ã€ŠCore of Knowledgeã€‹


 CoK- Prologue

    He had failed. They had rejected him. He looks around at the result of his failure. His precious protective formations, which he had studied for thousands of years, were destroyed. His armor, made from the most legendary of materials, was broken. His paintbrush, which he had begun refining since the day he became a cultivator, has been shattered into a thousand pieces.

    Xu Han had failed. Ten thousand years. For ten thousand years he had prepared, and he had still failed. As his soul gushed out from the numerous holes in his body, the cultivator who would be a god stared at the heavens above.

    ¡°Why?¡± Xu Han asked softly. ¡°For ten thousand years, I roamed the Crimson Lands. I learned from every Empire, every Sect, every Holy Land, every Cult. I ignored my pride, bowed my head and was a student to every Sage of note. I had sacrificed both my honor and my dignity for knowledge. I had stolen and killed for it. I had done it all just for the sake of knowledge. Over five hundred thousand cultivation arts, countless different techniques from over a million schools, how can that not be enough?¡± Xu Han pleaded with the Heavens. ¡°No one had learned more than me. No one can match my knowledge. My soul is strong. My Dao is established. My talent is unmatched. How could that not be enough?¡±

    There was silence. The sound and thunder of the tribulation had passed, and the Heavens did not response to Xu Han¡¯s plead. The Soul Emperor did not expect it to, but the gnawing feeling in his heart would not stop. Xu Han stood. Pain racked his body with every move, but the cultivator known as the Crazed Scholar ignored the pain.

    ¡°You are wrong. No one deserves this more than me. I had done everything for knowledge. Good and evil, right and wrong, I did it all in my quest for it. I deserve this! I deserve to ascend. I deserve to be the God of Knowledge!¡±

    Xu Han knew it was foolish. A challenge to the Heavens could not go unanswered. Or unpunished. Xu Han did not care. He was going to die anyway, and he demand answers before his death. Xu Han did not take his eye from the sky above him. Finally, as he expected, it roared.

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    A rumble shook the entire Crimson Lands. Its intention was clear, but the Soul Emperor of Knowledge did not back down. He had challenged the Heavens and it had found him wanting. Xu Han wants to know why. What was he lacking? Why couldn¡¯t he be the God of Knowledge?

    Xu Han did not have to wait long. A bolt of lightning, red as blood, crashed down from the sky above. It struck the would-be God of Knowledge, its tremendous power destroying the disrespectful cultivator. Then, just before the Crazed Scholar was reduced to nothingness, he heard it. The softest of whispers. One last small mercy from the Gods in the Heavens Above.

    What use is knowledge if it is not shared?

    It shook Xu Han and a wave of understanding washed over him. The Heavens were right. For ten thousand years, he had learned from the cultivators of the land, and his methods were not always aboveboard. He had stolen, killed, and threatened countless cultivators for their knowledge, but he had never shared. Xu Han had never passed on his knowledge. He had no disciples, founded no sect, took in no students, and left no treasure. He had never created a secret realm like most Soul Emperors or even a library for future generations. All he knows, he had hoarded.

    What use is knowledge if not shared?

    Xu Han realized his error. He had learned, but never shared. He was no scholar. He was nothing but a hoarder. He had hoarded the knowledge he gained, and the Crimson Lands was poorer for it. Of the countless techniques he knew, a great number of them would be lost once he is gone, because Xu Han was the only one who knew them. The knowledge would die with him!

    In desperation, Xu Han gathered the last of his strength and condensed his knowledge within his soul. He infused his soul into various items on his body. His pendant, his rings, even his shoes, and tattered armor. Xu Han infused them with his soul and threw the items out into the Crimson Lands. Hopefully, someone more worthy than him would gather them and learn from the knowledge within. A fit of pain shot through Xu Han¡¯s body and he felt his soul disintegrating. Xu Han made no attempt to resist. For his crimes against knowledge, for his arrogance, he deserved nothing short of oblivion. Xu Han looked at the Heavens and smiled.

    ¡°Thank you for that last bit of knowledge. You are right. I am unworthy. If I have another chance, I vow to do better.¡±

    Then, Xu Han, the Crazed Scholar, the Hoarder of Knowledge, the Thief of Ten Thousand Techniques was no more.

 Part 1- Awakening

    Light came to Xu Han. His body had failed him, but his consciousness did not. It refused to fade away and after an indeterminate amount of time, Xu Han felt his awareness blossoming around him. It felt like¡­someone was speaking to him.

    ¡°Hello. Hello. You there? This is your Dungeon Fairy speaking. Can the core please respond?¡±

    The noise was strange. Xu Han heard them, but he did not understand them. He had challenged the heavens and had been smite by it for his insolence. It was nothing less than what he deserved. Xu Han waited for oblivion.

    ¡°Hello. Hello. I know you are awake. I see the light in your core. Please respond.¡±

    Oblivion did not come. Only the noise. Noise that sounded like words. Words in a strange language that Xu Han did not understand¡­till he did. As the annoying noise kept speaking, Xu Han realized he was beginning to understand it. Xu Han did not know how this was possible and despite his acceptance of his fate, the scholar within Xu Han was curious. Xu Han listened, and it became stranger and stranger. It was as if Xu Han was now fluent in the language despite never hearing it before today.

    Xu Han open his eyes¡­and realized that he can¡¯t. Was he blind? Did the Heavens take away his sight as punishment for challenging it? It was possible, but Xu Han thought it was unlikely. Xu Han might have done that, but Heaven was not that petty.

    ¡°Hello. Hello. Still no response. I guess I got a faulty core. Sorry then, but I have no choice. As it is stated in Rule Seventy-Nine of the ¡®One hundred and One Rules of Dungeon Fairies¡¯; when a dungeon fairy finds a faulty dungeon core, it is the responsibility of the fairy to destroy the faulty dungeon core before mana overload destroy it and the surrounding region. Sorry, but I must destroy you.¡±

    Wait, what? This stupid voice is threatening me. Me? How dare it! A Soul Emperor is not so easily cowed! It is seeking death!

    Xu Han tried to speak¡­and realized that he can¡¯t. Was he mute? Was the heaven so petty that he was reincarnated both blind and mute? Luckily, a cultivator in the Soul Emperor realm has other ways of seeing and speaking.

    Xu Han gathered his Qi, an action so natural he no longer even had to think about, and immediately realized that something was wrong. The Qi was different. It was similar, but there was a different feel to it. It was as if Xu Han was drinking wine from a different region. It was still wine, but there was a slight difference in taste and texture. Something he will need to investigate later. For now, Xu Han used the strange Qi he had gathered and released it. His awareness of the world expanded, and he began to see and hear. Xu Han felt strange. It was as if he was waking up from a long sleep, and in a way, he was.

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    As Xu Han became aware, he noticed his surroundings. He was surrounded by rocks with a domed ceiling above him. For a moment, Xu Han thought he was in a tomb but quickly discarded the idea. The walls were too irregular to be man-made. It looked more like a cave. Another thing for him to ponder later. For now, Xu Han focused on the¡­what is that?

    There was a creature above him. A female creature with green skin and blue hair that was flying on a pair of butterfly wings. Despite its butterfly wings, the creature was using it more like a hummingbird, swinging them endlessly to stay afloat. The creature that had her arms folded in front of her and was looking crossly down at Xu Han. Despite his long life, Xu Han was certain he had never seen or heard of such a creature. Xu Han felt an emotion he had not felt in a long time.

    It was amazement.

    ¡°What are you?¡± The air within the cave shook as Xu Han used vibrations to ask the question instead of his mouth. The strange creature smiled at the question and pumped an arm in triumph.

    ¡°Success! The textbook was right. When facing a lazy core that rather sleep, always threaten it with death to get a response.¡±

    What? It was a trick?

    Xu Han was too curious to be angry. He had sensed his surroundings and realized he was in some sort of enclosed cave. The cave was bright, allowing Xu Han to look around. There was no passageway of any sort leading in or out of the enclosed cave. So, how did the creature get to him? Was it some sort of creature from the Void that could teleport, or some sort of ghost that could go through walls? Then, Xu Han wondered where the light was coming from. The cave was illuminated by a source he could not see. Then, he noticed a strange thing.

    The light was coming from him!

    One of the main strengths of using Qi to see was the fact that a cultivator could use it to change his point of view. That was what Xu Han did. He used the strange Qi he had, and his viewpoint looked down at the cave he was in.

    He saw the strange creature from above, and it was flying above a floating diamond-shaped crystal. Instinctively, Xu Han realized that it was his ¡°body¡±. He was the crystal. He had been reborn as¡­a floating crystal? What kind of sick perverted punishment is this?

    The strangeness of the situation would have sent anyone else into a panic, but Xu Han was a Soul Emperor. He was made of sterner stuff. He also realized that he had someone who could answer all his questions. Xu Han moved his focus back to the strange creature who was still talking in a rush. It was saying something about dungeons, adventures, treasures, levels-

    ¡°Wait. What? Go back. What did you say about adventurers coming to kill me? What are adventurers? What did I ever do to them?¡±

 Part 2- The First Floor

    ¡°It looks like it¡¯s starting to slow,¡± Darwin said to his hunting party. ¡°It is bleeding a lot.¡±

    Pos¡¯ eyebrow rose in surprise at the tracker¡¯s words. He had seen larger splotches of blood along the trail, but if their quarry was slowing down, it was not obvious to him. The party had seen no sign of the tiger since they chanced it once and engaged it in battle. The animal had run off once it realized it was losing. A tiger of all bloody thing!

    ¡°How did a tiger even get here?¡± the dwarf grumbled. ¡°I thought they only exist in the south.¡±

    Pos did not expect anyone to answer his rhetorical question, but humans are a strange lot, and humans from the Bright Empire were especially so.

    ¡°Probably some rich noble¡¯s pet that escaped a private zoo.¡± Marica said. ¡°Doesn¡¯t really matter, does it?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it does. Especially when we need to chase it through the woods.¡± Pos knows he was being a grumpy dwarf, but his attitude seemed to put both [Knight] and [Tracker] at ease. Humans from the Empire tend to think that all dwarves are grumpy by nature, and experience told Pos it was easier to play into the stereotype.

    ¡°Let¡¯s keep moving.¡± Marica said.

    The trio moved through the undergrowth, following the trail of blood the tiger had left behind. There was a lot of blood. So much so that they probably didn¡¯t even need Darwin to follow it. However, despite the blood loss, Pos didn¡¯t see any signs of their quarry. Darwin suddenly stopped with a worried look on his face. Pos and Marica shared a look at the sudden stoppage.

    ¡°What is wrong?¡±

    As a noble and a [Knight], Marica was Darwin¡¯s social superior, and the male [Tracker] had to answer.

    ¡°Don¡¯t know,¡± he admitted, ¡°but something is wrong.¡±

    ¡°You need to be more specific than that.¡± Marica said with a scoff.

    ¡°The tiger is not slowing, at least not as much as it should be.¡± Darwin said. ¡°Considering the blood it had lost, we should have seen signs of it by now. Yet somehow, it is still ahead of us.¡±

    ¡°So, we should go faster.¡± Marica said, but Pos saw the look on Darwin¡¯s face and knew the man had more to say.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Pos asked, playing his role as the non-human middleman. ¡°What are you thinking, Darwin?¡±

    A look of conflict crossed the man¡¯s face, before he pointed at the trail the trio had come from, and the trail further up that the tiger had left behind.

    ¡°It¡¯s too clean. This tiger is hurt, but there is no detour, no rushed movement. It is travelling in a straight line. It is going somewhere.¡±

    ¡°You think it has a den?¡± Pos asked.

    ¡°Maybe.¡± Darwin acknowledged the possibility. ¡°It is definitely leading us somewhere.¡±

    ¡°Then, what are we waiting for?¡± Marica said. ¡°Let¡¯s not keep the beast waiting.¡±

    The trio took off again. Darwin set a faster pace, but they still could not catch up to the beast. It was always just barely in front of their pursuit. Then, there was a break in the trees and the trio of adventurers stepped into a small clearing. A clearing with a big hole in the ground.

    No one spoke. For a moment, all three adventurers looked at each other. Fear and excitement warred across their faces as they knew what this was. All of them had heard the stories, knew the legends. They could feel the magic coming from the hole and felt both fear and excitement in their hearts. This was the entrance of a dungeon, and it looked like it was a brand new one.

    Wordlessly, Marica stepped into the clearing and the trio slowly approached the dungeon entrance. Looking down, Pos could see a tunnel gently sloping downwards into the deep darkness.

    ¡°Well, at least we now know where the tiger came from?¡± Pos mumbled.

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    ¡°You think it was a dungeon creature?¡± Darwin asked.

    ¡°You did say it was leading us somewhere.¡± Pos pointed at the trail of blood that was leading down the slope. ¡°Well, guess we now knows where.¡±

    ¡°You think this is a dungeon break?¡± Marica asked worryingly.

    Pos shook his head. ¡°Lass, if this is a break, we would all be dead.¡± The knight huffed at being called a lass, but Pos ignored her. Knights were nothing if not dramatic.

    ¡°So, do we go in?¡± Darwin asked. ¡°Technically, we already completed the quest.¡±

    Pos realized that the tracker was right. Pos had joined up with the two humans at the local Adventurer Guild when he took a quest to investigate the local wildlife. It wasn¡¯t the kind of quest the dwarf usually takes. Pos was usually a guard for trading caravans, but there were reports of strange creatures around the eastern forests and the caravan masters had lowered the number of trips due to the strange sightings. Due to the lack of escort quests, Pos decided to join two other local adventurers and take a simple quest to scout the local wildlife. The quest turned out to be bigger than any of them imagined.

    ¡°No, not yet.¡± Marica said. ¡°We are only at the entrance of a hole in the ground. Until we step into the dungeon and get the notification, we can¡¯t be sure this is a dungeon. At least, not in any way that would pass a Truth Spell.¡±

    Pos thought about it for a moment before cursing. The knight made a good point. Having a dungeon nearby will be a big deal and the Guild probably would not take their word for it. They will demand that the trio undergo tests to prove the truthfulness of their discovery, and a high-level Truth Spell would be part of the package. The [Knight] was right. Faced with the question of whether he saw the notification of a dungeon, Pos would not be able to pass the test.

    ¡°Fine,¡± Pos grumbled, ¡°but only a little bit. We see the notification, and then we leave. We don¡¯t care about the treasure, first clear, or loot from any dungeon creatures. Agreed?¡±

    Both humans agreed, Marica more reluctantly than Darwin, but Pos took what he could. Dungeons were places of death, but they were also places of levels and treasures, and everyone knew dungeons usually gives higher rewards to the first adventurers to clear them. The knight was probably wondering about the treasure she would gain if they cleared it. Pos was the same, but he was aiming to be a [Caravan Guard], not a [Dungeon Delver].

    ¡°Remember, just till we see the notification.¡± Pos reminded the two humans as the trio took their time to get ready. ¡°The Guild has a standing reward for being the first to report the existence of a new dungeon, and I intend to collect. I don¡¯t want to see anything this dungeon has cooked up.¡±

    Pos waited till both humans gave him nods of understanding, before giving way to Darwin. The [Tracker] took the lead and the trio cautiously crept down the slope. The male human was no [Rogue], but his [Tracker] class was the only one with any chance of spotting traps. The tunnel was wide enough for Pos and Marica to stand side-by-side, and that¡¯s what they did. Marica took out a torch and lit it. As a dwarf, Pos did not need it, but the humans did and fighting in the light was better than being in the dark.

    After ten minutes, the tunnel leveled out. The walls became smooth, different from the long tunnel they were in. But still, no notification.

    ¡°Dame Marica?¡± Darwin suddenly asked. Pos was wondering what this was about when the knight answered.

    ¡°Nothing. I sense no impending danger. We need to go further in.¡±

    So, that¡¯s what it was about. Pos grunted his approval, and the trio went further into the tunnel. Just as they went around a corner, the tunnel disappeared. A wave of darkness engulfed Pos. Pos turned around in a circle and heard the Voice of the World.

    [You have entered the dungeon: Tomb of Ten Thousand Techniques!]

    They had been tricked! The dwarf quickly looked around, his axe at the ready, looking to fight anything that might appear. Then, he realized the oddity.

    ¡°Marica? Darwin? Humans! Where are you?¡±

    No answer came, and the dwarf realized his party was no longer near him. He was alone. Either the humans had been teleported away, or this was an instance floor. Pos heard of dungeons which spilt up parties upon entry of a floor, but those were older, more mature dungeons. He had never heard of a young dungeon having such powers. This means either this dungeon was old, which was impossible since the dwarf had never heard of an existing dungeon in the area, or this dungeon was an abnormality. Pos did not know which would be worse.

    As a veteran [Warrior], the dwarf kept his calm and was alert for any danger. There was a gray fog around him, and Pos waited patiently for the attack. It never came.

    The dwarf did not know how long he stood there, but after a while, he knew this could not go on. The longer he stayed in the dungeon, the more advantage the dungeon had over him. Within the fog, Pos could see strange multicolour lights glowing in the distance and came to a decision. He began running to the nearest light. It was the nearest landmark he could see and if the humans were still around, they would head towards the lights as well. The light grew brighter the closer the dwarf got to it, but he could feel that something was wrong.

    He was short of breath.

    Pos was a dwarf, a race known for their durability and endurance, so a little run would hardly wind him. There was something on the floor that was causing this. Pos sped up, running as fast as his short legs could take him.

    Finally, he reached the light. It was an orb floating about two meters off the ground. The orb illuminates a small area, and the fog did not encroach upon the area. It was like the light was pushing the fog back. Pos stepped into the clearing and immediately felt better. His breath came back, and Pos sat down on the ground to regain his stamina. As he relaxed, Pos received a piece of good news.

 Part 3- White Tiger Movement

    [Level up!]

    [Warrior Level 11]

    Through surviving a hostile environment, you have gained a skill!

    [Minor Poison Resistance]

    Requirements: Level 5 or higher in any class. Survive a poisoning.

    You have resistance against the effects of some poisons. You are less likely to be affected by poison and the resistance will also lower the potency of any poison you encounter.

    ¡°So, that¡¯s why.¡± Pos murmured as he looked at the surrounding fog. The fog was poisonous! Pos could see other lights in the fog and quickly realized the trick of this floor.

    Hoard Dungeons will just throw creatures at you till you drop, but there are some dungeons that prefer puzzles, traps and obstacles. Adventurers called them Trick Dungeons, and this dungeon, Tome of Ten Thousand Techniques, must be one of those. This is both a problem and a boon to Pos. He did not need to worry about being overwhelmed by dungeon creatures, but puzzle dungeons were tricky. The cores of Trick Dungeons were considered more intelligent and devious than the cores of Hoard Dungeons, and Pos did not consider himself a very intelligent dwarf. He was average at best.

    Luckily, Trick Dungeons were considered to be mostly fair.

    Dungeons need adventurers to enter in order to gain substance, so most of the Trick Dungeons were smart enough not to have a floor that was unbeatable. There was a trick to most of their floors, and the trick to this one was relatively simple once you understood it.

    Once an adventurer enters the floor, he will be spilt from his party by the fog. The fog was poisonous, and there was no way to avoid being poisoned unless you had a skill against it. These orbs of light were the antidotes to the poison. The adventurer needs to find these antidotes, running from orbs to orbs till they reach the end of the floor. The poisonous fog was a formidable obstacle, but not an unbeatable one. You just need to have speed, toughness and the right skills. Pos wasn¡¯t very fast, but two out of the three wasn¡¯t bad.

    Pos looked at the various lights in the fog and picked out the one furthest from him. With luck, that was the end of the floor.

    [Mark Location]. [Sense of Direction].

    Dwarves lived in underground caverns and most gained some skills to help them navigate the underground tunnels and caves systems of their homeland. Pos was no different. [Mark Location] was a skill that let Pos set a landmark, and [Sense of Direction] will allow Pos to sense the direction of the landmark from his location. These two skills would help Pos know the direction he needs to run in even if he got turned around in the fog. The dwarf only hoped the two humans had similar skills.

    Pos then looked at the lights between him and the landmark. Pos would need to run from one orb of light to another till he reached it, and he quickly plotted a course between them. The dwarf took a breath to steady himself and took off. He wanted to be out of the poisonous fog as soon as possible.

    Pos didn¡¯t know how long he spent on the floor. Time had no meaning in the fog, and Pos quickly lost track of it. However, he never lost track of the landmark. The dwarf did not take any chances and reset [Mark Location] and [Sense of Direction] whenever the skills came out their cooldown. He was also alert for any other dangers the dungeon may throw at him. Just because this was an obstacle floor does not mean the dungeon would not place creatures that can survive the poisonous fog on it.

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    Trick Dungeons were ¡®mostly¡¯ fair.

    Between his new [Minor Poison Resistance], and good old-fashioned dwarven endurance, Pos safely got through to the landmark he had set. The landmark was another orb, only this one was floating above a chest. Pos knew he was right. This orb was at the end of the floor, and there were probably treasures in the chest. Pos ran forward, opened the chest, and heard the ring.

    The dwarf jumped back, throwing himself to the ground as a gust of green mist shot out of the chest. Pos quickly rolled away from it. He touched his face, checked his body, before sprawling on the ground in relief. He wasn¡¯t poisoned. He had survived!

    Pos cursed his stupidity. Of course, the dungeon would trap the chest. It wasn¡¯t an unknown tactic, and this dungeon was a tricky one. Pos knew that, and almost fell for the trap anyway! Thank Diamond for [Dangersense]. The skill was an irritant at times, but it had just saved his life. As he stood up, Pos vowed to keep quiet about his mistake. There was no way he was going to tell anyone in the Guild about this. It would absolutely destroy his reputation as a worldly veteran adventurer.

    The fog had dissipated a little, revealing a portal at the end of the floor. It was either the way out, or the way to a lower floor. Pos hoped it was the former. For now, he approached the chest again, much slower this time, and looked into it. A scowl appeared on his face. There was no gold, no weapons, and no treasure. There was only a scroll.

    ¡°You dammed stupid dungeon! All that, and you just give me a scroll? Where¡¯s the treasure? Where¡¯s the gold? Where¡¯s the legendary weapon? A stupid scroll? Do I look like a [Mage] to you? Am I a [Sage] or a bloody [Wizard]? I am a [Warrior]! What am I supposed to do with a scroll?¡±

    Fuming, Pos stomped around the chest, screaming at the ceiling. After a few more, or a lot more, choice words, the dwarf finally calmed down. He gave a heavy sigh. There was nothing to it. Pos could only blame his luck. Maybe he should give some alms to the Temple of Agate once he is back in town. The Red Beauty was the God of Luck for dwarfs, and this mess told Pos he was in desperate need of it.

    Pos picked up the scroll and opened it. It was a painting. A painting showing a strong powerful white tiger stalking in the woods. There were strange markings on the top right of the painting, but Pos couldn¡¯t make heads or tails of them. His attention was taken by the tiger. Even to the dwarf¡¯s untrained eyes, this was a beautiful painting, and he believed the scroll would fetch him a tiny sum. Pos consoled himself that this delve was not a total-

    The painting began glowing.

    Pos¡¯ eyes widened as strange symbols began circling his head. The dwarf glanced back at the scroll and realized that the symbols matched the strange markings on the painting. A few heartbeats later, the symbols disappeared, and Pos heard the Voice of the World again.

    You have gained a dungeon technique!

    [White Tiger Movement]

    Requirements: Survival of Tome of Ten Thousand Techniques; Must be within five hundred meters from Tome of Ten Thousand Techniques

    First Movement: Tiger Dash- Once every twelve hours, you may dash towards a target within five meters of your location. Please note that this is a movement technique granted by the dungeon, Tome of Ten Thousand Techniques, and is only available if you are within the area of influence of the dungeon. Current area of influence is five hundred meters. Area of influence may increase as the dungeon gets stronger. Should the dungeon be destroyed, the technique will disappear.

    An abnormality! This dungeon is an abnormality! Pos had never heard of a dungeon granting a skill before. [Kings], [Queens], or [Lords] could do it, but a dungeon? And what in the Nine Hells was a dungeon technique? This¡­this will cause a great storm. Even with the location restriction, getting a new skill was something worth celebrating and everyone, no matter the class or level, would want to run this dungeon if there was a chance to get a skill out of it.

    ¡°Okay! I take it back! This is a treasure. This is a great treasure!¡± Pos shouted, his voice firm but respectful. He dropped to one knee and bowed deeply. ¡°All things die. Only the Stones and the Earth survive forever. One day, this dungeon will be destroyed, but I promise you this. It will not be due to the axe of this dwarf! From this day forth, the Tome of Ten Thousand Techniques will forever be safe from Pos Opalhand, son of Balin Opalhand. That is my vow and may the Stones of my Forefathers crush my body, bones, and soul to dust if I ever break it.¡±

    Pos stood back up and walked towards the portal. Before stepping through, the dwarf turned back to face the dungeon, and bowed once more to the dungeon. ¡°Thank you for the adventure!¡±

    With that, Pos Opalhand steps backwards, through the portal, and out of the Tomb of Ten Thousand Techniques. Silence reigned. A few moments later, the air within the dungeon moved and a voice echoed through the tunnels of the dungeon.

    ¡°I think that went well.¡±

 Part 4- Divine Power

    ¡°I cannot believe it worked!"

    Xu Han, the newly created dungeon core, laughed as his dungeon fairy flew in circles above him. She was agitated, in disbelief, and quite funny when angry.

    It was strange. Xu Han was a cultivator, a man who had lived for thousands of years, and he had forgotten when the last time was when he truly laughed. He had given up everything in his quest to ascend, and oblivion should have been his fate. However, though the mercy of the Heavens, he was now laughing. To laugh and to feel joy, Xu Han wondered when the last time was. It had been too long.

    As his dungeon fairy continued her mumbling, Xu Han looked through his body. Xu Han was not unused to the action. When he was a cultivator, he had driven his senses into himself on countless occasions, looking though his dantain and meridians, but it is different when one is a dungeon core. For a dungeon core¡¯s body was its floors, and it was a place of death.

    Xu Han watched as the bodies of the two dead adventurers slowly sank into the floor of his dungeon and felt the burst of power that came with the absorption. It was a strange feeling. It was nothing like the cycling of Qi during cultivation, and more like the joy he felt after an enjoyable meal.

    The analogy was accurate as Xu Han was eating the adventurers. According to his fairy, Jemma, this was what dungeon cores do after killing adventurers within their dungeons. Dungeons eat the adventurers, and anything else they have on them. Considering the feeling he was having, Xu Han could get used to it.

    ¡°Hey! Are you listening to me?¡±

    Xu Han turned his attention back to his fairy. Jemma is a flighty creature, but she was also a wealth of information and Xu Han was glad to have her. He would have no idea what to do without her. Xu Han apologized.

    ¡°Sorry, I just ate the two adventurers who died and was overwhelmed by the feeling.¡±

    ¡°Oh! Of course! That¡¯s right.¡± Jemma said as she landed on the floor, her tiny chest puffed out in pride. ¡°According to the handbook, the first meal is always special. You did great, by the way. I mean, it was all my doing. I''m your guide, and you listened to my advice.¡±

    ¡°I remembered someone saying my idea for my floor was stupid. Something about how it would never work?¡± Xu Han teased, which caused the dungeon fairy¡¯s face to turn bright red.

    ¡°Well, it is unusual. Most dungeon cores have simple first floors, full of creatures or traps. I can''t think of any core having a strange poisonous obstacle course for the first floor. Who would have guessed I would have a reincarnator as a dungeon core!¡± Jemma defended herself.

    Xu Han laughed again. In the Crimson Lands, reincarnation was not unknown, but Xu Han had never heard of anyone who could remember every aspect of his previous life upon birth. In this new world, not only was this not unheard of, it was common enough that the locals had a word for it!

    When Xu Han informed Jemma of his previous life as a cultivator, he had expected disbelief. To his shock, the dungeon fairy accepted his story with a shrug. If Xu Han still had a head, he would have shaken it in disbelief.

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    This new world was so strange.

    Some of the strangeness was to be expected. A new land would have new people, new cultures, new knowledge, and even new species. The last point was very important to Xu Han for he was reborn in a species he had never heard of; a dungeon core.

    Dungeon Cores do not exist in the Crimson Lands, but that¡¯s what Xu Han had been reincarnated as. Luckily, Jemma was here to inform him about what dungeon cores are. A dungeon core was a sentient creature, with his core acting as its brain and the dungeon his body. As a core, Xu Han cannot leave the dungeon, and he has only a limited sense of things outside his dungeon but in return, he was all-powerful within the dungeon''s territory. Xu Han was glad when Jemma explained it to him because he would be fumbling around for ages otherwise.

    With the dungeon fairy¡¯s explanation however, Xu Han realized a dungeon core was similar to something from his old homeland. They were called Secret Realms, places left behind by powerful cultivators for their descendants. In his arrogance and pursuit of ascension, Xu Han had never left one in the Crimson Lands.

    Now, he has a chance to right that wrong. A chance to share the knowledge he had hoarded when he was the Crazed Scholar. Xu Han wondered if this was why the Heavens reborn him as a dungeon core.

    ¡°Hey! You are not listening to me again.¡±

    Oops. It seems that he had forgotten about his dungeon fairy again. ¡°Yes, I know how lucky I am to have you as my dungeon fairy. You are the best dungeon fairy I could have asked for.¡±

    ¡°Glad you realized that!¡± Jemma huffed. ¡°Though I understand your distraction. You just had your first batch of adventurers making their way through your dungeon. You even killed two of them. You must still be high on the feeling of your success.¡±

    ¡°That is correct.¡± Xu Han immediately agreed. "We can work on more deaths next time."

    He paused and frowned. That was weird. He was a cultivator and was no stranger to killing, but Xu Han never had an urge to kill everyone before. He was a scholar, and the thought caused him discomfort. The urge to kill was a foreign to Xu Han and the former Soul Emperor knew it did not belong to him.

    It belonged to the dungeon core.

    It was the instinct of a dungeon core, the urge of an apex predator. Xu Han realized he needed to be careful. He did not want to lose himself to the urge, he must not let the dungeon core''s instincts take over completely. Trying to take his mind off the strange urge, Xu Han asked his dungeon fairy a question.

    ¡°Jemma, I felt a rush of power when I ate the adventurers, but it was strange. It was as if I could taste the power the adventurers were providing me.¡±

    "Oh that! That''s just the power of divinity.¡± The dungeon fairy said with a chuckle.

    "Divinity?" Xu Han repeated, staring at the dungeon fairy flying above him. As a dungeon core, Xu Han was just a stone, and the dungeon fairy has a habit of flying above him. ¡°Jemma, what do you mean by the power of divinity?¡±

    ¡°Exactly what I said,¡± the dungeon fairy answered, her voice sounding very bored. ¡°Any mortal who has a Class has a touch of the divine. He has been blessed by the Gods, and when a dungeon core absorbed the body, the dungeon core is also absorbing the divinity within the mortal.¡±

    ¡°Is this divine power important?¡± Xu Han wondered aloud.

    ¡°Oh yes," the dungeon fairy laughed. ¡°Dungeon cores need divine power to create creatures and make things out of nothing.¡±

    ¡°So, are dungeon cores divine beings as well? Is that why I can create things?¡±

    ¡°Not exactly. Dungeon cores are born with limited divine power and can use it to create and expand their dungeon, but they can¡¯t refill their divinity naturally like the Gods. However, dungeon cores can absorb the divinity of adventurers to replenish their divine power, so that is why it is important that more adventurers come to your dungeon.¡± Jemma, the dungeon fairy, corrected.

    ¡°So, what is to stop me from just storing the divinity I absorbed from adventurers, and never used them?¡± Xu Han asked as an idea came to him. He had no wish to become a god after his previous failure, but he wondered if a dungeon core could use the divinity it absorbed to become a god.

    ¡°Because if you do that, adventurers will never come to run your dungeon again. Worse, they might decide to just destroy you. Dungeons cores need to be constantly growing, building new floors, giving out treasures to incite adventurers to enter. No one need a dungeon core that stopped growing.¡±

 Part 5- The Systems of War and Magic

    ¡°They can¡¯t destroy me if they wish to keep using the techniques I am granting them.¡± Xu Han said with a laugh.

    ¡°That was pretty smart,¡± Jemma admitted. ¡°Granting a skill like a [King] or [Lord] will make that dwarf far less likely to kill you at least. I still don¡¯t understand why you insist on calling it a ¡®Technique¡¯ instead of a ¡®Skill¡¯ though?¡±

    ¡°It is what it is called in my old world,¡± Xu Han said, before hesitating. Memories came back to the former cultivator, memories of his loss, his many failures, and many regrets. After a pause the former cultivator decided to ask the dungeon fairy another question.

    ¡°Jemma,you said I can absorb divinity from the adventurers. If I absorbed enough divinity, can I become a divine being? A God?¡±

    ¡°Technically, you can. But it is going to be very hard, almost impossible task.¡± Jemma replied after a moment of thought.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because it is very hard for a dungeon core to get powerful enough to reach divinity. I have only heard of it happening once before, and¡­well, it did not end well for that world.¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± Xu Han asked, very puzzled by his dungeon fairy¡¯s statement.

    ¡°It¡¯s too early to tell you, maybe when you grow more powerful. Right now, the most important thing for you to do is to grow stronger.¡±

    Seeing the fairy¡¯s resolute face, Xu Han decided to change to another topic. ¡°How much stronger do I need to be to be safe? Didn¡¯t you say I was extremely powerful for a newborn? Does this mean I was born with a lot of divine power? Can it run out?¡±

    ¡°Well, yes it can but it is seldom a problem for dungeon cores. Cores only need a few Classed mortals near their location to gain some of their divine power. It is a lot slower than killing them, but you don¡¯t need to kill adventurers to gain divine power from them. So, as long as there are adventurers and Classes mortals around, there is no need to worry about running out of divine power.¡± Jemma tried to assure the dungeon core, but Xu Han was focused on another thing she had implied.

    ¡°That means I am a divine being, right?¡±

    ¡°The fact that you are talking to me means you''re not completely divinity-less. After all, you are just a stone but you are many steps lower than the Gods.¡± Jemma reluctantly answered. ¡°Dungeon cores are technically demigods, but even mortals with high levels in their Class could beat you. Also, the mortals can go and ask for help from their Gods if they want. Dungeon cores like you can''t do that.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°Well, you can but Caros would probably not respond unless you are important enough. Caros, the Dungeon God, is the only dungeon core that reached Godhood. It is alone and do not have pantheon. Even a god can¡¯t be on every world at the same time.¡± Jemma explained.

    ¡°Can¡¯t I ask other gods for help?¡± Xu Han asked once more. ¡°From what you are saying, there are many gods in this land. Can¡¯t I ask one of them for help?¡±

    ¡°You can, but why would they answer you? Gods mainly focused on their own followers. A god need the worship of the mortals to grow powerful, and most gods find dungeon cores too strange and greedy to make good followers.¡±

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    Xu Han frowned. That doesn¡¯t make sense. As a cultivator who failed to be a god, Xu Han knew that gods are not all-powerful, but he was surprised by the god¡¯s need for followers and worship. That wasn¡¯t the case for the gods of the Crimson Lands. Are the gods in this land different? Is the source of their divinity different from the Gods of the Crimson Lands? Xu Han would not be surprised if that was the case. This was a strange world.

    Xu Han had absorbed the two adventurers, and they were a warrior and a hunter. However, they were different from cultivators. Instead of Qi and meridians, they both have a Class. Though nowhere near as powerful as cultivators, the deceased humans were far more powerful than any mortal hunter or warrior Xu Han had ever met in The Crimson Land.

    Xu Han believes that a cultivator at the start of his cultivation journey would be more powerful than the adventurers he absorbed but from what Jemma said, Classes could be a great equalizer. The dungeon fairy had informed Xu Han that mortals with high levels in their Class could be more powerful than dungeon cores, and Xu Han found that to be very interesting. Xu Han wondered when would some higher Classed individuals come to his dungeon. He want to make comparisons.

    ¡°Jemma, what are Classes? How do mortals get them?¡±

    ¡°Classes are a special kind of gift that the Gods bestow upon the mortals,¡± Jemma said. ¡°Only some mortals have them, and those who do are called the Classed. They become strong and mighty, and like I said before, they can even rival the Gods. That is why they are considered the exceptional among mortals.¡±

    ¡°Power to rival the Gods? That¡¯s insane! Why would the Gods give mortals the ability to challenge them?¡± Xu Han exclaimed.

    ¡°Who knows? It¡¯s not like the Gods explain much of anything to me. At the end of the day, I am just a small dungeon fairy from Dreamwood Fairy Academy.¡±

    Xu Han sighed. He had no choice but to drop the matter. Jemma was right is that gods seldom explain themselves. If they did, Xu Han would know why he was reborn as a dungeon core. No, they would explain why he was reborn at all.

    ¡°Jemma, why couldn¡¯t all mortals get a Class? If Classes are so powerful, I assume everyone would want them.¡±

    ¡°They do, but not everyone is talented enough in war and magic to get a Class.¡±

    ¡°War and magic? Is talent in them important to get a Class?¡± Xu Han asked, not understanding.

    ¡°Oh yes.¡± The dungeon fairy said with a nod of her head. ¡°So important that the mortals called it, the Systems of War and Magic. This is a dangerous world, full of powerful creatures and monsters. When the Gods first created the Classes, they were trying to find ways to keep mortals alive. So, the Gods focused on the things that could help the Classed beat back the tide of monsters threatening them. Mortals who were mages, warriors, hunters, assassins; the Gods gave these mortals a Class to help them fight and kill better.¡±

    ¡°And now?¡± Xu Han asked, careful to give no indication he was slightly outraged by this revelation. As a scholar, he was offended only those who could kill got a Class.

    ¡°It is still the case. Why?¡± Jemma asked. Linked with the dungeon core, she clearly knew Xu Han was angry about something.

    ¡°I just find that very unfair. Why should only those talented in War and Magic have Classes? What about the artists? What about those who help in daily life? Aren¡¯t there Gods of Music, Painting, Poetry, the Hearth, and the likes in this world? Don¡¯t these Gods give their followers Classes?¡±

    ¡°For what?¡± Jemma asked, then after several moments of thought she continued. ¡°Well, there is the [Bard] class. A [Bard] can both fight and improve the fighting ability of their allies through their music. Winskull, the God of Music and Patron of Musicians, was the god who invented it, but how can painting and poetry help keep mortals alive from monsters?¡±

    ¡°I have some ideas.¡± Xu Han answered. ¡°Jemma, you said that only the Gods can grant Classes. I take it that means I can¡¯t?¡± Xu Han¡¯s dungeon fairy nodded, and Xu Han continued. ¡°If I want to create a new Class, what do I need to do?¡±

    ¡°You need the help of a God, preferably a God who holds the domain of whatever Class you want to create,¡± Jemma answered, softly sighing as she knew what question Xu Han was going to ask next.

    ¡°So, how do I get the attention of a God?¡±

 Part 6- Viaggia

    Pos the dwarf woke up face-first on the cold ground of the forest floor, which was the worst way to wake up in the history of the world for a dwarf. He lay there for a while, blinking. Then he remembered where he was and how he come to be here.

    His party had found a dungeon and entered it. They had been separated the moment they entered the dungeon and when he managed to exit the dungeon, Pos found that he had a new Skill, and that he was alone. Being the responsible adventurer that he is, Pos waited for some time outside the hole that served as the entrance of the dungeon, but to no avail.

    No one else exited the dungeon.

    With no choice, Pos decided to return to town. The dwarf held out the dim hope that he was not the sole survivor of the dungeon and that the others had returned to town before him. The dwarf realized this was a long shot, and with a heavy heart, he got up with his pack and his weapons slung over his shoulder. Pos continues his walk towards town.

    Pos plodded along the lonely forest path. Walking through a dense forest below trees so tall he could not see the top of used to cause him unease, but after years of living above ground, Pos had adapted to the strange plants. Once the dwarf reached the end of the path, he saw the town.

    The town of Viaggia was built on a small hill that offers the town guards a good view of the surroundings. Small and quaint with less than a hundred houses, Pos could see smoke curling up from the chimneys of the wooden buildings with their low-slung roofs. The dwarf could almost smell the fresh bread warmth from the hearth fires. Pos knows that most of the people had lived peacefully in Viaggia for generations. Well, that was about to change.

    ¡°By the Stones, let¡¯s get this over with,¡± said the dwarf.

    It had been a two-day journey from the dungeon to the town, and Pos quickened his steps towards the town. The guards saw him well before he reached the gates, but no one stopped him. Pos was a well-known adventurer in town and with his beard, the colour of autumn, hanging in tangled knots and his long hair matted with dirt, it was clear he had met with trouble on his quest. No one wants to get in the way of an irate adventurer.

    Once he passed the gates, Pos headed straight for the Adventurers'' Guild. The sense of unease within the dwarf rose as he got closer. As usual, the Guildhall was a bustling hub of activity when he entered. Adventurers of all levels were sharing stories, planning expeditions, and seeking new quests. Pos ignored them all and approached the receptionist manning the quest counter.

    ¡°Adventurer Pos! What happened to-¡±

    Pos did not allow the receptionist to finish. ¡°I need to speak to the Guildmaster right now. I wish to report the existence of a new dungeon in the area.¡±

    ***

    ¡°So, cultivators just sat and gained power?¡±

    ¡°Not exactly,¡± Xu Han absently replied as he concentrated on the bodies of the two dead adventurers he had just absorbed. The bodies were buried within his dungeon, and his fairy told Xu Han to scan the bodies. Thus far, it was a more time-consuming process than the dungeon had anticipated. ¡°Cultivators can draw in Qi from the Crimson Lands, but they still need to do something with it. Cultivators need to cycle the Qi through their meridians to cleanse their body, mind, and spirit.¡±

    ¡°And each cycle makes them more powerful?¡±

    ¡°In a way.¡± Xu Han admitted. ¡°A cultivator needs to cycle the Qi over a thousand times just to break through the lowest tier of Qi Condensation realm. Each realm has nine tiers. So, even though each cycle brings the cultivator closer to a breakthrough to the next realm, it is still a long process. Depending on the Cultivation Art a cultivator is using, sometimes he or she can only complete one or two cycles a day.¡±

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    ¡°You mentioned that before. What do you mean by ¡®Cultivation Art¡¯? And how is it different from a Cultivation Technique?¡±

    ¡°A Cultivation Art is the foundation of a cultivator. It isn¡¯t a technique, but a blueprint for the cultivator. Most low-end Arts do not give the cultivator any extra power, but they are important because they tell the cultivator how to cycle the Qi they draw in, how to improve their mind, body, and soul, detail the things the cultivator need to do to advance to the next tier, and what kind of techniques are suitable with their cultivation.¡±

    Jemma rolled her eyes in exasperation. ¡°Core, please remember I have never heard of cultivation before I became your dungeon fairy. Your explanation is making no sense to me.¡±

    ¡°This is why I never had disciples,¡± Xu Han sighed. ¡°Think of a Cultivation Art as the Class of the cultivator.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°From what you told me, a person¡¯s Class is the role assigned to him by the Gods, and the designation determines the person''s abilities and fighting style.¡± Xu Han waited for Jemma to give him a nod before continuing. ¡°Cultivation Art is somewhat similar. A cultivator¡¯s Art determines how the cultivator could progress in his cultivation, how he fights, and how he can gain power. Only it is a choice. Cultivators choose the Cultivation Art they practice; they do not depend on the whims of the Gods.¡±

    ¡°Somehow, I think you are exaggerating how much freedom a cultivator has. Is this why you say cultivators challenge the Heavens?¡± The dungeon fairy grumbled before putting a hand under her chin. Xu Han recognized this as Jemma¡¯s thinking pose. ¡°So, the Cultivation Art is like the powerset of a cultivator, and the techniques a cultivator has are like the additional Skills and Spells an adventurer can pick up as they advance in levels.¡±

    ¡°Only more flexible because a cultivator can switch their Cultivation Arts if they wish to. They are not fixed to a Class like the adventurers in this world are.¡± Xu Han said.

    ¡°No, you¡¯re wrong there. I think the Class System is more flexible.¡± Jemma said.

    ¡°In your dreams.¡± The dungeon core laughed, but his fairy was unfazed.

    ¡°An adventurer¡¯s Class changes as he levels. Most adventurers start as a basic [Fighter], [Mage], or [Rogue], but their Class will change based on how they fight and live their lives. If a [Fighter] wishes to be a [Knight], he can put on armour and pledge himself to one of the knightly orders. If a [Mage] wishes to be a [Fire Mage], he can start learning fire spells. This flexibility is far superior to your Cultivation Art.¡±

    Xu Han, the former cultivator, did not know much about the System of War and Magic, only what Jemma had told him, and was unable to argue with the dungeon fairy due to this. From what his dungeon fairy had said, there was a certain flexibility to the Classes that cultivation does not possess, but Xu Han felt a need to defend his former world.

    ¡°How can you say that when the System of War and Magic forces people to kill in order to grow stronger. In cultivation, there are various ways to increase your tier. That alone makes it better than the Class system you have here.¡±

    ¡°Nope, that¡¯s not how leveling works. It is not the act of killing that level up people. It is the overcoming of adversity.¡± The dungeon fairy explained.

    Xu Han scoffed. ¡°Which mostly comes from killing things?¡±

    ¡°Core, you know that¡¯s not the case.¡± Jemma huffed in return. ¡°Remember that dwarf who escaped your dungeon? If I didn¡¯t miss my guess, he probably levelled once or twice in your dungeon, and he didn¡¯t kill a single thing while inside.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, he just has to escape death in a poisonous fog to achieve that.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right! No killing required, just facing adversity and overcoming it.¡± Jemma said, totally missing the sarcasm from her dungeon core.

    If he had eyes, Xu Han would have rolled them. ¡°And the higher the adversity, the higher the level ups. Sounds like a good way for people to seek death.¡±

    ¡°Hardly. Most adventurers are very careful about the risks they take in order to level up. However, if a Classed individual wishes to take more risks to level, their Class will change to accommodate it. [Deathseeker] and [Berserker] are two Classes that spring to mind.¡±

    ¡°Wait, there are Deathseekers here? What does that Class do? Does it make them harder to kill? How do people get that Class?¡± Despite his defence of cultivation, Xu Han was constantly surprised by the concept and diversity of Classes.

    ¡°It is an advancement class that boosts the health and endurance of a Classed, giving them Skills like [Pain Resistance] and [Keep on Going]. Classed individuals who have classes like [Survivor], [Daredevil], and a few others can gain it. Are you done yet?¡± Jemma finally asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Xu Han said. ¡°Now, what do I do with them?¡±

 Part 7- Heavens

    ¡°Pick one of the bodies and focus on it.¡± The dungeon fairy said. ¡°Use your dungeon senses to look past the shell and into the magic flowing through the body. The adventurer just died, so the nodes should still be there.¡±

    Xu Han did as the fairy ordered and focused on seeing past the external shell. As a former cultivator who had researched the bodies of men before, Xu Han has experience looking at the insides of bodies, but it was different this time. Jemma was not asking him to see the heart, liver, and intestines of the body; she was telling him to see the magic that coursed through it.

    As a dungeon core, Xu Han was born with a limited amount of divinity. He had used most of it to create the floor and technique, but he gained some back with the presence of the three adventurers. The death of two of the adventurers then gave Xu Han a massive boost, enough that he now had a surplus of his divine power. Thus far, Xu Han had been using the power of divinity to create the items on his floor, but divine power was not the only form of magic in this world.

    There was another, more common form of magical energy in this world. According to Jemma, this form of magical energy could be found floating in the air all over this world, and the mortals called it Mana.

    It was the strange form of energy Xu Han had unknowingly gathered when he first woke, and he now used it again. Xu Han gathered the threads of Mana around him and used a small amount to see the insides of the adventurer¡¯s body. What he saw surprised him.

    A cultivator in the Crimson Lands would cycle Qi through his body to strengthen and improve it, and Xu Han had been expecting to see something similar. That was not the case. There were no meridians in the adventurer¡¯s body. Instead, there were a few threads of Mana densely packed in certain areas of the body. Xu Han used more mana and released an illusion to show Jemma what he was seeing.

    ¡°Jemma, what am I looking at?¡± Xu Han asked as he mentally pointed to the various packs of mana threads.

    Jemma flew around the illusion Xu Han created. The illusion showed the outline of a human body but was transparent outside a few colored areas. Jemma had never seen it shown like this, but quickly understood what her dungeon core was pointing at.

    ¡°They are what I am trying to show you. These are called ¡®nodes¡¯.¡± Jemma then explained. ¡°Just like Qi in your former world, Mana is the main source of magic for the Classed. When a Classed gains a Skill, what the System does is that it will pack Mana in a certain pattern in order to give the adventurer access to the Skill.¡±

    ¡°I see several of these nodes here. Does each node represent a different Skill?¡± Xu Han asked, fascinated by the nodes.

    ¡°Yes. Each node is packed differently and if the Skill improves, the node will grow stronger. When you gave that dwarf your ¡®technique¡¯, what you were doing is creating a node within his body.¡±

    ¡°Is there a restriction in the number of nodes a person can have?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Jemma nodded, ¡°there is a restriction based around the levels of the adventurer.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Xu Han asked.

    ¡°The level of an adventurer is basically a rough guide on how much Mana his body can handle. When an adventurer uses a Skill, the node governing that skill releases Mana. If the Mana released is stronger than what his body can handle, the adventurer would suffer feedback. Needless to say, this is a bad thing. That is why each Skill comes with a level restriction. If that dwarf did not have the level required to learn that ¡®technique¡¯ you created, he would not be able to learn it.¡±

    Jemma explanation cause Xu Han to mentally frown. ¡°The skill scroll I created did not have any level restriction.¡±

    ¡°Skill creators do not need to worry about that,¡± Jemma dismissed Xu Han¡¯s concern with a wave of her hand. ¡°The System will assign the level restriction based on the power and complexity of the Skill. If the adventurer does not have the appropriate level, he will not be able to learn the Skill.¡±

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    ¡°So, there¡¯s no drawback if the dwarf failed to learn my technique?¡±

    ¡°The skill recorded in the scroll will disappear even if the dwarf failed to learn the Skill, so there¡¯s that. Why are bothering with this anyway?¡± Jemma asked.

    ¡°It is interesting. Don¡¯t you ever wonder how Skills works?¡±

    ¡°I know how they work. You are given a Skill from the System or learn the Skill from a Skill Scroll. Then, you can use it.¡± Jemma scoffed.

    ¡°That¡¯s just the application of using a Skill.¡± Xu Han scoffed back at the dungeon fairy. ¡°I want to know about the details of how magic works in this world. How does the System grant Skills? And why can dungeons like me create things out of mid-air? Surely, there are some dungeons who ask the same things.¡±

    ¡°Not really,¡± Jemma replied before hesitating. ¡°Well, I guess if they may if they are a Scholar or Library Dungeon. But most dungeons just copy the skills of the creatures they absorbed wholesale.They don¡¯t ask about how magic works, they just know that it does and that they can copy the Skills of the creatures they absorbed. Which is what you should be doing now but be careful. Most times, a dungeon can only absorb one node from a body before it disintegrates. So, choose wisely.¡±

    Xu Han was a little disappointed, but unsurprised, by Jemma¡¯s statement. Even in the Crimson Lands, most cultivators do not ask how cultivation works. They just follow what they were taught by their Masters and cultivate. Many sects even encourage this way of thinking. Xu Han always thought this view was short-sighted. Then, something Jemma said sprung to Xu Han.

    ¡°Jemma, what do you mean by Scholar or Library Dungeon? What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°Once dungeons reach their tenth floors, they will be given an option on how they wish to advance. Based on how they construct their first ten floors, the System will give them three to five options to boost the dungeon. The dungeon core can choose one to assist them construct the rest of their dungeon. Think of it as the levelling system for dungeons.¡±

    ¡°Jemma, I thought you said Gods do not have levels. Only mortals have them.¡± Xu Han asked after a long silence.

    ¡°While it is true that dungeons cores do not age and are born with a limited amount of divinity, that does not make you a god. At most, that will only make you a demi-god. A weak one. The System of War and Magic still works for you, but it won¡¯t hold your hand like it does with the Classed. The Systems expect demi-gods to hold their own.¡±

    Jemma told Xu Han this explosive news like it was nothing, but it shook the former cultivator, and he asked the question before he realized what he was doing.

    ¡°I am a true demi-god? Jemma, does that means there is a way for me to become a God? How?¡±

    ¡°Only one dungeon core had done it before.¡± The dungeon fairy said with a sad nod of her head. ¡°Caros achieved Godhood after spreading his dungeon throughout his world. His world became his body, and he used it to become a God. He ate his world and destroyed it in the process.¡±

    The dungeon shook as Xu Han realized his new path to Godhood. There was a way to regain all that he had lost. He could still try to take his rightful place in the Heavens. He failed in the Crimson Lands, but that was because of a mistake he made with his Dao. He will not make that mistake again. He will do better this time. Learn more, conquer more, ex-

    ¡°No! No! NO!¡±

    The dungeon shook as Xu Han screamed. No!

    He will not try the heavenly tribulation again!

    He will not destroy this world!

    Xu Han had his chance. He failed, and his failure was warranted!

    The Heavens were right!

    How many cultivation arts and techniques were lost due to him? How dare he still aspire to the Heavens after such a failure?

    Xu Han do not deserve to be a God!

    Xu Han¡¯s mind settled as he finally accepted the truth. In his heart, Xu Han finally accepted the fact that he did not deserve a place in the Heavens. Here, struck deep in the earth, that is his place. That is his punishment.

    This is what Xu Han deserves.

    While waiting for the day when an adventurer destroy him, Xu Han could atone for his failure in the Crimson Lands by spreading the knowledge he had stolen from his former homeland. Xu Han needs to learn more about the magics of this world and convert his knowledge to local terms, but the Crazed Scholar was certain he could do it. Now that he knows about nodes, maybe Xu Han can even create some new nodes for fun. He may need a god¡¯s help to create a new Class, but creating new nodes should be possible for a demi-god. He had done one already.

    ¡°Core? Core, are you okay?¡±

    Xu Han realized that Jemma was speaking to him. The dungeon fairy looked worried, and Xu Han was embarrassed by his loss of control.

    The former cultivator; No! The dungeon core apologized. ¡°I am sorry about that, Jemma. I was just figuring some things out. I think I am ready now.¡±

    ¡°Ready? For what?¡± The puzzled dungeon fairy asked.

    ¡°My second floor,¡± Xu Han gave his dungeon fairy a light laugh. ¡°I have a fun idea for my second floor.¡±

 Part 8- The Exploration Team

    Pos Opalhand was not a happy dwarf.

    His report of a new dungeon caused as much of an uproar as he had expected, but the dwarf had thought his job would be over the moment he reported the presence of the new dungeon.

    It was not.

    The Master of the local Adventurer Guild all but demanded that Pos guide the exploration team to the dungeon. The dwarf tried to explain that he usually works as a guard for the caravans passing through the town, and was not a professional dungeon delver, but the Guild Master ignored his protest. The fact that Pos could just point the location of the dungeon on a map was also ignored.

    Pos was the one who found it, so he needed to personally guide the team to the dungeon. Pos has the distinct impression the Guild do not quite believe his news even after passing the Truth Spell. He was certain the exploration team had orders to teach him a lesson if his report was untrue. Pos wondered if that¡¯s what usually happens to adventurers who falsely report the presence of dungeons.

    So, after one night of preparation, he and the other adventurers were on their way to the new dungeon. As he had been there before, Pos easily guided the exploration team to the dungeon. Only the entrance had been much changed since the last time Pos was there.

    The entrance of the dungeon was no longer a hole in the ground, but a stone archway. The large tunnel leading underground was still there, but the dungeon core had built steps for adventurers going into the dungeon. The exploration team immediately spread out to inspect the dungeon entrance. The stone archway and the large tunnel leading underground was inspected from top to bottom, and several drawings and measurements were made. As he was not a member of the exploration team, Pos was not required to do anything, and he leaned against a nearby tree to watch.

    After an hour, the team leader approached the archway and called for everyone''s attention. Pos pushed off the tree and walked over to listen along with the members of the exploration team. The team leader was a veteran [Dragoon] named Bazel. An old human well past his fiftieth year of life, Bazel was the most experienced adventurer in Viaggia and has the scars on his body to prove it. Bazel''s eyes scanned the small team before speaking.

    ¡°Alright everyone, you know why we are here but let me say this one more time. This is an official exploration of a new dungeon. That means we are going to enter this dungeon and see what''s inside. I want everyone to keep in mind that we are here to explore and report, not to challenge. That means we will be respectful to the dungeon and will not be attacking the core. In fact, unless I say otherwise, we will not be attacking anything, and we will only kill if we are attacked first. The moment anyone steps out of line, I will tie you up and carry you back out myself. Do I make myself clear?¡±

    There was a chorus of ''yes, boss'' and Bazel nodded in satisfaction.

    ¡°Good. Now, we know that this dungeon is new so it should not be too deep, but it is a Trick Dungeon. So, be careful. Trick Dungeons are dangerous. A team of adventurers had entered already, and only one of them managed to exit.¡± The adventurers turned to look at Pos, who tried his best not to wince at the attention. Bazel ignored the dwarf¡¯s discomfort and continued.

    ¡°According to the dungeon survivor, the first level is filled with a poisonous fog, but the core is fair. There is a way to navigate through the fog. You have all been briefed on how to do it, so I won¡¯t repeat myself but have your health potion and Recall Stone ready. I don''t want anyone dying because of the fog. If you start feeling lightheaded or unwell, activate the Recall Stone and it will teleport you back to the Adventurer Guild. If you fall in the fog, chances are we will not be able to help you. So, do not take any chances. The same goes for injuries. We have a healer, but you will be on your own when you are in the fog, so be prepared to use the health potion given to you by the Guild. Now, the Guild won¡¯t demand the potions back, so I know some of you intend to keep the potion as an additional reward for this quest. Rewards are useless to the dead, so don¡¯t take chances. Use them if you need to.¡±

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    Bazel glanced at a nearby priest who nodded his head. Pos followed his gaze and recognized the priest as Father Raul, a [Wandering Healer] from the Harbingers of Homos. The priest had a great reputation in adventuring circles, but Pos had to wonder about his presence in the team.

    Father Raul was a tall, lean man with dark skin, but his hair was whitened with age and his left eye was clouded. Pos knew the priest was older than Bazel by at least two decades. Even with Father Raul¡¯s experience and connection with the divine, Pos would have preferred a younger man as the team¡¯s healer.

    ¡°I think that''s all for now. Unless something comes up, we will be entering the dungeon soon. Take the last few moments to get yourself ready.¡± Bazel informed the team.

    Pos returned to the tree he was leaning against and made sure everything was in order. His axe was sharp, his backpack was secure, and Pos made sure he had enough rations. The first floor was relatively small, but no one knows if that will be the case for the lower floors. It would be embarrassing to turn back due to hunger. Satisfied, Pos moved to join the line of explorers when he felt a hand clamped down on his shoulder.

    ¡°We are outside the dungeon. We need to see the skill.¡±

    Pos turned to find Bazel standing behind him, arms crossed alongside another member of the exploration team. Fabiana was a [Sage] and Pos had no doubts about why the Guild put her on the exploration team. The dwarf frowned.

    ¡°Right now? Just when we are about to enter the dungeon? I might need it inside.¡±

    ¡°You survived it once without the skill, and you have the Recall Stone if you get in trouble inside. Come on dwarf, let¡¯s get it over with.¡± The [Dragoon] said with a shake of his head.

    Pos huffed but did not object. He may have informed the Guild of the ¡®technique¡¯ he picked up from the dungeon under a Truth Spell, but he knew there are ways to trick the spell. The Guild would have doubts and Pos knew seeing is believing. Pos turned from the two members of the exploration team and activated his technique. Pos had tried it once before after leaving the dungeon and felt the power gathering at his feet. He took a step and easily traverse five metre away from where he was standing. The dwarf turned and jogged back to Bazel who was deep in discussion with Fabiana.

    ¡°There seem to be no visible difference between it and a normal skill from the System,¡± the [Sage] said with a grimace. ¡°Dwarf, do you feel any difference when using the skill?¡±

    ¡°Nope. Felt like a normal skill.¡± Pos immediately said.

    ¡°How do you feel when you are outside the distance requirement of the Skill? How do you know if you are outside or inside the zone of the dungeon?¡± Fabiana asked.

    ¡°I just do,¡± Pos answered. ¡°It¡¯s like how I feel when I enter a sanctified temple. There would be a presence, and I just know if the patron of the temple like or dislikes me. Nothing special¡±

    ¡°So, it is like an Aura skill.¡± Bazel said.

    ¡°I believe the System called it ¡®within the influence of the dungeon¡¯, whatever that means. So, I do not know if it should be called an Aura. It is more like a Location.¡± Pos said.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter what it is called, it should not be possible.¡± Fabiana complained.

    ¡°Well, we all saw it. The skill- ¡°

    ¡°Technique,¡± Pos corrected Bazel, ¡°the System state it is a Dungeon Technique, whatever that means. Again.¡±

    ¡°Whatever it is called, it works.¡± Bazel barely paused as he addressed Fabiana. ¡°Write that down.¡±

    ¡°But that makes no sense! Dungeon can¡¯t grant Skills.¡± The [Sage] whined.

    ¡°Technique,¡± Pos corrected, this time earning a glare from Fabiana, and a chuckle from Bazel.

    ¡°If nothing else, this proves that this dungeon is an abnormality. Don¡¯t frown Fabi, think about all the papers you will be able to write about this dungeon. You are going to be famous.¡±

    Bazel teasing caused the [Sage] to give him the stink eye but Pos could see the beginning of a smile on her face. The town of Viaggia will not be the only thing that will change once the presence of the dungeon is known.

    This dungeon will change everything.

    ¡°Alright, enough talk.¡± Bazel said before turning to the team. ¡°Everyone form up. Let¡¯s get going.¡±

 Part 9- New Species

    Xu Han was looking over his second floor with his dungeon fairy when he sensed the change from the entrance. It was a feeling of something different and foreign within his presence, like someone had just invaded his personal space. For a moment, Xu Han did not recognize it. Then, he remembers when he felt this way before.

    He turned his full attention to the entrance and saw the group of adventurers who had entered his dungeon; Xu Han even recognized one of them. It was the dwarf that managed to pass his dungeon, and apart from him, there were five other people.

    ¡°Jemma, there are adventurers in the dungeon.¡±

    ¡°Already? That was faster than I expected. Can you show me?¡±

    Jemma cast a spell and Xu Han could sense several threads of mana coming from her. The dungeon core used some of his mana and connected with the mana threads of the dungeon fairy. Dungeons fairies share a symbiotic connection with their dungeons and mana connection like this was supposed to be second natured. This proves to be the case as the connection between the two was firm and seamless.

    According to Jemma, this connection was similar to something the Classed called a spell ritual, massive spells that requires many Classed to cast together. The concept was not unknown to Xu Han who knows it as a formation.

    Dungeons have the ability to see all parts of their dungeon, and Xu Han now shared his view of what was happening on the first floor with Jemma. The dungeon fairy says this ability was called ¡®Dungeon View¡¯ by most mortals, and some dungeon cores even captured their Dungeon View on an item called an ¡®Image Stone¡¯ and sell it to the mortals. Evidently, some cultures in his world think dungeon delving is a form of entertainment and are willing to exchange resources to view them.

    It made no sense to Xu Han.

    ¡°Oh, look! There are six of them.¡± Jemma exclaimed. ¡°That dwarf who escaped, an old human [Priest], a [Mage], two [Fighters], one looked like a [Knight], and the last one looked like a [Rogue] of some sort. A good balanced team.¡±

    Xu Han ignored the commentary from his dungeon fairy and concentrated on the adventuring team walking down the long dark tunnel. The adventurer Jemma called a rogue was taking the lead with the dwarf and one of the fighters, the [Knight], flanking her. The old priest and mage were next, and the last fighter was protecting the rear with a bow. Even to Xu Han¡¯s foreign eyes, he could see that this team knew what they were doing. He still had questions though.

    ¡°Jemma, that woman in the lead looks different. She is not a human, is she?¡±

    ¡°No, she¡¯s an elf. Wait, let me guess. There were no elves in your world too.¡±

    ¡°How could you have guessed?¡± Xu Han answered with a chuckle. Jemma respond in kind as they watched the group walk further down the long dark tunnel.

    ¡°So, tell me about the elves?¡±

    Xu Han was fascinated by the different species of this world. In the Crimson Lands, a dwarf was just a term people used to describe a short person. In this world, they were a different species. A hardy, tough people who lived deep under the earth and were known to be incredible craftsmen.

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    Xu Han was not unused to other species. He had met with Flood Dragons, Tengus, and Shivaraths, among others in the Crimson Lands, but Men were the undoubted rulers of his former homeland. That was not the case here.

    According to Jemma, men were called Humans in this world, and they are but one of many sentient species with their own civilizations.

    ¡°Elves are a long lives species known for their grace, mobility, and deep connection to Mana.¡± Jemma said, unaware of Xu Han¡¯s musing.

    ¡°What is she doing? Do elves walk like that normally?¡± The elvish woman was walking with her legs bend, low to the ground with her eyes constantly scanning the tunnel.

    ¡°She is checking for traps. Most rogues have skills that help with their perception. This makes them experts in spotting and making traps.¡± Jemma said as she pointed at the woman in question. ¡°She is walking closer to the ground so that it will be easier for her to spot the traps.¡±

    ¡°What does a [Rogue] do?¡± Xu Han was always trying to learn more about the Class System of this world, so Jemma was unsurprised by his question.

    ¡°It is a starting class like [Fighter] and [Mage]. The Gods designed it to help the Classed fight in the shadows of the cities. [Thief], [Assassin], [Shadow Dancer] are some of the classes that comes from the [Rogue]. Most Classed changed their classes as they level up, so there¡¯s no telling what her specific class is now.¡±

    Xu Han was unsurprised by the information. The Systems of War and Magic are very different from the Cultivation Arts, but they sound easier to use. In Xu Han¡¯s experience, that¡¯s not always a good thing but the people seem to have no problem with it, and the Systems work on a gradual curve. The Classed starts out weak before levelling up and receiving more powerful Classes. Jemma assured him more powerful Classes are always available to the Classed, but the more powerful the Class, the harder it is to level. So, the Classed are very careful about how they advance.

    To Xu Han, that made a lot of sense. The changing of Classes sounds a lot like the realms to him. In cultivation, once a cultivator improved his mind, body, and soul to a certain point, he may attempt to leap to a higher realm. That¡¯s what he did when he tried to jump from the Soul Emperor realm to Godhood.

    He failed, but cultivators who succeed will receive a massive boost in power. The boost from the Systems was more gradual but in return, the Classed receive more Skills from the Systems and there is less need for the Classed to train tireless in new techniques every time they go to a new class.

    The adventuring group slowly made their way down the long tunnel and onto the first floor. None of them seemed surprised when the darkness deposited them into the fog, telling Xu Han the dwarf must have informed them this was going to happen. The dungeon core wasn¡¯t surprised by that, but he was surprised by the reactions of the group.

    The members of the adventuring group reacted differently to the presence of the fog.

    The woman Jemma called a [Mage] immediately took out a piece of paper and began writing something down with a quill. Without ink! The scholar within Xu Han wanted to kill the woman just for that magical item, but the dungeon core within him resisted the urge. Something told Xu Han that was both improper and unfair.

    The old man who Jemma called a [Priest] took a deep breath and looked around thoughtfully. After a moment, he shut his eyes and murmured a prayer to his god. A green glow surrounds him. The [Priest] began walking, not to the nearest light, but to the end of the floor where the treasure chest was.

    Xu Han was wondering what the old man was doing when the actions of one of the [Fighters] got his attention. The dungeon core saw him pointing at a spot near him, and a spectral horse appeared. The [Fighter] got on the horse and began to ride towards the lights.

    The other three members of the adventuring group all ran towards the lights, though Xu Han noticed that the elvish woman seem to be doing things differently from the dwarf and the other fighter.

    ¡°Jemma, that [Fighter] just used a Skill, didn¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°Yes, something like Spectral Horse or Forever Steed if I didn¡¯t miss my guess.¡± Jemma answered while in her thinking pose. ¡°He must have some sort of an advance riding Class.¡±

    ¡°A riding Class? What are they called?¡±

    ¡°[Cavalryman], [Dragoon], [Rider], the last has several variations such as [Fast Rider], [Shadow Rider], and [Night Rider].¡± The dungeon fairy then slapped her hands together and exclaimed. ¡°Oh! I get it. This is not an adventuring group. This is an exploration team!¡±

 Part 10- Ways of Exploration

    ¡°Is there a difference?¡± The dungeon core asked after a moment.

    ¡°Oh yes! An adventuring group will be here to challenge your dungeon, beat the floors to get the treasure. The exploration team is different. They will travel through your dungeon in order to learn about it. They will go through every nook and cannery, document every trap, detailed where every monster is, and then inform other adventurers on what they find.¡± The dungeon fairy nodded enthusiastically but Xu Han greeted his dungeon fairy¡¯s explanation with stun silence.

    ¡°Why in the name of the Heavens would they want to do that?¡±

    ¡°They are getting paid for it.¡± Jemma said. ¡°The Adventurer Guild pays exploration teams very well for the risk of first entry, and there is a certain prestige in it. Most adventurers like to be first to enter a dangerous area, and remember when I told you the first treasure you give out on a new floor must be the best? Well, this exploration team is first.¡±

    ¡°And they just tell other adventurers about what they found in the dungeon after that?¡±

    ¡°Sure, why not?¡± Jemma asked.

    ¡°Because they are giving the others an advantage!¡± A puzzled Xu Han said. ¡°They are giving valuable information to their competitors, making it easier for them to beat the floors and get their share of the treasures. Why do they do that? That¡¯s stupid!¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± The perplexed dungeon fairy asked. ¡°Why should it matter if some other adventurers get some treasure? It¡¯s not as if you will stop giving out treasures, right?¡±

    That left Xu Han speechless, and he quickly understood that there was an error in his way of thinking. Although there were no dungeon cores in the Crimson Lands, the concept of a dungeon was not new to Xu Han. In the Crimson Lands, powerful cultivators in the Soul Emperor realm were expected to make a realm to store their knowledge and treasures for future generations, and most do.

    These man-made Secret Realms are usually pocket dimensions and practically all Soul Emperors filled them with traps and monsters to prevent the unworthy from receiving their legacy. Xu Han never did this, even before he made his ill-fated attempt at Godhood, but he had been in several of them. In fact, his first floor was inspired by a secret realm he entered when he was just a fledgling cultivator.

    This was one of the reasons why Xu Han had no problem picking up the way of a dungeon core, and why he took to being a dungeon core like a duck to water. He already had some experience in something similar. However, there was one big fundamental difference between a dungeon and a Secret Realm.

    A realm is finite, a dungeon is not.

    According to Jemma, adventurers could receive huge gains if they destroy a dungeon core, but a dead core can¡¯t create more treasures, so it was in the adventurers¡¯ interest to keep him alive. As long as Xu Han is alive, there will be a constant supply of treasures. That was also why this exploration team had no qualms in releasing information about his dungeon. It didn¡¯t matter to them if other adventurers had information about the dungeon because the treasures inside would never run out.

    This is vastly different from the practice in the Crimson Lands.

    No matter how big of a realm a Soul Emperor left behind, the treasures inside would one day run out. So, most cultivators who entered a Secret Realm are not willing to release information of what¡¯s inside unless they received some massive benefits in return.

    Stolen novel; please report.

    Xu Han had to laugh at himself. He was still thinking like he was a cultivator in the Crimson Lands, when he was now a dungeon core in a new world.

    Xu Han looked on at the exploration team and wondered if a dungeon core could survive in the Crimson Lands. Would cultivators and dungeon cores have the same symbiotic relationship the Classed and cores have in this world? Most probably not, but Xu Han could not help but wonder. As Xu Han looked on, the adventurer with the ghostly steed reached the end of the floor.

    ¡°Impressive. That adventurer is fast, maybe I should add some obstacles so that adventurers can¡¯t reach the end point without stopping at any of the other lights.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not a bad idea, just remember not to make big changes. If you do, you will need to shut down the entrance and that will prevent adventurers from entering. Better to make small changes over a period of time.¡± Jemma said.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it once they are off the floor.¡±

    It was one of the stranger things about being a dungeon core. Jemma explained that because a dungeon is a core¡¯s body, Xu Han could not change his body while there was a foreign presence in it. The adventurers are considered a foreign presence, so Xu Han could only change his floor when they leave or die. Xu Han did not like this rule, but he could understand it. You need to take out the arrow before you can heal the wound.

    The adventurer with the riding Class surprised Xu Han when he dismissed his ghostly steed after reaching the end of the floor. Xu Han would not have done that in his shoe. The dungeon core wondered if there was some time limit to his skill.

    The adventurer looked at the inviting chest but did not approach. In fact, he seems more interested in the fog, looking out into the fog on several occasions as he walked around the clearing. Xu Han believes the rider was measuring how big the clearing was.

    Xu Han turned his attention to the other adventurers. All of them were slowly reaching the end of the floor. The dwarf and the [Knight] were in the lead, running from orb to orb like you were supposed to, though the [Knight] looks to be measuring how big each area was. The [Mage] was doing the same, but she was still writing things down as she went from orb to orb and that was slowing her down considerably.

    Xu Han couldn¡¯t help but wonder what kind of impression his dungeon was giving.

    The old [Priest] did not run from orb to orb but continued his slow walk to the end of the floor. He occasionally cast a prayer to his god, and Xu Han could see he was casting different prayers for different effects. There was one that expels the poison from his body, one that regained his health, one that forms a shield around his body to repel the poison, and one that increased his body¡¯s toughness and resistance. After a while, Xu Han understood that the [Priest] was trying to see how effective his various prayers were against the poison of the fog.

    The elvish woman was also testing the poison of the fog. At first, Xu Han did not understand what she was doing. She was jumping in and out of the area of influence of an orb, before repeating the same process at another orb, but Jemma enlightened him. The dungeon fairy informed Xu Han the elf was most probably trying to see if the poison was equal throughout the floor, or if the fog was more poisonous the nearer you are to the end of the floor.

    It was not a bad point, and Xu Han mentally kicked himself for not thinking of it. He should had made the poison more potent in certain areas, creating hazard areas for the adventurers to avoid. Then, he could leave some small signs to help adventurers avoid these areas, but also leave treasures in these hazard areas to dare adventurers to enter them. It would fit with how the Systems are supposed to work.

    The dungeon core resolved to do that later. In fact, he should draw up a list of improvements he could make in the future.

    The dwarf was the first to arrive at the end of the floor after the rider. Xu Han was expecting the rider to be surprised when the dwarf popped out, but he wasn¡¯t. The rider barely raised his brow when the dwarf appeared to walk out of the fog into the clearing. Xu Han decided to listen in to their conversation.

    ¡°Well, was there any changes from the first time you were in here?¡± the rider asked.

    ¡°Not really. Everything looks about the same, though that¡¯s not saying much with the fog.¡± The dwarf replied as he was trying to get his breath back.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll take that as a ¡®No¡¯ then. Big changes are unlikely this early in the development of a dungeon anyway. Besides, the dungeon was probably happy enough with how the floor works the first time around.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, killing two out three isn¡¯t bad.¡± The dwarf scoffed.

 Part 11- Eavesdropping

    This brought a scowl to the face of the rider, but he did not say anything. Xu Han was not bothered by what the dwarf said. He did kill two of the dwarf¡¯s friends, so it was understandable that he would be a little upset. The dwarf and rider turned as another of the adventurers appeared. It was the other fighter; the one Jemma thought was a [Knight].

    ¡°Bazel, Pos.¡±

    ¡°Hethon,¡± the now-named Bazel greeted back. ¡°Any problem with the fog?¡±

    ¡°None. The poison does not seem to affect stamina or endurance. The passives from my [Knight] class were still in place as I ran through it, so I do not believe the fog had any additional debilitating effects outside killing you.¡±

    So, the other fighter was a [Knight], and his name was Hethon.

    ¡°Tracks with what happen to me. My Ghost Steed skill works without any problem, and I did not feel weak or confused when I was in the fog. I did not see the two of you approaching through, so I think this is an instance floor. Only the start and the end of the floor are in the real world, the rest of the floor is in a spatial reality.¡±

    ¡°I have never heard of a dungeon that can create an instance on its first floor. Aren¡¯t sub dimensions powers rare?¡± Pos asked with a frown.

    ¡°It is, but it just makes this dungeon all the more valuable. Get some rest while we wait for the other.¡± Bazel said, gesturing to the grass in the clearing.

    It sounded very much like an order to Xu Han, but it was one both the dwarf and the [Knight] happily agreed with. They sat down in the area, and Xu Han wondered if he should build a proper rest area here. Maybe a pavilion, or a small building. Xu Han turned his attention back to the other three adventurers in the fog.

    The [Priest] and [Mage] were doing the same thing as before, but whatever the elvish woman was checking for was now completed and she was now running to the end of the floor.

    As she was from a species Xu Han had never seen before, the dungeon core took a special interest in the elf. Fortunately for her, Xu Han had lost any interest in the opposite sex, or the same sex, long before becoming a dungeon core. Unlike most Soup Emperors, male or female, Xu Han never had a harem of lower cultivators serving him, but he has to wonder if the elvish woman would have been able to change his mind if he had met her in his earlier life. For Xu Han, the pursuit of knowledge and immortality was all consuming, but she was gorgeous. With her sharp angular features and sharp pointed ears, Xu Han could understand why elves were known for their beauty in this world. It was just as well that he no longer has a body.

    The elf reached the end of the floor and immediately spoke to Bazel, who seemed like the leader of the group. Xu Han gained a lot of information as he listened in to their conversation.

    The elf was named Talata, and she was not a [Rogue]. Her exact class was [Explorer]. As Talata was telling Bazel about the toxicity and effectiveness of the poison of the fog, Xu Han asked his dungeon fairy about the class. Jemma did not know the details about it, but informed Xu Han [Explorer] was a Class that grants hardiness and skills to the Classed when they are exploring unknown locations. The explorers usually received strange skills such as Mental Mapping, Find Water, and Surefoot, to help with their survivability.

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    The group did not need to wait long for the [Priest] and [Mage]. Both arrived almost at the same time, but to Xu Han¡¯ surprise, it was to the [Mage] that they reported to.

    The [Priest], Father Raul, told the female [Mage] that the dungeon did not block his connection to his God, something Xu Han didn¡¯t even know was possible, and that he felt no divine source in the dungeon. Evidently, Gods could bless a dungeon to give a boost to their followers, but the priest do not believe any god had lay claim to this dungeon yet.

    He was right. It was something Xu Han would need Jemma to explain in the future because what the priest said worried the dungeon core. Having a God¡¯s blessing was a double-edge sword in the Crimson Lands, and the dungeon core need to know if it was the same here.

    From their talk, the dungeon core discovered two pieces of shocking news. First was the priest¡¯s title. In the Crimson Lands, telling someone to call you ¡®father¡¯ was an insult. Here, it was a term of respect and the title of certain orders of priests. Secondly, Xu Han found out why Bazel and Father Raul were reporting to the [Mage].

    She was actually a [Sage].

    ¡°I want to kill her.¡± Xu Han said, which caused his dungeon fairy to laugh.

    ¡°Not likely, Core. The members of this exploration group are likely to be between level 30 to 40. At those levels, they would probably breeze through your second floor.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t think my second floor can beat them?¡± Xu Han was a little surprised by his dungeon fairy¡¯s reaction. She had been delighted by the design of the second floor.

    ¡°Not likely,¡± Jemma said uncertainly. ¡°The unique puzzles you made may slumped them, especially on their first run, so I don¡¯t think they will be able to conquer it immediately, but I doubt killing them is possible. The Boss monster you made is just not strong enough. Sorry Core, but you are just too new and weak to be killing level thirty-plus adventurers.¡±

    The exploration team finally decide to approach the treasure chest. Talata was the one who opened it, but she took the blast of poison head on instead of dodging. As if to prove Jemma¡¯s point, the poison had no effect on her, and she coolly inform her team that anyone with [Poison Resistance] would be able to ignore the effects of the poison. Xu Han mentally sighed.

    This was almost unfair. He felt like he was being bullied by some senior cultivators, not an uncommon thing in the Crimson Lands.

    The exploration team were visually disappointed by the gold they found inside but seem to take it well enough. Xu Han had no intention to give out a technique to everyone who beat the floor. They took a lot of divine power to make, and anything that was too common was not valuable.

    To Xu Han¡¯s surprise, Bazel spilt the gold among the adventurers, a common practice according to Jemma. Adventurers do not want one person to hold all the gold or treasures because they will risk losing everything if that person dies in the dungeon. Hearing the explanation, Xu Han had to fully agree with the practice.

    Once the gold was divided, the exploration team approached the two runes on the ground. Jemma did not like the portal he created for the dwarf as she claimed it was a waste of energy to do it every time someone beat the floor. To placate her, Xu Han used his knowledge to create two teleportation runes instead. One would bring the adventurers back to the entrance, while the other would take them down to the second floor. To avoid any mistake, Xu Han wrote the words ¡®Entrance¡¯ and ¡®Second Floor¡¯ before the runes.

    The art of using runes was known in this world, because Jemma took one look at them and proclaimed them to be ¡®Spell Circles¡¯. That did not make much sense to Xu Han as the runes he drew were not circular in shape, but Jemma assured Xu Han that¡¯s what they were called in this world.

    There must be some cultural nuances he was missing.

    However, Jemma was right in saying the adventurers would have no problem in recognizing the runes. After a break of a few minutes, they stepped on the portal down to the second floor of the dungeon, and Xu Han had to stop himself from laughing like some villain in a trashy cultivation story.

    They are going to be so weird out by what they find down there.

 Part 12- The Painting

    The cave Pos found himself in was quite pleasant. After stepping on the spell circle, the dwarf found himself standing in a small natural cave, one with a floor of bare sand and a low ceiling of rough rock. The walls are glowing faintly, giving the scene an eerie greenish tint, but the cavern appears to be fairly open and spacious. Pos couldn¡¯t help but think of home whenever he found himself in a cave like this. The other five adventurers with him were less enthusiastic.

    The exploration team was standing around a central pillar of smooth grey stone, and the cave appears to have three exits. There was no way back to the first floor, and only the three exits loomed ahead of them. Each went in a different direction.

    As Pos was looking around the cave, the elf steps forward and pointed up at the numbers over the exits. ¡°What are these numbers?¡± she asked. ¡°I assume they mean something. I would appreciate some information.¡±

    ¡°They mean something to those who know, and nothing to those who do not,¡± says Father Raul cryptically.

    Talata frowned, but the rest of the team had a good laugh at the elf¡¯s expense. Pos looked from one exit to the other. Of the three exits, one had the number ¡®1¡¯ on top of it, another had the number ¡®2¡¯, and the last had the number ¡®4¡¯. Everyone knows only one of the exits will lead to the end of the floor, and fortunately the adventurers had a way to know the exit to take.

    ¡°Father Raul, which way is it?¡± Bazel asked.

    The [Priest] murmured a prayer. One of the strange things about dungeon cores is that they do not just use Mana. They can do so with no issue, but like priests, dungeon cores could also use divine power. According to scholars, dungeon cores use divine power, which everyone called DP for short, mainly to create their dungeon.

    That was a good thing for adventurers. Most priests can cast a prayer to sense areas with high concentration of DP. Usually, priests cast the prayer to know the direction to the nearest holy land, because they can only recover their divine powers in an area with a high density of DP. In a dungeon, the prayer is almost a cheat.

    Father Raul was visibly surprised by the result of his prayer. ¡°The flow of the divine is the same through all three exits. I think all three exits can lead to the Boss room.¡±

    The members of the exploration team looked at each other in puzzlement. Pos did not need to be a delver to know that was unusual.

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­rare,¡± Fabiana finally said. ¡°The dungeon fairy should have told the core not to do something like that. Do you think this dungeon core lacks a fairy, or is it just ignoring the advice?¡±

    ¡°Or there is a trick to this floor that requires you to go through all three exits.¡± Bazel said, something all the members have to nod in agreement to after some thought. Even to Pos, that would make the most sense.

    ¡°Does that mean we need to check them out one by one? This is going to be a pain.¡± Talata groaned.

    ¡°Nothing we can do about it.¡± Bazel said as he walks calmly over to the exit marked ¡®1¡¯. ¡°One exit is as good as another.¡±

    Pos watched as the [Dragoon] head down the tunnel and grunted. He never understood why some human adventurers always take risk and try to act like some [Hero] in a bard¡¯s tale. The dwarf wished that he could ignore actions like this for once.

    Unfortunately, children of the Stones do not leave comrades behind.

    Pos started after Bazel but slowed after a few metres to glance back at the cavern behind. The rest of the exploration teams were still hesitating at the entrance of the tunnel, but before Pos could think about shouting at them, they decide to enter. Careful not to let his relief show, Pos hurried after the leader of the exploration team.

    Unlike the tunnel leading to the first floor, this tunnel was much shorter, and the team soon walked into another cavern. Bare black stone lined the walls of the cavern, and the floor had green grass with broken patches of flat stone all around. Ahead, the cavern opens out to a small lake. The water was light green and strange-looking leaves were floating on the water. Pos had never seen the leaves before, but the elf had.

    ¡°Lotus leaves. More common in the far west. I wonder how a dungeon core in the Bright Kingdom even knows of this plant.¡± Talata asked.

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    Pos did not know, and barely cared. He was far more interested in the eight small strange looking pavilions situated in the middle of the lake. Each pavilion had four wooden pillars with a strangely sloped roof, and Pos could see a low table in each of the pavilions. Eight separate wooden footpaths lead to the pavilions, each only wide enough for one person to walk on. On the other side of each pavilion was another footpath that led to a rocky shore on the other side of the lake. Pos could see a huge boulder wedged in the far wall.

    That got everyone¡¯s attention.

    ¡°Ten gold says that boulder is blocking us from the exit.¡± Heathon teased.

    No one was foolish enough to take the bet.

    ¡°The tunnel was marked as ¡®1¡¯,¡± Fabiana said as she pointed at the footpath, ¡°I take it that means we are each to take a separate footpath.¡±

    ¡°Split up the team in a dungeon?¡± Heathon shook his head, indicating how he feels about that. ¡°Can we just fly over the lake?¡±

    The team look at Fabiana who tilted her head. ¡°I don¡¯t sense any magic damping field or dispel effects. So, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything to stop us from doing that, but...¡±

    ¡°Except the fact that the core will probably consider that a failure, and that boulder probably wouldn''t move unless we complete whatever is in those pavilions.¡± Bazel said.

    ¡°That boulder does not look that tough. We should be able to blow it up with a spell or two.¡± Heathon shrugged away Bazel¡¯s concern and Pos got the feeling the [Knight] was one of those humans who always look for the simplest way to solve a problem.

    ¡°It will just piss off the core. Besides, we are not here to beat the dungeon. We are here to explore it, and that means we need to inform the guild what is in those pavilions. Most probably some sort of puzzle since this is a Trick Dungeon. Talata, any traps?¡±

    The [Explorer] answered Bazel¡¯s question with a shake of her head. ¡°I don¡¯t see any, but there is some sort of magical enchantment on the footpaths. I believe they will activate once someone step on it, allowing only one person to be on each of them.¡±

    ¡°Very well then. Everyone pick a path.¡±

    Pos was less than enthusiastic about Bazel¡¯s order. ¡°I¡¯m not really good with puzzles.¡± Pos complained.

    ¡°And we don¡¯t know what will happen if we fail to complete it.¡± Heathon added.

    ¡°We¡¯ll cross that bridge when we come to it. Let¡¯s get moving.¡±

    Bazel brooked no complaint and immediately moves to one of the footpaths. Seeing the rest of the team following their leader¡¯s example, Pos had no choice but to do the same. He selected the footpath furthest to the left. It would give him a view of everyone.

    Standing before their own individual footpaths, everyone looked at each other for a moment before wordlessly stepping onto them together. The moment he did so, Pos felt an immense weight descend on him. Pos stood still and looked at the others for an explanation. It was clear everyone felt the same pressure, but no one was sure what the pressure was for because nothing happened. The pressure wasn¡¯t even that uncomfortable. After a few moments of standing still, Pos saw Talata turning back. She reached out, and there was a shimmer in the air.

    Pos immediately did the same. The shimmer appeared behind him as well, preventing him from retreating. That was the reason for the pressure. There was no way back. Pos looked back at the exploration team and saw Talata dip a boot into the water.

    Surprisingly, she managed to touch the water.

    The trap on the footpath only prevented them from turning back but did not prevent them from leaving it. That made no sense to Pos. What is to prevent them from swimming to another platform?

    The answer was obvious. Pos looked into the water of the lake and wonder what was down there.

    Pos looked up at the other members of the team and saw that everyone was experienced enough to suspect there was something in the water. They stayed in the position for a few moments before Pos saw Father Raul begin walking towards his pavilion. Nothing happened. Seeing that it was safe, Pos started the walk to his pavilion as well.

    Like the footpath, the pavilion was made of wood and there was a low wooden table sitting in the middle of it. A big carpet was laid out, and Pos did not need to be a [Rogue] to know this was a trap. There was nothing to stop the dwarf from continuing to walk towards the other side of the lake, but that would mean abandoning the challenge of the floor.

    As if knowing what the dwarf was thinking of doing, Bazel shouted out. ¡°Everyone, step on the carpet!¡±

    The dwarf sighed and did so. He looked at the others and once everyone was on their carpets, a box appeared out of thin air. It landed softly on the table. Then, a painting dropped from the ceiling.

    Hanging from the top of the pavilion, the painting showed a red dragon laying on a sea of gleaming gold. As Pos looked at the painting, wondering what was going on, the dragon turned his head to look at him.

    The dwarf could not breath. The still air turned heavy, carrying an aroma of death to the dwarf. Pos did not know what to do and stared at the dragon with a vacant stare. The dragon¡¯s eyes were that of a predator, and Pos could feel himself cowering under its towering, ruthless gaze. It was a being of unimaginable power that promised a wave of death.

    He almost missed the words that appeared on the side of the banner.

    ¡°A dragon that once was whole,

    Now shattered into many pieces,

    Its original state forever lost,

    Waiting for someone to make it whole.¡±

    Then, another thing appeared on the painting. It was a countdown, starting from sixty minutes. The dragon¡¯s head had turned back to its original position, and Pos could breathe again. It was a casual gaze that drilled fear into the soul of the dwarf.

 Part 13- Giant Squid

    Pos looked out at the other pavilions and saw that everyone was as puzzled as he was. Then, he saw Fabiana reaching for her box, and realized she had the right idea. He sat, opened the box, and saw a pile of jagged fragments in it.

    Pos poured them out onto the table, and picked up a piece. It was made of wood and appeared to be sturdy. Pos turned over the piece in his hand and saw that it was red in color. He quickly spread out the other pieces on the table and turned the fragments over to show the colored sides. The dwarf immediately knew this was the puzzle but had no idea what to do. Then, Pos noticed something.

    He picked up another fragment and noticed that the piece had a protruding section. He fitted the section to the first fragment in his hand and they fitted. The colors were wrong, but the sections fit together. Pos looked at the painting hanging above him, looked down at the fragments on the table and the colors the fragments were in. He looked back up at the painting and shouted.

    ¡°It is a puzzle! Fit the fragments together to form the picture on the painting!¡±

    Pos did not have a skill like [Loud Voice] or [Command Shout], but his voice carried clearly through the cavern. Dwarves weren¡¯t known to be boisterous for nothing.

    Pos quickly began to fit the fragments together and realized what a daunting task this was after a few minutes. There were many fragments, well over five hundred, and he wonder how anyone is supposed to finish this in an hour. Pos knows there was no way he was ever going to complete it in time, but dwarves were stubborn, and he continued putting the fragments together. He hopes Fabiana and Father Raul were having a better time of it.

    ¡°The fragments with a straight side are on the borders of the puzzle. The ones with two straight sides are on the corners!¡±

    Pos heard Fabiana¡¯s shout and quickly realized the [Sage] was right. He quickly put all the fragments with a straight side in a separate pile and began fitting them together. Pos immediately understood this would give him a framework of the puzzle.

    ¡°Sort the pieces out by color! Yellow for the wheat field, Blue for the sky!¡±

    Father Raul¡¯s shout caused Pos to stop for a moment. He looked up at the painting above him. ¡°What are you talking about? What blue? The painting shows a dragon on a bed of gold!¡±

    A moment of silence followed Pos¡¯ shout, before the priest shouted back. ¡°Mine is showing a farmer on a wheat field under a blue sky!¡±

    This caused the other members of the team to shout out their banners.

    ¡°A strange tower with a red curved rooftop!¡±

    ¡°A hut by a river with some people doing chores!¡±

    ¡°A beautiful human woman with a jewel on her forehead!¡±

    Pos was too far away to hear the rest of the shouts but understood they were all facing different puzzles. The dwarf thought this was a little unfair as the difficulty of the puzzles would be different, but he was too busy putting his puzzle together to complain to the dungeon core about it.

    Time passed and Pos kept with the task. Nearing the hour mark, Pos realized he may have found this puzzle to be fun if he wasn¡¯t in a dungeon. When time expired, there was a loud ring in the cavern. Pos immediately abandoned the puzzle and picked up his weapon. He looked out at the other pavilions and saw that everyone had their weapons at the ready. The dwarf did not believe anyone had completed their puzzle, and that means-.

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    ¡°There!¡± Talata shouted, pointing at the center of the lake.

    Pos immediately saw what she was pointing at. Bubbles appeared on the surface of the still waters of the lake. Of course! Whatever this dungeon core had cooked up was coming from the bottom of the lake.

    ¡°Everyone, group up at the end of the floor!¡±

    Bazel shouted and immediately ran out of his pavilion. Pos had to agree with his idea. The rocky shore was a piece of solid ground big enough for the team to group up. He ran for it.

    As he ran, Pos looked down into the waters of the lake and was less than pleased to see that the clear waters had turned dark. A cloud of ink, thick and oily has risen to the surface of the water and had stained it black. Beneath the surface, just barely visible to the eyes of a dwarf, Pos saw a mass of huge black tentacles, writhing in the water.

    Pos¡¯ heart pounds as he stared at the monster slowly rising from the depths. He felt a chill run down his spine as he recognized what the monster was. His short legs moved faster without his prompting, and he cursed Bazel for making use his new Technique at the entrance of the dungeon.

    ¡°It¡¯s a squid! The monster is a giant squid!¡±

    As Pos shouted, a tentacle as big as a tree trunk rose from the water. Pos turned and saw the tentacle twists before slamming back into the water. It destroyed two of the wooden footpaths. Heathon fell into the waters, while a spherical force field surrounds Father Raul. The [Wandering Healer] began floating in the air and the tentacle swiped at him. The force field took the hit from the monster and kept the father safe, but the force of the blow forced the bubble away for the team¡¯s regrouping point. A bright burst of light in the black waters caused Pos to look down at the dark waters. He hoped the light was Heathon activating his Recall Stone.

    Pos reached the rocky shore and was thankful for the solid ground below him. He ran towards the rest of the team who had gathered a distance from the edge of the waters. As the sole warrior in the group, Pos took a position at the front of the team.

    ¡°I can''t believe we are fighting a giant squid in a cave!¡±

    Pos heard a few chuckles behind him and was glad to see he was not the only one with a sense of humor. The dwarf knows some of the Classed think it was unprofessional to make small talk or joke in the middle of combat, but Pos always believe that it was better to laugh than to panic.

    ¡°Don''t let your guard down. Sea squids are dangerous creatures.¡±

    Bazel shot an arrow at the tentacle as he shouted, and Pos saw the arrow sailed over his head. The arrow hit the monster''s flesh. It exploded on impact and Pos heard a cry from the depths of the lake. The team is going to need more of that.

    In response, three more tentacles rose from the lake, and they began to lash out in all directions. Pos swung at the nearest tentacle and scored a solid hit. The tentacle collapsed in a pool of its green blood. However, the victory was short-lived as the giant squid barely seem to notice the loss.

    The other three remaining tentacles went to work, lashing in the direction of the group. Pos quickly realized the squid could not see above the waters and had sacrificed one of its tentacles to get the team¡¯s position. He cursed as he swiped at the tentacles with his axe. Talata was beside him, but the elf¡¯s daggers were less effective, barely penetrating the slimy skin of the tentacles. Then, a spell was cast.

    Chains of arcane energy shot out of the ground to grab one of the tentacles. Fabiana¡¯s spell pulled the tentacle down to the ground, and Pos did not need an invitation. The dwarf leapt with his axe high over his head. He let loose a wordless cry and swung down the axe.

    Another tentacle lay listlessly on the rocky ground.

    ¡°Bazel, the water!¡± Talata shouted.

    Pos looked out to the lake at the elf¡¯s shout and saw the giant squid for the first time. The loss of two of its tentacles has cause the monster to rise to the surface and the monster¡¯s enormous head could be seen on the inky water. He had to blink. How could something that massive be living in a lake? Even for a dungeon creature, Pos found it unbelievable.

    ¡°Fabiana, make it count!¡±

    Pos risked a glance back to see the Sage¡¯s hands moving in a series of complex gestures. He did not need anyone to tell him the [Sage] was gathering Mana for a big spell.

 Part 14- Offerings

    [Taunting Shout].

    The two remaining tentacles converge on Pos after he activated his Skill, and the dwarf swung his axe in a defensive stance to fend them off. Talata and Bazel were quickly on either side of him, with Bazel putting away his bow in favor of his saber. No words were spoken, and none was needed. Although they were a team put together just for this quest, the trio of adventurers were experienced and knew they have to keep the squid busy to give Fabiana time to cast her spell.

    It did not take long.

    ¡°Sun shines brightly in the sky,

    Filling the land with light,

    In fire, do our enemies in,

    Come forth; [Solar Beam]!¡±

    A ball of light, bright as the sun, appeared above the adventurers. Everyone stops as the ball hovers in the air for a moment. Then, the ball turned into a beam of light and shot down towards the head of the squid. A wordless scream echoed through the cavern and even the distance did not stop the smoky smell from reaching Pos.

    The reaction from the squid was immediate. The tentacles withdrew, and the head of the squid dive back into the waters of the lake. The cavern fell silent except for the sound of the bubbles on the surface of the water. Pos waited for the squid to come back up.

    He waited.

    And waited.

    And waited.

    Pos blinked. He glanced back at his team, who were all as puzzled as he was. The squid did not come back up.

    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Pos asked in surprise.

    The rest of the team were just as shocked as he was. No one thought the monster would retreat, because dungeon monsters never do. Sometimes, they retreat to lure delvers into complacency, but they never withdraw. Minions of a dungeon always fight to the death, there was no reason not to because the core could reform them later. This dungeon core is so weird!

    Before they could discuss the matter, a rumbling sound came from behind. Pos turned and it took a moment for him to process what was happening. The boulder wedged in the wall was moving sideways and a narrow passage was revealed behind it.

    A small, dark passage.

    When the boulder stops moving, the members of the team looked at each other again before Talata turned to look out to the lake. Pos followed her gaze and saw Father Raul slowly making his way back to them. The priest¡¯s force field was still in place, but the field was clearly designed more for defence than speed as the [Wandering Healer] was slowly floating towards them. In the excitement, Pos had almost forgotten about the priest.

    ¡°Fabiana, send a message to the guild. Check if Heathon had arrived. If not, we need to fish his body out of the lake before the dungeon eats him.¡±

    With a body, adventurers could resurrect their team-mates at a temple but there was a problem with their situation.

    ¡°The squid is still down there. It could be why it retreated. It is waiting for us down there.¡± Pos warned.

    ¡°Then, we need to spring the trap.¡± Bazel answered.

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    ¡°No need.¡± Fabiana said. ¡°The guild just confirmed that Heathon had activated his Recall Stone and is back in Viggia.¡±

    Pos was relieved. He really did not want to face that giant squid again, much less in its home territory. Father Raul arrived, none the worse for wear, and after making sure everyone was uninjured, the team went down the passage.

    The boulder slided back into place behind them, leaving the team in darkness. Pos was comfortable in the dark, but humans were not and Fabiana cast a spell. A ball of light appeared and the team continued on down the passage. It was winding but when they turned a corner, a small, flickering light appears in the distance. Pos¡¯ eyes widened as the light was illuminating an ancient, dusty-looking chest.

    He was not about to make the same mistake twice and waited for Talata to approach the chest. The elf did so, approaching the chest carefully as the rest of the team waited a distance away. Father Raul even cast a shield in front of them.

    The elf opened the chest, leaping back as she did so. The trap was sprung and something shot out of the chest. It was a small figure holding an even smaller banner. The figure looked like a toy and the banner only had one word written on it.

    Loser

    What? Everyone waited for a moment, but nothing else happened. Talata approached the chest again, looked in, and frowned. She picked up whatever was in the chest and showed it to the team.

    It was a box.

    Well-made with a beautiful picture of a multistory tower with a red curved rooftop. Pos looked at the team and saw Bazel giving everyone a nod. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the puzzle I faced.¡±

    The team approached the chest, and Talata passed the box to Fabiana. Pos looked into the chest while the [Sage] inspected the box with Bazel. There was some gold in it, but it seems that the box was the treasure. Fabiana opened the box, and Pos was unsurprised when he saw the fragments within.

    ¡°That¡¯s it? We beat the floor and got a puzzle box? The dwarf got a new Skill, and we get this?¡± Talata complained, and Pos understood where she was coming from. It was frustrating.

    Father Raul shook his head at the elf¡¯s outburst and pointed at the figure that jumped out of the chest. ¡°Did we? Remember, this is a Trick Floor. We beat the monster, not the floor. That¡¯s why the dungeon core is calling us losers.¡±

    Pos put his face in his hand. ¡°You are telling me we need to complete the puzzle to get the real treasure?¡±

    ¡°Most probably. Why else would the core give us this ¡®Loser¡¯ banner. If nothing else, it has a sense of humor.¡± Bezal chuckled with a hint of disappointment.

    ¡°Hopefully, just one of us need to complete the puzzle, and not all of us. I was almost done when time ran out.¡± Father Raul proudly said.

    If he wasn¡¯t a priest, Pos would have called him a liar. Pos wasn¡¯t even halfway done with his. Everyone looked at the priest with newfound respect.

    ¡°I hope so, because there is no way all of us are going to complete a thousand pieces within sixty minutes.¡±

    The team turned to Fabiana who had been counting the fragments from the puzzle they received. Pos blinked. Talata grasped.

    ¡°Wait, did you saying each puzzle is a thousand pieces?¡±

    Fabiana sighed. ¡°Well, this puzzle has a thousand pieces, so it stand to reason the other puzzles have the same number of pieces. I seriously doubt all of us can complete one within sixty minutes.¡±

    ¡°And that is just for this tunnel,¡± Bazel shook his head, ¡°there are two more tunnels on the second floor.¡±

    As they spoke, a spell circle light up. There was only one, which means either this dungeon does not have a third floor, or the adventurers do not have the qualification to enter it yet.

    The adventurers looked at the way out in resignation. Even with their levels, they had not beaten the second floor. This dungeon was much tougher than they expected. Bazel was the first to recover from his disappointment.

    ¡°Alright! Take out the first batch of offerings.¡± Bazel said as he open his backpack.

    Pos grunted as he did the same. Dungeons could create materials, and one of the rules of farming a dungeon was to feed it a variety of materials when it is young. Within moments, the adventurers lay out a variety of items on the ground.

    Ores like iron, orichalcum, even a small piece of mithral; in the hope that the dungeon would create a floor with such metals for them to mine.

    Fabrics made of cotton, silk, and manaweave; in the hope that the dungeon would create a floor with a workshop filled with such items.

    Books ranging from serious topics like history to lighter fiction like a romance story; in the hope that the dungeon would create a floor with a library where these books could be reproduced.

    After laying out the items, the adventurers approached the spell circle. They were disappointed, but they were all alive, so Pos considered this delve a win. As one, the adventurers turned to the dungeon, bowed, and shouted.

    ¡°Thank you for the adventure!¡±

    Pos Opalhand step onto the spell circle with his team, and out of the dungeon.

 Part 15- Frogs in A Well

    After the adventurers stepped on the rune-spell circles and left, Xu Han began absorbing the items they left behind. He knew he would love the books but had no idea why the adventurers had left them behind. Xu Han heard the leader named Bazel said that they were offerings. But why?

    Fortunately, Xu Han knew who to ask.

    ¡°Jemma, what are all these?¡± Xu Han asked.

    ¡°Dungeon offerings,¡± the dungeon fairy answered without hesitation. ¡°Remember when I told you how the Classed farm the resources a dungeon creates? Well, the Classed understand that dungeon cores can only recreate resources they had absorbed in the past, so one way for the Classed to ensure that the cores could make the resources they want is to just give it to the dungeon cores."

    ¡°And they are giving me books?¡±

    ¡°Hey, you know how long it takes for a scribe to copy a book? A dungeon could do it almost instantly!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­I guess that¡¯s foresight for you.¡± Xu Han said uncertainly. ¡°So, I should create floors with these items?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s up to you, but I would advise you to hold off creating such a floor till you know more about the local situation.¡±

    ¡°What local situation?¡±

    Jemma got into her thinking pose and replied. ¡°Let me give you an example. Let¡¯s say you create a floor full of cows. Adventurers comes in, kills them, and bring the meat back out. The local people get to eat the meat, people will find employment as butchers, and a local economy will be built around the cows that comes from the dungeon. That¡¯s the good part. However, what if there are local farmers who owns herd of cattle? Rich ranchers whose livelihood depend on people buying the beef their cattle produced?¡±

    ¡°They would not be too happy with the competition.¡± Xu Han replied as understanding dawned on him.

    Jemma confirms with a nod. ¡°¡°That¡¯s right. And it¡¯s not unheard of for rich powerful merchants to get rid of unwanted competition. A dungeon core is harder to take out, but with enough gold, there will be adventurers willing to try.¡±

    ¡°I always hated merchants. It seems they are all the same, even on a different world.¡± Xu Han said with a huff. ¡°I can¡¯t believe the other dungeon cores bother with this?¡±

    Jemma laughed at that. ¡°That¡¯s just an example. Anyway, you are right. Most dungeon cores ignore how mortals react to what they put on their floors, some don¡¯t even care about the opinions of the Classed, but it is something you should take into consideration because it will affect you.¡±

    ¡°I should, but I won¡¯t!¡± Xu Han scoffed. ¡°I am a dungeon core, and the dungeon belongs to me. It is part of me. It is me! Why should I care how mortals and the Classed react to my dungeon? I am almost a demi-god, they should the ones who adapt to me. Not the other way round. Sorry Jemma, but the other dungeon cores have the right idea on this one.¡±

    Jemma just sighed at that. It looked to Xu Han that the dungeon fairy had expected this reaction from him and wonders how many dungeon cores actually listen to that advice. Xu Han went back to the offerings left behind by the adventurers and complained further.

    ¡°Sounds likes the Classed think I am a chicken that need fattening up before they kill me.¡±

    ¡°That is an extreme analogy. Not wrong, but extreme.¡± Jemma admitted.

    Whatever reply Xu Han had was interrupted by a portal. A portal that appeared in front of his core. Xu Han was shocked. Unlike most dungeon cores, Xu Han did not place his core on the last floor of his dungeon. Instead, it was on his first floor.

    As the adventurer, Bazel, had deduced, the first floor was mostly spatial place with only the front and end of the floor in the real world. However, that was also part of the illusion. The fog also exists in the real world.

    The idea Xu Han had was simple. When an adventurer entered the first floor, he will be teleported into a spatial place, away from reality. If he beat the first floor, he would arrive at the end with the inviting spell circle in front of him. Xu Han doubt that few, if any, adventurers would think of backtracking into the poisonous fog.

    Making the real fog the perfect place for Xu Han to place his core.

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    Now, someone had found his core, and had the power to open a portal to it. Before he could do anything, the air became heavy. Xu Han looked at the portal in shock as a woman walked through the portal and landed in front of him.

    She was tall, with blood red hair that was tied up in a tidy bun. Her large eyes were green like the leaves of a forest, and there was great power and will behind them. Seeing them, Xu Han would not be surprised if the woman could see into his soul. The dungeon core tore his senses away from the woman¡¯s eyes and focused.

    The woman¡¯s face was weathered. Not old, but it was clear she had a life of hard work. Her outfit was simple. She had worn a simple brown dress with a white apron. The clothes fit her body well for she was plump without being voluptuous. Unadorned by jewellery but for a pair of golden bracelets around her wrists, the woman was a matron with steel behind her motherly smile. Xu Han could feel power radiating from her, and immediately knew what she was.

    With all the respect he could mustered, Xu Han greets her. ¡°Goddess, I humbly welcome you to my dungeon.¡±

    The goddess gave a light laugh and Xu Han felt his spirits lifting. ¡°Thank you, dungeon core. I am glad I took the chance to be here. It¡¯s not everyday I meet a polite young dungeon core.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, goddess.¡± Xu Han replied, ¡°May I enquire on the reason for your presence?¡±

    ¡°I''m here because of you, young core.¡±

    Jemma tilted her head, ¡°Him?¡±

    The goddess nodded, ¡°Yes, little fairy. Do not worry, I am not here to harm your core. He is... unique and have a very different perspective of things. He is too interesting to harm.¡±

    Xu Han looks between the goddess and Jemma, confused, ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    The goddess smiles, ¡°The fact that you are a reincarnator is no secret to the gods. Transmigrator, reincarnator, regressor; people like you have a tendency to leave chaos in your wake. Most of the gods keep an eye out on troublesome individuals like you.¡±

    ¡°That is not my intention, goddess.¡± Xu Han said, and the goddess shakes her head.

    ¡°You don''t need to intend chaos to create it.¡±

    Xu Hen had no reply to that, and he knew better than to lie to a goddess. So, he said the truth. ¡°That is true, but I do not understand why you are here goddess. Has my technique caused that much of a change in this world?¡±

    The goddess smile at Xu Han, ¡°No, but cultivation is barely known in this world, and you intend to give out more than one technique, don¡¯t you?¡±

    So, there is cultivation in this world. Maybe those [Monks] and [Martial Artists] Jemma mentioned are the cultivators of this world.

    Xu Han thought that was great news, but he also knew that he needed to be careful.

    ¡°Goddess, I just wish to spread knowledge and let people know more about the world. That may bring change, and some chaos, but I do not believe the betterment of life is something to be afraid of."

    The goddess''s smile grew wider, ¡°That''s why you''re so special.¡± She pauses, then continues, ¡°The other ¡®special individuals¡¯ like you, they see everything as a threat, a game, an opportunity, but you? You are different. Why?¡±

    Xu Han kept silent, wondering how much he should tell the goddess. He sensed no threat or killing intent from the goddess, but who knows with Gods? Does she know Xu Han was a former cultivator who aspired to be a god? And failed? How would a goddess react to knowledge like that? Would she pity him, or see him as a threat?

    ¡°I''ve been watching you for a while now, and you have knowledge,¡± the goddess says, ¡°Powerful knowledge. You must be a very powerful individual in your past life.¡±

    ¡°I was,¡± Xu Han replied sadly, ¡°I was a powerful failure.¡±

    The goddess nods, ¡°Yes, I sense a lot of regret in you. That is something you will need to let go before you can truly shine.¡±

    ¡°I understand,¡± Xu Hen sighed, ¡°But goddess, why are you here?¡±

    ¡°You asked for me.¡±

    Xu Hen mentally frowned, ¡°I did?¡±

    The goddess holds out a finger, ¡°You asked your dungeon fairy how to get the attention of a God. And so, I am here.¡±

    Xu Han glanced at Jemma who looked as puzzled as he felt. ¡°I was told I need to do something special to gain the attention of a God. I did not know I had already done so.¡±

    The goddess gave him a sad smile, ¡°Your existence itself is special. Like I said, there are many who are paying attention to you.¡±

    ¡°None contacted me.¡±

    The goddess nods. ¡°Thus far, they have been¡­ underwhelmed by what you had done. There are rules preventing Gods from interfering directly with the mortal plane. We can only interfere through our agents, our priests, monks, cultists. Most of my follow gods do not think you are worth the energy it would take to contact you.¡±

    ¡°Except you.¡±

    ¡°Except me,¡± the goddess admits, ¡°With the technique you created, I deem you worth the trouble. So, why did you want the attention of a god?¡±

    ¡°As a god, surely you know. Don¡¯t you?¡± Xu Han asked.

    The goddess laughed. ¡°Crafty one, aren¡¯t you? No, I am not an Overgod. I am not All-Knowing. I am not Omnipotent. And I make no claims to be. I am just Gressian, a Goddess of the Hearth, the Matron of Warmth. Why did you ask for me, dungeon core?¡±

    Xu Han felt a pressure on him, compelling him to tell the truth. Xu Han did not fight it, and told the goddess what he wanted.

    ¡°I need your help, goddess. I wish to find a way to expend the Systems of War and Magic.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± The goddess asked. ¡°Why do you wish to meddle in matters that belong to the Gods?¡±

    ¡°I made a mistake in my past life. A terrible mistake that made the world poorer. I wish¡­I need to atone for my mistake. I need to do what I failed to do in my past life. I need to spread my knowledge to the mortals of this world. Not just to the Classed, but to everyone. To help them learn that they are but frogs in a well. To let them know that there are knowledge and skills useful to life beyond those of War and Magic. To build a Place of Knowledge. A School for Artists. A Sect of Learning. To do that, I need the assistance of the gods.¡±

    Gressian gave the dungeon core another big smile, telling Xu Han the goddess had suspected his answer and was pleased with it. ¡°Crafty and ambitious. You truly were a cultivator in your past life,¡± the goddess says, ¡°I am listening.¡±

 Part 16- Too Simple

    He is a failure who did not deserved the title of ¡®Sage¡¯. There is no doubt in his mind of that, but despite his many sins against knowledge, Xu Han¡¯s love of knowledge endures. When he found himself in a new world, he immediately wanted to understand it. To understand the world, the ¡®magic¡¯ of this world and how it works. It is a process that would normally take him decades to accomplish.

    Luckily, Xu Han has a dungeon fairy.

    Though an ancient pact forged between the ancestors of dungeon cores and dungeon fairies, a dungeon fairy would always be on hand to assist new dungeon cores when one of the cores is born. In return for protection against their many enemies, the fairies would guide the newborn cores through their lives, especially at their birth when the dungeon cores were at their most vulnerable. Jemma was his guide, and she was more than happy to answer any questions Xu Han had.

    Xu Han had many, and he started with Magic.

    The answers Jemma had for him were enlightening. In this world, Magic comes in two different forms. Divine Power, power of the Gods accessible only to servants of the gods and demi-god entities like dungeon cores, and Mana, a power used by [Mages] to cast their spells and [Warriors] to enhance their bodies.

    To touch either Divine Power or Mana, mortals need to have a Class. Bestowed on them by the Gods, Classes are roles assigned to the mortals. A gift from the gods, just having a Class means the mortal has the attention of the gods and was faster, stronger, and better than normal mortals. They were a class apart, accepted as superior beings by normal people. Such a difference between mortals was not unknown to Xu Han. In the Crimson Lands, cultivators were superior to mortals, and it seem that was the case here as well.

    The Classed, being the favoured of the Gods, would also be able to receive Skills. The ability to receive Skills was the main reason why most mortals desired to have a Class. When Xu Han first heard of Skills, he thought they were like a cultivator¡¯s techniques, special abilities a cultivator used to attack or defend against enemies.

    He was wrong.

    According to Jemma, what Xu Han was thinking of was more like the spells of a [Wizard] or [Sorcerer]. Those are special abilities that a Classed could pick up or discarded at will. Skills are different. Skills are more than a weapon, a spell, or a tool. They are more than an ability that a Classed could achieve that is normally beyond their physical or mental capabilities. Skills are an extension of a Classed. They are a part of the person, which is why most Classed cannot drop a Skill. To do so means they would need to drop a part of themselves.

    That is what it means to have a Skill, but how does it work? More importantly, how many kinds of Skills are there, and how did the Gods create a Skill? As a former Sage, this was important information to Xu Han. Jemma did not feel the same and found the curiosity of her dungeon core to be strange, but she is a dungeon fairy and did her duty.

    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    According to Jemma, there are basically three kinds of Skills.

    The first kind are Passive Skills. Passive skills work in the background and do not require the Classed to think about it to work. As a rule, if a Classed does not need to think about the Skill to use it, it is considered a Passive Skill.

    The second kind are Active Skills, which are skills that require the Classed to think of to work. Usually, the more willpower, attention and concentration the Classed pays, the stronger the effect of the Skill will be.

    Both kinds of Skills are granted by the Systems, but there is a third kind of Skill that is not. These are the ¡®Aura¡¯ Skills. These Skills are not granted by the Systems, but by powerful Classed individuals like [Kings], [Lords], and [Generals]. Classed individuals with such powerful classes can grant special Skills to other Classed, but the ¡®Aura¡¯ Skills are widely considered to be lesser than skills granted by the Systems because they come with a few restrictions.

    As an ¡®Aura¡¯ skill comes from a Classed individual, the person granting the skill need to be alive for the skill to work. If a [King] dies, then everyone he had ever granted a skill to would lose that skill. Also, there is usually a location restriction. For example, a [King] can only grant skills to their subjects if they are on his land. If the subjects are in a different kingdom, then the skills granted by their king would not work. Another example is a [General] who grant skills to assist the soldiers in his army. On a battlefield, this could be a great boon, but usually the soldiers need to be within the same battlefield as the [General] to take advantage of the general¡¯s skill.

    Xu Han thought this was silly as war is not only about battles. There are logistics, supplies, morale, and a dozen other things a [General] need to win a battle. He was told those are usually tasks taken care of by the skills of [Strategists], [Quartermasters], [Logistic Officers]. As long as it has to do with war and magic, there would be a Class and Skill for it.

    Jemma also informed Xu Han that mortals are not the only beings that can grant Aura skills. Some special entities can do the same, the most famous of which is a giant tree that grant Skills to several Classed who agreed to protect a large forest the tree was located in.

    When Xu Han heard about the magical tree, it made him curious. Xu Han asked if he could create a Skill on his own. Jemma informed him that it is technically possible for a dungeon core to create new skills as they have access to Divine Power, but it will be an Aura skill and there are three requirements he will need to meet.

    Intention, Knowledge, and Power.

    Xu Han need to announce to the world his Intention to create a skill, have the Knowledge of exactly what the skill will do, and the Divine Power necessary to create it. Naturally, the more powerful the Skill, the more Divine Power it would require from him. If all three requirements are met, the Systems would accept it.

    It sounded too simple to Xu Han, but he was new to the world and thought better than to argue with Jemma. So, he tried an experiment. Xu Han knew countless different cultivation techniques and pick a simple cultivation technique called White Tiger Movement.

    A cultivation technique widely used in the Crimson Lands as it had little to no requirement to learn, Xu Han figured it would make a good test case. So, he mentally announced his Intention, provided the Knowledge of how the Skill would work, and used his Divine Power to create it.

    It was insultingly easy.

    Gressian raised a brow at this, ¡°Excuse me, it was easy?¡±

 Part 17- The Will of the World

    ¡°Yes! In my former homeland, a cultivator would need to spend decades to create and perfect a new cultivation technique. Compared to that, the creation process of this world is ridiculously easy. Too easy!¡± Xu Han complained as Jemma rolled her eyes. Evidently, this was something the dungeon fairy had heard before.

    Gressian had not. After a silence, the Goddess of Warmth couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Is that a bad thing?¡±

    ¡°I can see the attraction of making things easy, but in a way; Yes, it is unfortunate.¡± Xu Han explained further when he saw the goddess¡¯ bemused smile. ¡°When I tried to meld a simple cultivation technique to the Systems of War and Magic, all I needed to do is think of it. I know from Jemma this is normal. As long as I know exactly what the skill is supposed to do, provide the required divine power, the Systems would do the rest.¡±

    ¡°Intention, Power, and Knowledge.¡± Gressian said. ¡°Why is that a bad thing?¡±

    The goddess was willing to let the dungeon core explain, and he did. ¡°In my former homeland, there is a saying. ¡®Failure is just a part of success¡¯. We were cultivators. We cultivate our mind, body, and soul to be something more. Something better. But in many ways, cultivation is akin to following a recipe. A cultivator creates a cultivation technique, and other cultivators follow the recipe to get the desired result. However, many cultivators try to make their cultivation technique better through experimentation. They try new things by adding minor differences to the technique, most of them failed but some do succeed. That is progress. Experimentation is needed for progress. Unfortunately, the Systems do not allow experimentation and I feel that is a bad thing in the long run.¡±

    ¡°Sorry goddess, I already told him that makes no sense.¡± Jemma huffed.

    ¡°It does actually,¡± Gressian corrected Jemma with a smile, ¡°It means you need to fail first before you can be successful. Even if you are unsuccessful, someone else can build their success on the backs of your failure. It is a common saying on many worlds. However, your dungeon core forgot one thing. A lot of these failures cost lives, waste resources, and are liable to cause a lot of damage. It is not a philosophy suitable for this world.¡±

    Xu Han caught that and asked a question he had since the day he came to this world. ¡°About that. What is the name of this world? I asked Jemma but she says that this world has many names.¡±

    ¡°Different species have different cultures. Different cultures have different languages. Different languages have different names for the same thing. That is not unusual.¡± The goddess said.

    ¡°Then, what is the name the gods used for this world?¡± Xu Han asked.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have one.¡± Gressian said. Sensing Xu Han¡¯s surprise, she explained. ¡°Most gods can touch several worlds, and it would be ridiculously troublesome for us to come to a consensus on a name of every world we touched. It is far better to let the natives of the world come to an agreement on the name of the planet they live on.¡±

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    Xu Han frowned. ¡°It does sounds troublesome, but surely the local gods of this world would name it when they ascend.¡±

    ¡°Foreign gods had already touched their world when the first of the natives reached Godhood. This world is still considered to be young and has only produced three natives gods thus far. And like most gods, they went travelling after their ascension. The Three has not return yet.¡±

    Something about what the goddess said touched Xu Han. For a moment, it was like a secret of the divine had been whispered to him. Xu Han could almost understand it. Then, the moment was gone.

    ¡°Anyway, we are going away from the point.¡± Gressian said. ¡°You were saying something about improving the Systems.¡±

    ¡°Oh yes, I am sorry. I am¡­was a sage, and have a tendency to question everything. It is a bad habit. I beg for your forgiveness.¡± Xu Han apologized. He paused, knowing that he may have cause offence by going off-tropic and criticizing the Systems created  by the gods. However, the Goddess of Warmth seems more bemused than offended. Not wanting to assume anything, Xu Han waited for the goddess to continue the conversation.

    ¡°No harm done, though I would advise against it with my follow gods. Some of them are less than patient. Please continue. How do you intend to improve the Systems of War and Magic? To build this Place of Knowledge you wanted.¡±

    ¡°The main issue I see are not the skills, but the Classes.¡± Xu Han said. ¡°They are too restrictive. They tied the Classed too much to just War and Magic, and I believe the gods know that.¡±

    ¡°Why do you say that?¡± The goddess asked, but her smile telling the dungeon core he was right.

    ¡°Winskull, the God of Music and Patron of Musicians,¡± Xu Han said, ¡°According to my dungeon fairy, the [Bard] class was not originally in the Systems of War and Magic. Winskull introduced the class on his own as a way to lift the spirits of the mortals much later, and it was only available at his temples at first. Only later did that change. The Classed and the mortals of this world do not know why, but that tell me two things.¡±

    ¡°Which are?¡±

    ¡°Changes to the System are possible, and that individual gods can create Classes of their own without the help of the Systems.¡± Xu Han said. ¡°If Winskull could create a class on his own, then it stands to reason that other gods can do the same. I do not know why, but the Gods care about the well-being of the mortals of this world and are willing to use their divine power to to make changes to the Systems if it make the lives of the mortals better, safer, and more prosperous.¡±

    ¡°You are right. We can all do it, though most of us do not as it cost a lot of divinity to create a Class of our own. Far easier to go through the Systems.¡± The goddess admitted after a short silence.

    ¡°How does that work? How did the Gods create the Systems and how do you keep the Systems working?¡± Xu Han asked.

    ¡°The Systems are operated by a shared pool of divinity called The Pantheon. I know, not the most original of name, but it was the only one we can all agree to. All the gods who wish to operate within this world need to give a portion of their divinity to The Pantheon, and we occasionally meet to discuss adjustments to the Systems.¡±

    ¡°So, all the gods in this world help with the operation of the Systems?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Gressian said.

    ¡°Why?¡± Xu Han asked. ¡°Why would the gods waste their divinity to keep the mortals alive? I¡¯m sorry, but that does not sound like any gods I know from my world. We have almost no interaction with them. Why are the gods of this world so different?¡±

    ¡°The Will of the World commands it.¡±

 Part 18- The Pantheon

    ¡°The Will? Is that the Heavens of this world?¡±

    ¡°Oh yes, you are from a cultivation world!¡± Gressian shook her head with a laugh. ¡°The Heavens are what they are sometimes called on cultivation worlds, and they are usually a little different from the Wills.¡±

    ¡°Wait, wait, wait!¡± Jemma suddenly shouted, waving her tiny arms in quick motions. ¡°You two lost me there. What ¡®Will of the World¡¯? What ¡®Heavens¡¯? What are you two talking about?¡±

    Xu Han had forgotten about the dungeon fairy, and quickly apologized. ¡°Sorry Jemma, I should probably explain. Each world is different, operating on their own set of rules. In my former world, the Crimson Lands, we called this set of rules ¡®The Heavens¡¯. Here, it is called the Will of the World.¡±

    ¡°The Divine Laws, the Will of the World, the Permanence, the Words of Gaia, the Heavens; the gods of different worlds give different names to it, but they all mean the same thing. They are the rules you must follow to survive and thrive on that world. And the Will of this world requires the gods to protect its children. So, the gods invented the Systems to do just that.¡± Gressian added.

    ¡°But who set the rules? And why would Gods need to follow them?¡± Jemma asked incredulously, the Goddess and her dungeon core had just broken her world view.

    ¡°That is a secret of the gods, my little dungeon fairy.¡± Gressian replied with an enigmatic smile.

    An act that almost caused Xu Han to chuckle. It seems to him that the Goddess of Warmth had a sense of the dramatic. As a former Soul Emperor, Xu Han knows the answers to the first of Jemma¡¯s questions, but it was not his place to divert the secret if the goddess refused to. He briefly wondered if he could tell his dungeon fairy after the goddess had left but thought better of it. According to Gressian, the eyes of the gods were on him. It is better for him to act ignorant.

    ¡°Goddess, I can understand the Will trying to protect the mortals, but why would the gods assist the Will? Why not just leave for other worlds?¡±

    ¡°There is a prize.¡± Xu Han and Jemma turned their attention to the goddess who answered with a shake of her head. ¡°Do not ask what it is. I cannot tell you, and it is safer if you do not know.¡±

    Xu Han mentally frowned but kept quiet. If the goddess did not want to talk about it, he will not ask. He still needed her help.

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    The goddess smiled at his response. ¡°Smart and careful. Now where was I¡­ oh yes! When the gods meet, we can discuss and adjust the Systems. A good example is the [Rogue] starting Class. Originally, the Systems of War and Magic only had two starting Class, the [Warrior] and the [Mage]. However, as the natives grew more civilized and began to build cities, we introduced the [Rogue] to help them survive and fight in the cities.

    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    A moment of silence descends on the dungeon as Xu Han and Jemma take in the goddess¡¯ words. They just heard a secret of the gods. Not a big secret, Xu Han doubt Gressian would be willing to share those, but a secret nevertheless.

    ¡°Then why did Winskull create a class on his own? Why didn¡¯t he go through The Pantheon?¡± Xu Han finally asked.

    ¡°Going through The Pantheon was his first choice, and he failed.¡± Gressian said. ¡°The Pantheon is jointly created by all the gods, and a majority need to approve any changes made to it. Getting most of the gods to agree to anything can be challenging.¡±

    ¡°Winskull was unable to get a majority.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but he was convinced the Class he created would be popular and useful. So, he decided to offer the Class himself. That is why the natives could only get the Class at his temples at first. Only later, after the [Bards] proved their usefulness, did the Pantheon integrated it into the Systems.¡±

    Interesting.

    Xu Han could not help but think that when the goddess finished speaking. Gressian make it sound like the Pantheon runs the Systems on its own, without too much input from the gods. The Pantheon may be their creation, but it sounded like the Pantheon has a life of its own.

    Are the Gods only there to provide Power?

    Xu Han filed that question for later. He concentrated on another matter with the Systems.

    ¡°Thank you goddess for that piece of information. I have another question. How do the gods decide if someone deserve a Class?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t.¡±

    A shock silence descended on the dungeon as Jemma¡¯s mouth open wide in shock. After some time, Xu Han finally asked the question.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I was informed the ultimate decision of whether a mortal can get a Class belongs to the Gods. That any mortal beyond their twelve birthday could approach one of the temples of the gods and request for a Class. They can do this once a year. The Gods will look into the soul of the mortal, see his talent, and decide if he is worthy. Most mortals fail to get a Class.¡±

    ¡°That is true,¡± Gressian admitted, ¡°but the Pantheon is the one that decide based on the criteria we input into it. Can you imagine us, the Gods, meeting to decide on each and every mortal who tried get to a Class. That would be an incredible waste of our time. But on your question on how it decides if a mortal deserve a Class, that has a simple answer. If a mortal was not talented in the matters of War and Magic, then they would not get a Class.¡±

    If Xu Han had a head, he would have nodded. He understood the need to have talent. In the Crimson Lands, cultivators need to have talent. Without the talent to sense and gather Qi, a mortal cannot be a cultivator. It is just not possible. In this world, talent is also needed, but for war and magic. In many ways, there are more ways for a mortal to ascend beyond the mortal coil here than in the Crimson Lands, but the focus was narrower.

    According to Jemma, the mortals of this world can train even if they fail to get a Class. It is not unknown for mortals to train for years and get a Class after years of rejection. It also helps that the Gods of this world are not arrogant.

    They know they are not all-knowing, and they are willing to change the Systems of War and Magic through their meetings. If a god fails to convince his follow gods to change the Systems, there was another way. The god may introduce a Class on his own, and let the Pantheon decide if the Class has proved its worth. Xu Han could use that.

    ¡°Goddess, have you tried to introduce a Class to the Systems before?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Almost all the gods has. Like me, almost all of them do not work out. Winskull was an exception.¡±

    ¡°What class did you create?¡±

    ¡°Storyteller.¡±

 Part 19- Debrief

    ¡°A dragon?¡±

    Pos nodded. ¡°Yeah. My painting was of a red dragon on a pile of gold. A big pile of gold! Big enough to make any dwarf jealous. Next thing I know, the thing turned its head to look at me¡­and I almost piss myself. It felt like I was looking at a real dragon!¡±

    Claudio of House Campisi winced at the dwarf¡¯s description before putting his head in his hand. The Guild Master of Viaggia looked tired, and older than Pos remembered. Pos knows it was a trick of the mind because it has been only five days since he last saw the old human.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s how I felt as well. The paintings felt real.¡± Tatala added.

    The Guild Master look up at the elf with a raised eyebrow. ¡°What was your painting?¡±

    ¡°A bamboo forest,¡± Tatala replied. ¡°Looks like a simple painting at first, then like the dwarf, the leaves on the painting were swaying and I felt a relaxing breeze. I did not imagine it.¡±

    Claudio shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think you did.¡±

    A silence fell on the group before Pos spoke up. ¡°So, how did the dungeon do it? I never heard of an enchanted painting before.¡±

    ¡°No one had. Why would anyone even want to make an enchanted painting?¡± Heathon complained, the [Knight] was still sored about having to use the Recall Stone to escape the giant squid.

    ¡°Who knows,¡± Bazel said, ¡°For all we know, it could nothing more than a fancy of this dungeon.¡±

    ¡°A dungeon interested in the arts. Yes, that¡¯ll be useful.¡± Tatala scoffed, her voice bitter.

    Pos frowned at the [Dragoon] as well. After their failure on the second floor, the leader of the exploration team had elected to return to town instead of attempting a second run. Bezal said that the team had their chance, and it was time to report to the Guild.

    Pos was not the only one who was unhappy with the decision.

    When the team returned to town, they met up with Heathon at the guild and the Guild Master immediately ushered them into a room for a debriefing. Now, the team was informing Claudio on what happened in the Tomb of Ten Thousand Techniques.

    ¡°Why the dungeon made it doesn¡¯t change my question on ¡®how¡¯?¡± The dwarven [Warrior] said. ¡°How did the dungeon make an enchanted painting? Everyone knows the dungeon cores can give out some great treasures, but I thought they can¡¯t give out something that¡¯s impossible for the rest of us to duplicate.¡±

    ¡°They can¡¯t,¡± Fabiana confirmed, ¡°which means it is possible to create an enchanted painting. We just need to know the right combination of Class and skill to do it.¡±

    ¡°Which are?¡±  Pos¡¯ question was answered with a shrug from Viaggia¡¯s resident [Sage]. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the [Sage]?¡±

    ¡°[Sages] do not know everything.¡± Fabiana defended herself from Pos¡¯ heated question.

    Being the Master of a branch of the Guild of Adventurers means having to play peacemaker most of the time, so Claudio immediately tried to head off the argument. ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as a [Painter] class, so¡­[Wizards] maybe?¡±

    ¡°[Wizards] uses of spell scrolls, grimoires of magic, and most of them do create the scrolls and grimoires, but they don¡¯t paint. The study of magic leaves room for little else.¡± Fabiana said.

    ¡°Maybe one paint as a hobby? Who else can create the scrolls and grimoire for you [Mages]?¡± Pos asked. He had never thought about the scrolls and books [Mages] carried around, and never once wondered about the Classed who created them.

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    ¡°Anyone with knowledge on magic can do it. Most scrolls and grimoires are not magical, they just contain information on magic. Any [Wizard], [Sage], or [Magic Instructor] can write a book on magic, I did.¡±

    ¡°You wrote a book?¡± Heathon asked in surprise. Everyone looked at Fabiana, who just shrug.

    ¡°It is a requirement to advance to the [Sage] class. My first book was on my insight in magic. It sold well enough that I wrote another two books on the subject. They were¡­ less well-received.¡±

    Pos¡¯ brows raised at that. Sounds like there was a story there, but he wasn¡¯t all that interested in the life of the [Sage]. He was more intrigued in the requirements of her Class.

    Most class advancement details are secrets, and few talk about them openly. Pos was surprised Fabiana being so open about it, which tells him there may be some hidden requirements for the [Sage] class that was beyond just writing a book. The dwarf filed it at the back of his mind before going back to what the team was here for.

    ¡°The Skill Scroll I opened was mystical, maybe the paintings were as well.¡± Pos said.

    Everyone shook their heads, but it was Fabiana who replied. ¡°If you are suggesting that the paintings are divine, then I can assure you then they are not. Skill Scrolls require divine power to create the Skill nodes, but I didn¡¯t feel any divinity from the painting I saw. The dungeon core created it using mana, not divinity.¡±

    ¡°So it is a magical item, not a divine one. Are we sure there¡¯s no [Painter] class?¡± Tatala asked. ¡°I had never heard of anyone having one, but there are some strange classes out there.¡±

    The Guild Master turned to look at an old female human standing behind him. Pos did not recognise the old human female, but she was dressed like a receptionist from the Guild. She shook her head.

    ¡°I have checked when the [Knight] arrived and gave us the account of what happened on the second floor. There is no record in the Book of Classes of a [Painter] class.¡±

    ¡°Then, it is not a Class but a Skill. We just need to know which one.¡± Fabiana said with a smile, but Bazel shook his head in disagreement.

    ¡°It could be that the Class is new and not recorded in the book. Many gods create strange Classes for their own followers and give them out individually. And not all of them are recorded. I know a [Runner] who received his class from Zraton, the Patron of Travellers. He told me there were only five Classed in history who had ever received it, and he may be the only [Runner] who is still alive. I won¡¯t be surprised if the [Runner] class is missing from the Book of Classes.¡±

    That was true. The Book of Classes was a compilation containing the sum knowledge people have on Classes. The knowledge within is important but it is a book and there was no way for the scribes to include everything. It is just not possible.

    There is also the fact that no one, not even their [Priests], can claim to understand the Gods. It would not be surprising to Pos if one of them did create a [Painter] Class and forgot to tell anyone about it. Evidently, he was not the only one who thought so as Claudio turned to the receptionist.

    ¡°Contact the temples of any gods with an artistic domain. Check if any of them has a [Painter] class on their books.¡±

    ¡°That will make people suspicious. They will want to know why we are asking.¡± The receptionist warned.

    ¡°Let them ask,¡± Claudio said before giving everyone in the room a cheshire grin, ¡°And when they do, tell them the truth.¡±

    Silence descended on the room as Pos tried to make sense of what the Guild Master just said.

    ¡°Master, you want to tell people this dungeon may be granting Classes? Are you sure that¡¯s wise?¡± Bazel asked.

    ¡°The dungeon is not granting Classes. Do we have no evidence of that? What we do know is that it is granting Skills and is able to create strange items.¡± Claudio gave an emphasis on ¡®strange items¡¯, ¡°That is what we are reporting. The dungeon is creating strange items, and we have no idea how it is doing it. That is why we are asking. Not that it matters. When we tell people the dungeon is granting Skills like a [King] or [Lord], the paintings will be an afterthought. Every scholar and researcher in the Bright Kingdom would be coming for the Skills. Telling them the dungeon is also creating strange items is almost a non-issue compared to that.¡±

    Pos blinked after Claudio gave his explanation and had to admit that the Guild Master of Viaggia had made a good point. Pos also found that he agreed with him, the Skills granting ability of the dungeon is what is going to draw adventurers to the Tomb of Ten Thousand Techniques. However, that led to another problem.

    ¡°Master, we need to be careful with the adventurers we allow into the dungeon. It killed two out of the first three adventurers that went inside, and my team was unable to beat it, despite outlevelling it by a hefty margin. This dungeon is a dangerous one.¡± Bazel warned.

    ¡°I understand Bazel, but there¡¯s really nothing we can-¡±

    ¡°Time!¡±

 Part 20- The Creed

    Pos spun around at the cry. He saw a seated Father Raul in a corner of the room with his arms raised high over his head. He was with another guild receptionist, and both were smiling.

    ¡°Forty-nine minutes. You passed!¡± The receptionist said.

    Pos¡¯ eyes widened in shock, and he wasn¡¯t the only one. The team exploded in applause as they rushed towards the [Wandering Healer] to congratulate him. When the exploration team described the puzzle on the second floor to Claudio, the Guild Master immediately assigned his clerks to research and checked if such a puzzle had been recorded before. If such a puzzle exists, then someone may have found a way to beat it before.

    It did not take the clerks long to find a match.

    The clerks reported that the puzzle is known as a jigsaw puzzle, a puzzle that requires the assembly of often irregularly shaped interlocking pieces, each of which is a portion of a picture. Some dungeons have been known to use them, but they are rare which was why none of the exploration team knew about the puzzles.

    Delvers who had encountered the jigsaw puzzles before had figured out some tricks to beat them, but the tricks are more like personal informal preferences of successful delvers, so no one knows how well the tricks would work outside the puzzles of their specific dungeon. Not helping matters was the fact that none of the other dungeons gave puzzles out as treasures before, so the Tomb of Ten Thousand Techniques had another ¡®first¡¯ to its name.

    When it became known that the Adventurer Guild was issuing a reward for information on how to beat the jigsaw puzzles, adventurers lined up to give information. All these information was given to Claudio and the exploration team, and the Guild Master wanted one of the adventurers to learn the tricks to see if they work.

    Father Raul immediately volunteered. As he was the one who did the best in the dungeon, the rest of the team unanimously agreed that he was the best person for the duty. Seeing that the priest had just finished the puzzle more than ten minutes before the time limit, it was the right decision. More importantly, it proves that these tricks work.

    As he shouted his congratulations, Pos still a hard time understanding how Father Raul could manage it. He looked down at the table and saw the puzzle. Once it was completed, the magic of the puzzles had activated, and Pos could feel a sense of peace when looking at the beautiful painting of the multistory tower. Fabiana warns that the magic of the puzzle was limited, and that it would run out sooner or later. When that happens, the sense of peace would disappear, and it would be nothing but a good-looking painting. The [Sage] was waiting for that, to see if she could recharge the magics of the painting.

    Pos hope that she would be successful. It would make the painting more valuable.

    ¡°How did you do that, Father?¡± Pos asked, ¡°I could never complete the puzzle that fast.¡±

    ¡°It''s not that hard, if you look at it objectively.¡± Father Raul preened in satisfaction, but the receptionist beside him gestured with her hand for him to continue and the priest blushed in slight embarrassment. ¡°And having the right skills and spells help a lot.¡±

    ¡°Skills and magic?¡± Talata asked.

    ¡°Yes, more specifically spells and skills that assist with the mind like [Parallel Thoughts], [Quick Thinking], and [The Big Picture]. The delvers from the other dungeons also suggest skills like [Quick Hands] and spells like [Magic Hands] to help put the puzzle together faster.¡±

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    ¡°You have that many Skills?¡± Heathon was incredulous while Pos suppressed a sigh. He had none of those skills.

    ¡°No, but I have [Flash of Insight] and this,¡± the [Wandering Healer] activates his Skill, and a transparent golden man appears beside him. ¡°[Divine Servant], an extra mind and a pair of hands helps immensely.¡±

    The priest smiled as Pos frowned. ¡°That¡¯s just unfair. It¡¯s like two people solving the puzzle. Are you sure the dungeon will accept that?¡±

    ¡°No reason it won¡¯t. It¡¯s a Skill, and all the other dungeons accept it.¡± Father Raul said with a nod. ¡°Which reminds me; no one had ever made a list on what Skills could help with a jigsaw puzzle, so maybe it¡¯s time we start one.¡±

    The [Wandering Healer] looked at Claudio while making the suggestion, and the Guild Master nodded his approval. Pos must admit it was a good idea; that does not help him at all.

    ¡°Father, do you mean a delver need the right skills and spells to do this puzzle?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that always the case for dungeons?¡± Bazel said. ¡°Without the right skills, you cannot go forward on your own. That¡¯s why no adventurer should ever delve a dungeon alone. We all need a good team to make up for our weakness.¡±

    The truth of that statement did not lift Pos¡¯ heavy heart. So, he did the only thing he could. He gave everyone an annoyed grunt. Everyone in the room smiled in response.

    ¡°Good work father, go get some rest.¡± Claudio said to the priest. ¡°For everyone else, let¡¯s discuss what we are going to do about the dungeon.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s there to discuss? Everyone in town already knows of the dungeon, and we already know the method to beat the first floor. Just open it up and let the adventurers though.¡± Talata said.

    Fabiana shook her head in response. ¡°That¡¯s the thing, isn¡¯t it? Do we really want adventurers to go diving into this dungeon right now? We haven¡¯t finish mapping it, and it is a very dangerous dungeon.¡±

    ¡°What else is new? Dungeons are always dangerous. More importantly, none of us have the right to stop people entering them.¡± Talata replied, and despite their species long-standing enmity, Pos found that he agrees with the elf.

    ¡°I am not saying we should stop them, just that we should limit entry to adventurers with the appropriate levels and Skills. We should be careful about this. We know how dangerous the dungeon is. Outside the dwarf, no one had ever beaten the dungeon. We lost on the second floor, and we are the highest levels in town. Imagine what the dungeon will do to the rest of the adventurers from Viaggia?¡±

    Heaton scoffed and spoke with false sincerity, ¡°What a fantastic idea! I am sure the other adventurers in town will be glad we are looking out for them.¡±

    The [Sage] shot him a look before turning to Claudio, ¡°Guild Master, this is my suggestion. Announced our failure on the second floor. Informed everyone the opening need to be delayed as the guild needs more time to explore the dungeon.¡±

    ¡°I cannot do that. You know I can¡¯t. Delaying access for the first exploration is the best I can do. By the Charter of the Adventurer Guild, access to dungeons cannot be restricted. Father Raul there would be the first to object.¡±

    ¡°True,¡± Father Raul acknowledged and for the first time Pos notice the frown on the father¡¯s face. The priest clearly did not like what Fabiana was implying. ¡°By the decrees of the Gods, all dungeons are to be made available to any Classed who wished to enter them. No one may force any Classed to enter, and no one is allowed to stop any Classed from entering. ¡®We force no one to level, and We will not allow anyone to stop the Classed from levelling¡¯. That is the Creed, accepted by all the Gods of this world. What you are suggesting is blasphemy.¡±

    Fabiana nodded. ¡°Which is why we are not stopping anyone from entering, merely delaying the public opening till our exploration team managed to complete our job. It is common practice for the Adventurer Guild to prevent access till an exploration team complete a run. We haven¡¯t completed ours yet.¡±

    Pos finally had enough. ¡°That¡¯s no excuse, [Sage]. Our failure is our failure. It has nothing to do with the delves of the other adventurers.¡±

    ¡°They will die to the dungeon. If we do not stop-¡±

    Pos did not let the [Sage] distract him from his central point, ¡°Adventurers know the risk when they delve into a dungeon. That¡¯s why some of us, like me, don¡¯t do it for a living. By the Stones, adventurers know the risk when they become adventurers. There¡¯s a reason why not every Classed choose this profession. If they are not willing to risk their lives, then they should give up being an adventurer and become an instructor or a Guild Master of something. No offence.¡±

    Claudio gave the dwarf a wry smile as silence descended on the room. After a period of quiet, Claudio made his decision. The next day, the Tomb of Ten Thousand Techniques was open to the public.

 Part 21- Follow Your Instincts

    ¡°Well, that was terrifying.¡±

    Xu Han mentally nodded as his dungeon fairy flutters erratically above him. Jemma was still in a panic over the visit of the goddess and Xu Han sympathized with her. A former Soul Emperor, he was still a little shaken from the conversation.

    Xu Han had only heard tales of the Gods before, never having the pleasure of meeting one directly. He never knew how lucky he had been. Gressian had been nothing but polite during her visit, but that only made things worse.

    It was like a mortal being in the presence of a polite chubby Lazyclaw Bear. A Lazyclaw Bear may look fat, cute, and lazy, and it was, but the mortal also know there was nothing he could do if the bear decides to kill and eat him. That was how Xu Han felt with the Goddess of Warmth.

    He was the mortal in the presence of a warm, polite, and great visitor, who could kill Xu Han with a wave of her hand.

    If any action was even needed on her part.

    Jemma finally got tired and drop down to the ground. She laid flat on her back, an amazing act considering the wings on her back, and closed her eyes. Xu Han sighed. The dungeon core wished he could do the same.

    Xu Han was no fool. He knows he needed the gods if he is to expand the Systems they created, so this was but the first of many interactions with the divine beings. For the first time, the former cultivator wondered if he had bitten more than he could chew.

    Gressian was basically a homely Kitchen God, so Xu Han fear how he would act when a God of War turns up. Xu Han sighed again. The dungeon core reminds himself to change his way of thinking. His ambition may be proper and acceptable if he was still a ten-thousand-year-old monster on the brink of Godhood, but Xu Han was no longer that person. He is now a dungeon core, a young one with only three floors. He needed to be humbler.

    Thinking of his dungeon floors, Xu Han remembered his desire to make some changes. He reached down within himself. When Xu Han first awoken and met Jemma, one of the first questions he asked his dungeon fairy was, ¡°How do I make a Floor?¡±

    Jemma¡¯s answer was to follow his instincts.

    It was supremely unhelpful. In the Crimson Lands, no one tell a budding cultivator to just ¡®follow your instincts¡¯. In his former homeland, any young cultivator would be first taught the basic techniques of his sect and trained to develop his body to reach the peak of Body Refinement. Only when the cultivator passed Body Refinement, into the first step of cultivation known as Foundation Establishment, would he be given teachings that depend on his talent, luck and comprehension ability. Any cultivation master who told his disciple to ¡®follow his instincts¡¯ from the get-go would be laughed at!

    So, it was with some consternation when Xu Han discovered that Jemma was correct.

    After a long argument that went nowhere, Xu Han reluctantly decided to follow the terrible instructions of his dungeon fairy. The new dungeon core thought about making a floor, and his thoughts turned to a buzzing energy within him. It was only later that he discovered that this was the divine power all dungeon cores were born with, but at that moment Xu Han just ¡®follow his instincts¡¯ and expanded. Xu Han chuckled as he remembers the disbelief he felt after he had made his first floor.

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    As Jemma said, the need to expand was instinctive to him as it resonated with his soul, the soul of his Dungeon Core.

    Xu Han followed the same instinct now. With a simple mental command, he sent out his mana. His senses expand with the surge, and the mana allowed Xu Han to scan all three of his floors. It was still disconcerting to think of the dungeon as his body, but Xu Han knew that it was. Like a man who could feel his own body, Xu Han knew that the dungeon was his.

    He knew everything about it. Every nook and cranny, the position of every boulder and stone, the depths of the lake, the number of trees in the bamboo forest and the location of every campfire in the maze. Xu Han knew them all.

    Xu Han turned his attention to his first floor and focused on the spatial space between the start and end of the floor. With all the adventurers gone, Xu Han could finally do some renovations. The dungeon core let go of his mana and reached within his soul. He touched the divine power within.

    Xu Han had used a lot of it to make his second and third floor, but with the arrival of the exploration team, his divine power was almost full again. Xu Han used some of it to change the first floor.

    He was met with resistance.

    The terrain of the floor resisted the order to change, but Xu Han pressed on. He pushed his power forward, and the resistance quickly melted. Curious about the resistance he felt, Xu Han abandoned his plans for wholesale changes and decided to do something simple first.

    He made a deep pit.

    A simple hole appeared somewhere in the fog and the dungeon core could feel a drain in his divine power as the hole also appeared on the first floor of the real world.

    Interesting!

    Xu Han immediately understood what happened. The spatial space of the first floor was not an illusion, it was real and was like a small pocket dimension. A pocket dimension that was connected to the real world. When Xu Han made an adjustment on the floor of the spatial space, an ¡®echo¡¯ of the change would appear in the real world as well.

    Xu Han quickly made another hole, this time in the real floor. As he expected, there was a drain in his divine power as a corresponding hole appeared in the spatial space. The connection goes both ways!

    So, whenever Xu Han created the hole, he wasn¡¯t just making a hole, he was creating two of them. One in the real world, and one in the spatial space. He realized the implication of the connection. Any change he makes will cost more divine power, as he would be making two of the same things. That was probably the reason for the resistance he felt.

    Xu Han thought about it for a moment, before deciding to continue with the changes. The extra drain on his divine power was unexpected but it was not enough to make him change his mind. The safety provided by the spatial space was too good to ignore for something like a drain in power. Xu Han could slowly regain any power he lost and as he grows stronger, the drain would eventually be nothing but an inconvenience.

    With his decision made, Xu Han focused on the hole he created. A deep hole was too simple for Xu Han, so he shaped the rocks at the bottom into spikes. The drain was still there, but the simple amendment was far from debilitating. It was something Xu Han felt he could get used to.

    After the first pit was made, Xu Han decided to create several more and spread them throughout the fog. The pit traps were simple, but with the blindness of the fog, he feels they should be able to spring a surprise or two on the adventurers. There was no way for him to know till the next time the adventurers came along.

    It will be interesting to see how my defences would fare against them.

    Xu Han paused as the thought entered his mind. It was something that came from Xu Han, and he even felt a tinge of excitement at the thoughts of adventurers doing battle in his dungeon. The thought felt right, and it was also new.

 Part 22- The Treasure Chests

    Xu Han has been called many things, a scholar, a thief, a collector, a hoarder, but he was never a battle maniac. He did not seek out other cultivators for pointers and never wonder about how he would fare in battle against others. He knows the reason for his change in personality.

    Soon after his rebirth, Xu Han realized that he wasn¡¯t just physically different, he was also changed spiritually. Xu Han was a Soul Emperor, just a step from Godhood, and he knew his soul well. He still remembers the vastness of his soul, the power and knowledge stored within. Xu Han no longer had that.

    His soul was now much smaller and part of it was now alien to him. That part was like a blank canvas, waiting for Xu Han to fill. Xu Han knows the reason for this. He remembers his last act as a cultivator, the desperate act of taking apart his soul and throwing his knowledge into the Crimson Lands. When he did that, his soul became broken, and when he was reborn, the soul of the dungeon core filled and patched up the breakage. This was how Xu Han knew he was no longer Xu Han, the Crazed Scholar, but Xu Han, the Tomb of Ten Thousand Techniques.

    He found it exciting.

    Xu Han got back to working on his dungeon with a renewed determination. He thought of what else he could do to slow down the adventurers. The leader of the exploration team had a Skill that allowed him to run through the floor without stopping. Xu Han did not want that to happen again.

    Xu Han was no fool. As high levelled as the adventurer was, Xu Han knows his first floor posed no challenge to the adventurer but as it stands, even a lower levelled adventurer with a riding skill could do the same. Xu Han need a way to stop the next [Dragoon] or [Rider] from doing the same thing. The new pit traps would not be enough, Xu Han needed something more.

    He searched back to the various talks he had with Jemma, and the numerous ways other dungeons had found to slow down adventurers. Despite traps, puzzles, and creatures, the best way to slow adventurers down was greed.

    Outside levels, treasure was the other reason why adventurers delved into dungeons. Jemma said that for many adventurers, it was the main reason they do so. Greed was something Xu Han understood, he could use that.

    Xu Han inspect his floor and realized that there wasn¡¯t much reason for the adventurers to stick around. As well-made as the floor was, there was no incentive for adventurers to stay. There was only one treasure chest on the first floor, located at the very end, and the floor was bare outside that.

    Realizing the problem, and knowing the solution, Xu Han got to work. He created a few treasure chests and randomly placed them near the safety orbs throughout the floor. With the treasure chests, the adventurers would have an incentive to stay on the floor and searched for them instead of dashing to the end.

    Xu Han had created chests before and once again marvel at how magical they were. At first glance, each treasure chest was just a chest, a box-like item to store other items. However, the chests were anything but simple. Each treasure chest was a creation item and would be automatically filled with a random treasure when opened.

    This means Xu Han did not have to waste time and effort to make the individual items the chests give out, he only needed to provide mana to the chests, and the chests would do the rest. All Xu Han need to do was to decide what kind of treasure the chests would give out.

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    Thinking about treasure caused Xu Han to remember the dungeon offerings left behind by the adventurers. Ores, fabrics, and books. According to Jemma, these were the items the mortals wanted him to make.

    Xu Han was still a little unhappy about being fed like a pig, but he saw no reason not to agree to the mortals¡¯ request. He had already accepted the offerings, and as a former cultivator and current dungeon core, he could be magnanimous.

    After a quick thought, Xu Han decided to only use the last two options. Jemma said that some dungeons have floors with ore veins for adventurers to mine, and Xu Han would rather keep the ores for that.

    Once he decided, Xu Han focused on the chests, selected half of them and ordered them to give out small bolts of cotton, silk, and manaweave. Mostly cotton and silk, as the last fabric was harder to create and needed more power.

    With the orders, the chests would create the fabrics till they run out of divine power, after which Xu Han would need to recharge them. After a thought, Xu Han decided to have a little fun.

    As the Thief of Ten Thousand Techniques, Xu Han knew how to make clothes, and since the adventurers wanted him to make fabrics, they should have expected clothes as well. He used a bit of his mana and created a blue dress with long sleeves. Styled in a fashion commonly found in the Crimson Lands called Qiyao Ruqun, the top of the dress was a long flowing white robe with a multitude of embroidered flowers and vine-like patterns on the cuffs and collar. The bottom was light blue but patterned with fishes swimming in the water. Xu Han placed the dress in one of the fabric chests for the adventurers to find.

    For the remaining half of the chests, Xu Han ordered them to give out books. As he had not gone through all the books left behind by the adventurers, he decided to just copy some of them wholesale. According to what Jemma said, books were very expensive in this world due to how difficult they were to make so the books should be very well-received.

    With that thought, Xu Han decided to create a book of his own. In the Crimson Lands, he was once friends with a cultivator who followed the Dao of Ingenuity. It was a hard Dao to follow, requiring the cultivator to consistently come up with new clever inventions to advance.

    One of the items the cultivator invented was called the ¡®Printing Press¡¯, a machine that could transfer words and images from inked movable materials to paper. The machine was well-designed, and the cultivator had been very proud of the invention. He was right to be. From the invention, Xu Han could see how talented his friend was, and what a threat he could be in the future.

    Xu Han killed him.

    He never regretted it. As the people say in the Crimson Lands, a mountain cannot have two tigers, and Xu Han was determined to be the tiger.

    Now, Xu Han realized what a crime it was. He had deprived the Crimson Lands of greatness. He had killed his friend before he could spread his inventions throughout the Crimson Lands. Now, there was a chance for atonement.

    Although it has been centuries, Xu Han still remembered everything about the printing press. It was that great of an invention. Xu Han created a book explaining the machine, what it is supposed to do, and how to make it. Xu Han did not know the technological level of this world, but he was almost certain the mortals would be able to recreate the machine. If they could not, they could petition the gods to help them.

    After the creation of the book, Xu Han wrote ¡®Printing Press¡¯ on the cover but the dungeon core felt a sense of discomfort. Something was wrong, and Xu Han quickly realized the reason for it.

    The printing press is new, and Xu Han did not want the mortals of this world to think he was the one who invented it. Xu Han was the sinner, not the inventor. Below ¡®Printing Press¡¯, Xu Han wrote a few more words, hoping the spirit of the cultivator who invented the printing press would accept his apology for his actions all those centuries ago.

    ¡®Invented by Gu Ten Bu¡¯.

 Part 23- Completion Criteria

    With the changes to the first floor done, Xu Han turned his attention to his second floor and wondered what changes he could make to it.

    The dungeon core within him did not believe the first floor, a simple wide cavern filled with a poisonous fog, posed much of a challenge to a well-prepared adventurer. It was dangerous enough to catch the unprepared, and the whole floor was a small puzzle to test their ingenuity, but it was nothing a competent adventurer couldn''t overcome. It was more of a warmup, to weed out adventurers who did not know what they were doing. His second floor would be different.

    Xu Han considered it his first real chance to make things interesting for the adventurers, which was why he had given the adventurers three routes to pick. Only the first route had been tested, but it had done well enough that Xu Han was confident the other two routes would stand up well against the adventurers. The question Xu Han had was how to make them better.

    Xu Han had been told by Jemma he could modify his rooms in several ways but should not change the floor so much that it looks and feels like a different floor. As flighty as she was, his new mentor has not steered him wrong yet, so Xu Han fully intends to listen to the dungeon fairy.

    As he contemplated his options, Xu Han thought about the adventurers that had come through and what might be useful on his floor. Focusing on the room with the lake and the giant squid sleeping in it, the dungeon tried to imagine what changes he want to make to it.

    The room had a large lake, which was filled with water from the underground river that flowed through the entire floor. In the middle of the lake were the eight pavilions with puzzles, and the small island at the end. It was a good start, but Xu Han felt it could be improved on.

    Looking at the island, Xu Han realized it was a little bare. Currently it was nothing, but a rocky shore and it did not fit the aesthetic of the room. The dungeon core focused on the island and made grass grow. Within seconds, Xu Han turned the island into a wide and spacious open field. He then created a few small trees here and there to populate the island.

    It was not enough.

    The island now looks better but the dungeon core was sure something more could be done with that. As the island changed to match his vision, the power Xu Han used finally caused Jemma to lift her head.

    ¡°Wait, what''s happening? Are we being attacked?¡±

    ¡°No, it''s just the dungeon. I made some changes to it. What do you think?¡± Xu Han assured his dungeon fairy as he sent out several threads of mana towards his dungeon fairy. Jemma latched on to the threads and Xu Han felt the connection. The link allowed Jemma to see the dungeon and the changes Xu Han made. As she took in the images, Xu Han saw a smile and a raised brow from the dungeon fairy. She looked pleased.

    The dungeon fairy yawned and stretched before taking to the air and fly over Xu Han. ¡°I must admit, the changes you made are positive. It makes the floor better than before. The chests and treasure on the first floor are a good touch. What is this printing press? Does it work?¡±

    ¡°It''s a device that allows the printing of words and images on paper. And yes, it works.¡±

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    ¡°Good. Dungeon cores that give faulty goods usually have a bad reputation, and that means less adventurers.¡±

    ¡°What about the changes of the island on the second floor?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s...good.¡±

    ¡°You don''t sound so sure.¡±

    ¡°It''s fine. Really. I don''t have any objection; I just find it a little wasteful. Are you going to do anything else to it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Xu Han admitted. ¡°I am still thinking about it. Do you have any suggestions?¡±

    ¡°Well, first off I think you should hold off on making any changes to the other two rooms on the second floor. No one¡¯s been in them yet, so we don¡¯t know how they will fare against the adventurers.¡±

    ¡°I shall defer to your experience,¡± Xu Han respectfully said, ¡°But what about the first room?¡±

    ¡°You have puzzles, and created some traps on the first floor, so what about some monsters in the room?¡±

    ¡°The squid is in the room.¡±

    Jemma shook her head. ¡°It is a Boss Monster, something that comes out when all the adventurers in the party fail to complete their jigsaw puzzle. You need something in between.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? You know I intend to give the party a pass if even one of the adventurers complete their puzzle.¡± Xu Han replied with a mental frown.

    ¡°That makes it an all-or-nothing room, which I do not recommend. Since you have some excess divine power, my suggestion is to have a tier system. If none of the adventurers complete the puzzles, then the giant squid comes out and the adventurers need to fight the Boss Monster. No one will complain about that, but having a successful run when only one adventurer completes his puzzle is too much. I suggest creating some monsters and have them appear if only one adventurer complete their puzzle. The adventurers will need to fight them to go pass the room. If half the party complete their puzzle, the monsters will also appear, but there will be fewer of them, making it a less difficult encounter. If all the adventurers in the party complete their puzzles, then they get a clean run to the treasure.¡±

    Xu Han considered the idea and could see the merit of Jemma¡¯s suggestion. ¡°That''s a good idea. I could change the criteria of what it means to complete the floor. I can change the chest to give out a skill only to parties whose members all managed to complete their puzzles. If one or more of their members failed to complete their puzzles, they will get lesser rewards instead. Maybe I could even create a leaderboard.¡±

    ¡°A leaderboard? For what?¡± Jemma asked.

    ¡°As a reward to adventurers who managed to complete their puzzles the fastest. Maybe even give out a trophy to prove that they are on the leaderboard.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you need to go that far, but I don¡¯t see the harm in that. There is the problem of how fair it can be though as the first adventurers who complete the puzzles will have an unfair advantage.¡± Jemma said as she got into her thinking pose. ¡°Maybe you should add a threshold like an adventurer can only enter the leaderboard if he completes a puzzle under a certain timeframe. Like thirty or forty-five minutes?¡±

    ¡°An excellent idea!¡± Xu Han immediately agreed. ¡°Anything else you wish me to add?¡±

    ¡°Add more creatures. Most dungeon cores need to kill and absorb creatures before they can spawn them as monsters, you don¡¯t need to do that. You already have knowledge of what the creatures are, how they move, and how they hunt. You have an unfair advantage over the other dungeon cores, it¡¯s time for you to use the knowledge to your advantage.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­I guess I can do that. Anything else?¡± Xu Han asked.

    ¡°Nothing else springs to mind, but an alcove would be nice.¡±

    ¡°A what?¡±

    ¡°An alcove. A recess in the walls. Most dungeon fairies live in them. I am laying on the floor here.¡± the dungeon fairy said some misery.

    ¡°Oh! Why didn¡¯t say so, I would love¡­wait.¡± The dungeon core was highly pleased with Jemma and would love nothing more than to accommodate his dungeon fairy, but he had a problem. He was on the first floor, in a wide-open cavern some distance from the walls. He could create an alcove in the walls, but Xu Han would rather his dungeon fairy be close by.

    ¡°This floor is not suitable. Let¡¯s move.¡±

    ¡°Move?¡± Jemma looked at her dungeon core in shock.

    ¡°You did say I am too exposed here, right? So, let¡¯s move to another location.¡± Xu Han paused for a moment before continuing. ¡°And I have the perfect location in mind.¡±

 Part 24- The Mascot

    The day he got his Class, Pos the dwarf believed his future would be one of greatness. He entered the Opal Temple a dwarf, and exited a [Warrior], a protector of the dwarven people. The [Warrior] was a Class that allowed him to wield his weapon with greater skill and precision than mortals, a Class that would serve to keep him and his people safe, and that was just the start. In time, he would level, grow stronger, and gain a different better Class. One that will propel him to greatness.

    Reality taught him otherwise.

    Pos was born a Tunnel, the second-lowest caste in dwarven society. If he was born a human, he would be nothing more than a lowly peasant. A human peasant who would never see the world and may never even leave whatever small village he was born in. A dwarven Tunnel was no different. Pos was expected to spend the rest of his life digging the tunnels that connect the great cities of the dwarven kingdom, with little to no chance of moving upwards in dwarven society. Being a Classed changed that, but there were still problems for him to overcome.

    Pos¡¯ parents had died when he was still very young, leaving him on his own to survive on his wits and strength. His wits were average, his arm was strong, and getting a Class made his arm stronger, but Pos had no training. Saved a few games played with the other dwarflings that involved some rough-housing and wrestling, Pos had no knowledge of weapons and fighting.

    At first, he did not care. As a Classed, Pos was tougher, stronger and faster than any mortal dwarf. What did he need skill at arms for? The answer came when he was defeated in a fistfight at the hands of a mortal dwarf. So, when the army came calling, he was among the first to volunteer.

    It seemed like a sensible decision at that time. If he agreed to serve twenty years as a [Warrior] for the kingdom, Pos will receive training, food, and board from the dwarven [King]. He will be defending his people and gaining levels from his work. After which, the [King] would even reward him with a pile of gold at the end of his service.

    Of course, Pos heard the stories. The stories that any Classed who joined the army would never leave, because the kingdom would not allow it. Like all dwarves, the [King] do not like to give out gold, and the army do not want dwarves they trained to leave the service. Pos would never be allowed to take the gold and leave for shinier stones.

    However, those were just stories. Stories told by the enemies of the dwarves; stories told to fracture the unity of the dwarven people. Pos did not believe a word of it. He joined up, signed the magical contract, and for years, he served the [King] faithfully. First in the tunnels, fighting against monsters to keep the routes between the cities free. Then, in the numerous skirmishes between the various underground species. Then, after fifteen years in the service, Pos was told to renew his contract. Pos refused; he wanted his promised gold.

    They immediately sent him above ground.

    The official mission was to clear some monster-infested land so that the dwarven kingdom would be safe from attacks from above, and that settlers from the kingdom could set up a colony in the Land under the Blue. It wasn¡¯t a suicide mission, the magical contracts the Classed signed with the army had some protection provision preventing the kingdom from sending unwilling Classed on impossible suicidal missions, but Pos discovered there were ways around the provisions.

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    It did not escape his notice that only the Classed near the end of their contracts were sent on this mission. Bound by their magical contracts, the Classed had no choice in the matter. They were sent, so the Classed went, and fought. They killed monsters, cleared an area big enough for a village to be build, and then escorted settlers to the area.

    For five years, Pos defended that area. Supplies were rare, and replacement troops almost non-existent, but he fought with his brother dwarves and watched as more settlers came to the area. The village was slowly turned into a dwarven fort within five years.

    Pos was proud of that, but dwarven pride did not diminish the fact that the stories were right.

    The mission above ground may not have been suicidal, but it was a very hard long-term mission with a lot of expected casualties. Three thousand, four hundred and twenty-two Classed near the end of their contracts were sent on that mission. By the end of the five years, only four hundred and eight of them survived.

    The dwarven kingdom saved a lot of gold with that one mission.

    Pos was one of those who survived. Before the end of his contract, the army tried to get him to sign on again, with a promise of improved pay, and a threat that he would not be able to find any meaningful employment once he was out of the army.

    Pos spat in the face of the [Iron Warrior] who made the offer. He took the gold, left the dwarven kingdom and never looked back. In fact, Pos seldom went underground after leaving the kingdom, refusing all quests leading merchants to the dwarven kingdom. Merchants were usually willing to pay extra for a dwarven guard when heading to the dwarven kingdom, but Pos refused to even hear their offers.

    His constant refusal made people speculate. Everything from him being a wanted criminal to being a runaway dwavern [Prince], people threw out all sort of reasons for his reluctance. It gave Pos a sense of mystery.

    Pos liked his enigmatic reputation.

    So, it was with some irony that Pos now finds himself waiting at the entrance of an underground dungeon he had just left a few days ago. Pos took a drink from his flask of ale as he looked around the clearing. He was not alone. A lot of adventurers were waiting for the ceremony to begin.

    The day after the exploration team¡¯s debriefing with the Guild Master, the Adventurer Guild announced the presence and opening of the Tomb of Ten Thousand Techniques. However, tradition dictated that one did not just nail a parchment on the Guild Board and allowed adventurers through.

    Oh no! The opening of any dungeon was a grand affair and history and tradition dictate that an official ceremony was needed before allowing the Classed in.

    That was why Pos was here. As the first to discover the dungeon, and one of the exploration team, he need to be here to show everyone that the dungeon was beatable. Today, he was the mascot of the Adventurer Guild. Pos took another drink from his flask. He must admit he was surprised by how fast and smooth the Adventurer Guild had been.

    Viaggia was close enough that a new dungeon town would not be needed, but in the few hours between the debriefing and announcement, Claudio had already sent guards and craftsmen to the dungeon entrance. Most of the guards weren¡¯t Classed, but they weren¡¯t there to defend against the rare monster coming out the dungeon. They were there to prevent civilians from stumbling into the dungeon. Whether they were Classed or not, no dungeon will say no to a meal.

 Part 25- The Opening Ceremony

    It has only been two days since the debriefing, but Pos could see several clearly marked traps near the entrance, and the beginning of a wooden wall. The craftsmen the Guild Master sent were humans and they were a lot more competent than Pos had believed.

    Pos took another drink as he looked at the entrance of the dungeon. The wall did not block his view of it and Pos could see that there had not been any changes to it since the last time he was here. However, the dwarf could feel the pull of it. A pull that promises both glory and death.

    Pos knew what the pull means. Having survived it twice, Pos could not wait to go back in again. He wanted the glory of another successful delve, and although he would never admit it, Pos was worried about that. The chase for levels and treasures was how a lot of delvers die.

    Pos looked at the assembled adventurers around him once more. Young and old, the new and the experienced, almost every adventurer in the surrounding area was here. Some of the adventurers looked excited, some were nervous, some were standing, some were seated on the ground, but all were eager. Like Pos, they had all heard the lure of the dungeon. Pos sighed.

    He wonders how many of them would still be alive by the end of the year.

    Trying to turn away from the morbid thought, Pos looked at the small makeshift stage that had been hastily built in the clearing. To his dwarven eyes, it was shoddily made but Pos did not blame the craftsmen too much. A dungeon opening may be a big deal, but there was only so much the craftsmen could do in two days.

    Claudio, Fabiana and Father Raul were standing on the stage along with a line of ceremonial guards in fancy finery. Pos guessed the town wanted to look good for the opening, but he just found them pretentious. The guards were even carrying drums instead of swords!

    Pos wish they would get on with it already.

    The more prominent adventurers in town, like Pos, sat near the stage while the newer and less respected adventurers stood further back. On the stage, Claudio and Fabiana were looking down at a scroll with Father Raul standing a step behind them. The Guild Master and [Sage] were exchanging words and Pos saw Fabiana nodding with what the Guild Master was saying.

    Once their discussion was over, the [Sage] stood up straight, a scroll in her hand and looked at the assembled adventurers. Pos felt his heart lifting. The ceremony was about to begin.

    As the Guild Master of the Adventurer Guild, Claudio took central stage. He stepped towards the front of the stage and the line of guards begun beating on their drums. A simple beat that caused all conversations to cease as everyone looked up at the stage. If he was nervous, Claudio did not look it, his [Commanding Presence] drawing the attention of everyone in the clearing. When the guards stopped the beat, the Guild Master began.

    ¡°Ladies, gentlemen, and all of you who are neither, I am Claudio of House Campisi, better known as the babysitter of you miserable lot.¡± Claudio paused and a small smile appeared on his face as low laughter came from the assembled adventurers, ¡°As the Guild Master of the Adventurer Guild of Viaggia, it is with great pleasure that I announced the presence of a new dungeon; The Tomb of Ten Thousand Techniques!¡±

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    A great cheer erupted from the adventurers and Pos found himself shouting alongside everyone. This was what they were all here for. The Guild Master let the cheers go on for several moments before lifting his hand to quiet everyone.

    ¡°Now, before you charge into the dungeon, let us be clear. This is a very dangerous dungeon! Adventurers have died in this dungeon already, and even a high-leveled team failed to reach the last floor. Like all dungeons, there is glory and treasure to be gained inside, but glory and treasure are no good to the dead. So, do not enter it if you are unwilling to risk your life and do not enter if you have not made peace with your gods. This is a dungeon, it will try to kill you, and some of you will die to it.¡±

    Silence greeted Claudio¡¯s pronouncement, the truth of his words sinking in. The Guild Master looked at the assembled adventurers. He nodded, seemingly satisfied with what he saw.

    ¡°Before you enter the dungeon, there are a few simple rules to follow. Some of you who had entered dungeons before would know of them, but for all of you who are new, listen up!¡±

    ¡°First, do not break the core! I know the act of killing a dungeon will gain you a few levels, but dungeons are important to the kingdom, the local population, and your follow adventurers. So, do NOT kill it! If you kill the dungeon, we will know. No matter where you run to, the Adventurer Guild will find you and then, we will kill you. There will be nowhere for you to hide, nowhere for you to run, and no one will be able to protect you from our wrath. That is an adventurer¡¯s promise!¡±

    Another silence greeted Claudio¡¯s words, this time the air was heavier and far more serious. Everyone knew the stories and knew that the Guild Master was serious. When an adventurer picked up a quest from the Guild, the adventurer would promise to fulfil it to the best of his ability. However, he does not need sign a contract stating he will complete it. His word and promise was good enough.

    So, an adventurer was only as good as his word. To an adventurer, his word and promise was everything. When the Adventurer Guild promise they would do everything in their power to kill you, they mean it.

    Pos remembered the story of a wilful human [Prince] who was escorted through a dungeon on his birthday. He reached the core room, but instead of leaving, he destroyed the core for levels. He thought he could get away with it, that the Adventurer Guild would not risk their operations in his father¡¯s kingdom just to avenge a core.

    He was dead before his next birthday.

    No one could prove that the [Assassin] who killed the [Prince] was hired by the Adventurer Guild, but the guild never denied it and the [King], father of the dead [Prince], outlawed the Guild from his kingdom for the rest of his reign. The Adventurer Guild was only allowed back when the [King] died, and his successor rescinded the royal decree. The ban was considered an acceptable outcome for the guild.

    That was how important the Adventurer Guild viewed dungeons.

    ¡°Second, anyone who enter the dungeon need to sign a waiver. Yes, groan all you like but all of you know the rules. Everyone who enters a dungeon under the protection of the Adventurer Guild need to sign the waiver exempting the guild from all responsibilities in the event of your death or injuries. The waiver also state that you are entering the dungeon of your own free will. This is not Estodius, there will be no slaves being thrown in to be meat-shield for their masters. No one is allowed to force or coerce anyone else to enter the dungeon. Father Raul there will be the one handling the waivers, so they will be enforced by holy writ. I strongly advise all of you NOT to risk eternal damnation just for some extra protection.¡±

    When he was certain everyone had taken in what he said, Claudio turned to face Fabiana and gave her a nod. The [Sage] cast a spell at the signal, the scroll in her hand lit up, and an image appeared above her. Pos recognized it as a diagram of what looked like the first floor of the Tomb of Ten Thousand Techniques. A large room, with a highlighted area at the top of the image, and several small lights throughout the room. With everyone¡¯s attention on the image, Claudio continued his speech.

 Part 26- Information

    ¡°Now, we come to the information portion of the ceremony. The Guild is selling a more detailed report of what our exploration team faced, but for the cheapskates among you, this is the first floor of the dungeon. It is simple, dangerous but beatable. You will first need to walk through a long dark tunnel, before being teleported to a cavern filled with poisonous gas. We do not believe that the gas will affect your constitution or mental capability, but your starting point is random, and you will be alone. So, keep calm.

    Now, the dungeon core is not totally unfair. It had created several safety orbs on the floor which have a healing effect to counteract the poison and the trick is to find a way to reach the end of the floor using these orbs as safety stops. You will see many lights in the fog, these are the safety orbs, and to beat the floor, you will need to use them to reach the end of the floor, which is the biggest, brightest light in the cavern. Now, the floor is spatial so each of you will be alone, but the end point is not. Everyone in your team will meet up there. There is only one chest.¡±

    Murmurs could immediately be heard among the adventurers. Claudio ignored them and continued.

    ¡°So, the Guild advised that every party discuss how you intend to divide the loot before you enter the dungeon. Whether it will be first come, first serve, or are you going to wait for everyone to reach the end before opening the chest, it is better to get it out of the way first before you begin. Of course, the Adventurer Guild will be here to buy whatever loot you gained for a fair price if you are unable to come to an agreement. There is no need to fight your follow adventurer in the dungeon. Any questions?¡±

    Not known for their etiquette, several adventurers immediately shouted but the Guild Master was prepared. There was a method through the chaos, and Claudio pointed to an adventurer near the stage. All the adventurers immediately went silent as the adventurer shout out her prepared question.

    ¡°Are there any monsters or traps we need to watch out for?¡±

    ¡°The chest at the end of the floor is trapped, but you should be able to disarm it if you are careful. At this point, the guild does not know of any other traps or monsters on the floor, but this dungeon is new, so we cannot rule them out totally. Adventurer Calious, your question?¡±

    ¡°Do healing potions and spells work¡­¡±

    Pos sighed and took another drink from his flask as he tuned out the remaining questions from the adventurers. Pos already knew the answer to most of them, but he was glad the Guild was doing this. As the first person to survive the dungeon, and a member of the exploration team, several adventurers had approached him for information on the dungeon in the past few days. With this, maybe the adventurers will finally lay off.

    Pos only wished it wasn¡¯t so boring.

    After answering several questions from the adventurers, Claudio gave a signal to Fabiana. The image above them changed to show a small circle with three paths leading from it. Only one of the paths was highlighted. Claudio took only the smallest of glances at the image above him before continuing.

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    ¡°This is the second floor. You and your group will appear in a large room, with three tunnels leading from it. Above the tunnels are signs showing the numbers ¡®1¡¯, ¡®2¡¯, and ¡®4¡¯. From prayers, we believe all three tunnels can lead you to the end of the floor,¡± there were murmurs at this from the crowd as none of the adventurers expected that, ¡°however, the Guild is unsure about that as only Tunnel ¡®1¡¯ has been explored. So, it is the Guild¡¯s recommendation that adventurers take Tunnel ¡®1¡¯. Anyone who wish to take the other tunnels will be doing so at their own risk. Of course, the Guild will be paying for information on the other two tunnels if you survive them.¡±

    The murmurs, which had died down as Claudio continued his speech, started up again. This time with more intensity as teams discussed if they should take a chance on the other two tunnels. Pos was sure some of the parties would give it a go, either for greed or for the spirit of adventure.

    ¡°I shall now tell you about Tunnel ¡®1¡¯.¡± Claudio said as the image now extended to show the lake, two highlighted areas at the top and bottom of the image, and eight small pavilions situated in the middle of the lake. ¡°Tunnel ¡®1¡¯ leads you to a lake room. You will appear at one end, and you will need to reach the other end of the floor. There are eight separate footpaths leading across the lake with magical restriction preventing more than one person on each footpath. The dungeon has not set up any Rules Board yet, but the number of footpaths makes the Guild believe the dungeon will only accept a party of up to eight members. Usually, this is not an issue as most teams have less than that number, but it is something to note as teams above eight members may not be able to access this room.¡±

    ¡°Also, there is a small pavilion situated in the middle of each footpath. There is a puzzle in the pavilion which you need to solve. Failure means you will need to face the Boss of the room, a giant squid that will rise from the bottom of the lake. You do not need to kill it. For some reason, once you do enough damage to it, the Boss will retreat. Parties may wish to adjust their strategy around this fact.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s unusual, isn¡¯t it?¡± Someone shouted from the crowd, a question Claudio could only shrug in reply. Murmurs erupted from the adventurers again, and Pos could feel that they were getting uneasy with how unusual this dungeon was. He saw Claudio and Fabiana sharing a smile, and realized this was probably what they were hoping to accomplish. Father Raul look less than happy behind them, but Pos did not mind. Uneasy adventurers were less likely to take unnecessary risks, which means they were less likely to die.

    ¡°Now, the puzzles in this room are known as jigsaw puzzle. You will each receive a thousand strangely shaped pieces which you need to assemble to form a picture within an hour. For those of you who do not know what a jigsaw puzzle is, the Guild has been selling copies of the puzzles for you to practice for the past few days. They come with information on the Skills that could be helpful with the puzzles. You may approach our receptionists on the price of the puzzles.¡±

    Pos had to chuckle at that, just like the Adventurer Guild to find a way to make some gold before sending adventurers to their death. Claudio took questions from the adventurers about the second floor which Pos tuned out once more. He turned to look at the dungeon entrance, lost in the pull of it. Then, Pos felt it. A Skill washing over him, demanding his attention. Pos looked back at Claudio as the Guild Master put everything he has into his [Commanding Presence]. He had raised both arms above him, his face looking at the sky above and then he shouted.

    ¡°I, Claudio of House Campisi, Guild Master of the Adventurer Guild of Viaggia, with the authority granted by the [Queen] of the Bright Kingdom, and by the blessings of the Gods, hereby declare the Tomb of Ten Thousand Techniques opened to all. For the Systems of War and Magic!¡±

    ¡°For the Systems of War and Magic!¡±

    A cheer erupted once more, and things would never be the same again.

 Part 27- New Adventurers

    Being a dungeon core was a strange existence.

    Several months after his rebirth, Xu Han could now say that with some certainty. Xu Han was a stone, a small black stone floating about a metre above the ground. The stone was the core of his existence, he did not have any physical presence in the world outside the stone. Instead of seeing and hearing things through his eyes and ears, he is only able to observe and manipulate the world through a magical viewpoint. He needs to send mana from his core to the surrounding area to see and hear things. It''s a curious sensation, and one Xu Han had surprisingly gotten used to quickly.

    When Xu Han first awoke, he was only able to view his surroundings. That is still true, but what constitute as his surrounding had changed dramatically over time. For Xu Han has grown, his dungeon has grown, and it now covers three floors. Xu Han was still confined to the dungeon and unable to see outside of it, but being able to observe all three floors of his dungeon was not as bad as it sounds. At least, it wasn¡¯t boring.

    About half an hour ago, a big group of adventurers had entered his dungeon. Numbering over fifty, they came together and their presence alarmed Xu Han initially. Xu Han knew his dungeon would not be able to defeat so many adventurers at once, so he immediately informed his dungeon fairy of their arrival.

    As the adventurers walked down the long tunnel on the first floor, Xu Han feared the damage such a big group of adventurers could do and was thinking of ways to prevent them from accessing the fog. However, after he opened the connection to let Jemma view what was happening in the dungeon, she quickly put his fears to rest.

    According to Jemma, the adventurers were all low-levelled and they were probably here to test his dungeon. The fog on the first floor was in a spatial space, and transporting the adventurers to it takes mana. Jemma said the Adventurer Guild probably sent these adventurers to see how many adventurers the spatial space could take before it stops working.

    Basically, the Guild wanted to see the maximum capacity of the floor.

    Xu Han was surprised by this. He had never set a limit on the first floor and had a ¡®the more, the merrier¡¯ view on the matter. He did not even know there could be a limit to the number of adventurers he could accommodate.

    He soon found that there was.

    The adventurers turned the corner at the tunnel, and as the fog enveloped them to bring them to the poisonous fog, Xu Han begin to feel uncomfortable. It wasn¡¯t pain or fear, but a distinct discomfort in his core. It was a familiar but forgotten sensation and it took Xu Han awhile to remember what it was.

    It was the feeling a person had when they were too full.

    Xu Han shocked Jemma when he laughed. As a former cultivator, Xu Han could go for months without eating. He could not remember the last time he had overeaten. It was a nice sensation.

    Of the adventurers that entered the tunnel, fifty of them got teleported to the fog. That was his limit, but Jemma assured him that this would increase as he grew more powerful and gained more floors. The few remaining adventurers left behind by the fog had to turn back, but Xu Han had no doubt they would return. For now, he was now more invested in the adventurers in his dungeon.

    They weren¡¯t doing well.

    ¡°Oh! Another one fell into a pit trap! That¡¯s already the third adventurer to fall victim to them!¡±

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    Xu Han chuckled as Jemma shouted in delight, flying in a circle above the dungeon core. Placing the new pit traps in the fog had been a good idea as they had proven to be far more effective than Xu Han had hoped. The dungeon core looked at the adventurer bleeding out in the pit and was waiting for him to expire when the adventurer surprised him by pushing himself off the spikes at the bottom of the pit trap. Xu Han had to admire the adventurer¡¯s toughness and wondered what Class and Skills the adventurer has that allowed him to do this. Once he was off the spikes, the adventurer took out a bottle filled with red colour liquid and drank it. Jemma had called them health potions and Xu Han had to admit he was fascinated by the alchemical drink as he watched it healed the adventurer¡¯s wounds.

    Healing items was not unknown to Xu Han. Alchemy was a very respected field in the Crimson Lands, and Xu Han had studied it extensively when he was a cultivator. However, the form of healing was totally different.

    Healing items in the Crimson Lands came mostly in the form of pills, but Jemma had informed him that healing liquids were far more common in this world. Xu Han wondered why. Xu Han had absorbed a few bottles of these potions before, but he had never really studied them as he was more interested in improving his dungeon.

    Maybe it¡¯s time I get back to being a Sage.

    As Xu Han watched the adventurer slowly climbed out of the trap, he felt a wave of annoyance.

    ¡°Jemma, do you think I should put poison on the spikes?¡±

    ¡°What? No, of course not. This is just the first floor, you want it to be tough, not impossible for new adventurers to pass through.¡± Jemma immediately objected.

    ¡°It¡¯s not impossible. They just must not fall into the trap.¡± Xu Han said.

    ¡°A deadly trap that already has spikes in them, you don¡¯t need to make them even more deadly than it already is.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not deadly enough. Look! This adventurer is going to escape me. With poison¡­¡± Xu Han trailed off as his dungeon fairy rolled her eyes.

    ¡°Core, you already killed two adventurers with these pit traps. Having one escaping the trap is hardly a disaster, and he is still in your dungeon. You still have a chance of killing him! Besides, having a reputation of being too tough is bad for you.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°New adventurers are inexperienced, and the Adventurer Guild usually steers them away from dungeons that are too difficult for them. However, inexperienced adventurers are also easier to kill. For a dungeon, you want new inexperienced adventurers coming to you. In the long run, this is better for you.¡±

    She was right. Xu Han saw where Jemma was coming from, he knew he was being irrational, but as a dungeon core, he really disliked the adventurer escaping his trap. The dungeon core and cultivator sides of his soul warred with each other before the discipline of cultivation overruled his desire as a dungeon core.

    Although the adventurers currently in his dungeon were all low levels, their presence were giving Xu Han a steady amount of divine power. It was nothing like the surge of power Xu Han gained from the exploration team the Guild sent earlier, but the sheer number of adventurers within the dungeon was nothing to scoff at either. It would be in Xu Han¡¯s interest for low-level adventurers to continue entering his dungeon, there was something to be said about quantity over quality.

    As the duo watched the adventurers fumbled around on the first floor, Jemma suddenly drew his attention to one of the adventurers. Xu Han quickly saw what had caught Jemma¡¯s interest. A lucky adventurer had found one of his new treasure chests.

    The chest seemed to have caught the adventurer by surprise as he circled around the chest once before approaching it. If he still had a head, Xu Han could have shaken it in disbelief as the adventure immediately dived away after flipping open the chest. It was totally unnecessary as Xu Han hadn¡¯t trapped any of the chests, but the adventurer must have been informed about the trapped chests at the end of his floors. The dungeon core wondered if he should begin trapping the new treasure chests. It wouldn¡¯t do to disappoint his guests.

    Seeing that there was no danger, the adventurer got up and approached the chest slowly. He peeped into the chest and Xu Han saw his eyes widened at the sight of the bolt of silk. The adventurer picked it up, inspected it for a moment, before putting it in his backpack. The adventurer then continued his run to the end of the floor.

    Xu Han put the adventurer out of his mind and concentrated on the rest of the adventurers. Three more adventurers fell to his pit traps, but only two of them died. The last adventurer was a warrior of some sort who managed to harden his skin as he fell into the trap. He escaped the trap with only a few scratches.

    A wave of annoyance came over Xu Han again. Maybe I should make the spikes sharper. No one can complain about that, right?

 Part 28- The Jian

    Xu Han watched as the adventurers gathered at the end of the floor. There must be some consensus among them as no one approached the chest while they were waiting. Most looked bored, but there was a stir when the two adventurers who escaped his pit traps entered the clearing.

    Xu Han saw the two adventurers freely giving the information of the traps to the rest of the group, an action Xu Han still found hard to believe, and heard several of the adventurers cursing. Not at Xu Han, but at the exploration group for failing to notice the traps. Xu Han realized the exploration group might be more important than he thought.

    Then, the adventurer who found the treasure chest came to the clearing.

    He showed off the bolt of silk and the stir among the adventurers grew. Xu Han saw greed and excitement among the adventurers and the new traps were almost forgotten as they grilled the lucky adventurer who found the chest. Mostly, many adventurers wished to know what they need to look out for. It reminded Xu Han of something.

    ¡°Jemma, what do think about increasing the toxicity of the fog in areas where the treasure chests are located? It will increase the difficulty, but they can also serve as a sort of landmark telling adventurers where the chests are.¡±

    Jemma struck her thinking pose, thought for a moment before nodding her head. ¡°That is a good idea. This will make adventurers think when they plan a route to the end of the floor, just make sure not to place a treasure chest in every area of highly poisonous fog. Risk and reward are part of a dungeon, and you want to leave some doubt on whether there will be a chest in every dangerous area. Let the adventurer decide on whether to risk it.¡±

    Xu Han agreed with his dungeon fairy¡¯s suggestion, and they went back to watching the adventurers. When the last of the adventurers reached the end of the floor, Xu Han was expecting them to immediately open the chest. They didn¡¯t.

    The adventurers continued to sit around, as if they were waiting for something. Xu Han wondered what they were doing before realizing that the adventurers were waiting for the dead. They had no idea the rest of their group had fallen to the floor.

    Xu Han considered telling the adventurers their friends were dead, but quickly abandoned the idea. He was drawing divine power from the adventurers¡¯ continued presence and besides, it¡¯s not a dungeon core¡¯s job to tell adventurers their friends were dead.

    Time did not make much of a difference in the dungeon, but after some time one of the adventurers called out to the group. The adventurers had waited long enough.

    Xu Han saw one of the female adventurers cried out in anguish and several others looking sad. No doubt, they were friends of the fallen but Xu Han felt nothing at their pain. He had lived too long and seen too many dead family, friends and enemies to feel sorrow at the death of strangers.

    Xu Han watch dispassionately as three of the adventurers approached the chest. These three adventurers were dressed like [Rogues], but unlike the elf woman who came with the exploration team, these [Rogues] were careful in their approach. One of them, the only elf of the three, took out some tools. Xu Han wondered what the tools were for as there was no lock on the chest. The adventurers could just flip open the chest.

    The elf took out a strange small item that Xu Han did not recognize and slid it beneath the lid of the chest. He turned the item, and the item opened the chest by a few centimetres. The elf looked in the chest, and Xu Han finally understood what they were doing.

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    The [Rogues] were trying to disarm the trap!

    Xu Han would tell them not to bother. The treasure chest was magical in nature, and there was no springs or wires for the [Rogues] to cut. The elf must have heard Xu Han because he shook his head and turned to a [Rogue] beside him. The second [Rogue] took over the elf¡¯s position in front of the chest, took a quick look at the small opening, and cast a spell. It was directed in at the small opening, and Xu Han saw a bolt of red energy enter the chest before the elf quickly opened it. To Xu Han¡¯s surprise, the trap he placed on the chest did not go off.

    The trap had been disarmed!

    Xu Han did not know that was even possible. When he created the treasure chest, Xu Han had used a little more power to arm it with a trap, but he did not manually create the trap like he did the Printing Press book or the Qiyao Ruqun dress. The trap was a system generated item that came with the chest. Xu Han had thought it was good enough, but that no longer seems like the case.

    Was the quality of items automatically created by the dungeon worse than items personally created by him? How did the [Rogue] even managed to disarm the trap? What spell was that? Was that spell common among the Classed with the [Rogue] class?

    Xu Han wondered as the adventurers took out the treasure in the chest. The adventurers weren¡¯t excited about the gold they found, it wasn¡¯t much when shared among so many, but the weapon in the chest gave them pause. There was a sword in the chest but unlike the sword commonly used by the adventurers, this sword was different. It was a Jian.

    When he first created the first floor and the chest, Xu Han had created several items to give out as rewards. Outside the Skill Scroll that gave the dwarf the White Tiger Movement technique, Xu Han created the gold and several weapons. He had set it up for the chest to give them out randomly, and it looks that these adventurers got lucky. That was a problem.

    The Jian was a straight, double-edged sword commonly found in some of the regions of the Crimson Lands. A weapon that relies on technique and finesse instead of brute strength, the jian was a beloved weapon due to its graceful and refined movements. It was also a weapon that requires a great deal of skill and training to master.

    Skill and training that the local people did not have.

    When Xu Han first created the weapons for the chest to give out, he had no knowledge of the weapons in this world and created the weapons with the knowledge he had from the Crimson Lands. From what he had seen, the typical sword an adventurer used in this world was very different from the jian.

    The local sword was a straight, double-edged weapon with a single-handed, cross-shaped hilt with a blade length of between 70 to 80 centimetres. As the Thief of Ten Thousand Techniques, Xu Han has knowledge in swordsmanship and blacksmithing, and he could see some advantage in the local sword.

    It could be used either with one hand or two, it was well-suited for mounted combat, and has a good balance between strength and manoeuvrability. It was also very different from the jian. Known as the ¡®Gentleman of Weapons¡¯, the jian embodies elegance and sophistication, and it requires a totally different skillset to use.

    ¡°I need to remake all the weapons I created for the treasure chests.¡± Xu Han murmured.

    Jemma rejected the idea out of hand. ¡°Don¡¯t bother. The Classed will find a way to use them properly, and if not, they will become collector¡¯s items. No harm done.¡±

    Xu Han was about to say weapons are not supposed to be collector¡¯s items when he recalled the number of cultivators, emperors, and kings he knew who did collect weapons. In some cases, they treated the weapons better than people. Xu Han could only sigh.

    The spell circle to the second floor lit up, and to Xu Han¡¯s surprise, a small group of adventurers broke off. Most of the adventurers would continue to the second floor, but several, including the female adventurer who cried, chose to return to the surface. They were abandoning their run.

    Not wanting to lose it back to the dungeon, the jian was given to an adventurer who was exiting the dungeon. Xu Han heard that the adventurers would put it up for auction and dividing the proceeds among the group. Xu Han almost chuckled. Such teamwork would never happen between cultivators assaulting a Secret Realm.

    After wishing the adventurers luck, the smaller group stepped on the spell circle and exited the dungeon. After seeing the smaller group leaving, the remaining adventurers stepped on the circle to the second floor. Xu Han mentally smiled as Jemma gave a loud laugh. The changes on the first floor were successful. Now, now the duo will see how the adventurers fare against the changes on the second floor.

 Part 29- The Forevers

    As a rule, Crytalis of The Green did not hate dungeons. It was hard to hate them when your whole livelihood depends on going into dungeons and stealing from them. However, the elvish [Hunter] could not help but be annoyed when he appeared on the second floor of the Tomb of Ten Thousand Techniques. Would it kill the dungeon core to create a bigger spell circle, or create more circles to the second floor?

    With only one spell circle, all the adventurers needed to take turns and the wait was annoying. However, as a seasoned dungeon delver, Crytalis kept his complains to himself. The dungeon core could be listening, and he was not going to draw unwanted attention to himself.

    The open and spacious cave of the second floor was as big as advertised and Crytalis saw the central pillar that served as the landmark of the second floor. He walked towards it, and quickly found Bran Brownshield. The dwarven [Shield Warrior] was the first member of his party to enter the second floor, and he was sitting on the ground, quietly sharpening his axe with a whetstone.

    ¡°You look relaxed. You do know you are in a dungeon, right?¡± Crytalis teased as he sat beside the dwarf.

    ¡°Look at all the adventurers who had grouped up here? The dungeon is not stupid enough to waste creatures attacking us, this core is a smart one.¡± The dwarf replied with a nonchalance that belied his reputation as a seasoned adventurer.

    Crytalis could not help but chuckle at the response. Most dwarves liked to act like worldly veterans, but Crytalis knew for a fact that Bran really was a veteran. The Level 19 [Shield Warrior] had grey in his beard, a mark of age and respect in dwarven culture and rumors had it that Bran left the dwarven kingdoms because he could no longer be an adventurer due to his age.

    Greybeards were honored and respected in dwarven society, and they were expected to retire and be advisors to the new generation. Bran preferred to be in the thick of the action. They had been partners for over two decades and Crytalis was almost certain that Bran was a lifer. The dwarf would never quit. He would die an adventurer.

    That was why their party was known as The Forevers, none of them had any intention of ever quitting the life of an adventurer. The elf looked around and saw that most of the adventurers were sitting down while waiting for the other members of their party to arrive. The adventurers had agreed to gather around the central pillar, but divisions had appeared. Most of the adventurers were sitting with their regular parties and allies were grouped together. The only exception were three mages. They were standing at a section of the walls of the cave. With his enhanced hearing, the elf could hear that they were arguing about the green glow coming from it. Crytalis smiled.

    [Mages] loved to argue about anything magical.

    There was a relaxed air among the adventurers, and he wondered how the dungeon core feel about that. Maybe it found them perplexing, but there was a reason for the adventurers to act the way they were.

    The adventurers knew that they were safe. They know their presence was feeding the dungeon. Scholars had found that dungeon cores feed on divine power the Classed released, so most dungeon cores were in no rush to rid their dungeons of adventurers. That was why there were settlements and mining operations in dungeons. The adventurers were food and if they do not threaten the dungeon, most dungeon cores would leave them be.

    It was a matter of give-and-take between adventurers and the dungeon.

    It took a few more minutes for the other two members of their party to arrive. Saverio, a human [Thief], and Lukalla, an elvish maiden who had the [Wizard] class. The four of them sat together to rest. Like the other adventurers, The Forevers were in no hurry to challenge the rooms.

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    After half an hour, Bran stood up and tossed his head towards one of the tunnels. Time was up. The party of four stepped away from the other adventurers and walked towards the tunnel with the number ¡®1¡¯ above. With the information gathered by the exploration team, the adventurers had been calling it the ¡®Lake Room¡¯, and it was the room The Forevers would be attempting.

    Crytalis could feel eyes on them, but none of the other adventurers stopped them. No one even approached them, and they just looked on as The Forevers did a last minute of their equipment at the entrance of the tunnel.

    ¡°You know, it¡¯s not too late to change our mind and try one of the other tunnels?¡± Saverio said as he coated a layer of poison on his dagger and shortsword. ¡°Alessandro says The Young Nobles intend to attempt the ¡®4¡¯ tunnel.¡±

    Crytalis glanced at the human team sitting near the central pillar and frowned. Like Crytalis¡¯ team, The Young Nobles was a four-member party but unlike The Forevers, The Young Nobles was young and fully human. Crytalis knew Alessandro and his party were all third and fourth sons of minor nobility and they had a growing reputation as a daring new adventurer group, but the elf thought the young [Knight] was taking a lot of unnecessary risk attempting a new tunnel with his team. Being daring was not a good survival tactic in a dungeon.

    Crytalis kept his council. Every adventurer makes their own decision on how much risk to take for power and levels.

    ¡°No,¡± Bran rejected Saverio¡¯s suggestion without hesitation. ¡°The Adventurer Guild is offering a reward for information on the two ¡®jig-saw¡¯ puzzles the exploration team missed and I intend to collect. Does everyone remember which paths you should be taking?¡±

    Everyone did. The plan was to have Bran and Saverio, the two members least likely to complete the jig-saw puzzles in the time limit, to attempt the paths that the exploration team had missed while the two elves would attempt the puzzles which they had some confidence in completing. From the information given by the Guild, Lukalla would attempt to complete the puzzle with a multistory tower with a red curved rooftop, while Crytalis decided to attempt the puzzle showing a farmer on a wheat field under a blue sky.

    After completing the checks, Saverio tried one more time. ¡°Are we sure we do not want to try one of the other tunnels? Their numbers are higher, so people are betting the treasures in them are better than this one.¡±

    ¡°No wonder you are such a shit gambler,¡± Bran grumbled. ¡°We don¡¯t know that. And even if it is, so what? Better treasure means more danger. You know Viaggia is building a new graveyard due to the dungeon? You want your tombstone to be the first one in there?¡±

    Saverio immediately put up both hands in mock surrender. With that over, the team entered the tunnel. The tunnel was short, and it took the team just minutes to enter the Lake Room. Bare black stone, green grass, and a lake in front, everything was as in the report from the Guild.

    The party walked to the edge of the lake and took in the strange looking pavilions situated in the middle. Elegantly designed, the pavilions gave Crytalis a sense of peace, as if the dungeon core was trying to make them part of the lake instead of structures built on it. As an elf, Crytalis appreciated the attempt.

    ¡°Want to grab some of those lotus leaves? I heard some scholars are paying good gold for them.¡± Saverio asked as he pointed to the plants floating on the water of the lake.

    ¡°Are you volunteering to go for a swim in a dungeon, in a lake with a boss creature swimming beneath you?¡± Bran asked.

    That was the end of that.

    Each member of the party went to the assigned footpath. After a check to make sure everyone was ready, the four of them stepped forwards. Crytalis immediately felt a pressure on him, a weight that told Crytalis he was under an area enchantment of some sort. The report from the Adventurer Guild had mentioned this, so Crytalis was unsurprised by the spell and started to walk towards the pavilion.

    Up close, the pavilion was as elegant as it seems from afar. Crytalis touched one of the pillars and his eyes widened in surprise. As an elf from an elven nation, Crytalis knew wood. He had been in many dungeons before and the wooden items created by the dungeons always felt off, like there was an unnaturalness to them. This pillar did not give him the same feeling. It felt smooth and natural, like it came from a tree that grew up in a forest. Crytalis grinned in delight. It looks like the rumors were true.

    This dungeon was different.

 Part 30- The Young Nobles

    He sat down at the low wooden table and placed his longbow on the carpet. Crytalis did not bother to glance at the others, but instead tried to calm his mind for the task ahead.

    After a few moments, he heard a sound, audible only to an elf¡¯s sensitive ears. Crytalis looked up and saw a box in the air. It floated down and landed softly on the table. A painting dropped from the ceiling. He looked and could not breath.

    A fierce and powerful human [Swordsman] stood in the middle of the painting in a field of red. Wearing an elegant black robe of foreign design that had red and yellow stripes down the sides, the [Swordsman] was carrying a thin glowing sword. The [Swordsman] had a face that could be considered handsome among humans, with his long, black hair flowing freely in the fierce wind. His eyes were as black as the sky on a moonless night, and he had a slight sneer on his lips. His arms were by his sides, one holding the glowing sword, and the other holding the sheath. He looked to be at peace.

    However, the painting was anything but peaceful.

    Countless monsters lay at the feet of the [Swordsman]. A hundred, a thousand, ten thousand? Crytalis did not know and was afraid to find out. Humongous birds of prey, gigantic tigers, boars the size of small hills, they were all dead and their blood turning the world red.

    Dismembered, their bodies were in pieces, and their faces were caught in an eternal moment of despair as they were killed by someone with neither mercy nor remorse. Even the sun in the blood red sky above them looked to be crying.

    The elf felt a breeze, an impossibility unless the dungeon willed it, and the air carried with it an aroma of death. Crytalis stared at the [Swordsman], and wondered how a human could be so powerful. What level someone had to be to achieve this? And whether he wanted to reach such a level? The human was more monster than mortal.

    ¡°The painting is different! It has changed!¡±

    The [Hunter] blinked as the shout from Lukalla broke him out of his trance. It drove him back to his senses, and only now did Crytalis noticed the words that appeared on the side of the painting.

    ¡°A killer, a murderer, a man,

    An unsheathed sword, a weapon without chains,

    Death without a plan,

    Just to dull his pain.¡±

    Then, the countdown appeared, starting from sixty minutes. There was no more breeze, no more aroma of death, only the countdown and the puzzle before him. Crytalis took a deep breath and began to work.

    ***

    Alessandro of House Canali looked on as The Forevers entered the tunnel. After their exit from the cavern, a shimmer of light appeared at the entrance of the Lake Room. He stood and placed a hand on his sword as everyone went quiet.

    The young adventurer was not the only one who was watching The Forevers. The open quest from the Adventurer Guild on the first floor had gathered the adventurers into a loose alliance, but all the parties were on their own now. A few mages went to the entrance and after a few moments of discussion, one of them turned to the group.

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    ¡°It is some sort of spell that prevent entry. I think the next party can only attempt the Lake Room after The Forevers are done with it.¡±

    Murmurs immediately erupted among the group of adventurers, and Alessandro could hear several of the adventurers cursing. Everyone knew what that means. This floor was different from the first, the adventurers would need to take turns.

    The Adventurer Guild never said anything about that.

    The third son of a noble house and leader of his party, Alessandro made a quick decision. ¡°Get up, we are going now.¡±

    The members of The Young Nobles immediately stood and started walking. There was no argument from any of them about going first. The party of four quickly reached the tunnel with the number ¡®4¡¯ above, and Alessandro looked back, wary of a challenge. There were none.

    A few parties were checking their equipment, getting ready for their runs, Alessandro could see a few party leaders gathering in a group, no doubt trying to come up with a list of which party should go first. Alessandro pointedly ignored the looks his party was receiving from some of the adventurers. If the other adventurers wish to dispute their right to be first, they could come up and fight The Young Nobles for the position.

    The Young Nobles shared a quick look among themselves as they stood at the entrance of the tunnel, but Alessandro did not doubt on any of their faces. The [Knight] had never felt prouder. Alessandro knew the other adventurers thought The Young Nobles were nothing but a bunch of privileged youngsters playing at being adventurers, but they did not know or care that as the younger sons, all four members of The Young Nobles were in no position to ever inherit their family¡¯s fortune. The members of The Young Nobles were trained by their family, but they were expected to find their own way in life, and the adventuring life was their way of making a name for themselves.

    The Young Nobles was not just an adventuring party, they were a bunch of young nobles who knew what the other members were going through. They were friends.

    Alessandro looked at his friends. Roberto was a fellow [Knight], Simone and Bellino were both [Mages]. With two [Knights] and two [Mages], Alessandro knew The Young Nobles weren¡¯t the most balanced of parties, but they knew each other since childhood and Alessandro trusted them with his life.

    Without a word, the four of them entered the unexplored tunnel.

    The first thing Alessandro noticed were the lights. The tunnel was a mixture of grey stone and bare earth, suggesting a natural cave system that has been expanded upon by the dungeon. The air was thick and stale, but the path forward was illuminated with burning sconces that dotted the walls. That was good, no one liked to fight while holding a torch in one hand.

    The tunnel was narrow, and The Young Noble found themselves walking single file. As the lead [Knight], Alessandro naturally took the lead.

    ¡°Look sharp.¡± Alessandro said.

    With his shield positioned in front of his body, he went forward. Simone and Bellino walked behind him, and Roberto protected the rear. This was a well-practised formation The Young Nobles had perfected, and they slowly went down the tunnel, careful of traps and ambushes.

    The tunnel was longer than the reported tunnel into the Lake Room but after some time, the party found themselves in a vast cavern. Like the tunnel, the cavern was well lit, only the light was coming from the glowing ceiling. The light seen to be stimulating sunlight because in front of The Young Nobles was a strange, beautiful forest, filled with trees that were about ten to twenty metres tall. The woody narrow trunks of the trees had rings on them which sprout narrow leaves. Alessandro did not recognize the strange trees, but Bellino did.

    ¡°Bamboo. These are bamboo trees.¡±

    Alessandro was shocked. The young noble had never seen them before, but he heard of bamboo trees. They were a type of tree only found in the far west, not in the Bright Empire. Somehow, this dungeon had created a beautiful bamboo forest that stretches for as far as the eye can see.

    ¡°Why?¡± Alessandro murmured; his voice too soft for the others to hear.

    The momentary lapse cause Alessandro to shake his head.

    The delvers his family hired to train him had always told him this; Curiosity has no place in a dungeon. Dungeon cores loved to trick and confuse delvers, so delvers must never let their curiosity get the better of them.

    Alessandro realized how right the trainers were.

    Dungeons were amazing places, and a delver would see marvellous, incredible things in them. None of which should matters to a delver. No matter how beautiful and wonderful things looked in a dungeon, a delver must never forget the danger he was in.

    Dungeons were deathtraps, survival was key, and full concentration was needed to survive a dungeon. Alessandro just forgotten about that. He vowed not to make the same mistake again.

 Part 31- The Young Nobles (2)

    There was a path through the forest. With no other way forward, The Young Nobles moved forward. The forest was alive with the sound of birds and insects, the fresh smell of the earth filled Alessandro¡®s nose, but he did not see any animal or creature. Several times he could swear he saw movement at the edges of his peripheral vision, but every time he turned his head, sword and shield at the ready, he was met with nothing but the moving leaves of a bamboo tree. Alessandro wondered if the dungeon core was playing with him, and if animals truly exist in this room. He did not voice his question; the dungeon would not have answered anyway. Alessandro could only keep up his guard.

    The Young Nobles soon reach a spilt. There were two paths further into the forest. One of the paths was marked with a wooden sign that read, ¡®Toward the river.¡¯

    The other was marked with a sign that reads, ¡®Toward the camp.¡¯

    The Young Nobles discussed among themselves before venturing down the path that led to the camp. With no information to go on, one path was the same as the other, but The Young Nobles had two knights in their party and going towards the river might meant going for a swim. Something Alessandro was keen to avoid with his armour.

    As the party made their way through the forest, the path became narrower and narrower, and they found themselves walking in a single file again. The bamboo trees grew taller until they reached between twenty to thirty metres and the party soon lost sight of the other path to the river.

    Eventually, the path came to an end, and The Young Nobles stood in front of a clearing. The clearing was big and empty except for a table that was in the middle of it. Four chairs surround the table. Alessandro could see a path leading out of the clearing on the other side. It went deeper into the bamboo forest, but The Young Nobles did not take the path. They knew their task was here.

    ¡°Four chairs, one for each of us. Let¡¯s get this started.¡± Simone said as he sat down.

    Not for the first time, Alessandro wondered if that was a good idea. The Tomb of Ten Thousand Techniques was a Trick Dungeon, so The Young Nobles knew it was very likely they would face a puzzle of some sort on their run. They had discussed the matter among themselves and decided to try to complete the puzzle.

    Personally, Alessandro doubted the party¡¯s ability to complete any puzzle that the dungeon core would conjure up, but both Simone and Bellino wanted to give it a try and Roberto voted with the [Mages]. Alessandro dutifully sat down on a log.

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    The moment all four of them sat down, the table lit up. A box appeared above the table and dropped onto the table. Multicolour smoke came out of the box, rising into the air, and forming four threads of smoke. Alessandro looked up and watched silently as the threads of smoke condensed into an image. A powerful, disturbing image that looked like an oil painting.

    The painting itself was dominated by the figure of a beautiful woman, standing in the prow of a small boat. Her dress was pale green, similar to that of the shallow water, and her skin was white as chalk. So pale was she that it looked like she had been drowned and brought up only moments ago.

    The woman''s eyes were closed, and her face was turned up towards the heavens. She holds a black iron sword in her right hand, similar to the strange sword the adventurers found on the first floor, and it seems to draw all the light in the picture into itself. The whole image was lit from a single direction, which threw the woman''s figure into relief and made the dark water behind her seem utterly mysterious and impenetrable.

    Alessandro felt an unexpected dread when he saw the painting. It was difficult to define, but the painting gave Alessandro a feeling of darkness, like the painting was full of primal energy, threatening to spill out of the painting at any moment. Alessandro never felt like this before, except once.

    It was years ago, when he was still a [Squire]. During his training period with a [Knight], Alessandro remembered the time when they went to investigate a deep cave. As they walked through the darkened cave, Alessandro could swear that shadowy forms were moving as they passed. Every time he became aware of something watching him from the darkness, Alessandro would turn slowly, trying to see what it is. As he did, the presence would fade away, leaving only a faint sense of unease.

    The memory of that cave still sends a chill down his spine.

    Alessandro shook off the memory and turned his attention back to the painting. The woman''s figure drew him in, and the dark water behind her took on a strange new depth. There was something about the painting that''s mesmerizing, and Alessandro could not tear his eyes away from it. He barely noticed the poem at the bottom of the painting.

    ¡°In her hand a dark sword

    In her eye a terrible flame

    She comes as a stranger to our shore

    Her name we may never know.¡±

    It was not the best poem Alessandro had ever read, but it was hardly the worst. There was something strange about the poem, like something was lost, but Alessandro could not quite put his finger on why. Then, it came to him.

    Was this woman someone real? Someone the painter lost?

    The sound of someone clearing his throat broke Alessandro¡¯s concentration. It was Roberto. Alessandro looked at his friend who was giving everyone a smile.

    ¡°The painting is very impressive, but let¡¯s not lose our head over it.¡± he said.

    Alessandro looked up, saw the painting and the countdown. He cursed. He got distracted by the dungeon again! He looked at the other members of his party, and hurriedly urged.

    ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡±

 Part 32- The Forevers (2)

    ¡°Two minutes! Everyone to the shore!¡±

    Crytalis heard Bran¡¯s shout, and immediately stood up. The Forevers had bought the report from the Adventurer Guild and came into the Lake Room with a plan.

    The Forevers would attempt the puzzles, but if no one managed to complete them, everyone would abandon the puzzles in the last two minutes and group up at the shore to prepare for the fight against the Boss. They were not going to be caught out like the exploration team did. Like a famous human [General] once said, no plan survived contact with the enemy.

    ¡°I¡¯m almost done!¡±

    Surprised, Crytalis looked over at Lukalla¡¯s pavilion and saw that his fellow elf was still trying to complete her puzzle. That was not part of the plan.

    ¡°Get your small elvish butt to the end of the floor!¡±

    Bran¡¯s shout would have shaken mountains, but Lukalla did not seem to hear him. It was as if she was in a world of her own. Crytalis had no choice but to ignore her.

    [Hunter] and elf, Crytalis easily reached the shore before the others. He turned and saw that Lukalla was still at her puzzle. Saverio was the second to arrive and he too saw that their [Wizard] was still at her pavilion.

    ¡°Should we go get her?¡± He asked.

    ¡°No,¡± Crytalis immediately rejected the human¡¯s idea. ¡°We follow the plan. She made her decision.¡±

    For a moment, it looked like the [Thief] would object, but the moment passed, and the human only sighed in resignation. Crytalis looked around the area where they would be making their stand and noted that it was different from the report. According to the Guild report, this should be a rocky shore, but the dungeon core made some renovations. It was now an open field with growing grass and a few trees. Crytalis just hope the dungeon core did not add in any other surprises along with the trees. He heard Bran well before the dwarf arrived.

    ¡°Stupid idiotic elf! Crazy female! Moronic elvish maiden! Elf, your people need to control your females better!¡± Their dwarven leader was huffing and cursing at the same time. Crytalis just smiled and gave him a shrug that practically screamed ¡®what can you do¡¯.

    Elves and dwarves have a long history of mutual dislike, and one of the greatest differences between the two species was the way they treated their women. Elven women had great freedom in how they wished to live their life, but dwarven culture was different. Dwarven women were considered precious and important, more precious and important than dwarven men, and the dwarven instinct with precious things was to lock them away. Dwarven women were highly controlled and they were not allowed to work in dangerous jobs. Miners, Soldiers, and Adventurers were just some of the occupations dwarven women were not allowed to be in. Even Classed women were not exempted from this. Crytalis had only ever seen two female dwarven adventurers in his life, and both were exiles.

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    ¡°I got it!¡±

    The shout from their [Wizard] caused everyone to look over. Lukalla¡¯s pavilion was glowing, but more importantly, he could see his follow elf celebrating with her arms high in the air. It was too much for their leader.

    ¡°Stop celebrating, you stupid woman! Get your tiny ass over here!¡± Bran screamed.

    Lukalla immediately picked up her staff and began running. Her speed was impressive, and Crytalis believed the [Wizard] may have cast a spell to increase it.

    ¡°One of us completed the puzzle, maybe that¡¯s enough for the dungeon.¡± Saverio said hopefully as they waited, a hope Bran was more than happy to crush.

    ¡°We don¡¯t know that. We don¡¯t know anything, so we are not going to assume anything. Be ready for-.¡±

    A loud sound echoed in the room as something jumped out of the water. Crytalis¡¯ hands moved, an arrow was on his bow, and he released it before his mind could catch up to his practised movement. The arrow streaked across the room towards Lukalla and hit the creature attacking her. Crytalis heard a screech and the creature splashed back into the lake.

    ¡°Don¡¯t stop! Keep running, you fool!¡±

    Bran shouted and Lukalla immediately resumed her sprint towards her party. Crytalis looked at the surface of the lake and placed another arrow at the ready.

    ¡°Anyone has a good look at the thing?¡± Bran asked as he took a position at the front of the party.

    ¡°Looked like some sort of lizard,¡± Saverio replied, ¡°blue, with feet and a long tail.¡±

    Crytalis saw the same thing as well, more importantly, he understood what that meant. ¡°If the monster has feet, it means they can come on land. Looks like we are in for a battle.¡±

    With her speed and spells, Lukalla soon reached them, and Bran grunted in response. The [Wizard] was too happy to be brought down by the dwarf.

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be such a grumpy dwarf. I succeeded!¡± She hugged Bran, and Crytalis could see the slightest twitch of a smile on the dwarf¡¯s face.

    ¡°When we get back to town, we are going to have a talk about following the plan.¡± Bran grumbled as the [Wizard] released him to take her position at the back of the party.

    ¡°Hey, it worked! I got it done.¡±

    Lukalla¡¯s light reply caused Bran to grunt again. Crytalis could only shake his head. He wished the two would get a room, spend a night together and get it over with. Moments passed, and the lake was quiet. Then, the surface of the lake moved.

    ¡°Wait till they get out of the water.¡± Bran said.

    Crytalis pulled his arrow back and looked on as several creatures walked out of the lake. Like Saverio said, they were lizards. The monsters were between one to two metres long, with drooping scales, a slender lizard-like body, and a long tail. Their four short legs let them climb onto land with ease, and they had a face that resembled that of a cat. There were ten of them, and when the monsters opened their mouths, Crytalis could see saliva dripping from their sharp teeth. His [Hunter] instinct immediately warned him of the danger.

    ¡°Be careful. I think their bite is venomous.¡±

    ¡°Good thing we stocked up on antidotes then.¡± Saverio laughed.

    ¡°Yeah, let them have it.¡±

    With Bran¡¯s order, Crytalis immediately took aim and shot at one of the monsters. The arrow flew, penetrated the body of the monster with ease, and it dropped dead. Everyone stopped. For a moment, everyone looked at the dead monster in disbelief.

    That was too easy.

 Part 33- The Forevers (3)

    Then, the remaining monsters turned towards Crytalis and screeched at the [Hunter]. It was a sound full of rage and pain. Then, the monsters charged.

    [Taunting Shout].

    Bran immediately activated his Skill, and the monsters turned in mid-charge to converge on him. The [Shield Warrior] swung his shield at the first monster that reached him and knocked it down near Saverio before swinging his axe at another monster which had leapt at him. The swing split the monster in two in mid-flight.

    Saverio jumped at the monster Bran knocked down to finish it off while Crytalis fired off a series of arrows at the charging monsters. Two more monsters were dropped by the [Hunter]. However, the monsters were released from the taunting skill due to their attacks, and several of the monsters had turned away from Bran. One of the monsters leapt at Crytalis.

    Lukalla stepped in front of the [Hunter] and knocked the monster with her staff. In one smooth move, the [Wizard] pointed her staff downwards at the monster and released a stream of fire. It cried pitifully as it died. The Forevers ignored the cries, adventurers could not show mercy to monsters, and went on the attack.

    The Forevers were a party that had worked together for years, and their experience told. Each member of the party covered each other, and no one faced a monster without someone as backup. It was too much for the monster. Within moments, the fight was over, and all the monsters lay dead on the ground.

    The monsters never had a chance.

    The Forevers took a breath, got back into formation, and waited for the second wave of monsters. After minutes of waiting, Bran raised a fist and the party finally relaxed. They were puzzled, and surprised that the fight was over.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s new. Another thing not in the report.¡± Saverio grumbled as he kicked at one of the dead monsters.

    ¡°Oh! You have objections? Was that too easy for you? Do you prefer to fight a Boss creature?¡± Bran sneered.

    ¡°Must be the puzzle.¡± Lukalla said, before the two could get into their usual back and forth.

    Crytalis thought for a moment, before giving her a nod. ¡°Make sense. The Boss came out because no member of the exploration team completed a puzzle. We completed one, so we got these monsters instead.¡±

    ¡°An easier fight if you complete a puzzle, the Guild will want to hear of this.¡± Bran said before adding a question. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean adventurers must fight no matter what? That doesn¡¯t sound like a Trick Dungeon.¡±

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    ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t,¡± Lukalla agreed. ¡°There must be some mechanics to the floor. Some sort of tier system? Maybe there won¡¯t be a fight if everyone in the party completes their puzzle?¡±

    ¡°Not that it matters. These monsters are easy. Most adventurer parties would be able to beat them without too many problems.¡± Saverio said.

    ¡°It matters if we want the treasure.¡± Lukalla said with a sigh. ¡°If the dungeon core requires all members to complete their puzzle, that means we only partially completed the room. Which means¡­?¡±

    ¡°The scroll.¡± Bran groaned.

    Everyone groaned. Everyone agreed with Lukalla¡¯a assessment, and it was not good news. All the adventurers heard of the Skill Scroll given by the dungeon, and everyone wanted one. It would be a huge problem for the adventurers if the requirement was total completion of the puzzles. Very few adventuring parties would be able to do that. A rumbling sound prevented the party from discussing the matter further. Crytalis turned to see a boulder moving sideways, revealing a narrow passage.

    At least that was in the report.

    The Forevers waited for the boulder to stop moving before going down the passage. Lukalla raised her staff and the tip of it glowed as the boulder slide back into place behind them. The Forevers went down the winding passage and saw the chest after a short walk.

    ¡°A three-gold bet that the dungeon will call us ¡®losers¡¯ for failing to complete all the puzzles.¡± Saverio asked in a light tone.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take that bet. We did complete one of them, so that should mean something.¡± Bran immediately accepted.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who called our [Wizard] an idiot for failing to follow the plan?¡±

    ¡°She is an idiot. Don¡¯t give me that look, elf, you are! You should had followed the plan.¡± Bran admonished Lukalla before turning back the [Thief]. ¡°But she did complete the puzzle, so it is not a total failure on our part. That stupid banner probably would not appear.¡±

    Crytalis smiled at that. The Guild reported that the dungeon core was so disappointed with the exploration team¡¯s failure to complete the puzzles that it gave the team a small figure holding a ¡®Loser¡¯ banner. An ironic consolation prize that delighted the adventurers and the figure now had a place of honour at the Viaggia Adventurer Guild.

    Every adventurer loves a dungeon core with a sense of humour.

    ¡°So, you are willing to take my bet even though you think she is an idiot for completing the puzzle?¡± Saverio asked incredulously.

    ¡°She is an idiot for not following the plan, not for completing the puzzle. Besides, that is that, and gold is gold. Are we having a bet or not?¡± Bran huffed.

    ¡°Fine. Get my gold ready, dwarf.¡±

    Without giving Bran the chance of a comeback, Saverio approached the chest. The [Thief] carefully looked at it before deciding that it did not hold any traps. He flipped the chest open, and nothing popped out.

    No figure, no banner, nothing!

    Saverio cursed, Bran hollered and demanded his gold as Crytalis approached the chest. He looked in, and his eyes widened when he saw the treasure. He reached down and picked it up. It was a thin book, well-made with the strangest title for a book he had ever read.

    ¡°A book? We got a book? Well, books are expensive so it¡¯s not a total loss. What¡¯s the title?¡± Bran asked with a tone that showed some of his disappointment.

    Crytalis turned the cover of the book towards his party and told them.

    ¡°[Storyteller]: Come Into My World.¡±

 Part 34- A Strange Boss

    The report provided by the Viaggia Adventurer Guild stated that each adventurer had an hour to complete a one-thousand-piece puzzle in the Lake Room. This room, whatever it would be called in the future, was different. For one thing, there was only one puzzle.

    One big jig-saw puzzle that all four members of The Young Nobles would need to complete together. Looking at the puzzle in front of him, Alessandro estimated that there were about three thousand pieces, and The Young Nobles were only given two hours to complete the whole thing.

    Three thousand pieces for one puzzle. Considering that there were four of them doing the puzzle, the additional pieces make sense. Given time, Alessandro was certain his party would complete it. Time was the problem.

    Alessandro looked up at the image above him, and the time left. He shook his head, there was only half an hour left. The leader of The Young Nobles looked at his friends. Simone and Roberto look to be enjoying themselves, and Bellino was still working hard at the puzzle, but it was clear to Alessandro it would not be enough. Before they came in, The Young Nobles did not believe they had the right Skills and Spells to complete the puzzle on time.

    It seems that they were right.

    ¡°Let¡¯s abandon this.¡± His friends looked up at Alessandro who pointed at the image above them. They looked up and saw the time remaining.

    ¡°Yes, we have more than a third of the puzzle to go. We are not going to complete it in time.¡± Bellino sighed in acceptance.

    Simone looked ready to argue, but a shake of the head from Roberto told the [Mage] he would be on his own on this.

    ¡°So, what do we do? Just wait here for the time to go down?¡± Simone frowned in annoyance.

    That was a good question, and Alessandro took a moment to consider it. The Young Nobles could wait here, but that could be what the dungeon core wanted. The Young Nobles were in a big clearing in a strange forest, and Alessandro would rather not fight in such a location if given a choice. The enemy could come at them from any direction.

    ¡°Let¡¯s take the path to the end of this room.¡± Alessandro finally said.

    ¡°Why?¡± Bellino asked.

    ¡°Because this clearing is not defensible.¡± Alessandro indicated the bamboo trees surrounding them, and his point was quickly accepted. ¡°If this room is anything like the Lake Room, then we would be facing a Boss, and it could come at us from any direction. Let¡¯s see if we can find a better location at the end of the floor.¡±

    The Young Nobles picked up their weapons and began to walk. The path out of the clearing was narrow and uneven, and the party soon found themselves having to step over several large stones. However, with the slight breeze and the magical lights from the ceiling, Alessandro would have called it a relaxing walk if they weren¡¯t in a dungeon.

    Eventually, the path came to an end, and the party walked out of the forest. The Young Nobles found themselves in another clearing, standing in front of a large, stone door. It was the end of the floor, and along the stone walls of the room was the door. The Young Nobles knew this door was the exit and approached it carefully. They examined the door but could find no indication on how to open it.

    ¡°Must be magical,¡± Simone finally said. ¡°It will only open when we complete the puzzle or defeat the Boss.¡±

    ¡°Well, completing the puzzle is out. That leaves the Boss, and it won¡¯t be long before the timer runs out. We won¡¯t be able to find a better spot. We¡¯ll need to make our stand here.¡± Roberto said as he looked at the forest behind them.

    ¡°This is as good a place as any. At least the door will protect our backs, and the Boss will need to come at us from the forest.¡±

    Alessandro agreed and stepped up alongside Roberto. Simone and Bellino stood behind the two [Knights], both knowing their roles in the coming fight. Simone would oversee defence, casting defensive and buff spells on the [Knights], while Bellino have offensive duties.

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    Time stretched but before long, Alessandro heard sounds coming from the bamboo forest. From the report of the Adventurer Guild, Alessandro knew this should be a Boss, and he felt his muscles tensing up at the coming battle. The monster, the Boss, appeared. Alessandro thought it was a troll at first, but it was not. It was more than that. Stranger than that. Weirder than that.

    Cuter than that.

    The Boss of the room was around two meters tall from its feet to the top of its head. Walking on two legs, it was furry, with contrasting patches of black and white throughout its body. Alessandro could see black patches of fur at its ears and eyes, and its legs, shoulders, and tail were also black. However, the rest of its body was white.

    The Boss was huge, with a wide upper body that would not be out of place on a troll. It had a big stomach, but Alessandro had no doubt it was brimming with power. The Boss¡¯s face was strange. It had the face of a bear, but with contrasting black and white fur, it looked more cute than fearsome, and even gave Alessandro a sense of nobility. A sense that was assisted by the colour of its eyes. They were alien, nothing but orbs of emerald green.

    In fact, almost everything about the Boss was strange. So strange that it took Alessandro a moment before realizing the Boss was wearing clothes. The Boss had a pair of brown pants and was wearing a wide brimmed conical straw hat. It even had a reed in its mouth.

    No wonder they said this dungeon was a strange one.

    As strange as the Boss was, it was impressive, and it was more to it than just looks. Alessandro could feel it. The Boss may looked fat and furry, but it had power, a force so powerful it just overshadowed almost anything the knight had felt before. A power that was just waiting to be unleashed upon him and his friends. For the first time, Alessandro regretted entering this room.

    They were going to die to this Boss.

    For a moment, no one said anything as the Boss eyed The Young Nobles. Then, it smirked and started to walk towards them. Alessandro did not know why, but he just knew there was something abnormal about the Boss from the way it walked. He thought it may be the fact that the Boss was walking on two legs, but Simone noticed something else.

    ¡°Look at the grass beneath it¡¯s feet.¡±

    Alessandro¡¯s eyes glanced downwards at the whisper, and he saw that the Boss was walking on the grass without bending the blades. Something that should not be possible.

    Just as Alessandro thought this, Bellino raised his staff and took aim at the Boss. The Boss raised a hand almost immediately. Alessandro saw a layer of tough bark materialized on the body of the Boss, and a colossal wooden staff appeared in his hand. Levelling the staff like a knight in a joust, the monster began to sprint toward The Young Nobles. With every step, the grass beneath the monster¡¯s feet grew.

    Seeing the Boss, clad in bark armor, sprinting towards them, Alessandro immediately moved to intercept it. At that moment, his feet got caught, and Alessandro tripped. He fell to one knee, and from the corner of his eye, Alessandro saw that although the Boss was more than twenty metres away, the grass on the ground around The Young Nobles had reached a height that would cause them problems with their footing.

    A bolt of lightning streaked above Alessandro¡¯s head. Bellino had shot a spell at the Boss, but it was undeterred. The Boss did not dodge or evade. It simply swung the spear in his arms, spinning it at speed in front of its body, creating a swirling circle as it continued its charge. The spell hit the swirling spear, and broke. Alessandro saw it happened and felt a chill.

    The Boss has a way to negate spells.

    Something broke. Fear engulfed him, despair threatened to overwhelm him, and his body froze in response. Alessandro knew he needed to stand, he wanted to stand, but he could not. Something told him the other members of his party felt the same. They were no match for this Boss.

    Then, a circle of light appeared around Alessandro. He blinked, turned his head and saw that Simone had cast a spell on him.

    ¡°Get up!¡± Simone shouted.

    It was a spell! I was bespelled by the Boss! The Boss is a spell caster!

    These thoughts sprinted through his mind as Alessandro struggled to stand up. Relying on the strength and pride of his class, Alessandro finally shook off the effects of the Boss and stood up. A quick glance told him that the others were still struggling to do the same. Alessandro stepped forward to meet the Boss¡¯s charge.

    The Boss saw Alessandro, but it did not stop. However, it did turn slightly to charge directly at Alessandro. Alessandro was taken aback. He was surprised that the Boss had come straight at him. Did it not know he was a [Knight]? Did the dungeon core not inform the Boss of what a [Knight] could do?

    Three metres away, the Boss suddenly jumped in the air. It raised its staff above its head and swung it downwards towards Alessandro. Alessandro angled his shield to meet the swing of the staff.

    [Meet The Challenge]. [Reflective Shield].

    Activating his skills, Alessandro effortlessly turned the staff aside and seized the opportunity to counter. As the Boss landed, Alessandro took a quick step towards the Boss. His sword lit up with a brilliant yellow glow.

    [Strike of Honour]

 Part 35- End of The Young Nobles

    The sword hit the armor of the Boss and cut through the bark like it was butter. The Boss let out a blood-curdling scream and tumbled back, writhing in pain. Bellino cast another lightning strike, instinctively trying to take advantage of the Boss¡¯s injury. The spell hit the Boss. Alessandro could see that damage was minimal, but damage was not what Bellino was aiming for. The Quick Lighting spell had an effect, and it stunned the Boss in place. Roberto immediately took the chance to attack. Roberto¡¯s eyes turned red with fury, his muscles grew bigger, and there was a red glow surrounding his body.

    [Raging Honour]

    Roberto hit the Boss with his shield, and Alessandro could feel the shockwave of the hit from where he stood. The Boss stumbled back from the hit, and his heart lifted as Roberto began swinging wildly at the Boss. Alessandro recognized the Skill.

    [Raging Honour] was a skill that allowed Roberto to release accumulated honour into his body, greatly enhancing his physical abilities. It was a Skill that his friend often employed, but it came with a drawback. The Skill required Roberto to sacrifice his defense for offensive power, but that was where Alessandro came in.

    Much like Simone and Bellino, Alessandro and Roberto had different roles despite having the same class. Alessandro was the calm frontline defensive specialist, and Roberto was the damage dealer. The two friends had an instinctive feel for each other in combat and worked well together. Alessandro rushed to take his place beside his fellow [Knight].

    Several pieces of the bark armor fell from the Boss¡¯s body, but the effect of Bellino¡¯s spell ended sooner than expected, and despite its size, the Boss did a backflip. It swung its staff in midair. Alessandro raised his shield to defend the swing, but the knockback forced him to take a step back. That was all the Boss needed.

    The Boss leapt and delivered a flying kick at Roberto. Caught by surprise, the knight was sent tumbling. Without hesitation, the Boss pointed its staff at the fallen knight, but Alessandro was there. Shield in hand, he stepped infront of Roberto. Seeing this, the Boss switched targets.

    It swung the staff to the side and pointed it at Bellino. Alessandro watched helplessly as a green glow engulfed the staff, before it shot out a blast of green light. Seeing the attack, Simone cast a quick spell on Bellino, but the green light strangely split into two. One continued towards Bellino, while the other darted towards the last member of the party. It went for Simone.

    What?

    Alessandro¡¯s eyes widened in shock, barely able to comprehend what he was seeing. The Boss was targeting their spellcasters! Instinctively, Alessandro followed the two blasts of light to their destination.

    The spell hit Bellino and broke upon a transparent shield. With the spell armor shielding him, Bellino was relatively unaffected, but Alessandro saw the [Mage] clutching his chest, which meant he had suffered some damage.

    The other blast sped towards Simone and hit him, sending him flying back towards the stone door. With a resounding crash, the [Mage] smashed onto the door and fell heavily to the ground. Simone spat out blood from his mouth.

    Alessandro did not hesitate and sprinted at the Boss. The Boss saw him coming. It opened its mouth and¡­sang.

    Not a mighty roar, or a fearsome cry, but a smooth lullaby. Alessandro was so shocked he almost fell to the ground. He stopped, and the world tilted before his eyes. A faint shattering sound reverberated in his ears, as if a part of the world had broken like a piece of glass. Alessandro fought against the effects of the song, but it was a hopeless battle. His eyes started to close.

    A wave of tiredness fell on him, and Alessandro saw blades of grass infront of his eyes. He wondered why he was looking at grass. Then, he saw cracks. Some brown objects rose from the ground, and Alessandro struggled to understand what they were. He did not understand what he was seeing and did not care. Alessandro was tired.

    He felt something grabbing him, pulling him into something that was both soft and warm. Alessandro was glad. He needed rest. He needed sleep. Alessandro closed his eyes, and waited for the sleep to - a cry shook the [Knight] awake!

    His eyes open, and Alessandro realized what had happened.

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    He had fallen! Alessandro had fallen under the song of the Boss and fell onto the ground. Now, roots were trying to drag him into the ground, and only Roberto¡¯s [Cry of Honour] had saved him.

    Fear and anger filled him, and Alessandro fought against the roots. Snapping sounds could be heard as he pulled his right arm free of the roots, and he risked a quick glance towards the other members of The Young Nobles. Roberto, Simone and Bellino were all trying to do the same with Roberto having the most progress.

    Then, the song changed.

    The soothing lullaby rose in tempo and the Boss began singing in a higher octave. The useless music lessons forced on Alessandro by his mother told the [Knight] all that, but he did not know the reason for the change. He soon found out.

    The ground beneath Simone softened, and a thick root shot out from beneath the earth like a spear. Right through his friend¡¯s chest!

    Everyone froze in place, like fragile vases on an unstable shelf, afraid that any movement would lead to them being broken. Sounds could not be heard, the world disappeared, and Alessandro could only see his friend¡¯s convulsing body. With the roots holding him in place and as injured as he was, Simone had no chance to resist. He saw Simone¡¯s last breath and noticed that the roots were slowly pulling him underground.

    The ice broke. Rage replaced fear, and Alessandro heard a desperate cry of anguish echoing through the forest. Alessandro realized the cry was from him. He stood. His mind fled, and he ran at the Boss, seeking death. Either his or it¡¯s.

    The Boss pointed its staff at the charging knight and thin green blasts that looked like arrowheads shot at him. In an instant, he decided.

    Alessandro positioned his trusty shield before his body and a blazing white light surround his body. Alessandro didn¡¯t stop or dodged but hurled himself straight at the oncoming blasts. He barely slowed as the blasts hit his shield and was rewarded with a look of surprise on the Boss¡¯s face when his shield slammed in the monster.

    [Shield Charge]

    As the white glow of his skill dissipate, Alessandro activated another skill without hesitation. White flames engulfed his body and Alessandro felt magic filled his body with strength. His sword lit up with brilliant yellow glow again as he activated two more Skills.

    [Turn Honour to Strength]. [Strike of Honour]

    His muscles protested and Alessandro knew he would suffer greatly for using so many skills in a row, but he did not care. Only one thing mattered to him right now; he needed to kill this Boss. After that was done, he shall go down and kill the dungeon core that created this Boss that had killed his friend!

    Seeing Alessandro¡¯s attack, Roberto also recovered from his shock. He witnessed his friend¡¯s white glowing shield colliding with the Boss, his activation of Skills and knew of Alessandro¡¯s determination. However, Alessandro wasn¡¯t having much success.

    Despite its fat body, the Boss was faster and more agile than it looked, turning and twisting in strange angles, dodging passed Alessandro¡¯s attacks with ease. Roberto knew that Alessandro needed help, but he did not attack the Boss directly.

    With the Boss¡¯s attention fully on his friend, Roberto seized the opportunity to flank the Boss. The Boss saw what he was doing and tried to reposition to keep Roberto in view, but Alessandro saw what his friend and fellow knight was trying to do as well.

    Alessandro pressed his attack, allowing Roberto to get on the other side of the Boss. Once he was in position, Roberto leaped at the back of the Boss. With Alessandro attacking from the front, Roberto thought the Boss would be defenseless if they attacked from two sides.

    He was wrong.

    The Boss swayed to the side as if it had eyes at the back of its head and launched itself at him as the knight stumbled passed. Alessandro saw the Boss striking Roberto in the forearm with the heel of its paw. Alessandro recognized the move. It was a trick most [Martial Artist] followed; strike the arm that attacks you.

    Roberto¡¯s sword fell to the ground.

    The Boss pressed the advantage and swung its staff in a fierce and decisive arc. Roberto saw the attack and tried to bring his shield up to defend. He was too slow. The staff hit Roberto¡¯s helmet so hard, it knocked the helmet clean off Roberto¡¯s head. Alessandro saw a visible dent in the helmet as it landed on the ground, but Roberto had amazingly kept his feet. The Boss approached, and reached Roberto in two huge strides.

    Almost gently, it placed a paw on the knight¡¯s chest. Roberto saw the Boss touching his chest and looked up. For a moment, Boss and [Knight] looked each other in the eye, then the paw caused a shockwave, and Roberto flew.

    Alessandro saw his friend smashed against the wall with great velocity, and knew he was dead before his body hit the ground. He turned back to the Boss, and to his horror, saw that it was right in his face. Alessandro swung his sword in panic, but the Boss blocked his attack with a swing with its staff and sidestepped to his right. It swung its free arm at his face and its claws raked along the knight¡¯s nose and mouth. Alessandro closed his eyes on instinct, but Alessandro did not even have time to cry out when he felt a furry hand on his neck. Alessandro¡¯s eyes widened in fear.

    He saw that the Boss had a hold of his neck. He could feel the claws digging in, crushing his windpipe. His eyes quickly turned to Bellino.

    Alessandro saw that the last surviving member of The Young Nobles was in a state of shock. Bellino¡¯s mouth was open, his eyes were watery, and Alessandro could see several emotions warring across his face. Alessandro tried to give Bellino a smile. Simone was dead, Roberto was dead, soon he will be dead.

    Run, my friend. Run-

    Then, there was nothing but darkness.

 Part 36- Swordmaster

    Like most dwarves, Pos liked to think he was an understanding person. He would not call himself a kind dwarf, or even a good-natured one, but he understood how the world works.

    The world was unfair.

    Bad things happen to good people, the undeserving could get lucky, [Kings] played tricks to get out of paying the Classed what they deserved, and brave Classed die young. That was life. That was how the world works.

    Getting angry about the unfairness of the world served no purpose, so dwarves seldom did it. No matter what the other species says, they don¡¯t. Dwarves were too understanding for that. They may complain, they could whine, they would definitely grumble, but dwarves seldom get angry at the world. However, there were times when the unfairness of the world raked even his calm dwarven temper.

    Today was one of those times.

    When the first adventurers returned from the mass delve, they came back with a treasure. It was a narrow double-edged sword with a single grip that no one had ever seen before. The fact that the weapon was strange, new, and that it came from a dungeon made it valuable. Even if no one could use it, and that it was nothing but a ceremonial showpiece, the sword would sell for a lot of gold. The adventurers were set for life.

    Pos survived his delve alone and got a Skill. Pos admit it was a good Skill, but it was a little useless as he could not use it unless he was near the dungeon. These adventurers went in a massive group and got a valuable weapon that could set them up for years. There was ¡®the world was unfair¡¯, and then there was this!

    Pos couldn¡¯t help but grumbled mentally as he watched the [Swordmaster] handle the strange weapon warily. The [Swordmaster] was an old human around sixty years of age, grey of hair with a well-trimmed goatee, and he had been hired by Claudio to make sense of the strange weapon. Interest was high, so the Adventurer Guild requested the [Swordmaster] to make it a public examination. The [Swordmaster] agreed.

    Like most adventurers, Pos had been interested in what the adventurers found and came for the public examination. He wished he hadn¡¯t. For the past hour, he had been watching the [Swordmaster] swinging the weapon around in various poses and moving his feet to see the best footwork to accompany the various strikes. The only interesting thing that had happened was when the [Swordmaster] struck the strange weapon with another sword to test the strength of the weapon. Pos never knew examination of a new weapon would be so boring, and he was certain he was not the only one who felt this way.

    Held in the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, there was a good number of people watching the [Swordmaster] and Pos could see bored faces all around him. Not everyone was an adventurer. Non-adventurers needed to pay a fee to enter, and they weren¡¯t getting their money worth. A couple of more minutes and people were going to start leaving. Pos was thinking of following them.

    Thankfully, the Guild Master came to his rescue.

    ¡°Master MacGregor, it has been over an hour. May we have your thoughts of this weapon? What do you think of it? Can it be used?¡±

    The [Swordmaster] looked a little annoyed at the interruption before remembering the Guild Master was the one who hired him. Claudio was his employer for the day. Pos watched as Master Duncan MacGregor smoothed his face and stared straight-faced at Claudio.

    ¡°Guild Master, if you are asking if this is a real weapon, then the answer is ¡®Yes¡¯. This is not just some decorative showpiece; it is a real weapon.¡±

    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    Several people began murmuring, but they all quieted down when Claudio raised his hand. ¡°How certain are you? This weapon is like nothing I had ever seen.¡±

    ¡°Neither have I,¡± Master Duncan said with a wry smile. ¡°But it is most definitely a sword.¡±

    ¡°How do we use it then? How do we fight with it?¡± Claudio asked, and Master Duncan¡¯s eye lit up.

    The [Swordmaster] did not answer, instead he simply twirled the sword. Pos watched as the sword made a figure of eight arc. The movement wasn¡¯t all that unusual, most people could do it with the right weapon, but the arc the master made was fast. So fast that Pos could barely see it. Master Duncan then began¡­to dance.

    The [Swordmaster] moved forward, backward, and sideways with smooth footwork, swinging, thrusting and parrying as if he was fighting an imaginary opponent. It was all fake, a practice exercise, but the way Master Duncan moved drew Pos in. The dwarf could easily see himself fighting someone using the same style as the [Swordmaster], and the dwarf did not like his chances. The [Swordmaster] was that fast.

    The end came quickly. In one smooth movement, the [Swordmaster] bent low to duck beneath an imaginary swing, dropping to almost to one knee. Sidestepping his opponent, the [Swordmaster] almost glided past his imaginary opponent, giving his imaginary opponent a fatal slash to the body as he passed. The move was so smooth and fast, Pos would have missed it if he had blinked.

    Master Duncan MacGregor, the [Swordmaster], then slowly stood. Holding the sword at his side, he took a steady breath, and it was clear that the demonstration was over. Pos felt he should clap and cheer but held himself in check when he saw that no one was clapping. Master Duncan began to explain how to use the sword.

    ¡°This sword was built for speed and agility, so the style best suited for it would be one based on speed and precision. The sword is lighter than the swords we usually use, and it has a thinner blade, so it was not advisable to use the sword to block attacks. Instead, anyone using this sword would need to use speed and footwork to evade and then attack with precise quick strikes. Of course, I only had this sword for an hour, so there may be other ways to use it. If anyone discovered a better or alternate method, please contact me. Personally, I would like to know more.¡±

    Master Duncan finished his explanation with that caveat, but Pos did not hold out much hope. Master Duncan holds the [Swordmaster] class, which meant he was a master of the sword. All kinds of swords! If a [Swordmaster] says this new weapon was based around speed, then that¡¯s the way it was. Nothing short of a revelation from the Gods was going to change that. At the end of his explanation, most of the adventurers began to cheer, and Pos half-heartedly followed.

    After the demonstration, most of the adventurers stayed to discuss the sword, but Pos headed out the door. He had no wish or desire to discuss the new weapon because the information gained from the [Swordmaster] was bad news for him. Dwarves were short and stocky, and as a species they valued strength over speed, power over precision. Like most adventurers, Pos was proud of his strength of arms, but this strange sword from the dungeon was unsuitable for him. He hoped the next weapon the dungeon gives would be a more suitable weapon for him.

    A few adventurers followed Pos out the door, and the dwarf directed his thoughts to the dungeon. It had been about a week since the mass delve, and the Tomb of Ten Thousand Techniques had been living up to its reputation as a strange dungeon. Not only had it gifted them the strange sword, but there was also a strange book as well.

    [Storyteller]: Come Into My World.

    When the adventuring party known as The Forevers came back with the treasure, it caused quite a stir. Dungeons had given books as treasures before, that was the reason adventurers gifted books to them as offering, but the Adventurer Guild was certain no one had offered such a book to the dungeon.

    They were certain because there was no record of such a book.

    Books detailing the ins-and-outs of a Class were not unheard of, and they were important. So important that all of them were recorded. Librarians, historians, and scholars had records of every such book in existence, but not one of them had even heard of a book about the [Storyteller] class.

    Pos was not surprised.

    Pos had never heard of the class, and according to the Adventurer Guild, the class was rare. Gifted by the Matron of Warmth, Gressian, the class was considered useless by most, but that might change with the book.

 Part 37- Come Into My World

    [Storyteller]: Come Into My World detailed the Skills the class would grant, and it was clear to everyone who read the book that it was a truly terrifying Class at the higher levels. At the lower levels, the [Storyteller] wasn¡¯t that good. A [Storyteller] could tell stories to lift the spirits of people, even improve the mood and emotions of a Classed, but other classes also provide such benefits.

    However, the [Storyteller] class truly showed its potential at the higher levels. At around level 30, a [Storyteller] gained a Skill that allowed him to confuse a massive number of enemies. At level 50, there was a Skill that could trap enemies in a story world that they could never escape from.

    No [Storyteller] had reached such levels with the class before, so no one knew these Skills existed. At least, till the dungeon created the book. And it was clear the book was created by the dungeon. In theory, dungeons could only recreate books they had absorbed before, but that was clearly not the case here. No one knew these Skills existed, so no one could have written a book about them.

    [Storyteller]: Come Into My World was a book that should not have existed, so how the dungeon managed to create the book was something that had caused a lot of debate. Some had spectacled that the dungeon core wrote the book itself, while the more religious-minded says that the goddess, Gressian, gifted the book to the dungeon core.

    Both suggestions were terrifying.

    Worse than the knowledge provided by the book was the political war it had ignited. The scholars who wrote, updated and published the Books of Levels had demanded that the Adventurer Guild hand the book over to them for research and safekeeping. The Adventurer Guild¡¯s offer of giving the scholars a copy had been rejected as they wanted the original. Several kingdoms had sent messengers to Viaggia to enquire on the authenticity of the book, and more than one had indicated that they would be willing to bid high if the Adventurer Guild put the book up for auction.

    Putting the book up for auction might be for the best, but no one knows how the Goddess would react to it. The Matron of Warmth might not be known as a vengeful god, but who want to run the risk of offending a Goddess. Several small cults had popped up claiming to worship Gressian and they demanded the book, stating it as part of their Holy Text. Pos didn¡¯t know the human Goddess of the Hearth even had worshippers! He was just glad he did not have to go through that pile of goat shit. That was Claudio¡¯s job.

    Pos did not envy the Guild Master. Outside the strange sword and book, the Guild Master must also deal with the dungeon. One of the reasons for a mass delve was the thinking that a big group of new adventurers would be able to gather more information on the dungeon than a small party of high-level adventurers. That turned out to be true for the Tomb of Ten Thousand Techniques.

    The Adventurer Guild now knew what would happen when one member of a party completed one of the jig-saw puzzles in the Lake Room, and that no monsters would appear if every member of a party completes their puzzles. That party, a brother and sister duo, even managed to gain a strange treasure out of it. A blue dress with long sleeves with embroidered flowers and swimming fishes. At least, it looked like a dress. No one had seen the designs of such dresses before.

    With all the information gained, the Adventurer Guild believed that the Lake Room had been fully explored and Pos heard they would now concentrate on the other two rooms on the second floor. One of the two remaining rooms was now considered a death room, and the other was close behind.

    Stolen novel; please report.

    Despite Claudio¡¯s warning, several parties had attempted the two rooms. That was to be expected, but of all the adventurers that ran the rooms, only one managed to survive. That adventurer was a minor noble, a [Mage] who had some sort of Recall Spell that allowed him to escape the room. Traumatized, he was jabbering about how his party was swiped out by a black-and-white Bear Boss which could both fight and cast magic. From the information gained, the room was now known as the Bamboo Forest Room and that was the good news.

    Two parties entered the Bamboo Forest Room, nine adventurers in total, and there was one survivor. Seventeen adventurers entered the last remaining room, and no one came out. That was the death room, and the Guild intend to send Bazel and his group into the room to explore it. Pos wished the [Dragoon] the best of luck.

    ¡°Out of the way! Knights coming through!¡±

    Pos quickly rushed to the side along with everyone on the street as a bunch of horsemen came riding down the street. Several people silently glared at the passing horsemen, and Pos noticed that the horsemen were riding in the direction of the Adventurer Guild. The horsemen were either the latest adventurers in town, or representatives of some local power.

    As everyone went back to what they were going, the dwarf noticed all the hustling, bustling people filling the road. Before the discovery of the dungeon, Viaggia was a quiet sleepy town. Now, men and women of all sizes and species were walking the streets in all sorts of fantastical armor and weapons. All this, and it has been less than a month since he went into the Adventurer Guild to announce the discovery of the dungeon. Not for first time, Pos wondered how the town would look in a year or two?

    Pos reached the inn where he regularly stayed when passing through Viaggia. The squat stone building was only two story high, with rooms for rent on the second floor. Pos entered the spacious front room that served as the dining area of the inn, and one could tell that the innkeeper took great care of the inn by how clean and well-run it was.

    Despite being the middle of the day, there were already a few customers in the inn, but Pos ignored them and turned to head up the stairs to his room. The bedrooms at the Blooming Jug weren¡¯t furnished with any particular luxury, but they had comfortable beds, clean sheets, and a rough wooden chest for his belongings.

    An adventurer needs nothing else, but Pos wondered if he should get a more permanent place. As a caravan guard, it did not make sense for him to purchase a house when he drifted all over the place, but with the dungeon and his new Skill, Pos may be staying in Viaggia for some time.

    ¡°Pos!¡±

    Pos turned at the sound of his name and saw the innkeeper walking towards him from the bar. Pos was surprised as he seldom spoke to the human, theirs was a purely financial relationship.

    ¡°Innkeeper Sandro.¡± Pos greeted, noticing that the innkeeper looked a little nervous.

    ¡°Pos, glad you¡¯re back. There¡¯s a dwarf looking for you. He¡¯s quite insistent.¡± The innkeeper said as he quietly pointed at a corner of the inn.

    Pos looked over, and his brow raised at the sight of the waiting dwarf. The dwarf was wearing a light red shirt, black leather jacket and pants, and boots of silver. His hair was well-combed, and he had a handlebar mustache with a long beard. Pos did not recognize the dwarf, but he did not need to. Everything about the dwarf screamed that he came from home. Worse, Pos could not pretend he did not see the dwarf. The dwarf was looking straight at Pos.

    With a mental sigh, Pos walked toward the dwarf. ¡°By the Stones and the Earth, I greet you. I hear you were looking for me, but I don¡¯t think we had met.¡±

    Pos gave the dwarf a nod of acknowledgement which was returned. Then, the dwarf got down to business. ¡°By the Stones and the Earth, I greet a brave [Warrior] of the Dwarves, Pos Opalhand. I am Maglor Stonekeeper, here on behalf of King Maglor Goldenaxe.¡± Pos fought hard to keep his face neutral when he heard the name of the hated double-crossing [King]. Maglor Stonekeeper either did not notice, or he choose to ignore Pos¡¯ struggle. ¡°By the order of the [King] of all Who Dwell Beneath the Earth, tell me everything you know about this new dungeon.¡±

 Part 38- Epilogue (of Book 1)

    Life as a dungeon core took some getting used to.

    As a dungeon core, Xu Han could control his dungeon in different ways. For example, if he concentrated on an item, he could examine it. Xu Han could learn what it was, what it was made of and whether it was magical. In addition, Xu Han could also create new things. This includes walls, doors, furniture and creatures. Jemma insisted that the creatures should be called monsters, but there was no way Xu Han was going to call creatures he created that. Xu Han could also modify and remove things that he had created, and even manipulated the creatures in his dungeon. He was thinking of doing that right now. His dungeon fairy disagreed.

    ¡°Jemma, I have to change the creatures.¡±

    ¡°No, you do not.¡± The dungeon fairy pouted.

    ¡°Yes, I do. You heard what the adventurers said. They are too easy.¡±

    ¡°Core, that¡¯s not a bad thing. They are monsters on the second floor of a dungeon. They are supposed to be easy!¡±

    ¡°Not that easy.¡± Xu Han grumbled.

    The creatures in question were the creatures Xu Han had created for the Lake Room. They were supposed to appear and give the adventurers a challenge when one of them solved his jig-saw puzzles.

    Xu Han wasn¡¯t sure about the name the adventurers gave to his puzzles, but he wasn¡¯t about to quip on it. The adventurers could call the puzzles what they wanted, which was why he also had no objection to them calling one of his rooms the Lake Room, but what the dungeon core could not stand was how easily the adventurers managed to dispatch his new creations. They weren¡¯t supposed to be as difficult as the Boss Squid he created, but it was obvious to the new dungeon core that he had made them too easy to beat.

    The creatures in the Lake Room were based on a monster found in the Crimson Lands, and while Xu Han was unable to imitate them perfectly, he thought he did a good enough job of it. So, it offended Xu Han when the adventurers went through his creatures like they did not exist. One adventurer even said that the new creatures were just a token effort on the dungeon core¡¯s part to bring variety to his dungeon.

    That was just insulting, and Xu Han had marked that adventurer for death. Unfortunately, his desire to modify and improve the creatures had been met with resistance.

    ¡°Core, there is no reason for you to waste your divine power to modify monsters on the second floor. It¡¯s not worth it.¡± Jemma tried to reason with her dungeon. ¡°The adventurers would barely notice; they are more interested in reaching the next floor of your dungeon.¡±

    ¡°Says you,¡± Xu Han grumbled. ¡°Only one group of adventurers even attempted the third floor.¡±

    ¡°And they died there. Like all the adventurers who tried the other two rooms on the second floor. That¡¯s what you should be concentrating on. Your floors might be too difficult, you could modify the rooms to make them easier.¡±

    ¡°Not everyone died. One of the adventurers escaped.¡± Xu Han said before adding, ¡°Still can¡¯t believe the Panda let him escape.¡±

    ¡°In the names of all the Gods, why do you call it a Panda instead of a bear?¡± Jemma put up a hand to stop Xu Han from answering. ¡°Don¡¯t answer that. It was a rhetorical question.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s a rhetorical question?¡± Xu Han asked in confusion.

    ¡°It¡¯s a question that¡¯s not meant to be answered. A question more to stimulate discussion and provide information.¡± Jemma explained. ¡°Surely, you have that in your previous world.¡±

    ¡°We do,¡± Xu Han admitted. ¡°But why ask a question you don¡¯t want an answer to?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Now, it was the dungeon fairy¡¯s turn to be confused.

    ¡°When a cultivator asked a question, we seek an answer to it. Like when a cultivator once asked, ¡®How high can I fly?¡¯ He flew up till the air thinned and the temperature dropped so much that it froze him. Then, he came down and after months of experiments, study, and practice, he went back up. He got higher and higher over the years, till one day he saw the void beyond the sky, the darkness where the Gods and Great Demons roam, and the red sphere we lived on. That was why my former homeland was called the Crimson Lands, and how the Dao of the Void came into existence.¡±

    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    Jemma looked at Xu Han blankly for a moment, before shaking her head and murmuring. ¡°I just told him it¡¯s a rhetorical question, and he gave me a history lesson.¡±

    ¡°I am but a humble scholar who wishes to spread knowledge.¡± The dungeon core said smugly.

    ¡°You are kind of bloodthirsty for someone who keeps saying that.¡± Jemma scoffed.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You heard me. If you are all about spreading knowledge and teaching people stuff, then why are you so fixated about some adventurers who escaped you? In case you don¡¯t remember, the dead don¡¯t learn.¡± Jemma stopped for a moment, before pulling back a bit. ¡°Unless you have an undead class or worship one of the Gods of Death, but that¡¯s another matter. Anyway, why are you so fixated about killing everyone who enters your dungeon? Even newly born dungeon cores aren¡¯t like this.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re not?¡± Xu Han asked in surprise.

    ¡°No, they are usually glad when adventurers are no longer in their dungeon. Whether the adventurers are killed or not is a secondary concern to most dungeon cores. As long as the adventurers are gone, that¡¯s good enough.¡±

    Xu Han couldn¡¯t help but to agree with Jemma. That sounded very different from how it was to him. Every time Xu Han saw an adventurer escape one of his traps or Boss creatures, he would feel a deep sense of frustration. He thought this was normal for dungeon cores, that it was part of his instinct, but it seems that he was mistaken. Xu Han could easily guess why.

    It was him.

    Xu Han was a former cultivator, a Soul Emperor who had lived for ten thousand years. When you lived that long, and reached that level of cultivation, you gained a certain amount of pride. Pride that often went into the realm of arrogance. Xu Han sighed. It looked that being a failure of a scholar did not totally destroy that arrogance.

    ¡°You are right, Jemma. I am sorry. I shall strive to do better in the future.¡±

    ¡°Do or do not. There is no try. Or strive in your case, but the meaning is the same.¡± Jemma replied with a chuckle.

    ¡°Do or do what? Is that some saying in this world?¡± Xu Han asked.

    ¡°Yes, it is. Well, it was originally a saying on another world, but a reincarnator introduced it and it has since caught on.¡±

    ¡°Interesting,¡± Xu Han said. ¡°This means I am not the first to bring knowledge from other worlds to-¡±

    Xu Han immediately stopped talking as a portal appeared. This had happened once before when a Goddess visited. Xu Han had changed the location of his core since then, but the portal appeared at his new location without any problem. Xu Han was not surprised. Even if he wanted to, he never believed he could hide from a god. Xu Han believed he knew who was coming.

    The dungeon core was wrong.

    Instead of Gressian, a strange man walked out of the portal. He was a tall stout man with a shaven head and wispy beard. He was also wearing a strange ensemble; a green jacket over a white shirt with a collar that had a small piece of black cloth tied in an elaborate bow. The strange man¡¯s pants were black and made of a strange material. The strange man raised his hands in a soothing gesture, but Xu Han immediately noticed the power behind the gesture. It was as if time had stopped, that time had slowed.

    This was no man.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. No need to panic. Sorry to frighten you, but I heard whispers of a strange dungeon core and thought to check ypu out.¡±

    The man was smiling kindly, but Xu Han was not fooled. He knew the strange being could strike him down with a flick of a finger. Xu Han was not the only one who noticed.

    ¡°A God.¡±

    Xu Han heard Jemma¡¯s awed whisper that confirmed he was facing a God. He had met Gods before, and knew it was always safer and smarter to be humble in their presence.

    ¡°Great God, I humbly welcome you to my dungeon.¡±

    The god tilted its head at the greeting, and for a moment Xu Han feared that he had caused offence in some way. Then, the god replied with a chuckle.

    ¡°You can breathe easy. Wait, do dungeon cores breathe? Never mind, I am not here to kill you. It would be bad form for me to kill the first being I meet on my first trip on a new world.¡±

    Xu Han¡¯s mind tried to take in as much information as he could from the words of the god. His dungeon fairy recovered faster than he did.

    ¡°First trip? You are a new god?¡±

    ¡°Oh no, I have been around for some time now. I just never came to this world before. I have no presence here,¡± the strange god raised an eyebrow as if he was listening to his own words. ¡°Well, I guess you¡¯re right. To you and the people of this world, I am a new god.¡±

    The god laughed. A deep, powerful laugh that shook the soul of Xu Han. Despite being a dungeon core, Xu Han felt a shiver of fear going through him. He wondered just how powerful this God truly was.

    Xu Han knew the god was telling the truth. The god had no reason to lie. When he finally finished laughing, the god asked a simple question.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know who, or what I am, do you?¡±

    ¡°I must admit my ignorance, Great One.¡± Xu Han humbly admitted.

    ¡°I am known by many names in the many worlds of this universe. You may call me Carda. I am a God of Luck, the Lord of Cards, the Cat of Chance.¡±

    A deck of cards suddenly appeared in the god¡¯s hands, and he began shuffling them. This lasted for several moments before Xu Han realized the god wanted him to ask a question.

    ¡°Great Carda, why are you here?¡±

    ¡°Well, I was hoping to set up a little cult on this world, and make my presence known here. I heard you have your own plans as well.¡± Carda released the cards in his hand, and they began floating in the air. ¡°Pick a card, any card. Let me share a little of my knowledge and maybe, we can help each other?¡±

    End of Book 1

 Book 2- Prologue

    Alessandro was ripped out of his sleep by the pounding pain in his head. His eyes opened in shock, his head still throbbing like someone was playing the drums on his skull, and he could feel bile coming up his throat.

    Alessandro quickly noticed that he was laying down. He sat up, turned to his side, and after croaking with displeasure, managed to cough up the bile. The young noble vomited it out onto the floor and noticed that the bile was as green as the leaves on a tree.

    It was as if he was coughing out poison.

    Alarmed, Alessandro took several deep breaths and tried to dry heave a couple more times. He failed. After realizing he could not coughed out anything more, he finally stopped. He laid back on the ground, and closed his eyes.

    After a short while, he opened them again. He saw the unfamiliar ceiling and realized the predicament he was in. He was a prisoner in the Tomb of Ten Thousand Techniques.

    The dungeon core, the being who runs the dungeon had spared him. Alessandro did not know why, but he knew it was not anything good. It was not unheard of. Some dungeons did keep prisoners, imprisoning them deep within the depths of their dungeon.

    The reasons for this were myriad.

    Some dungeons keep prisoners as bait. The prisoners were prizes for adventurers to rescue, and adventurers need to go through a floor before defeating the Boss to rescue the prisoners. Dungeons with such floors were in good demand as this type of floors were one of the best ways to get the [Heroic Knight] class.

    Alessandro did not believe the Tomb of Ten Thousand Techniques was such a dungeon.

    The theme of this dungeon was based around puzzles and traps, not fighting through horde of monsters for a heroic rescue. It would not fit, but Alessandro hoped he was wrong. This was because the other reasons for dungeons to keep prisoners were worse. For example; experimentation.

    Some dungeon cores liked to experiment with living beings and they would changed their prisoners in various shocking ways. Most of the prisoners kept in these dungeons die, and they were considered the lucky ones. Every adventurer had heard the horror stories.

    Humans with extra arms or heads grafted onto their bodies, prisoners found with their limbs replaced with animal parts, or beings changed in such ways that they may as well be considered a new species.

    Indeed, that did happen and every species had at least one. The elves had the Drow, more commonly known as the Dark Elves. The dwarves have the Gnome and the Halfings. Humans had the Minotaurs, the Orcs, and several others. Alessandro hoped this was not his fate. It was far better to just die like the others in his party.

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Alessandro looked around. He had been placed in a small room, the walls were solid rock, and the room was completely bare. The room had a door, which was probably the way he came in. An iron ring had been set into the door and Alessandro forced himself to the door. He grabbed the ring and pulled. The door did not budge. It was locked shut.

    Of course! What did I expect?

    A mad chuckle escaped his lips as Alessandro sat back down on the floor, leaning against the door, his head bowed in defeat. His weapons and armor had been taken from him, but that was no surprise. Even dungeon cores would not allow prisoners to keep weapons. Alessandro was surprised he was even wearing a simple peasant''s outfit; a plain brown tunic, and leather sandals. Some prisoners had found naked as the day they were born. Alessandro sighed.

    ¡°So this is where it ends.¡±

    ¡°Maybe not.¡±

    Alessandro sprung to his feet, looking around the room he was in. There was nothing.

    ¡°Hello! Is anyone there?¡± Alessandro shouted, afraid he had imagined the voice that answered him. Moments passed before the voice answered again.

    ¡°I am here human.¡±

    ¡°Who are you?¡± Alessandro asked. ¡°Why have you captured me?¡±

    ¡°You are in my dungeon human, you are in me.¡± The voice answered and Alessandro realized he was speaking to the dungeon core. However, that only answered part of his question.

    ¡°Why have you captured me? Why am I alive?¡±

    His voice was weak and Alessandro know he sounded tired, but he needed to know.

    ¡°I wish to offer you a contract.¡±

    Alessandro¡¯s eyes widened. A contract was another reason why dungeon cores sometimes kept prisoners. The dungeon cores would offer their prisoners a choice of death, or life as a dungeon monster. Basically, it was an offer of power and life in return for eternal servitude. It wasn¡¯t considered a bad deal by some people, and Alessandro had heard stories of how some people who were dying of age or disease entering dungeons seeking such contracts. However, these contracts were rare, only offered to people who had impressed the dungeon cores in some ways. Alessandro could not think of a reason why he was offered one.

    ¡°Why? Why me?¡± Alessandro asked.

    ¡°I am in need of a sentient to pass on a message, and you are the only one available to me at the moment.¡±

    ¡°So, I am being offered immorality because I just happened to be the only adventurer you haven¡¯t killed yet?¡±

    The dungeon core¡¯s word stung Alessandro¡¯s pride, and he replied without really thinking his words through, but the adventurer did not regret the words he spoke. Every adventurer who entered a dungeon need to be ready to die, and he was willing.

    His reply seems to have caught the dungeon core out as there was a long pause before it replied. ¡°My apology, my dungeon fairy just informed me that I may have given you the wrong impression. The contract is not from me. If you agree, you shall need to stay in the dungeon for some time, but you will not be mine. You will not be a dungeon creature.¡±

    Alessandro heard the words from the dungeon core, but had a hard time understanding them. ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s not from you? Who else could it be from?¡±

    ¡°I can only tell you after you agreed to the contract.¡± The dungeon core said in bemusement, before adding a question. ¡°Oh, I do need to know one thing from you before you decide.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Do you gamble?¡±

 V2Part 1- Discoverer

    He woke up tired and stood in front of a mirror, seeing a short stocky dwarf staring back at him with eye bags below bleary, red eyes. The dwarf had a toothbrush in his mouth, and Pos remembered he was in the midst of brushing his teeth.

    He gargled some water and spat out of the window. Anyone stupid enough to walk below the windows of an inn in the early morning deserved to be spat on. Pos stood up straight, stretched his body and groaned as it protested. Pos ignored the pain; he was used to it and did a couple more stretches. It was just another morning in the life of an adventurer.

    That¡¯s what the stories do not tell you. They tell you of the fame, glory and fortune an adventurer could gain delving into a dungeon, but they did not tell of the pain and death that came along with adventurer. They did not tell you that even if you were a prodigy that could kill anything that the dungeon core could conjure up, you would still lose friends and see that death of other adventurers who went down with you.

    Being an adventurer was a hard life.

    Pos always thought he was a good one. He knew he was not the best and did not have the talent to be the best, but he thought he was more than passable. He was good with an axe, trained hard, and had a good head on his shoulders. That was why he had no hesitation in leaving the tunnels and come up to the land above. It was a clean beginning. No ties, no bad memories, and no bad kings. He could leave his troubles behind, disappear and have a new life. It was a new opportunity, and Pos knew he would make a good adventurer.

    Now, he wondered if he had been too good.

    Pos sighed, knowing he was just trying to delay the inevitable. He looked at the face in the mirror and saw him smiled. The dwarf in the mirror gently combed his hair, before doing the same for his beard. No respectable dwarf wants his beard to look like an overgrown hedge and a dwarf needed to make sure his beard looked good, especially when he would be seeing someone he hated. Once he was satisfied, Pos tied the end of his beard in a braid.

    The dwarf in the mirror smiled and walked out of his room with a fresh determination welling in his chest. If there were any doubts in his mind, or pain in his body, no one would be able to see it.

    Pos walked down the stairs to the first floor of the Blooming Jug and the air changed. The smell of breakfast assaulted Pos and an eruption of laughter surprised him as Pos took his first steps down the stairs. It was as if the laughter was timed to him walking down, but Pos immediately saw that it was not. A group of adventurers were laughing and joking about their latest run in the local dungeon. As one of the better cheap inns in the town of Viaggia, a lot of adventurers stayed at the Blooming Jug and Innkeeper Sandro, owner of the inn, had seen his fortunes boosted due to the discovery of the Tomb of Ten Thousand Techniques. There were no empty seats, nor was any table free of plates or mugs. Unfortunately, Innkeeper Sandro was not the only one whom life had changed due to the dungeon.

    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°Discoverer!¡±

    One of the adventurers saw Pos walking down the stairs and jumped up while pointing at the dwarf. Pos successfully killed the groan in his throat as the cheer was immediately picked up by the rest of the adventurers. Some were pounding on the tables and others started laughing while cheering at the top of their voices. As the one who discovered the dungeon, Pos was a local celebrity and gained an epithet for the trouble. Pos wished to know who came up with the epithet, his death will be neither quick nor painless.

    Once again, Pos killed his instinct of murdering all the cheering fools and ignored them. The motley crew of adventurers were not deterred by the grumpy dwarf and went back to their meals. The cheer died and the sounds of numerous cheerful voices soon filled the air once again as Pos headed towards his usual table. Maglor Stonekeeper, agent of King Maglor Goldenaxe, was already there waiting for him.

    However, today was a little different. There was another dwarf beside him, someone Pos knew. Bran Steelmaker of The Forevers was a Level 19 [Shield Warrior] and one of the most respected adventurers in Viaggia. However, Pos knew him mainly because Bran was a Greybeard, a dwarf so old he had grey in his hair. In dwarven society, that meant Pos had no choice but to listen to him. He could not ignore Maglor like usual. A dwarf could not ignore a dwarf with grey in his beard and still call himself a dwarf.

    Pos was surprised to see the old adventurer here but kept his face neutral. He sat down opposite the two dwarfs and ordered a hearty breakfast when the barmaid came along. There was no such thing as a light breakfast for a dwarf, which was why innkeepers loved dwarven customers.

    ¡°Warrior Pos, I believed you know Greybeard Bran Steelmaker?¡± Maglor said, trying to ease into a start in the conversation as Pos waited for his breakfast to arrive.

    ¡°We¡¯ve met. Surprised to see you here, Bran?¡± Pos said.

    ¡°Well, when the agent of the king asked something from you, a dwarf has no choice but to listen.¡± Bran replied as he dug into his own breakfast.

    Pos scoffed. ¡°Thought we all left that life behind the moment we came up to the world above.¡±

    ¡°That we did,¡± Bran said. ¡°But we are dwarves. Unlike those humans and elves, we only have one kingdom, only have one [King]. Despite any grievances we have, dwarves need to listen to our [King].¡±

    ¡°So, you are a King¡¯s Dwarf,¡± Pos leaned back into his seat as he realized the Greybeard was a patriot. ¡°Good to know. Doesn¡¯t change a thing for me though. Why are you here?¡±

    ¡°The food. Free food at that.¡± Bran chuckled as he raised his plate slightly before pointing at the third dwarf at the table. ¡°He¡¯s paying.¡±

    Maglor had been keeping silent, but his frown was visible. ¡°You really should show more respect to your betters, Warrior Pos.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t see my betters here, and the day an innkeeper is my better is the day we all die.¡± Pos could not help but laugh.

    ¡°I heard that dwarf!¡± Innkeeper Sandro shouted from the bar.

    ¡°You¡¯re supposed to!¡± Pos shouted back.

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant, and you know it.¡± Maglor growled, which did nothing but encourage Pos.

    ¡°I know, but I meant what I said. I don¡¯t see any of my betters here.¡± Pos laughed. ¡°And if I did, I can assure you that an agent of the king is not one of them.¡±

    Bran laughed along with Pos before passing a piece of paper to him. ¡°Take a look at this. The Adventurer Guild just issued it.¡±

 V2Part 2- A Quest

    Name of Dungeon: Tomb of Ten Thousand Techniques

    Kingdom: The Bright Kingdom

    Location: Province of Tomo, half a day walk from the Town of Viaggia

    Number of Floors: 3

    Threat Level: High

    Type: Trick Dungeon

    <u>Second Floor Description- Bamboo Forest Room</u>

    The second floor consist of three rooms, which are all considered to be dangerous and deadly. You will first appear in a big cavern with three openings along one side of the walls. Each opening has a number above it. The opening with the number ''4'' above it is called the ''Bamboo Forest Room''.

    If you choose to go through this opening, you will enter a long tunnel. No traps or monsters had been reported in the tunnel, but caution is advised. After some time, the tunnel will open to another cavern. A big one with a bamboo forest inside. There is a path you will need to walk along. It is unknown at this time what will happen if you do not follow the path, but danger is almost a certainty.

    After a distance, the path will spilt into two. There will be two wooden signs, ''Toward the river'' and ''Toward the camp'', showing where they lead to.

    At this time, what will happen if you choose ''Toward the river'' is unknown.

    At this time, it is unknown if more than four adventurers can step on each path.

    The path ''Toward the camp'' will lead you to a big clearing. A table and four wooden chairs will be in the centre of it. Once all adventurers had taken a seat, the jig-saw puzzle will appear.

    A box will appear above the table and dropped onto the table. Smoke from the box will rise and form an image. At this time, it is unknown if the image changes, but that is considered to be highly likely. A countdown will appear, and adventurers need to complete a puzzle.

    One puzzle, two hours, three thousand pieces.

    The Boss of the room will appear if you fail.

    There are two locations where adventurers may choose to meet the Boss. In the clearing or walked along a second path that would lead to the end of the room where they will find a stone door.

    The Boss is a bear that walks on two legs. It is around two meters tall with black and white fur and green eyes. It has a big stomach, and wear clothes. A pair of pants with a conical straw hat in it''s head.

    At this time, it is unknown if the fight will be different if adventurers stay in the clearing.

    At this time, it is unknown when the dungeon core made the Boss this way.

    <u>Rewards will be given for:</u>

    - Information on the path- ''Toward the river''. (High reward)

    - Information on Boss fight if adventurers stay in the clearing. (Low reward)

    - Information on puzzle faced and what happen if puzzle is completed. (Low reward)

    - Information on what happens if adventurers stray from the forest path. (High reward)

    - Information on if more than four adventurers can step on a path. (Low reward)

    - Additional rewards to be given for unknown information about the room. (Varied)

    His food arrived, and Pos took the chance to look up at the two dwarvens before him. He waited for the barmaid to leave before handling the piece of paper back to Bran.

    "This is the official Adventurer Guild report on the Bamboo Forest Room?"

    "Yea, cost some gold too. Don''t look at me, it''s not my money." Bran said, indicating that Maglor was the one who paid for the information.

    Pos looked at the royal agent, wondering what this was about. Usually, the agent would meet with him in the morning and try to convince him to work for the king again, and Pos would reject the agent. Buying the official report from the Adventurer Guild was different. It looked like the agent has decided to change tactics. Pos sighed.

    "What is this about?"

    "A quest." Maglor replied. "A quest that cannot be undertaken on your own. I shall be putting a team together, all dwarves, and will pay you to be the first to complete the room."

    "Good luck with that." Pos scoffed. "Every adventurer knows only one person survived that room thus far. You are not going to find many takers for that."

    "Which is why I am willing to pay double the going rate for adventurers willing to be in the party. If you agree to be in it, I shall pay you triple. You know I am good for the gold." Maglor answered with a smile.

    Stolen story; please report.

    Pos was a dwarf. He heard the word ''triple'', and almost agreed on the spot. However, his hatred for Maglor''s employer was enough to give him some self-control. That and the fact that something about this did not smell right. Maglor''s offer told Pos someone high up knows and approved the quest, but that made no sense as the dwarven king was a rock-eating spendthrift who would sell his own mother if it would save him some gold. Pos was willingly to bet that the dwarves who served the king were no better.

    "What''s in it for Your Majesty?" Pos asked, almost choking on the title.

    "We want the treasure given out by the dungeon for the first clear. The party can keep whatever else they find during the delve, but that treasure comes to me. The party is not allowed to show or pass the treasure to the Adventurer Guild or anyone else. The party must pass it straight to me. All members of the party must sign a magical contract on that."

    Pos had to raise a brow. Maglor obviously did not know how the last magical contract Pos signed with the king went. Still, Pos did not reject the offer out of hand.

    "That''s a lot of gold just for an unknown treasure." Pos said. "I know dungeons give out good treasure when you are the first to clear a floor, but I got a first clear on the first floor and all I got is a Skill that I can only use near the dungeon."

    "Don''t bother lad, I already told him that." Bran said while eating.

    "Not to mention someone already cleared the second floor." Pos ignored the Greybeard and continued. "Bran''s party, The Forevers, had already cleared the second floor."

    "The Forevers cleared a different room, and considering the treasure they received, we think it is a good bet that the treasure for the first clearance of a different room would be just as good." Maglor smiled and Pos immediately understood where he was coming from.

    The Forevers got a book for their first clearance. The [Storyteller] book had caused quite a stir as the class was relatively unknown, but the book showed just powerful the class could be. Last Pos heard, the book was going up for auction, and Bran and his party were going to get very rich from it.

    Pos instantly disliked the agent''s thinking, but he had to admit it made a certain amount of sense. Bran''s party were the first to clear the Lake Room, so the first party to clear the Bamboo Forest Room should get a treasure similar in value or power to what The Forevers received. Maglor was even offering him a good deal.

    Pos was looking for an adventurer party to challenge the second floor with, and Maglor was now offering Pos a ready-made party and gold on top of it. Pos would be foolish to ignore the offer, which made him question it. Any offer that looked too good usually was too good to be true.

    "Why me?" he asked. "There''s not a lot of dwarven adventurers in Viaggia, but if you are offering double, there should not be a shortage of applicants. Why come to me?"

    "Why not? You were the first to discover the dungeon, the first to clear a floor, and survived it twice! Pos, you have a name now. You are a dwarf who is somebody." Maglor laughed. "Now, you are right. I can put a party together without you, you are not a necessity but having you on the party will make recruiting easier. So, why not? Now, do you agree, or do I need to go somewhere else?"

    That made sense, but it did not answer all of Pos'' questions. He looked at Bran. "Why are you here then?"

    "He came to me first, but I told him I already got a party. He''s not willing to offer the deal to elves and humans, think they''re not trustworthy, so I told him to look for you first. Who do you think told him all of that? Do you think an agent of the king managed to think of all that on his own?"

    Bran laughed, and Maglor looked a little embarrassed. However, being embarrassed by Greybears was almost a dwarven tradition so neither Pos nor Maglor thought much of it.

    "What is your answer?" Once the Greybeard''s laughter died, the agent asked.

    There was one thing Pos could say.

    "Where do I sign?"

 V2Part 3- [Carder]

    His body was a strange combination of his former body, and something new. He retained much of the structure and musculature of his old form, he stood on two legs and had two arms, but his body is now covered with fine luxurious yellow-gold fur.

    His face had changed beyond recognition. He now has a glorious brown mane which surrounds his face, a face that now sports a pair of shining yellow eyes, a flat black nose, and whiskers on both cheeks. His whiskers were a constant sensation on his face, giving him information on his environment, but he felt a little uncomfortable about them. The whiskers were new and would take some getting used to.

    He opened his mouth. His jaw looked strong and the sharp teeth within looked like they could rip out the throat of anyone who was stupid enough to be caught in them. His ears were hidden within his mane, but he had no problem hearing. In fact, his sight and hearing were sharper than ever, and he felt stronger as well.

    He raised a hand to his face and saw that it had changed along with every other part of his body. His hands were thicker with five fingers that ended in claws instead of fingernails. He carefully scratched his face with a claw and could feel the sharpness. His tail raised in response. He looked behind at the tail he now possessed. He did not tell it to rise, but the tail seemed to have a life of its own and it rises, and fall based on his mood.

    It was one part of his new body he could do without.

    Still, he knew that he should not complain. His new body was better than ever. He was stronger, faster, and more powerful than ever. He wasn¡¯t even naked but had been outfitted in a simple robe and pants. The clothes are a bit loose, but they still fit. His belt was just a simple length of rope, but it held up his pants well enough and his feet were wrapped in white cloth that left his toes bared. He believes that was deliberate because his toes now had claws, and having footwear would negate his natural weapons.

    He was happy.

    He does not remember who he was, but the dungeon core that changed him was kind enough to leave him some memory of what he used to look like. He was something called a human and he had some vague recollection of how he used to move and fight, but that was all he could remember. His name was gone. His Class had changed, and his goal¡­what was his goal?

    That was a good question.

    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    He knows that he was reborn with a purpose, and that it was something important, maybe even holy, but he did not know what it was. Strangely, he felt a sense of excitement about that. He did not know the reason he felt this way, it was just a feeling, nothing specific, but he was glad that he had a purpose.

    Having a purpose was good. He may not have a name or memories of who he was, but having a purpose was a good thing. It meant he had something to live for, something to strive for.

    He was currently in the corner of a room, standing in front of a dresser that had a mirror on top of it. He turned from the mirror and looked around. The room had stone walls and a door, but it was bare except for a wooden bed and this dresser. He turned back to look at the top of the dresser.

    There was a small roll of parchment, a deck of cards and a small vial of liquid on it. They were apparently placed there for him. He picked up the parchment, unrolled it and found out that he could read.

    Congratulations, Catkin, and welcome to the exciting life of a [Carder]!

    Granted by Carda, a God of Luck and the Lord of Cards, you are now the world¡¯s first [Carder]. Yes, this is a new Class so we are sure you have a lot of questions about it This scroll will help explain the Skills of your new class and serve as a rough guide on how use it.

    As a [Carder], you now have the ability to store spells and items on special cards and can activate the cards to cast the spells and use the items stored in them. This makes [Carder] a versatile class as a [Carder] can store a variety of spells from other classes and use them in combat. You will also have the ability to make more of these cards as you progress in levels. Yes, that means you could have hundreds of spells at your fingertips in time.

    For simplicity¡¯s sake, think of the cards like the spell scrolls used by the Classed but better because the cards are easier to use, faster to activate, and easier to carry. There is no need for a [Carder] to recite verses to use the cards, just poured mana into one and the cards will activate. Of course, there is a cost.

    The mana needed to store and use a spell is higher than what is required for a spell scroll, so it is important for a [Carder] to carefully choose which spells to use on their cards. Also, unlike scrolls which can be used by a variety of classes, the cards can only be used by a [Carder].

    So, know that this class is a double-edged sword. It can give you a spell for every situation, but with a higher cost in mana, you will be limited in the number of cards you can cast in combat. That is the life of a [Carder].

 V2Part 4- Carda, The Lord of Cards

    In honour of this great occasion, the great Carda has decided to grant you another boon. Carda is also known as the Cat of Chance and He has graciously decided to grant you a new body.

    Congratulations, you are now the world¡¯s first Catkin.

    A species unknown to this world, Catkin combined the best attributes of the human and feline body. You now have a stronger, faster, and more agile body with stronger senses. It is the Lord of Cards¡¯ hope that you will usher in a new era of change with your new body and Class. To further assist you in this endeavour, the Lord of Cards has also gifted you a Vial of Change.

    It will be lonely being the only one of your kind. The Lord of Card know this. If you meet another person that wish to change into a Catkin, merely force the person to drink the vial, and the person will be changed to become another Catkin.

    The forceful changes granted by the vial will cause great suffering to the body of the person, so take care that the person who was changed has plenty of rest afterwards. This may not be a painless process, but it is a great gift, so take care that the person you grant the vial to is worthy of the grace of a God.

    The reason for these gifts is simple.

    The Lord of Cards has no believers in this world, and your duty is to spread the name of The Lord to the people of the world. Spread his Name far and wide, so that all will know his Name. You can choose how to do this.

    Write a Holy Book and establish a church; establish a cult of Carda and spread knowledge of the god by doing good or evil deeds; choose a more concealed method to proselytize by spreading rumors and legends; Carda is a god that allows Freedom.

    Luck, Chance, and Freedom; those are the domains of Carda.

    His divine beasts are Cats.

    His divine instruments are Cards.

    That is Carda, a God of Luck, the Lord of Cards, the Cat of Chance.

    Spread the joys of his Name to the people of this world and together, you and your new people will enjoy the grace of a god. Carda is more than willing to grant you gifts for your service and will create new [Carders] and Catkins in reward for success. He is Generous. However, try your best not to clash with the orthodox Churches and religions of this world as conflict is not what Carda is about.

    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    If you need to contact the Lord of Cards, you may pray to Him.

    The ritual of prayer to the Lord of Cards is simple. Placed four cards in a rectangle, in the shape of a card, light a candle in the middle of the rectangle, and says his Honorific Name.

    ¡°The God of Luck who gambles with eternity.

    The Freedom of Misfortune and Despair.

    The Cat that always lands on its feet.

    Lord of Card and Chance.¡±

    If you do not have the items, you may request it from the dungeon core. The dungeon core has an agreement with Carda and will assist you on your quest to spread the name of the Lord of Cards. It will also recreate you should you fall in battle.

    In return, you are to assist the core in defending the dungeon. The dungeon shall be your practice ground as you grow comfortable with your new class.

    However, please note that the dungeon core is not a follower of Carda.

    This is not a divine dungeon, and the dungeon core has no obligation to accept any request you make. It may reject the requests if the core believes it is not in its interest to assist you, but do not worry. The dungeon core has received benefits from the Lord of Cards and understand that it cannot destroy you without suffering consequences. You are neither a servant or slave of the dungeon. The dungeon is also not a slave or servant of the Lord of Cards.

    That is not the way of Carda.

    So go forth and spread his word. The Lord of Cards expect great things from you and He hope you will enjoy your new life.

    He chuckled. So, he was now a Catkin, and a [Carder]. He picked up the deck of cards. The cards were blank, but he felt a connection to them. The cards were connected to his class and he instinctively knew what to do with them. He placed the deck back on the dresser and pick a single card from the top of the deck. He then picked up the vial and placed it near the card. He poured some of his mana in the card.

    [Absorb].

    He activated his skill, and the card in his hand lit up. A glow then surrounded the vial, before it disappeared. A wave of weakness hit him, and he had to put a hand on the dresser to steady himself. Instinctively, he knew the dizziness was due to him using too much of his mana. It was called Mana Withdrawal and happened when a Classed used up all the man in his body.

    Just using [Absorb] once had depleted almost all of his mana. It was not a Skill he could use often.

    After taking a few deep breaths, he got his wind back. He looked at the card, and there was now a picture on it. The words ¡®Vial of Change- Catkin¡¯ was written above the picture. He smiled. The mana cost of the skill was enormous, especially at his level, but it worked. He had stored the vial in the card and could call it out anytime he wished.

    [Absorb] was an interesting skill. It was like a storage skill that could be used for any things. He sensed another Skill within him; [Create].

    He wondered what this skill could do. He knew he needed to wait for his body¡¯s mana to refill, but he intends to test the skill the moment he was ready. As he picked up another card from the deck, a thought crossed his mind.

    He wondered what he should call himself.

 V2Part 5- Contact

    After watching the new creature tried out his new Skill, Xu Han felt a sense of relief. He had been unsure of the deal he made with Carda, and he was glad that it seems to be working out. Xu Han now regretted ever asking questions on how to contact the Gods; making deals with them was a stressful affair.

    In his sole interaction with the so-called Lords of Cards, Xu Han found the new god to be whimsical, and he was not certain that it was an act. As a former scholar, Xu Han was more than a little surprised that such a being could become a god, but Carda clearly was one. The god¡¯s power and presence were overwhelming, and Xu Han had no choice but to accommodate the higher being.

    That does not mean he liked it.

    Sighing silently, Xu Han turned his attention away from the new resident of his dungeon and found himself back in his body, a black floating gem floating about a meter above the ground. He remembered when the gem was a tiny thing, but it has grown as he built his dungeon. Now, it was the size of his fist.

    Well, the size of his fist back when he still had a human body.

    It was strange to remember. In his old life, Xu Han was a cultivator who was on the verge of breaking into Godhood. His failed ascension led to his death, and when he regained consciousness, he found that he had been reborn. Not as a human, an animal, or even a demon, but as a dungeon core.

    It was not exactly what Xu Han had expected. At the end of his previous life, Xu Han understood that he was a failure. He knew that his death was deserved, and had expected oblivion. A reincarnation as a magical creature who was semi-divine was more than he could hoped for.

    ¡°Congratulations on getting your first contracted creature!¡± a squeaky voice says from his side.

    Xu Han looked over and saw a tiny human-like figure with wings hovering above him. Jemma, Xu Han¡¯s dungeon fairy, was looking at him with a big smile. When Xu Han was reborn, Jemma was there waiting for him, and though he found the dungeon fairy to be a little nagging at times, Xu Han was glad for her presence. Dungeon cores were a strange, magical species, and it would have been a chore to figure out everything for himself.

    From what Jemma told him, he was not the first dungeon core to feel this way. Long ago, some matured dungeon cores understood that newborn dungeon cores were often overwhelmed by their powers and decided to do something about it. The dungeon cores decided to approach the fairies and offered them a deal. In return for protection, the weak fairies would guide new dungeon cores on how to use their powers and the various methods to grow their dungeons. In the view of Xu Han, this ancient pact between their two species was a marvellous thing and he gave his thanks to the dungeon core ancestors who thought it up.

    ¡°Thanks Jemma, but I have to admit to being a little surprised by how smooth things went.¡± Xu Han said.

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    ¡°Really? What do you think was going to happen?¡±

    ¡°I thought he would be angry, mad that he was changed without being informed. Maybe even scream and throw things around.¡±

    ¡°You thought he was going to be angry that he is now a Catkin, when he doesn¡¯t even remember his life before the change?¡± Jemma sounded shocked, and Xu Han was quick to clarify.

    ¡°No, I knew the former [Knight] would deal with the change eventually, I just didn¡¯t expect him to be¡­so understanding so quickly. I was expecting some sense of loss and helplessness, not immediate acceptance.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like he has a choice. He needs to accept his new life or die. And between life or death, people almost always pick life. Not to mention the new class and species he is getting, so he¡¯s not getting a bad deal.¡± Jemma laughed before quickly sobering. ¡°Though you may have a point. Do you think Carda did something to the human¡¯s mind when he changed the human?¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Xu Han replied.

    Jemma stopped hovering and landed beside Xu Han. She got into her thinking pose. ¡°Now that I think of it, I think it¡¯s very likely Carda did something. It is hardly unknown for Gods to mess with the minds of mortals.¡±

    ¡°Another thing to worry about. That and the fact a god could just change the species of someone like that. I wonder if a visiting god could change me into a human, or an elf?¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not going to happen. Dungeon cores are powerful. You are like demi-gods, so it¡¯s not easy to change you. Even for a god. Besides, it¡¯s not that difficult to change the species of someone. You just need time, and power. As dungeon core, you can probably do it.¡±

    If he still had his body, Xu Han would be shaking his head. In the Crimson Lands, changing your species was a thing of legend. In his ten thousand years as a cultivator, Xu Han had never seen anyone changed his species. It was a thing of legend. In this world, it was much more common. Then, something Jemma said struck him.

    ¡°Wait. Jemma, what do you mean I can change the species of someone?¡± Xu Han asked.

    ¡°Well, maybe not you but it is not unheard of for dungeon cores to do that. It¡¯s one reason why there are so many species in this world.¡±

    ¡°Dungeon cores are the reasons for that? How? Does this mean I can create this ¡®Vial of Change¡¯ potion Carda created?¡± Xu Han asked, fighting to tame the excitement growing within him.

    ¡°Oh no, changes by dungeon cores are far messier.¡± Jemma laughed. ¡°A potion like that is something only a god can create. A dungeon cores need to capture delvers and experiment on them. It is a very bloody messy process.¡±

    Xu Han waited for a moment, but the dungeon fairy did not continue. ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Jemma asked.

    ¡°Well, what is the process? How do the other dungeon cores do this? What kind of experiments do they do? Do they merge two species together or is there a ritual or spell they cast when they want to change someone to something completely new? Do they request help from the gods? How are the changes done in this world?¡±

    The questions came out of Xu Han at speed, and his dungeon fairy merely shrugged. ¡°How would I know? It¡¯s not like dungeon cores shared this sort of information.¡±

    Xu Han groaned in frustration as his dungeon fairy informed him that dungeon cores do not share their knowledge. Xu Han would complain, if he did not realize the hypocrisy of the act. Xu Han did not have a leg to stand on as he was much the same in his past life. Seeing the frustration in her dungeon core, Jemma threw Xu Han a bone.

    ¡°You can ask.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You can ask.¡± Jemma said again. ¡°You just need to contact another dungeon core and offer to trade for the information.¡±

    Silence reigned in the large, square chamber that housed the dungeon core. After several moments, Xu Han finally came back to his senses and asked.

    ¡°Jemma, how do I contact the other dungeon cores?¡±

 V2Part 6- A New Party

    The house was nondescript. It was a wooden house in a long street of wooden house, all of which looked well-worn and in need of cleaning and repairs. If Pos had to walk pass these houses at night, he would only do so with a hand on the pommel of his axe. Now in the day, things weren¡¯t that different.

    It was that kind of a neighbourhood.

    After a short walk, Pos finally saw the well he was looking for. He turned north and walked till he was standing in front of the third house. If he had not been told the meeting was to be held at this location, he would have just walked pass the house. Now, he wondered if he still should. After a short moment of hesitation, the dwarf sighed and walked in.

    As he stepped inside, it became clear that the house was not as run down as it looked. The interior of the house was dim, dingy and depressing, but there were iron bars behind the closed windows and some magical runes were written on the inside of the house. Pos had no doubt the runes were there to block scrying spells.

    There were three dwarves in the house when Pos arrived. One was Maglor, the agent of the king who had set this up, the other two were a pair of female dwarves. Both were a little shorter than Pos and Pos recognized them both.

    Noghoula Whitbrew was a short and blocky dwarf with blood-red hair and a bushy beard that was tied in twin braids. A sword was on her back with the pommel of the sword within easy reach. Like Pos, she was wearing armour though hers was far less bulky, more in line with the [Berserker] class she had. Like most berserkers Pos had met, the female dwarf¡¯s black eyes shone with intensity and bloodlust.

    Vormarobe Flinthand was different. She wore a dark green robe, and her ashen hair was tied in a neat ponytail. She did not tie her beard, but it was neat, tidy, and well-combed. She wasn¡¯t carrying any weapon that Pos could see, but she did not need to. Most sorceresses do not carry staffs or wands.

    There was a long oval-shaped table in the middle of the room and all three dwarves were seated on the chairs arranged around them. There were three other empty seats left, and Pos took one of them.

    ¡°Nog. Vorma. Surprised to see both of you here.¡± Pos ventured. Unlike males, female dwarves were given longer names at their birth. It was a show of their importance to the dwarven people, but almost everyone shortened their names for everyday use.

    ¡°Why? You have a problem working with us?¡± Nog asked, heat clearly evidenced in her voice.

    ¡°No,¡± Pos calmly replied. ¡°I¡¯m just surprised. I did not expect you two, didn¡¯t even know either of you were in the area.¡±

    ¡°When a new dungeon is found, you make your way there. Especially if the ¡®discoverer¡¯ is a follow dwarf.¡± Vorma slyly answered.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you start as well,¡± Pos grumbled softly as he rolled his eyes. The two female dwarves chuckled at his reaction. Apparently, knowledge about him finding the dungeon had spread throughout the region.

    ¡°Why are the two of you here though? Both of you are Classed females. I would think you would try to be as far away from an agent of the king as possible.¡± Pos asked.

    ¡°Gold is gold.¡± Nog simply said, as if that was the answer to everything. For a dwarf, it could be, but Vorma had a different answer to Pos¡¯ question.

    ¡°I may have left the world below, but I have no hatred for the kingdom, our [King], or our way of life. Even returned a few times to visit family, unlike some.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. We¡¯re the ones who should be surprised at your presence.¡± Nog agreed, Pos¡¯ hatred for their [King] was no secret.

    ¡°What can I say? I have been telling our dear agent to go eat goat dung since we met, but he keeps coming back. He wore me down.¡± Pos laughed as Maglor sat impassively at the insult.

    The three adventurers engaged in some small talk as they waited for the rest of the party. Pos did not need to wait long as the last two members of the party arrived moments after his arrival.

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    Pos did not recognize the first dwarf that came through the door. The dwarf was wearing the plate armour of a [Knight] with an elaborate helmet with twin horns on the front. His sword and shield showed his Class and way of fighting, and his breastplate had a motif of a stag in the middle of a large circle. Pos thought he looked as pretentious as an empty mine.

    Jes Doublestone entered after him. He was wearing a white robe without any markings or symbols, but he was carrying a book with the picture of a tower on the cover. A silver chain attached the book to his belt showing how important the book was to him, and Pos knew that the chain wasn¡¯t just for show.

    Jes Doublestone was a [Scholar], and like most [Scholars], he treated books like treasures. Rumours had it that Jes left the world below because he did not think dwarves treated books with the reverence they deserved. From his brief interactions with the scholar over the years, Pos believed the rumours and he was a little surprised by the scholar¡¯s presence. Jes was no adventurer, but one of those rare dwarves who was more comfortable in a library than in a dungeon. Pos wondered why the scholar was here.

    The two arrivals took their place at the table, and Maglor stood.

    ¡°Welcome everyone, I am glad to see that all of you had accepted my invitation. Now that everyone is here, I shall-¡±

    ¡°Wait a moment, I thought the quest was to take on the Bamboo Forest room in the dungeon.¡± Jes Doublestone quickly interrupted.

    Everyone was surprised by the interruption, but Maglor quickly recovered. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. Is there a problem?¡±

    ¡°Yes, there is. There are five of us,¡± Jes pointed at all the adventurers at the table. ¡°The Bamboo Forest room only allows four to take the path. Why is there an extra dwarf here?¡±

    ¡°Keep in mind that dungeon delving is a dangerous profession, and this dungeon has a particular high death rate. The Adventurer Guild are still losing adventurers on the first floor. The extra dwarf is a redundancy to make sure we have a full party to take on the room.¡± Maglor calmly replied.

    ¡°So, we have an extra member in case someone falls on the first floor. What happens if we all managed to get to the second floor? Do we leave someone behind? And if we do, who will it be?¡± The [Knight] asked.

    ¡°Each of you will be equipped with a Recall Stone,¡± Maglor answered. ¡°As for the dwarf left behind, I shall let the party decide on that though I will say that both Jes Doublestone and Vormarobe Flinthand will be needed for the puzzle in room.¡±

    ¡°You want us to complete the puzzle?¡± Nog asked, no doubt displeased with the news.

    ¡°I want the treasure for being the first to clear the room. That means completing the puzzle.¡± The agent confirmed.

    The [Knight], Nog and Pos looked each other. The three realized that Maglor was right. Jes and Vorma were needed for the puzzle and magic, so one of them needs to go.

    Pos graciously stepped up. ¡°That should be me. Among the three of us, I have the lowest level. I can tell everyone what to expect in the dungeon, but I don¡¯t really have any experience in the Bamboo Forest Room.¡±

    ¡°Your share of the treasure will be lower if you do not enter into the room.¡± Maglor warned.

    ¡°What else is new from the kingdom below.¡± Pos stiffly replied as he gave Maglor a sour look. The agent just smiled in response.

    Nog and the [Knight] nodded at Pos in appreciation as everyone kept quiet. Pos¡¯ dislike of the dwarven king was well-known among the dwarven community and no one thought that it was strange that an agent of the said-king would have it out for him.

    Maglor gave everyone a look before continuing with the meeting. It went smoothly with everyone discussing on the latest information provided by the Adventurer Guild. A few questions were tossed at Pos about the dungeon, and he answered as best he could.

    As he went through his experience with the dungeon, Pos could see that the rest of the party were giving him a newfound level of respect. Part of it was due to his fame, and the rest was because Pos had agreed to remove himself from delving the room. The party knew Pos was not thrilled with the prospect of serving the king and was here only for the gold. There was nothing wrong with that. They were dwarves, and gold was gold, so they appreciated the fact that Pos had taken the hit removing himself from the delve.

    Unknown to the rest of the party, his selfless removal was something Pos and the Maglor had agreed to beforehand. With his low levels, both Pos and Maglor knew he would not be of much help in the Bamboo Forest Room, but fame goes a long way in adventuring circles. Most adventurers wished to say that they had delved with an adventurer with a title, and despite his protest, Pos was a ¡®Discoverer¡¯. Once Maglor let it be known that Pos was going on the delve, other adventurers were more willing to listen to his offer.

    Maglor needed Pos for his name, not for his strength of arms.

    Once the party was formed, there was no need for Pos, and the duo had discussed beforehand on how to safely remove Pos from the delving without damaging the cohesion of the party. Like Maglor said at the inn, the agent only needed Pos to put the party together.

    Pos did not feel bad about fooling the party. Things could go wrong on the first floor, and if that happened, then Pos would to enter the room with the party. That was part of his agreement with Maglor and Pos did not mind that. In his mind, it was as if he had signed on as a backup.

    The meeting continued till the evening. When it concluded, everyone went their separate ways. There was no talk about meeting at the inn for a few drinks, or getting to know each other. This was just business. Pos went back to the inn, happy with the way the meeting went.

    It was one of the easiest paydays he ever had.

 V2Part 7- The Chat Spell

    ¡°You ready?¡± The dungeon fairy asked.

    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s start.¡±

    On her dungeon core¡¯s confirmation, colourless tendrils of mana came out of the dungeon fairy¡¯s body. Jemma directed her mana towards to the black gemstone that was the body of the dungeon core, and the tendrils slowly moved toward the gem. Jemma sensed the dungeon core doing the same. As their mana made contact, Jemma cast the spell.

    As dungeon fairies, fairies like Jemma needed to live with their dungeon cores. This was their duty, and one that most dungeon fairies were glad to undertake. However, living with their dungeon cores meant fairies were often alone, leagues away from any fairy settlement. In the early days, this was a big problem. Fairies lived in big communities, and many young fairies faced issues like loneliness, isolation and homesickness when on assignment.

    There was a reason why most people considered the fairy folks to be less than sane.

    The elders of the fairies knew something had to be done and tried various solutions. One of the proposed solutions was a spell. A spell that would allow dungeon fairies to keep in contact with other fairies within their region. The fairies would not be able to see each other but the elders believed that being able to speak to each other would help the young fairies with their loneliness. The elders also hoped the spell could allow young fairies to see that they were not alone in their struggles, and even asked each other for advice if they faced a crisis.

    The elders called it [The Chat Spell].

    [The Chat Spell] was relatively successful, and before long a young fairy decided to teach her dungeon core the spell. Jemma was doing the same now. She cast the spell and her connection with Xu Han allows the dungeon core to quickly follow the intricacies of the spell. The dungeon core was able to see how the spell works, how it allowed many people leagues away from each other to be connected, and how they could stay connected as long as they had the mana to maintain the spell. No one knew who discovered this method of teaching, but their connection was a time saving way to learn spells between dungeon cores and their fairies.

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    ¡°Amazing. This is like the ¡®Message Across a Thousand Li¡¯ technique, only better!¡± Xu Han could not help but marveled.

    Jemma frowned at her dungeon core. ¡°I do not know what that means, and I¡¯m not sure if I want to know. You got the spell yet?¡±

    It usually takes some time for dungeon cores to learn new spells even with connections with their dungeon fairies but Xu Han was different. Jemma thought it would not be an issue for him to learn the spell. She was right.

    ¡°I got it. Thank you, Jemma.¡±

    ¡°Not a problem but remember that you are still a young core, so be respectful to the other cores when you enter the chat. Some of the cores has been around for centuries.¡± Jemma warned as she cut off her spell.

    ¡°Do not worry. I was a cultivator who lived for ten thousand years, and cultivators without courtesy do not live long in the Crimson Lands.¡± Xu Han assured her dungeon core as he began to cast his own version of [The Chat Spell].

    In moments, darkness overcame him. Xu Han, the dungeon core of the Tomb of Ten Thousand Techniques, let the spell washed over him. Then, his vision brightened, and he felt a connection.

    It was bright and shining and called to Xu Han like water to a thirsty man. It was to the east of his dungeon and flowed from the east to the south. Xu Han reached out to it by instinct, and his mana latched on to the connection like a tributary that connect to a flowing river.

    As some of his mana drift into the flow of the spell, Xu Han felt that it was appropriate to call the connection a river. Xu Han knew that this river of mana was the chat group, a chat spell filled with other dungeon cores, and that all the dungeon cores needed to share a little of their mana to connect to it.

    Xu Han felt that [The Chat Spell] was amazing!

    ¡°So, this is the Dungeon Core Chat Group?¡±

    A voice was heard over the chat group, filled with shock and awe. It was Xu Han''s own voice, the same voice that he had heard through his mouth when he still had a physical body. It sounded so different from his current voice that the dungeon core needed a moment to remember that it was how he sounded like.

    Rather, it wasn''t his voice. It was his thoughts. The chat group was magical, and dungeon cores speak through it via their thoughts. The spell that connected them to the collective river of mana also change their thoughts to verbal speech, and it looked like the spell had chosen Xu Han¡¯s old voice as a template. Xu Han was amazed by that and wondered how the spell knows how he sounded in his old life.

    Jemma had warned Xu Han that the chat group could be a chaotic place at times, with many dungeon cores speaking at once. However, the chat was currently silent. The dungeon cores within the chat had all felt the new connection, and they waited. As the newcomer, Xu Han knew they were waiting for him.

    ¡°Xu Han, the dungeon core of the Tomb of Ten Thousand Techniques, greet his seniors.¡±

 V2Part 8- I Am A Reincarnator

    ¡°Tomb of Ten Thousand Techniques?¡± the question was voiced by dozens, maybe even hundreds of dungeon cores at once.

    Xu Han waited a moment for the chat group to quiet before answering. ¡°Yes, I am the dungeon core for the Tomb of Ten Thousand Techniques. I am a new dungeon in the Bright Kingdom, and I humbly greet everyone in this chat group.¡±

    ¡°You have to be kidding.¡± The voice came from an older voice, one that was far more confident and self-assured than how Xu Han sounded. ¡°You call yourself the Tomb of Ten Thousand Techniques? What arrogance! You gave yourself that name, and you claim to be humble? Is that a joke?¡±

    The dungeon cores were individuals, but they were also demigods like Xu Han. They had their pride, and they notice the dungeon core with the strange name. Xu Han was about explain when another voice spoke in the chat. A voice that sounded ancient, old, and wise.

    ¡°Enough! Rejoice! Rejoice everyone, for a new core has appeared in the chat group!¡±

    The old wise voice laughed, and he was soon joined by the other voices within the chat. Xu Han stayed silent as the other dungeon cores began speaking again. Like Jemma had warned, it was chaotic with countless voices speaking at once. Most of the dungeon cores welcomed Xu Han to the chat, and a group were soon trying to figure out where Xu Han was located.

    Evidentially, dungeon cores could use the chat to trace where each other was located. Xu Han did not know the chat had such a feature, but he was not surprised by the news. He wondered if the flow of mana he felt from the east and the south meant that the two nearest dungeons to him were in those directions. The group was still trying to nail down his location when the dungeon core with the old wise voice spoke again.

    ¡°Xu Han, is that your name?¡±

    The chat quieted down, telling Xu Han the power and respect this old dungeon core had.

    ¡°Yes, it is.¡± Xu Han replied. ¡°May I know the senior''s name?¡±

    ¡°I am The Dungeon Master, core of The Hollow Vault. I wish to know why you gave yourself this name. It is an unusual name for a dungeon core.¡±

    ¡°The Dungeon Master?¡±

    Xu Han paused. He knew the name, almost everyone did. The Dungeon Master was the dungeon core of Hollow Vault, one of the most famous dungeons in the world. It was a dungeon so deep and huge that a city had grown around it. Not only that, the riches and treasure from the dungeon were so great that the dungeon was considered the centerpiece of a kingdom. It was said that there were thousands of floors to the dungeon, and it was home to hundreds of Bosses, each a new chance to advance in levels for adventurers.

    The Hollow Vault was one of the first dungeons Jemma had told Xu Han about, and the stories was so grand even Xu Han had wanted to visit the dungeon one day. Xu Han did not expect that the dungeon core of such an illustrious dungeon was a member of the chat group.

    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    ¡°You heard of me?¡± The Dungeon Master replied with a chuckle.

    ¡°Oh please, everyone heard of you, you old geezer! Stop flaunting your position to every newcomer to the chat.¡± The confident and self-assured voice who first spoke to Xu Han said.

    Despite the rude words, everyone in the chat group laughed. Including The Dungeon Master. That caught Xu Han by surprise. Xu Han was not a newcomer to meeting powerful, ancient beings. In the Crimson Lands, he had met powerful cultivators who had lived for thousands of years because for a long time Xu Han was one of them. Those meetings were always serious, proper, and filled with tension. The cultivators always tried to out-do each other in speech and power. The Dungeon Core Chat Group seem to be far more informal.

    ¡°Considering that I was the one who put together the chat group, I have the right to flaunt.¡± The Dungeon Master said as he continued to laugh.

    ¡°That just means you are old, proud, and going senile. Xu Han, just ignore him in the future.¡± The confident and self-assured voice huffed.

    ¡°May I know this senior''s name?¡± Xu Han asked politely. A dungeon core who dared to talk back to The Dungeon Master had to be strong.

    ¡°I am Challenger, core of The Challenge Arena.¡± The response was curt, but Xu Han did not get the feeling that Challenger was being disrespectful. Instead, he felt that this was just how the dungeon core of The Challenge Arena usually was.

    ¡°May I request some pointers from this senior.¡± Xu Han respectfully asked.

    There was a moment of silence in the chat group before a female voice answered. ¡°Why do you speak so strangely?¡±

    ¡°Speak strangely?¡± Xu Han was a bit confused, not knowing what the female dungeon core meant. He was polite, but he did not think he was unduly so.

    ¡°You speak so politely, as if you were in some royal court. Just talk normally, like the rest of us.¡± The female voice was gentle and kind, but the words were spoken with a firm and strong voice. ¡°You are not going to impress anyone here with fancy speech, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re after. We are all dungeon cores, so courtly speech doesn¡¯t really work with us.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for the kind advice.¡± Xu Han replied politely. ¡°Like I said earlier, I am a new dungeon core. I do not know the culture among dungeon cores, and I apologize if I had caused any offence.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re still speaking strangely.¡± The female dungeon core sounded bemused with Xu Han.

    ¡°When you asked for ¡®pointers¡¯, were you asking for advice?¡± Challenger asked, ignoring the byplay between Xu Han and the female dungeon core.

    ¡°Yes, I am.¡± Xu Han admitted.

    ¡°Xu Han, why don''t you tell us something about yourself first? How many floors do you have? Have adventurers visited you yet? And why did you pick such a strange name for yourself?¡± The Dungeon Master asked.

    ¡°I am in the Bright Kingdom, and my dungeon is located near a human town called Viaggia. Currently, I have three floors and adventurers had already attempted my dungeon.¡±

    Before Xu Han could continue, a member of the chat group asked a question. ¡°What kind of dungeon are you? What is your theme?¡±

    To Xu Han, the voice sounded rough, like the dungeon core was unused to speaking. The question must be important for the dungeon core to ask it, so Xu Han answered.

    ¡°I had been informed my dungeon is considered a Trick Dungeon, due to the many traps and puzzles in it. However, I did create some creatures and Bosses, so I am not considered a ¡®pure¡¯ Trick Dungeon.¡±

    ¡°Ah! The people and their need to categorize everything. Why do you call yourself ¡®Xu Han¡¯ though. And why named your dungeon the Tomb of Ten Thousand Techniques? That is quite a strange name for a dungeon.¡± The female dungeon core asked.

    ¡°It was not my intention to cause any offence,¡± Xu Han quickly replied. ¡°I choose that name for the dungeon because I have that many techniques.¡±

    ¡°Impossible!¡± Challenger said hotly. ¡°You only have three floors. There is no way you could¡­wait, you called them ¡®Techniques¡¯? Don¡¯t you mean spells?¡±

    ¡°In some ways, techniques could be considered spells, but they are different. You see, I am a reincarnator.¡±

 V2Part 9- Trading Offers

    ¡°What?¡± Several members of the chat group asked, some in alarm, but most were just curious. Xu Han took heart from that and continued.

    ¡°I was once a cultivator, a human on a different world, and my name was Xu Han. I died, and my soul was sent here. I was reborn as a dungeon core, but I recalled my time as a cultivator and retained the knowledge I had in my old life. That is why I called myself the Tomb of Ten Thousand Techniques, for I truly have that many techniques in my head.¡±

    Xu Han had wondered if it was a good idea to tell the other dungeon cores of his reincarnation, but Jemma told him it was better to be upfront about such matters. Dungeon cores were powerful beings, and most of the cores would know there was something wrong about Xu Han the moment he arrived in the chat. Besides, reincarnation was not unknown in this world.

    Strong powerful beings like dungeon cores do not fear reincarnators.

    ¡°What is a cultivator?¡± Someone in the chat group asked after several moments of silence.

    ¡°A cultivator is a person who practice cultivation. Cultivation focuses on training the body via the gathering of Qi. With Qi, a cultivator can gain inner power, prolong his life, improve his intelligence and gaining power. In many ways, cultivators are like the Classed of this world, men and women who had become superior to normal people.¡± Xu Han answered.

    ¡°What is Qi?¡± The same dungeon core asked.

    ¡°It is an energy similar to Mana. However, I do not know if it exists in this world.¡± Xu Han answered.

    ¡°Interesting.¡± A gentle female voice replied. ¡°You seem to be skipping several details about this ¡®cultivation¡¯, but we all have our secrets. Well, I am called Snowy Grief, the dungeon core of Frozen Peak Castle. I welcome you, Xu Han. It has been a while since we had a new member join the chat. You''re the first one in over five decades.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Xu Han was shocked. ¡°My dungeon fairy told me new dungeon cores were born once every few years. How come there haven¡¯t been a new member is so many years?¡±

    ¡°We''re not sure.¡± The Dungeon Master chimed in. ¡°Some cores don''t care about joining the chat. Some aren''t aware of it, and others just prefer to grow on their own.¡±

    ¡°That''s a little short-sighted. Being in a group gives you an avenue to seek advice, allows you to exchange knowledge, and a place to pass on what you know.¡± Xu Han said, fearing that these dungeon cores were making the same mistakes he made in his past life.

    ¡°Perhaps, but it is their choice. Some cores do not even seek to grow stronger, just wanting to be left alone.¡± Challenger scoffed; his disdain of these dungeon cores evidenced in this tone.

    ¡°We all have our ways. Sure, you can get stronger as a dungeon core, but the stronger you get, the more danger you will be in. Some powerful adventurers do not care about the norms of the world. When they challenge a dungeon, they are seeking levels, and they do not let anything get in their way of that goal.¡±

    Xu Han got the feeling that The Dungeon Master was speaking from experience. Then, another dungeon core picked up the conversation. ¡°Besides, there aren''t many cores who are interested in mentoring lower-level dungeons. Why should we? There¡¯s nothing to gain from it.¡±Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    Xu Han could understand that. Few cultivators would do something without expecting something in return, he expected it to be the same for dungeon cores. So, he had come prepared. ¡°I understand. I would not ask for pointers without offering something in return.¡±

    ¡°Oh? And what could you possibly offer us?¡± Challenger sneered.

    ¡°I have special knowledge that I am willing to trade.¡± Xu Han announced.

    ¡°Special in what way?¡± Snowy Grief asked.

    ¡°I was a cultivator, and I lived for ten thousand years. In that time, I gained a lot of knowledge, a lot of specialized knowledge, and I had found that they translate well into this world.¡±

    The chat immediately rumbled, mostly with disbelief at Xu Han¡¯s claims.

    ¡°I thought you said you were a human. There¡¯s no way a human could live to a thousand years, much less ten thousand!¡± One of the chat group members challenged.

    ¡°It is rare, but it is possible for a cultivator. Cultivation allows one to transcend the mortal body. To challenge the Heavens. The very rare ones can also attempt to be a God. I was one of the rare ones.¡± Xu Han said.

    Even though the silence of the chat, Xu Han could tell that most of the dungeon cores were shocked by his claims.

    ¡°You were one of the rare Classed of your world who attempt to ascend to Godhood?¡± The Dungeon Master asked.

    ¡°Yes, but I failed. The Heavens rejected me. Rightfully so, I might add.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± The Dungeon Master immediately asked, but that was something Xu Han did not want to get into.

    ¡°The Heavens had a reason, and I agreed. I do not want to say anything more than that. However, I got to that stage via the practice of cultivation, and I wish to offer knowledge of it to members of this chat.¡±

    ¡°How does that help us if there is none of this Qi in this world?¡± The Dungeon Master asked, his ancient voice troubled.

    ¡°Having knowledge is always a good thing,¡± a new dungeon core immediately said. ¡°Xu Han, I am Bookkeeper, the dungeon core of The Scholarly Ruins. I am willing to trade for knowledge of this cultivation.¡±

    ¡°If you wish, I can trade but I doubt it would be useful. Cultivation is based around the accumulation of Qi. If Qi exist in this world, it is in such small supply that I could not feel it from where I am located. However, I had managed to adept my knowledge to this world.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Bookkeeper wondered.

    ¡°The energy of this world is Mana, and I changed my cultivation techniques to use Mana instead of Qi. I offer the members of this chat group my techniques in return for your knowledge.¡± Xu Han explained.

    ¡°What kind of ¡®techniques¡¯ are you offering?¡± Snowy Grief asked.

    ¡°Anything you want,¡± Xu Han said, ¡°I was a blacksmith who knows techniques for making magical weapons and armor. I was an alchemist who know the secrets to crafting potions and elixirs. I was a scholar and knows all the epics and stories of another world. Tell me what you want, and I probably have something for you. I offer them all in return for the knowledge of this world.¡±

    One of the cores in the chat immediately took up the challenge. ¡°I am an Undead Dungeon. What can you to offer me?¡±

    ¡°I have various techniques to improve your undead. Corpse-Refining Techniques to improve the condition of your zombies, Blood Arts to make your vampires more powerful, and the Iron Bone Technique can improve the sturdiness and toughness of your skeletons.¡±

    ¡°My dungeon is popular with [Tamers] who come in the hopes of taming a powerful creatures or animal. However, these [Tamers] usually just leave after getting the creature they want. They don¡¯t even try to finish my floors.¡± Another core in the chat said in disgust. ¡°I had been thinking of offering some powerful treasures for them to properly challenge my dungeon. How can you help me?¡±

    ¡°There are too many Beast Techniques for me to mention them all, so it might be better if you tell me what you wish to offer them. Do you want to offer them stronger and more powerful creatures in your dungeon? Or perhaps you want the creatures to look better? Cuter? Or maybe more horrifying? I also have a technique where [Tamers] can assimilate and take on characteristics of their tamed creatures. I think a Skill like that would be very popular with adventurers.¡± Xu Han said, bragging a bit.

 V2Part 10- An Exchange of Knowledge

    ¡°What do you want in exchange for these techniques?¡± Challenger asked.

    ¡°I seek knowledge,¡± Xu Han said, ¡°I am new to this world, and there are many things I wish to learn. Currently, I am interested to know how a dungeon cores changes the species of the people in this world? My dungeon fairy told me this is possible, but she does not know how. If a dungeon core who had done this tells me the method, I shall give him a technique of his choice in exchange.¡±

    ¡°How powerful will this technique of yours be?¡± Snowy Grief asked, intrigued by the offer.

    ¡°Depend on what you are offering. As long as it is something I want, then I am open to a trade.¡±

    ¡°What you desire to do is not easy. You want to change a person¡¯s species. No matter who or what you were before, it might be impossible for a dungeon core with just three floors to do something like that.¡± One of the older dungeon cores warned.

    ¡°I understand, but knowledge is its own reward.¡± Xu Han answered. ¡°Even if the knowledge is not useful right now, I would still be willing to trade you something for it. I would even be willing to offer more than one technique if the knowledge is interesting and unusual.¡±

    ¡°Hold a moment, something is bothering me. Xu Han, you just told Dancing Green you have a Skill for [Tamers]. What do you mean by that?¡± The Dungeon Master returned to the conversation with a firm question.

    It took Xu Han a moment to realize Dancing Green must be the name of the dungeon core with the animal dungeon. ¡°Beast cultivators are not uncommon in my old world and I know various techniques that beast cultivators used to enhance their fighting strength. For example, the Beastly Merge Technique allows beast cultivators to merge with their tamed pets. I had successfully converted this technique onto a scroll which adventurers can used to learn like a Skill.¡±

    Silence reigned when Xu Han finished his explanation. Then, Snowy Grief probed. ¡°Adventurers gaining a Skill? That¡¯s impossible. The Classed can only gain Skills from the system.¡±

    ¡°No, it is not. Rare powerful Classes like [King], [General], and [Strategist] can grant skills to others. I have never heard of a dungeon doing it though.¡± The Dungeon Master said.

    ¡°Technically, the system called them ¡®Techniques¡¯, but they function similar to Skills.¡± Xu Han explained. ¡°However, there is a distance limitation, so the adventurer with the technique can only use it near my dungeon. Also, since I am the one who granted the technique, the Classed will lose the technique if I am destroyed. My dungeon fairy informed me this is a good way to ensure my safety.¡±

    ¡°Are you able to teach us the ways of making these Skill Scrolls?¡± The Dungeon Master did not bother to hide his eagerness.

    ¡°I am willing to trade that knowledge in return for the knowledge of this world.¡± Xu Han immediately replied.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    The chat group descended into chaos as numerous dungeon cores began chattering to each other. There was an air of excitement but Xu Han stayed on the sidelines as the other cores argued. Some of the cores did not believe he could create Skill Scrolls, but other cores thought it was too good of an opportunity to pass up.

    It was soon clear to Xu Han that the chat group was not a single monolithic entity. The dungeon cores within the chat were divided into various groups, and it was clear to Xu Han that even among dungeon cores, there were rivalries and competition. Everyone could see how these scrolls could ensure their survival, but no one wanted to be the first to take a chance in case Xu Han was lying.

    After some time, one of the dungeon cores finally had enough.

    ¡°Enough!¡± Challenger shouted in the chat. ¡°That¡¯s it! Someone need to test if the new core is telling the true, and it might as well be me. Xu Han, I had changed the species of some people before and I am willing to trade the knowledge. How do you want to do this? If we just tell each other over the chat, the others will know your method for free.¡±

    Xu Han had no doubt some members of the chat were just waiting for that. He had discussed the matter with Jemma earlier, and the dungeon fairy had given him an alternative.

    ¡°According to my dungeon fairy, the chat group has something called DMM?¡±

    ¡°Direct Magical Messaging?¡± Challenger asked.

    ¡°Oh, is that what it means?¡± Xu Han intoned as he filed away the information. ¡°The others would not be able to access the information if we communicate through DMM, right?¡±

    ¡°That is correct. Hold on.¡± Challenger said before going silent. A few moments later, Xu Han felt a trace of mana coming from the chat group. Unlike the river of mana, this trace of mana was like a slim tendril. It felt metallic, with a smell of blood. Wondering how he could smell something through a spell, Xu Han latched onto the slim tendril and immediately felt the connection.

    Challenger: Xu Han, you¡¯re there? Can you hear me?

    Xu Han: Yes, I can. So, this is DMM. It¡¯s a little different from what I was expecting. This almost feels like the chat group.

    Challenger: It is part of the chat, only this part is accessible to the two of us. When dungeon cores need to speak privately, we use this function instead of the main group. However, my dungeon fairy has a question. What if I need more detailed information from you like pictures and diagrams? DMM do not have such functions.

    Xu Han: That¡¯s quite simple. If we need to, we can send encrypted magical letters to each other. We need to know the location of each other, and trusted messengers will be needed to deliver the letters, but I was told it could be done.

    Challenger: You mean the Dungeon Suppliers.

    Xu Han: Dungeon Suppliers? Who are they?

    Challenger: The full name is the Dungeon Supplier Guild. Dungeon cores can hire member of the Guild to deliver items between dungeons. The Guild is small, and their services are very expensive, but gold don¡¯t really have any meaning to us cores.

    Xu Han: Are they trustworthy?

    Challenger: Very. Breaking their word means making an enemy of every dungeon core on this world. No one is stupid enough to do that.

    Xu Han: Good, then should we begin?

    Challenger: Yes, but I shall warn you. If you are lying about these techniques and Skill Scrolls, then you had better hope I never find out. Otherwise, I will make you wish that you were never reborn.

    Xu Han: I have nothing to worry about. Let us begin.

 V2Part 11- Another Dungeon Delve

    Upon reaching their destination, Pos saw that The Adventurer Guild had been hard at work.

    The entrance of the dungeon was still a large hole in the ground, but the Guild had built a defensive wall around it. The wall surrounded the open hole, and a large set of double doors was the only way passed. There were merlons at the top of the wall, and a wall walk where guards could stand and see over the wall. And the Adventurer Guild had posted numerous guards at the wall.

    The guards and the wall were there to prevent monsters from exiting the dungeon, civilians from entering the dungeon, and to limit the number of adventurers entering. At last count, the dungeon had a limit of fifty, and the Guild did not want adventurers to fight each other for the right to enter.

    A line had formed at the double doors. From where he was, Pos could see a wooden sign above the double doors.

    ENTRANCE TO THE TOMB OF TEN THOUSAND TECHNIQUES.

    UNDER THE STEWARDSHIP OF THE ADVENTURER GUILD OF VIAGGIA.

    The sign seemed unnecessary to Pos. He knew it was common practice for organizations to stake claims to dungeons, but it always struck Pos as a dangerous tradition. Everyone knew the Adventurer Guild of Viaggia oversaw the dungeon, but claiming a dungeon was just begging for trouble. If a dungeon core took offence, the practice might cause a dungeon break. The fact that dungeon cores usually ignored what happens outside their dungeons was the only reason why people could get away with it. At least the Adventurer Guild was smart enough to post the sign a distance from the entrance.

    As the party waited in line to delve the dungeon, Pos turned to see his party.

    Jes Doublestone was carrying a book in one hand, reading as they were waiting. The [Scholar] has the book in one hand and was fingering a steel mace with the other. He had abandoned his robes for studded leather armor and a chain cap, making him looked more like an adventurer than Pos ever thought possible.

    The [Knight], Umdar Blackrock, was wearing the full plate armour of his class and was carrying his sword and shield. Pos was still irked by the knight¡¯s ridiculous helmet, but he had to admit he may had been wrong about Umder; the [Knight] had not complained once in their walk to the dungeon and was carrying his weapons like he was born to them.

    Noghoula Whitbrew was wearing a gambeson and a steel helm. The [Berserker] was carrying her steel sword on her back and had a wooden club hanging from her belt. She looked like she could not wait to get into the dungeon.

    Vormarobe Flinthand struck out like a sore thumb in this party. The [Sorceress] had no weapons and was wearing the green robe she had at the meeting. She had a smile on her face and looked at ease, like she was on a morning stroll instead of going towards a deathtrap. She had been singing on the way to the dungeon and refused to stop even when the other members of the party told her to.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    Even among dwarves, her singing voice was terrible.

    In theory, the party was well-suited for the Tomb of Ten Thousand Techniques. The dungeon was underground, and as dwarves, they had a natural advantage in underground dungeons. Dwarves were small, sturdy, strong and naturally resistant to poison, disease, fire and cold. They were somewhat disadvantaged in Trick Dungeons, but they had a [Scholar] and a [Sorceress] in their party for that. In theory, they should be able to beat the second floor of the dungeon. Pos just couldn¡¯t help but feel a little uneasy about the delve though.

    This dungeon had thrown up too many surprises for him to be totally comfortable with it.

    ¡°This is where the party starts,¡± Nog said as they reached the front of the queue.

    A human guard from the guild stopped them when they reached the front of the line. The guard had a scroll in his hand and looked to reading from it. ¡°All of you sure you want to go in? You could get killed in there.¡±

    ¡°Don''t worry. We''re experienced. We''ll be fine.¡± Umdar replied.

    ¡°You know you don''t have to actually go in, right?¡± The guard read from the scroll again.

    ¡°Don''t worry, we''ll be fine. Can we hurry this up. I know you are just doing your job warning everyone, but we know what we are getting into.¡± Pos shook his head.

    ¡°Maybe, but you should be worried,¡± the guard said as he looked around before lowering his voice. ¡°A lot of brave adventurers had died in there. This is a dangerous one.¡±

    Pos¡¯ brow raised at that. It did not sound like part of a script. The Adventurer Guild needed to give warning, but they would never actively discouraged adventurers from entering. The guard was genuinely worried.

    Pos was not the only one who noticed this, the other members of his party did as well. Everyone looked at each other for a moment. Then, Vorma laughed.

    ¡°Well, that just make things more interesting, doesn¡¯t it? We are adventurers, what¡¯s the use of adventuring without danger?¡±

    ¡°Well, be careful.¡± The guard said before stepping aside.

    ¡°That would be us. Nice careful Classed in the safe profession of adventuring.¡± Pos replied with a chuckle, a chuckle that was picked up by the rest of the party.

    The guard sighed and waved the party through.

    Pos walked through the large, heavy doors and into the dungeon. He found himself in a long dark tunnel, one that Pos has walked through twice before. The air was cold and stale, but dry.

    ¡°Welcome back to the Tomb of Ten Thousand Techniques,¡± Jes said. ¡°Hope we survived the experience.¡±

    ¡°We will,¡± Nog replied with an air of indifference only a [Berserker] could have.

    The party walked down the long dark tunnel, and Pos could not help but remind everyone on what to expect. ¡°We are almost at the bend, remember what I told you.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, we remember. We¡¯ll get pass the first floor easy and meet up on the second.¡± Umdar said.

    The party walked past the bend in the tunnel and darkness immediately engulfed them. No one panicked. By now, the entry to the first floor was well-documented and everyone knew what to expect. When light returned, Pos found himself back in the fog.

    He was now in the Tomb of Ten Thousand Techniques.

    Pos looked for the nearest light and sprinted towards it. Adventurers had begun calling these lights the Orbs of Safety, and once he was near it, Pos looked at the bright light that represented the end of the floor. Pos begun to work out a plan to reach it, but unlike the previously two times he was here, Pos did not pick the optimal route to it.

 V2Part 12- The Hall of Carda

    Several adventurers had found chests near the orbs of safety, and Pos was in the mood to pick up some treasures. With [White Tiger Movement] and a Recall Stone in his bag of tricks, Pos was comfortable taking a few risks. So, he worked out a route that would bring him to a few more Orbs of Safety and ran.

    However, the Luck of Agate was not with him. Pos did not find any chests in any of the Orbs of Safety. As he neared the end of the floor, Pos decided to take a chance. Instead of going straight towards the end of the floor as planned, the frustrated dwarf headed towards an out of the way Orb. The spur of the moment decision was uncharacteristic of the dwarf, but Pos knew he was going out of the dungeon after the first floor, and who knew when he would return? The lure of treasures was just too strong to ignore, and Pos decide to take the detour.

    When he arrived at the Orb, a strange sight greeted him. Instead of a chest, there was a wooden door.

    The door was not attached to anything. No house, no walls, not even a doorframe, it was just a door stuck to the ground. Pos blinked twice to make sure he was not hallucinating. He wasn¡¯t.

    He then walked around the door twice before making the decision to touch the door. The moment his hand touched the door, it disappeared, and a whirling light replaced. It became a portal.

    Pos now had a decision to make. He could ignore the portal and report the existence of the door to the Adventurer Guild for some reward, or he could be an adventurer and find out what lies behind the portal before reporting it.

    Running away was the smart choice. Pos knew that, but he felt the weight of his fame and title on his shoulders. A ¡®Discover¡¯ who walked away from a discovery would be laughed at, and rightfully so. Pos would have done the same if the roles were reversed. So, he took a step, went through the portal and found himself in a small room.

    Wooden floors, walls of stone, and a table with two chairs, one of which was already taken. A monster was sitting in the chair, and as per usual for this dungeon, the monster was a strange one. The monster was covered with fur and had a face that looked like that of a cat. A mane of hair surrounds its face, and being a dwarf, Pos could not help but admired it¡¯s bushiness and marvelous color.

    The monster saw Pos and stood. Pos realized the monster was a giant cat with the height of a human. For a moment, neither spoke. Then, the monster gave Pos a courtly bow.

    ¡°Welcome to the Hall of Carda.¡±

    Pos¡¯ eyes widened when the monster spoke. Talking dungeon monsters were not unheard of, but they were very unusual. Being able to talk meant that the monster had a level of intelligence and require more power to create. So, dungeon cores seldom create such monsters. When they did, these monsters usually served certain special functions in a dungeon, like being the Boss of a floor, or the Guardian of a secret room.

    Pos looked around the room he was in. Some dungeons like to play tricks and built secret rooms for adventurers to find. These rooms usually possessed valuable treasures and were guarded by powerful monsters. Adventurers called these powerful monsters ¡®sub-bosses¡¯, but officially, the Adventurer Guild called them ¡®Guardians¡¯.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    Considering that he was teleported to a room no one even knew existed, Pos knew he was now facing the latter.

    Pos took a closer look at the Guardian. The Cat-like Guardian looked strong and powerful, with five sharp claws on each hand. This was going to be a hard fight.

    ¡°Do you wish to fight, or play?¡±

    Pos¡¯ eyes blinked. ¡°Play?¡± He asked, hoping he had not misheard.

    ¡°Yes, play.¡±

    The monster waved at the table, and Pos saw that there was a deck of cards on it. Pos was certain the cards weren¡¯t there a moment ago.

    He wants to play a card game.

    Pos¡¯ mind went blank for a moment before asking the obvious question. ¡°What are we playing?¡±

    ¡°A simple exciting suspenseful game, which will test your judgement.¡±

    The Guardian smiled and sat back down in the chair. He waved at the chair before Pos, indicating that the dwarf should sit. Pos stood still for a moment, before deciding to do so. He did not know how powerful the Guardian was and was not confident of defeating the Guardian in a straight fight. The Guardian picked up the deck and begun turning the cards over one by one.

    ¡°This is a normal deck. Fifty-two cards divided into four houses: the Clubs, the Diamonds, the Hearts and the Spades. Each house has thirteen ranks, from one to ten with three royal cards above them; the King, Queen, and Prince.¡±

    Pos looked on as the Guardian spread the cards over the table. As the cards were revealed, Pos saw that each card has a number, and the symbol of their house was shown in the corner. The cards were well-made, and the three royal cards even had pictures on them, showing the royal they represent. Pos had never seen cards like these before. He slowly reached out to pick up a card.The Guardian did not stop him.

    Pos turned the card over and took a good look at the symbol. When the Guardian was turning over the cards, he had noticed that whereas one side of the cards showed the number and houses the cards represent, the other side of the card had a symbol on it. The symbol was a cat, sitting on its hunches in the middle of a circle.

    The symbol was simple, but Pos knew there was something to it. Dungeon cores, especially young ones, did not waste energy and create things without reason.

    ¡°What is this?¡± Pos asked as he pointed at the symbol.

    ¡°That is the symbol of Carda.¡± The Guardian smiled with a toothy grin as he continued spreading out the cards. A very sharp toothy grin.

    Pos fought to calm himself as he asked the follow-up question the Guardian was clearly waiting for. ¡°Who is Carda?¡±

    ¡°He is the Lord of Cards, the Prince of Cats, and a God of Luck.¡±

    Pos mentally cursed as he heard the words. Carda was a God, one that had laid claim to this dungeon. When the Adventurer Guild hears of this, they will¡­Pos stopped when he realized something.

    He had no idea who Carda was!

    Pos was not religious scholar, but like everyone, he had been taught the Ways of the Gods. Gods were the representation of something. They were an Aspect of Life that affects everyone, and most of them represent more than one facet of life. Outside their Aspect, most of the gods also choose one animal and item to represent themselves in the mortal world.

    There were many gods who were Gods of Luck, several who used cats as their Holy Beast, but Cards? Why would a god claimed to represent Cards? What Aspect of Life could Cards represent anyway?

    ¡°Great Guardian, I am sorry, but I have never heard of Carda before. May I know if He has other names or titles?¡± Pos tried to sound as humble as possible, there was no such things as being too respectful when talking about the Gods.

    ¡°Guardian,¡± the Guardian looked pleased as he said his title. Maybe this was why he answered the question. ¡°Carda has other titles, the Patron of Gamblers for one, but I am unsurprised that you had never heard of Him. To this world, He is new.¡±

 V2Part 13- 21

    When he heard the Guardian¡¯s words, the world stopped. Everything became still, and the moment was imprinted in his soul. Pos forgot to breath. A new God! A new god had arrived, and he had claimed the Tomb of Ten Thousand Techniques as his own.

    Pos¡¯ mind raced. He knew the other gods would never accept that. The other Gods were here first, Gressian was the first god that came to this dungeon. She had the better claim on the dungeon, and even if she did not claim the dungeon, the other Gods would not accept a newcomer coming in and claiming a dungeon as his own. It would cause a religious war. Pos¡¯ head spin, and his face turned blue before he finally remembered to breath.

    ¡°Great Guardian, please tell¡­ does Carda claimed this dungeon as his own?¡± Pos asked, fearing the answer. The dwarf¡¯s relief was palpable when the Guardian answered in the negative.

    ¡°No, only this room. Carda has no desire for territory, or conquest. He only need a room, a small room to offer the people a ¡®chance¡¯.¡±

    ¡°A chance? For what?¡±

    ¡°To challenge their destiny. To change their fate. To roll the dice for fortune or misery. To offer people a Chance.¡±

    ¡°And if I wish to forego my ¡®Chance¡¯, what happened then?¡±

    ¡°Then, you forgo the chance at the treasure on offer. However, this is a dungeon. If you do not play, you must fight.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Pos smiled grimly, realizing the catch. He gripped his ace tightly.

    ¡°What are we playing for? What happened if I lose?¡±

    ¡°If you lose, you can walk out or continue playing. The treasure on offer will depend on the stake.¡±

    ¡°Stake?¡± A startled Pos asked.

    ¡°Yes, this is a game of chance. You must put up something to gain something. It is only fair.¡± The Guardian said as he finally put the last card on the table. He smiled, showing his teeth. ¡°Carda is Generous, but he is not the God of Charity. Now, do you wish to play?¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t told me what we are playing yet?¡±

    ¡°A simple enjoyable game that is new to this world.¡± The Guardian took back the cards on the table and began shuffling the deck. ¡°Two cards are dealt to both players. Players may ask for more cards if they wish. The objective of the game is to reach as close to 21 points as possible without going over. The King, Queen, and Prince cards are worth ten points. If both players are tied, then whoever has the higher Royal wins.¡±

    That did sound simple to Pos. ¡°What happens if I go above 21?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s means you have zero points, which is almost a certain loss unless your opponent also goes above 21.¡±

    ¡°In which case, whoever has the higher Royal wins.¡±The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    The Guardian nodded. ¡°That is correct. Do you have any other questions?¡±

    ¡°It does not seem fair, Great Guardian. I have never played this game before. I would lose.¡±

    ¡°You do not need to play,¡± the Guardian smoothly replied. ¡°You can choose to fight.¡±

    Pos sighed. ¡°I only have to play one game. Then, I can leave?¡±

    ¡°If you still choose to, the dungeon will open a portal behind me. The portal will also open if you defeat me in combat. Do you have any other questions?¡±

    After a few moments of thought, Pos gave the Guardian a small shake of the head.

    ¡°Then, what do you wish to stake?¡±

    Pos reached into his pouch¡­and realized it was almost empty.

    Pos had forgotten that he had emptied everything in town before coming to the dungeon. Why would anyone need money in a dungeon? What if you lose them in the dungeon? Wouldn¡¯t it be more sensible to put everything in town and be as light as possible when entering a dungeon?

    Like most adventurers, Pos had this thinking and only had a few coppers on him at the moment. Embarrassed, he took out everything he had and placed it on the table. The Guardian¡¯s raised brow told Pos what he thought of his stake. After hesitation, the Guardian shook his head.

    ¡°A poor stake. A lousy bet on the altar of Carda. Your bet is rejected. We will need to fight.¡±

    ¡°Wait! Wait! How about this?¡± Pos quickly took off his helmet and placed it on the table. ¡°My helmet. Dwarven-made armor made of solid steel. Surely, this is good enough?¡±

    It hurts to bet his armor, but Pos knew he would win get some reward when he reports this room to the Adventurer Guild. He could always buy a new helmet; he couldn¡¯t buy a new life if he fought with the Guardian.

    The Guardian looked at the helmet for a moment before nodding. ¡°The stake is acceptable.¡±

    The Guardian offer the deck to Pos in one hand. ¡°Please cut the deck.¡± At Pos¡¯ confused look, the Guardian explained further. ¡°Take a bunch of cards from the top, as many as you want, and placed it down on the table. We shall use the cards on the bottom part of the deck to play.¡±

    Pos did not understand why he needed to do this, but he did as requested. The Guardian took one card from the top and placed it, face-down, on the table in front of Pos. He then took the next card from the top and placed it in front of himself. The Guardian repeated this process, only this time he placed the cards face-up.

    When both of them had two cards in front of them, the Guardian placed the remaining cards in his hand on top of the cards on the table. Pos saw that his face-up card was an 8, while the Guardian¡¯s was a 4. The Guardian and Pos shared a look before they both looked at their face-down cards. Pos had another 8, which gave him a total of 16.

    ¡°Do you want another card?¡± The Guardian asked.

    Is this enough? Do I need another card?

    Pos remembered what the Guardian said about the game. Since the objective was to get as close to 21 points as possible, taking another card was dangerous as any card above 5 meant that Pos would go beyond 21. In fact, the more cards you have, the higher the chances were of going above 21. Four houses of thirteen cards each meant that Pos¡¯ chances of going above 21 were more than half.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± Pos said as he placed his card back face-down on the table.

    ¡°I shall take a card,¡± the Guardian said as he nodded. The Guardian took the top card from the deck, looked at it, before placing it down in front of him.

    ¡°I shall take another card.¡± The Guardian said as Pos¡¯ spirits lifted. The dwarf knew that with four cards, the Guardian has a good chance of going above 21. The Guardian placed his card in front of him.

    ¡°Please show your card.¡±

    Pos turned his card over to show his total of 16. The Guardian turned his first face-down card over and revealed that it was a 5. That gave the Guardian 9, which turned to 15 when his third card was revealed to be a 6. Pos¡¯ heart pounded as he awaits the Guardian¡¯s last card. The Guardian showed Pos his teeth, before slowly turned his last card over.

    It was a Prince.

    Pos pumped his fists and hollered in delight. He had won. The Guardian had gone above 21! Then, Pos remembered where he was. He quickly controlled his emotions. Any celebration should be done after he had left the dungeon. For now, he had something important to ask.

    ¡°What did I win?¡±

 V2Part 14- A Chance

    He smiled as the dwarf happily skipped into the portal.

    The portal would bring the dwarf to the end of the first floor, and he was glad that the dwarf was gone. He needed time to digest some things the dwarf¡¯s visit had brought up.

    The Guardian.

    That was what the dwarf called him. He did not know why, but he liked the name. It sounded familiar to him, and the way the dwarf spoke made him think the name had some meaning behind it. He thinks he would like to take the name as his own, if that was possible.

    When he first saw the dwarf, the Catkin did not know what to do. He did not know what was expected of him, and neither Carda nor the dungeon core had given him a script of what to say. So, his instincts took over.

    The bow, the way he spoke to put the dwarf at ease, the method to slowly draw him into the game of 21, the Catkin just knew what to do. It was as if he had been training for this his whole life.

    Maybe he had.

    The Catkin sat back down on his chair and picked up his deck of cards. The cards used to be blank, but his [Create] skill allowed him to create images and pictures on the cards and that was what the Catkin did. Somehow, he knew what to create to make a deck of playing cards, and how to play the game of 21. This was not knowledge his [Carder] class gave him. The Catkin just did not remember how, but the game was something he already knew. One by one, the Catkin flipped the cards over on the table as he tried to remember.

    How did he know how to play the game?

    Since the beginning, the Catkin had been wondering about himself. He knew he had a life before his change, the letter from Carda all but confirmed it, and he often wondered who he was. Playing with the cards was peaceful and helped his mind settled. The Catkin continued playing, trying to remember.

    Like always, the memories were disjointed. The face of a kindly old woman; glimpses of three men who were close to him; a great hall that filled him with both fury and awe. Not for the first time, the Catkin wondered why Carda took away his memories but left behind these small glimpses of who he was.

    ¡°You switch the cards. You let the dwarf wins.¡±

    The Catkin looked around his room before realizing the voice belonged to the dungeon core. As a dungeon core, it could see everything that happens in the dungeon, and it must have saw him switching his third card from a 10 to the 6 of clubs.

    ¡°Yes, I did.¡±

    ¡°You cheated.¡± The dungeon core said. It did not sound angry, merely curious.

    ¡°Is it still cheating when you want to lose?¡± The Catkin laughed.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°I need the dwarf to spread the word,¡± the Catkin said as he continued playing with his cards. ¡°I need the dwarf to spread the word that there is a new god in this world, and his Name is Carda. He is the Lord of Cards, the Prince of Cats, a God of Luck.¡±

    ¡°You do not need to lose the game for that.¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°That is true,¡± the Catkin admitted. ¡°But a gambler is more willing to talk about his winnings than his losses.¡±

    ¡°How do you know that?¡±

    That was a fair question, and the Catkin could not think of a good lie.

    ¡°I do not know how, but I just do. Maybe it has something to do with my Class, or who I was before I was turned into a Catkin. I just know.¡±

    ¡°You remember who you were?¡± The dungeon core asked after some moments of silence.

    ¡°No, I do not. But I have flashes. Small flashes of people and places I knew. I do not know who these people are, where these places are, but they were important to me.¡±

    ¡°I am sorry. When Carda told me the Vial of Change would take away your memory, I did not think anything of it. I did not know the vial would leave behind residue. That was cruel.¡±

    The Catkin could do nothing but nod. When he asked, the dungeon core had openly admitted that it knew the vial would take away his memories, and it had gone along with what the god wanted anyway. On a certain level, the Catkin understood. There was nothing the dungeon core could do against a God, but the act proved that the dungeon core was not his friend. To be fair, the dungeon core never pretended to be one.

    Peace and quiet returned to the Hall of Carda and only the sounds of the cards could be heard in the small room. Then, the dungeon core asked another question.

    ¡°Is that why you know how to give that bow? My dungeon fairy told me that was something humans do in their courts.¡±

    So, he was human. That did not surprise the Catkin. The old women and three men he remembered were all humans.

    ¡°No, that was something instinctive, actions that had been drilled into my body. I must have been trained to do that.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t Carda take all that away? A God should be able to take away your former instincts, and he did not seem to be a cruel god.¡± The dungeon core mused.

    The Catkin had asked himself that question several times before and had came up empty. He may have a duty from Carda, but he did not know the god well. However, as he placed another card on the table, the answer came to him naturally.

    ¡°A Chance,¡± he said.

    ¡°I do not understand.¡± The dungeon core replied, and the Catkin tried to explain as best he could.

    ¡°Carda is the Cat of Chance. He must always give people a Chance. A chance of greatness, or despair. A Chance for success, to succeed despite impossible odds. Or a chance for failure, even in the face of certain success. So, He must give me a Chance.¡±

    ¡°You believe he wanted you to recover your memories?¡±

    ¡°Not really,¡± the Catkin shook his head, ¡°he merely gave me a way to do so. Glimpses of my past to tempt me.¡±

    ¡°Tempt you to do what?¡± The dungeon core asked.

    ¡°To level. To train. To be the best [Carder] I could be. Only when I grow in levels and power would I have a chance to break the seal that is blocking me from my memories.¡±

    ¡°A Chance to break the power of a God? That is unlikely. There is almost no chance of that.¡± The dungeon core scoffed, and the Catkin could not help but agree. It was almost impossible.

    ¡®Almost¡¯ being the important word.

    ¡°I never said it was a fair chance. After all, the house always wins.¡±

    ¡°I have never heard of that saying, but I get the idea. Never expect to win in a gambling house.¡± The dungeon core said, sounding almost disappointed.

    Once more, the Hall of Carda was silent but for the flipping of the cards. When he finished flipping all the cards in the deck, the Catkin looked up at the ceiling and spoke to the air.

    ¡°Dungeon core, are you there?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am here. Is there something you want?¡±

    ¡°I am wondering if I can have a training area?¡±

    ¡°A training area? To do what? I thought your class is based around your cards.¡±

    ¡°It is,¡± the Catkin admitted, ¡°but I feel there is more to the [Carder] class. I need more room to train and experiment.¡±

    ¡°I cannot expand the Hall of Carda, it belongs to the god, but I can grant you access to my rooms.¡± The dungeon core hesitated for a moment before continuing. ¡°My dungeon fairy just told me the adventurers would treat you as a wandering sub-Boss if they find you, so you may need to fight them once you go outside.¡±

    ¡°A sub-Boss?¡±

    ¡°Yes, some powerful monsters that are as powerful as the Boss of a floor but instead of being stationed at the end of a floor, a sub-Boss wanders around the dungeon. In some dungeons, they are considered more dangerous than the Boss of a floor.¡±

    ¡°Interesting,¡± the Catkin mused. ¡°Is that why the dwarf called me a ¡®Guardian¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the official name for sub-Bosses, but there¡¯s usually something behind that. Like ¡®Guardian of Flame¡¯ or ¡®Guardian of the Golden Chest¡¯, and such.¡±

    ¡°Interesting,¡± the Catkin said. ¡°Call me¡­the Guardian of Cards.¡±

 Part 15- Not Our Problem

    ¡°Finally! What took you so long?¡±

    Pos was not surprised by the greeting from Nog. As he appeared on the second floor, the [Berserker] was already waiting with the rest of their party near the central pillar. The party was impatient, and Pos could understand why.

    That little trip into the Hall of Carda took longer than expected.

    Pos looked around and did not see any other adventurers near them. Some adventurers were sitting around, waiting for their party members to complete the first floor, and several parties were waiting in a line before the Lake Room. As only one party of adventurers were allowed in the room, the adventurers were awaiting their turn.

    As the layout of the Tomb of Ten Thousand Techniques became known, most adventurers decided that it would be safer to wait on the second floor than the end of the first floor. Both areas were safe, but no one wanted to be sitting on the edge of a toxic fog.

    Pos looked towards the entrances of the other two rooms. There were no lines, and the entrances were opened. Pos went to his party and signal everyone to group together.

    As they gathered in a circle, Pos could see that Nog was about to give him a piece of her mind when a signal from Vorma stopped her. Pos silently filed that away. He knew the two female dwarves were friends, but the relationship must be closer than he realized if a simple sign from the [Sorceress] could stop Nog.

    Still, it¡¯s not good to test the self-control of a [Berserker].

    ¡°I found something.¡±

    Pos took out the treasure he received from the Guardian as he told the party of what he found. The Hall of Carda, the Guardian, the game of 21 he played, even the new God mentioned by the Guardian, Pos held nothing back. He wasn¡¯t sure how much of what he said registered with the party though, because they only had eyes for the treasure.

    The treasure was a card. A rectangle piece of layered paper that had the picture of a vial on it. The words ¡®Vial of Change- Catkin¡¯ was written above the picture.

    ¡°Can I touch it?¡± Jes asked.

    Pos saw no reason to reject the [Scholar] and passed the card to him. A smile grew on the scholar¡¯s face as he ran his hands over the card. Pos found the smile to be a little creepy, so he was glad when Nog directed a question to him.

    ¡°What does the Guardian look like?¡±

    ¡°He looked like a cat that¡¯s the size of a human. Stood on two legs, spoke well, was intelligent, and even though we didn¡¯t fight, he looked strong and powerful.¡±

    ¡°A cat that¡¯s the size of a human. You mean a Catkin?¡± Vorma asked as she pointed at the word on the card. Understanding what Vorma was asking, Pos nodded.

    ¡°A new form of Beastkin.¡±

    Everyone turned to Jes, who was still looking at the card in his hand with an unhealthy intensity. The [Scholar] did not seem to know he had answered the question. Umdar coughed loudly when it became clear the [Scholar] was in a world of his own. Jes only came out of his fudge after a few moments. He looked up, saw the party looking at him, and went crimson red. He quickly passed the card back to Pos.

    ¡°Well, you discover anything?¡± Nog asked.

    The [Scholar] nodded. ¡°It is clearly magical. Not just the card, but there is some sort of magical energy in it. The energy is quite similar to the energy I feel from Bags of Holding. I think the card is some sort of storage item. We need to bring it to a priest for confirmation, but I am pretty sure the item inside the card holds divine energy.¡±

    ¡°It is an item made by a God?¡± Umdar asked, fear evidenced in his voice. Fear that everyone in the party held.

    Everyone looked at Jes, who replied with a sigh, ¡°Yeah. Maybe.¡±You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    ¡°What do you ¡®maybe¡¯? It either is, or it¡¯s not!¡± Nog said, her voice a little louder than Pos was comfortable with. He looked around, but no one was paying any attention. The others probably thought they were having an argument.

    ¡°You need to remember that dungeon cores are part divine. It¡¯s how they create their dungeons. This card may be created by this dungeon core.¡± Jes said.

    ¡°So, there may not be a new god?¡± Umdar asked hopefully.

    ¡°Maybe.¡± Jes hedged with a shrug.

    Pos scoffed. ¡°So, you are saying you believe the dungeon core created this card, invented a fake God, created a Guardian, ordered the Guardian to give me the card while lying about its origins? For what?¡±

    The [Scholar] had no answer for him, and it became clear that Jes had said what he did more in hope than expectation. He was wrong, he knew he was wrong but had to try anyway. Pos did not blame him. No sane dwarf wanted to be part of a brewing religious conflict.

    That was why they worship Rocks and Gems instead.

    However, Pos had met the Guardian and knew he was no dungeon monster. Pos would not be surprised that the Guardian was part of a new species created by this new god. He told the party his thoughts, and the reaction was striking.

    Jes nodded, Nog groaned, Umder put his head in his hands, and Vorma just dropped her head with a smile.

    ¡°Pass the card to me.¡± Vorma said after a moment.

    ¡°Sure. Why?¡±

    ¡°If Jes is right, this card is some sort of storage device. I am going to push some mana into the card and see if I can call out this ¡®Vial of Change¡¯.¡±

    Pos immediately pulled the card back from the [Sorceress]. ¡°Wait, what?¡±

    ¡°Why do you want to do that?¡± Umdar immediately asked.

    ¡°Look at the card. Vial of Change- Catkin! If Pos is right, and I think he is, that should be the name of the new species and drinking the vial may change one¡¯s species to that of a catkin.¡± Vorma pointed at the card and explained.

    ¡°You want to change your species?¡± Nog was in shock, along with everyone else. Why would anyone not want to be a hearty dwarf? Vorma just shrugged.

    ¡°Imagine being the first of a new species. If we are right, whoever drink that vial is going to be in the history books!¡±

    ¡°The Guardian is the first,¡± Pos pointed out.

    ¡°Dungeon monsters doesn¡¯t count.¡± Jes replied with a shake of his head. ¡°No, Vorma is right. Whoever drinks it will go into the history books; it is a bad idea though. We don¡¯t know what the vial does, and more importantly, we are under contract.¡±

    ¡°The contract is to clear the-¡±

    ¡°This supersedes that,¡± Jes interrupted Vorma with a wave of his hand, ¡°and you know it. This card is more important than whatever treasure that is in the room. Maglor would want this card and vial. If we go out now, he¡¯ll consider the quest fulfilled once we give this card to him. Failure to do so might be a breach of contract.¡±

    ¡°What about the Guild?¡±

    Everyone stayed silent at Umdar¡¯s question. It was a good question. Everyone would want the card, and they might be upset with the party if they hand it the treasure to the ¡®wrong¡¯ person.

    ¡°Maglor registered the quest with the Adventurer Guild. He already paid the Guild. By rights, he has first dips on any treasure we take out of here. At most, the Adventurer Guild can only take a percentage of the treasure.¡± Pos said without confidence.

    ¡°That won¡¯t stop them. There is a part in their charter where the Guild could claim the treasure ¡®for the good of the world¡¯.¡± Umdar said.

    ¡°How often had that charter been invoked?¡± Vorma asked Jes.

    The [Scholar] shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ll need to look it up. It¡¯s rare, but it had happened before. I think it¡¯s more than likely that the Guild will use that charter on the treasure of a new God.¡±

    Silence descended on the group. After some long moments, Nog slapped her hand on her knee. ¡°This is going nowhere. I say we make this someone else¡¯s problem.¡± Everyone looked at the [Berserker] who continued. ¡°We go out, tell the Guild everything we know, give this card to them, and tell them Maglor has first dips on it as he is the one who posted the quest. Let them sort it out.¡±

    Pos¡¯ eyes widened in surprise, and joy. However, not everyone agreed.

    Shaking her head slightly to Nog, Vorma objected. ¡°The quest was to clear the Bamboo Forest Room. If we don¡¯t hand the card over to him, Maglor may not accept that the quest is complete.¡±

    ¡°Then, we come back and complete the quest. The quest was to clear the Bamboo Forest Room, right? No one said we need to complete it in one delve. We¡¯re just temporarily leaving the dungeon to store an important treasure we found with the Guild. Nothing wrong with that.¡± Nog said before she looked at her friend. ¡°Vorma, you are getting ahead of yourself. We don¡¯t know what this vial could do. For all we know, it could turn you into a baby kitten. There are better ways to go down in history than taking a dangerous unknown magical vial from an unknown god.¡±

    There was no arguing with that.

    ¡°And Maglor would probably be too busy fighting the Guild for the card to bother with us.¡± Pos said with a smile. He liked this idea, and seeing the smile on Umdar¡¯s face, he was not the only one. Jes and Vorma were reluctant, but they understood this was their best play.

    Sometimes, you need a [Berserker] to cut through all the muck.

    A few moments later, every member of the party used their Recall Stone and appeared back in the Adventurer Guild. They followed the plan, told the Guild everything, and ignited a firestorm.

    Pos did not care. As Maglor, the Guild, and members of various religious orders were arguing about the card, he and his party were enjoying a mug of ale in the Blooming Jug inn.

    Like Nog said; the card was now someone else¡¯s problem.

 V2Part 16- The Dullahan

    Xu Han mentally sighed when the party of dwarves disappeared from his dungeon. That was so disappointing. The dungeon core had heard the party mentioned that they were going to enter the Bamboo Forest Room and was looking forward to the attempt. Despite the party¡¯s higher levels, Xu Han had full confidence that the Panda Boss would beat them. It wasn¡¯t to be.

    Not for the first time, the dungeon core wondered how long he would need to wait before he is able to capture some prisoners for his experiments. Adventurers on his first floor either died in the fog, or survived long enough to get to the second floor.

    The Lake Room was not an option. The kappa-like creatures he created were too weak, and the Boss was unsuitable for taking prisoners. Even when it managed to drag an adventurer into the water, the adventurer would either activate a Recall Stone or just drown.

    None of the adventurers were attempting the other two rooms on the floor, so it was hard to see where the prisoners would be coming from. Xu Han mentally sighed again. He would need to change his floors if he wanted to capture prisoners.

    It had been a few days since his trade with Challenger, and Xu Han was a little embarrassed that he still had not started his experiments. It was also disappointing as Xu Han had gone through the other dungeon core¡¯s methods with a fine-toothed comb, and found it to be promising. Challenger¡¯s method may have some drawbacks, like being wasteful, but the method did work.

    Challenger had proof.

    He had created a strange new species with his method, and the story of their creation was fascinating to Xu Han. According to Challenger, his dungeon was near a kingdom with a knightly tradition. Xu Han wasn¡¯t sure what that meant, but the kingdom Challenger was near had a lot of Classed with the [Knight], [Squire], and [Soldier] classes. When he saw this, Challenger decided to base his dungeon around melee combat, and designed and decorated his dungeon around the concept of honourable combat.

    Challenger called his dungeon ¡®The Challenge Arena¡¯ and filled it with his dungeon creatures. They were designed to be like walking suits of armour. He designed the dungeon to challenge the adventurers individually, and duels were a constant occurrence in The Challenge Arena. There were even special areas where magic was banned, and the test of arms was the only way to get through.

    However, Challenger was never satisfied with the walking suits of armour he created and constantly tried to find ways to improve them. The dungeon core improved the composition of their armour, used magic to improve the suits¡¯ combat skills, even made a point to kill any Classed with weaponry classes to absorb their Skills.

    After killing a bunch of [Swordsman], [Axeman], [Halberdier] and such, Challenger found some success. His dungeon made a name for itself as a difficult but fair dungeon, and it became a point of pride for adventurers to defeat his suits of armour in one-on-one combat. However, Challenger always believed that more could be done.

    Challenger did not want his creatures to be a challenge, he wanted them to be skillful enough to challenge the greatest of masters. Unfortunately, his creatures could never reach that level.

    The problem was that his suits of armour were not living things, and it was impossible for the suits to improve on their own. Any improvement must come from Challenger, and the dungeon core was no warrior.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    So, much like Xu Han, Challenger decided to create a new species. He wanted his walking suits of armour to have life, so that the creatures could improve on their own. Challenger even picked out a name for them. He was going to call the new species, Dullahan.

    Unfortunately, Challenger was no master in the art of creating life and met with years of failure. However, time meant little to dungeon cores and after persisting for years, he stumbled on a method.

    Challenger had captured some adventurers in his dungeon and found that if he could overload a person¡¯s body with divine power, he could then control the power to change the basic structure of the body. The dungeon core could add scales, give the prisoners extra limbs, and even give them the ability to breath underwater.

    It wasn¡¯t easy. The method was crude, messy, and unsubtle, with an incredibly high casualty rate. Most of the time, the prisoners just blew up in a storm of blood and gore. In rare cases, it worked. Encouraged, Challenger went further.

    The dungeon core overloaded the body of a prisoner, and then did the same to one of his dungeon creatures. He placed them beside each other and added divine power to merge the two together.

    It worked.

    The suit of armour and the prisoner merged into one, and Challenger managed to create the first Dullahan. It was, well, not breathing, but it is alive and the Systems of War and Magic recognized it with a Class. Emboldened by his success, Challenger created more of them and even has a small group of them currently living in his dungeon. Most of them had classes like [Squire], and [Knight], with the strongest being a level 33 [Veteran Knight].

    However, Challenger warned Xu Han against creating his own species.

    Despite his success, the Dullahan were a disappointment to Challenger. The other dungeon core informed Xu Han that most of the Dullahan were mad, a seemingly common side-effect when you changed a person¡¯s species, and those who were not were dark grim creatures. Although they do obey Challenger¡¯s commands, occasionally some of them would do something that Challenger did not order.

    Challenger said that the Dullahans liked to leave the rooms they were guarding and wandered along the hallways of The Challenge Arena. They had a habit of walking on their lonesome, challenging any adventurers they happened to meet. Some had even left his dungeon on their own.

    In short, the Dullahans were living things with their own thoughts, desires, and erraticity. Considering the expenditure required to create just one Dullahan, Challenger believed that they were too wasteful and stopped creating them decades ago.

    However, the Dullahan species did not die off like Challenger expected. Challenger had expected the adventurers to kill off the surviving Dullahans, and while some did die that way, something occurred that shocked Challenger.

    The Dullahan found a way to procreate.

    Adventurers always die in dungeons, and whenever the Dullahan wish to procreate, they would take the dead bodies of adventurers before Challenger could absorbed them and placed the bodies in one of the safe rooms of the dungeon. Several Dullahans would do this at the same time, usually over a period of weeks, and then the Dullahans would guide several suits of armour into the room.

    The suits of armour would lay on top of the dead bodies and the Dullahan would stand guard outside the room. According to Challenger, they would not leave even when Challenger ordered them to. This was also about the only time the Dullahans would come together. After a period of time, the suits of armour would come alive as new Dullahans.

    Challenger wasn¡¯t sure how this happens, and it worried the dungeon core. Although, the newly-born Dullahans were not mad, and did not challenge the dungeon core, Challenger was suspicious of them.

    For his own safety, Challenger had banned the Dullahan from the lower levels of his dungeon, and never stop any Dullahan who wandered out of his dungeon. Although he had never ordered them to go, Challenger would not consider it a bad thing if all of them would one day decide to leave.

    So, Challenger warned Xu Han that not only was creating a new species a heavy expenditure, the species he created would also not be fully obedient. They are a new lifeform, not dungeon monsters, and Challenger advised that it would be better for a new dungeon core like Xu Han to just create new monsters and traps against the adventurers.

 V2Part 17- A Hobby? (Bonus Update)

    Although Xu Han know that Challenger meant well, he was more excited than worried by Challenger¡¯s story. From what his follow dungeon core told him, the Dullahan had found a way to make more of their species without any input from their creator.

    Even though Challenger never had the desire, or foresight, to design them for procreation, the Dullhans found a way to do it anyway. They even knew to come together to protect the birth of the next generation. It seems that life, once created, always found a way.

    That was amazing!

    It sounded to Xu Han that the Dullahan have the beginning of their own culture. Perhaps inspired by their creator, the Dullahan were now seeking adventurers to challenge. No one told them to do this. They did this on their own, because they wanted to!

    The scholar within Xu Han was aroused and had asked his follow dungeon core if he kept any records of the life of the Dullahans. Challenger did not quite understand what Xu Han meant at first, so the former cultivator clarified that he was not looking at the life of individual Dullahans, but the species as a whole.

    Xu Han wanted to know how long it took for the Dullahan to find a way to procreate after Challenger stopped making more of them? Who started doing it? When did the Dullahan started to challenge the adventurers? Do they have their own language, social ranks, or any belief system?

    When questioned, Xu Han told Challenger his beliefs that the Dullahan were in the midst of becoming a real species. They were a folk with their own creation process and were slowly creating their own culture. Xu Han was very interested to know more about them.

    Xu Han¡¯s insight surprised Challenger. His fellow dungeon core had never thought of his Dullahans that way. Challenger thought that the Dullahan were a failure, and had not paid much attention to them in years. In fact, he would have destroyed the Dullahans years ago if they weren¡¯t so useful.

    Despite his narrow view of his creation, Challenger quickly saw where Xu Han was coming from. He promised to compile a record of the Dullahans and delivered it to Xu Han via a Dungeon Supplier. Xu Han liked to think he reignited an interest for the Dullahan in the dungeon core of The Challenge Arena.

    Xu Han was so satisfied with his transaction with the other dungeon core, he decided to add in something extra for Challenger. Not only did he give Challenger the method for creating the Skill Scrolls, Xu Han also added in the method of infused elemental metals.

    Challenger had spent decades improving his dungeon creatures, and part of his method was to improve their weapons and armour. From what Jemma had told him, weapons and armours  in this world were enhanced by the placement of runes. These were magical marking inscribed on the metals which gave it a magical boost.

    Xu Han may be proud of his homeland, but he had to admit that the metallurgists of this world were better than the experts of the Crimson Lands. There were numerous strange metals in this world and the blacksmiths and armourers of this world were inventive in the construction of new alloys. According to Jemma, the dwarven species was especially noted for their metalworks so Xu Han might not have even seen the best this world has to offer.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    However, the one thing this world do seen to have were items with elemental enhancement. At least, Jemma had not heard of them.

    Xu Han was a little surprised by that. In the Crimson Lands, cultivator blacksmiths would infuse their creation with elemental Qi. During the smelting and fabrication process, the cultivating blacksmiths would draw a little of their Qi and infused it into the items they were making. This enhancement process increased the power and durability of the product.

    It is similar to the strengthening runes of this world but more advanced cultivator blacksmiths could also infuse an element into the metal. This changed the metal into elemental metal and grant the products made from the metal with strange abilities.

    For example, a cultivator who held a weapon with lightning elemental enhancement would find that his lightning attacks improved in strength and power, and any lightning attacks would be tendered almost useless against someone wearing armour with lightning elemental enhancements.

    Challenger immediately understood what these elmental metal meant. Challenger was a forger and found the method of infusing elements into weapons and armours to be fascinating. In fact, Challenger had several rooms designed as forges in his dungeon, and they weren¡¯t design as such just for the theme. Unlike other dungeon cores who just magically recreate weapons and armours using their divine power, Challenger knows and understand the process of foraging a new weapon and how difficult it was to create a magical weapon or armour.

    As Xu Han suspected, the idea of infusing elemental energy in metals during the forging process was not widespread in this world. Xu Han suggested to Challenger that he may wish to create some Dullahan with elemental metals, to see if this would change the personality of the Dullahan in any way. It would give his dungeon some extra variety if nothing else.

    Challenger was intrigued by the idea, but he did not promise anything, only that he would look into the matter. That was a little disappointing to Xu Han, but he did not push Challenger. The Dullahan weren¡¯t his, and Xu Han understand that Challenger was the core in charge of his dungeon.

    Both dungeon cores were happy with their trade and agreed to update each other on the progress they made. Challenger had even sent a message to Xu Han stating that he had created a sword using metal infused with elemental fire, and that the treasure was well-received by the adventurers who found it. Xu Han did not sent any message back.

    Not because he don¡¯t want to, but because he did not have anything to tell Challenger. Xu Han had not even started on any experiments. He did not have any prisoners to experiment on! It irritated the -

    ¡°You do know you don¡¯t have create a new species, right?¡± Jemma said, knocking the dungeon core out of his musing.

    ¡°What? What did you say?¡± A startled Xu Han asked, not knowing when his dungeon fairy had landed in front of him.

    ¡°This is exactly what I mean. I could almost feel the wave of disappointment coming out of you when those dwarves disappeared from the dungeon. You want to capture them, right? Well, stop that and keep your mind on your dungeon!¡±

    ¡°I am! What¡¯s wrong with capturing them? I don¡¯t understand what you are unhappy about.¡± Xu Han innocently asked.

    Jemma scoffed, not believing a word of what her dungeon core said. ¡°As if you don¡¯t know what I am talking about. You have been neglecting the dungeon! I warned you about spending so much time thinking about the creation of new species. It¡¯s all you have been talking about since meeting the other dungeon cores!¡±

    ¡°You were the one who told me how to contact them. You even suggested that I do it.¡±

    ¡°Because I thought they could help you improve your dungeon. You were supposed to ask them for advice and know more about how to be a dungeon core. Not talk about how many different species you are going to create.¡±

    ¡°Creating a new species can help with the dungeon.¡± Xu Han said, defending himself. ¡°I don¡¯t remember you complaining about anything when I first told you I was going to do it.¡±

    ¡°That was before I know that your hobby will be taking over your life.¡±

 V2Part 18- An Idea

    ¡°A hobby?¡± A puzzled Xu Han replied.

    ¡°Yes, a hobby.¡± Jemma said, pointing a finger at Xu Han. ¡°Improving this dungeon? That¡¯s your Life. Your Duty. Your Purpose. Creating a new species? That¡¯s just a hobby. Something you enjoy doing in your spare time when you have the time and energy to spare.¡±

    ¡°I know what a hobby is, but I would not call creating a new species as a ¡®hobby¡¯.¡± An outraged Xu Han fumed. If he was still a cultivator, he would have struck his dungeon fairy down for the insult.

    ¡°It is when it¡¯s distracting you what you are supposed to do, which is to grow and defend the dungeon.¡±

    ¡°And as I just said, creating a new species will help with that. I just need a few disposable prisoners for some experiments.¡±

    ¡°You need more than a few,¡± Jemma scoffed. ¡°According to what Challenger said, it took him years before he managed to create his first Dullahan. Years! What makes you think you would do any better?¡±

    ¡°I was a cultivator who lived for thousands of years. I have experience.¡±

    ¡°Not in creating new species.¡± Jemma countered. ¡°Why do you even want new species for? I thought you are all about ¡®spreading knowledge¡¯. How does creating a new species help with that?¡±

    The dungeon fairy¡¯s argument caught Xu Han short as he realized that his dungeon fairy had a point. Xu Han¡¯s original plan was to spread the knowledge he had to this world, and the creation a new species did not really help with that. Considering the time and effort it would take to create a new species, it may exactly slow his plan¡­unless he could find a way to combine the two.

    When the thought came, a plan slowly formed within his mind.

    It was short, so short that it would be an exaggeration to even call it a plan. It was more like an outline of a plan, a brief idea, a moment of inspiration, and once it took hold, it festered and grew. Xu Han turned his attention back to his dungeon fairy who was looking at him with a critical eye. Xu Han had the idea, but he knew he need his dungeon fairy¡¯ support. He needed a way to lure Jemma into the conversation, and convinced her of his idea.

    ¡°Jemma, what you said is true, it doesn¡¯t help but it also doesn¡¯t hurt. Also, I will be faster than Challenger because I already know what I am going to create.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Jemma asked. That was a question Xu Han was ready for.

    ¡°The variety of species in the Crimson Lands may not be as great as the ones in this world, but they are numerous. I know them. I know how their anatomy work, their body shape, the way they move, even the way they procreate. Jemma, I am not doing this blind. I know what the end result of my experiments will be.¡±Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    ¡°The Crimson Lands? Wait, are you saying you intend to recreate the species of your former world? Was that your plan all along?¡±

    ¡°No. At first, I just wanted to know how to create new species,¡± Xu Han admitted, ¡°but when I heard how Challenger created the Dullahan, and the way the Dullahans were creating a culture on their own, the idea came to me.¡±

    ¡°The idea to recreate your world in this one?¡± Jemma asked in a tone that indicated her disapproval.

    Xu Han noted that and hesitated, thinking of a way to placate her. ¡°Not really,¡± he finally said. ¡°I am going to recreate the different species of the Crimson Lands, but I am not going to recreate their culture. I shall let them be. Mostly.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I am going to do what Challenger did. I am going to create them, but I shall leave their society alone. I shall give them orders, give them a purpose within my dungeon, but I shall let them grow their own culture, with only occasional guidance from me.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®occasional guidance¡¯?¡± A suspicious Jemma wondered.

    ¡°Think of it more of a social experiment, is there such a term here? Never mind, I¡¯ll give you an example,¡± Xu Han said as he reminisced about his old world. ¡°The Flood Dragons once ruled the oceans of the Crimson Lands. Before the death of their Dragon Kings and the destruction of the Sea Palaces, they were a strong and mighty species with a civilization that rivaled the greatest of humanity. I shall recreate the Flood Dragons, create a floor filled with water, maybe several floors, and let the Flood Dragons live there. However, I shall not dictate their life. I will not interfere with them socially. I wish to see if they will recreate the culture I knew or will they create something totally new and different.¡±

    ¡°Interesting, what happened to the Flood Dragons in your old world?¡± Jemma asked as she struck her thinking pose. It was clear to Xu Han that his idea intrigued her.

    ¡°We, humans, killed them all.¡±

    ¡°Typical humans,¡± Jemma scoffed. ¡°But how does recreating them help you spread knowledge?¡±

    ¡°The Flood Dragons were a civilization, with their own art, music, and culture. Jemma, you have never heard the Songs of the Deep. You do not know how soothing, and hauntingly beautiful their songs were. I shall grant some of those songs to my Flood Dragons, let them be the treasures of the floor, and see how the Flood Dragons would react to them. Would they recreate the culture of the Flood Dragons of the Crimson Lands based around these songs, or would a brand-new civilization be borne from them?¡±

    ¡°Ideas of a new floor, several floors, you get to spread your knowledge, and a new species is introduced to the world. I can see the attraction of such a plan.¡± Jemma said approvingly. ¡°I can get behind the idea, but I think you are being too ambitious. You are thinking too far ahead. Core, what you are proposing requires a lot of work. You haven¡¯t even created a single Flood Dragon yet and you are thinking of several floors of them. Even if you know what you are doing, it took Challenger years to create the first Dullahan. And he knew what he wanted also.¡±

    ¡°Maybe you are right,¡± Xu Han admitted. ¡°I should start with something simpler.¡±

    ¡°On that we agree. It¡¯s too early to think about another world¡¯s music when you only have three floors.¡±

    The dungeon core mentally nodded as a new idea came to him. ¡°The floors can wait, let me attempt something I really should have tried by now. I had a God¡¯s work in front of me and never bothered to do more with it.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±

    ¡°Tell me, Jemma. Don¡¯t you think the Guardian of Cards is a little bored? Do you think he would mind a little company?¡± Xu Han teased. He knew Jemma got him when a small smile appeared on her face.

    ¡°You are going to need a lot of cats.¡±

 V2 Interlude- The Dungeon Master

    Sprawling across the landscape like a giant inland lake, the City of the Vault swallowed the horizon whole. With a population exceeding a million, the city was one of the biggest in the known world and even now, in the middle of the night, it buzzed with ceaseless activity.

    Looking down from the air, the city was labyrinthine, its dense network of streets forming a maze that was hopeless to most newcomers. The city¡¯s architecture was a mishmash of styles and designs from a dozen cultures, blending seamlessly into one another. It showcased the melting pot of diverse cultures that made up the city, as fortune seekers arrived every day seeking money, power, and fame.

    They were the bold, the adventurous, and the desperate. They came with their heads held high, and courage in their hearts. They came because at the heart of the city, laid the greatest dungeon in the world!

    The Hallow Vault.

    The dungeon that was the heart of the city.

    The Adventure Guild had long built a structure over the hole that led into the dungeon. In the beginning, it was just a wall. Then, it grew to be a building and now, it was a tower.

    The Hallow Tower was a hive of activity. Adventurers, some in mismatched armor, gathered up at the base of the tower. Some were waiting for their chance to delve into the dungeon, others were haggling with merchants who seek to buy the monster hides and rare ingredients that the adventurers had taken out of the dungeon.

    This was a daily occurrence.

    He knew all this. He knew what the people above him were doing, and he did not care. Why should he? He had better things to worry about than the lives of mortals. For he was, The Dungeon Master.

    In a world where dungeons were a way of life, his name was one that resonate. From the high courts of the various human kingdoms to deep woods of the elves, to the massive dwarven kingdom under the earth, people knew who he was.

    He was the dungeon core of the Hollow Vault.

    He was the greatest dungeon core in the known world!

    The Dungeon Master felt a surge of pride at the thought. Although he was too modest to publicly admit it, he took great pride in the fame of his dungeon. His dungeon was the best in the world, and no other came close. This was no accident. The Hollow Vault did not become the best by luck, it became the best due to his hard work. The Dungeon Master was no idle core who was content to just let his dungeon be. He kept up with what the other dungeon cores did and did a weekly inspection of his dungeon to see how it could be improved.

    Today was the day of the inspection.

    The Dungeon Master started with the chamber he was in. Despite rumors, which The Dungeon Master encouraged, the Hollow Vault did not have thousands of floors. It only has nine hundred and thirty-seven.

    At its deepest, there was a small cave. Its stone walls were slick, the air was dank, but it did not matter. Not even his three dungeon fairies had been in the cave for centuries. At the centre of the cave was a sapphire the size of a giant. Over five meters high, the sapphire was as blue as the sky on a clear day, and it brimmed with magic and power.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    This was The Dungeon Master.

    The Dungeon Master floats above a stone floor that had three circles painted on it. The smallest was a circle of red with The Dungeon Master at its center. Then, a circle of white surrounded the red circle, and a wider circle of black that was the outermost edge of the magical circles. The black circle used to be a ring of yellow, but the colour went dead when the magic was used. The Dungeon Master kept it as a reminder of how dangerous the world truly was, even to one as powerful as him.

    The Dungeon Master widened his senses. On one side of the cave was a closed door, the only entrance to the core room. Beyond the simple wooden door, a steep stone staircase leads upwards towards the Hollow Vault¡¯s last Boss, a great red dragon sleeping on a pile of gold that was as high as a big hill.

    This was the Vault, the great treasure hall of the dungeon. It was the last room of the Hollow Vault, and the dragon was known as the greatest and most powerful dungeon Boss in the world. At least he was. No adventurer had reached the dragon in decades, and the dragon was more of a legend at this point of time.

    The Dungeon Master reached out into his dungeon. As a dungeon core, he was aware of the presence of any adventurer that enter his dungeon and after centuries of experience, could instantly tell if an adventurer was friendly, hostile, or was just here for a treasure. The Dungeon Master was also in control of his dungeon and could command and contact any of the creatures within it.

    At his age and size, The Dungeon Master no longer took detailed care of his dungeon. Like a [King] with too big of an empire, his dungeon was just too big for The Dungeon Master to take minute details of everything. So, like all good rulers, The Dungeon Master delegate.

    The Dungeon Master mentally contact the oldest of his dungeon fairy.

    The dungeon fairy had been with The Dungeon Master for centuries and was entrusted to oversee all the dungeon floors from Floor Six Hundred and One down. It was a boring job as only the most powerful and experienced of adventurers could come so far down, but it was also the most important.

    The Dungeon Master asked the dungeon fairy if there was anything he needed to update or improved on within his dungeon. Even in a dungeon, spells and traps were subjected to wear and tear, and adventurers could find ways to safely bypass them. His dungeon fairy gave the dungeon core a list of things that he could do to improve the dungeon, and The Dungeon Master surprised his loyal fairy by agreeing with all the suggestions.

    It had been a long time since The Dungeon Master agreed with everything, and the dungeon core could tell that his fairy was wondering if something had happened. However, the fairy knew better than to ask and kept quiet as he watched The Dungeon Master improve the dungeon.

    Once that was done, The Dungeon Master moved on to the second of his dungeon fairies and repeated the process. The second dungeon fairy oversaw Floor Three Hundred and One, to Floor Six Hundred, and the dungeon core accepted all her suggestions as well.

    The Dungeon Master then moved on to the last and youngest of his dungeon fairies. Despite being the youngest, the dungeon fairy had been with the dungeon core for decades and The Dungeon Master had full confidence in him. That was why he allowed the fairy to oversee the first floor of the dungeon to Floor Three Hundred. As the early floors were the busiest, there were more things to improve on, but The Dungeon Master took his time listening to all the dungeon fairy¡¯s requests and accepted them.

    Once all his work was done, The Dungeon Master took an overview of his dungeon and wondered how the dungeon could be further improved. There were a few ideas he had in the past which he never got around to do, and The Dungeon Master wondered if he should start on them now. The Dungeon Master decided that any improvement could come later, now it was better to make sure everything was in working order.

    The Dungeon Master turned his attention back to the magical circles in his core room. The Dungeon Master sensed the presence of powerful magics from the circles and made sure everything was in order. There were no smudges on the magical circles, the paint was not faded, and the spells were in place. Unlike most dungeon cores, The Dungeon Master¡¯s final form of protection was not his final Boss, but these magical circles. The circles were his trump cards, and he cannot afford them to fail.

    Like all dungeon cores, The Dungeon Master was subjected to the System of War and Magic, and he was granted a Dungeon Event when he reached a certain number of floors. These Events could be good events or bad events, and The Dungeon Master had to set them the moment he received the Event.

 V2 Interlude- The Dungeon Master (2)

    When he created his three hundredth floor, he was granted the first of his Dungeon Event and as a dungeon core with over nine hundred floors, he had three Events in total. He had used one a few decades ago to kill some hostile adventurers who reached the dragon. Now, he had only two more Events to call upon, and The Dungeon Master made sure they were in order.

    One Event was a dungeon disaster that would cause the dungeon to be destroyed. In theory, that was a very foolish thing to do as The Dungeon Master would be killing himself, but that was where his second Event came in.

    His final Event would cause his dungeon core to be teleported to another location. It was The Dungeon Master¡¯s escape method, but this Event had certain drawbacks. His new location will be random, and The Dungeon Master cannot bring along his dungeon.

    This means The Dungeon Master would need to start over, but if he use his two Events together, his enemies will die in the dungeon collapse while The Dungeon Master will escape to safety. The Dungeon Master hoped that he would never be faced with such a scenario, but The Dungeon Master had always been a careful dungeon core, and he was prepared for all eventuality. He now had a new reason for his caution.

    A new dungeon core named Xu Han.

    The Dungeon Master was having a chat with the other dungeon cores in the region when the new dungeon core arrived in the chat group. His arrival was a surprise, but The Dungeon Master was quick to welcome the new core. At first, everything was great, and it would be fair to say that the new dungeon core made a good impression with everyone. All the cores could tell the new core was hiding something, but that was hardly unusual. They were dungeon cores, and everyone had secrets. Then, Xu Han dropped a bombshell.

    Although he hid it well, The Dungeon Master was shaken by the presence of the new dungeon core. Xu Han was the dungeon core of the Tomb of Ten Techniques, and he was different. The new dungeon core informed everyone that he was a reincarnator, someone reborn from another world.

    The Dungeon Master thought back on how the chat went and had to admit that the new core was a very interesting individual. Xu Han was polite, unfailingly so, and had something new that to offer the chat. The new core had found a way to grant adventurers skills like a [King] or [General], and he was open to trade the Techniques for information.

    Despite his misgivings, The Dungeon Master had a good impression of the new dungeon core. Xu Han¡¯s Techniques was both new and innovative, and it had piqued even The Dungeon Master¡¯s interest. That was why he did not say much during the chat and allowed the others to take the lead. For there was one thing about Xu Han that The Dungeon Master was worried about.

    The other dungeon cores thought nothing of it. It was rare, but not unheard of for someone to be reborn with their memories from another world. The Hero of Zeth, the Shadow King, the Maker of Golems; these were but a few of the great reincarnators known throughout their history. However, the other dungeon cores forgot one important thing.

    These great reincarnators were not dungeon cores. Reincarnators had been reborn as humans, elves, dwarves, one was even a dragon, but they were never reborn as dungeon cores. Most, if not all, of the other dungeon cores probably thought this was the first time a reincarnator had been reborn as a dungeon core.

    They were wrong.

    However, The Dungeon Master did not blame them. The other cores did not know. They had never been told. The Dungeon Master did not need to be told, he was there. He remembered.

    The Dungeon Master remembered The Game. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    Like Xu Han, The Game was a dungeon core reincarnated from a distant world. He was from a world called Earth, and the dungeon core called himself The Game because he claimed that their world was nothing but a game. A game that he had to win in order to return to his former world. The ¡®real world¡¯.

    This was not unheard of. Reincarnators were known to be erratic, and several could never wrap themselves around the notion that they had been reborn in a new world. Some reincarnators went crazy as a result, and The Game was unfortunately one of them.

    Most of the other cores felt sorry for him, and some tried to help, but it proved to be impossible. The Game believed everyone else was something called an ¡®NPC¡¯ and his madness only grew with time. Then, The Game began to believe that the only way to ¡®win¡¯ was to conquer the world.

    No one knew why The Game believed that. It was insane, but The Game believed it and released a horde of creatures into the world to ¡®win¡¯. The Dungeon Master was still a newly born dungeon core at that time, but he remembered how The Game¡¯s creatures destroyed everything in their path. The mad dungeon core spared no one. He destroyed several kingdoms, killed the last of the Ents when he destroyed the Greatwoods of Hillian Basin, and even destroyed several dungeon cores who stood in his way.

    In the end, it took an alliance of several people and folks, along with some help from some dungeon cores, before the dungeon core known as The Game was destroyed.

    The Dungeon Master also remembered the aftermath, and the chaos and hatred The Game created with his rampage. It took decades for the kingdom to stabilize, and many dungeon cores were destroyed by people seeking vengeance in the aftermath.

    The Dungeon Master did not want the same thing to happen again.

    So, he believed it was important to watch this new dungeon core carefully. The Dungeon Master knew he was being a little bit paranoid, his fear unbecoming of a dungeon core, much less one who was the greatest in the known world, but he could not help but feel it was justified considering what happened the last time. It was better to be careful than sorry.

    However, The Dungeon Master did not want to make Xu Han an outcast. The crimes of The Game should not fall on the new dungeon core. That was why he did not mention anything about The Game during the chat. He did not want to colour the others¡¯ view of the newcomer. The Dungeon Master just needs to keep an eye on the new core and be ready to act if Xu Han stepped out of line.

    It was not a job he could slack off on, especially when the safety of the other dungeon cores was at stake. Then, The Dungeon Master remember something. He remembered a conversation the new dungeon core had with the other cores.

    The new dungeon core had wanted knowledge on how to create new species. That was something The Dungeon Master could understand. All creatures created by a dungeon core were tied to the dungeon. The creatures were created using a combination of mana and divine power, but they weren¡¯t ¡®real¡¯ and could not grow like normal people. Dungeon creatures were not accepted by The System, they could not have Classes and could only eat and drink the mana of a dungeon. That was why dungeon creatures must constantly return to the dungeon of their birth and the moment their dungeon core was destroyed, the dungeon creatures would die as well. This was why most dungeon cores wish to create new species.

    A species was different. They were living beings fully capable of living outside the dungeon they were created in. Even if the dungeon was destroyed, a species they created could live if they had a way to escape the dungeon collapse.

    This was why many dungeon cores created them. The new species was their legacy, a way for them to live on even if they were one day destroyed. The Dungeon Master was not immune to this, and had created several species when he was younger.

    However, he was no expert and none of his new species were truly successful. The Dungeon Master did not want to sully his reputation, so he knew he needed something else, something that would interest the new core. That was when he remembered something the new core had commented on during the chat.

    Xu Han had no idea what technology was. The new core was intrigued by it as his old world did not have such a term and asked a lot about it, especially about the different fields of technology like magitech, cystech, and clockwork. The Dungeon Master quickly realized that if Xu Han do not know what technology was, then he would not know what a magitech vehicle was.

    That was something he could use.

    The Dungeon Master knew what he had to do. He has a gift for the new core. It would be a gesture of goodwill, and it wouldn¡¯t even be unusual as The Dungeon Master was known to gift items to new cores. He quickly messaged the Dungeon Supplier Guild and paid extra for a specific supplier.

    The Dungeon Master knew exactly what he wanted to give to the new core, and which supplier he wanted to do the delivery.

 V2Part 19- The Auction

    The streets of Viaggia were crowded, so it took some time for Pos to arrive at the venue. Fortunately, the dwarf had expected this and set off from the inn early. Still, it was a close call as he arrived just before the auction was to start.

    ¡°Finally! He¡¯s here. You¡¯re late! Again!¡±

    Pos could not help but chuckled when he saw that the party were waiting for him at the entrance of the newly built auction building. Like most [Berserker]s, Nog was a dramatic dwarf, so it did not surprise Pos that she was the one complaining. He was surprised however by her appearance. The female dwarf was still wearing her normal armour and weapons, but they had a shine to them that was not there during the dungeon delve. Her beard also seemed to be newly oiled.

    In fact, all the party members looked to be at their best. Considering he didn¡¯t even polish his boots, Pos felt severely under-dressed.

    ¡°No, I am on time. It¡¯s just that all of you are early! What? Can¡¯t wait to see how much gold we¡¯ll all be getting?¡±

    A few laughs and smiles greeted Pos¡¯ comeback. Everyone was in a good mood, and deservedly so. This was the day they got rich.

    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get inside. I got us a good place, and I rather not risk some idiots ignoring the reserved seating.¡±

    At Jes Doublestone¡¯s words, the party walked towards the entrance of the auction building where Pos saw a sign informing everyone that the entrance fee was five silvers per person. However, as they had an item up for auction, the party was allowed free entry. The party quickly handed over identification from the Adventurer Guild to the guards who waved them inside.

    Once he was inside the stone building, Pos saw that the auction hall was designed like a theatre. There were two floors, and a stage made of solid wood was located at one end of the ground floor. The stage had wide maroon curtains on both sides and rows of seats were arrayed in front of the stage. Jes guided the party to the seats allotted to them. Once they were seated, Pos looked around and guessed there were enough seats for about two hundred guests. Considering the seating arrangement, Pos could tell that the floor would be crowded. He then glanced up at the second floor.

    The second floor had a handful of balconies overlooking the stage and the people sitting on first floor. The balconies were slightly covered by light curtains and were obviously reserved for the richer guests. Pos thought it was unfortunate that the party could not afford such spots. He would like to know how it felt sitting in one of those.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°Any of you bidding?¡± Everyone looked at Vorma, who looked back at everyone in surprise. ¡°What? This is the first auction for the items recovered from the dungeon, don¡¯t tell me none of you are interested?¡±

    ¡°We''re not here to bid. We are here as guests of the Adventurer Guild, to observe the auction of the item we recovered.¡± Umdar reminded the [Sorceress].

    ¡°No rule says we can¡¯t.¡± Vorma replied, a teasing smile on her face.

    ¡°True, but there¡¯s no need to risk the wrath of the Adventurer Guild.¡±

    ¡°What if something I really want comes up?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s your funeral.¡±

    The byplay of words between Umdar and Vorma had Pos rolling his eyes and he was not the only one. The [Knight] and [Sorceress] both felt a need to needle each other, and the rest of the party were split on whether it was hatred or pure love.

    Luckily, Pos did not have to listen to their banter much longer as the lights in the auction hall started to dim but for the few located right above the stage. Pos looked above the stage and saw that several runes had been carved in the stones of the building. Pos had missed them coming in but now saw that the runes were creating the lights, mostly likely for species who could not see in the dark. The auction was about to start.

    A human female wearing flowing white robes stepped onto the stage. The entire auction house was quiet as the human turned and looked at the crowd in front of her with a soothing smile. Pos immediately had a positive impression of her and knew that a Skill was at work.

    [Calm Yourself], [No Anger At Me], [Rage Has No Place Here].

    Several Skills came to mind, and Pos wondered which was the one the woman was using. Most of these skills were granted to people with classes like [Kings], [Generals], and [Tacticians], and Pos doubted anyone with those classes would be hosting an auction. As the woman continued to speak, Pos mentally went through the other skills he knew. [Monks] and [Priests] also had some skills like [Bend Like The Reed], [Peace Upon You] and [Flow Like Water], but the woman did not look like a monk or a priestess.

    Pos wondered what Class the woman had.

    ¡°Welcome everyone to the first ever auction for items recovered from the Tomb of Ten Thousand Techniques. I am Aria Caliva, your host for today,¡± she said with a clear gentle voice that somehow managed to be clearly heard at the other end of the building.

    ¡°As everyone knows, dungeons are wonderous creatures. They are dangerous, but they are also a source of great wealth and knowledge. Unusual ingredients can grow in a dungeon, extinct animals can find a home in them, we could find enchanted weapons and armor, and even long-lost books.

    As many of you knows, a new dungeon has been found near Viaggia. It is called the Tomb of Ten Techniques. Brave adventurers have risked their lives entering its depths. Some have met their deaths in its depths, but others have returned with great, strange treasures. Today, we are offering some of them for auction.¡±

    The woman paused and smiled. Pos could feel his anticipation rising. He was almost certain the woman was using another skill, but he didn¡¯t care. Pos just wanted to see the items on offer. He wanted the auction to start!

    ¡°Let us begin.¡±

 V2Part20- The Young Master

    With three simple words from the woman, the auction officially started.

    The woman waved to the side of the stage, and two attendants brought out the first item. It was a strange dress recovered from the dungeon by a lucky adventurer. As the host went into an explanation of the dress, Pos took a good look at it.

    The flowing blue dress was of a design Pos had never seen before. It had long sleeves with a white top, and the top of the dress had flowers and vine-like patterns on the cuffs and collar. The light blue bottom had fish patterns so life-like that it gave people the illusion that the fishes were swimming.

    Pos had heard of this find, and like most adventurers, had been bemused by the amount of gold noble ladies were willing to pay to get the dress. Seeing it now, Pos realized the adventurer who found the dress had not sold it yet. Considering the high prices the noble ladies were willing to pay, that was a little strange, but Pos guessed the adventurer did not want to risk offending any noble ladies. They could be a vicious bunch.

    ¡°Sold!¡±

    It only took a few minutes for the dress to be sold for three hundred and sixty-one gold. Everyone turned to look at the balcony where the winning bid came from, some with looks uglier than others. The winner was a young human male who had the disgusting habit of increasing the leading bid by just one gold. He did it at least three times during the bidding and had offended more than a few people with his antics. Looking at him now, Pos could tell that the young man did not care about the bad looks he was getting. In fact, he looked almost pleased by them.

    ¡°He is from the Baggio family,¡± Jes whispered.

    Pos instantly remembered the familiar surname. The Baggios was one of the biggest and most powerful families in the Bright Kingdom, and the town of Viaggia was technically one of their holdings. It looked to Pos like the family wished to make a statement to everyone about whose territory they were in.

    ¡°He¡¯s probably buying it for one of the ladies in the family,¡± Umdar said.

    ¡°Who cares?¡± Nog said quickly, and some members of the party nodded, Pos among them. Smart adventurers tend to steer clear of politics, and he did not believe anyone in his party was stupid. Pos do not know what the Biaggio family intend to do with the dress, and do not want to know.

    After a few more moments, the second item was presented on stage. It was a steel sword made from ores recovered from the dungeon. The Tomb of Ten Thousand Techniques did give out ores on occasion, and the Adventurer Guild had gathered enough of them to make a sword.

    It was a well-made sword by a skilled blacksmith, but as it was not an item specifically recovered from the dungeon, the bidding wasn¡¯t as fierce. It was quickly sold to a bidder sitting on the ground floor.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    Half an hour later, after a series of unexciting items, the auction came to life once more.

    ¡°Everyone, please look take a look at our next item,¡± the female host said as she waved at the side of the stage. An attendant walked onto the stage carrying a straight, double-edged sword. Pos had to suppress a groan when he saw the weapon.

    A weapon granted by the dungeon; the sword was of a design no one had ever seen before. At first, a lot of adventurers thought it was a showpiece, a weapon to be hung up on the walls of the rich and powerful, but a [Swordmaster] had checked the sword and verified that it was an actual weapon.

    A strange sword created by a dungeon, of a design no one had seen before, the bidding of this sword would be fierce. Pos was more than a little surprised that the auction house brought this book out so early. Usually, an item like this would come up later.

    The bidding started out fast but quickly slowed when the young man from the Baggio family started to bid. After a few rounds, it became clear that the young man from the Baggio had an interest in the sword and wasn¡¯t just trying to drive the bids up. The bids slowly dried up, but just as the Baggio was about to win the sword, someone new came into the picture.

    A group began to bid against the young man.

    All eyes turned to the group of three sitting on a second-floor balcony opposite the Baggios, and Pos could see the undisguised looks of disdain shared between the three and the young Baggio. There was some history there, and what appeared to be an easy win for the Baggios became a fierce bidding contest between the two parties.

    ¡°Who are they?¡± Nog asked softly.

    ¡°They are wearing heraldry from the Manfredi family,¡± Jes whispered back.

    ¡°I thought they were rivals of the Baggios. What are they doing here?¡± Umdar asked.

    ¡°Viaggia is now a dungeon town. Everyone has a right to be here. The Baggios can¡¯t stop anyone from coming, or they would be making an enemy of the Adventurer Guild.¡± Pos softly replied. He may not know much about the politics of the Bright Kingdom, but he knew the politics of dungeons. The Baggios may be powerful in the Bright Kingdom, but their power paled in comparison to the Adventurer Guild.

    After some time, the party from Manfredi family gave up and the young man from the Baggios won the sword for one thousand three hundred and twenty gold. From the looks on his face, it was clear to Pos that the young Baggio had paid more than he had hoped.

    Two more items went up for auction after the sword, but the bidding war between the two families did not occur again. It looks like the Manfredis believed they had made their point.

    Then, the main event of the day for Pos appeared.

    ¡°Everyone, we now only have two more items to go before the end of the auction, and we have saved the best for last. Everyone on this world knows that the Gods Walk among us. Their divine power grant us our Classes, and provide us with the power to fight against the monsters just beyond civilization. So, it is only right that our final two items are things granted to us by the Divine. Please take a look at the first of the items.¡±

    It may have been a trick of the light, but Pos thought the host¡¯s smile grew wider as an attendant walked onto the stage carrying a card. The attendant raised the card high above him as the female host explained the card and that it was a treasure from a new god. One who had recently appeared in their world.

    Pos¡¯ smile wavered as several members of the audience immediately begun asking questions about the card, and the new god. The host had to admit the auction house did not know much about the new god expect his Name, and his Titles.

    Carda, the Lord of Cards, the Prince of Cats, and a God of Luck.

    However, the host did not come to the auction without preparation. She directed everyone¡¯s attention to the card, the picture on it, and informed all the guests that the Adventurer Guild had done some research on the item.

 V2Part21- Auction End

    Researchers from the Guild had checked the card, and their findings were similar to what Jes had told Pos in the dungeon. The card was a storage item of some kind, and it currently held an item that could change a person¡¯s species.

    So, this auction wasn¡¯t for one item from the Lord of Cards, but for two. The card, and the item stored within. Two divine items from a new god that could change someone into a creature that looked like a man-cat.

    Silence permeated the building for a moment as everyone digest what the host said. Then, murmurs started to reverberate across the auction hall. Some in excitement, some in fear, and Pos understood both reactions.

    ¡°Silence please,¡± the host¡¯s commanding voice caused the murmurs to slowly cease. Only when it stopped did she continued. ¡°The bidding starts at two hundred and fifty gold.¡±

    There was silence. Everyone looked at each other, not wanting to be the first to bid. The items were divine, but no one knew anything about the new god. What if he has enemies? What if the other gods take offence at his arrival? Do they wish to take a chance on that?

    Fear grew within Pos as the silence continued. Then, a shout.

    ¡°Two hundred and fifty.¡±

    A bid came from the ground floor. Everyone turned and saw that the bid came from an ordinary looking elf. Pos did not know why the elf wanted the card, and he did not care. He just felt a sense of relief someone wanted the item.

    A second bid came soon after. Then a third. The bids were tentative, as if the bidders were wondering if they should be doing this, but the bids did continue. Soon, the bid rose to five hundred gold where it slowed to a crawl. Pos could tell it wasn¡¯t to go much higher, and it didn¡¯t. The card sold for seven hundred and seventy-five gold. Less than the strange sword from the dungeon. Pos prayed to Diamond that the new god would not take offence at the low price of his treasure.

    ¡°If I may have your attention,¡± the host said after the sale of the card. ¡°This is our last item of the day, and the final chance for you to get something for the day. Please take a look.¡±

    The host waved at the side of the stage again, and an attendant walked onto the stage carrying an open box. The attendant turned and showed off the item inside the box to the audience. It was a book.

    [Storyteller]: Come Into My World.

    He knew this was coming but still felt a surge of fear and excitement at the reveal. Pos took a deep breath to calm himself as he eyed the book. Bran Steelmaker¡¯s party, The Forevers, had recovered the book from the dungeon and when they took it out, the book created a firestorm.

    This was another divine item. No one had ever written this book. No scholar or priest. It was a new book granted to the dungeon by Gressian, a Goddess of the Hearth and the Matron of Warmth. It was a book written by a Goddess!Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    The religious aspect of the book got everyone¡¯s attention, but even without it, the details of how powerful [Storyteller] was at the higher levels would have done the job. Before the book, most thought [Storyteller] was a useless class. Now, people were making pilgrimages to the few Shrines of Gressian in the hope of being granted the class. Rumors were that one lucky bastard was even successful.

    Rumors of the success got people thinking of ways to please the Matron of Warmth, and it was said that the Goddess would look kindly on the person who bring the book back to her. Pos did not believe the rumour but many did. Why would the Goddess want the book back when she gave it to the dungeon?

    Still, the rumors added spice to the auction. The bidding for this book would be fierce.

    ¡°Silence please. I do not believe I need to explain the origin and importance of this book. The bidding starts at four hundred gold.¡±

    ¡°Four hundred!¡±

    The host had barely finished speaking when the young Baggio shouted the first bid. However, no one was giving way on this item.

    ¡°Four hundred and fifty!¡±

    ¡°Five hundred!¡±

    ¡°Six hundred!¡±

    ¡°One thousand!¡±

    The bids came thick, and fast as various factions reached into their pockets for a chance at a goddess¡¯ favour. Unlike Carda, Gessian was a known goddess, and no one fear the other gods taking offence at them getting her item.

    In the blink of an eye, the bids went past a thousand gold, and it kept on going. At three thousand, Pos¡¯ jaw dropped in amazement. It was the first time he had seen such amounts of gold being thrown around.

    And it was still going up!

    ¡°It can¡¯t be worth that much.¡± An incredulous Umdar whispered when the bid went to four thousand gold.

    ¡°It¡¯s not,¡± Jes whispered backcas another bid came in, ¡°the book is a proxy.¡±

    ¡°A what?¡± Nog turned to the [Scholar] in surprise.

    Jes tossed his head upwards towards the floor above them. ¡°All the bids are coming from the second floor, and all the surviving bidders are wearing their family heraldry. They are not here for the book, at least not totally, but to stake their claim on the dungeon.¡±

    ¡°Politics.¡± Pos cursed.

    ¡°Yeah. Politics.¡± Vorma agreed, with more than a note of admiration.

    As the bids rose further, the air within the auction house changed. The air of excitement became one of danger as the rest of the bidders slowly dropped out, and only the from Manfredis and the Baggios remind. When the young Baggio finally won the book at six thousand, five hundred gold, there was a sense that things had become personal betweem the two families.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get our gold and get out of here quickly.¡± Pos said as he quickly stood.

    ¡°They are not going to try anything here.¡±

    Pos turned to Vorma with a frown. ¡°You really want to take the chance to get involve in a family feud?¡±

    That settled it for everyone. Dwarven feuds were generational matters that last centuries. No sane dwarf wanted to get involved in feud, even a human one. The party quickly went to the back of the auction house, took their gold and got out. They weren¡¯t the only ones who wished to be away from the scene of the crime as the street outside the building was almost cleared of people.

    The party were walking along the street when they heard a loud strange sound from behind. Everyone turned, and Pos saw something he never expected to see on the World Above.

    A carriage.

    Not one that was pulled by horses, or a magical one propelled by magic, but one glowing in runes and with the unmistakable sound of an engine. It was the sound of a magitech engine, within a magitech carriage.

    The carriage stopped before the party, and Pos quickly saw why. The driver was a dwarf, a female dwarf who looked less than pleased.

    ¡°Why are there no signs? Isn¡¯t this a dungeon town?¡± She loudly grumbled before turning toward the party. ¡°Hey! Dungeon Supplier on a delivery. Follow dwarves, which way is it to the stupid dungeon?¡±

 V2Part22- Choices

    It was supposed to be a boring day.

    Xu Han, the dungeon core of the Tomb of Ten Thousand Techniques, silently looked on as various groups of adventurers tried their best to defeat his dungeon. The local Adventurer Guild seem to have some sort of system in place, as groups of adventurers came into the dungeon one after another and the number never went past the limit of fifty. Right now, a big group of adventurers were waiting on the second floor while new groups of adventurers were slowly making their way through the fog on the first. The adventurers knew of the traps within the fog and were carefully making their way through it. They felt safe, and some were even going to several orbs to look for treasure.

    These adventurers annoyed the dungeon core.

    ¡°I really need to do something about the first floor,¡± Xu Han muttered. ¡°It''s become too easy. Once the adventurers get the trick, they can get past the first floor without any problems.¡±

    ¡°Well, you can add a few more traps in the fog if you are really that bored.¡±

    Xu Han looked at his dungeon fairy, Jemma. He did not appreciate the tone of the dungeon fairy, especially when she was the one who complained that he wasn''t spending enough time improving his dungeon. To her credit, the dungeon fairy knew what was on his mind and didn¡¯t falter.

    ¡°If you are looking to make the dungeon safer, then adding traps on the first floor will not do that,¡± Jemma continued, ¡°in fact, you should not do that. As more and more adventurers survive the first floor, even more adventurers will enter to try their luck. That is a good thing. What you need is something else. You need a level between you and the adventurers. The Tomb of Ten Thousand Techniques need a new floor."

    ¡°I know, I know. You said that already,¡± Xu Han said in exasperation, ¡°but no one had reached the third floor yet, much less completed it. I have time to -¡±

    ¡°No, you do not. The adventurers haven¡¯t completed the third floor because they choose not to. Remember that the Adventurer Guild can send a party of level 50 down here any time they want to. Core, you are not as safe as you think you are.¡± Jemma warned.

    That was unfortunately true. While it was impressive that his dungeon had gotten this far, Xu Han knew that the protection of his dungeon was an illusion. There were many other dungeons out there with longer histories and better creatures, and they had been defeated and destroyed by adventurers. If this was the Crimson Lands, Xu Han would be nothing but a promising Foundation cultivator. Strong, powerful, and utterly useless against a Soul Emperor who could wipe him out with a wave of a finger. To be safe, Xu Han need to constantly upgrade and improve his dungeon.

    ¡°I take it you have a plan?¡± Xu Han sighed.

    ¡°Of course!¡± Jemma said with a laugh. ¡°I think we need to change things up. Your first three floors are based around puzzles, so for your new floor, we should focus on that but with a difference.¡±

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    ¡°I haven¡¯t agreed to making a new floor yet but continue.¡±

    ¡°Your first three floors have puzzles that adventurers need to complete, or they will face a Boss fight. Now, how about a puzzle they need to complete while fighting a Boss?¡± Jemma asked with a smirk.

    ¡°Really? Is that common in dungeons?¡± Xu Han looked at his dungeon fairy curiously. He hadn''t expected Jemma to come up with an idea so quickly, which meant she has been thinking about this for some time.

    ¡°Yes, it is. Other dungeon cores have them, and they generally work.¡± Jemma said before gesturing to the screen showing a group of adventurers battling the giant squid Boss of the Lake Room. The party of adventurers were fighting a defensive battle, two [Knights] with their shields standing in front while the rest of the party were shooting spells and arrows at the Boss from the rear. It was a common, effective tactic that works.

    It was also so boring Xu Han do not even bother to watch such fights anymore. This party did not even attempt the jig-jaw puzzle and just ran to the end of the room to prepare for the arrival of the Boss.

    ¡°Now, how it works is that when the adventurers are fighting a Boss, there would be a puzzle or mechanism in the room that they need to solve. If they succeed, it will give them an advantage against the Boss.¡±

    ¡°What sort of advantage?¡± Xu Han asked.

    ¡°Anything you want. Like a puzzle trap that would hurt the Boss, or something that could give the adventurers a power-up.¡±

    ¡°A what?¡± Xu Han asked, not understanding the term.

    ¡°A ¡®power-up¡¯. Basically, if the adventurers complete the puzzle, a spell will trigger giving them a temporary boost like increased strength or extra magical power.¡± Jemma explained.

    ¡°Oh! That¡¯s good.¡± Xu Han had to admit he never thought of that, but he had experience with similar scenarios. Some Secret Realms in the Crimson Lands did increase your cultivation power once you uncovered their secrets. Xu Han had never heard of any that gave a temporary increase, but he could see how that could work. ¡°Any other examples?¡±

    ¡°Another common method is defensive structures. Complete the puzzle, and some defensive structures would appear that the adventurers can use. Like pillars would appear from the ground, and adventurers can use them to dodge the Boss, or protect themselves from the Boss¡¯ attacks.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound very useful.¡± Xu Han said.

    ¡°In a life and death battle, every advantage counts.¡± Jemma countered.

    Xu Han had to admit the truth of that. ¡°Jemma, why would dungeon cores think up of all these things to give the adventurers an advantage.¡±

    ¡°It makes the fight more interesting. Also, it is only an advantage if the adventurers succeed in completing the puzzle. Remember, the adventurers would be placing themselves at a disadvantage while trying to complete the puzzle. At least one of them would be out of the fight trying to complete the puzzle. It is a question of risk and reward for them.¡±

    Xu Han mentally nodded. He could see how such methods could work, though some parts of it still bugged him. ¡°What if the adventurers decide not to attempt the puzzles?¡±

    ¡°Then they faced the Boss straight on. Like I said, it is a question of risk and reward. It is a choice.¡± Jemma immediately replied.

    That was what was bugging Xu Han. The dungeon core did not like the fact that the adventurers were bypassing the jig-saw puzzles he had spent so much time and effort on. He was in a dilemma about it. While Xu Han didn¡¯t like that the adventurers were choosing to give up on the puzzles, he also didn¡¯t want to force them to do them. As a dungeon core, Xu Han understood that it was important to give the adventurers a choice on what to do, and that meant he had to accept the choices of the adventurers, even if he personally did not like them. However, there must be a way to incentivize the adventurers to attempt the puzzles. After a long lull, Xu Han finally said a word.

    ¡°Treasure.¡±

 V2Part23- The Magitech Carriage

    ¡°What? Explain.¡± From her tone, Xu Han could tell that while his dungeon fairy was less than happy with the suggestion, she was willing to listen to the idea.

    ¡°Instead of a trap or defence structures, let''s give the adventurers a treasure. Greed will make the adventurers complete the puzzle.¡±

    ¡°Not a good idea, core.¡± Jemma shook her head. ¡°What¡¯s to stop the adventurers from activating their Recall spells once they got the treasure?¡±

    That was a good point Xu Han had missed. The dungeon core pondered the question for a moment and came up with a suggestion. ¡°How about a technique?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll make the treasure a scroll like the one I gave the dwarf, only I¡¯ll make the technique temporary. It will only become permanent if the adventurers defeat the Boss.¡± Xu Han explained.

    Jemma shook her head again. ¡°Idiot! All your techniques are temporary, they only work when the Classed are in range of you. Also, you will need to make a lot of scrolls if you intend to go through with that. All the adventurers will do the puzzles if you offer that, and the scrolls are expensive to make.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right,¡± Xu Han muttered. He turned his attention to the divine power in his body. A good chunk of it was devoted to maintaining the dungeon, recreating the various creatures, traps, and structures in his dungeon. Thanks to the constant stream of adventurers coming in, there were a lot still available but divine power was a lot like Qi. He needed it to grow as a cultivator, and it was always better to have too much on hand than too little. Xu Han was loathed to waste it.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Jemma replied dryly. ¡°Do you have any other ideas?¡±

    ¡°Not yet,¡± Xu Han admitted, ¡°improving the dungeon might be more difficult than I expected.¡±

    ¡°It''s a good thing you have me then,¡± Jemma said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m here to keep you on track and I am full of ideas. Now, we have-¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    Xu Han¡¯s shout interrupted his dungeon fairy who quickly turned to the screen showing the entrance of the dungeon. A strange vehicle had entered the dungeon. It was big cart on four wheels that reminded Xu Han of the oxcarts in the Crimson Lands, only much bigger.

    There were some other huge differences.

    The vehicle was enclosed with windows and a roof. Strangely, there were no ox or horses pulling the vehicle, and it looked like it was moving on its own. There was a female dwarf sitting on it and Xu Han could tell that she was the driver.

    The dwarf was sitting at the front of the cart, inside the vehicle with some sort of glass shield in front her. She was wearing leathery clothes and had some sort of device on her head to protect her eyes. However, what really got Xu Han¡¯s attention was the sound coming from the vehicle. It was loud and purring, like an animal that was preparing to pounce. Jemma answered Xu Han¡¯s unasked question.

    ¡°Oh, a magitech carriage!¡± Jemma exclaimed.

    ¡°What? Jemma, you know what that is?¡±

    ¡°It is a magitech carriage, a Stagecoach version if I¡¯m not mistaken. They are usually used for long distance public transportation and deliveries. Looks like your order from the Dungeon Supplier has arrived.¡± Jemma happily said.

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    Xu Han focused on the marriage and noticed that it was carrying things. Through the windows, the dungeon core could see the numerous small cages within, each holding a small cat.

    ¡°What is a magitech carriage? And what is the sound that¡¯s coming from it?¡± An intrigued Xu Han asked.

    ¡°Magitech carriages are like normal carriages, only powered by magitech. Travelling through monster-infested territories is dangerous, not only for the travellers but for the animals as well. So, someone invented a carriage that could be driven by a magitech engine. The sound you hear is that of the engine running the carriage.¡± Jemma explained.

    ¡°Jemma, that explained nothing.¡± An exasperated Xu Han said. ¡°Can you be clearer? Let¡¯s start from the beginning; what is magitech?¡±

    Xu Han saw his dungeon fairy entering her thinking pose, his question slumping her for long moments before she finally answered.

    ¡°I¡¯m no expert, but magitech is basically technology that combines both basic technology and magical resources. Take this carriage for example. Unlike a normal magical carriage, it has an engine that doesn¡¯t require a mage to constantly pump it with mana. Instead, it runs on magical items like monster cores.¡±

    ¡°Monster cores? You mean the items monsters have inside their bodies?¡± Xu Han asked excitedly.

    ¡°Oh, you remember. Yes, that¡¯s right. The monster cores are filled with magic, and when you place one inside a magitech engine, the engine will drain the magic from the core to power itself.¡±

    Xu Han thought back to the chat he had with the other dungeon cores and remembered what they said about technology. What is technology? It is the application of knowledge for practical purpose, to change the environment without the use of magic.

    Xu Han was unaware of the term, and he wasn¡¯t too impressed with it. Xu Han could not understand how technology could be useful in a world where there is both magic and divine power. To the former cultivator, technology sounded like something for mortals, not for dungeon cores and Classed who could use magic. Seeing the magitech carriage, Xu Han wondered if he had been too hasty in dismissing it.

    ¡°Jemma, I want this carriage.¡±

    ¡°Oh no, you don¡¯t. You are not going to absorb it. You do that and the Dungeon Supplier Guild will blacklist you. You will never get another delivery from them again, and they are about the only ones who do deliveries to dungeons.¡± Jemma objected immediately as they watched the magitech carriage drive down the tunnel towards the first floor.

    The black fog engulfed the carriage, and it appeared in the poisonous fog of the first floor. Xu Han was thinking of ways to kill the driver when she did something unexpected. The driver jumped out of the carriage, and Xu Han saw that her legs were missing. The driver landed on the ground with ease but instead of normal legs, the driver had a pair of springy metal prosthetics.

    Prosthetics was something that¡¯s new Xu Han. The former cultivator had only seen wooden peg legs in the Crimson Lands, but some adventurers entering his dungeon do possess prosthetics legs and arms. It was a very impressive invention. Once she landed, the driver looked up at the ceiling of the room and shouted into the fog.

    ¡°Oh, Great Dungeon Core of the Tomb of Ten Thousand Techniques, No Feet from the Dungeon Supplier Guild here with deliveries.

    Client One; the Tomb of Ten Thousand Techniques. Thirty cats and kittens to be delivered to the Tomb of Ten Thousand Techniques.

    Client Two; The Dungeon Master. A magitech carriage with a book on the science and application of magitech to be delivered to the Tomb of Ten Thousand Techniques. Delivery comes with a message.

    The message from The Dungeon Master is this; Xu Han, consider this carriage and book my welcome gift. Absorb them. Study them. Improve the carriage if possible. Welcome to the group, young core.¡±

    After the message, the driver immediately took a scroll out from a Bag of Holding. Xu Han was still absorbing the message from The Dungeon Master when the driver uncurled a scroll and raised it high above her head.

    ¡°Message and deliveries completed. Please sign here.¡±

    Xu Han was wondering what was going on when Jemma told him to reach out with his mana and direct it toward the driver. He did as he was told in a blur. The scroll attracted his mana, and Xu Han saw it glow for a moment. Then, the glow disappeared, and the driver looked at the scroll before smiling.

    ¡°Thank you for the business. Please do not hesitate to contact the Dungeon Supplier Guild again for your future needs.¡±

    The driver then crossed her arms over her chest and disappeared. The dungeon went silent. As the magitech carriage was slowly absorbed, several questions went through Xu Han¡¯s mind. After the obligatory ¡®Who am I?¡¯, ¡®Where am I?¡¯, ¡®What''s going on?¡¯, came the important questions.

    A great gift like this requires Xu Han to give something of equal value in return, but what could he give to the most powerful dungeon core in this world? What knowledge should Xu Han gift to The Dungeon Master that would match this?

 V2Part24- Once More...into the Chat

    Before he was a cultivator, before he was a scholar, before he became infamous, Xu Han was just a boy from Cloud Lake Village. It was a small village, it¡¯s name unknown to most. If anyone else knew the village existed, they would just call it ¡®that village on the banks of Cloud Lake¡¯. The villagers did not mind. Cloud Lake was a beautiful lake and most villagers, including Xu Han, had many fond memories of it.

    It has been over ten thousand years, but Xu Han still remember Cloud Lake. He remembered floating on its pure tranquil waters, watching as the clouds drifted past high above him. He remembered the sense of weightlessness, of peace and joy, as if the problems of life were from another world. He remembered the sense of belonging, like he was part of the world.

    Strangely, this was what he felt when he connected to the Dungeon Core Chat Group. As the chat spell washed over him and connected to the river of mana of the chat group, Xu Han felt a sense of peace and belonging. It was a strange feeling to the former cultivator. Despite the great empires, the numerous arts, and the wonderful culture, the Crimson Lands was a brutal world, and the world of cultivation was even worse. Xu Han had never felt a sense of peace in the dog-eat-dog world of cultivation and had never felt a sense of belonging even when he reached the highest echelon of it.

    It was different now. Xu Han felt comfortable being a dungeon core, and he wondered if this was why he had not felt an urgency to upgrade his dungeon. Was he too comfortable in his new life? The cultivator turned dungeon core did not know the answer to that, and did not care.

    For the first time in a long time, he was content.

    When Xu Han entered the chat group, chaos reigned. Several dungeon cores were speaking at once, and unlike the first time he entered the chat, no one stopped for him. The other dungeon cores noticed his entry but continued speaking among themselves, and Xu Han felt strangely comforted by that.

    No one was treating him as an outsider.

    However, he was still a newcomer, and some members of the chat group greeted him. Bookkeeper, dungeon core of The Scholarly Ruins, was the first.

    ¡°Oh, is it Xu Han? You¡¯re back already? I thought for sure we had scared you off.¡±

    ¡°Bookkeeper, stop lying. Everyone knows you have been lurking in the chat just waiting for him to come back.¡± An unknown dungeon core with a gruff voice quickly shot back.

    ¡°Mountain River, have I offended you in some way in the past? Why are you butting in when I am just being polite?¡±

    ¡°Because I hate it when old cores try to take advantage of newcomers. Older experienced cores who should know better! Xu Han, I am Mountain River, dungeon core of Mountain Rest. A word of advice; do not trust cores pretending to be your friends.¡±

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    Xu Han was about to greet Mountain River, a core he had never met before, when Bookkeeper cut back in.

    ¡°Mountain River, you are but an uncouth core whose dungeon is based around survival in the wild. Stop pretending that you are some-¡±

    ¡°Both of you shut up.¡±

    An icy voice cut through the brewing argument, and both Mountain River and Bookkeeper immediately went silent. Xu Han suddenly realized that Snowy Grief was more powerful and respected in the chat group than he had suspected.

    ¡°Xu Han, welcome back. We had not expected you to be back so soon. Are you here for something?¡± Snowy Grief asked in a soothing voice.

    ¡°What Snowy Grief means is that if you are back to trade, you need to wait a little longer. Everyone is waiting for Challenger¡¯s word on how good that Technique of yours is.¡± Mountain River said.

    ¡°Speak for yourself. I have full trust in our new dungeon core and is willing to trade this very moment.¡± Bookkeeper countered.

    ¡°What did I just say?¡±

    If winter had a voice, it would sound like Snowy Grief. Her voice was cold and came with a sense of power. It sounded like ice incarnated and any doubt Xu Han had about her power was gone in an instant. Sensing the danger, the whole chat went silent. For a moment, no one spoke. Everyone was waiting for the ice to thaw. Not wanting to be the source of conflict, Xu Han quickly greeted everyone.

    ¡°Xu Han respectfully greet his seniors!¡±

    ¡°Oh! They were right. You do talk funny.¡± Mountain River replied happily,

    ¡°I am but a man of my former world. And I thank senior Mountain River for the earlier greeting.¡±

    Xu Han publicly thanked Mountain River but privately wondered about this senior. Mountain River had been warned twice by Snowy Grief, but he still spoke with laughter in his voice and a fearlessness in his soul. Xu Han wondered if Mountain River was brave, reckless, or just plain stupid.

    Maybe all three.

    ¡°Actually, I am here looking for The Dungeon Master. Is he around?¡± Xu Han asked.

    ¡°No, he is not. Why are you looking for him?¡± Snowy Grief asked in return.

    ¡°To give thanks,¡± Xu Han smoothly replied. ¡°He sent me a welcome gift, a wonderous one and I wish to thank him for it.¡±

    Several members in the chat group immediately responded with laughs and giggles.

    ¡°The ancient one strikes again.¡±

    ¡°Oh yes, I remember the gift the old core gave me.¡±

    ¡°To be so rich to give things away, when will that be me?¡±

    If he had a mouth, Xu Han was sure it would be twitching. The reaction from the chat group was unexpected. ¡°Seniors, are gifts from The Dungeon Master normal?¡±

    Several cores laughed out loud, and Xu Han sensed amusement from the rest. Bookkeeper was the first to answer him.

    ¡°No, but he usually gives a welcome gift to any new core who enter the chat. Hope you got something useful?¡±

    ¡°I am not sure if it is useful, but it is something new and wonderous to me.¡±

    ¡°What was it?¡± A curious dungeon core asked.

    Xu Han was startled by the question, and the reaction from the other cores. In the Crimson Lands, such a question would be considered rude, but no one in the chat objected and Xu Han sensed no sense of offence from any of the dungeon cores. In fact, they were waiting for Xu Han¡¯s answer.

    Although Xu Han understood that the culture of this new world was different, it was in times like this that Xu Han truly understood the difference between the two. He was saved from answering the unknown core¡¯s question when he sensed a core entering the chat. An old and immensely powerful core.

    ¡°It was a magitech carriage along with a book, The Basics of Magitech by Thomas of Savory.¡±

    The Dungeon Master had entered the chat, and Xu Han immediately respond to his presence.

    ¡°Xu Han greet his elder. I thank you for the wonderful gift.¡±

 V2Part25- The Dungeon Core Family

    Everyone went quiet. The silence lulled before laughter erupted!

    ¡°Elder? Did the new core just call The Dungeon Master old?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not wrong. The Dungeon Master is more than old; he¡¯s ancient!¡±

    ¡°Right! If he is a cow, he would be put out to pasture!¡±

    ¡°If he¡¯s a cow, he would be dead!¡±

    Laughs and jokes erupted like water from a hot geyser, and Xu Han wondered if he had truly made a social mistake when he sensed bemusement even from Snowy Grief. Luckily, The Dungeon Master proved his status as a wise elder and ignored everyone.

    ¡°Think nothing of it, young core. A magitech carriage is nothing to me and considering these Techniques you are willing to exchange with us, it really isn¡¯t much. I hope you enjoyed the gift.¡±

    ¡°I did,¡± Xu Han immediately replied. ¡°I had absorbed it, and it is a truly marvellous device. I am currently working through the book and the idea of building simple everyday devices that could use magic is incredible. May I know why you gift the vehicle to me? I did not know such a thing even existed.¡±

    ¡°I noticed that you had a hard time understanding what technology is the last time you were here, and since you did say something about wanting to spread knowledge, I thought giving you something that was new to you would be appropriate. This world has knowledge of its own, and an exchange is always better than an outright gift.¡±

    Xu Han was startled as he quickly understood that what The Dungeon Master was implying. Xu Han had made a mistake. He came into the dungeon chat offering his knowledge, but he did not do it as a suppliant. Xu Han had offered his knowledge to everyone because he believed that all the knowledge he had was more than enough for all the cores within the Dungeon Core Chat Group.

    The knowledge of one core been equal to all the knowledge of all the cores in the chat group? That reeks of pride, arrogance and superiority.

    Xu Han suddenly realized how it must have looked to The Dungeon Master. Xu Han acted like an arrogant Young Master who came into the chat thinking like he knew more than everyone. Even if it is true, it would be only a matter of time before he rubs someone the wrong way.

    Xu Han mentally cursed himself. He never meant to insult the other dungeon cores, but you did not need to mean insult to give it. Xu Han had made a social mistake, and he made it the day he entered the chat.

    Fortunately, The Dungeon Master did not take offence but offered guidance instead. He may have given him a gift to put Xu Han in his place, but the gentle chide was the least the new dungeon core should expect. A senior cultivator in the Crimson Lands would have reacted with much more severity. Xu Han certainly would have. Considering the number of Young Masters he had killed, Xu Han¡¯s respect for The Dungeon Master increased several folds as he realized that The Dungeon Master truly was the wise elder of the chat group.

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    ¡°Xu Han thank his elder for his consideration. I shall strive to improve my knowledge and conduct in the future.¡±

    There was a pause, as if The Dungeon Master was wondering how to response before he finally did. ¡°That is good. I expect great things from you in the future.¡±

    Xu Han was gladdened. ¡°I shall try my best to meet your expectations, elder.¡±

    Once again, his humble response was made with laughs and giggles. The other dungeon cores found his words strange and funny. It did not take long for one of them to tell him why.

    ¡°Xu Han, don¡¯t take the old core too seriously. He always says that to new cores.¡± Bookkeeper said with a laugh.

    ¡°Not word for word though, I think he said he expect ¡®amazing¡¯ things from me.¡± A dungeon core Xu Han remembered as Dancing Green answered.

    ¡°I think it was ¡®wonderful¡¯ for me.¡±

    ¡°Brilliant.¡±

    ¡°Exceptional.¡±

    ¡°Fabulous.¡±

    A series of dungeon cores each told what The Dungeon Master expected of them, and Xu Han mentally smile in return. He never knew there were so many words for great in the language of this new world. Extraordinary, Marvellous, Magnificent, Excellent, the list went on and on before even the patience of The Dungeon Master was reached.

    ¡°All of you, shut up!¡±

    Everyone laughed, and Xu Han joined in. He had come to give thanks, and it turned into a joyous occasion. For the first time in a long time, Xu Han felt that he was not alone. As a cultivator, Xu Han had joined many groups, academies, and sects in his quest for knowledge, but the chat group felt different. Xu Han felt that the other cores in the group were more than acquaintances or allies.

    They felt like family.

    Xu Han knew then that Jemma was right in telling him to join the group and he felt even more certain of his path. ¡°Dungeon Master, everyone, I, Xu Han, thank everyone for the warm welcome you had given me. As such, I wish to do something for the group.¡±

    ¡°Oh, what do you intend, young core?¡± The Dungeon Master asked guardedly.

    ¡°I wish, with the humblest of intentions, to give everyone knowledge on cultivation.¡±

    Xu Han waited as the members of the chat group slowly digest his words. Surprisingly, the reticent Dancing Green was the first to recover.

    ¡°Cultivation? Is that not the power of your former world? The Crimson Lands, correct?¡±

    ¡°That is correct senior.¡±

    ¡°How does it work?¡± Snowy Grief asked without hesitation, something that Xu Han found very refreshing. In the Crimson Lands, it would be embarrassing for seniors to ask their juniors questions, even on topics they knew little about. The dungeon cores have no such hangups.

    ¡°Cultivation starts with the art of pulling Qi into the body and circling it through the various parts of the body. Qi is an essence in the Crimson Lands, a part of the world much like how Mana is in this one. As a cultivator cycled the Qi through his body, the body will slowly strengthen. This is the start of the cultivation journey, something cultivators called the Qi Gathering Stage.¡±

    ¡°Very interesting but how is Qi different from Mana?¡± Bookkeeper said.

    ¡°I do not know. I have not been able to gather Qi since arriving in this world. If Qi exist, it is not located near my dungeon.¡± Xu Han admitted.

 V2Part26- About Cultivation

    ¡°If Qi does not exist in this world, how would knowledge about cultivation help us?¡± A puzzled Mountain Rest asked.

    ¡°I do not know if Qi exist in this world, it could be that it exists in places that I have no access to.¡± Xu Han corrected. A correction that prompted a question from Bookkeeper.

    ¡°That¡¯s strange. Mana exists everywhere. It is in the very air of this world, but you make it sound like that¡¯s not the case with Qi. Why? Does it not exist everywhere in the Crimson Lands?¡±

    ¡°Qi exists in most parts of the Lands, but the spread is not equal. There are provinces, what you called regions here, with little to no Qi, but other provinces were filled with them.¡±

    ¡°Is there a reason for that?¡± The Dungeon Master asked, a question Xu Han was less enthusiastic to answer.

    ¡°There are many reasons, most of which would take too long to fully explain. Seeing that we are in a different world, it doesn¡¯t really matter to us anyway.¡±

    Xu Han¡¯s avoidance of the question was quickly accepted as the cores in the chat group were not really interested in the Crimson Lands. The cores weren¡¯t living in the Crimson Lands, and even if they wanted to, they had no way to visit.

    ¡°So, back to my question. What good is knowledge about cultivation to us?¡± Mountain Rest asked again.

    ¡°Maybe Qi does not exist in this world. Or if it does, there could be so little of it that it would not make any difference in the grand scheme of things.¡± Xu Han paused for a moment before continuing. ¡°However, knowledge is its own reward. And there is something I had wanted to do since arriving to this world.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± A dungeon core in the chat group asked.

    ¡°I want to create a new Class.¡±

    Xu Han¡¯s simple statement silenced the chat group. Whatever the other dungeon cores thought, this was not it.

    ¡°Only the Gods can create a Class.¡± Snowy Grief softly said, her intrigue clear to everyone.

    ¡°Dungeon cores are half-divine. We are demi-gods in all but name.¡± Xu Han said.

    ¡°That may be true,¡± Bookkeeper agreed with the slightest hint of snideness in his voice, ¡°but we are not the only demigods in the world. The Gods have sons and daughter with mortals, Classed individuals who had reached 100 levels can become demigods, yet none of them had managed to create a Class on their own before.¡±

    ¡°Have any tried? Do they even know how?¡± Xu Han asked.

    ¡°I do not know if any had tried, but if they did, they failed. And we don¡¯t know how the gods create a Class either.¡± Bookkeeper countered.

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    ¡°We don¡¯t, but we have a method.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± The Dungeon Master asked.

    ¡°There is no [Cultivator] class in this world, but I know how one becomes a cultivator.¡± Xu Han answered simply.

    You could hear a pin drop in the silence that followed. The other dungeon cores were incredulous, more than a few believed that their new member had gone crazy, and the reason for this was simple.

    ¡°Xu Han, you just said cultivators needed to absorb Qi into their body. If there is no Qi in this world¡­¡± The Dungeon Master left the rest unsaid, but Xu Han was undeterred. Instead, he immediately answered the question.

    ¡°When I first arrived in this world, my dungeon fairy told me to draw in the Mana of this world. I did, and I immediately discovered that Mana was different from Qi. The¡­taste of it was different. But it was also similar.¡±

    ¡°Similar in what way?¡± The Dungeon Master quietly asked, and Xu Han could hear a hint of understanding in his voice. As expected, the old wise core had immediately understood what Xu Han was implying.

    ¡°It is like tasting a different kind of wine. It is wine, but the texture, burn, and smoothness of the drink was different.¡±

    Xu Han immediately realized it was a bad example as most of the cores in the chat had no idea what it meant to taste something. However, there were some cores with the power to create avatars, physical bodies of themselves, and they explained what taste is to the rest of the cores.

    ¡°So, Qi is a different kind of wine. What about it? How does that help you, or us, create a Class?¡± Unlike The Dungeon Master, Mountain Rest was still puzzled about what Xu Han was trying to do.

    ¡°If Qi is similar to Mana, maybe we can use one to replace the other.¡±

    Silence reigned in the chat group once more. The silence grew before a puzzled Dancing Green asked a question with barest hint of fear in his voice. ¡°That¡¯s insane. Can you, we, really do that?¡±

    ¡°I believed so.¡± Xu Han answered.

    ¡°Why?¡± The Dungeon Master asked.

    ¡°Like I said earlier, cultivation starts with the art of pulling Qi into the body. However, the Qi Gathering Stage is only the start of the cultivation journey. The Qi Gathering Stage has five tiers. Low, Mid, High, Peak, and once a cultivator reached the peak of the stage, he can choose to enter the last tier, and trigger a Tribulation.¡±

    ¡°A what?¡± One of the dungeon cores asked.

    ¡°Think of it as a test from the Heavens. Something to prove that a cultivator is ready for the next step of their cultivation journey. If the cultivator fails, he will lose the Qi he had gathered in his body. In more extreme case, he may even die. But if he succeeds¡­¡±

    ¡°What happen if he succeeds?¡± Snowy Grief asked.

    ¡°Then, he will reach the next stage of his cultivation. His body will be stronger, he will be tougher, and he will live longer. More importantly, above the Qi Gathering Stage is the Foundation Stage. This is where a cultivator lay the groundwork of his being, the Dao of his heart, his Way of Life. Many would argue that this is the real start of the cultivation journey.¡± Xu Han waited for questions and continued when none was forthcoming. ¡°For me, this is when I started to accumulate knowledge. I discovered a love for knowledge and thought that was my Dao. I¡­made a mistake, but for decades I thought my Way of Life was the accumulation of knowledge and I pursed it to the end.¡±

    ¡°That sounds like¡­¡±

    ¡°A Class.¡± The Dungeon Master finished Bookkeeper¡¯s sentence.

    ¡°That is correct.¡± Xu Han agreed. ¡°When my dungeon fairy told me about Classes and Mana, I had no problem understanding them as they sounded a lot like cultivation stages and Qi. That is why I believe it might be possible to create a cultivator here. A [Cultivator] class.¡±

    The chat group was silent once more, but this time there was a sense of anticipation. Everyone was waiting for one core to speak. He was the only dungeon core with the power and prestige to make such a decision. After some time, he finally did.

    ¡°Xu Han,¡± The Dungeon Master began, ¡°tell us everything about cultivation.¡±

 V2Part27- Insanity

    Jes Doublestone, the dwarven [Scholar], was doing something all dwarfs love doing. He was counting his gold.

    Pos Opalhand groaned, Vormarobe Flinthand huffed while the [Knight], Umdar Blackrock, smiled from the side, glad that he was wise enough to turned down the game. Noghoula Whitbrew was just pissed.

    ¡°That¡¯s just unfair. You must be cheating!¡± The [Berserker] shouted as she pointed an accusing finger at Jes.

    ¡°I¡¯m a [Scholar], not a [Rogue], and I¡¯m no thief.¡± Jes shrugged unapologetically as he continued counting his winning.

    ¡°Then you must have some luck Skills! No one wins six games in a row.¡±

    ¡°You can hire a priest to check. Ten gold says he¡¯ll find nothing.¡± Jes smirked.

    Nog grumbled about the luck of the Stones as she took a big gulp from her mug. The ale within was thick, bitter and smelled great. It was a true dwarven brew, not the poor imitation most establishments served in the World Above. Not for the first time tonight, Pos stopped himself from rolling his eyes. The numerous mugs of ale the [Berserker] had consumed had played more of a part in her losses than luck.

    ¡°Another game?¡±

    Groans greeted Jes¡¯ suggestion. Nog was about to curse the scholar again when there was a knock at their door, the first they had heard since they got there.

    ¡°One of you losers better get that.¡± Jes mocked. Pos looked at the other dwarf and frowned.

    Today, the party had decided to rent a private room in the Adventure Guild for a game of cards. Playing cards had become a popular pastime in Viaggia since Pos reported the existence of the Hall of Carda and that he won the card in a game of 21. The mood of the party was relaxing, but that could quickly change if the scholar continued to gloat. Jes Doublestone was the definition of a bad winner.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get it.¡± Umdar said before temper could fray further.

    Pos looked over as Umdar open the door and saw a very unhappy Maglor Goldenaxe. Pos was about to groan when he noticed something. Although you would not be able to notice it from his face, the agent of the dwaven king was nervous, his eyes glancing left and right as he stood outside the door. Pos was not the only who notice this as Umdar quickly ushered the agent inside.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Vorma asked, clearing picking up on the vibe of the agent.

    Maglor waited for the door to close before walking to the round table the party was seated around, but he did not answer Vorma¡¯s question directly. Instead, he looked at the gold and cards on the table and scoffed.

    ¡°Well, nice to see that you all are having fun.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the use of having gold if you don¡¯t spend it?¡±

    Pos had to smile at Nog¡¯s reply. Since the auction, the party had been relaxing in town, spending the gold they had received from the auction hall. It was the way of adventurers, especially delvers.

    When you might die tomorrow, you should enjoy today.

    ¡°Well, playtime is over.¡± Maglor said. ¡°I need all of you back in the dungeon and complete your quest.¡±

    The party looked at each other. They had discussed this earlier and had come to an agreement. The party may be rich, but they had taken the quest and would enter the dungeon to complete it if Maglor asked. The party knows they could buy the agent off with the gold from the auction but the hit to their reputation wasn¡¯t worth it. Adventurers who agreed to a quest were expected to complete it to the best of their ability and while it might be understandable to come out of the dungeon after finding a good treasure, adventurers were still expected to complete any quest they took. However, Maglor did not need to know their decision yet.

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    ¡°We were expecting a visit from you before today, but you never came. Why are you here now? What happened?¡± Pos asked, trying to sound as nonchalance as possible.

    ¡°Nothing that concerns you. Just do your job.¡±

    The taunt worked as Maglor¡¯s answer came out as a growl. Pos would have left it at that, curious adventurers die early and all that, but Vorma was not one to let thing lay.

    ¡°Not till you tell us what is happening. It has been twenty days since the auction, and you come to us now? What happened?¡±

    Maglor looked unsure, before replying. ¡°Things are coming to a head.¡± The agent swept aside his cloak to reveal a leather bag. He reached in and took out a package, placing it on the table.

    ¡°What is this?¡± Nog asked as she reached for the package.

    ¡°A set of reports I had received from my agents within the Bright Kingdom. The feud between the Biaggo and Manfredi families is deeper than anyone had believed. There was a skirmish between the two parties two day after the auction, and one of the Manfredis died.¡±

    Vorma cursed as she quickly looked though the reports alongside Jes and Umdar. Pos did not bother and just look at the agent.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard anything about that.¡±

    ¡°It happened outside of town, when the Manfredis were on their way back home. The court is trying to keep things quiet and hoping cooler heads will prevail. They will fail. Both sides are calling in their forces, and I expect the first of their troops to arrive within the week.¡±

    ¡°The Guild has declared Viaggia a Dungeon Town. Even the Biaggos and Manfredis wouldn¡¯t dare offend the Guild.¡± Pos pointed out.

    ¡°They wouldn¡¯t, but the noble houses only need to respect the letter of the law. The town and the dungeon will be off-limits, but the areas around the town? The road from here to the dungeon? The roads merchants need to travel to bring supplies into Viaggia? There are many ways around these restrictions. Even if the fighting only occurs outside the town, it will make things very miserable for everyone.¡±

    ¡°But with strife comes opportunity.¡± Jes said, a suggestion that had Maglor shaking his head. Pos wasn¡¯t the only one surprised by the reaction.

    ¡°Why not?¡± Vorma asked.

    ¡°All of you probably don¡¯t know this, but the political situation in the Bright Kingdom has been volatile for some time and the Biaggos and Manfredis are on different sides of the political divide. Now, that¡¯s not news but things are heating up, and we believe both families are but proxies for their factions.¡±

    ¡°The Biaggos and Manfredis are both powerful noble houses.¡± Jes said.

    ¡°But they are not the most powerful forces in the kingdom, and we believe their backers want them to engage as a show of force.¡±

    ¡°Who are their backers?¡± Jes asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s none of your business.¡± Maglor simply answered.

    ¡°Goat¡¯s piss, it¡¯s the royal family, isn¡¯t it? The Biaggos and Manfredis are proxies for different faction within the royal family of the Bright Kingdom.¡± Jes groaned and Pos finally understood why Maglor was in Viaggia.

    The discovery of a dungeon is major news, and Pos had believed Maglor was assign to oversee the dungeon town. That may still be true, but the dungeon was not the only assignment the agent had. He was also here to report on the various factions within the Bright Kingdom. Maglor wasn¡¯t just the dwarven king¡¯s eyes and ears in town. He was the king¡¯s dwarf for the whole kingdom!

    ¡°How volatile are things?¡± Umdar asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± The agent looked a little embarrassed by that. ¡°Anyway, just know there are forces at work here is bigger than us and things are going to happen soon. I need you to go into the dungeon, clear the room, and get the treasure. Then, I can get it out of here before things start to happen. Our kingdom wants something out of this before the inevitable cave-in.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Pos asked. ¡°Why would you, or our ¡®trustworthy¡¯ king cares about the treasures from a new-found dungeon?¡±

    ¡°A new-found dungeon that has strange spells and items from at least two Gods. Of course the king is very interested in the treasures of this dungeon. Everyone is.¡± Maglor replied with a roll of his eyes.

    ¡°But what exactly is going to happen? The Bright Kingdom is strong, and its Queen is hale and healthy. By right, things should be well. So, things are a little volatile in court? So what? What¡¯s the problem?¡± A puzzled Nog asked.

    ¡°The Bright Queen believes her kingdom should be bigger than it is. And she does not wish to fight other humans for land. She plans to expand the kingdom by pushing into the neutral territories.¡±

    Everyone¡¯s eyes widened. In shock and fear. There were many different species in the World Above and most of them had claimed some territories. All the species that had territories made it a point to leave some unclaimed territory between them to avoid conflict. Human kingdoms may border each other, but you will never see a human kingdom bordering an elvish one. The unwritten rule is that no kingdom or nation should intrude on any unclaimed area between two species. No one was a species war. Maglor was now claiming the Bright Queen intended to throw the rule off the mountain.

    Jes Doublestone, the [Scholar], whispered what everyone was thinking. ¡°That¡¯s insane.¡±