not only calm them down but to calm down myself. "I have obtained you wonderful, somewhat overpowered companions over the last 5 days. However, a bigger and more ambitious goal has been consistently on my mind since I started my time as a Dungeon Master. I want to make the most Overpowered Dungeon in Orune. But, I need your help to accomplish that. I''m an Omnimoral Dungeon Master so I may sometimes come across as evil, a hero, or something in-between. However, I can promise you one thing that will never change. Every member, every mob, every brick, every stone, and everything in-between is important to me. So when I ask you to risk your life for this Dungeon, I''m not doing it out of selfishness. No, my friends. I''m asking you to save a home that views you as something more than tools. I know that we haven''t even known each other for a week but if you save this Dungeon from destruction and help me protect my dream, I will do everything in my power to make sure that you love this Dungeon as much as I do. I will always value your opinion as if you were the family I never had. That''s a Dungeon Master''s promise and I''ll happily sign it in blood", I stated. After I gave the short speech, everyone seemed to be in higher spirits. Since we were low on time, I told them to teleport to their preferred positions in the Dungeon until we have time to rearrange the formation of the members. However, before we all teleported to our preferred destinations, I told them the guidelines that they had to follow if they were going to fight for the Dungeon. "The kills need to be nice, they need to be clean, and they need to be effective! If we are going to survive this challenge, it will require us to be smart with our abilities! You can be fancy but don''t be too fancy! And of course, make sure you enjoy yourself in the process! You are dismissed!", I shouted. As Orai and I stayed in the Core Room with Vrudius, I pondered over that phrase. "Nice, Clean, Effective." I think that''s my favorite phrase now. 29 The Hidarus Challenge Part 2 : Facing A Draconic Valkyrie "It seems that great minds think alike. I surmised that you would be the only other member to choose this position", Krotos said confidently. "Hehehe. Of course! My future lover asked me to protect his Dungeon. I''m expecting a nice amount of his vitality when this is over. Slim, muscular, ambitious, and not to mention cute! In some ways, he reminds me of King Quill", Helora stated. "Good luck with that. I''m pretty sure Jordan likes Orai and Orai likes Jordan. From what Briggs told me, they''ve been too busy with the Dungeon to focus on those types of matters", Krotos said. "I guess that''s fair. I''ll deal with it after the challenge. Let''s open these doors and see what we''re working with", Helora stated. As Helora and Krotos opened the Dungeon''s doors, they noticed that a large number of hostiles were currently waiting for them. Upon spreading their wings and flying above the Dungeon, they noticed that around 100 total hostiles were spread out around the grassland. The hostiles that immediately caught their eye were the three behemoths making a triangle-like formation around the grassland. Around the same time, Jordan used the Dungeon''s communication system to telepathically talk to them both. "Can you guys hear me? This is my first time using this so I hope you can hear me. Briggs, Bose, and Obsidian are stationed inside Holy Constrictor while Me, Orai, and Vrudius are in the Core Room. It seems that for the time being, you guys are on your own. The Dungeon says that there are 100 hostiles remaining but the average level is A-. Also, the Dungeon is picking up behemoths as tall as 300 feet. Can you confirm this?", Jordan asked. "We can confirm, darling!", Helora said seductively. "Hey! What do you think you''re saying at a time like this? Focus on the challenge, skank!", Orai said angrily. "Oh. I didn''t know the core was on the same line, Master Jordan. I''ll be sure to have a private chat with you later", Helora said flirtingly. "We see the three behemoths, Jordan. However, the enemy seems to be waiting for something. How many minutes until the challenge begins?", Krotos asked. "We barely have a minute remaining but are they really going to follow it down to the very second? Guess Hidarus really is an Impartial...wait a minute. It says a high-profile target was just added. Do you see anything strange on the battlefield?", Jordan asked. "Would a large Dragon count as strange?", Helora asked. From above the grassland, Krotos and Helora were able to see the large but not giant Dragon arrive on the battlefield by the use of a magic circle at the top of the mountain. As it flew out of the circle, it reached towards the sky until it transformed in front of Krotos and Helora. It then took a female form similar to Helora, with Dragon wings, horns, and tail on an overly attractive female form. Helora was able to identify the high-profile target. "Jordan. It looks like we have one of Hidarus''s Draconic Valkyries leading the assault on the Dungeon. Judging from her armor set, it looks to be a Junior Valkyrie. Most likely an A rank", Helora said. The Valkyrie seemingly teleported in front of them before appearing behind Krotos and Helora. "Hello! My name is Hedra and I''ll be the challenger for your Dungeon today! We have 30 seconds remaining so we can still act friendly for the time being! You guys look pretty strong! I''m impressed!", Hedra beamed. "Is this really one of Hidarus''s Valkyries? She seems a little too nice", Krotos said. "Don''t be fooled, Griffin. Valkyries may appear attractive and pure on the outside but they''re enlisted by Hidarus for a reason. Draconic Valkyries are sadistic and dangerous beings but at least they''re not Hidarian Valkyries. Those S+ Valkyries can kill Gods if they wanted to. Just thinking about them makes me sick. "One day, I''ll join the Hidarian Valkyries and work alongside our God but I have to prove myself to Father Hidarus. I think destroying this Dungeon and cutting off your heads will do the trick. You guys seem pretty strong despite having such a young Dungeon! I was surprised he sent me to such a young Dungeon but I think I can get a promotion from this. Do you want a quick death or a heroic death? I''m nice enough to hear your final words, you know?", Hedra smirked. "You must feel pretty damn confident to say that shit in front of us. How about we both serious and kill each other? All this talking but not enough action. Won''t be the first time I faced a Valkyrie", Helora smiled. "I would love to send you straight to the Overlord Of Hell but Hidarus put certain rules for this challenge. You''ll have to take out one of my Behemoths before you''re allowed to attack me. I''m also not allowed to attack you until you do so. I mean, why should I waste my time on members who can''t kill a behemoth? Let alone 3 A+ Behemoths attacking at the same time", Hedra said arrogantly. Upon the expiration of the time, a loud War Horn could be heard from below. It seemed that the challenge had begun. "Well, that''s my signal. You know how it is. I have to do what Valkyries do best. Enjoy the behemoths!", Hedra said. After talking to Krotos and Helora, a large magic circle appeared under Hedra, who quickly teleported herself to an unknown location. As Helora and Krotos looked down at the grassland, they noticed that a large amount of mobs were converging towards the Dungeon. While some of the Behemoths were somewhat slow-moving creatures, they each had the power to destroy the Dungeon in only a few hits. Helora decided to use the communication magic that she learned at Quill''s Castle to contact Quill''s Former Military Tactics Expert. "Hey, Vrudius! You used to specialize in military tactics, right? What do you recommend we do in this situation?", Helora asked. "Former Demon King Quill''s proudful strategist is asking ME for advice? I never thought I would see the day!", Vrudius stated proudly. "Asshole. Just tell me what you recommend already. Jeez", Helora pouted. "Hahaha! I''m just joking around, Helora! As for what you guys should do, I think you should start out with a barrage of magic attacks over the entire grassland. Hidarus said that Krotos was the Griffin Of Ice, right? If he is truly the son of apollo, he should be able to slow down or freeze most of the troops. You''re an expert at offense at the expense of defense so you''ll need Krotos to be your shield. Until Dungeon Master Jordan gets some more DP, he won''t be able to summon support mobs for all the members. You guys need to take some out and throw them into the Dungeon''s Effective area to activate [Absorb \u0026 Kill]. That''s our primary focus right now", Vrudius said. "Hey, Krotos! Vrudius said that we should-", Helora barely stated. "Apollo''s Hailstorm! 2nd Generation!" "Apollo''s Electric Hurricane! 1st Generation!" "Apollo''s Icy Prison! 4th Generation!", Krotos shouted. As large electric hurricanes and heavy Hailstorms began to hit the entire army, Helora noticed that the various types of A+ behemoths were temporarily stuck into place: ------------------------------------- [Behemoth-Class Beasts Currently Present] Wyrm Titan: It''s a rather elusive behemoth. It spends most of its time underground but when it surfaces, it usually causes misfortune and terrifying destruction. It''s unknown how massive these behemoth Wyrms are since they never show their entire body. However, most of Orune''s inhabitants agree that they are always massive. In this case, the Wyrm Titan is currently 300 feet tall. Frost Of Ruin: A Behemoth that runs on frost and has the ability to control flying minions. These smaller flying beasts not only protect Frost from harm but also does its psionic bidding. The Frost Of Ruin is best thought of as a whole host of creatures instead of a single behemoth. At 200 feet tall, this behemoth will prove to be a challenge. Flame Titan: A behemoth with some resemblance to the Titan God Of Destruction. It has power over scorching heat and employs creative use of his flames. Given the situation and it''s height of 200 feet, it may be the weakest of three. ------------------------------------- "What a pain in the ass. This is gonna be a long battle isn''t it?", Helora sighed. "Best to get it over with, Helora. Jordan and the rest of the members are counting on us. I saw hostiles heading into the Dungeon so I''m trying to slow them down. Looks like some got through but I''m sure that alcoholic dwarf can handle it", Krotos joked. "If you say so, Krotos. Hey! Save some of the hostiles for me! And I call dibs on the Flame Titan! You can kill the Wyrm Titan!", Helora shouted. "Lightning Of The Pathfinder! 2nd Generation!", Helora shouted. "Huh? I''m not killing the Wyrm Titan! You kill it! It''s a pain in the ass to kill that thing!", Krotos said. As Helora and Krotos began to ruthlessly barrage the army, Briggs was currently dealing with the stragglers who were lucky enough to avoid the attacks... 30 The Hidarus Challenge Part 3 : Joining The Figh "Briggs! Can you hear me? I hope you guys are ready! You have numerous hostiles inbound. Looks like Helora and Krotos are slowing them down but some are getting through. I''ve put the Dungeon mobs on alert and I''m moving around some of our units to support you. Orai will send you the list of mobs that you can request for backup. You should be getting it in a few moments", I said confidently. While I was currently helping Vrudius set up the Core Room, Orai was in D1 activating our traps and priming our defensive systems. Using the Dungeon''s system, she pulled up our list of mobs and sent it to Briggs: -------------------------------------------- Slimes x10 [B] Elementals x10 [B] Golems x15 [B] Orc x15 [C+] Golems x 5 [C+] Cyclops x4 [C+] Elementals x 2 [C+] Giant Centipede x2 [C+] Giant Spider x2 [C+] Giant Serpent x2 [C+] Young Cerberus x2 [C+] Lich x2 [C+] Vampire x2 [C+] Skeleton Warrior [C+] Skeleton Archer [C+] Skeleton Mage [C+] Orcs x 5 [C] Giants x2 [C] Beholder [C] Mimic [C] Cyborg [C] Wyvern x3 [C] -------------------------------------------- "I trust your judgment lads. Just give me whatever you want. This old dwarf needs to shake off his rust! It may not be Failnaught but my crossbow rarely misses! Right, Bose?!", Briggs shouted. "Bose. Kill!", Bose stated. As previously stated, Bose was a beautifully crafted Golem. He was still wearing his matte-gold paladin armor and was as human-like as before. He had a large frame, which was most likely because of his enchanted heavy armor. He also wore his helmet, with the inside still glowing a goldish-yellow. He was more intimidating than before and proudly stood 10-feet tall. Replacing the backpack that was frequently on his back was 2 weapons. The first was the weapon he used before, which was his matte black and custom Axe-Greatsword. The other weapon was the Minotaur''s Demonic lightning axe, which Bose had taken a liking to. Most Minotaurs drew power from special, rune-inscribed battleaxes that they carry so I guessed that Briggs modified the runes for his convenience. As for Briggs, he was currently in his matte-black dwarven armor but without his bow on his back. I was surprised to see that he had what looked to be a crossbow. Similar to his bow, his crossbow was also matte black. However, judging from the rune on the weapon and the black lighting that was coursing through the crossbow string, I guessed that Briggs found a way to transfer the rune to his favorite weapon. In place of a bow on his back, he had the battleaxe he got the rune from. Judging from its looks, it wasn''t in the best of shape but it would get the job done if he needed to melee. The hostiles were currently looking around the Rest Area, making sure that no stone was left unturned. It was only a matter of time before they burst through the corridor''s doors. "He''s going to get himself killed, isn''t he?", I asked concerned. "I''m not so certain. I''ll give it a...25% chance he survives without any backup, which is pretty moderate considering the situation. It''s only an estimate though", Vrudius said. As I looked at Vargoz, I noticed that he was flying behind Vrudius. He was most likely bored at the lack of action he was getting but his sporadic movements were weirdly satisfying. As I was staring at Vargoz, he stared back at me. Suddenly, using the magic stored within him, Vargoz spoke to me telepathically in a tone he never used before. "The Measure Of A Dungeon Master Is What He Does With Power. Avoiding Corruption Of Power Is To Face Beings Stronger Than You. Power Resides Only Where Men Believe It Resides. A King May Watch His Men Die But A Friend Will Fight Alongside Them", Vargoz stated. "Fuck it! I''m going in. Orai! I''m entering Constrictor! Watch over the Core Room!", I shouted. "Ehhh? What do you mean? You can''t fight them yet! We are B ranks at best!", Orai telepathically shouted into my mind. "It''ll be fine! I''ll send some Golems and a few other mobs to the Core Room! If I survive this, I''m definitely taking you on a date! See you guys later!", I smiled. "Wait, what? What was that last part? What did you say? Jordan!", Orai shouted curiously. As I ran out of the Core Room, I held out my right palm so Vargoz could land into my hand. Surprisingly, he was lighter than he looked. After grabbing Vargoz, I sprinted up the staircase to support Briggs and the rest of the Dungeon. "Jordan? Are you there? Shit. He''s gone isn''t he?", Orai said. "Yup", Vrudius said. -------------------------------------- After arriving on the first floor, Vargoz began speaking to me. "Did you like my speech? I think I''m getting used to the purified section now. It''s a little weird not shouting highly descriptive scenes of blood, horror, and suffering but uh...this is ok too. Luckily, I''m still bloodthirsty! Imagine NOT wanting to kill people every 5 seconds! Hahaha!", Vargoz laughed. "I don''t...I don''t think I can relate with that, Vargoz", I said. "You''ll get there soon enough, my promising apprentice! I took a small peek into your memories while you weren''t looking and I have to ask: how did you let yourself get stabbed by that ROOKIE! His form was way off AND he was an ugly piece of shit. Double whammy, my friend. You never want a Double Whammy. In terms of your combat readiness, I''ll give it a solid 3 at best. But since you saved that girl, I give it a 7", Vargoz said. "Bro. What the hell, man? Why are you in my memories in the first place?", I asked. "Don''t worry about it! I just glanced over some things here and there. But uh...you really like oppai though, don''t you? I don''t understand what ''Computers'' are but 1TB seems like a bit much, right?", Vargoz joked. "Are all Demons assholes or is it just you?", I joked. "Touch¨¦! Am I using that word right? Anyway, you conduct yourself pretty well despite that so well done! Even someone as powerful as me has partaken the pleasures of flesh. But I have to be honest with you, Dungeon Master. It''s such a strange world you come from", Vargoz said. After I walked past and petted the Cerberus dogs, I noticed that the doors to the corridor were about to break. Fulfilling my promise, I sent the following mobs to the Core Room: -------------------------------------------- Slimes x2 [B] Elementals x3 [B] Golems x5 [B] Orc x5 [C+] Golems x3 [C+] Cyclops x2 [C+] Elementals x 2 [C+] Giant Centipede x1 [C+] Giant Spider x1 [C+] Giant Serpent x1 [C+] Orcs x 5 [C] Giants x2 [C] Beholder [C] -------------------------------------------- As I jumped on the back of a Wyvern, I continued our conversation. "If you think my world''s strange, how do you think I feel about this one?" 31 The Hidarus Challenge Part 4 : Overpowered Hostiles As the Wyvern was sprinting towards Briggs''s position, Orai updated me on the current situation. "I did a scan of the hostiles in the area and it looks like 60% of them are B+. I''ll send you the Army Composition Report in a few minutes. Also, the traps in front of Briggs have been activated so make sure you remember the positioning. I think he added a few prototype traps as well so make sure you stay alert. I''ll try to activate the traps in front of the Dungeon so make sure you stay alive! You have 20 hostiles inbound", Orai stated. After Orai contacted me, I got the Army Composition Report from her: ----------------------------------------------- (Army Composition Report) 60 B+: [Assessment: Potential source of DP during battle. Killing efficiency will be required.] 37 A: [Assessment: Express caution when confronting units.] 3 A+: [Assessment: Consists of Behemoths. Report \u0026 Strategy Pending.] 1 Draconic Valkyrie: [Assessment: Commander Of The Army. Report \u0026 Strategy pending.] ----------------------------------------------- After reading the report, I decided to look at the remaining mobs that were in the Corridor. The Orcs were my favorite unit so I decided to move the C+ and B rank Orcs near the front of the formation. I also made the controversial move of moving the rest of the B rank units to the front of the formation. If the Dungeon saw the B+ units as potential DP, I could upgrade Vrudius while the battle was ongoing! However, the Core Room would be temporarily defenseless since the Core Room Defenses would be under construction. As I looked at our current Mob Demographics, I pondered over additional troop movements. As I was doing so, the Wyvern finally stopped near Briggs. I remained on its back as Briggs turned to talk to me. -------------------------------------------- Slimes x8 [B] Elementals x7 [B] Golems x10 [B] Orc x10 [C+] Golems x 2 [C+] Cyclops x2 [C+] Giant Centipede x1 [C+] Giant Spider x1 [C+] Giant Serpent x1 [C+] Young Cerberus x2 [C+] Lich x2 [C+] Vampire x2 [C+] Skeleton Warrior [C+] Skeleton Archer [C+] Skeleton Mage [C+] Mimic [C] Cyborg [C] Wyvern x3 [C] -------------------------------------------- "Oi! What do you think you''re doing, lad? I thought you were guarding the Core Room?", Briggs asked. "Silence, you fucking Dwarf! Sorry, it''s a force of habit. We are here to save your ass, little man.", Vargoz said. "Vrudius told me you had a 75% chance of dying without any backup so...here I am. Vargoz actually introduced the idea of saving you, despite his fragmented personality state", I stated. "Wha-? No! He''s Lying! I only wanted to quench my thirst for eternal blood and suffering! D-Don''t twist my words!", Vargoz said embarrassed. "A King May Watch His Men Die But A Friend Will Fight Alongside Them. Isn''t that what you told me? If I didn''t know any better, it seems like you aren''t as evil as you think, Vargoz ", I teased. Before I got to continue teasing Vargoz, we heard the Corridor doors begin to crack, as a familiar roar began to fill the entire hallway. "Well...shit. Bigger minotaurs", Briggs said. "What do you mean bigger minotaurs?", I asked. My question was quickly answered, as a super jacked Minotaur rammed through the Corridor''s doors with its horns. Unlike the four B+ Minotaurs next to him, the A rank Minotaur was not only tall as hell but he was also dual-wielding two large battleaxes. Instead of the runes being on the weapon, the runes were on the Minotaur itself! "I feel like we might be fucked, lad", Briggs stated. "What do you mean? Aren''t you and Bose A+? We''ll be fine, right?", I asked. If it was a regular A rank Minotaur, yes. But this one is...different. He''s an artifact holder, lad. He doesn''t have to draw power from the axe anymore. The axe draws power from him. In other words, this Minotaur is essentially overpowered", Briggs stated. That wasn''t the only problem we had. I noticed that behind the minotaurs were 5 goblins, 3 Demonic units, 3 Dark Magic Golems, 2 Angellic units, and 2 giant Tentacle Monsters. Luckily, these other units were B+ but that didn''t make our job any easier. "Shit! What do we do now, Briggs? Can we take them on by ourselves?", I asked. "No. But with the help of these traps, I think we''ll have some type of fighting chance", Briggs said. As you would expect, the B+ Goblins were the first unit to run towards our formation since they were primarily rushing units. However, upon triggering the hostile sensor, the traps of constrictor began to activate. Popping out of the squares in the wall were multiple prototype turrets that Briggs made. However, it would be better to call them "Turret Golems", as they were Artificially intelligent like Bose. Additional traps that were activated by the rushing goblins were the weight-sensitive pitfall traps, which only activated once a certain amount of weight had been reached. Upon activation, the floor in front of the pitfall would turn to solid ice, which was exceptionally effective against rushing mobs like the goblins. As the trap was activated, the goblins tried to slow themselves down but to no avail. All but one Goblin managed to fall into the pitfall trap but it was still too fast to be struck by the turrets. Since the turrets were prototypes, they weren''t accurate enough to hit the rather agile goblin. However, the goblin wasn''t fast enough to dodge Obsidian, especially given his new form. As the goblin tried to rush past us, Obsidian flew straight for the goblin''s neck, benefitting from his newly obtained rank of A. As he repeatedly shook the goblin in his mouth, he increased the pressure of his jaw, causing the head of the goblin to fall off and the Dire Wolf to devour the rest. As if by the use of a switch, Obsidian was back to being his brutal self, with a fresh coat of blood around his mouth. He also began glowing a familiar dark purple, indicating his wish to begin his hunt. "Hey, Vrudius! I hope you can hear me. We got 1000 DP from some goblins we killed so we have enough to upgrade the Core Room to B rank. How long is the Core Room going to be defenseless?", I asked. "If I had to make an estimate, I would say 5 minutes. Since the Core Room will be in the process of upgrading itself, the Core will be heavily exposed for that period of time. You''ll need to buy time before we can get the defenses working again. But why are we upgrading the Core Room so soon? Isn''t this a bit premature?", Vrudius asked. "It seems that...uh. It seems we have a long battle ahead of us. Hopefully, we''ll have a better chance of surviving this challenge if we can get you to B rank. Most of the hostiles are B+ so they''ll definitely improve our odds of surviving the challenge. Contact me when it''s complete", I said. "Good luck, my friends", Vrudius said. With a defenseless Core Room behind us and an Overpowered Minotaur in front of us, it seems The Road To Hell Is Paved With Good Intentions. However, as the hostiles began their assault on the Dungeon, I realized an important fact. Whoever wanted to become powerful the easy way? 32 The Hidarus Challenge Part 5 : Trial By Fire "Vargoz, are you sure about this? I haven''t trained much in swordsmanship yet. I''ve mostly been doing summoner training", I said cautiously. Of course, I was telling Vargoz this important fact while parrying and evading the attacks of the Demonic knight. Moments before the hostiles began their assault, I split the mobs into 6 groups so they could be used efficiently. -------------------------------------------- Group 1: [2 Corrupted Angellic Healers] -[Mimic x1, Wyvern x3, Giant Centipede x1, Orc x2, Golem x1, Elementals x1]- Group 2: [3 Demonic Units Of Varying Types] -[Jordan, Giant Spider x1, Cyborg, Vampire x2, Golem x1, Elementals x1]- Group 3: [2 Giant Tentacle Monsters Of Varying Types] -[Obsidian, Cyclops x2, Orc x4, Golem x1, Elementals x1]- Group 4: [3 Dark-Magic Golems] -[Silmes x5, Lich x1, Young Cerberus x2, Golems x 2C+, Elementals x1]- Group 5: [4 Minotaurs Of Varying Elements] -[Skeleton Warrior x1, Skeleton Archer x1, Skeleton Mage x1, Golems x3, Elementals x1]- Group 6: [Giant, A rank Minotaur] -[Briggs, Bose, Golems x4, Slimes x3, Giant Serpent x1, Lich x1, Orc x4, Elementals x2]- -------------------------------------------- Placing myself in Group 2 wasn''t initially the plan but Vargoz insisted on killing the Demonic units first. "I don''t see what you''re so worried about! I gave you buffs to ensure that you meet the requirements of the contract. I''m still a cursed B+ sword after all! Unlike Miller, you should be able to draw more power from me. All it takes is a little blood and suffering!", Vargoz stated. The other two Demonic units, which were preoccupied with the mobs in my group, were the Dullahan and the Demonic Mage. The Dullahan had a sword that was emitting blue flames and was riding a rather disturbing horse. As the spikes of the demon horse protruded from it''s back and it''s blackened bones replaced what would be his skin, the horse couldn''t be called anything but disturbing. It also didn''t help that the Dullahan''s head was attached to the side of the horse as if it was just a canteen or a satchel. Meanwhile, the Demon Magus was dressed in what looked to be a mix between stealth and mage attire. He had a wide and long sword on his back and a floating grimoire that he read from. He could''ve passed as human if he didn''t have curled horns on the sides of his head. He was wingless but he was currently floating without them, most likely due to some type of magic. According to Vargoz, the Demonic Knight that I was facing was one of the Dark Knights Of Hell. The Knights of Hell are a unique breed of demons that were created by the Overlord Of Hell to take on missions that are considered disastrous or "suicidal" for other demons to take part in. They were primarily created by the use of ancient high tier summoning magic and a mixture of alchemy, before being imbued with the Overlord''s Blessing. They are one of the oldest and most powerful demons serving under the Overlord Of Hell, so much so that they are revered and praised by virtually all demons for their prowess. Since they answer to no one but the Overlord Of Hell himself, the Dark Knight was most likely the person in charge of leading this group. However, each Dark Knight of Hell is not equal to the other, as some vary depending on the training they go through and the experience they have. Vargoz guessed that Hidarus, given his close friendship with the Overlord, could request units whenever he needed them. That included this B+ Dark Knight that was trying to slice my head off. "Shit! How am I supposed to attack him? Every time I dodge, he keeps attacking me!", I said. "Good thing I can passively give you buffs as part of the contract! You would most likely be dead by now without them. Dark Knights are considered top tier units. The fact that you are able to block or dodge every attack is impressive, to say the least. Even Dark Knights as low as B+ are considered dangerous in Hell", Vargoz said. You may be surprised to hear that the Dark Knight wasn''t an overly muscular or flashy unit. On the contrary, the Dark Knight had a regular body frame and was around my height of 6''1". His armor was sleek and matte black, as he wore a sleek helmet that concealed his face. In a sense, it looked futuristic but I had bigger problems to worry about than his attire. This knight was also a user of Dark Ice, which meant he could create, shape and manipulate the ice of a darker, more detrimental nature. It represents the hazardous and destructive side of ice, which in turn ignores most of the limitations and weaknesses of normal ice magic. In essence, he was solely in control of the negative powers of ice. It also didn''t help that he had Superhuman strength despite his body frame suggesting otherwise. Vargoz''s buffs were literally saving my life, which is something I wouldn''t expect to say on my fifth day. Luckily, one of the turrets switched targets and shot the Dark Knight in the face with holy magic, temporarily stopping his attacks. Seizing the opportunity, I performed a large jump backward to gather myself. Before I could gather my thoughts, Vargoz saw an opening. "Strike him! Now!", Vargoz shouted. As I placed both hands on Vargoz''s handle, I placed the sword guard on my back left before charging at the Dark Knight. Using the buffs that Vargoz gave me, I quickly picked up speed. "That''s it, my boy! Close the distance and deal some damage!", Vargoz shouted. As I reached the Dark knight, it sensed my presence and raised its left-handed shield. As I increased the pressure on his shield, Vargoz advised me on an opportunity. "I didn''t expect to use this so soon but these are extraordinary circumstances, right? There''s a way to beat this guy, the A rank Minotaur, and possibly even the Behemoths converging on our position in a reasonable time frame", Vargoz cautiously stated. "Really? What is it? I''m all ears, Vargoz. As you can see, I''m trying not to die at the moment so anything is better than nothing", I said. As Vargoz continued, the Dark Knight was regaining his composure, as he slowly began pushing back against the sword and began reaching for his dropped weapon. "I mean...there''s definitely a way to do it but I''m not sure if we should do it. The cost might be too high for someone like you...", Vargoz stated. Before Vargoz could finish, the Dark Knight rapidly performed a shield bash before quickly grabbing his sword and slicing me diagonally across my chest. As he left a large and bloody wound and ready to finish me off, Obsidian pounced on the Dark Knight and tried to bite through his armor. Obsidian essentially saved my life seconds before I lost it. While they were in the Altercation, I was laying on the floor and severely bleeding out. The Cyborg and one of the vampires rushed over to treat my wounds, as I started to cough up blood. "Do you still"--cough, cough--"still think the cost could be too high by any chance?", I said weakly. "Well at this rate, I''ll be the one who devours your soul, Dungeon Master. Before I tell you, I need to tell you a story. You see, after I was tricked into becoming a cursed sword, I gradually learned what I was able to do so I could still quench my bloodthirsty appetite. Things like applying buffs, teaching the user important knowledge, or even modifying the sword type for each enemy. However, back when I was first found by an unsuspecting hero, I noticed that he was able to draw out more power than I ever thought possible. Eventually, the adventurer hungered for more power and asked me if this was the best that I could do", Vargoz said calmly. As the Cyborg tried to stitch up the Dark Ice-infused wound, the Vampire used healing magic to support him. "So what"--cough--"did you tell him? Was it possible?", I asked weakly. "Of course it was possible! I''m Vargoz after all! But...as you would expect, absolute power corrupts absolutely. Upon giving the adventurer more power, he gradually began to lose his mind and inched closer towards becoming ''corrupted''. Mind you, this was a hero who used to be a sweet person on the inside and what you would call a ''goody two shoes''. It was only later that I realized that by unlocking the power that was stored away, parts of my personality would seep into the brain of the user. Seeing as my original personality was very brutal, this was not an ideal situation for him. This meant that the nice hero who was pure and motivated by justice eventually turned into a sadistic, twisted, and corrupted ''hero'', if you could still call him that", Vargoz said. "Why are you telling me this"--hard cough--"at this moment in time?", I asked. "Since I''ve grown fond of you and also don''t want to be punished by Hidarus for losing, I''m giving you the opportunity to harness the power that''s stored inside this sword and hopefully control it. The fact of the matter is, you are in no shape to take on Behemoths like the rest of your Dungeon members, Jordan. However, by utilizing my power, you could have an easier time reaching your goals of becoming the strongest Dungeon Master in Orune", Vargoz stated. "Oh yeah?"--cough--"and what''s the catch?", I asked. "Usually, I would say there is no catch but I''ll be honest with you since I like you. There''s a chance, a slight chance mind you, that you''ll lose yourself in the process and cause unknown destruction amongst Orune. You would eventually return back to your normal self but the timing of that would be unknown. The chances of becoming ''corrupted'' are primarily based on the strength of your convictions. The chance is also increased when you possess feelings of hatred. I call it ''The Taint Of Hidarus''. Sounds good, right? I came up with the name. Anyway, you could get healed by this vampire and Cyborg, which are doing a decent job, and barely fight. Or you could unlock the taint and unleash hell upon the hostiles in front of you, effectively saving the Dungeon with your own two hands. It''s up to you, of course. I''m just the messenger of opportunity after all", Vargoz stated. Vargoz may have told me that it was my choice but it was an offer that I didn''t have the luxury to refuse. That''s right. I''m essentially making a deal with the devil himself. Just to protect the Dungeon. And hopefully, complete this Trial By Fire. 33 The Hidarus Challenge Part 6 : Sword Creation [Moments Earlier] "...I''ll try to activate the traps in front of the Dungeon so make sure you stay alive! You have 20 hostiles inbound", Orai stated. As Orai ended her transmission, she furiously began typing into the Dungeon''s System. Orai was currently in D1, frantically trying to get the traps online. Since Jordan increased the Dungeon''s Effective Area by 106 ft, Krotos and Helora would have a large enough area to place the slain mobs. Slowing down the entrance rate of hostiles, as well as making sure Jordan gains DP, was the primary goal that Orai had. Luckily, she had friends that would help her achieve these goals. "Krotos! Helora! Can you hear me? How are you guys doing so far?", Orai asked. While Orai''s transmission did get through to them, they were too busy dealing with the army to respond. "Apollo''s Blizzard! 3rd Generation!", Krotos shouted. "Lightning Of The Pathfinder! 2nd Generation!", Helora shouted. "Oi! Didn''t you already use that multiple times? Shouldn''t you vary the composition of your attacks?", Krotos asked. "Says the person who yells out his father''s name before every attack", Helora teased. "Wha-! I can''t help it you know! I learned all my magic from my father! You don''t need magic textbooks when you have a legendary Griffin to teach you! It''s not my fault the old man decided to name his spells after himself!", Krotos stated. "Krotos, I know you''re trying to prove a point but it looks like 20 hostiles got through while you were complaining. Not to mention a Dark Knight and an artifact-holding Minotaur. "Tch! What a bunch of bothersome mobs! I''ll be back", Krotos stated. Readying his wings from above, Krotos dove towards the Dungeon''s Entrance at a speed that was comparable to Mach 1. As he got closer to his destination, Krotos''s armor gradually became one of hardened Ice. As both of his eyes began glowing blue, he slammed the ground in front of the Dungeon as he performed a three-point landing. In front of Krotos were some of the many hostiles who were supposed to follow behind the Dark Knight. One of those hostiles was an A rank Corrupted Griffin, as well as the 15 B+ mobs that were accompanying it. Helora spoke to Krotos with the use of her communication magic, the same used to contact Vrudius. "Hey, uh...do you need help Krotos? I think I''m going to try for the Behemoths. Most likely the Flame Titan", Helora said. "I''ll be fine! Just tell me what you find out and I''ll join you soon. Orai is most likely watching over us so she can purchase the mobs. All we have to do is reduce the numbers!", Krotos shouted. With a heavy sigh, Helora headed over to the Flame Titan, dreading the fight to be had with the Frost Of Ruin. As Krotos and Helora continued with their assignments, Helora decided to continue their conversation. "It''s kind of boring just fighting, you know? How about we talk to each other while we fight? After fighting with Quill for so long, I need more mental stimulation", Helora suggested. "What? We''re in the middle of a battle, Helora. Is this really the time for this?", Krotos asked. "Can you at least listen to me while I talk? Do you know how boring it is to fight an opponent I have 100% resistance too? I''m essentially immune to Flame Magic, despite possessing zero defense", Helora said. As Krotos let out a sigh and placed his hand on his sword, he agreed to listen to Helora. In the meantime, Krotos would begin the process of clearing out the mobs in the immediate area. Krotos was a Griffin who usually had white hair and yellow eyes, while donning matte black armor. However, as his frosted armor glistened in the sunlight, his eyes and sword were glowing cerulean blue. "None of you B ranks are worth my time. Die", Krotos said coldly. Instantaneously, Krotos activated his special ability named [Sword Creation], as all 15 B+ mobs were currently skewered with a mix of Ice spikes and unique swords. As the B+ mobs started to bleed out, Krotos used spatial magic to throw the mobs to the side while making sure they were in the Effective Area, seconds before impaling them all at once with an oddly shaped sword. "Mobs who are a full letter rank below me aren''t worth my time. You, on the other hand, have piqued my interest. Not only are you a Griffin but you are also an A rank. It sucks that you are corrupted, otherwise, we could''ve talked this out. I don''t like killing other Griffins but it looks like you''re suffering", Krotos said confidently. Krotos was correct in his assertion. The Corrupted Griffin was a far cry from the pure and legendary creatures that were known throughout Orune. This Griffin had spiked teeth, black feathers, purple eyes, and a disturbing number of spikes and tentacles protruding from various places. Krotos could sense that the corruption process was incomplete, which meant that the original Griffin''s mind wasn''t completely taken over. However, it was too corrupted to be saved. "May the Gods bless your soul as I free you from your suffering", Krotos prayed. As the unstable Griffin instantly teleported behind Krotos, he quickly tried to slash Krotos''s neck by the use of his deformed talons. Before he could notice, the Griffin was slashing an afterimage of Krotos, which was quickly turning into mist. "You dumb piece of shit. You don''t think I know spatial magic too?", Krotos said proudly. -------- "So much for talking with Krotos. I guess I''ll have to talk to myself. I would talk with Orai but she might be busy focusing on the defenses. She''s probably stressed right now but she believes in our ability to defend. I wish those B+ would hurry up and bleed out, though! Why would Krotos make them die slow when Jordan said clean and efficient? Speaking of Jordan, I wonder if they killed that Dark Knight yet. The last time I saw those units were when Quill enlisted them against Predator when he was known as the ''Holy Hunter''...", Helora trailed off. Helora shuttered on her way to the Flame Titan, remembering the fall of Demon King Quill. -------- [Meanwhile In The Dungeon] "I didn''t realize Krotos was so good at combat but why did he make the hostiles die slow! You could''ve impaled them with more than one sword, you know! Now I have to watch 3000 DP come in super slow during the Hidarus Challenge! On the bright side, 600 DP has come in so far. Judging from how Jordan thinks, I''ll probably get...", Orai trailed off. As Orai looked through the DP store, she made the following purchases: -------------------------- Elementals x8 [B] Golems x10 [B] Angel Soldier x5 [C] -------------------------- However, before she got to tell Jordan the good news, D1''s white walls turned red as a movie trailer-like voice began to read the alert out loud. ----------------------------------------------- [CRITICAL ALERT!] Dungeon Master Jordan has been critically injured. Detecting foreign entity present in Dungeon Master. Running scan... [Notice!] Dark Ice has been found in Dungeon Master Jordan''s system. Requesting additional support and Initiating Dungeon System auto-pilot. ----------------------------------------------- "What?" 34 The Hidarus Challenge Part 7 : Taint Of Hidarus "I accept", Jordan stated. "You accept what? It''s not a valid contract unless you state your permission", Vargoz said. "I accept The Taint Of Hidaru-" Before Jordan got to finish his sentence, he quickly blacked out as enchanted markings began to appear all over his body. Vargoz quietly watched over Jordan and instructed the mobs to protect him. "I wish you luck, Dungeon Master Jordan. Hopefully, Hidara doesn''t consume your mind and soul in the process", Vargoz stated. ----------------------------------------------- [Moments later] "You made the right choice in releasing me from my shackles. It''s not nice to treat a female so roughly, you know? Unless she wants to be treated like so", a female voice stated. Jordan slowly regained consciousness, as he felt his head laying on something incredibly soft. "I haven''t had a visitor in a while so I hope you appreciate the hospitality, Master Jordan", the female said. As Jordan slowly opened his eyes, he found himself laying on the lap of an incredibly beautiful female demon. The young, female demon could''ve passed as human if it wasn''t for her wings. However, she had no horns as well as no tail. She was around 24, had red hair, and wore an eyepatch over her left eye. Her right eye was completely red and featured a complex magic circle. She was very well endowed and had a captivating body that was virtually perfect in every way. She was currently petting Jordan''s head while wearing familiar private school attire. Jordan could tell that she was not only an alluring woman but also a charismatic one. However, Jordan felt this strange sense of familiarity with her, despite meeting her for the first time. "I guess it must be weird waking up on a random woman''s lap, right? Especially in the middle of such an important battle? You don''t have to worry about a thing. Time passes slowly in here. An hour here is only 30 seconds out there so we don''t have to rush. Vargoz didn''t get the chance to introduce me so I''ll happily do it for him. My name is Hidara and I''m the ''Taint Of Hidarus'' that''s present in your sword", Hidara said. "What?", Jordan said. "Oh! He finally speaks! You''ve been laying on my lap for around 15 minutes. Luckily, that''s only 7.5 seconds outside of this place!", Hidara said happily. "What...what is this place? And what happened to my wounds? And my clothes?", Jordan asked. Jordan noticed that he was in some sort of royal bedroom and currently wearing his old college clothes. He also noticed that his wound was completely gone. "We are inside of your mind and soul...technically. It''s a bit complicated to explain but I''m the ''Taint Of Hidarus'', the second curse present in the cursed sword. You may have noticed that I bare some resemblance to Hidarus? I came about from Hidarus''s blood when it was used in the transformation process. You can think of me as a smaller copy of Hidarus in a sense", Hidara stated. "Really? I wasn''t expecting such an attractive woman to be the last resort that Vargoz was talking about. You seem like a nice woman to me", Jordan said. Hidara smirked before she began laughing in a rather cute way, as her breasts began to jiggle in front of Jordan. Feeling that it was time to get off of her lap, Jordan slowly got up and sat across from Hidara as she continued to laugh. "Hahaha! That was a good one, Master Jordan! I haven''t been called nice since Vargoz was first found by that unsuspecting hero all those years ago! It''s a shame what ultimately happened to that hero. It seems that he wasn''t worthy of the power after all. We had some pretty good times though. Killing all those innocent people without bias and turning the entire world against us was so exhilarating! I made sure to warn him before I gave him a taste of the power that I possessed. I even told him that ''Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely'' but looking back, it was clear that he was too mesmerized by the power to realize the consequences. At first, he wanted the power to rid the world of the bad guys and he did that for a while. However, as he got deeper and deeper into the underground market and society of Orune, he became increasingly angry and disgusted at how horrible the world really was. For someone who was essentially a ''goody two shoes'' all his life, it was a rather dramatic fall to witness. A Sadistic, Twisted, and fundamentally Corrupted ''hero'' took his place. It didn''t help that Vargoz''s personality seeped into his brain over time since the transformation was still unstable back then", Hidara stated. "So what happened to the guy? Did he die?", Jordan asked. "Of course! He was eventually captured, tortured, and beheaded for the numerous war crimes he committed in the pursuit of ''justice''. As for me and Vargoz, we were given to the Kingdom''s mages for research and locked away for some time. We played some games to kill the time since the sword featured a pocket dimension built into it. It was supposed to be a jail for Vargoz but I think the person messed up the runes and gave me full control of it on accident. A rather large accident to make, right? It''s part of the reason we are in this type of room and wearing these types of clothes after all. Luckily, after many years and a variety of events, we finally ended up here in your Dungeon", Hidara said. "Interesting. So how do I activate the Taint so I can save the Dungeon?", Jordan asked. "Well, that''s simple! All you have to do is...", Hidara trailed off. Hidara slowly began to crawl towards Jordan as he became nervous. "Uh...Hidara? What are you doing?", Jordan asked nervously. "You didn''t know? The only way to break the seal is to kiss me. That will complete the contract between you and me. Vargoz can have your soul but what I want is your mind. All of it", Hidara said darkly. As Hidara crawled towards Jordan, he began moving backward toward the wall. "It''s not nice to crawl away from a beautiful female, Jordan", Hidara said seductively. "Woah, Woah, Woah! Hidara! Calm down! You''re a really attractive woman but I don''t think we should do this", Jordan said quickly. Before Jordan could reach the wall, dark and twisted branches began sprouting from the floor and grabbing Jordan''s arms and legs. The thorny branches brought Jordan in front of Hidara as she stood up and looked him lovingly in the face. Unfortunately for Jordan, Hidara was actually a yandere and he happened to meet all of her criteria. "I, Hidara, shall give the recipient, Jordan, my power in exchange for the chance that he will become my Champion Of War and possibly, the one that I''ve been searching for", Hidara stated calmly. "Hidara! Calm down! What do you mean you want my entire mind? This isn''t what Vargoz said! You are supposed to help me save the Dungeon!", Jordan shouted. As Hidara''s magic eye glowed, she caressed Jordan''s face before feeling his arms and their muscle definition. "This contract, between Hidara and Jordan, shall give Jordan the tools he needs to reach his goals but at a progressively higher cost. We will be together at all times because he may be the one that I''m searching for. To accomplish this, Jordan''s left eye belongs to me and will serve as a permanent reminder of our deal", Hidara stated. Jordan''s left eye began to glow red, as it''s composition began to change. "This contract, at the decision of Hidara, will be completed by a kiss from her new Champion", Hidara calmly stated. "Wait a minute! Stop! I didn''t agree to this yet! This isn''t how contracts are made!", Jordan stated. "You didn''t know? You already accepted the Taint before you even heard the details of the contract. The rules of the contract are up to me...", Hidara trailed off. As Hidara kissed Jordan, the room they were in began to shake, as if they were in the middle of an earthquake. As things began to fall and the ground began to shake, Jordan began to slowly lose consciousness. Hidara took her face away from Jordan as she licked her lips with satisfaction. "I hope you enjoy the power! Don''t go too crazy, darling!", Hidara said happily. ----------------------------------------------- [Moments later] "You think he''ll be ok, Vargoz?", Orai said. "Yeah. Time in that space goes slower than out here so he should be up any secon-" Suddenly, Jordan began to produce a large and deafening demonic roar, as his body began to emit a dark purple glow. Slowly, Jordan''s armor was replaced by an armor set of black, red, and gold. His left eye was completely replaced by a red magic eye, which also began to glow. As if connected by some invisible force, Vargoz''s eye also turned bright red as the sword reshaped into something more sinister. As Jordan''s wounds began to exhibit rapid regeneration, he stood up from the floor and grabbed Vargoz. As Briggs and Orai were watching him, he finally began to speak. However, Jordan''s voice sounded like he was possessed by a demon, as a demonic voice followed behind his every word. "I can give you the power that you desire but you must be prepared to accept the risks of such power, especially for a summoner. Let the anger take over and you won''t have to suffer", Tainted Jordan said strangely. "Hey, lads! What''s going on over there? The mobs are acting strange!", Briggs said worriedly. "I don''t...I don''t know what''s happening! Vargoz! Do you know what''s going on?", Orai asked. "Stand...back", Vargoz said faintly. As Orai teleported over to Briggs, Tainted Jordan walked over to the Dark Knight. Around the same time that Tainted Jordan woke up, the Dark Knight was able to throw Obsidian off of his body. With the Dungeon Master in his sights, the Dark Knight began sprinting towards Tainted Jordan at superhuman speed. "Why are these fools still breathing my air? Mass Sacrifice, 2nd Generation!", Tainted Jordan shouted. Instantaneously, all of the B+ units in the Dungeon were incapacitated by Hidara''s thorny branches, as they were offered to her and Vargoz as a tribute. As multiple magic circles appeared under every hostile, the A rank Minotaur began sprinting towards the Dungeon Master as Tainted Jordan turned to face him. "The best thing about being a summoner is being able to do this", Tainted Jordan stated. As Jordan opened his palm to the Minotaur, he began to slowly grab the air as his green summoning circles began to gradually turn red. "Hidarus is an old fool who doesn''t know the true power of a summoner! That''s why it''s time to change the rules in our favor", Tainted Jordan said. As Jordan increased his magic, the Minotaur began to slow down before dropping his weapon and grabbing his head in pain. Hidara was filling his mind with unknown horrors to break his Mental Fortitude. "Your Mental Fortitude is high but I''m afraid it''s not enough! Submit yourself to [Takeover] or die like the rest of your friends!", Tainted Jordan shouted. The roaring, crying Minotaur began to stumble around the Dungeon before falling onto the ground and taking a fetal position. For such a powerful foe to take a disgraceful form was not only surprising to Orai and Briggs but also terrifying to watch. It was clear that Jordan was not in control of himself. Activating his altered summoning circles, Jordan placed his hand on the Minotaur''s forehead as it began to shine a bright green. Once the Minotaur''s eyes turned blue, Jordan took his hand off the Minotaur and watched it stand up. As the Minotaur picked up his weapon and looked at Jordan, he took a knee in front of him as Vargoz began to glow with numerous hidden runes. In an even more demonic voice, Jordan gave the Minotaur commands. "You will kill that Dark Knight and every single sacrifice in this Dungeon with your own hands. You will then standby for additional orders. Do you understand?", Tainted Jordan stated. As the Minotaur nodded his head, he let out a large exhale as he walked over to the Dark Knight, who was beginning to get loose from the sacrificial circle. "Whew! I haven''t had that much fun in a long time! I wonder what we should do next, Jordan!", Tainted Jordan stated. "...Jordan? Is that really you?", Orai asked. "Yes...and no. I mean, I''m Jordan but not Jordan at the same time, you know? What matters most is that we cleared out the Dungeon, right? I''ll give darling his body back since I gave him a taste of what I''m made of. I need to harvest those sacrifices anyway if I''m going to be powerful enough to take on those behemoths. It''s a pretty good time to take Jordan out of [War Mode] so we shall meet again, Dungeon Core Orai! Jordan is my Champion Of War! Remember that Jordan belongs to Hidara and Hidara only!", Tainted Jordan said. As Jordan began to slowly lose consciousness, Orai ran over to him so she could catch him. After telling the mobs to assist the Minotaur, Orai took Jordan back to D1 and placed him on the bed. As Orai checked his body for wounds, she felt his light but incredibly strong armor as she took off his chest plate and lifted his shirt. Surprisingly, Hidara was telling the truth, as the giant Dark Ice infused wound was nowhere to be found. Mind you, Dark Ice is a material that is not removed lightly so only high-ranking mages and healers can even hope to remove such material from the body. As Orai moved her hand over Jordan''s chest, she stared at his face with one of desire. "I almost lost you, Jordan. We were on the brink of losing this challenge as well as our lives. If one of us dies, we both die together. That''s what it means to be a Dungeon Master. Even if that wasn''t how it worked, I''m not sure I could live without you. I''m not sure what to do with these repressed emotions either but I have a temporary solution", Orai stated. As Orai''s face turned beet red and her heart began to pound intensely, she slowly moved her face towards Jordan. Unsure what to do with her previously repressed emotions, Orai began to shake nervously, as she touched her lips and pondered if this was the right decision. However, as you would expect, her judgment was clouded by emotions that a Dungeon Core shouldn''t have. Seconds before Orai got the chance to give Jordan a kiss, he sprang up as if he woke up from a nightmare. Since Orai''s head was close to his, they both collided. "Ow! What the hell? Who''s hitting me on the forehead...huh? Orai, why are you on the floor? And why are you dazed?", Jordan asked. "My guess is as good as yours, Dungeon Master Jordan. How did the meeting with Hidara go?", Vargoz asked. "I see why you made her our last resort but the power that she gives is unreal. I was only half-conscious when she took over but she demonstrated her power. Her looks are definitely deceiving and her true personality is hidden. Despite that, she fulfilled her promise, right?", Jordan said. She may have fulfilled her promise but at what cost? That''s what Jordan thought as he placed Orai on the bed and planned to meet back up with Briggs. The Dungeon''s System was still on emergency autopilot but Jordan decided to leave it on. However, as Jordan looked at his reflection on the monitor, he noticed that his left eye was completely red and featured a rather complex red magic circle in place of a pupil. He could still see out of the eye but it felt...different to him. He remembered that Hidara claimed his left eye but he didn''t know what the consequences of her doing that were. Despite that, Hidara offered more substantial passive buffs than Vargoz, making Jordan even stronger than he was before. As Jordan grabbed his chest plate to re-equip it, he noticed that the back of the chest plate had a similar pattern to Hidara''s room and featured a message that was surrounded by hearts and thorny branches: "For My Champion Of War And The One That I''m Searching For". While Jordan equipped the chest plate, he thought about Hidara. Her scent, beauty, and charming voice were hard to forget. However, as Jordan slapped his face, he also knew that Hidara could have been Honey trapping him to get what she wanted most: his mind. Jordan was a rising star at a prominent institution. His mind was essentially a gold mine for a person like Hidara. However, Jordan was willing to accept any risk if it meant the Dungeon would survive. To prevent the use of [War Mode], Jordan knew that he had to become powerful enough so he didn''t have to rely on it. But the Hidarus Challenge was an exception, as Jordan felt that it was finally time to end this. Hopefully, with Jordan in full control of the Taint. 35 Hidarus Challenge Finale Part 1 : Building An Army "So what you''re telling me is that you let a Power Hungry Yandere take over your body so you could save the Dungeon?", Briggs asked. "I mean that''s one way to put it but yeah", I said. "Hahaha! You expect me to believe something like that?", Briggs smiled. "Something like what?", Hidara asked. Briggs and I jumped at the same time, as Hidara suddenly appeared behind us. She was currently wearing the same type of armor as the one she gave me. It almost looked identical. "See? Now we are matching! Isn''t this amazing?", Hidara said. "What the hell? I thought you were stuck in the sword? How are we even able to see you?", I asked. "I''m a Demonic Spirit with the blood of Hidarus. Do you really think I would be confined to that sword? My name isn''t Vargoz", Hidara joked. "Fuck you, Hidara", Vargoz said. "Don''t be so soft, Vargoz! It''s not like we are in different situations. We''re both tied to the sword and we both need a wielder. I''m just able to temporarily manifest a body in this realm, thanks to that delicious sacrifice earlier. Oh, how I love sacrifices! It''s been so long since I had a true meal!", Hidara stated. "This bitch is crazy as hell, lad. Are you sure you made the right choice?", Briggs asked. "I''m...I''m wondering the same thing", I joked. Hidara began pouting at us, before walking over to the unconscious Dark Knight sitting against the wall. He was missing an arm. "Anyway, I''m not here to talk. I''m here to work. I''ve been waiting for a chance to see a Dark Knight. He''ll contribute to my research", Hidara stated. As Hidara placed a spatial portal behind the Dark Knight, she placed her pointer finger in the middle of the Knights forehead, which instantly placed a strange, glowing rune. As Hidara''s branches pulled the Dark Knight in, Hidara gave us a parting message. "No Rest For The Wicked, Right?", Hidara smiled. As Hidara snapped her fingers, she vanished without a trace. "Should we...should we be worried, Vargoz?", I asked. "Depends on your definition of worried", Vargoz stated. ---------------------------------------------------------- [Minutes Later] As Briggs and I were watching the Giant Minotaur clean up the remains of his former allies, I did a quick check of my DP. According to the Dungeon, our new balance was 6000 DP so I could finally populate the Dungeon with more B rank mobs! Gone are the days of relying on C rank units! That wasn''t the only good news we had either. Thanks to Hidara, Briggs and Obsidian had an easier time killing all of the units except the Dark Knight, whose location was unknown at the moment. The Minotaur had decided to knock out the Dark Knight since Briggs wanted to gain information from him later. Briggs also wanted the material that his armor and sword were made out of, as well as suggesting that harvesting his components could be fruitful. Those plans became compromised by Hidara''s interference so we''ll have to do with the other hostiles. Since I monitored Krotos''s position in D1, I knew that Krotos was currently stopping the army from entering the Dungeon while Helora was sparring with the Flame Titan. However, I also knew that Krotos and Helora couldn''t do it by themselves since the behemoths were attacking them both. Even members as powerful as those two could be overwhelmed if enough hostiles teamed up against them. That''s why we were currently in the middle of constrictor planning out what we were going to do next. "In any case, we''ll need to leave some of the members behind so they can watch the Dungeon for us. To be cautious, we should leave some of the mobs in the Dungeon as insurance. Just in case anything unprecedented happens", I suggested. "Hm. That''s true. We haven''t been able to get in contact with Krotos and Helora so we don''t know their status yet. Every attempt to use communication magic hasn''t been answered so they might be absorbed in their battles. The best thing to do is to assemble an army that gives us the best chance of surviving. Of course, I''m sure you already have a plan, lad", Briggs said. "Indeed. I suggest that we leave Vrudius, Orai, and Bose in the Dungeon, sacrifice some of the C rank mobs, and bolster our Dungeon with more B ranks. The only exception would be the C rank Angelic soldiers since they are the closest thing we have to healers. Even if we leveled up and unlocked new mobs, Hidarus locked anything that we didn''t have access to at the beginning of the challenge. However, all angelic units possess some type of healing potential so we might be able to manage. Some of our mobs died in the battle, but most of them were C rank mobs so it was inevitable. Luckily, Orai bought some new ones for us. Excluding the mobs in the Dungeon Core Room, here are our current mob demographics", I said. ----------------------------------- [Mob Demographics] Elementals x13 [B] Golems x18 [B] Slimes x5 [B] Orc x5 [C+] Cyclops x1 [C+] Young Cerberus x2 [C+] Vampire x1 [C+] Angel Soldier x5 [C] Cyborg [C] Wyvern x1 [C] --------------------------------- "Hm. Look like we did suffer some losses but it''s not terrible. With the DP we have and the amount we are going to gain, C rank mobs have become obsolete. Since you are a summoner, I''m sure you can find a final use for them but they are useless to us now", Briggs said. "Yeah. I guess that''s our new reality now. Maybe I''ll just do a mass sacrifice like Hidara did. Although, I''m not sure how she used it since it wasn''t listed as a Summoning skill. If Hidarus''s book is correct, that''s a different type of magic entirely. On paper, I shouldn''t have that ability", I said. "Well, you have to remember that your summoning magic was being influenced by Hidara. It''s possible that she bent the system to her will and infused some of her magic into your system. Logically speaking, a summoner of your level shouldn''t even be able to control an A rank Minotaur yet. With that in mind, It''s possible that she''s finding a way to break the system. I would be cautious with using her in the future, lad", Briggs warned. "That''s the problem, Briggs. I''m not a cautious Dungeon Master, am I?", I joked. "Haha! Nope. Not even in the slightest!", Briggs smiled. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [Moments Later] "This should be good, right? For the sacrifice?", I asked. ------------------------------------------------------ [11 Mobs Selected For Mass Sacrifice] Giant Centipede x1 [C+] Giant Spider x1 [C+] Giant Serpent x1 [C+] Orcs x 5 [C] Giants x2 [C] Beholder [C] ------------------------------------------------------ "Good...good. Just like that, Dungeon Master Jordan!", Vargoz said. "I get that you''re excited and all Vargoz but did you really need to annotate as I selected the mobs?", I asked. "Vargoz will do whatever he fucking...sorry. It''s a force of habit. Anyway, if I don''t quench my bloodthirsty habits, then I''ll most likely revert back to my old personality. If I''m being honest, it feels...nice having rational thoughts other than blood, suffering, and gore. I mean, I still have those rather pleasant dreams and thoughts but that used cloud my judgement. I think that was ultimately my downfall", Vargoz said. "Wow, Vargoz. You actually said something...thoughtful. I didn''t expect that from you", I said surprised. "I mean, how many people could I have killed if I just had a little more strategy? How many massacres I could have performed? How many delicious souls I could have devoured? I was fool! Why did I go after the woman and children when I could''ve just killed the most powerful soldier first! Why was young Vargoz so foolish! Now, look at me! I''m a sword who''s stuck with a crazy-ass demonic bitch for life! Do you know what it''s like to see and not be able to touch?", Vargoz said emotionally. "I don''t...I...I think I''ll just act like I didn''t hear that, Vargoz", I said. "Ahem! Yes. That would be wise. I''m not myself when I''m bloodthirsty. I act...strange. Hidara took the previous Mass Sacrifice so I''m glad that you are giving me a chance to quench my thirst. Anyway, I''m pretty sure you already prayed to Hidarus, right? You can go ahead and start the sacrifice. Just channel your magic into the sword and I''ll help you start the process. Since we are allies, the most humane and painless way is to perform a soul leech on the mobs. As their soul begins to leave their bodies, they''ll slowly turn into magic rich husks. The fat dwarf can use that material for future projects if he wishes. In a sense, you could use C rank mobs as a way to farm magic rich material if you don''t care how they end up", Vargoz said. As I walked over to the group of mobs, I felt an emotion that was somewhat foreign to me: sadness. Of course, it was a rather small and insignificant emotion but I was surprised that I possessed the ability to feel it. I was pretty sure that my humanity was already gone so I guessed that this was something else. However, some of these mobs have been here since the Dungeon''s beginning so maybe I can''t help but feel bad about sacrificing them. But while the mobs were unable to communicate with me, their general body language gave the impression that they were willing to die for the Dungeon, which was derived from their loyalty. As they took a knee and bowed towards me, they awaited their fate with a small smile on their faces. I slowly walked towards the mobs while having Vargoz in my right hand. As I stopped in front of them, I pointed Vargoz at the mobs and quickly began the ritual. "Mass Sacrifice...1st Generation", I said coldly. ----------------------------------------------------------------- [Moments Later] "I''m a little sad about the C rank mobs but I''m glad that we are making good progress. Although, I don''t really know if I can say that. I almost died for real. Hehe...definitely a close call", I said. As Briggs, Obsidian, and I were gearing up for war, we sent the Giant Minotaur to scout the outside entrance of the Dungeon and report back what he found. We were currently in the Rest Area of the Dungeon, as we closed the Corridor''s doors and had our mobs of choice around us. I was still pondering Troop purchases. "Demonic Soldiers are less effective than angelic soldiers in this situation, right?", I asked. "Yeah. Are you really going to use the Angelic soldiers as healers?", Briggs asked. "Not like we have a choice. Good thing it''s a passive skill for angelic mobs. While the Cyborg has the ability to be a medic, it relies more on modern technology as opposed to magic. Not to mention the Cyborg is exclusive to me so I have no idea what it can do. I only learned that it could be a medic when I was dying earlier", I said. "True. Maybe you should buy some mobs that you''ve never used after the challenge. See what they can do and if they should join the Dungeon or not. We could always sacrifice them to Vargoz and mine the Magic rich husks. The only problem would be the loss of DP", Briggs stated. "That''s true. We''ll need to make some adjustments to the Dungeon if we win this battle. Anyway, I spent 1340 DP on some more reinforcements so I''m ready whenever you are. I''ll send you the final list of troops so you can choose who you want. The Minotaur just returned so I''m going to see what he has to report", I said. As I slid the HUD over to Briggs and walked towards the Minotaur, he carefully looked over the list of troops. As a miniature Obsidian landed on his smooth head, Briggs began to stroke his beard. -------------------------------------------- [War Troops] Elementals x25 [B] Golems x25 [B] Slimes x15 [B] Orc x15 [C+] Cyclops x1 [C+] Vampire x5 [C+] Angel Soldier x10 [C] Cyborg x2 [C] Wyvern x5 [C] -------------------------------------------- "I''m going to be honest, lad. I''m pretty excited to fight the army. Fighting alongside Golems is what I''m used to so I''ll take most of those Golems if you don''t mind. Even though you faced against a Dark Knight, it''s important to note that this will be a rather difficult battle. While there are only 26 B+ ranks left, there are still 35 A ranks and 3 A+ behemoths we have to deal with", Briggs said. That wasn''t entirely true. The Minotaur identified an additional hostile that was watching from above. A single Draconic Valkyrie. Clearly the person in charge of the hostile army and was the courtesy of none other than Hidarus himself. Just Another Bothersome Person To Deal With...Or Another Bothersome Person To Kill. 36 Hidarus Challenge Finale Part 2 : Beating The Odds Before we opened the entrance to the battlefield, I decided to give a speech while sitting on Obsidian''s back. Luckily, since Obsidian stood 10 feet tall, I was given a vantage point of the army that I put together. "104...Troops...Strong. But Troops are nothing but a group of soldiers who pledge allegiance to their commanders and kill without worry. We are more than that, my friends. For I am a Dungeon Master and you are my citizens. You are not pawns to played on a crimson chessboard. You are valued citizens of the Dungeon, who will not allow your nation to fall into the trenches of nothingness. A wise man once said that ''Great empires are not maintained by timidity'' because when you fear nothing, you have nothing to fear. If Hidarus has the balls to challenge me to war then he obviously has the balls to lose it. However, war is not won by one man, foolishly thinking that all it takes to conquer the world is sheer will and conviction. A wise man once said that ''we sleep safely at night because rough men stand ready to visit violence on those who would harm us''. It may be true that you are mobs summoned by me to protect the Dungeon, which is inevitably tied to my life. But who needs a speech when you have Griffin and a Succubus risking their lives to protect us! Who needs a speech when you have this giant Dire Wolf and the best god damn architect Orune has ever known! Who needs a speech when you have Dungeon members of incredible talent willing to join a Dungeon who hasn''t even completed its first week? It''s strange, it''s unusual, and it''s damn near atypical. But my Citizens, I ask you one question: If the road to being an Overpowered Dungeon was easy then what''s the fucking point!", I shouted passionately. "Yeah!", shouted most of the troops. As the troops of war accumulated excitement, Briggs was stroking the beard on his face, smiling throughout the rest of the speech. "So who gives a fuck about a war speech when we have a war to win! When we have DP beckoning us to free them from their captors! When we have a god damn Dungeon City to build! Open those motherfucking doors and let''s take what we god damn deserve!", I shouted passionately. As the smiling Cyclops and Minotaur opened the Dungeon''s doors, the mobs began to walk out of the Dungeon with large smiles on their faces. They began chanting as I took the position to lead them into battle. "Jordan! Jordan! Jordan! Jordan! Jordan!", said the chanting troops. "Hehe...awesome", I said to myself. "Nice speech, lad! I didn''t know you had it in you! But we should revisit the plans that you laid out, right?", Briggs asked. "Yes. The plan is still the same. You and Obsidian will split 16 B+ and 30 A rank units. It looks like Krotos is dealing with 5 A ranks at the moment but I want him and Helora on Behemoth duty. Judging from my knowledge of games, I think I''m supposed to beat the Draconic Valkyrie to achieve an early victory. I think I''ll kill some B+ ranks before facing her. I would send Helora and Krotos to face her but I don''t want the Behemoths destroying the Dungeon. I''m the last person other than those two who has the ability to fly, thanks to Vargoz and Hidara. It''s fitting for the Dungeon Master to face the boss anyway, you know?", I said smiling. "You''re welcome by the way", Hidara and Vargoz said simultaneously. "Yeah Yeah Whatever. Just make sure you guys actually keep me unscathed this time! Obsidian! Place me on the ground. It''s time for you to satisfy your animal instincts, my friend. I''ll probably just slow you down anyway, right? You can be as brutal as you want to be! You may not be as graphic as Vargoz but I know you like gore and slaughter as much as the next Dire Wolf!", I said petting his head. As Obsidian slowly put me down on the ground, he started to make a few whining sounds. However, as I gave him a quick head rub, he was ready to do what he always wanted to do. Of course, that was killing enemies in ways that made Mortal Combat seem like a tame experience. Since I was always a person who liked my gore to be a moderate experience in the games I played, I''ll spare the more...graphic details of Obsidian. It''s important to note that the same beast who whines about my departure is the same animal that decapitated a minotaur and favors dismemberment as it''s go-to option. Despite these disturbing facts, Obsidian always acted as if he was just a regular dog from the earth, which may be attributed to the Domestication feature of the Dungeon''s System. "I wish you luck, lad. May Father Hidarus Give Us Strength In Battle!", Briggs said happily. "Alright, you god damn Golems! Let me see what you''re worth! Slimes! Master Jordan tells me you can become armor for the Golems so you''re with me! Orcs! Half of you are supporting the Golems! The rest of you will support Jordan and Obsidian. I would give a speech but I have assholes to snipe!", Briggs said enthusiastically. As Briggs sat on the shoulder of one of the golems, the troops began charging towards the left side of the battlefield. Once they got past the double door entrance of the Dungeon, they rapidly advanced towards the frontlines of the army. It seems that the B+ troops that assaulted the Dungeon were the only specialty troops that were B+, as the rest of the B+ army were either Demonic Soldiers, Minotaurs, or even Corrupted Orcs. In my opinion, the Dungeon members shouldn''t have any trouble wiping them off the map but the Corrupted Orcs are a bothersome opponent. According to Mera''s Encyclopedia, Corrupted Orcs are Demonic/Hellish versions of regular Orcs. They''re stronger than orcs of the same rank and can last longer as well. Their unique ability is the nullification of pain, primarily from the nullification of all emotions during the corruption process. On the battlefield, Krotos was currently launching multiple bombardments of various elements while hovering 20 ft above the ground. As I performed a quick whistle, I was happy to see that Obsidian knew what I was doing, as he immediately began sprinting towards the frontlines. The troops eagerly followed behind him as I tried to get accustomed to Vargoz and Hidara. "I know you told me that I could fly but how exactly do I do that?", I asked. "It''s not hard. Just picture flight and fly in the air", Vargoz said. "Ok...I guess I''ll fl-" If only it was that simple. As soon as my feet left the ground, I felt as if I was flying at the speed of Mach 2. Naturally, I had the reaction that any person would have in this situation. "What the fuck. What the fuck. What the fuck. What the fuck!", I panicked. "You''re a dumbass, Vargoz. Did you really forget about the restraints? You know he can''t control all this power at once. Did you think he was still relying on whatever small amounts of power you had left?", Hidara teased. "Fuck you, bitch! I know what I''m doing! Let''s see...I think it''s 4th generation magic? Or maybe 5th generation? Hm...", Vargoz said pondering. "For the love of...here! I''ll do it then! Before we find ourselves without any oxygen from this altitude!", Hidara said annoyed. As my speed began to stabilize, I began to float in the air above the battlefield. The positive effect of losing control was that I had an incredible view that could only be described as breath-taking. The negative effect was that I was only 100 ft away from the Draconic Valkyrie, as we both stared at each other in the face. She had a form similar to Helora, with Dragon wings, horns, and tail on an overly attractive female form. If I remembered correctly, Helora told me that the Valkyrie''s name was Hedra and that she was an A rank Junior Valkyrie. While she looked like a nice person, I knew what it took to be a Draconic Valkyrie for Hidarus. It was anything but nice. "Oooh! Are you the Dungeon Master? This may be strange but you have an appealing face! If you were a citizen of D2, we probably could''ve gone on a date and watch a Dungeon Battle. But I have to say, you look pretty decent despite having such a young Dungeon!", Hedra said happily. "Spare me the bullshit, Hedra. I know what it takes to become a Draconic Valkyrie! You''re not fooling anyone", I said. It was easy to be fooled by the seductive beauty of a Valkyrie. But Draconic Valkyries, while appearing attractive and pure on the outside, were sadistic and dangerous beings. Luckily, she wasn''t an Hidarian Valkyrie. Those S+ Valkyries can and will kill Gods if they wanted to. Just thinking about them makes me feel sick to my stomach. However, any Valkyrie that gets acquired by Hidarus is usually one of the best in the realm. Even if she was an A rank, I couldn''t afford to slip up against her. "Fine. But I honestly do feel like you are an attractive Dungeon Master, you know. Too bad I''ll have to cut such a pretty head into two...maybe three parts. It''s a shame really. But to join the Hidarian Valkyries and work alongside our God of War, I have to prove myself to Father Hidarus. This is my first assignment as a Hidarus Challenger but I think destroying this Dungeon and fileting your bodies will secure my position. Just look below you, Dungeon boy. Your friends may be strong but do you really think you stand a fighting chance against me? Against the behemoths? You''re just a small link in this little Dungeon you have going here. It''s a shame that the Dungeon has to die with you but it''s because the fat dwarf has some great design taste. I''ll try to make his death a clean and painless one", Hedra stated. "Thanks but I''m afraid you''ll have to wait, correct? Hidarus Challenge rules state that the Dungeon has to defeat a behemoth before you can attack them directly. Unfortunately, that means I also can''t kill you so we''ll have to continue this chat later", I said. "You know, you''re smarter than you look. Since I''m starting to grow fond of you, I''ll let you in on a little secret. If you manage to defeat me, you''ll automatically complete the challenge and be rewarded by Hidarus. The reward for this type of difficulty is...lucrative. It''s important to remember that the Hidarus Challenge was created to test your ability and worth as a Dungeon Master. Even as we speak, Hidarus is eagerly watching this Dungeon''s members to see if the Dungeon''s historic rise to power was warranted. I am the person who will determine if this little shit show can continue. We know about the power in that sword so make sure our fight is an enjoyable one, Jordan. Hidarus is watching both of us", Hedra said. Before Hedra snapped her fingers to teleport, she taunted me as she blew a kiss towards me. She was wearing a revealing outfit while being well endowed, which was hard to resist. Naturally, any man who appreciated the female body would be powerless against it. As she finally teleported, I let out a large sigh. "--sigh--"why do I always attract the crazy ones?", I asked. "Why do you care about that slut anyway? The only woman that you need is Hidara, right? Right? Right?", Hidara said confidently. "Imagine possessing the blood of Hidarus and still becoming this ignorant. Anyway, we need to clear out a large amount of the enemy forces before Helora kills that Flame Titan. The last thing we need is to fight Hedra, the Troops, and the Titans at the same time. That''s a losing battle that we don''t have to play. Instead, we can take this opportunity to show you what this sword can do. Ever since the fat dwarf modified the sword, Hidara has found some new abilities tied to it. Despite her bitchy personality towards me, she''s smart as hell. Since time in her dimension goes slower, she has spent a large amount of time improving her knowledge. In your world, she would be called a ''Scientiast''. Or is it Scientist? Who cares! Just launch the sword like a spear towards an area with no allies", Vargoz said. "Are you sure?", I asked. "Yes. Just trust me on this, Jordan. You won''t be disappointed!", Vargoz said happily. "If you say so Vargoz...", I said cautiously. As I held the sword like a spear, it began to quickly shapeshift into a trident. As black branches began to twirl around my right arm, a large orange marking appeared on the back of my right hand. On it was the initials "VH", which was most likely referencing Vargoz and Hidara. As I threw the trident, it began to exhibit explosive speed that made it comparable to a missle. I knew it broke the sound barrier since an almost deafening sonic boom was heard seconds after I threw it. As it began to pick up speed, the trident began to glow as bright as a flare, as it''s red light caused the hostiles to move from its incoming destination. However, such an effort proved useless, as the trident landed on the battlefield with an explosion similar to a mini-nuke. As the 100 ft radius explosion took the attention of the battlefield, the branches on my arm forced me to move my hand back, as if I was Kratos trying call the Leviathan axe. To my surprise that''s exactly what happened, as the trident quickly returned to my hand as fast as it left from it. "Holy shit", I said amazed. The comparison to a mini-nuke was valid, as the ''fallout'' from the explosion was the spread of Hidara''s taint. The 10 B+ hostiles that were in the radius died on impact but the 15 A ranks that were still standing took on a modified form. "Do you like it? We call it ''Hidara''s Branch'' since I have the naming rights for it. Our Trident used to only provide devastating damage to an area but since you were a summoner, I was able to modify it so we can perform ''Monster Manipulation''. We can perform some Monster Empowerment, Mind Control, and Advanced Summoning with this Trident. Unfortunately, it can only be used once per day since it''s a huge drain on my power", Hidara said. "Yeah. Luckily, the mobs in the blast radius are automatically sacrificed so we usually recover in 24 hours. As for the survivors, well...you''ll see", Vargoz said. As Vargoz turned back into a sword, I flew down towards the battlefield to see the effect of the attack. To my surprise, the hostiles were not only undead but they were going berserk against their former allies! Branded on the entire right side of their faces were neon purple markings, as their eyes began to glow purple and their mind became tainted. However, I knew that this was no time to watch the hostiles, as I needed to prepare for the Draconic Valkyrie''s arrival. I decided to fly towards Krotos, who was finishing up his fight with a few A ranks. I attempted to contact Helora while flying to his location. "Helora? Can you hear me?", I said. "Oi! What the hell was that? All I heard was a sonic boom and an explosion from your direction!", Helora said worriedly. "We can talk about it later. How''s your position?", I asked. "I''m doing"--woah--"I''m doing fine. I''m immune to fire magic so the Flame Titan has been relying on his Defense. I was able to obliterate one of his arms with explosion magic but I would''ve killed him by now if the Frost Of Ruin''s minions didn''t bother me. I don''t have any defense so if you could send some help my way, that would be fantastic!", Helora stated. Judging from Helora''s tone, it was obvious that she was having fun fighting against the Behemoth. Behemoths are some of the most difficult mobs to defeat since they possess both high damage and high endurance while being giant creatures. Helora may be an Offensive Juggernaut but she doesn''t have the defense to last very long against a behemoth. The only person who could possibly keep up with Helora was Krotos. "C''mon! Is that all you got witch? I thought you were better than that?", Krotos said. Tattered clothes, blood-soaked weapons, and a pile of slain hostiles. These were the traits that defined Krotos as I landed on the ground next to him. I noticed that some of the Angellic Soldiers, as well as other friendly units, were also scattered around the area in rather...disturbing forms. Krotos was currently dual-wielding two swords as he stood in a duel with a demonic sorceress. As an A rank Healer and Succubus were supporting her, she proved to be rather bothersome to Krotos. "Hello, Dungeon Master. I see that you have acquired some...destructive magic, correct? Would you mind giving me a hand?", Krotos asked while smiling. "Let me guess. You need me to take out the healer and succubus so you can finally kill this bitch, right? I''m on it", I said confidently. "You catch on quick, Jordan. It''ll be a pleasure to fight with you", Krotos stated. "All this fucking talk and not enough blood!", the sorceress said. As the sorcerer''s hands glowed, the ground underneath Krotos and I began to crumble. As Krotos and I flew in the air, we were met with a barrage of attacks from the Succubus. "Shit! I''ll engage the sorceress up close! Make sure the Succubus doesn''t get the chance to attack me!", Krotos said. As Krotos descended towards the Sorceress, I decided to throw the trident towards the Healer as I flew towards the Succubus, who was currently hovering in front of me. "Hm? Fighting me unarmed? What a stupid-" The Succubus didn''t get to finish, as I performed a heavy punch towards her face and kneed her in the stomach. After leaving her stunned, I eagerly performed a sidekick that sent her falling towards the ground. After holding my hand out, Vargoz automatically came back to me. "Interesting. So that''s what Monster Empowerment does? I think I like it", I said happily. "Don''t get too cocky, my friend. Unless you go into ''War Mode'', this is only a temporary benefit from using Hidara''s Branch. Even then, Hidara''s Branch requires a large amount of magic power so don''t think you can just use it willy-nilly. Hidara is trying to entice you into accepting the taint more often by choosing to go into ''War Mode''. Don''t end up like the last person, Master Jordan. But while the Succubus is stunned, we should steal the healer", Vargoz said. As we dove towards the healer, we caught a glimpse of Krotos''s fight. "Is that all you have, Griffin? Who would have thought that the son of Apollo would be so weak?", the sorceress taunted. "I thought you would be a better sorcerer opponent but it seems your nothing without your little female squad supporting you. This battle is already over", Krotos said confidently. "I''m not so sure about that. Did you think that I didn''t have a backup plan? I''m a sorceress summoned by Hidarus after all", the sorceress said. However, despite the obvious transformation process that she was about to partake in, Krotos decided to end it early. Using his sword creation skill, as well as his ability to use most magic, he instantaneously summoned 42 holy lances from the ground that punctured, impaled, and skewered the Sorceress. Since Holy magic was the fatal weakness of all demonic units, she was unable to escape the painful prison and quickly began to spit out large amounts of her demonic blood. As her life force began to fade, she quickly looked towards the Demonic healer, who would be the only person who could save her. However, the healer was currently trying her best to resist manipulation. "Damn you, Griffin! I''ll kill you!", the Succubus said. After the succubus regained her composure, she lunged towards Krotos with her scythe in hand and began her numerous attempts to cut him into pieces. "You like that, you fucking griffin! Die already!", she yelled. After Krotos did a large step back, he dropped both of his swords on the ground and took out the sword that he always carried on his person. As he put his grabbed on the sword, Krotos''s armor gradually became one of hardened Ice. As both of his eyes began glowing cerulean blue, his frosted armor glistened in the sunlight, as it seemed that he was starting to take this seriously. "I was saving my true power for the behemoths but you can serve as target practice. I''ll admit that you and your friends were very good opponents but Helora needs my help", Krotos said. "Tch! You arrogant piece of shit! Who said this battle was over?!", the succubus said angrily. However, the succubus'' attempt to lunge at Krotos was a futile effort. As she put all of her power into her scythe, it was clear that she was maxing out her scythe for an undeniable kill. But Krotos wasn''t your average A+ rank person. Krotos was the son of the Legendary S+ Griffin named Apollo, which meant that the blinding rage she had would prove to be her downfall. As Krotos raised his sword into the air, he uttered a short phrase that would prove to be exceeding lethal. "Apollo''s Deletion", Krotos said calmly. Seconds before the Succubus was able to reach Krotos, she was seemingly frozen in time. As Krotos sheathed his weapon, he took the scythe off the Succubus and chucked it towards the effective area of the Dungeon. After drawing a rune on her forehead, Krotos walked towards me as the Succubus began to be reduced to dust, and her existence seemingly erased. I was able to watch Krotos''s fight since the Healer didn''t stand much of a chance against me. More specifically, she didn''t stand much of a chance against ''Monster Manipulation'' which was a temporary benefit of using ''Hidara''s Branch''. With this power, I was able to effectively control the Demonic Healer but I didn''t know how long it would last. But seeing as most of the C rank units were dead, it was important that we had a healer for the remaining B rank units. I did a quick check of the mob demographics and it looked like we had 43 mobs remaining. -------------------------------------------- [War Troops Remaining] Elementals x12 [B] Golems x13 [B] Slimes x13 [B] Orc x3 [C+] Cyborg x1 [C] Wyvern x1 [C] -------------------------------------------- "Krotos, you can head over to support Helora. I''m going to meet back up with Briggs and Obsidian to plan our next steps. I might also ask Orai for more units so your support is on the way", I said. After nodding to the information, Krotos quickly launched in the air and flew towards the Flame Titan, who was being bolstered by the Wyrm Titan. As for me, I scanned the battlefield that was currently cluttered with dead bodies. Most of them were the hostiles that were previously threatening us but some of them were my own units. The only hostiles that were left were the 10 A ranks that Obsidian and Briggs were fighting and the massive Behemoths that we still had to face. Not to mention the seductively sadistic Draconic Valkyrie that was just itching to kill us. But of course, unlike the troops we faced before, Behemoths were a legitimate threat to us all. Facing A rank units may have left even the A+ members of the Dungeon somewhat exhausted and bruised. However, with Behemoths being the same rank as my best members and a Valkyrie eagerly awaiting her prey, it would seem that the real challenge was about to begin. If Only I Knew What Was In Store For Us. 37 Hidarus Challenge Finale Part 3 : Lady Justice As Orai slapped me across the face, it was clear that she was understandably furious. "Are you fucking crazy? I''m not letting you do that again! We have too much to lose and not enough to gain!", Orai shouted. "Lad, calm down. I think Jordan knows the risk of such a proposition. And honestly, this might be our best chance of ending this altogether", Briggs said. As Obsidian nodded his head, Orai began to pace back and forth on the battlefield. "So you''re telling me that you''re willing to gamble losing yourself to Hidara...because you feel your conviction is high enough?!", Orai stated. "I''ll tell you the same thing that I told our Dungeon Master. There''s indeed a slight chance that he''ll lose himself in the process but the chance of becoming ''corrupted'' is primarily based upon the strength of his conviction. The ''Taint Of Hidarus'' is most dangerous when you possess feelings of hatred. If Jordan can manage his mental state and stay true to his beliefs, he should be able to avoid corruption while he''s in ''War Mode''. It''s important to note that the more power he consumes, the greater the chance for corruption. It''ll also increase depending on the amount of time spent in War Mode", Vargoz said. "So then we just need to end this quickly, right? The chances of us dying against those behemoths are astronomically high, Orai. If I can defeat that Draconic Valkyrie, we won''t even have to risk our lives against the other two behemoths! All we would have to do is keep them busy so they don''t destroy the Dungeon", I stated confidently. "As much as I don''t like sponsoring suicide missions, I think he''s right. The Draconic Valkyrie is predominantly an air unit so Jordan is the only person who can realistically fight her. Krotos and Helora can''t take their eyes off the behemoths and even then, they need me and Obsidian''s help. Speaking of, I think it''s time we head over to support them. May Hidarus Watch Over Us Both! Let''s go, Obsidian!", Briggs shouted. As Briggs flew on Obsidian''s back, Orai continued her conversation with Vargoz and me. "--sigh--"you''re idiotic, reckless, foolish, and unnecessarily careless. But...", Orai said. "But?", I asked. "--sigh--"but it''s not like I can really stop you, right? If we''re going to do something this stupid, we''ll need more reinforcements if we are going to increase our chances. To utilize the 33,200DP that''s currently on the ground around us, we''ll need to greatly improve the Dungeon''s Effective Area. It''ll be easier to let [Absorb \u0026 Kill] handle it for us instead of manually moving them ourselves. We can increase it by 1/10 Mile for 3,750 DP, which should absorb most of them. What kind of mobs do you want me to buy?", Orai asked. As my face began beaming, I opened up the DP Store and pointed at the most versatile mob we had in the Dungeon. The mob always performed at a high level and could adapt to almost every situation. If I didn''t care about mob diversity, I probably would''ve filled my Dungeon with nothing else. Of course, I''m talking about the criminally underrated Elemental. ------------------------------------- [Moments later] "That''s a lot of Elementals, Jordan. Are you sure this is a good idea?", Vargoz asked. "Of course. Have you known me to be a person who takes mob selection lightly? Have some faith in your Dungeon Master", I said confidently. As the various types of Elementals began to spawn in, Orai was in D1 overseeing the Dungeon''s System. We mutually decided it would be best to have her wait in the Dungeon Control room so we wouldn''t have to worry about both of us dying. While Vargoz and Hidara gave me a fighting chance to survive, Orai was still considered a B rank. It made more sense for her to oversee us and buy more troops if needed as opposed to fighting with us. I decided to spend 900DP on 36 more Elementals and direct this army towards the Behemoths. While I was flying over them, I was looking over the list of Troops we had for our Final Assualt. -------------------------------------------- [Final Assualt Troops] Elementals x48 [B] Golems x10 [B] Slimes x11 [B] -------------------------------------------- "You know, Elementals are one of the most underrated mobs in Mera''s Encyclopedia. It may not have the glitz and glamour of some of the other mobs but it''s still a great unit. It really shines if you''re a summoner since we can create and buy Multi-Elementals as a benefit of our abilities", I said proudly. "Yeah, but how many Dungeon Masters are summoners? Most are either Exceptional Warriors or Experienced Sorcerers. Luckily, you have Dungeon Members who can do that for you", Vargoz said. "Yeah. But look at how they''re fighting the Behemoths. This is the first time I''ve seen them actually struggle to kill something. Look over there", I said. Ahead of us, we saw our strongest Dungeon Members go against the Flame Titan and the Wyrm Titan, with the Frost Of Ruin sending its minions to support. As Helora explained to me earlier, the Flame Titan had power over scorching heat and frequently employed the creative use of his flames. He was still considered the weakest of the three, primarily because of Helora''s immunity to fire attacks. The key to killing the Flame Titan was to prevent the Wyrm and Frost Of Ruin from supporting it against Helora. However, since Krotos was engaging the Wyrm, it was only a matter of time before Helora finished him off. Helora''s greatest weakness continues to be her lack of defense at the expense of overwhelming offense. The Wyrm Titan was a bigger issue, as it was a rather elusive behemoth. Traditionally, it spent most of its time underground but this was obviously a unique situation. Whenever it surfaced, it usually caused misfortune and terrifying destruction to nearby settlements. In a sense, it was a giant burrowing beast with a body comparable to a serpent. What made this massive creature so troublesome was the heavily armored scales that adorned its body, as well as the various attacks it employed to hunt its prey. The only way to kill it was to pierce it''s armor, as it had virtually no weakness to exploit except its inability to fly. Krotos and Obsidian were fighting the Wyrm, albeit with fresh gashes across their bodies. Since they both had rapid regeneration, it seemed they weren''t given enough time to heal. Finally, the Frost Of Ruin was arguably the most dangerous Behemoth, as it ran on Dark Ice and had the ability to control flying minions. These smaller flying beasts not only protect Frost from harm but also does its psionic bidding. The Frost Of Ruin is best thought of as a whole host of creatures instead of a single behemoth. While it wasn''t as tall as the Wyrm Titan, that arguably made it even more dangerous. It was another unit that the Overlord Of Hell chose to utilize from time to time. Similar to the Dark Knight, every Frost Of Ruin is different, as its weakness had to be learned during battle. Briggs was currently shooting down the minions with his enchanted crossbow. "Doesn''t that look like so much fun? Fighting against impossible odds and still finding a way to win? Don''t you want to activate it now, Honey? I mean, do you really think you can wait until the Draconic Valkyrie shows herself? You would never tell your friends but I know you enjoyed being tainted, Jordan. Your pride is stopping you from being true to yourself. You may put on a facade about being omnimoral but we know the real you. I know it, Vargoz knows it, Hidarus knows it, and even you. Dungeon Masters are not beings who tread on the line of morality. They always pick a side, even if they don''t realize it themselves. Stop this charade of being a good person, Dungeon Master. Embrace the real you and destroy every one who comes in your path", Hidara said seductively. "You''re wrong! I''m not like that. I''ll never be like that", I stated firmly. "Tsk tsk tsk. Denial is not good, Dungeon Master. You and I both know you enjoyed the subjugation of the Minotaur as much as I did. You aren''t as human as you think", Hidara warned. "This conversation ends here, Hidara. We have bigger problems to worry about", I stated. As the Elementals got into place, I directed them to perform ranged attacks against the Minions, Wyrm, and Frost. As for me, I decided to help Helora kill the Flame Titan so I could be better prepared for the Valkyrie. As I flew to Helora''s position in the air, she happily greeted me. "Hey, Dungeon Master! It''s been a while, hasn''t it? I know we''re trying to save the Dungeon and all but this is a pretty good workout. But uh...what happened to your left eye? And where did you get that armor set? And how are you flying?", Helora asked. "It''s...it''s a long story. I''ll tell you after we kill this Flame Titan", I said confidently. "If you''ll be my shield, I''ll happily be your sword", Helora said smiling. As I got a better look at the Flame Titan, I noticed that he was an anthropomorphic Behemoth, with a hardened exoskeleton that was surrounded by flames. However, I wasn''t able to study him for long, as he prepared to shoot something out of his chest. "Shit! He''s about to shoot ''Obliterator''! Would you happen to have a shield on you?", Helora asked. "Don''t worry about it. Vargoz has you covered!", Vargoz happily stated. Vargoz began to shapeshift himself into a shield, as the Flame Titan''s glow began to increase and Helora prepared her explosion magic. "I can perform a high tier Explosion spell called ''Quill''s Judgement'' but I need time to cast it. I''ve been wearing him down for a while now so I think I only need one more shot to end this. Do you think you''ll be able to buy me some time?", Helora asked. "I don''t have to think. I already know I can!", I said proudly. As the Flame Titan''s Obliterator beam headed towards us, I held Vargoz in front of us both. As the beam met the shield, Vargoz began to glow bright green as it diverged and reflected on impact. "You may not be able to use Hidara''s Branch but you can still use ''Vargoz''s Protection''! Throw me at this prick!", Vargoz shouted happily. As I smiled, I chucked a glowing Vargoz at the Flame Titan, who began spinning rapidly as he turned back into a sword. Despite accidentally landing on the Titan''s shoulders, Vargoz was able to knock the Titan back before promptly returning to my hand. Unsurprisingly, Vargoz was unable to do any substantial damage but he was still able to buy us some time. However, the Flame Titan became enraged, as his full attention was directed towards me. "Well...fuck", I stated promptly. I spent around 6 minutes maneuvering around the air, as the Flame Titan tried to either grab or smash me into the ground. When things seemed to get dicey, I had to block with my sword but that only negated some of the blow. I frequently found myself overwhelmed at times, being sent to the ground bloody and bruised. However, I always tried to get back up, knowing that my Dungeon Members would do the same. It was a harsh way to introduce me to the world of Orune but it was inevitable. My determination to protect the Dungeon and my friends only increased with every blow struck against me. I already knew what it was like to almost die but I wasn''t planning on rehearsing that experience. However, as fresh blood started to cloud my vision and my armor became scattered with dents, I felt the increasing willpower to win. The willpower to overcome these obstacles and come home from the Hidarus Challenge...a winner. As Helora finally completed her Explosion spell, I noticed the multi-layering of high-quality magic circles above the Behemoth that struck as quickly as it appeared. As the Behemoth''s arms and legs were immobilized in Holy chains, a woman similar to Lady Justice appeared from the clouds with her sword pointed straight at his head. As the Flame Titan tried to break free from his chains, it only made the chains tighter as the scales of Justice began to tip out of his favor. As Helora motioned me to fall back, I began to grip Vargoz tighter. The Titan, and the immediate ground below him, began to float into the air towards Lady Justice before stopping midway into the air. With her sword still pointed at the Flame Titan, she shook her head in disapproval before shooting a thin beam towards his head. In an instant, a large and deafening explosion filled the battlefield as Lady Justice returned to the clouds. To me, the explosion was symbolic in a sense. I was bruised and bloody but I never felt clearer than I did now. I knew exactly what I had to do and how I needed to accomplish it. I decided to fly back towards the mountain but something caught my sight. Bright particles, remnants of the explosion, rained across the entire battlefield as I flew. It was poetic in a sense, as something so beautiful came from something so destructive. But as I raised Vargoz into the air and began to utter the phrase that I needed the most, I made eye contact with Hedra. I thought about what Hidara said and wondered if she was right. The Taint was a pleasant feeling that I did enjoy but was my pride stopping me from being true to myself? I wasn''t sure if her claims were correct but I knew that this world was more brutal than I realized. Being a Dungeon Master was about being associated with a Meritocratic society. The weak will usually die and the strong will tend to survive. It was an unwritten rule that didn''t have to be written. I surmised that to be the point of the challenge as I continued the phrase with a large smile on my face. "I Call Upon The Taint Of Hidarus". 38 Hidarus Challenge Finale End : Druogg, The Dragon Slayer Before I knew it, I began to produce a large and deafening demonic roar, as my body began emitting a dark red glow. The armor given to me by Hidara began the process of repairing itself and my left eye began glowing a sinister red. However, compared to last time, I was actually in control of myself. With the strength of my conviction, I was able to control the power of the Taint, even if the moment was temporary. My bloody wounds began to exhibit rapid regeneration while Vargoz''s eye began to turn as red as my own. However, as my voice gradually became more demonic, it was clear that Hidara was influencing my thoughts. I had to actively suppress the thoughts of terror and destruction, which was the side effect of entering ''War Mode''. Meanwhile, Hedra smiled as she slowly floated toward me. "Don''t you find this sad, Dungeon Master? Isn''t it sad that you have to rely on the one thing that will destroy you the most? The Taint Of Hidarus is not a weapon. It''s a virus that even Hidarus hasn''t been able to cure. You''re not the first person to wield that sword and you will not be the last. Once you cross that corruption threshold, there''s no going back to being your regular self. It will slowly corrupt your mind until you simply can''t take it anymore. You''ll end up just like that adventurer from long ago: A power-hungry, sadistic fool drunk on power", Hedra confidently stated. "You''re wrong, Hedra! The Dungeon always comes first, even if it means sacrificing myself in the process!", I shouted. "Ah! That face of hope! I love it so much! Such an intense face makes me all tingly inside. Even when you''re staring death in the face, you still believe in yourself despite. It''s commendable to see the intense fire in your eyes. The Hidarus Challenge was created to test your ability and worth as a Dungeon Master. Your goal is to prove to Father Hidarus that the Dungeon''s historic rise was warranted. If you somehow manage to survive the challenge, Hidarus will welcome you to Orune with open arms. If you fail...well, I don''t need to tell you what would happen, right? You already know the options available to you, Dungeon Master. It''s just a matter of deciding", Hedra stated. While Hedra began cuddling her battleaxe, Hidara began seductively whispering into my thoughts. "You are my Champion Of War, Jordan. Don''t listen to the slutty Valkyrie. You are different from that adventurer long ago because you are my future lover. As long as we work together, we can do anything. At the moment, you''re the same rank as Hedra since you''re in ''War Mode'' so it''s just a matter of gaining a tactical advantage", Hidara whispered. "I hope you''re ready Hedra. I''m not holding back against a woman", I confidently stated. "Finally! I''ve been waiting so long for your head!", Hedra passionately shouted. As Hedra accelerated towards me, her face was as sadistic as I expected. It was very easy to be fooled by the seductive beauty of a Valkyrie and Hedra was no different. But Draconic Valkyries, while appearing attractive and pure on the outside, were sadistic and dangerous beings. In an alternate reality, we probably could''ve gone on a date as she suggested. It was very ironic that I began to have a crush on the only woman that was trying to kill me the most. Especially since Hidara and Helora already expressed interest. Luckily, I always prioritized logic over emotions so this ironic feeling wouldn''t hinder my resolve against her. As Vargoz began to turn into a more sinister wide sword, I prepared myself for the confrontation against the Draconic Valkyrie. To be frank, she was wearing a revealing outfit while being well endowed, which was made it harder to focus. I wasn''t an overly lewd person in my past life but I did appreciate the female body. As our weapons finally clashed, I decided to remark on her overly sexualized outfit to throw her off. "Well, shit. All that talk about killing me and you can''t even evade a sword block? Are your tits weighing you down, Hedra?", I joked. As I attempted to counter her attack, Hedra landed an intense underhanded punch toward my stomach, which felt as devastating as it looked. As I began to cough up immense amounts of blood, she performed a roundhouse kick imbued with Blue Fire, which was a stronger tier of Fire Magic. As I was sent toward the ground at breakneck speed, Hedra prepared a spell. "I would suggest taking this seriously, Dungeon Master. Just give up already. You don''t have the skills of a Sorcerer or the capabilities of a Warrior. You are nothing but an insignificant summoner, whose only strength comes from the components he gathers. What can you possibly hope to do against me?", Hedra stated. As Hedra continued to prepare her spell, I noticed that it had to be Draconic Magic. Dragon-like runes and markings appeared all over her right arm as she smiled at me. While I knew that the spell was powerful, it seemed that she was arrogant enough to take her time preparing it. She was essentially daring me to fight back, feeling that her victory was already secured. At first, I didn''t know what to do but Hidara began repeating what Hedra said. ''I wasn''t reincarnated as a warrior or a sorcerer but as a Summoner''. As I started to connect these dots, it became clear what the path to victory was. As I stood up and tightened my grip around Vargoz, I talked to Hidara. "Hidara, what can I summon in ''War Mode'' that''ll give us the best chance of winning?", I asked. "Finally asking the important questions, huh? It''s about time! You have a few choices but I would suggest summoning Dragon Slayer Druogg. Thanks to ''War Mode'', you have access to him earlier but we don''t have all the components to properly summon him. Thus, we''ll have to uh...rely on more extreme methods", Hidara cautiously stated. "Are you insane, Hidara?! We can''t do that! That''s fucking suicide!", Vargoz shouted. "What other choice do we have, Vargoz! This is the first time we''ve been with an actual summoner! As it stands, Druogg is our best bet!", Hidara argued. "Yeah. At the expense of doing anything else! To summon Druogg at this early of a stage would require us to perform a Blood Sacrifice! We don''t even know if he can handle that yet! Even then, we don''t even know if Druogg can defeat that Valkyrie or not!", Vargoz argued. "Bullshit! You know damn well that Druogg can defeat a Draconic Valkyrie! You''re just scared, Vargoz! Do you think..."--sigh--"do you think I don''t know the risks? Do you think I would intentionally sabotage my Champion Of War?! This is a calculated risk that we have to take! If we don''t do it, we risk the possibility of utter failure! Do you really want to spend another 100 years, maybe even 1000, drifting around the continent? Stuck with whoever is dumb enough to use the Taint with reckless abandon?", Hidara passionately argued. "I''ll do it. I''ll summon Druogg", I stated firmly. "Woah, wait a minute. This isn''t something you can agree to without hearing the consequences...", Vargoz stated. "I already trust you both so there''s no need to explain. If that''s our best shot then tell me how to summon him", I stated promptly. "This is why you''re my favorite Dungeon Master! Now, first things first...". ---------------------------------------- [5 minutes later] "What the hell are you doing down there? Are you going to surrender or what? The fat dwarf and the wolf have already been knocked unconscious and your other two members are barely holding their own. Are you praying or something?", Hedra said annoyed. While Hedra was in the air awaiting my answer, I was on the ground preparing to summon Druogg. For the past 5 minutes, Hidara and Vargoz were explaining the process of summoning the unique unit. However, it was clear that Hedra''s patience was about to run out. If I was going to really do this, I had to do it now. "Damn. This is going to hurt like hell, isn''t it? I''m not looking forward to this but I love this Dungeon more than I love comfort. But if he''s taking half of the components we just earned, I hope he''s worth it", I said sighing. "By using half of your components, you''ll be able to sacrifice less. However, it''ll still require 50% of your own blood since Summoner blood is magic rich. There''s a guarantee that you''ll pass out but I can transport your mind to my pocket Dimension. However, if Hedra beats Druogg, you''re pretty much dead. We only have one shot to do this so let''s hope for the best", Hidara stated. "I''ll watch over your body to the best of my ability, Dungeon Master!", Vargoz happily stated. As I smiled, I tightened my grip around Vargoz and pointed him towards Hedra. As Hedra flew towards the ground, I took a deep breath and started the summoning chant: ---------------------------------------------------------- "May Father Hidarus Bless This Summoning In The Name Of War. Your Son Requires Your Assistance In Order To Endure. Unreasonable Circumstances Have Plagued My Lands. Draconic Valkyrie Hedra Seeks To Take Command. Dungeon Master Jordan Has A Decree. To Ensure The Safety, He Will Bleed Dragon Slayer Druogg, I Summon Thee! For Any Cost, For Any Price! I Shall Fly, I Shall Fight, I Shall Cast Blood Sacrifice!", I shouted passionately. ---------------------------------------------------------- For a moment, nothing seemed to happen. However, as a bright red glow quickly flashed across my body, blood began to explode from everywhere I had a pulse. I tried my best to endure, as my armor became stained in my own blood. As I began to approach the 50% mark, I felt as weak as I expected. But as I looked toward the sky, I began to be hopeful. A huge, draconic magic circle began to appear in the sky above me, as Druogg seemed to accept the terms of his summoning. As I smiled, I fell on the ground, unable to support my body weight. Hedra, after recently landing 8 yards in front of me, slowly began to walk towards me and remark on the situation. "What is this? Suicide? Desperation? Misplaced Hope? I don''t know much about Summoners but I know desperation when I see it. This shall be the end of your meteoric rise, Dungeon Master. May Hidarus Guide You In The Afterlife", Hedra said coldly. As Hedra finally aimed the draconic explosion spell at Jordan''s head, Jordan still had final words for. "I''m not"--cough--"I''m not sure so sure about that, Hedra", I said weakly. "Huh? Why is that? I''m about to obliterate you and your sword in one single move. What could you possibly be grasping hope from?", Hedra asked. "Well for one, we have a Dragon Slayer", I smiled weakly. Immediately after Jordan passed out, a man wearing Draconic Armor burst out of the sky at the speed of light. Before Hedra was able to react, Druogg immediately intercepted her and punched her in the face. The force of impact from the blow was so intense that the ground under Hedra had sunk while she was sent flying straight into the forest. Druogg was not impressed. "Tch. I came here to kill a Dragon and all I have is a Draconic Valkyrie? Who''s the prick who summoned me for this shit?", Druogg said. Druogg was the legendary Dragon Slayer Of Light, who came in rank variations from A all the way to S+. Dragon Slayer Light Magic is a powerful type of Lost Magic that allows the user to produce and control light from their body or surroundings. This Lost Magic allows Druogg to control and create light either from his own body or by gathering the light particles from the surrounding area. He was able to create or manipulate the light as he wished, allowing for a variety of uses in battle. However, while Druogg was a powerful unit, he was also one of the most disobedient. Dressed in Black and Gold draconic armor, he walked towards Jordan, who passed out from the blood sacrifice. As he began nudging him with his sword, Vargoz spoke with the Dragon Slayer. "Uh...Druogg. What are you doing? You''re in the middle of a battle", Vargoz asked. "Is that you Vargoz? The Devourer Of Souls? You''re...smaller than I remember", Druogg joked. "Yeah, no shit sherlock. I got trapped into this bloody sword. I haven''t found a way out yet so...here I am", Vargoz stated. "Your personality seems different though, right? You used to be a lot more brutal than this if I remembered correctly. Anyway, who''s this guy next to you? A friend of yours? Enemy? Unidentified?", Druogg asked. Before Vargoz could explain the situation, Druogg heard a dragon roar from the forest, which immediately caught his attention. As he turned his head, he saw the Draconic Valkyrie heading straight towards him. Even from a distance, he could tell that she was fuming with rage. As the Valkyrie spoke, she began going berserk. "Who the fuck do you think your messing with, boy?! I am a God damn Draconic Valkyrie! Look at my beautiful face! It''s ruined! Do you want to die, you piece of shit?! Do you want your arms and legs to be fed to your quadriplegic body? You''re going up against odds you can''t even comprehend! I was going to go easy on Jordan but you...you''re gonna die so painfully you''re gonna wish you never touched me!", Hedra shouted. "Tch! What an annoying bitch! You''re not even worth the air that you''re breathing! What makes you think you''re worthy of fighting me? Did your brain go into those nice, big tits of yours? You have a better chance of riding my shaft than killing me. It''s not too late to become my woman though", Druogg proudly stated. "I...understand now. You are a lost soul, aren''t you? You''ve been misguided by corrupt forces and you''re unsure of how to appeal to Father Hidarus. That''s fine...I''m a Valkyrie after all. I''ll save your soul...by destroying it!", Hedra smiled sadistically. "Ew. What an ugly bitch. Have some light with your darkness!", Druogg shouted. As Druogg boosted towards Hedra, Hedra began removing the restraints on her magic. As she began to glow bright orange, it was clear that she was becoming serious. As Druogg reached her, he performed a two-handed sword attack but Hedra was able to block it with her battleaxe. As they were face to face, Hedra began shooting Blue Fire from her mouth. Since Druogg''s armor was built around fighting dragons, he quickly became annoyed by her attack. As Druogg charged his right hand with light magic, he expressed his frustration. "Bitch! Close your mouth!", Druogg said aggressively. As Druogg''s fist became engulfed with a blinding light, Druogg punched Hedra in the cheek, leaving her with burn marks and sending her to the ground at the speed of light. As Hedra''s bruised face began bleeding, she tried to get up from the ground. However, possessing no mercy, Druogg restricted her movement with Illuminating Whips that appeared on the ground around her. Druogg was still not impressed. "Bad women who waste my time need to be punished severely", Druogg said sternly. As Druogg prepared his Ordinance spell, Hedra warned him. "Who the fuck do you think you are, you arrogant prick! Even if you kill me, Hidarus will bring me back to life. Isn''t that wonderful?! No matter what you do to me, Father Hidarus never gives up on his Valkyries. I''ll just keep reincarnating over and over and over again. Hunting you relentlessly to the point where you can''t even sleep. Look here, Asshole. You have hereby formally incurred the wrath of the Valkyries for your transgressions. Every corner, every crevice, every building, every tree, every single person that you''ll ever meet...we''ll be watching you. And when you least expect it, when you''ve long forgotten about this moment and rest your eyes to sleep for another day...we''ll be there to kill you", Hedra stated sternly. "I''m the Dragon Slayer Of Light, bitch. Have a taste for the road!", Druogg stated. By transforming the light particles in the sky into thousands of light needles, Druogg prepared his Ordinance. With needles being imbued with a mix of cutting or explosive properties, it was clear that the move would be fatal. However, Druogg prepared an additional ''present'', which was his Solar Flare ability. Generally, Druogg saved this ability for when he needed to pierce the many layers of a Dragon''s armor. However, he found the Valkyrie so annoying that he didn''t want anything to be left behind. As his eyes began to glow a bright yellow, he began creating a large concentration of magical energy above his head, which resulted in a sphere of densely molded light. It was essentially overkill. "You monster...have you no shame?", Hedra said. "Just shut up and die already", Druogg briefly stated. As Druogg launched his blinding ordinance, Hedra tried her best to break free but to no avail. She shouted, cursed, and insulted the Dragon Slayer before the attacks finally reached her. However, as the Solar Flare and Ordinance finally landed, an intense and blinding blast dominated the entire battlefield. At first, Druogg was preparing another attack but once the smoke cleared, he realized that nothing was left. However, Druogg was not satisfied with the situation, despite his victory. "Tch. What a loser. I''ve faced Hidarian Valkyries stronger than that. At least I finished before the sun went down. I can already feel my power draining due to the lack of sunlight", Druogg said promptly. Bright particles, remnants of the explosion, rained across the entire battlefield as Druogg floated down towards Vargoz. He noticed that a strange woman was holding Vargoz but she seemed to be friendly. He decided to not attack her. "Who are you and why are you holding Vargoz?", Druogg asked. "I''m Hidara, the Demonic spirit stored with Vargoz in this sword. I would like to properly thank you for getting rid of that Draconic Valkyrie for us. Our Dungeon Master put his entire faith in you so it''s good to see that it paid off! You have our gratitude!", Hidara said happily. "I would rather have some DP instead of gratitude so whenever he wakes up, tell him he owes me 7,000 DP + interest. I''m going to hit up the brothel in D2 so I''ll see you guys later", Druogg said calmly. As Druogg snapped his fingers, he disappeared without a trace. Hidara was hoping that he would stick around to help but Vargoz thought it was a stretch. As Hidara threw Jordan over her shoulder, she slowly walked towards the Dungeon''s entrance. Bose was on the battlefield moving the bodies into the range of [Absorb \u0026 Kill]. Krotos and Helora were heavily bruised but they were still in better shape than Obsidian and Briggs. Those two passed out from their injuries and were being carried by some of the remaining Golems. But despite the overall state of the Dungeon, all conscious members were smiling at their success. It was incredible odds but they somehow pulled off a magical victory. The Dungeon, whose meteoric rise caught the attention of Hidarus, somehow continued its historic run. Unknown to them, the Challenge was being broadcasted in D2, where a number of threats and opportunities eagerly awaited them. However, as Orai came running towards them with tears in her eyes, she happily stated what they wanted to hear the most. They successfully completed the Hidarus Challenge. 39 Guide D2s Map @@Since Webnovel''s software doesn''t allow the posting of images, I''ll have to leave the link to the map. https://i.imgur.com/inESkwQ.png I made a map of what D2 roughly looks like. It should help to get a sense of it''s size. I''m going to try to post more maps so people can have a better idea of how things look like. I''ll probably make a map of Ravenscar, as well as a Dungeon Map. Having a map of the Dungeon would obviously help once things begin to get complicated. I''m looking into the software for the Dungeon Map but I''m beginning the drafting process for Ravenscar. I''m also thinking of making a map of the surrounding area so it''s easier to visualize. 40 Important Announcement! @@Greetings Dungeon Masters! It''s CautiousTitan and I have an important announcement regarding OP Dungeon: OP Dungeon will continue in the coming Sequel: Hidara''s Curse! Hidara''s Curse is essentially OP Dungeon 2 Might change the name of the Sequel but Idk yet tbh. OP Dungeon 1 will now serve as a Prequel, as most of the characters were introduced in OP Dungeon 1. OP Dungeon 2 will continue the story of Jordan and his Dungeon members, which follows the completion of the Hidarus Challenge.