《Dungeon Inc》 Prologue ¡°Alex, I need you to man the Swords and Sorcery department today,¡± Dakota said, her eyes never leaving her clipboard. Alex was halfway through tugging on his employee vest when she came up behind him. With one arm still caught in a hole, he turned on his heel to face her. ¡°I don¡¯t work Swords and Sorcery,¡± he reminded her, grunting has he finally tugged his arm through the hole. He quickly buttoned up the vest and made his name tag was on full display beneath the MallMart logo. ¡°I have that whole trauma thing with magic? There¡¯s literally a letter from my doctor in my employee file and¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t argue with me, Alex. I really don¡¯t need that right now,¡± Dakota warned, finally looking up from her clipboard. She casually clicked the pen in her other hand and raised an eyebrow, the unspoken threat hanging in the air between them. Alex chewed his lipto avoid complaining. He knew he should just do it, Dakota wouldn¡¯t leave him be until he caved, but this was the one thing he wanted to avoid above all others¡­ ¡°Look, the usual people called in sick and nobody¡¯s answering my calls. We can¡¯t not have somebody man the station, especially since we just got the new inventory shipment in,¡± Dakota continued, scribbling a quick note down on her paper. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. Just stock and price the inventory, help people who come by needing weapons and stuff. Easy peasy. The pallet is over in the loading bay.¡± Before Alex could even think to protest any further, Dakota had already turned tail and marched off. At the other end of the green-and-white hall, she bumped the doors leading back out onto the store floor and was slipped through them. Alex stared after her for a few more seconds, rubbing a hand over his face in a mixture of exhaustion and annoyance. ¡°It¡¯s just one shift,¡± he muttered to himself. ¡°Just¡­ one eight hour shift. How bad could it possibly be?¡± Resigned to his fate, Alex double checked his uniform to make sure he was presentable. Black t-shirt with no skulls or band logos? Check. Violently green vest? Check check. Weird crystal necklace? Alex winced as he realized the necklace had fallen out from under his shirt. ¡°Sorry, bud,¡± he whispered to it. ¡°You know I¡¯m not supposed to have jewelry out on the store floor.¡± The crystal was blue-green in color and cool against his skin. It always seemed to be cool, no matter how much Alex held it in his grip. It wasn¡¯t big, either, maybe about as long as his thumb and twice as wide, so he didn¡¯t quite under how it remained such an even temperature. Its heat resistant properties and pretty color weren¡¯t the reason he held onto it, though. ¡°Wish you were here, man,¡± Alex muttered, tucking the stone under his shirt as he proceeded around a corner to the loading bay. ¡°At least then I¡¯d have someone to suffer with¡­¡± The last piece of his uniform were the black fingerless gloves he tugged into place over his hands. To most onlookers, they appeared serve no other purpose than protecting his hands while lifting heavy objects. However, that was only a fraction of the truth. A poorly-drawn status tattoo on the back of his left hand was hastily concealed as he tugged the gloves on. It wasn¡¯t that he was ashamed of having it, but rather he didn¡¯t need the trouble it would bring if the wrong people caught wind of it. It was a bootleg status tattoo, the kind that could barely tell a person how much mana they had, let alone more pertinent information. If somebody higher level than him caught sight of the tattoo¡­ Well, Alex didn¡¯t want to think about it. Just like Dakota had said, there was a pallet of boxes waiting for him as he got to the loading bay. He diligently grabbed the pallet truck, slipped it into place under the cardboard boxes, and got to work dragging the heavy stack of merchandise away. As he stepped into MallMart proper, he was momentarily blinded by fluorescent lights and bright green signs. On sale now, ward powder, fifty percent off! Protect your home and your wallet! One sign read. Dragon-bone dog treats, three for the price of one! Another professed, with a picture of a chihuahua chewing on a femur larger than its whole body. A few customers browsed the shelves as Alex passed, but none paid him much mind. That was how he liked it. Keep your head down, appear too busy to talk, he reminded himself, the words almost a mantra. He¡¯d been working at MallMart for years, and it was habit to make himself too busy to help anyone. As Alex rounded a corner, he found himself before the one section of the store he¡¯d been avoiding for ages: Swords and Sorcery. It reminded him of the paint station in hardware, or the cash register over in electronics. There were shelves covered in swords, staffs, bows, and other such items of violence. A cash register was located between two of the larger shelves, where he would be expected to stand once the boxes were dealt with. Alex¡¯s pulse quickened at the sight of the station. The staffs with the glowing crystals atop them were particularly hard for him to look at the. Smell didn¡¯t help matters, either. Aether, rich and powerful, hung thick in the air around the weapons. The staffs let off so much of the stuff they practically turned the air blue. ¡°It¡¯s just one shift,¡± he reminded himself, forcing his gaze away from the shelves. He gently lowered the pallet truck handle to the ground and grabbed a scanner gun from the cashier desk. A quick scan of one of the boxes told him everything he needed to know about the inventory he¡¯d be stocking. ¡°EdgeZ Straight Zword,¡± Alex muttered, cringing at the brand name and description. Looking up from where he stood, he quickly found the shelf where these weapons belonged. He cringed again as he noticed it was covered in edgy black and red branding icons. Every weapon on the shelf had black faux carbon-fiber grips with bright red accents. The swords had painted black blades with bright white edges, while the bows had bright red strings. ¡°Nobody would ever be caught dead actually using these, right?¡± Alex muttered, using his pocket box cutter to slice the tape off his cardboard victim. Unlike most merchandise that could be found at MallMart, such as food or clothing, the weapons didn¡¯t have barcodes on them that could be scanned. A quick glance at the cash register and Alex noticed a laminated sheet with bar codes on it and pictures of each weapon. Right next to the list of bar codes were the rules of running the station. Rule 1: no persons under eighteen is permitted to purchase a weapon under penalty of law. Rule 2: employees are not to demonstrate the use of weapons under any circumstance. Rule 3: always upsell the arrows when selling bows. Alex tore himself away from the rules and extracted three swords from the box. He quickly slipped them onto the rack, next to their fellows, and created a steady row of swords. Then he noticed that there were three different sizes of weapons and had to bite back a groan. The shelves weren¡¯t properly ordered. Dakota would certainly yell at him if he didn¡¯t make them look presentable, even though he found them this way. ¡°Dammit,¡± he muttered, quickly pulling off every sword on the shelf and setting them down in the box with the new weapons. Metal and plastic clattered loudly together, and soon enough the shelf was bare. In the interest of making it easy on himself, Alex started with small swords on the left and long swords on the right, and slowly inched towards the middle. He¡¯d finally finished the first box, when he heard the one sound that every retail worker dreaded more than anything. ¡°Excuse me,¡± a woman said from directly behind him. Alex felt ice flood his veins and his stomach leap into his throat. Slowly, he forced a smile to his face, and turned around. He was careful to take a step to the side as he went, lest he accidentally bump her and trigger a human-shaped land mine. The woman standing before him was barely shoulder high, but she radiated the kind of energy that screamed if you make me mad it will be everyone¡¯s problem. Her purple-streaked hair was cut short on one side and long on the other, and she wore over-sized sunglasses. She had a sour expression on her face, and her arms were crossed over her white Live, Laugh, Love t-shirt. The very obvious status tattoo could be seen on her left hand, and Alex felt his fear burble up again as he quickly took it in. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Level eight, he thought. He couldn¡¯t quite make out the details about her other information, but the number inside the triangle was unmistakable. ¡°How can I help you, ma¡¯am?¡± Alex said, forcing out his customer service voice. He stood up straight, kept his hands at his side, and plastered a smile on his face. His mind so instantly fell into the MallMart indoctrination that, to any casual observer, it might have seemed Alex was possessed by the spirit of retail. ¡°About time,¡± the woman snapped. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for service for thirty minutes! This is unacceptable.¡± Alex blinked rapidly, but held his tongue. He hadn¡¯t been at the station for ten minutes, let alone thirty. Still, it wouldn¡¯t pay to argue with a customer. ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry about the inconvenience, ma¡¯am. How can I be of service to you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying to purchase my son¡¯s first weapon,¡± the woman said, her tone suddenly going bubbly and cheerful. ¡°He¡¯s gifted, you see. Well, I¡¯m gifted too, in case you couldn¡¯t tell,¡± she added, flourishing the tattoo on her hand. ¡°Anyway, my son is going to be an adventurer and as such he needs weapons.¡± Alex looked around rapidly and noticed a blond-haired kid standing near the pallet, holding one of the medium-sized EdgeZ swords. The blade glowed softly red in acknowledgment of his magical superiority. Like his mother, he had purple streaks in his hair. He didn¡¯t have a tattoo on his hand, so Alex had to assume he wasn¡¯t eighteen yet. If he had to hazard a guess, the kid couldn¡¯t be older than twelve, maybe thirteen. ¡°Mom, I want this one!¡± The kid said, flourishing with the weapon in question. He gave it a few test swings, and Alex flinched as he sent a display of bows clattering to the floor. ¡°It¡¯s only two-hundred dollars!¡± ¡°No, honey. We¡¯re getting you a Durandal brand weapon.¡± ¡°But mooooom,¡± the brat whined. ¡°If you want that one, you have to buy it with your own money! You have money from your last birthday.¡± Oh boy. ¡°Ma¡¯am, I would be happy to assist you in purchasing a weapon. However, I must inform you that we cannot legally sell weapons to minors.¡± The woman¡¯s face abruptly shifted into a visage that would haunt Alex¡¯s nightmares for years to come. ¡°Ex-CUSE me?¡± She roared. ¡°Did you just say you won¡¯t sell me weapons?¡± ¡°No, ma¡¯am, I am simply informing you that there are laws about how old a person needs to be before they can purchase a weapon,¡± Alex stammered, hoping to deescalate the situation. Stupid, stupid, why did I mention the rule? Too late now¡­ ¡°You¡¯re being extremely rude! My son is an ANGEL and he¡¯s going to be a HERO some day!¡± the woman snapped, waggling a finger at Alex¡¯s chin. ¡°Not like you. He¡¯s gifted, and he¡¯s going to use his power to help people!¡± ¡°I¡¯m gonna be an adventurer!¡± the kid piped up, in a voice that was far too high pitched to be pubescent. ¡°Just because you¡¯re jealous of us doesn¡¯t mean you get to dictate who gets access to weapons,¡± the woman continued. ¡°I say that he''s old enough to have one. Don''t you know the customer is ALWAYS right?!¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am, all I said was I can¡¯t sell weapons to minors.¡± The obvious loophole to the rule was right there, and the fact the woman wasn¡¯t picking up on it struck him as very concerning. ¡°Do you know who I am!?¡± The woman shouted. ¡°I am Karen Walker!¡± She emphasized her last name, as though it was something worth knowing. Alex blinked lamely. ¡°Who?¡± ¡°My husband is David Walker? The hero!?¡± Alex shook his head and shrugged. Karen¡¯s eyes twitched furiously beneath her sunglasses. ¡°Come on, Skyler,¡± she growled, stomping over to her son and grabbing him by the wrist. ¡°We¡¯re leaving.¡± Alex held back another cringe as Karen and her son stormed off. Skyler had yet to put the sword back in the box, and Alex secretly hoped that maybe they would get stopped at the front door for stealing it. ¡°Wow, she¡¯s a piece of work,¡± a voice said from beside Alex. For the second time that day¡ªand most certainly not the last¡ªAlex forced his customer service mask into place and turned to face the speaker. Instead of a snooty woman, there was a man just a few inches shorter than him, shaking his head in disapproval at the display. He was dressed in perfectly normal street clothes, but wore a leather vest over them, as well as other pieces of leather armor strapped over his thighs and forearms. Hanging from his hip was a razer thin sword, a professionally made piece that made the EdgeZ weapons look like the cheap trash they secretly were. Most shocking of all was tattoo on the back of his hand. Alex got a good look at it as it rested on the pommel of his sword. Level thirty-seven! Alex¡¯s eyes practically bulged. He never even seen anyone with a level that high before! This guy was the real deal, a bonafide adventurer! ¡°H-how can I help you, sir?¡± Alex stammered, forcing his attention away from the tattoo. The adventurer chuckled and carefully plucked one of the EdgeZ swords off the shelf. He tested the weight of it in his hand and sneered at the balance, before slipping it back into place. ¡°I was just browsing, really, but now I¡¯m kind of interested. Do you have anything better than this crummy trash?¡± ¡°Honestly, I wouldn¡¯t know. I¡¯m just filling in for someone else, today,¡± Alex laughed. The adventurer smirked and nodded. ¡°Good on you. We can¡¯t all be heroes; some people must be shop keepers too. Good on you for accepting that you¡¯re an NPC.¡± Alex¡¯s skin still crawled whenever he was called NPC, or non-powered citizen. He didn¡¯t argue, of course, the customer is always right and all, but his tattoo itched at the notion. He had power, but it''s not like he could afford to properly train it. ¡°Anyway, buddy,¡± the adventurer said, interrupting Alex''s stewing thoughts, ¡°if you want some advice, don¡¯t sell people these crappy EdgeZ brand weapons. Durandal brand weapons are a lot less fancy to look at, but they¡¯ll last a lot longer.¡± As if to prove his point, the adventurer marched down to the end of the aisle and plucked a sword off the shelf. Unlike the EdgeZ weapon, this one was plain. It had a simple cross guard, and a straight steel blade that rang as it was pulled from the sheath. The adventurer tested the weapon¡¯s balance and nodded in approval. ¡°Simple is always better,¡± he explained, sheathing the weapon again. ¡°I¡¯ll take two,¡± he added, grabbing a second weapon off the shelf. Alex didn¡¯t argue with the adventurer as he took position behind the cash register. He quickly scanned the last of bar codes and located the section for Durandal weapons. Each sword cost a whopping eighty dollars a pop, which put them in the cheap end of things but still a far cry more affordable than professionally made weapons. ¡°I¡¯ve got a couple trainees that¡¯ll be tailing me, fresh out of college,¡± the adventurer explained, as he reached into his wallet and pulled out a gold-plated credit card. ¡°These are their graduation presents.¡± Alex grunted in approval as he punched some buttons on the cash register, then nodded for the adventurer to swipe his card. ¡°Don¡¯t look now, buddy, but Karen¡¯s back,¡± the adventurer whispered, as Alex slipped the two sheathed weapons into a plastic bag and handed the man his receipt. As the weapons left his hand, Alex looked up to see the furious woman¡ªstill dragging her son by the wrist¡ªstomping over with Dakota in tow. Alex cringed as he saw his manager, and knew then and there that he was about to get in so much trouble. ¡°That¡¯s him!¡± Karen shouted, jabbing a finger at Alex ¡°You have a nice day, sir,¡± Alex squeaked, the adventurer already moving to avoid the storm. ¡°That¡¯s the man who refused to sell me weapons for my darling boy!¡± Karen screeched. ¡°And yet he happily sold that nobody weapons. My husband is David Walker, the hero! You should be giving us a discount!¡± Alex flinched as Dakota¡¯s eyes landed on him. Her eyes were hard and tired, like she really didn¡¯t want to deal with this today. Alex knew she¡¯d much rather be literally anywhere else, and he felt much the same. ¡°Alex, please sell this nice woman whatever she wants,¡± Dakota said through clenched teeth. Alex nodded vigorously, ready to do whatever it took to appease the infuriated Karen. ¡°Oh no, that¡¯s not enough! I want a discount!¡± Karen snapped, wheeling on Dakota. Alex felt the tingle in his fingers intensify, and his eyes widened as Karen¡¯s purple-streaked hair started to whip in a wind that nobody could feel. Stray strands stood up on end. ¡°Of course, Alex will be happy to give you his employee discount,¡± Dakota said quickly. ¡°Right, Alex?¡± ¡°Naturally,¡± Alex grumbled, his own jaw tight. ¡°I don¡¯t want his discount! I want a proper discount, and I want to be treated like I deserve!¡± Karen yelled. ¡°This treatment is unacceptable! My son is gifted and he¡¯s going to be a HERO like his father, and this is how you treat us!?¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am, what more could we do to make this right for you?¡± Dakota asked, her patience clearly wearing thin. ¡°I want him fired,¡± Karen said, wheeling on Alex and shaking a finger in his face. ¡°He¡¯s disrespectful and rude and he made my poor boy CRY!¡± Alex frowned and glanced down at Karen¡¯s son. Skyler looked more embarrassed than sad, but as if on cue he started wiping his eyes and sobbing. ¡°All I wanted was a s-s-sword,¡± he said, really laying on the crocodile tears. Alex looked pleadingly up at Dakota. She pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration and shook her head. ¡°Jeeze, what a bitch.¡± Alex¡¯s eyes widened in horror as the words hit his ears, and Karen whirled on him with unbridled fury. He hadn¡¯t said anything, but he¡¯d heard the words as clear as day. It sure sounded like it had come from him, but he hadn¡¯t moved his mouth. Sure, he¡¯d been thinking it, but... ¡°How DARE you!?¡± Karen screeched, her eyes crackling with purple energy. That was all the warning Alex got before lightning shot from Karen¡¯s outstretched hand and flew right for him. When it struck, Alex was blown backward. He flew several feet through the air, before crashing into a barrel of arrows. Wooden and plastic bundles of projectiles spilled everywhere as Alex splayed out on the ground, twitching and breathing quickly. The air was hot and stank of ozone, but he was shocked to find that he was unharmed. He looked down at his chest, expecting to see a smoldering hole in his flesh. His shirt and vest were burned clean through, but his chest was otherwise unmarred. The blue-green rock he always wore around his neck sat against his bare skin, warm to the touch and glowing faintly. ¡°What... just happened?¡± Chapter 1: Horned Rabbit Okay, that¡¯s a little weird. Am I paralyzed? Okay, time to panic. Boom. good is How about a rabbit put him back to sleep This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. I have no mouth but I must scream. How do I scream? How am I hearing, anyway? I have no ears, but I must hear. fire Chapter 2: Catching Up made core but everywhereaetheric manifestations are useaetherologist If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. what have do Well, not just a crystal core. I¡¯ve got the power of creation on my side, don¡¯t IMaybe I could do something with that? Akashic System integration¡­ Akashic System are sucks Chapter 3: Level Up! yes things bunnyrabbit integrated If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. country Apartment Building apartment building available do you You train, you fight monsters, you learn spells Project Aether everything Chapter 4: A Little Push understood The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
look actually that yes definitely went Shopping Mall (Abandoned) Chapter 5: Dungeon Influence Zack¡¯s mana erupted out of his body in a rush. It was like every drop of energy stored within his crystalline form couldn¡¯t be contained, and he exploded like a bomb. The sudden burst of power was so violent that it blew Zack off Alex¡¯s neck and sent his core shooting toward the broken mall doors. To Zack¡¯s delight, the doors opened to grant him entrance, and he landed on the overgrown tile floor with a soft tink. As he touched the ground, understanding of his surroundings flooded through him. He knew what materials were used to create each and every piece of this room, from the linoleum tiles to the broken shards of glass lining the floor. He could feel the wires connecting to the long since burned out fluorescent lightbulbs, the gas within either leaking out or evaporating with time. He also became aware of just how limited his awareness was. He could see beyond the limits of this one room, but only just barely. If he separated his point of view from his core, he could wander twenty-five feet from that one room, but that was it. It felt like he was stretching himself the farther he tried to reach. ¡°Zack? What the hell was that!?¡± Alex asked, shoving his way through the broken doors. ¡°Oh, sorry. Let me get those for you,¡± Zack laughed, snapping his vision back to his core. With the kind of grace one might use to exercise a muscle, he opened the doors all the way and allowed his friend full passage into the abandoned mall. Alex stumbled they opened, looking around in surprise. ¡°So, I have now established this mall as my dungeon. Or at least this room. It¡¯s a start.¡± "I know what a dungeon is, in, like, a video game, but I don''t understand what it means in this context." Alex looked from the doors then back to Zack, where he lay on the floor. ¡°You keep saying stuff like dungeon core and your dungeon, but you haven''t actually told me what any of that means.¡± "Dungeons are a place for monsters to spawn and adventurers to delve into," Zack explained, as though this should have been obvious. "Yeah, I get it. That''s the video game definition." Alex crossed his arms and scrunched up his face. "You expect me to believe that those exist, and that you are one?" "Is that really so hard to believe?" Alex shrugged. "Never heard of a dungeon core before today. Monster always just sort of appeared, you know?" "No, I don''t know. I''ve been asleep for five years," Zack reminded him. "I guess I sort of assumed that the universities were hoarding dungeons of their own to train people that paid them¡­" Alex ran a hand over his face and shrugged. "Sure, I guess." Zack once more lamented his lack of a head to shake. This was just another instance of him having an instinctive understanding of something that he needed to explain to someone who didn¡¯t. ¡°Let me put it this way: if my core is my brain, or my heart, then my dungeon is my body. Does that make sense, at least?¡± Alex cocked his head and looked around the ruined room. Aether-infused vines pulsed with faint green light, and the broken roof allowed fresh sunlight to stream through. Zack was perched in a tiny patch of light, glittering like a perfectly ordinary gem. ¡°Sure, why not,¡± Alex finally said, crossing his arms. Zack wished he had arms to throw up in exasperation. ¡°It¡¯s one of those things you¡¯d have to experience for yourself. All you need to know is that I am the room¡ªI am the dungeon. Also, your shoes are filthy.¡± Alex sheepishly checked the underside of his sneakers and cringed at the mud caking their treads. As he did, Zack took a second to further explore his abilities. There were a few minor objects in the room he could learn about: an ATM in one corner, a payphone in the other, and a second set of broken glass doors that led deeper into the mall. Zack quickly consumed the pattern for both machines, noting with excitement the unbroken replicas that appeared in his 3D modeling space. He then proceeded to absorb them, adding their materials to inventory. Alex jumped in surprise as the two machines seemed to break down into smaller and smaller cubes before vanishing entirely. ¡°What the hell!?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t panic, that was me,¡± Zack assured him. ¡°As uncharacteristic as it is, I¡¯m just tidying up a bit.¡± The vines were absorbed next, followed by the shards of glass strewn across the floor. With each item he absorbed, Zack obtained the patterns for the materials that made it up. Glass, plastic, different metals, and plant fibers from the vines. Surprisingly, though, Zack couldn¡¯t touch Alex or anything he was wearing. That struck him as odd, considering how while he¡¯d been in physical contact he had no trouble syphoning Alex¡¯s mana. He suspected it was a quality of direct physical contact, rather than a strict limitation. As he finished, the mall lobby looked as good as new. The tile floor was clean and polished¡ªZack could effortlessly absorb the dirt and grime off the tiles, leaving behind an immaculate flooring. The walls were free from plants. Even the hole in the ceiling was filled in with fresh bricks. The patch job was obvious, with Zack¡¯s new bricks looking far too perfect compared to the old onces. He quickly covered them again to complete the look. As he worked, Alex watched with a hanging jaw. ¡°You''re doing all of this?¡± ¡°Yup!¡± Zack confirmed. ¡°How?¡± ¡°How what?¡± ¡°How are you doing this?¡± Zack considered the question for a moment, pausing his work. ¡°Well, how do you do magic?¡± ¡°I push mana through my body and shoot it out as fire,¡± Alex said without hesitation. ¡°Right. I push mana through my body¡ªin this case, the room¡ªand use it to repair the damage,¡± Zack explained. It was as close to the actual answer as he dared get. In reality, it was far more complex than that. Zack was quickly creating new objects to fill in the gaps of the old ones, and Alex was merely watching as they appeared in real time. To Zack, it was like they were appearing out of thin air as his perception overlayed and then replaced reality. To Alex, it must have appeared as something far more chaotic than that. Once he was satisfied that the room was up to his standards, Zack turned his attention inward to check his stats. [Status] [Name: Zack] [Core type: Dungeon] [Level: 4] [Integrity: 100%] [Mana: 45/45] He was surprised to see that his maximum total mana had gone up by fifteen points, likely five per level if he had to guess. He was more surprised to see that his mana was at its cap, too. So far as he could tell, he¡¯d been burning mana ever since he established the room. The numbers didn¡¯t lie, though. More than that, he could practically see the mana bubbling both within him and outside him. When he concentrated, he could see veins of clean blue energy flowing out of his core and into the walls and floors of his dungeon. The mana circulated through the room, doing everything from cleaning the air to reinforcing the materials within. As the mana cycled, he could feel himself slowly consuming ambient Aether. Sooner or later, this room would run out of Aether for him to consume, and he would need to start drawing it in from beyond its boundaries. That wouldn¡¯t be a problem, though. In addition to the rest of the mall, replete with Aether, there was still the ambient stuff just outside his front doors. Plus, if people inside started using magic, their spells would leave behind Aether for him to eat in exchange for the mana he spat back out. Grinning mentally, Zack directed his attention to the next room and attempted to draw in Aether, only to be surprised when he couldn¡¯t. [Warning: maximum mana levels reached. Consuming aether would result in mana overflow. Aether consumption halted.] Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Zack stared at the message curiously, understanding hitting him. ¡°So my maximum mana is a hard maximum,¡± he muttered, not bothering to vibrate his core so Alex could hear him. If Zack wanted to absorb more aether, he¡¯d need to spend some of his mana. ¡°What can I spend my mana on?¡± he asked, carefully wording his query in the hopes of getting the Akashic System¡¯s attention. [Patterns Available] [Basic Animal Creation: level 1] [Basic Monster Creation: level 2] [Basic Item Creation: level 1] [Basic Material Creation: level 4] ¡°Oooh, new patterns,¡± Zack chimed excitedly. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ Animals?¡± [Basic Animal Patterns] [Rabbit] ¡°Oh. I only know rabbits. Awkward¡­ What about monsters?¡± [Basic Monster Creation] [Dire Rabbit] [Carnage Carnation] [Dire Upgrade] ¡°That makes sense. Okay, let¡¯s get some dire rabbits going in here,¡± Zack murmured, accessing the pattern. Like when he tried to create objects, a three dimensional model of the horned bunny appeared in the air before him. It wasn¡¯t Thumper, but it was close enough. Zack selected a good enough space for the bunny to appear and felt his mana dip down five points as the monster took shape. The horned rabbit appeared fully formed, its nose twitching curiously. Alex saw the creature appear and drew his sword, ready to protect himself or Zack as necessary. ¡°Easy, pal,¡± Zack assured him, speaking aloud again. ¡°This one¡¯s friendly.¡± As two more bunnies appeared, Alex took two nervous steps back toward the doors. ¡°What about those?¡± ¡°Still friendly. The bunnies are mine,¡± Zack said. Now that his mana was lowered, he tested the limits of his Aether pull, reaching deeper into the mall. As he ate the loose aether, he was surprised to feel himself¡­ grow. [Quest Complete: Real Estate] [As a newly awoken dungeon core, you must establish your dungeon in order to advance.] [Reward: Spatial Influence] [Perk: Spatial Influence] [You are now able to extend your influence through an expenditure of mana. Space your influence reaches through becomes a part of your dungeon. Continue growing your dungeon to advance further.] The sudden influx of information was enough to leave Zack stunned for a second. As the Spatial Influence perk took effect, he became aware not only of himself, but the true size of his dungeon. Was only a couple dozen cubic feet, pitifully small for all intents and purposes, but he had the potential to grow so much larger. The mall was massive and the perfect place for him to establish the perfect dungeon! Like a creeping tide, Zack reached his influence through the lobby and deeper into the mall. He felt a shiver through his entire core as the walls, ceiling, and floors became a part of him. He felt himself grow larger, stronger, as he consumed more and more aether. Then, he hit an obstacle he hadn¡¯t expected. ¡°Dammit!¡± Zack roared, his consciousness slamming back into his core. The volume of his outburst was enough to make even Alex jump in alarm. ¡°There¡¯s stuff blocking me in there! I can¡¯t dig any deeper!¡± Alex looked around in confusion, so Zack opened the doors. Alex peeked inside, the trio of dire rabbits following his example. Sure enough, not a dozen feet beyond the doors, a mushroom-like creature was waddling about passively. It turned a pair of bulbous black eyes on Alex and froze in place. ¡°Eugh, stooltoads. Those things suck,¡± Alex grumbled, drawing his sword. ¡°What¡¯s a stooltoad?¡± Zack asked, his curiosity momentarily overriding his frustration. As if on cue, the mushroom monster abruptly leapt into the air. Its hind legs were like those of a toad, allowing it to leap high as it lunged towards Alex and the bunnies. Not wanting to be caught by another plant monster, Alex lobbed a fireball at the mushroom¡¯s face. The spell had the desired effect, and the room filled with the smell of roasted mushroom. Zack, not wanting to be wasteful, slurped up his friend¡¯s spent aether greedily, cycling it back to mana and spitting it out again as fresh influence in the direction opposite of the offending monster. Alex raised his sword to prepare for battle, conjuring another fireball to lob at the monster¡¯s face. This time, the stooltoad dodged, leaping over the spell. As it came in for a landing again, bright yellow spores erupted out of its cap. Alex fell backward to avoid the blast, but one of Zack¡¯s bunnies wasn¡¯t so lucky. [Dire Rabbit B has been afflicted with Fungal Spores.] [Fungal Spores] [In addition to taking damage over time, this creature will turn into a stooltoad upon death if the Fungal Spores are not purged.] ¡°Oh, I really don¡¯t like that,¡± Zack growled. ¡°That¡¯s my bunny! Dire rabbits! Chew it to bits!¡± On command, the trio of bunnies charged forward, horns primed and ready. The stooltoad managed to leap over one, only to land right in the path of another. The dire rabbit¡¯s horn impaled the mushroom¡¯s main body with a spray of milky white fluid. The stooltoad made no noise as it vainly attempted to wriggle free of the horn. The trio of dire rabbits fell upon the mushroom, devouring it in seconds. It was dead before they even finished, and Zack happily absorbed it to store away for later. With the monster out of the way, he was free to continue extending his influence deeper into the mall. He made sure to absorb the bunny afflicted by the spores and respawn it. The mana otherwise spent to create it was quickly regained as he extended his influence deeper and deeper into the mall. By the time he reached the end of the hallway, Zack was surprised by how tired he was feeling. A quick check of his mana values was enough to show him why. He was running on a dangerously low, with only five points remaining of his maximum forty-five. ¡°Whuh? How is that possible? Shouldn¡¯t I be regaining all the mana I spend?¡± Zack slurred. If he were standing, he would have been swaying dizzily from exhaustion. Checking his status, Zack could see exactly where he was going wrong. [Warning: mana upkeep is exceeding aether intake. Core shut down imminent.] ¡°Of course,¡± he grumbled, as understanding of the situation rolled through him. Just because he could consume aether indefinitely didn¡¯t mean it didn¡¯t have to go somewhere. Just like plants or living creatures, the food they ate had to be used in the upkeep of their body. They didn¡¯t just get to produce waste matter. It made him chuckle, thinking of the mana he exuded as poop, and he congratulated himself on being mature enough not to tell Alex. [Upkeep requirements] [Influence: 30 mana per hour] [Monsters: 3 mana per hour] [Aether intake] [Influence: 15 aether per hour] [Ambient: 10 aether per hour] [Recovery: 4 per hour] A quick check of his math told Zack exactly how he was spending his mana. Every cubic meter of space he added to his influence beyond his main room added one point of mana to his hourly upkeep, while his rabbits added one additional point each. He could easily reabsorb his bunnies to terminate their expenditure, but that would still leave him over his passive intake. Not to mention, it would leave him undefended. He couldn¡¯t risk extending his influence farther without putting himself back to sleep, but he couldn¡¯t increase his aether gains without increasing his influence. It put him in a bit of a bind. How was he supposed to continue growing without access to more aether? Then, an idea came to him: there was another way he could get aether! ¡°Heeeeeeeeey Alex,¡± Zack sang. Alex was sitting up against a wall in Zack¡¯s entrance room, watching curiously as the bunnies chewed on the plants blocking Zack¡¯s growing dungeon. At mention of his name, he perked up and looked at the crystal on the floor. ¡°Sup?¡± He grunted noncommittally. ¡°Would you maybe like to help me with something?¡± Zack asked in that same innocent, sing-song tone. ¡°Does it involve me fighting more monsters?¡± Alex asked, only half-kidding. ¡°Yes, actually, it does!¡± Alex scowled and shook his head. ¡°No thanks. Two is more than enough for one day.¡± ¡°Come on, please? It¡¯ll help you too, I swear!¡± Alex narrowed his eyes dangerously at Zack, but ultimately sighed and rose to his feet again. ¡°Fine. Point me at the plant.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not plants that I need you to kill. I need you to kill my bunnies again,¡± Zack said. On cue, the trio of rabbits turned in place and wiggled their noses curiously at Alex. The human stared at them incredulously before raising a hand. Like a gunshot, a tiny ball of fire shot from Alex¡¯s hand and splashed against the nearest bunny. Almost immediately, two things happened. The first was that Zack was able to greedily consume the three points of aether produced by the spell. The second was that the mana used to create the bunny flowed back through the air and into Alex. Alex must have noticed the shift, too, and turned his hand over to check his tattoo. ¡°What the¡­¡± He murmured, shocked. ¡°Huh. That should have spent more mana¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, so like, remember when I told you it¡¯s my job to help train people to use magic? That¡¯s kind of what I mean. Cores are symbiotic creatures. We are to magic like plants are to air. We take in unusable aether and spit out usable mana. The trade off, though, is you can¡¯t just get our mana, you have to earn it.¡± Alex stared at his tattoo in wonder, before aiming his open palm at another bunny. Boom. Another fire, another dead rabbit, and a fresh flow of aether into Zack in exchange for the spent mana. It wasn¡¯t enough to fully handle his upkeep, it was a good place to start. ¡°If I can get a steady stream of people in here using magic, I¡¯ll be able to offset my mana expenditures with their aether. Then, I¡¯ll be able to continue growing my dungeon. More people means a bigger dungeon, which means more people casting spells in the dungeon. It¡¯s a win-win all around,¡± Zack explained. Alex turned his hand over to marvel at his tattoo again, a grin creeping up on his cheeks. ¡°You know, Zack, I think you just might be on to something,¡± he agreed. ¡°The only problem is I don¡¯t really know how I¡¯m going to get people to come in here willingly,¡± Zack grumbled. The last remaining bunny stood up on its hind legs and crossed its arms indignantly, tapping a foot as though deep in thought. Alex tapped his chin as he considered that for a moment, before snapping his fingers. ¡°I think I might be able to do something about that. Can you modify the space inside your dungeon?¡± ¡°Yeah, in loads of ways. How do you want me to modify things?¡± ¡°A desk and cash register to start. Throw up some thicker walls over here, and toss in some nice benches right over there,¡± Alex explained, gesturing about the lobby as the idea started to take shape in his mind. Zack mentally frowned but didn¡¯t argue. Desks and benches were easy enough for him to make. All it took was slapping some quick 3D models together, giving them materials, and placing them in-world. Since this was his current main room, it didn¡¯t even cost him any mana towards his upkeep. Thicker walls were a bit harder. He could remove the glass doors leading into the rest of the mall, but he had no way of making new ones. After a moment of experimenting, though, he found he could simply absorb part of the wall to open doorways as necessary. Finally, he added a new brick wall at the end of the hall, blocking off his influence from the rest of the unclaimed mall. ¡°I can¡¯t make a cash register until you get me the appropriate pattern,¡± Zack informed Alex, as the final bunny hopped into the lobby and scooped him up in its mouth. ¡°Why do we even need one, anyway?¡± Alex grinned and rubbed his hands together eagerly. ¡°We¡¯re going to solve two problems at once. My money troubles, and your aether troubles.¡± ¡°Okay but how?¡± Zack asked again. ¡°Simple: the dungeon is now open for business.¡± Chapter 6: Populate Like Rabbits customers exposed on If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. tripled was Chapter 7: First Run technically dungeon coreraison d¡¯etre try This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. werewolf yes strengthendurance Troll Blood Holmgang Chapter 8: Breakthrough The trio of adventurers took a moment to rest and recover their mana in the meadow before they proceeded deeper into the dungeon. They didn¡¯t really need to rest very long, as Zack¡¯s ambient mana was more than enough to help make up for what they lost clearing the room. Their stamina, however, was something Zack couldn¡¯t help with. It would seem that some powers dipped into the stamina pool more than the mana pool. As far as Zack understood it, stamina wasn¡¯t a resource in the way that mana was. It wasn¡¯t a discrete pool of energy that people could draw from to cast spells or use powers. Rather, it was a representation of the body¡¯s level of physical exhaustion. Health worked in a similar way. It wasn¡¯t a one-to-one representation of take this much damage and you die but rather a representation of how much damage a person could take before they passed out, or were incapable of fending for themselves. Zack had watched the trio clearing the meadow specifically so he could understand how these attributes worked, and was pleasantly rewarded for it with a level up all his own. He didn¡¯t bother reading his stat increases, but he was grateful to make it to level five. He could deal with it later. For now, he was busy making sure Thumper was ready to fight. The dire hare was crouched in the tall grass, his eyes locked on the vine curtain leading back into the meadow. Zack was surprised to see that his blue fur had turned a shade of dark green, giving him excellent camouflage in the environment. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s going to be interesting. Hey, Thumper, make sure you don¡¯t kill anyone, okay?¡± Zack said. He was confident it didn¡¯t need to be said, given Thumper had so far acted as an extension of himself, but he wanted to be extra sure. The absolute last thing Zack wanted was for people to die inside his dungeon and real adventurers coming by to investigate. That would almost certainly lead to his real death. The hare didn¡¯t budge, but Zack at least got the impression that it acknowledged his desire. No sooner did Zack start redirecting his attention towards the meadow did the vine curtain part to allow the adventurers entrance to the boss room. As before, Greg led the way, pausing to glance up at Zack¡¯s hovering wisp in the room. ¡°Oh, right, flavor text,¡± Zack muttered, clearing his nonexistent throat. ¡°Hiding in this chamber is Thumper, guardian of the meadow, dire hare. Be on your guard, for you never know when such a creature might jump out and attack you!¡± Alex shook his head. ¡°We really got to work on those,¡± he grumbled, stepping up beside Greg. Chandra joined them next, sniffing the air. ¡°He¡¯s in the grass,¡± she said, pointing to Thumper¡¯s camouflaged form. If Zack had a face, he would have smacked it in frustration. In his excitement, he forgot that Chandra was a werewolf and could literally smell his bunny a mile away. Oh well. Thumper, sensing the threat Chandra posed, leapt out of the grass and charged at her, horn primed and ready. He lowered his head to impale her in the leg and¡ª A tether of crimson mana shot from Greg¡¯s hand, redirecting Thumper mid-charge. The rabbit didn¡¯t stop rushing, though, and Zack watched as the orc¡¯s skin turned thick and barky. Greg twisted in place, taking the brunt of the attack in his armored shin. Thumper let out a frustrated squeal as he bounced off the orc, only for Greg¡¯s towering sword to swing his way. Thumper wasn¡¯t the average, bunny, though. The attack would have normally taken any other dire rabbit out of the fight, but Thumper regained his composure and deftly rolled away. He hopped to all fours and let out a defiant chitter, pawing at the ground. ¡°Oh, this bunny¡¯s got bite,¡± Chandra grinned, lowering herself to all fours in a mirror of Thumper¡¯s posture. The two beasts locked gazes, and with a bark Chandra charged forward. Rather than meet her head on, Thumper leapt to the side at the last second, deftly dodging Chandra¡¯s attack. She yelped in surprise as the dire hare twisted in place and drove his horn straight into her side. As he yanked it back out, his white horn was sticky and red with blood. ¡°Chandra!¡± Alex roared, rushing to get to her side. When Thumper wheeled threateningly at him, he froze in place. ¡°Holmgang!¡± Greg shouted, once again dragging Thumper his way with a tether of crimson aether. ¡°Go! Help her!¡± Alex didn¡¯t waste a breath. As soon as the way was clear, he dove to Chandra¡¯s side and pressed a hand to the wound in her stomach. ¡°Shit, shit, shit,¡± he hissed. ¡°You¡¯re losing too much blood! Don¡¯t you have a healing factor or something!?¡± ¡°I do, but it¡¯s not working,¡± Chandra whimpered, vainly trying to roll over onto her back. She let out a whine and clutched at her side. ¡°Zack! Do something!¡± Alex roared, looking around frantically for the wisp. Zack could only hover in place as he watched Chandra bleed. A quick glance at her stats was all he needed to see that her health was sitting at a flat zero. If she didn¡¯t get some healing soon, she might die. But Zack didn¡¯t know any healing magic! In fact, the only healing magic between the three adventurers was Greg¡¯s Troll Blood, which let him quickly heal his own injuries. Chandra, did, however, have something similar. [Lupine Healing] [Racial Spell, Werewolf, Passive] [You heal from wounds remarkably fast. Does not work on life-threatening injuries. Severe injuries cost Stamina in addition to Mana.] [Cost: 1 Mana per Health recovered.] If they could stabilize her, she¡¯d be fine. They just needed a way to stabilize the wound¡­ ¡°Alex, cauterize the wound,¡± Zack ordered. ¡°W-what!?¡± ¡°You have fire magic! Use it to cauterize the wound! Her healing power can¡¯t kick in while the injury is life threatening.¡± Alex¡¯s eyes widened, and he looked from Zack to Chandra. Chandra nodded briskly, and removed her hand from the wound on her side. Alex sucked in a sharp breath, and Zack watched as the aetheric channels in his arms began to glow with fiery orange light. Almost immediately, a thread of mana connected to his head, as he achieved a breakthrough. Chandra screamed in pain as her side started to smoke, but when Alex pulled his hands away, the bleeding stopped. She panted and breathed deeply, staring at the wound in fascination. What had momentarily been a life-threatening gash in her side was now a blistered and melted burn. Already it was starting to smooth out, as her Lupine Healing at last kicked in. Alex let out a sigh of relief and collapsed into the grass, wiping sweat from his forehead. He didn''t need a proper status tattoo to know he''d gone up a level. A glance over his shoulder was enough for him to confirm that Greg was still battling Thumper, neither having made much of a dent in the other. ¡°I think that proves my point about how levels work,¡± Zack said smugly, earning a frustrated glower from Alex. It wasn¡¯t how he intended to teach the lesson, but it was as good a way as any. Alex had learned a new way to use his magic, a new spell, and as a result he deepened his connection to the Akashic Record. He leveled up. Stolen story; please report. Alex didn¡¯t bother answering Zack as he clambered back to his feet, sword in hand. He rushed up behind Thumper and let loose an eruption of flames into the bunny¡¯s back. Thumper squealed in pain, rolling around in the grass to vainly put his burning fur out. Greg took advantage of the situation to punt the hare in the stomach, sending it rolling away before viciously dragging it back to his side with another Holmgang. The fighting continued this for several more minutes, during which time Chandra was able to fully heal herself. Zack was surprised that the werewolf didn¡¯t even have a scar to show where she was injured, so thorough was her healing process. With the three of them attacking him from all sides, Thumper didn¡¯t stand a chance. Before long, he let out a squeak of despair and fell over, dead. For a brief moment, nobody said a word. Nobody even breathed. Then, Zack did the only thing he could think of. A victory fanfare blared out from his wisp, echoing through the room and startling the trio of adventurers. ¡°Congratulations! You defeated Thumper, the Dire Hare!¡± Chandra put a hand to her chest as she let out a breath of exasperation, shaking her head to banish the momentary fright. ¡°That certainly¡­ That was something.¡± ¡°Aside from when you almost died, that was pretty fun,¡± Greg chuckled. He flicked his mountainous sword and sheathed it again. ¡°I do feel like we should receive rewards for beating the boss, though. Like items, or something.¡± Alex frowned, and whipped his phone out of his pocket. ¡°That¡¯s a great idea. I¡¯ll add that to the list of things we need¡­¡± ¡°All in all, I¡¯d say that was an excellent trial run of my dungeon. Not only did you manage to complete the whole thing, but you even succeeded in besting my boss!¡± Zack said, proudly. Chandra rolled her shoulder and cracked her neck. ¡°Not much of a dungeon, if that¡¯s all there is to it.¡± Zack let the insult roll off him like water over a rock. ¡°I¡¯ll get bigger, I promise.¡± ¡°At least we can say there¡¯s a distinct challenge involved with running the dungeon, although I can¡¯t say for certain if it¡¯s a good idea to put our customers in lethal situations,¡± Greg said, crossing his arms. ¡°Customers?¡± ¡°Oh, right, sorry. I never actually explained that,¡± Alex said. ¡°Let¡¯s reconvene in the lobby, and I¡¯ll walk you through my plan.¡± When the trio of adventurers returned to the lobby, Zack conjured three chairs for them to sit on. Chandra refused to turn back into her human form, evidently more comfortable in her werewolf form. Greg needed a larger seat than the others, as he broke the first one that Zack tried to make for him. Alex, surprisingly, remained standing. ¡°So, here¡¯s the idea,¡± Alex started, drawing everyone¡¯s attention back to him. ¡°The three of us have need of work, right?¡± Chandra and Greg nodded. ¡°Zack is able to provide a service that nobody else can: he can provide the opportunity to train and learn magic in a safe, controlled environment outside the jurisdiction of the universities,¡± Alex continued. ¡°Mostly safe,¡± Chandra corrected, rubbing at her side. The wound was gone, but evidently still stung. ¡°Mostly safe. I think I can work on that, though. Free healing potions or whatever, to help keep adventurers safe and alive. Also maybe better telegraphed boss attacks,¡± Zack agreed. ¡°That game of chicken with Thumper was a cheap tactic.¡± ¡°I propose we open Zack for business. We sell tickets or something to allow people to enter the dungeon and fight monsters. We offer it for a reasonable price, and we rent out equipment to those who might need it,¡± Alex continued. At the mention of renting out equipment, Greg¡¯s eyebrows shot up. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s really clever! Give even people who might not have the necessary gear or learning a chance to taste the adventurer life.¡± ¡°Right? So we have a kiosk over there for weapon rentals, maybe a meeting stone so people can form parties, and a vending machine for healing potions,¡± Alex went on, gesturing to all sorts of ideas in his grand vision of the business. Zack felt momentarily uncomfortable with the idea of commodifying himself, but the concern alleviated quickly. It wasn¡¯t that he was selling himself, and he would still get something out of the exchange. The more people who entered his dungeon and spent aether, the more mana he would have to spend and grow. The larger he grew, the more people could come into his dungeon. The cycle would perpetuate indefinitely! ¡°I like this idea,¡± Zack finally said, excitement in his voice. The other three turned to him in delight. ¡°I¡¯m really glad to hear that,¡± Alex said, breathing a sigh of relief. ¡°I¡¯ll be honest, I was worried you might not be up for it, so I avoided telling you until just now.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a great idea. Like, sure, I¡¯ll be functionally whoring myself out, but it¡¯s not like I don¡¯t get anything out of the trade. There are, however, a few problems we¡¯ll need to tackle before we can open for business.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°For starters, I¡¯m going to need some new patterns. Not just monsters, either. I need items I can give out as rewards. We also might want to consider merchandise, things we can sell to attract more attention.¡± ¡°Leave that to me,¡± Greg said, giving a massive thumbs up. ¡°I can get you some weapons, armor, materials, potions, you name it.¡± ¡°Perfect. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s an upper limit to what kind of potions I can make, but the mana requirements will change the more complex they are,¡± Zack said. ¡°I still need that cash register, though.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve got that covered,¡± Chandra said. She reached into her pocket and extracted her phone, as well as a strange cube-shaped device. She plugged the cube into her phone. ¡°I¡¯ve got a point-of-sale app that I use for conventions and my art business.¡± ¡°Art business?¡± ¡°I take commissions, mostly anime and furry art. That¡¯s actually why Alex brought me here. He wants me to design signs and stuff for your business,¡± Chandra grinned and put her phone and cube back into her pocket. ¡°After running it for myself, I¡¯m interested in potentially working here. If it means I get unfettered access to the dungeon, of course.¡± ¡°Of course, and a salary,¡± Alex said brusquely. ¡°This will be a worker run co-op. We¡¯re a company for the people, by the people.¡± ¡°I like the sound of that,¡± Greg chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m sick of selling weapons to stuck up adventurers.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m sick of being a starving artist,¡± Chandra agreed. ¡°Zack, are you okay with that?¡± Alex asked. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s not like I need money,¡± Zack laughed. ¡°Besides, you guys can buy me whatever I need, right?¡± ¡°That''s the plan, and then the rest of our cash gets split between the rest of us,¡± Alex agreed. ¡°No more shitty managers bossing us around. No more Karens screaming at us for disrespecting them. No more unlivable wages.¡± ¡°You make it sound like a dream come true,¡± Greg said, sighing wistfully. ¡°It is. Look, I¡¯ve been trying to find an answer to my money problems ever since I got let go from MallMart. I think this is it. We¡¯re not going to find a better opportunity than this!¡± Greg and Chandra shared a look with one another, the silent exchange conveying their excitement and their apprehension. Zack had to admit, Alex was doing a good job selling the idea to them, but that didn¡¯t change the fact that he was proposing they leave their current lives for a startup. There was no guarantee that this plan would work, no matter how much they poured into it. All of it hinged on Zack¡¯s ability to be an exciting dungeon, and Alex¡¯s ability to advertise him to their target market. I¡¯m going to have my work cut out for me, Zack chuckled mentally. ¡°I have one more request, before anyone agrees to anything,¡± Zack said, interrupting the deep thoughts of the others. ¡°Chandra almost died today. If Alex hadn¡¯t achieved a breakthrough and learned his new Cauterize spell, she would have been severely injured. I will not have people dying in my dungeon. It¡¯s bad for me, and it¡¯s worse for business.¡± ¡°I thought that¡¯s why you wanted to have healing potions?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Sometimes people get hurt, too hurt to use potions,¡± Zack said. ¡°I want to nip this in the bud before it becomes a problem. We need healers in every room to stop people from getting critically hurt and usher them to safety if their party wipes.¡± ¡°That is a very good point,¡± Chandra agreed. ¡°People dying in the dungeon would get us in trouble very quickly. The last thing we want are cops, or worse, adventurers coming by to stop us.¡± Greg nodded his agreement, too. ¡°Healers are really expensive, Zack,¡± Alex grumbled, crossing his arms. ¡°Do you know how few people actually bother to learn healing magic? Everyone wants to be a tank or damage dealer. Nobody wants to heal.¡± Zack scowled as he thought it over, and turned his attention back to Greg. ¡°Are topical healing potions a thing?¡± ¡°Yeah. My sports shop sells healing potions in these plastic pods instead of glass bottles. All you do is pop them against the wound and the healing potion does the rest,¡± Greg explained. ¡°Okay. Get me some of that. I think I can conjure healing potions on the fly from my wisps, at a greater cost to my mana. That will have to do for now,¡± Zack said. ¡°The moment we can afford one, though, I want a healer in here to teach the appropriate spells. I¡¯ll make specialized healer mobs for just that reason.¡± Greg nodded, and rose out of his seat with a groan. ¡°In that case, I think I have a pretty big shopping list to handle. I¡¯d best be going. Chandra, you want a lift back into town?¡± ¡°If you wouldn¡¯t mind. Want a hand gathering your items?¡± ¡°Please. This is going to be expensive,¡± Greg grumbled. ¡°We can brainstorm logo ideas while we¡¯re out. I¡¯ll start a website on my phone, too,¡± Chandra agreed. She rose from her own seat, her body melting back to her human shape. As the two of them left, Alex turned to Zack with a grin on his face. ¡°So?¡± ¡°So what?¡± ¡°Am I a genius or am I a genius?¡± Zack snorted a laugh, but didn¡¯t argue. It really was a good idea. ¡°What do you intend to call this brilliant business venture of ours, anyway?¡± Alex¡¯s grin widened to reveal his teeth. ¡°I plan to call it¡­¡± Chapter 9: Dungeon Inc actually human badly. minor If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. unlabel items fantasy dungeon Chapter 10: Open for Business Zack was surprised that, when they opened the doors the next day, there were actually groups of people waiting for to be let in. Just beyond the doors to his lobby, multiple cars were parked in anticipation. Alex ushered them all in happily, welcoming them to the adventure of a lifetime. From what Zack could glean, there were two parties. The first was a group of four, consisting of kids in their late teens and their accompanying parent. The second group consisted of three people: one was dressed in overly vibrant blue robes and carried a staff, the second was dressed in a more traditional ninja¡¯s garb. The third was dressed in a long trench coat, fingerless gloves, and a trilby hat. All three members of the second group were out of shape and covered in acne scars. Oddly enough, though, the trench-coat wearing man had a ridiculously long katana slung over his shoulder. It had to be nearly five feet long, and the scabbard practically dragged along the ground behind him. Its handle was equally ridiculous, being almost two feet long. He was the first person to approach Chandra, who had erected her drawing table to serve as their new point-of-sale kiosk. ¡°Hello, fair maiden. My companions and I have a reservation for the noon run of yon dungeon,¡± the man said, tipping his trilby in greeting to Chandra. For her part, Chandra managed to stifle a snarl. As usual, she was in her werewolf form. Zack could only remember seeing her in her human form when she had to leave the dungeon, and assumed she liked being a wolf when society didn¡¯t force her to be something else. ¡°Name?¡± She asked, her voice dripping with the usual contempt retail workers felt towards customers. ¡°It should be under Seth E. Ross, m¡¯lady,¡± the man said, tipping his trilby again. Chandra checked the schedule. ¡°Yup, right here. It says you were scheduled as a party of four?¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Unfortunately our lady friend couldn¡¯t make it, so we will be running yon dungeon ourselves on this fair day.¡± The wizard looking fellow in Seth¡¯s group looked equally upset by this development, though he didn¡¯t say anything about it to Chandra. The ninja, on the other hand, crossed his arms contemptuously. ¡°I told you she wouldn¡¯t come,¡± the ninja grumbled. ¡°It was worth a shot!¡± the wizard insisted. Chandra glanced from Seth to his two friends and back again. ¡°The cost is thirty dollars per person. Will that be cash or card?¡± ¡°Card, m¡¯lady. You can put it on mine,¡± Seth said. He pulled a black and red wallet out of his pocket¡ªattached to his jeans via a chain, of course¡ªand extracted a credit card from within. Chandra quickly punched some numbers into her point of sale app and swiped the card in the cube shaped card reader. When it prompted her for a signature, she turned the tablet to Seth for him to sign. ¡°Please proceed into the armoury, where you will hear the rules and receive any gear should you need them. Have fun,¡± Chandra said, her mouth a straight line. ¡°You know, m¡¯lady, you would look so much prettier if you smiled,¡± the ninja said, as both Seth and the wizard turned to the armoury. The ninja yelped as Chandra flashed her fangs at him, and ran to keep up with his friends. While she turned to talk to the next group, Zack spawned a wisp to follow Seth¡¯s party. He was interested to see how they performed in the dungeon. Greg was waiting for them by the forge, dressed in what was deemed appropriate smithing attire. He wore a white t-shirt and jeans beneath a heavy leather apron, and boots to match. Despite his noticeable muscles, the three would-be adventurers didn¡¯t seem impressed by him. ¡°Hello, brave adventurers. I am Grog,¡± Greg said, reciting a script that Alex had written for him. ¡°If you¡¯re in need of equipment, I can provide what I can.¡± ¡°Pfft, we don¡¯t need any of your trash gear,¡± the ninja scoffed. He drew a pair of knives from his sides and crouched in a combat stance. ¡°We have our nihonjin steel to guide us.¡± Again, Zack stared at the monstrous sword hanging off Seth¡¯s back. ¡°Weebs,¡± Greg muttered under his breath. ¡°What was that?¡± The ninja demanded. ¡°Nothing, brave adventurer. If you have no need of my wares, you may proceed into the dungeon at your leisure. First, though, I would tell you of our rules.¡± The rules were all standard stuff. No running, no fighting each other, and treat any injury as though it were serious. The end goal wasn''t for people to die, but to have fun and come back again later. Of the three, the only one who seemed to take the rules seriously was the wizard. He listened to Greg with rapt attention, while the ninja checked his knives to dull edges. Seth stood off to the side, leaning against a wall with his arms crossed. He looked more bored than anything. Statisfied, the ninja ran through the door that would leading into the meadow. The wizard stopped to inquire about the healing potions, noticing them sitting on the shelf beside the forge. Greg explained that they were allowed one potion per person for free, but extras would cost ten dollars. The wizard eagerly accepted a potion for himself, while Seth took his, and promptly handed it to his friend. The ninja was already gone and didn''t bother returning for his. Greg shared a confused look with Zack¡¯s wisp, but neither commented on the strange decision. Finally equipped for their delve, the trio of peculiar adventurers stepped properly into the meadow. ¡°Welcome, brave adventurers, to the Dire Meadow! Within this idyllic range, a terrible beast lurks. Your quest, should you choose to accept it, is to hunt down and slay this dreaded creature. Be warned, brave warriors, that it will not be undefended. The monster¡¯s fellows lurk around every corner, ready to pounce upon those unsuspecting and unprepared!¡± The flavour text was again written by Alex, who seemed to have a decent head on his shoulders for coming up with fun dialog. Zack recited it from his wisp, as was required of him, while hovering above the trio. They looked at him in surprise, having not noticed he was following them. To his shock, the ninja extracted a shuriken from his uniform and hurled it at the hovering sphere of mana. Being a construct of pure energy, the projectile sailed right through Zack and dug into the wall with a satisfying thunk. Zack promptly absorbed it, adding the pattern to his collection. ¡°Hey!¡± the ninja exclaimed, as he watched his thrown star disappear. ¡°The wall just ate my shuriken! Those things are expensive!¡± ¡°Then you should be more careful with how you use them,¡± the wizard snorted. The ninja glowered at his companion, and crossed his arms. Seth, not one to be shown up, took a step into the tall grass. Almost immediately, a horned rabbit dove out to attack him. ¡°Forsooth, compatriots! We¡¯re under attack!¡± Seth exclaimed. He leapt away from the bunny without bothering to draw his weapon. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. The wizard was on it in an instant. With staff in hand, he started channeling aether through his hands and into his weapon. When he flourished the rod, a lance of ice shot from the tip and impaled the bunny in the head. ¡°Critical hit!¡± the wizard exclaimed. ¡°Take that!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a rabbit, that¡¯s not impressive,¡± the ninja grumbled. He twirled his knives and scouted the area, searching for fresh prey. He found it quick enough, as two more rabbits dove out of the tall grass to attack him. Despite his heavy appearance, he was surprisingly dexterous and agile. A quick dodge to avoid the first bunny, before plunging his knife into its back. Just at it seemed the second bunny was about to gore him, another bolt of ice knocked it away. ¡°Two to one,¡± the wizard teased. ¡°Keep up, Gene!¡± ¡°I told you not to call me that!¡± Gene protested. ¡°It¡¯s Josuke!¡± ¡°Whatever!¡± Gene grumbled in frustration, then wheeled to look for more monsters to fight. He spotted the carnations not too far away, and crouched in the grass to sneak up on them. Zack was startled to see the ninja turn partially invisible as he did so, and a quick examination revealed why. [Camouflage: Level 2] [Spell, Shadow] [You are able to partially conceal yourself. The higher the level, the more effective this spell.] Despite still being partially visible, Gene was successfully able to sneak up on the carnation. His daggers bit into its neck, severing the flower from the rest of its body. It died almost instantly, flailing about and smacking the ninja across the chest with thorny vines. Gene didn¡¯t seem to mind the blow, and a quick glance at his health confirmed that he hadn¡¯t taken damage. ¡°I guess your costume is armored,¡± Zack muttered to himself. ¡°Suck it, Kevin!¡± Gene said, turned and pointing a blade at the wizard triumphantly. ¡°I-I told you! It¡¯s Kevonimere the Wise!¡± the wizard insisted. ¡°And I told you it¡¯s Josuke! Neither of us are getting what we want!¡± While his two friends argued and fought, Seth seemed content to stand back and observe. The only time Zack caught him moving was when he kited a stray bunny away from Kevin and back over to Gene. That enormous sword remained sheathed and over his shoulder. Zack couldn¡¯t help wonder if maybe Seth didn¡¯t know how to fight, but a quick glance at his level proved anything but. Unlike Gene and Kevin, both of whom were around level 3, Seth was a whopping level 10. That struck Zack as odd, considering how Alex insisted that fighting wild monsters was illegal. Seth didn¡¯t have a status tattoo that Zack could see, either¡ªthough it might be hidden beneath those gaudy fingerless gloves. As the others cleared the room, Seth just stood around and watched. When the last monster fell, Kevin was quick to top up his health with one of his potions, while Gene was content to sit on his knees and meditate. Judging from the thin fibers of mana connected to their heads, Zack guessed both of them were nearing a breakthrough. They might even reach it in the fight with Thumper. ¡°I expect the next room has the boss in it,¡± Seth said, stepping up to the curtain of vines. ¡°I¡¯ll admit, I¡¯ve thus far failed to be impressed with this purported dungeon. The boss shall make or break my opinion.¡± Zack flinched. If Seth¡¯s entire opinion of his dungeon hinged on Thumper, he was going to be severely disappointed. ¡°It¡¯s probably going to be lame,¡± Gene scoffed, rising from his meditative stance. ¡°All the monsters in this room were weaklings. There¡¯s no way the boss is any different.¡± ¡°Still, it wouldn¡¯t pay not to be cautious. You two wait here. I will fight the boss myself,¡± Seth said. ¡°Are you sure? Shouldn¡¯t we provide back up?¡± Kevin asked. ¡°At least let me tag the thing so I can get some experience,¡± Gene added. Zack rolled his metaphoric eyes. ¡°Not how that works,¡± he wanted to say. ¡°Fine. You two tag it with ranged attacks, then get out of the way,¡± Seth said. He casually unslung his monstrous katana and gripped the scabbard with his left hand. From the way his friends shuddered, Zack was expecting to see a real show. The three adventurers shuffled nervously into the boss room. Thumper was doing his thing, camouflaging into the grass. Seth looked around the room, but when he failed to spot the boss, he turned to Kevin and nodded. Kevin raised his staff into the air and channeled his aether. When the butt of his rod tapped the ground, a shockwave of ice erupted across the surface. Thumper squeaked in surprise as the grass was blown aside, exposing him in the now frost-covered room. ¡°Found you,¡± Gene shouted, hurling a trio of shuriken with surprising precision. The stars bit into Thumper¡¯s flank as he tried and failed to dodge. ¡°Tagged him. Seth, do your thing.¡± Seth¡¯s lips pulled back in a sinister grin. Then, to Zack¡¯s surprise, he started singing. ¡°Burning inside with violent anger. Fate¡ªmonstrous and empty. Come, o'' come, death by my blade.¡± With his free hand, Seth grabbed his sword by the handle. With speed that seemed impossible for a human to muster, he dashed for Thumper. In the second he moved, he extracted a foot of steel from his scabbard and rammed Thumper in the head with the butt of his hilt. The dire hare recoiled from the strike, which sent him sprawling into the grass. ¡°Glory! Glory! Glorious!¡± Before the hare could even rise back to his feet, Seth had finished extracting his insanely long weapon. It seemed to exceed even the length of the scabbard, the steel singing as he pulled it free. With a surprisingly fluid motion, he cleaved down while infusing the blade with blood-red aether. Steel flashed, and Zack gasped in horror as Thumper was split in two down the middle. ¡°Seth E. Ross,¡± Seth finished, sheathing his sword again. ¡°Oh my god, he was singing his own theme song!?¡± Zack blurted, remembering at the last second not to vibrate his threads of mana lest the delvers hear him. Both Kevin and Gene clapped for Seth, and he bowed graciously like an actor on stage. Zack reabsorbed Thumper, grumbling about how unimpressive his dire hare had been in the face of such a powerful adventurer. Unsurprisingly, neither of the others reached the breakthrough they needed to level up. In fact, from the way the threads of mana around their heads were fading, Zack guessed they were further away from a breakthrough now than they were before. If they had fought Thumper without Seth, it was very likely they could have leveled up. It wasn¡¯t for him to say that, of course. Just because he knew the secret to leveling up didn¡¯t mean he was supposed to share it with customers. In fact, Alex was very clear to him that he didn¡¯t want that information shared. Something about drawing university attention. ¡°You¡¯d think there would be loot or something,¡± Gene grumbled, parting the grass with his foot as he studied the space where Thumper¡¯s corpse had vanished. ¡°Dungeons in video games always have loot.¡± Zack still hadn¡¯t figured out the best way to handle loot yet, but he didn¡¯t begrudge Gene the criticism. The best he could do, though, was blast a victory fanfare from his wisp and spawn a few of Gene¡¯s shuriken. He made them from a mixture of aluminum and iron, instead of steel, which made them lighter than Gene¡¯s other shurikens while maintaining their hardness. At least, that¡¯s what he hoped they did. ¡°That¡¯s lame. Just some new shurikens for Ge¡ªJosuke? What about the rest of us?¡± Kevin asked, crossing his arms in frustration. ¡°You got that healing potion for free, right? Aren¡¯t those things expensive as hell?¡± Seth pointed out. ¡°Oh, yeah, you¡¯re right,¡± Kevin said, pulling his last remaining potion out of his pocket. Since they were so difficult to make, Zack hadn¡¯t bothered to add a lifetime to the potions he spawned. With a sword, it didn¡¯t cost him extra mana. The pattern was simple and easy to work with. Potions, on the other hand, were far more complex. If he wanted to alter the makeup without changing the effect, he would have to experiment. Sighing in defeat, he spawned another lesser healing potion beneath his wisp, right in Kevin¡¯s awaiting hand. ¡°There you go, more loot,¡± Seth said, patting Kevin on the shoulder. As the trio of adventurers turned and swaggered out, Zack sealed the boss room behind them to reset it in preparation of the next group. They hadn¡¯t used their full hour time slot, which meant they could get the next party in early. Zack was already forming ideas for how he can improve the meadow for future runs, or at the very least make it more interesting for higher-level adventurers. He had to admit, he hadn¡¯t anticipated an adventurer like Seth wandering in and wiping out his boss in a single blow. This would take some experimentation, to say the least. Back in the lobby, Alex ushered the next party into the armoury as Seth¡¯s group stepped out. Seth tipped his trilby to the adult guiding the kids, before stepping up to Chandra again. ¡°Greetings, m¡¯lady. It would seem my party and I hath successfully completed yon dungeon,¡± he said, once more bowing dramatically for her. Chandra pulled out her phone. ¡°Great job, guys. Since you successfully completed a run, you get to take a picture for our wall of winners.¡± ¡°Oh, where is this wall?¡± Gene asked, looking around curiously. ¡°On our website and Picstagram.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°If you want to stand outside our front entrance, by the sign? Feel free to strike a pose,¡± Chandra said, leading the trio of would-be warriors out of the lobby to have their photo taken. As they left, Alex exited the armoury and ran over to the desk. He leaned over Zack¡¯s core and whispered. ¡°How did they do?¡± ¡°Too well,¡± Zack answered, keeping his voice quiet so nobody else could hear him. ¡°That Seth guy? He¡¯s a monster. I need to think of ways to offer a proper challenge to guys like him.¡± ¡°I was thinking the same thing. Maybe we should have multiple dungeons that could be run at the same time?¡± Alex suggested. ¡°Maybe, but I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the best solution. Give me a bit to work on it, I¡¯ll think of something,¡± Zack said. Just then, Chandra returned, a disgusted look on her face. ¡°Something wrong?¡± Alex asked. ¡°That Seth guy asked me for my phone number,¡± Chandra shuddered, before plopping herself back behind the desk. Chapter 11: Non-Powered Citizens Empowered very Heh. Comapny my Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. so want you Is he turning into an orc, like Greg? Chapter 12: Elementary real solidconjure This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. element high sound get integrity beer piss Chapter 13: The Lab something cuddling Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. would massive kobolds make Chapter 14: Expansion way Holmgang bit Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. please smaller floorsdungeon room not week Chapter 15: Plushies A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. really something shrip
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Report sightings. dangerous. words acid Chapter 20: Spell Nodes bossOr get too closeleft very fear fine only Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. are bath Chapter 21: Upgrades mildly while lives Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. hurt grab Larger before feelI have HANDS!?¡ªbody what me new not Chapter 22: Akasha hisneed More like a school teacher, all every What are you whowhat very This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. know Zakasha lesserall no They''re universes sick awarewhy Chapter 23: Tattoo Parlor If Adventurer real fast hadn''t and Stolen novel; please report. paid obviously come here dangerous tsked numbers Zack is awake. Chapter 24: Aware any know What am I missing? What happened to me? This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. nature affects the outcome No technically Chapter 25: Healing again not This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. off Skyrim actually dungeonsupgrade integratedyou Physically integrity powerful Chapter 26: Caught Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. are illegal magic very Chapter 27: In the Past all cursed did The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. how shivering his after Chapter 28: The Manor also Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. not look That assign no Chapter 29: Prizes should update If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. emotionally Chapter 30: Alma Mater started spiritdungeon dungeondangerspirit Genius Loci This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. Genius LociGenius Loci Genius Loci Genius Loci true potential know Powers and habits of Genius Loci Genius Loci was Never adventurer Chapter 31: Aria of the Blade real A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. real go loud real that stood up literally thunk Chapter 32: Snow dungeon big," heavy This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Magically Originated Being Magically Originated Beast my reason outside Chapter 33: Responsibility raison d''etre need only own Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. levels going out and fighting monsters good enough every learn magic no Chapter 34: My Turn dungeon spirit happened could person theft can Archie! risky This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. rescuing a hostage core robbingarchmage One time also Chapter 35: One Small Step for Rabbits needed Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. think be Carpe Lunam modern hang out not very just Chapter 36: Were to Be work Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. how those Chapter 37: Predators and Prey farewell for now If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Zack a part of Zack are No No very Chapter 38: The Building Fire dungeon sense¡ª Another core hurting This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. wasn''t dungeon Pop pop pop Chapter 39: Core Burial Do something real This story has been taken without authorization. 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Chapter 45: Introductions Manipulate Element The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. royal we should you Chapter 46: The Coming Snow Storm wife knowcan could needed thank you, Ember¡ª The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. CorneliusSnow but real order them to shatter you Chapter 47: Speedrunning the Dungeon hug Magic wife Good. Hopefully that means he won''t anticipate that I prepared for him. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. help Chapter 48: Killing Intent leave truly undo Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. mana do mineall all killed Chapter 49: Rebuilding dead If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. somebody inside not that that probably abundantly Chapter 50: The New Normal sized feeling We not just Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. just humankobold
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powerful Book 2 Prologue: The Day of the Aetheric Boom Pride and Prejudice Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. that Queen of the Night''s aria feel It''s not fire aether Book 2 Chapter 1: Opening Checklist new This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. hold lot Book 2 Chapter 2: A New Perspective how longsharp manipulate aether point crack crystal If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. grow in concrete or cla should do it not one Book 2 Chapter 3: The Forest could might else can act hope A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. how does Book 2 Chapter 4: Planned Answers Sir Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. burrow The dungeon is being cooperative. cores that the dungeon seems truthful Book 2 Chapter 5: Proposal If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. actually fire absolute Book 2 Chapter 6: Sapience actual eventually canhad really one need could allmore Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. want after me Book 2 Chapter 7: Things We Can Control Zack watched Ember eagerly as she took a few ginger steps, looking around the lab as though she had fresh new eyes. Every few steps she would stop and explore something with her hands, be it the wall or one of the strange devices Zack used in his experiments. She was in the middle of studying a dagger when she finally spoke again. "Shoddy craftsmanship," she scoffed, shaking her head in disapproval. "I beg your pardon?" Zack asked, a little offended at her words. Ember held up the dagger¡ªlittle more than a kitchen knife, really. It was one of the weapons that Zack used to test how mobs behaved. "The design of this weapon is poor. It will not hold up in a real fight." "I¡­ Didn''t make it to serve in a real fight," Zack started. "I use that to see how mobs act when given weapons." "A tool with a purpose is a tool that should be well made," Ember criticised. She turned the tool over in her hands and shook her head, then held a palm out for Archie. The rabbit frowned at her curiously, but at an insistent gesture he passed her one of his own daggers. "Take for instance this knife," Ember continued, comparing the two tools. "This is a knife made with purpose. It knows what it is, and is balanced for that use. This other tool, however, is lacking in balance." In demonstration, she balanced each knife on the tip of her finger, holding them out for Archie and Zack to see. Archie''s knife perched perfectly on the finger, not even swaying from side to side. Zack''s dagger, however, tumbled off almost immediately. Rather than let Ember catch and return it, Zack instead absorbed the knife in midair. Ember narrowed her eyes at the space where the knife had vanished, before returning Archie''s weapon back to him. She blinked silently, before returning to exploring the room with her hands. "I wasn''t like this when I first woke up, was I?" Archie asked, keeping his words telepathic so that only Zack could hear them. "Maybe not exactly like this, but you had your own fair share of criticisms. I can''t help but wonder if maybe you were right, and the Akashic System really did intend for me to have talking mobs to help guide me." The idea had some merit, as Ember found another tool to analyze. This time, she lifted a shield and tested its weight, before nodding in approval and declaring it a passable work. As fun as it would be to watch Ember wander around and learn things, Zack didn''t really have the time to devote towards aimless experimentation. He had to prepare for the monsters the adventurer''s guild was surely going to bring their way. Then there was the matter of getting a mob more adept at diplomacy so he could send them to communicate with other cores. He wasn''t entirely sure that Ember was the right fit for the job, but now that he had a better understanding talking mobs it shouldn''t prove too difficult to make another. "Zack, I wish to have a space with which to practice my craft." Ember''s sudden words brought Zack back down from his thoughts. "Oh, we have the forge set up in the lobby¡ª" "No, no. That is where I must serve, that is where my duty lies. I wish to practice on my own time." Somewhere in the dungeon, Zack could sense Jean-Claude rapidly blinking in confusion. "Is the lobby forge not good enough for you?" "Not hardly, however I wish to have my own space to work in comfort and privacy. A home of my own, if you will," Ember explained. Archie waved a hand to catch Zack''s attention, and sent a telepathic prod for good measure. "I think this is something that all sapient mobs require. I''m much the same, requiring my own space suited to my needs beyond what you would normally offer. It''s why I was so insistent on designing the burrow myself." Zack managed to hold back his frustration at this development. Another mob that wanted control of their own space within the dungeon. It was growing increasingly crowned now, between all the mobs and cores that wanted space outside of Zack''s control. Despite this, he could see the merit in letting Ember design her own space. Archie had, after all, given him the burrow. "I''ll start hollowing out the space under the forest," Zack started. "It''ll be a while before it''s a large enough space for you to work with, but if you want it, you can design it to suit your needs." Ember nodded stoically, then turned towards the door. "Then for now, I shall assume my duties as head smith. I eagerly look forward to crafting my home when it is ready." Without another word, Ember marched out the door and headed back towards the lobby. Archie and Zack watched her go with a mixture of amusement and curiosity. "She seems a lot less¡­ Strong willed than I did," Archie noted, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow. "I wonder how much of that is her being a younger mob than you, and how much of that is how much I put into her," Zack explained. "Unlike you, Ember I made with only one role in mind: blacksmith. When I first created you, I did so with the intention of you serving as my right hand bunny." "Yes, I remember. That makes sense for why my personality is that much stronger than Ember''s." "As for will, I don''t think she''s weak in that regard. She didn''t beat around the bush when it came to requesting things, or showing me up. She was direct and to the point. I''m just also ready to cave to her demands, since I already did the same for you," Zack continued. "It''s a mixture of factors that determined how hard a personality she has." "That makes as much sense as anything else we''ve encountered so far," Archie chuckled. "What does this mean for our plan to rescue Matt?" Zack mentally shrugged. "It''s still on the to do list, but I''m not sure Ember is the right mob for the job. She strikes me more as a silent craftsperson than a hearty orator." "I had much the same opinion. Will you attempt to make another, then?" Zack considered the question for a quiet moment. "No, I think I want to hold off on trying to make more sapient mobs. As fun as you are, I can''t help but feel having too many of you jeapordizes my agency. I''m not comfortable with that right now." Archie nodded in understanding. "Then does that mean you''ve changed your mind in regard to sending me alone to speak with Matt?" Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. "No, not quite. I don''t know." Zack let out a long mental sigh. "I don''t want to put you in danger, Archie. At the same time, I recognize that the more cores I have in my corner, the more likely we are to succeed when we reveal to the public our sapience." Archie nodded. "You were against sending Chandra and the others with me, on account of their clashing personalities possibly putting the mission in jeapordy. You are against sending Ember because she is too¡­ How did you word it?" "Silent craftsperson," Zack mumbled. Archie flourished at the term. "Zack, you cannot keep avoiding the tasks before you because you are scared of taking risks. You have a limited pool of resources at your disposal. You need to use what you have to get the job done." Zack let out a frustrated groan, and he could feel Jean-Claude throwing his hands up in defeat somewhere in the dungeon. "I hate it when you make logical sense," Zack grumbled. "Perhaps the best course of action is a compromise? We already know that I can leave your influence without negative side-effects. It may be time to test the limits of what the non-sapient mobs can handle when outside your mana, too." Zack considered that for a long moment, conjuring a wisp as he did. He made the mana sphere bob in place¡ªhis equivalent of a nod¡ªbefore speaking again. "Okay. I think I can see where you''re going with this. A party of four to delve into Matt''s dungeon. Take one of the higher level Medibolds and one of your badgers to Ember and have her outfit them with some gear." Archie frowned. "Zack, I can''t help but notice that, with those mobs included, we are only a group of three." "Yes. Badger for your tank, and Medibold for your healer. I want Alex to serve as your party mage," Zack sighed. Archie''s frowned depeened for moment before he nodded slowly. "As far as ideas go, this one has merit. Are you sure you''re comfortable sending him?" "Of course I''m not comfortable sending him!" Zack blurted. He sputtered quietly as he regained his composure. "Alex is my best friend. He''s like a brother to me. But I don''t want to come off as overprotective of him. I''m worried if I shelter him from everything we do in the dungeon¡­ Well, he might not appreciate it." Archie nodded. "I think including him is an excellent idea, although you may want to discuss it with him first. His duties as an adventurer might take him away from dungeon affairs." Zack sighed again. "Yeah. I''ll do that. Thanks, Archie." Archie nodded graciously, then turned and strode out of the lab. Zack waited until he could sense the rabbit heading for the burrow before shifting his perspective as far out of the dungeon as he could manage. As a being mostly composed of pure thought and magical awareness, Zack wasn''t technically limited to something as mundane as sight. If he wanted to observe his entire dungeon, he could. Right now, he wanted to view the layout from a bird''s eye view, so he adjusted his senses of the world until he was peering down at the first level. He didn''t bother trying to focus on details, instead focusing only on the layout and creatures present. Dungeon created mobs, like Archie and others, appeared as blue-green to his vision. They were created from his mana, and therefore were a reflection of that. Other creatures had different tints to them. Greg had a deep maroon colour to him, while Chandra had a shining silver. Alex, meanwhile, had the strangest tint of them all. He seemed to be a mixture of Zack''s blues and greens, with a fiery orange all his own. This trifecta of colours made him shine brighter than any other creature in the dugeon, brighter even than Zack''s own core hidden in the depths. Zack focused his awareness and rushed towards Alex, stopping only when he realized his friend was currently in his private quarters. Originally Alex''s room was in the burrow alongside Archie''s, but the underground environment just didn''t suit him the way it did the rabbit. As such, Zack had moved his friend''s room above the lobby. Alex now had a private loft complete with all the amenities he could ever want. Including privacy. Zack conjured another wisp and formed a tendril of mana with which to knock on the door. While technically he could peer into the room whenever he wanted, Zack went out of the way to respect his friend''s wishes for solitude and privacy. If Alex wanted to talk or hang out, he could call on the dungeon. The door swung open to reveal a shirtless orange kobold dressed in form fitting shorts. Alex was panting hard, his slim chest rising and falling with his breathing. "Hey Zack," Alex panted, gesturing for the wisp to follow him in. Alex''s room, although modern in its design, was scaled down so that the kobold felt marginally normal sized in comparison to everything. It was part of Zack''s apology for turning his friend from a normal human to a short reptile, although Alex had never held it against him. The act had, after all, saved Alex''s life and brought him back from the dead. Everything, from the fridge and stove, to the couch and television, was scaled appropriate for a three foot tall lizard person. As Zack watched, Alex climbed aboard a scaled down stationary bike and started pedalling, unpausing the anime he was watching on the TV. It was a show that Zack wasn''t familiar with, but granted he had five years of anime to catch up on anyway. "So, Alex, there''s something I wanted to ask you about," Zack started, keeping his wisp off to the side while Alex pedalled. The kobold frowned and paused his anime again, but he didn''t stop pedalling. "Important enough to interrupt my workout?" Zack stared as Alex didn''t slow down. "I think you''ve got it covered. I''ll cut to the chase, though. Archie is planning another incursion of Waterloo. We want¡ª" Before Zack could finish, Alex fumbled on his bike and fell off the side. He sprawled on the ground, his tail lifted into the air. After a second to catch his bearing, he rolled back upright and stared at the wisp in horror. "You can''t be serious! Did you forget what happened last time Archie went there? In case you so quickly forgot, it was part of a series of events that ended in me dying." Zack mentally cringed. He hadn''t forgotten, but he hoped that maybe Alex wouldn''t hold that over their heads. Clearly he''d been wrong. "I know it''s not the best idea, but we left a core behind. One of the biggest cores we know exists, too. If we want any hope of revealing core sapience to the public, we need as many cores on our side as possible. And yes, that includes fellow dungeon cores like Matt." Alex used his bike for balance and pushed back up to his feet. He glowered at the wisp, but it was less out of anger and more out of¡­ disappointment. "What about what I want, Zack?" Zack paused. "What¡­ What do you want, Alex?" "I want to be human again, for starters." "Alex, we''ve been over this. I''m sorry I panicked and shoved your soul node into the kobold body. We don''t know if I''ll be able to repeat that feat even if I could properly recreate your human body. Even if I can pull that off, I''m not comfortable risking your life." Alex sighed and nodded. "Sorry. I know. I just¡­" Alex closed his yellow eyes and took several deep breaths. When he opened them again, he was peering down at his slender fingers, opening and closing his fists in thought. "I''m not ungrateful for what you''ve done, Zack. I''m just not fully accustomed to it yet, either." Zack let his wisp hover there in silence for a few moments, the awkwardness growing with every passing second. When it grew to be too much, he decided to break the silence. "Look, I wish I could have done things better. The reality is that I didn''t, and I don''t yet have the power to go back in time and fix my mistakes. Maybe when I find a time travel core we can revisit this conversation, but until then we both need to focus on the things we can actually affect." Alex nodded, tightening his fists again. "Alright. Sorry again, man." "Water under the bridge. Does that mean you''ll help with the Waterloo core?" Alex nodded. "Yeah. I think maybe facing my fears about this could be good for me. If nothing else, it''ll give me the chance to see what a dungeon core beyond you is capable of." "Don''t get too excited. Last I heard, Matt wasn''t even capable of creating a wisp. He could create electronics and not much else." Alex frowned and looked at Zack. "Yeah, I realized the moment I said it. He probably made robots," Zack sighed. "Okay. Archie is getting your healer and tank outfitted right now. I''m almost done with the arena out front, and we''re pretty much ready to open for customers. I better check with Chandra to see how booked we are for the next couple days." "And I will finish my episode, then hop in the shower," Alex smirked. He climbed back aboard his stationary bike and fumbled for the remote, once more filling the apartment with the sound of angry Japanese swordsmen. Book 2 Chapter 8: The Arena again lot fast Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. Maybe shoggoth is a better comparison Book 2 Chapter 9: About Matt are Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. then is dangerous you want Book 2 Chapter 10: Grand Reopening everything The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. I won''t save her, either, There has to be consequences for stupid actions. Interesting. It looks like stun powers can''t be applied in rapid succession Clomp clomp huff big second that Book 2 Chapter 11: Dungeon Downtime way Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. growth increased Fuzzy lupine senses, pack hunter,resist diseases Book 2 Chapter 12: On the Road holding it over Zack''s head I am a part of Zackalso yes in fantasy globe trotting adventure full of mysticism and danger Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. monster Clearly somebody important enough to be wearing a fancy suit with a gold watchThough not important enough to drive himself to work. dangerdifferent Book 2 Chapter 13: Flying Buildings is massive Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Magically originated beings Book 2 Chapter 14: Belly of the Beast shards looking Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. isn''t Book 2 Chapter 15: The Hive fast. such If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. hers hive she queen Book 2 Chapter 16: Long Live The Queen queen that This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. talked behind Clamp! Clamp! pet core did say Archie, where the hell are you so lot Book 2 Chapter 17: Threat get his dungeon out of the air hope Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Actually, I probably could, there''s no such thing as fairies mondo bad no Book 2 Chapter 18: Embers Room master Stone of a mountain Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. mountain keep need the Dragon Forge Book 2 Chapter 19: Fall Apart Well, five if we count Ember spilling out of her. maximum mana capacity The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. she she raison d''etre influences I perfect quite Book 2 Chapter 20: Fears create The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. kind unscathedkilled more knew something you will Book 2 Chapter 21: Were Anon I told you so Weretown Weretown wolf ChandraMoon Wolf I know what I amowning Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Archie Cottontail dire Werebeasts Anonymous full-time Book 2 Chapter 22: Moose on the Loose Were Anon hurt so much If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. flying exact were just. were-dire-hare stable Book 2 Chapter 23: Personal Growth for Let''s not follow that rabbit to Wonderland, Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. titesmites fundament aspects just basic fairies Book 2 Chapter 24: Bad News Unseelieoff probability used Stolen story; please report. more createfundamental worked Chapter 25: A Few New Perspectives human truly him both now new dismiss The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. orc control in