by Iliev, Neven
The second one—Item Allocation—had to do with distributing rewards to any and all adventurers that managed to fulfil certain conditions. An example of this would be reaching a specific point in the dungeon in a set amount of time, defeating a tough enemy or simply coming across a treasure chest. The items in question had to come through external means and would be stored within a pocket dimension bound to the dungeon core, similar to a mimic’s Storage. It was possible to forge items out of pure mana, but such things would disappear the instant someone tried to take them out of the dungeon.
The monster Didn’t have any plans to use this function, nor did it have any idea why anyone would willingly give out treasures. It was like breaking into someone’s house, killing their dog, and having the residents happily cook and serve the poor animal to the intruder. However, it took this opportunity to point out that it was possible to create temporary or single-use magic items with which one could fend off intruders. One of said items was a Rod of Fire, which produced a Flamethrower-like effect at will.
The third basic function was Mana Collection. This allowed the dungeon core’s owner to regulate the rate at which the surrounding mana was absorbed. Maintaining the dungeon’s various functions required MP as fuel and not all of it could be recycled. Even if it would eventually come back on its own, it was important to properly manage this resource in order to keep all of the dungeon’s facilities running. It was also important to the dryad that the magical energy in question was something she needed in order to sustain herself and her hylt tree.
However, the basic function that really caught her attention was the fourth one. The Monster Spawner menu could be used to determine the type of monsters that appeared inside the dungeon and could exert a certain amount of control over them. Meaning it was entirely possible to gain dominion over those simple-minded termites and order them to kill themselves en-masse. If not, there was also the option of spawning some of their natural predators in order to control and contain their spread, perhaps wipe them out completely.
The fifth function—the Surveillance Net—was the one Boxxy wanted to take advantage of the most. It collected information regarding everything that happened within the dungeon core’s sphere of influence. It was possible to Appraise any and all intruders and their gear, not to mention it would automatically log their progress through the dungeon. Most importantly, it could instantly notify the shapeshifter should any unauthorized individuals try to encroach on its stash of shinies. Well, that wasn’t to say that the individual directly in front of it wasn’t suspicious, but she seemed genuinely disinterested in its collection.
There were also five advanced features to a dungeon core, although those demanded a much larger amount of MP to operate compared to the basic ones. Guardian Assignment allowed the appointment of extra-powerful monsters to guard key junctions. Again, something Boxxy had no interest in actually putting to use. Nexus Access, on the other hand, was a curious one that not only allowed the core’s owner to instantly teleport anywhere within the dungeon, but could also transport them to any other dungeons that might be under their rule.
Prison Management was there in case Boxxy wanted to keep certain individuals alive for extended periods of time. It would provide them with a living space and cater to their basic needs using magic. There was also the matter of the ominously-named Interrogation Room that could be built and maintained through the Prison Management menu.
Next up was Terrain Sculpting, a feature that would allow the dungeon’s owner to change the layout of their dungeon at will. It was unclear as to whether a living mass of timber would count as ‘terrain,’ but there was a good possibility that it would. After all, that hedge maze in the Spire of the Jade King was clearly plant-like in origin and could still benefit from the dungeon’s auto-repair feature, courtesy of Terrain Sculpting. This was also the thing that maintained the warped space inside the Spire itself, which opened up a lot of interesting possibilities.
The final advanced feature was Trap Construction, which was the one Boxxy looked forward to experimenting with the most. Teleportation circles, spiked floors, poisonous gas, trap doors, swinging guillotines, crushing ceilings, anti-air countermeasures—all manner of deliciously devious devices could be built in an instant. The former mimic was particularly eager to see what those booby-trapped chests were like.
“How wondrous!” the dryad exclaimed once Boxxy finished its presentation. Her face lit up with joy. “If this dungeon core is truly as powerful as thou claim, then I would no longer have to worry about any pests nibbling at mine bark or sensitive heartwood!”
“It’s only as powerful as the mana in the environment,” reiterated Boxxy, “but inside here should prove to be more than enough to handle some pesky bugs. So, how about it, Ambrosia? I will establish a dungeon inside this chamber, and you can be my... its dungeon master.”
“A dungeon master?” she asked dubiously. “What doth that entail?”
“You get to control all of the basic functions I told you about, but only I get to play around with the advanced ones.”
“So, like a steward?”
“That’s one way to put it.”
“Are there any other limitations?”
“You, or rather, the part of you I’m speaking to, would need to remain inside the dungeon’s boundaries at all times.”
“I hath no intent to venture beyond mine bark, so that is agreeable.”
“Also, I will have supreme authority within the dungeon since I’m the core’s owner, but I’ll mostly leave you to do your thing.”
Her eyelids twitched slightly at that first bit. Well, saying someone else would be the ‘supreme authority’ of part of her body was understandably not to her liking. However, she didn’t deny the offer outright.
“What if thou were to perish?”
“Then I suppose you would become the owner.”
“Oh? Thou art rather forthcoming with such sensitive information.”
“I’m not even six months old. Assuming I would outlive someone as ancient as you is a stupid notion.”
“Hmm, I suppose so.”
“So, what do you say? If we team up, then you can manage your pest problems under your own power, and I have a hideout to use as I see fit.”
“I must say, ‘tis a very tempting proposition.”
Ambrosia closed her eyes in thought. She didn’t particularly mind having this creature called Boxxy take up residence inside her tree, not when it offered this much rent in return. Of course, she would have to give up a certain amount of her ‘food’ in order to maintain this dungeon it wanted to make, but it wasn’t that big a deal. The mana coursing through this cavern only accounted for about a quarter of the total she pulled up from deep beneath the ground. That said, the consumption would need to be regulated. She could still survive even if that strange crystal ball sucked up every last drop of it, although she wouldn’t be able to produce her fruits and spread her seeds.
“I just have one more inquiry.”
Countless numbers of vines sprouted from the ground beneath Boxxy and wrapped around it in an instant. They completely bound the creature and tightened their grip on its faux-wood shell as if threatening to squeeze the life right out of it. Numerous sharp brambles dug furiously into its ‘skin,’ causing its dark-red doppelganger blood to ooze out of the wounds.
“What’s to stop me from crushing thee right here and now, and claiming this dungeon core for mine own?” the dryad asked with a clearly hostile attitude.
“Right back at you.”
Dozens of short, steel blades suddenly sprouted from the fake mimic’s surface, cutting apart the plants that had entwined themselves around it. After breaking free, the creature rapidly grew in size many times until it became a three-meter-tall imitation of the demonic overlord called Nagnamor, complete with armor and glaive courtesy of Metal Mimicry.
“What’s to stop me from ripping this tree apart and having my minion burn it to the ground?”
&
nbsp; It even spoke with the same deep, booming voice, although the non-flaming skull meant it didn’t have nearly the same impact as the original.
“Do not presume to treat me like one of those idiotic bugs!” it roared.
The dryad did not even flinch at the obvious threat and otherwise terrifying demonic appearance. Rather than being intimidated, she actually broke into a large smile and stared ferociously at it.
“Heh. Hehehehe!”
“Hah hah hah hah hah hah!”
Each of them gave off a malicious, dry laugh while staring the other down and baring their fangs, literal or otherwise. In the end, both of them were monsters. So what if they were intelligent or appeared amicable? Ultimately, the only thing that mattered to either was themselves, and they would not hesitate to kill in order to fulfil their selfish desires.
“Very well, Boxxy T. Morningwood! This one shall agree to thine bargain!”
“Looking forward to working with you, Ambrosia!”
But that didn’t mean they couldn’t compromise. Boxxy would have to share its living space with this plant woman, but it didn’t particularly mind since it would mean added security. The dryad, on the other hand, would receive the means by which to exterminate everything and anything she deemed as pests, but had to agree to serve as this creature’s host. Both of them stood to profit immensely if they worked together, whereas the only thing violence and hostilities would earn them was massive injuries.
“Well, then!” declared Boxxy while reverting to its preferred chesty form. “I’ll go find a good spot to form the dungeon’s heart!”
Having obtained the dryad’s consent, the doppelganger once again took out the dungeon core from Storage. Much like before, the crystal orb immediately began sucking in the ambient magical energy at a staggering rate. After about five minutes, it had grown back to its initial size of about one meter in diameter and gave off a bright yellow light, almost like a miniature sun. By the time it finished charging up, Boxxy had scouted a prime location within this cavernous nest. It had ultimately decided to use a fairly flat and considerably wide wooden plateau as the dungeon’s innermost sanctum. It stood in the middle of it, and held the now-charged dungeon core above its head.
“Dungeon Expansion: Create Dungeon!”
The core’s yellow shine brightened as it responded to its owner’s command. It rose steadily into the air, climbing to an altitude of about seven meters above its owner. It then sprouted eight thick chains made of solid white light, which stretched out and waved around like drunken serpents living things. Two of them latched onto the floor, three onto the surrounding walls and three more to the air itself. Once all of them were in place, they gradually faded from view as the core became firmly affixed to that one spot. The crystal orb then let out a massive wave of mana that washed over its surroundings. It was a burst of magic thick enough to make both Boxxy and Ambrosia wobble on their feet.
[Congratulations, your dungeon has been established!]
[Please state the name this dungeon.]
“Dryad’s Domain,” it spoke aloud, and the core flashed two times in response.
The dryad wondered what that was about, but got her answer in the next instant.
[You have now entered Dryad’s Domain.]
“Appoint Dungeon Master: Ambrosia.”
[Dryad’s Domain has recognized you as its rightful ruler.]
[Do you wish to claim ownership of this dungeon?]
[Yes]
[No]
“Oh. How flattering,” she said dryly while selecting the ‘Yes’ option in her head.
[Ambrosia has been appointed as the dungeon master of Dryad’s Domain.]
“What is?” Boxxy asked curiously.
“Thou named it after myself.”
“It’s not flattery. It’s misdirection.”
“Misdirection? How so?”
“If someone comes here, I want them to think you’re in charge.”
“I am in charge.”
“Of course, you are. I merely meant that I don’t want my presence to be known.”
“I see. So how do I actually control this thing?”
“Just say ‘Dungeon Management.’ You can probably figure it out from there.”
“Dungeon Management.”
[Dungeon Management]
[Core ID # PT-5484-BM]
Active (Dryad’s Domain)
Owned by Boxxy T. Morningwood
Managed by Ambrosia
92% Integrity
4,532/20,000 MP (+15.6/sec)
[Basic Functions]
Dungeon Expansion – Active
Item Allocation – Disabled
Mana Collection – Active
Monster Spawner – Disabled
Surveillance Net – Disabled
[Advanced Features]
Guardian Assignment – Access Denied
Nexus Access – Access Denied
Prison Management – Access Denied
Terrain Sculpting – Access Denied
Trap Construction – Access Denied
“Oh, how curious!” the dryad exclaimed. “Hmm? The Integrity is… this thing is damaged?!”
“It’ll fix itself with time. Part of the Mana Collection function,” the shapeshifter explained. “Anyway, I’m sorry to core and run, but it’s nearly dawn and I have other matters to attend to. I’ll leave you to get better acquainted with the dungeon’s functions.”
“Very well, milord. I look forward to thine return.”
Boxxy disappeared several seconds later by activating the Transfamiliar Spell and changing places with Xera in a puff of smoke. The succubus shook her head a few times as she got her bearings. She looked at the glowing dungeon core and then at the plant lady from before, who was investigating the various menus and features she had gained control over.
“Ah, forgive me milady,” she said politely. “This one is called Ambrosia. Thou art milord Morningwood’s servant called ‘Snack,’ correct?”
“Hmm, that’s more or less right. Good to meet you, Ambrosia.”
“The pleasure is all mine. Milady Snack is quite the capable magic user, so I expect to learn a lot from thou.”
“So it managed to catch another one, huh?” the demoness mumbled.
“Pardon, milady?”
“No, nothing dearie,” the succubus replied with a smile. “Don’t mind me, just thinking aloud.”
“Understood. Now, if thou would excuse me, milord has given this one much to learn, so I must take mine leave and focus on the task at hand.”
The dryad submerged into the wooden ground with a polite bow while Xera’s smile spread wider until it became a wide, malicious grin. She wondered how long it would take for that dryad to realize what was happening to her. No, thinking about it more logically, the question wasn’t ‘when,’ but ‘if.’
After all, a dungeon core’s ability to reprogram a monster’s way of thinking was scarily effective.
Part Seven
One of the detriments of living under Azurvale’s hylt tree canopy was that direct sunlight was a luxury. Though countless stray rays pierced through the gaps in the leaves to provide illumination, they were diluted and diffused to invisibility by the time they reached the ground. That said, there were still a number of sizeable gaps in the green ceiling that allowed an unobstructed view of the heavens. As a result, one could clearly see numerous columns of the sun’s warm light slowly sweep across the city like natural spotlights, highlighting certain buildings.
One such structure was a four-story structure that looked more like a mansion than an office building. It was painted in an eye-catching sky-blue color that shone in the morning sunlight. Its flat and fenced-off roof could be easily accessed like an unofficial fifth floor, making it stand out amidst the sea of red tiles that covered all of the buildings around it. It had numerous windows that let in as much light as possible, although a few of them seemed to have been boarded up from the inside. This eye-catching structure was know
n as the Central Consortium and served as the headquarters to eight of the country’s largest guilds. These disparate organizations shared a decades-long history of cooperation, each of them covering a different area of expertise.
It was, in essence, a place that had something for everyone.
Anyone wishing to become a heavily armored powerhouse needed look no further than the Knights of Elena. Youngsters seeking a more subtle approach to adventuring as scouts and hunters enlisted with Hidden Arrow. Individuals drawn to darker and morally ambiguous practices such as necromancy, demonology, and assassination had a home within the Maleficium. Broken Mirror, on the other hand, offered training in the destructive power offered by the orthodox arcane arts practiced by the likes of Wizards, Pyromancers and Cryomancers. The Blessed of Nyrie was a religious organization that trained Paladins, Priests and Monks of all faiths, despite what its name suggested. Then there was the Children of the Wild guild, which had a marked focus on Shamans, Druids and Monster Tamers—occupations that drew upon various aspects of nature.
However, though these six adventurer guilds made up the majority of the Central Consortium, the coalition also had two artisan guilds with a focus on crafting and production. The first of those was the Hammers of Horkensaft, which primarily consisted of dwarven smiths and gnomish engineers. Their specialty was the production of the various arms and armors for adventurers, and they also made a plethora of common trinkets and tools that interested the general public. The other crafting-oriented guild was the Magus Emporium, which dealt with enchanting, alchemy and magic items in general. They also performed research in the fields of botany and biology, to a lesser extent.
The goal of the Central Consortium and the alliance of guilds within it was to provide a gathering hub for adventurers with varying skill sets. Common sense dictated that it was folly of them to embark on dangerous Quests and long journeys without a balanced and versatile group. With so many guilds in one place, finding teammates to fulfill specific roles was as simple as visiting the relevant institution.
