《Automaton Dungeon》


 Chapter 1

    Lucas was on his way home, then he encountered an accident that leads him to be reincarnated on another world as a dungeon core.


    ''Where am I? Am I dead? The last thing I remember was a truck was driving towards me and... am I in a hospital?'' Lucas tried to open his eyes but to no results. Lucas tried to feel his senses but he felt only nothing? ''I can''t feel my body, did the truck hit me so hard that it put me in a coma?'' Lucas asked himself hoping that he was still alive.


    After a while of doing nothing, a sudden flash of a screen lit up in front of Lucas.


    ''What is this? How is this possible.''Lucas then begins to read the text on the screen in front of him.''


    "Congratulations! You were selected to be reincarnated as a dungeon core in this world. With your achievements in your previous life, the system has given you the ability to spawn automatons. The system wishes you luck on your new life and your journey ahead!"


    Lucas was in a state of shock and denial. Lucas''s life was better than the average person''s, which is slightly successful in some regard. So Lucas still clings to some parts of his life and still wishes to come back.


    "What?! Is this a prank? Hello, is someone out there?" Lucas then has a sudden thought. ''If what it says was real, then it explains why it was possible to do such a thing. Then in this world, there must be a system of some sort like a video game. If it''s something like that, then I just have to finish the game or beat the system somehow so that I could return.''


    Lucas, now filled with determination to win now assessing his situation more seriously.


    ''It says I am a dungeon core now, with all my knowledge of fiction plots. It must be a source of the power of the dungeon where heroes go to become powerful by defeating summons on the way. This means I am in danger right now!''


    Lucas suddenly panicked about his situation. ''How do I summon!? ahhh summon!'' A sudden burst of energy surged out of my Lucas''s body or now core. [Summoning: Automata. 10.....20...30...60..70...100%] [Automata summoned. The system has detected that the player did not select dungeon type. The system has spawned default dungeon(cave), the dungeon has been created. You are now unable to change the dungeon type]


    After reading the notification, Lucas was able to see his surroundings. ''Wow is so bright, are we in a cave? Wait it seems like the light was caused by me, well my body to be specific. Oh, there is my spawn.''


    ''wait so I could select a type of dungeon can I be. Well, that''s a bummer but the cave is still a fine location for a dungeon so it''s not a big deal.''


    Automata could be seen in front of him. The structure of the automata was something like a wooden robot or droid. ''So this is an automaton? By its name it should be able to move by itself for automata was derived from Greek which means self-moving. A perfect robot.''


    ''Well, how could I make this automaton move then. Should I order it? Well let''s try.'' "Do one step forward" As Lucas told the automata, it moved one step forward. ''I see I see. Then what should I make it do then?'' As Lucas thinks about the mechanics of dungeons from the books he has read, Lucas can''t help notice a minimap in his vision. Under a minimap was 1/10, Lucas assumes this was the number of automatons he could spawn so he decided to spawn it all.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    "Summon 9 Automatons" [Summoning 9 Automatons] [Summoning completed]


    Once again 9 automatons could be seen in front of him forming a straight line except for one which was moved a step forward.


    ''Then what should I do next? As a dungeon core, I should order my spawns to protect me.'' Lucas has noticed that the automatons have no weapons whatsoever. ''Can I spawn items? Well let''s try''"Spawn Sword" ......"Summon Sword"......" Create Sword"...... [Unperformable action Detected]


    ''It seems like I cant spawn items, well it just told me I could spawn automatons, not items so it makes sense. So how could I protect myself from intruders then, I can arm my automatons with rocks cant I?''


    ''Wait, if the system detected that I was trying to perform actions then maybe I should do trial and error then. With this I could test my capabilities and...'' [Player thought detected. Player capabilities such as follows. Summoning, Link, Posses, Dungeon Customization, And Command.]


    ''Oh, it looks like the system could read minds huh. I feel like I don''t have privacy, well it doesn''t matter. I am trapped in this world anyways. Let''s try these skills out.


    Lucas then proceeds to try and learn what his abilities are.


    Summoning: Let the player spawns an entity assigned to it or entitled to.


    Link: Player could see and hear what their summons see and hear. Can only be done one summon after another.


    Posses: Players could enter and control their summons for a limited time.


    Dungeon Customization: Players could improve their dungeon by upgrading or reforming it.


    Command: Player could command summons indefinitely.


    ''Wow these are cool abilities huh, well for now let''s try to explore the dungeon'' "Explore Dungeon"


    The Automatons one by one exited the cave chamber and started exploring the cave system. There was no need to explore the dungeon for Lucas to have a map of it but Lucas wanted to see it so maybe could think of an idea or a tactic perhaps.


    As Automatons took a separate route one after another, Lucas could see the dungeon by using Link. After a while, the dungeon was now fully explored and a single automaton was in front of the entrance/exit of the dungeon.


    ''Wow, there is a forest outside. That''s nice for hiding our dungeon but sooner or later someone gonna finds it. I hope there are humans in this world. Hopes aside, can we go out of the dungeon? If we could that will be a game-changer.''


    "Automata, go and explore the exterior of the dungeon."


    The automata then automatically walk outside the dungeon and started exploring. ''Wow, so this is what it feels like to be in a forest. I have never been in a forest like this in my life.''


    As the automata kept exploring, Lucas have a sudden thought in mind. ''Wait lemme try using Posses.''


    "Wow, it''s nice having a body again. So if I could go outside, then I could go to civilizations and.... never mind. I am well my body is an automaton, I think people will be freaked out if they saw me, and besides, I could only use possess for a limited time. Thinking about it, how long could I use posses?."


    Lucas looked around his view/heads-up display and saw a timer. It started with zero and ticking since he was around this body, the color of the text is green. presumably, Lucas could lose control when it reaches the color zero.


    ''Why can''t the system just me put a limit and not make it complicated. So every time I use possess I have to worry how long I could use it? Well, maybe the system has a reason for it.


    [Player thought detected. The play could improve the time it could use posses by using the ability frequently.] ''Ahhh, nice!''


    "So that what it is huh."


    After several minutes of exploring the exterior of the dungeon, Lucas could hear something.


    "What as that?"


    Lucas look around cautiously, as Lucas looked at his back. A large wolf pounce on him, scratching his back. "Ouch!, wait I don''t feel anything. Oh shit, a wolf!." As Lucas was under the wolf, the wolf spared no time and started attacking Lucas.


    Lucas struggled to stop the wolf, at least from destroying the automata. Lucas with all his imaginary strength, push the wolf away from him for a few meters and stood his ground.


    Now, Lucas and the Wolf are facing each other.


    What will Lucas do? Follow this fiction to know more and please rate it as well it will help me a lot.

 Chapter 2

    Lucas and the wolf are now in a stand-off. The wolf was five times larger than the average, the paw itself is big enough to cover a human head. We all know the weapons of a wolf, it''s their teeth and claws, and oh boy it''s large.


    As the wolf circled to find an opportunity to attack Lucas, in the other Lucas was still bewildered about the size of the wolf then suddenly the usual notification interrupted the whole mood.


    [Player in Combat Detected. Players are advised, entities such are monsters and the like are attracted to your core inside your chest. Once your core breaks, the entity you''re in will be inoperable.]


    ''Well, that kinda makes sense. If they are attracted to me then going out of the dungeon is dangerous. No, being me is dangerous they are attracted to cores for a god damn reason. The dungeon core must be a nice snack to them.''


    ''Cores aside though I need to go out here alive at least.


    Lucas then slowly walks to the side circling together with the wolf. ''I need a weapon, a stick or a stone perhaps.'' Lucas then looked around carefully not to ignore the wolf a second longer. Lucas has no chance of defeating the wolf by himself.


    The wolf has been aware of the situation of Lucas (automaton) and sprung towards Lucas, with his claws aimed towards Lucas''s chest. It was destroyed upon impact, watery rainbow alike liquid poured out of his chest most likely from the core.


    Lucas could see the light of the outside world flickering as he lost connection with the automaton outside.


    ''What the fuck! I was killed, wait for no my avatar was killed shit. I should''ve run.'' But the truth was Lucas was shocked and was so scared when the Wolf pounce on him. It was a fight he couldn''t win.


    Lucas now started to have a grudge against the wolf. ''Damned you, Wolf, sooner or later I will kill you.'' Lucas calls all of his automatons back to his chamber and he started to think about how to execute his revenge.


    Things were just moving too fast that Lucas himself forgot he just has been reincarnated there, it was his first day and now he have a rival. Something does not feel right but Lucas didn''t see it.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    After a while, Lucas has made a list of preparations for his assault, and for that, he needs a lot of things. First are weapons, they cant defeat the wolf with their bare hands, can they? But before acquiring weapons they need to know how to make weapons and decide what weapons are they gonna use.


    ''Shit, I haven''t thought of that. The only viable materials to us are rock and sticks. Then let''s try creating a spear then, with its length it and the sharpness of its point we could at least stab an animal.''


    Lucas then proceeds to use possess on one of the automatons. "The rest follow me." Said Lucas.


    Lucas and the rest of the automatons marched out from the chamber and went towards the exit of the cave.


    Upon arrival, Lucas was disappointed. It was now dark a sign that it is now night a bad time to go outside especially in this wild world.


    ''Damnit, I don''t wanna lose another automaton again.'' Lucas turned around and told the others. "All of you go back to the Core Chamber." Lucas then stopped using Posses and left the automata to watch the doorway to spot intruders coming in.


    ''Wait, speaking of automata could I spawn another one? It says 9/10 maybe I could, let''s try.'' "Summon"


    [Summoning failed: Lacks Biomatter] ''Biomatter? well, that''s new what is it?''


    [Player thought detected. Biomatter is required to create another form of life. Biomatter could be acquired by bringing matter that has a biological origin and absorbing/consuming it in the dungeon.]


    ''I see so I could not spam summon lol, that will be overpowered. Then should I gather plants outside and bring them here? Plants are a living thing so they still count as biomatter.''


    But let''s wait for daylight and also it will be nice to gather sticks so that we could start making spears.


    Lucas then waited for the dawn while waiting he was trying to remember or think how to make spears. It may seem easy but for a modern man like Lucas, techniques of making spears are not available to them. After a while of critical thinking, Lucas decided that they will make wooden spears.


    For it is easy to make by sharpening on its end but the problem that it may not be effective. But having something is better, they might not even attack the wolf at this point. Lucas is still weak.


    ''It''s weird staying in one room and not moving even an inch, this might be the reason why dungeon''s in novels or games are luring people inside so that they could have fun by killing them at least. But I don''t wanna kill anyone, I still have a heart of a human.''


    As Lucas was getting so bored that he decided to check on his summons. By using the link he could see what they see but the rest of his summons are inside of his chamber and spectating what they see does not help to ease his boredom.


    So he transferred to the one left in the gateway, the view of the automaton was so dark. With some rays of light visible from the moon, it made the view so majestic that Lucas''s boredom have gone in an instant.


    So Lucas just stared at it for the whole evening till.

 Chapter 3

    As the sun rises and the rays of its light shine the world above, Lucas has now decided that it is best to move now.


    He called 3 automatons from the chamber to gather resources such as sticks and plants or fruits. 2 were assigned to gather each and the last one was assigned to scout and find these resources.


    At first, the automatons gathered small sticks and grass or leaves. It seems like the order given was too generic or vague so Lucas needs to tell them the specifics.


    Now the automatons gather sticks which length is 1 meter or above and its diameter is 2 inches or more and not beyond 5. The idea of gathering plants was canceled for the main reason that sticks/wood is also a biological matter, for now, there is no need to gather other types.


    The gathering took a few hours, overall they gathered 737kg of wood or sticks.


    ''Let''s divide it unto two, we then absorb the other and we shall use the other.''


    The automatons started to divide the pile of wood into two, after a while, they were now finished. The once large pile of wood has become into two smaller parts.


    "Absorb this pile of wood." [Absorbing Material.]


    ..........


    [Converting material to mana]


    ..........


    [Conversion Done. Current mana: 184]


    ''So half the weight of the material being converted is the amount of mana being made. Or it varies depending on the material? We need more experiments but we also need materials which is a bummer.''


    "Summon automaton." [Summoning Automaton]


    An automaton can be seen appearing in the chamber room. ''Now we are full, how about starting with some crafting.''


    After a while of thinking, Lucas realizes that he knew nothing about crafting. "What the hell should I make with just wood! We could only sharpen some of these by grinding it to the floor to make some spears."


    ''What am gonna do? This is so shit.'' Lucas was now in a situation where he don''t what he gonna do or what he needs to do. But if doesn''t do something then his life will be at stake.


    Making the matters worse a sudden turn of events was to happen.


    [One of your summonses have been destroyed]


    "What the hell! Someone just attacked us, you four grind 9 spears and give them to everyone including yourself. Can this day get any worse?"Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    After a while of quick grinding by the 4 automatons, everyone now is armed if you could call those wooden stakes weapons.


    After a moment passes, nothing has happened. A few minutes then have passed nothing.


    After a whole while some sounds could heard. "Gigigiigigiigi" "Gigigi" "Gi-gigi-gi"


    Lucas was confused but one thing was certain, it must have intelligence for it was capable of speech. As the sounds get louder and the thundering sounds of metal stroke a bit of fear to the heart of Lucas.


    Lucas has never seen nor experience violence so the thought of it gives fright to Lucas. But never the less he needs to face what is to come.


    After a while, a source of light could be seen, with bright orange with a silhouette of a monster. Lucas orders his summons to be ready to thrust their make-shift spears.


    A Goblin emerges from the doorway of the chamber, with a torch on his left hand and a short sword appropriate to its body. The sight alone was not that scary but one after another came pouring in.


    They spouted sounds that were not comprehensible to Lucas but he knows something for certain, they here not for good reasons. They were 15 goblins in total who have entered the chamber and all of them are staring at the bright glowing stone, the dungeon core.


    Lucas knew he was in a dangerous situation and waiting for any second longer will jeopardize his survival. He ordered his summons to charge.


    It was so sudden that the goblins were caught unprepared, as the automatons charges few goblins were killed on the onslaught. Now the goblins were pushed back to the doorway leaving the room, only a few could be fit to go through it.


    Not missing the chance Lucas ordered some of his automatons on the back to equip the weapons that were equipped by the goblins who were killed, four of them in total. Notifications of experience gain lit up the HUD of Lucas but he dismissed it all, Lucas, at this time in a state of panic for his life.


    "Charge! Kill them all, don''t let anyone escape!" Shouted Lucas. The sense of morality of Lucas was absent, mad that those Goblins dared to intrude on his home and tried to kill him.


    The Automatons rushed outside to pursue the running Goblins, but it was all a trap. The Goblins knew that when a new dungeon was born and it was the first attack, the system will make the core uneasy making them behave irrationally.


    As Automatons exited the passageway, dozens of Goblins could be seen waiting outside. The First two automatons who exited were hit by an arrow to their chest, destroying the core inside and making them dysfunctional.


    But with the sheer will of Lucas, he was able to order his summons to go back before they will be overrun. Out of 10 automatons that Lucas has at the start of the day, only 7 are left.


    He ordered his men to stand in front of the doorway and if anyone dared enter will be killed. Now with the time available to him, he tried to calm himself first.


    After a few minutes, Lucas felt fine and started assessing his situation.


    ''There are dozens of Goblins out there, approximately 34 including the 8 who have escaped while 3 died trying. We can''t go out, but there is no need. It''s not like we need to or something, unlike them but there is a lot of food outside so they could stay and wait for a very long time.''


    ''Wait let me check the notifications''


    [Experience gained in total 700]


    [Leveled up to 4]


    [You could now summon up to 18 automatons]


    ''Nice! wait I only have 84 mana left, 100 were taken from the summoning earlier. Then let''s absorb those dead goblins then.


    "Absorb"


    [Gained 1,400 mana]


    "Holy shit that is a lot, so I could now max out the number of summons I could have then. Summon 11 automatons."


    [Summoning 11 Automatons]


    .......

 Chapter 4

    A row of automatons appeared in front of the dungeon core. Seeing it, Lucas felt he still have hope of defeating the invaders.


    As a dungeon core, getting cornered by intruders is very shameful. That is why most dungeons are very hostile, but the prize was so huge that they kept coming despite the casualties.


    But for now, Lucas needs to focus on defeating the Goblins that have intruded on his home. "All of you, make some makeshift spears. Carry as much as you can and throw them at the enemy if they dared to attack again. Remember not to throw everything as you need one to attack them hand to hand."


    The automatons carried out the orders as soon as possible. Lucas was impressed with how smart these automatons were, earth robots could never do the same as he remembers it.


    Now every automaton carries an extra 3 wooden spears with 1 weapon that they could not throw in battle, only 7 of them have short swords and the rest are wooden spears.


    Lucas has been thinking if he was to initiate a charge against them will be more effective than waiting. The enemy has an unlimited supply of resources needed to besiege this dungeon while Lucas has only a limited amount of sticks.


    It wasn''t an ideal situation for Lucas, but he wasn''t stupid enough to plan the charge. ''If we were to charge at them, I think it''s best to catch them off guard. Then we shall charge at them at midnight, but the problem is will they stay here till midnight.''


    A dilemma for Lucas, if he wait for the night the enemy might have gone out but it didn''t wait for the chances of it to succeed will be slim. Lucas chose to wait, he can''t afford to gamble all his bets now.


    The automatons were now in their positions to defend the chamber, unbeknownst to Lucas the Goblin decided to attack not wasting any time. As soon as the goblins entered the passageway the automatons followed the order given to them.


    They threw their spears at the goblins, the force was too strong that it went through their body then pierce someone beyond them. As the goblins rushed forward, dead bodies stumble in front of them but they continued to run towards the automatons.


    Only 8 goblins were killed during the skirmish and now started the melee. The height of the automatons gave them an advantage against the small goblins. Automatons thrust their wooden spears like a machine, as you expect they killed a lot without pause nor rest. The sight of it was so brutal especially for Lucas, the first-person view makes Lucas seem the one who killed them.


    His morality was being questioned, he never hurt somebody in his life. Now he was killing tiny green men, through his automatons that were under his orders.


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    But Lucas was now acting by his instincts to survive, morality was now out of the question. As the onslaught continues does also the goblins fall through the ground. The goblins were dumb enough not to notice that they were losing the battle as they continue sending one goblin after another one falls.


    The goblins also have taken advantage of the piles of dead goblins to have an equal footing with the automatons. The two automatons who were in the front of the lines have been struck down, after having a high ground the goblins then charged towards the automatons.


    A multitude of goblins followed and overpowered the automatons by making them immobile by stacking themselves to the automatons making the automatons unable to move their limbs. Another two automatons have been fallen, now Lucas ordered them to retreat to the chamber and not let the goblins maintain their momentum.


    Another two automatons have been destroyed as they were left behind to buy some time, now they have lost a total of six automatons. The rest of the automatons have formed a line to protect the dungeon core. After a few minutes, goblins have reached the passageway and entered the chamber, now it was their second time inside it.


    Lucas has now developed anxiety but he couldn''t do anything reckless or else he may risk his annihilation. Now goblins and automatons have a face-off, the goblins didn''t charge immediately as their instincts tell them that it was dangerous.


    But Lucas waited, waiting for the right time to charge his summons. As the last goblin have entered the chamber Lucas immediately ordered the summons to throw their spears together. On the first volley, 9 goblins died and many were mortally wounded. The second volley killed 7 including those who survived the previous volley.


    Now it was the goblins who have panicked and one after another they routed, but Lucas don''t want them to escape so he ordered his summons to charge and eliminate all goblins inside the dungeon.


    It was a grim sight, bodies of goblins lie dead. None of them escaped the slaughter, Lucas was now filled with relief but he is also contemplating that he had put his guard down. First at the forest and now at his own home, the dungeon. He just has been reincarnated and now he has been careless the whole time, next time he may put his guard down again it may end horribly.


    Lucas has now developed a paranoia that will affect him all his life. But now wasn''t the time to stay idle, Lucas started clearing operations on his dungeon.


    "What a day it is, I am afraid that it will be like this for the rest of my life. Wait I don''t have to accept it do I?"

 Chapter 5

    "Well if we could go out, then how about we fortify our dungeon making it like a fortress where the dungeon itself will become like a throne room or something. Away from the dangers of monster or beast, watching the world evolve naturally. That is kind of a lavish life isn''t it?"


    ''But it is just a dream, after all, or maybe not. I have all the time in the world, don''t I? Well except if I die but still. Wait the dungeon is still reeks of dead goblins, wait a second.''


    ''Absorb goblins''


    The dozens of dead goblins silently disappeared including their blood that was splattered on the floor.


    [Experience gained 3,400]


    [Leveled up to 9 remaining exp:500]


    [You could now summon up to 28 automatons]


    [Gained 6,800 mana]


    "Wow, that was a lot. But it hasn''t moved me towards level 10 huh, what a shame but still progress is progress. Then shall we summon more automatons?"


    ''Summon 16 automatons''


    [Summoning 16 automatons]


    A fresh 16 automatons appeared in the chamber room, Lucas then ordered them to arm themselves up. There were more than enough weapons for them left by the goblins, whether it may be bows or short swords there was plenty of it.


    Now Lucas has 28 armed automatons, it was a huge step for him but there is still more coming for him. But Lucas is still somewhat worried about the newfound arsenal that his automatons have.


    "I am afraid that sooner we need more of it, but we can''t just rely on goblin loot cant we? Its quality is, let''s say crude. But to think of it, can they produce these things? If they do then it might be beneficial to let them produce for us or we learn from them at least."


    ''Learning from these goblins? Are you really out of your mind Lucas, their quality is very crude and might not be enough to subdue even the monsters outside? If we wanted to learn to produce these things then it might be better to learn from an expert, maybe finding a human settlement might be a good choice.''


    "Ahh, can I order these automatons conditional commands?"


    [Player thought detected, Yes you could give them conditional commands. The output will depend on your input to them]


    ''I see, if I don''t input commands properly then the output will be horrendous. It''s better to avoid it then.''


    Lucas spends the rest of the day inputting commands into one of the automatons through words like ''If monster strong then run'' kind of stuff. The automatons do not have any sentience to have initiative or even conscience so Lucas was very careful.


    The automaton was tasked to explore the forest and find a way out of it. But its main objective was to find a human settlement or anyone who has sentience similar to a man and find out if they are hostile or not.


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    Now everything is in place, with 27 armed automatons left in the dungeon. There is practically nothing Lucas could do, so he waited for morning. After the morning came, the sounds of birds chirping in the forest could be heard. The wind gushing through the trees makes them dance, nature is indeed beautiful.


    But the more you look into it, the darker it goes. From a monster killing another monster to a monster slaughtering offspring of another monster to ensure its dominance. In the bright of day, in the middle of the forest. A goblin village could be seen, it is indeed similar to a human tribe village. It may be possible that goblins used to be humans before they adapted into the forest full of danger.


    Life is bustling in the goblin village, there you could see some goblins bringing the food which they got in the forest. The village was enclosed with palisades and watchtowers that were manned to the teeth. You could see how wary the goblins are, it also shows how dangerous life is in the forest.


    But that wasn''t the only reason why they are very wary now, the attacking party that they have sent hasn''t returned yet. Making the goblins worry about them. Goblins do also have compassion but only with their kin.


    The goblin village was ruled over by a goblin chief, he is like a king of the village and the most powerful one. But despite being so powerful, he needs soldiers to fight monsters and beasts to feed him the most precious materials to make him more powerful, ensuring his authority over his village.


    There are a ton of goblin villages in the forest, there are even some who are turning like a kingdom owning more than 5 villages. The more villages the chief has the more tributes he received and the more powerful he gets.


    But this chief only owns a single village and the loss of many soldiers on a raid makes him worry. There are many possible reasons why his men did not return yet, one is that the neighboring village decided to attack him or they have encountered a powerful beast on the way. But no matter what the reason is, they still need to be wary especially in their weakened state.


    The goblin chief has decided to share a significant share of food with his people to encourage population growth in his village to recuperate the loss of his men. But even if he didn''t lose his men, he will probably do it anyways.


    There have been tensions between tribes or villages the past few months and conflict is inevitable. Alliances between tribes seem pointless since they don''t trust each other and they are at each other''s throats.


    Now the entire forest is divided by warring goblins states/tribes/villages and territories of monsters and beasts. Will the scout find its way outside the village and escape the carnage between these entities? Follow the fiction to know :)

 Chapter 6

    It was now the third day in this world for Lucas but he seems to be cool with it. He spent his entire day watching his automatons train in one in one combat which each other with wooden sticks to avoid destroying each other.


    The process was unexpectedly bare fruit, after all of their training they could now maneuver strikes or slashes more properly and efficiently. If the automaton yesterday vs the automaton now would have fought, the current automaton has higher chances of winning. But they still need more training to even be on par with a human knight.


    So he decided to continue the training session for an entire week, and but before that, they barricaded the entrance of the cave/dungeon. Even though it could be easily broken by a simple push, it could still help not attract attention to anyone who stumbles to see it.


    Now, Lucas was getting bored watching his automaton train. He sometimes took over some of them to train himself just to get out of boredom. But he could not continue for a significant amount of time for it is tiring for the mind and it is getting more boring the more he does it.


    So he took control of the automaton who went outside to explore, it was still alive miraculously. Lucas spent most of his time walking the dense forest while gazing at the beauty of it. As Lucas explores the dense forest, there were some strange sounds and Lucas has started to notice.


    As curiosity arose Lucas decided to follow the sounds, as they come closer and closer the sounds became clearer and clearer. It sounded like goblins and some roars from a giant unknown monster. They slowly and carefully looked for the goblins and after strolling for a while Lucas now spotted them.


    Lucas silently watched as he hide in the trees and the bushes that surrounds them. But after close observation, Lucas noticed that the goblins have been losing to the giant ogre. As a result of it, there were plentiful dead goblins in the ground that have been decimated.


    After knowing this, Lucas has thought of a silly idea. Killing the ogre but seems impossible. Lucas was unable to defeat a giant wolf, how about a giant ogre? But the situation now was different from then. Lucas will not fight the ogre as he has no chance of winning but Lucas will kill it.


    The ogre was distracted at the goblins that Lucas thinks he could sneak around them and dealt a deathly blow from behind. But the idea was still outrageous but Lucas has nothing to fear and lose, except for an automaton of course if he somehow gets destroyed.


    Seeking this opportunity he still needs a weapon, but there are many of them in the ground from the dead goblins. So he silently brought one and sneak around the ogre. After sneaking around, Lucas waited and observe the fight against the goblins.


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    The goblins were decimated one by one, the brute force of the strike of the ogre could smash one of them to a pile of meat. As the fight progresses the goblin''s numbers started to dwindle until there is one of them left. The last remaining goblin has been crippled from the strike of the ogre making it unable to use its legs to escape. But the goblin prevailed and continued its attempts to escape by crawling using its bare hands.


    The scene was so frightening but Lucas did not bother, seeing the ogre will now deal a final blow to the goblin. Lucas rushed towards the ogre''s back and slashed the back of the knee on its right leg making the ogre stumble due to the pain and force to bend the knee. After stumbling the body was falling after getting outbalanced but it was able to push the ground with its hands preventing its body fall to the ground.


    Because of this, Lucas now decided to grab this opportunity and climbed its back and thrust the blade with two hands unto its head. As Lucas thrust the blade, blood was splattered across the place but Lucas did not care or even noticed it. The ogre falls to the ground with no strength supporting it as it has lost its ability to control its body.


    Blood was spilling onto the ground but for Lucas, it doesn''t matter. The ogre was killed by him and the last remaining surviving goblin saw this and was scared of him. So it tried to run away from Lucas but it was inevitable for it could not escape while being crippled.


    Lucas comes closer towards the goblin, but he had noticed that the other goblins have ropes with them. Lucas decided to capture the goblin and bring it back to the dungeon. For reasons unknown but for sure it''s not good for the goblin for Lucas despised them so much.


    He then got the rope and tied the hands of the goblins, but another problem arose. If Lucas will bring the goblin back to the dungeon then how will the goblin travel there. It is crippled for god''s sake. Then he decided that he will carry it on its back, well the automaton will carry it back.


    [Experience gained 5,100]


    [Leveled up to 14]


    [You could now summon up to 38 automatons]


    The following notifications made Lucas shocked, the ogre gave him a total of 5,000 experience points. It was more than the 41 goblins gave him, it was such a fortune to be able to take down an ogre. If the ogre gave Lucas an absurd amount of experience points then its body will give him tremendous amounts of mana when absorb plus the bodies of the dead goblins.


    But unfortunately, the automaton could not carry them, not even if he ordered all of the automatons to carry them. It will be impossible due to its size but also the terrain. It was disappointing thinking about it.


    But for another second, Lucas received something due to him leveling up to level 10.

 Chapter 7

    [Ability unlocked, Classes/Jobs. Summons must have a class/job to function. Classes/Jobs will give the summons skills and knowledge according to the given class/job.]


    [Minimum sentience has been achieved, summons now could perform the task and interact with each other to cooperate and perform tasks given efficiently. The probability of failure increases as the sentience increases but the amount of output that could be made will also increase tremendously.]


    [Summons now have the minimum sentience, sentience will now increase over time.]


    "Oh shit! That''s amazing, now I could create a society and also community. But most importantly I have now someone to talk to, but minimum sentience? What''s that?"


    [Player thought detected. Minimum sentience is similar to a human baby, as it grows its sentience increases.]


    "Ah, I see. But classes ah, do I need to give my summons classes or jobs? What classes or jobs I could give?"


    [Player thought detected. It is required to give your summons a class/job for them to function. The following classes that you have unlocked are Soldiers, hunters, miners. farmers, craftsmen, messengers, and workers. Once a class/job has been given, it will be no longer be changed.


    Soldiers: Secures the domain and fight enemy units.


    Hunters: Hunts down monsters and beasts to be absorbed for mana or food.


    Miners: Gathers ores and minerals located in and near the domain(dungeon).


    Farmers: Grows and gathers food for the domain.


    Craftsman: Create tools or equipment for the domain.


    Messengers: Delivers messages to any entities who possess sentience including fellow summons.


    Workers: An all-around summon who could do hard labor and more. ]


    "Wow, this changes everything so far! My life will become easier, I thought I will have to teach or order them specifically forever. Now, I don''t have to, whew. But now I have to micro-manage do I?"


    As Lucas thoughts of the possibilities of what he could do with the sudden changes, he somehow forgot his current situation.


    "Wait, I have to go back to the dungeon and give everyone classes. Wait, what class/job should I give this one before I''ll order it to go back to the dungeon?"


    After several minutes of thinking, Lucas decided to give the automaton a class of hunter for a reason of experimentation and this automaton was the one he used to kill the ogre in the first place. "It would be nice to give this one the class/job of a hunter."


    After giving it a class/job he cease to control its body and ordered it to return to the dungeon. And then Lucas returns to the scenery of the chamber room of its dungeon. Do the automatons seem to stop their training before the update?


    But now Lucas is pondering on what classes to give his automatons. He could try to give one of each class/job to experiment but it seems like a waste of automatons if some of the classes could not be used at the moment. In the end, Lucas decided to do it anyway.


    Before that, Lucas spawned another batch of automatons.


    [Summoning 1 soldier, 1 miner, 1 farmer, 1 craftsman, 1 messenger, and 1 worker automatons.]


    Lucas did not summon another hunter for he had already assigned one earlier. There were now new 6 automatons in front of him. It was still the same automaton as the rest and it''s hard to differentiate which one is which.


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    Then he started to check the status of each automaton.


    Soldier class automaton


    Skills: Basic sword skill, Basic spear skill, Basic bow skill, Basic Shield skill.


    Ability: To form formations and perform basic maneuver tactics with another Soldier class automaton.


    Miner class automaton


    Skills: Basic mining skills, Basic ore detection skills, Basic mineral detection skills.


    Ability: To find ores and minerals deposits and create mining shafts to perform mining operations


    Farmer class automaton


    Skills: Basic farming skills, Basic herb detection skills, Basic plant detection skills, Basic harvesting skills.


    Ability: To create farms and to gather food and herbs.


    Craftsman class automaton


    Skills: Basic blacksmithing skill, Basic carpentry skill, Basic building skill, Basic craftsmanship skill.


    Ability: To be able to create tools, equipment, ornaments, and buildings.


    Messenger class automaton


    Skills: Basic diplomacy skill, Common tongue, Basic riding skill.


    Ability: To converse with different entities.


    Worker class automaton


    Skills: Multitask, Link.


    Ability: To do anything that requires hard labor and be able to share information and cooperate with other worker class automaton.


    Lucas was shocked to see their skills and abilities, but what intrigued Lucas the most was the worker class. It was a normal automaton but being able to connect with others is kind of overpowered. It is like ants with radios in their heads. But thinking about it, maybe not.


    Ants were different from the automatons in terms of numbers, ants have thousand while automatons were just three-digit max. Lucas observes that for every level you just have to multiply it to 100 and that will be the only required experience points to level up. And just times your level into two then add 10 then will be the number of automatons he could summon.


    Following this logic, when he reaches level 100 he could summon 210 automatons. Yes, it is many but not as much as the average population of a town but twice as much as a village. Thinking about it, the lack of manpower will probably make Lucas stuck at his dungeon forever.


    His plan on returning home or even his dreams of world domination will be crushed. Lucas was now in a deep state of thinking, changing, or making new plans for his life.


    ''Going home will be impossible then if we could not find answers if I couldn''t expand outwards. Wait, I don''t have to expand if that is the case but I could still explore using a single automaton. But it will take a lot of time to investigate, research, or find the way home.''


    "But first of all, do I want to go home? Earth is nice, yes I have to agree about that. But it will be only nice if you have any money anyway and earning money has been very hard. Due to the massive population and the intense competition towards each other, it is hard to become rich, especially when giant cooperation doesn''t want you to get rich."


    "Here, I am not sure. All I have seen so far were giant beasts and monsters out of ordinary. If my intuition is right, the level of civilization here must be at a level of a medieval period on earth. Or maybe not, there may be magic here."


    Lucas wasn''t able t decide that day.

 Chapter 8

    Lucas decided it was too early to think too far ahead. He still didn¡¯t know where he was, what kind of world this was, or even the limits of his newfound abilities. Sometimes, he thought this could all be a dream, but he quickly dismissed the notion.


    As he pondered the mysteries of his new life, he remembered that the scout automaton had just returned with the goblin. The creature was struggling to free itself, clearly desperate despite its injuries. Amid its efforts, it mumbled unintelligible words, and Lucas had an idea.


    He had never thought about talking to this wild goblin before, but now, an idea struck him. It was a wild, barbaric creature¡ªwhat could be gained from trying to converse with it? But Lucas had to try, so he called upon the messenger-class automaton.


    ¡°Ask this goblin if it has a name,¡± Lucas instructed.


    The automaton approached and spoke in the goblin¡¯s language, asking for its name. The goblin looked confused but answered.


    ¡°It has no name or anything like it,¡± the automaton reported.


    "Hmm. Okay, no name. How about where it lives? That could give me some insight," Lucas thought aloud.


    The automaton repeated the question, and the goblin responded.


    ¡°It lives near a large lake, in the center of a forest. There are many goblin villages around it, but it¡¯s no longer its home. Now, they seek refuge elsewhere.¡±


    Lucas frowned. "Seeking refuge? But why leave a village? It doesn¡¯t make sense."


    He ordered the automaton to ask why they left their village. The goblin¡¯s answer painted a bleak picture.


    ¡°They were overtaken by another tribe, one that controls all the land around the lake. These marauders raid the villages for loot, and they¡¯ve done so for as long as the goblins can remember.¡±This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    "Why not fight back?" Lucas asked, puzzled by the goblin¡¯s defeatist attitude.


    The goblin explained, ¡°The enemy has wooden platforms with sails, and they came in large numbers. All the tribes around the lake tried to resist, but no one knows where the marauders are from. After catching one of them, they discovered they came from the middle of the lake.¡±


    Lucas¡¯s interest piqued. "If the enemy is on the lake, why not just sail there and fight them?"


    The goblin shook its head. ¡°The tribes don¡¯t know how to use the ¡®Lake Drifters.¡¯ Even when the marauders were captured, no one could figure out how to operate the strange watercraft.¡±


    ¡°So, the marauders have the advantage in mobility,¡± Lucas mused. ¡°And the tribes are stuck either paying tribute or being enslaved.¡±


    "Exactly," the goblin replied, its voice heavy with defeat. "The tribute is two weeks'' worth of food per goblin. If they can¡¯t pay, they¡¯re forced to serve as slaves. The remaining tribes are choosing to leave, but we don¡¯t know where to go."


    Lucas¡¯s thoughts churned as the goblin continued. The tribute system was unsustainable¡ªit would eventually lead to starvation for the goblins. Yet, the creatures seemed to accept it. It didn¡¯t sit well with him. What kind of society would allow this to continue?


    He decided to ask the goblin a direct question.


    ¡°Would you be willing to serve me as a subordinate? If you do, I¡¯ll let you live and graze in the area around here.¡±


    The goblin seemed hesitant, then asked, ¡°What do you ask of me in return?¡±


    Lucas had a plan. ¡°You will provide me with a tribute of one day¡¯s worth of food each week¡ªfour days a month. You will also serve me when I call upon you for battle.¡±


    The goblin considered this offer carefully. After a long pause, it nodded. "I accept."


    ¡°Good,¡± Lucas said. ¡°But I have one more condition. If you want to serve me, you must go back to your home and bring me more subordinates.¡±


    The goblin¡¯s eyes widened, but it agreed. "I will gather more, if I can."


    ¡°Fine. But you will be accompanied by an automaton. I don¡¯t trust you to return alone.¡±


    Lucas watched as the goblin, now slightly stronger after tending to its wounds, prepared to leave. As it rested for a few days, Lucas pondered the situation. One goblin might not mean much, but the information it could provide about the geography and politics of the world was invaluable. A single automaton accompanying the goblin wasn¡¯t a big risk.


    The goblin eventually departed, leaving Lucas to consider the larger picture. His plans were shifting¡ªthis world was far more complex than he first imagined, and he might need to build alliances, even with creatures like goblins, if he were ever going to survive.

 Chapter 9

    Lucas had assigned tasks to the remaining 23 automatons: fifteen were designated as soldiers, two as miners, three as craftsmen, and three as workers. Seven other automatons, who had once monitored the classes, were also under his command. These automatons were all he had at the moment, but he intended to make the most of them.


    While waiting for the goblin and messenger to arrive at the great lake, Lucas initiated ¡°Operation Dungeon Rework¡±¡ªhis name for the project aimed at improving the cave¡¯s defenses and productivity. It wasn¡¯t a complicated task, especially since the automatons came with basic equipment. After all, it would be impossible for them to survive in battle armed with nothing but their hands.


    The entrance to the cave was being widened and reinforced by the workers, carving out a hall spacious enough to accommodate five automatons side by side. Beyond that hall, three branching tunnels led to three distinct chambers, each route eventually converging into a medium-sized central chamber. Behind that lay the main chamber¡ªthe heart of the dungeon. This simple yet effective layout was well-suited for defense.


    A few days later, the goblin and the messenger reached one of the villages along the great lake. The sheer size of the lake earned its title, with numerous villages dotting its shoreline and a prosperous island visible in the distance, distinguished by its tall structures.


    The goblin and the automaton entered the village together. The sight of them sparked stares of suspicion, especially since the goblin had once deserted his people and now returned with an unfamiliar wooden figure. The village chief confronted the goblin, and their exchange quickly escalated into a heated argument.


    After several tense minutes, the chief¡¯s demeanor shifted, and his gaze turned to the automaton. The automaton answered the questions posed by the chief, though Lucas could only guess the nature of their conversation. He chose not to intervene, letting the automaton gather as much intelligence as possible. Lucas had specifically sent the messenger, not a soldier, to ensure the conversation remained uninterrupted.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    The goblin chief, flanked by several goblins bearing spears adorned with colorful feathers, came to the gate. The chief spoke to the goblin in a language Lucas could not understand, his tone laced with suspicion. ¡°Hmmm, it seems the chief is wary of us,¡± Lucas thought. ¡°As expected.¡±


    After a few more minutes, the two goblins continued their conversation, and eventually, the chief allowed them to enter the village.


    The village was primitive, yet it was clear they were struggling even by their own humble standards. Smoke curled from the chimney of a larger hut at the end of the path, signaling that something was being cooked inside. Many goblins gathered around, staring at the automaton as it towered over them. Some peered from the safety of their huts, eyes wide with fear or distrust.


    As they entered the hut, the captured goblin and the chief resumed their conversation, this time without speaking to the automaton. Perhaps out of fear, the automaton remained at the chief¡¯s side, acting almost like a bodyguard, silent and vigilant.


    Over the next few days, more goblin chiefs arrived at the village, drawn by the promise of a gathering of kin. By the fifth day, the village was teeming with at least a thousand goblins. Their plight had grown more desperate, as many had arrived starving and on the brink of collapse. The chief had sent messengers to other villages, calling for reinforcements.


    The goblins¡¯ growing numbers were a double-edged sword. Their arrival brought a sense of solidarity, but it also heightened the tension. Would they rally to Lucas¡¯ side, recognizing the opportunity to unite under his leadership? Or would they reject him, unwilling to trust a foreign automaton and its enigmatic creator?


    Lucas watched from the shadows, awaiting the moment of decision. It was clear that something would have to give. The goblins could no longer afford to remain divided, but the path they would choose¡ªwhether to ally with Lucas or resist him¡ªremained uncertain.

 Chapter 10

    Lucas had been watching the goblins from afar for the past few days, and a deep unease settled over him. What a situation we have here. It was hard not to be nervous when he couldn¡¯t even understand their conversations. They¡¯re increasing in number day by day. This could be dangerous... we need to prepare.


    The worry was palpable in Lucas''s mind. He ordered his automatons to prepare. All unassigned automatons were to be soldiers now; they needed every available hand. While the goblins gathered, Lucas had the automatons train. He armed them with weapons from the previous onslaught¡ªthe stash he had kept hidden. Maybe this time they¡¯ll overwhelm us, Lucas thought, his anxiety growing.


    Back at the goblin village, the considerably taller automaton became the talk of the town. Whispers followed it wherever it went, but they were filled with fear, not admiration. Gobu, the goblin Lucas had captured, appeared distressed when speaking with the higher-ranking goblins. From their conversation, Lucas pieced together that these were the goblin chiefs of various villages. One of them seemed to disapprove of Gobu¡¯s plan.


    After several days, the goblins decided to leave the village and head toward the dungeon. Those who had doubts about Gobu¡¯s plan had already left the village earlier. The caravan was long and slow, but eventually, they arrived at the dungeon.


    Lucas had anticipated their arrival, but now doubts crept in. It doesn¡¯t seem like they¡¯re planning to attack me... if they were, they would¡¯ve destroyed my automatons by now. The goblins seemed too weary to fight him. But it never hurts to be cautious, Lucas thought. I¡¯ll have two automatons secure the gate. If they agree to our deal, I¡¯ll speak with their elders, and with Gobu at least.


    Two automatons, armed with rusty but still effective spears, guarded the barricaded entrance.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    The goblins were cautious upon arrival, wary of what might lie within the dungeon. They were greeted by the two armed automatons standing at the entrance, and a barricade that blocked their path. Fear was evident in their eyes. What was this place?


    Lucas ordered one of his automatons to speak with Gobu. "Tell him that I wish to speak with him and the elders inside the dungeon."


    The automaton stepped forward and spoke in a language none of the goblins had expected. They were surprised¡ªmany of them didn¡¯t even know the automatons could speak. They exchanged uncertain looks, hesitant to follow the automaton¡¯s instructions. But Gobu, speaking with authority, convinced the others to comply.


    Gobu and six other elder goblins stepped forward. These goblins, though old, were the most powerful in their respective tribes. They moved toward the dungeon, and as they passed through the rows of soldiers, the automaton guards stepped aside to let them through.


    Inside, the goblins were in awe. The dungeon was much more than they expected, with automatons bearing weapons at every turn. The goblins, once fierce and brutal, now seemed small and vulnerable, facing the full might of Lucas''s creations.


    Lucas spoke through an automaton acting as a translator. The goblins entered the Main Chamber, where the glowing dungeon core stood at the center of the room. Rows of armed automatons flanked the space, their weapons ready to strike at a moment¡¯s notice.


    Gobu, already familiar with the room, bowed his head slightly and spoke to the core as though addressing someone directly.


    The automaton accompanying Gobu translated. "O great master, I bring the chiefs of the goblins who seek your protection and servitude."


    Gobu, with a hint of joy in his voice, bowed again. "We have come to serve you, O great and merciful master. We will not fail you."


    Lucas, feeling satisfied with the outcome, decided to honor Gobu¡¯s efforts. "For your dedication, I grant you the title of Overseer. You will govern your people and ensure they pay their tribute."


    The goblins, relieved and grateful, agreed to the terms. They would now live under Lucas¡¯s protection, working and paying their tribute as promised.


    Everything seemed to settle down. The goblins prepared to leave the dungeon and start their new life, now bound to Lucas¡¯s service.

 Chapter 11

    Lucas, now assured of the goblins¡¯ submission, watched as they prepared to leave. His decision to grant Gobu the title of Overseer had effectively set the foundation for what could be a long-lasting alliance¡ªor a simmering conflict waiting to explode. I¡¯ve played my hand, Lucas thought, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the table in front of him. Let¡¯s see how they adapt.


    As Gobu and the six goblin chiefs departed the dungeon, Lucas observed them closely, each step they took shaping his plans for the future. He trusted Gobu, but trust could be fragile. The goblins¡¯ loyalty may not last long if they feel the pressure of my demands. I¡¯ll need to monitor their progress closely.


    Before leaving, Gobu approached Lucas''s automaton messenger once more. "Great Master," he said, bowing lower than before, "I ask if you would give us a place to begin gathering the tribute. We will start immediately."


    Lucas considered the request carefully. "You may use the cave¡¯s southern entrance for your gathering," he replied. "Make sure everything runs smoothly. I will send more automatons to oversee the process."


    Gobu¡¯s eyes lit up with hope, his gratitude evident. "We will not fail you, Master."


    As Gobu and the goblin chiefs left the dungeon to begin their new lives, Lucas couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of unease. He had secured them, for now, but what if their loyalty faltered? What if the promise of protection and servitude didn¡¯t last?


    Weeks passed in uneasy silence. Lucas had sent his automatons to monitor the goblins, but something felt off. As the days went by, the goblins slowly began to adjust to their new life under Lucas¡¯s rule. However, some of them began to voice concerns about Gobu¡¯s position as Overseer.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    The goblins had never lived under the command of one of their own who held such authority, and they were unaccustomed to being governed by someone with direct ties to Lucas. Why does Gobu get to make the decisions for us? some of the younger goblins whispered. Wasn¡¯t it our clans who fought and bled to survive?


    These whispers began to spread like wildfire, and Gobu, despite his loyalty to Lucas, found himself caught in the middle of a brewing storm. The goblins, especially those from smaller tribes, began to question whether they were truly equals under Lucas¡¯s rule, or if they were being led by a puppet of the Master. The title of Overseer had been meant as a sign of trust and authority, but to some, it felt like a leash.


    One evening, Gobu approached Lucas¡¯s automaton messenger with a heavy heart. His face was weary, and his hands clenched tightly in nervous frustration.


    "Great Master," Gobu began, his voice strained, "there is unrest among my people. Some of the goblins question my authority as Overseer. They believe that I am no different from the other automatons¡ªjust another tool for your control."


    Lucas listened carefully, his expression unreadable. He had anticipated this. His offer of power to Gobu had been a calculated decision, but he hadn¡¯t foreseen how it might affect the goblins¡¯ perception of leadership.


    "And what do you suggest, Gobu?" Lucas asked, his voice low but firm.


    The goblin¡¯s posture was hunched, and his words were heavy with hesitation. "I ask for your wisdom, Master. Some of my people wish for a council, for all of us to have a say in how things are governed. They say I am too close to you to truly lead them."


    Lucas narrowed his eyes. A council? The goblins want more power? He knew that giving them a voice could fracture his control. Yet, at the same time, he understood the importance of unity. Gobu¡¯s leadership could falter if there was constant rebellion, even if it was subtle.


    "I will consider your request," Lucas said after a long pause. "But do not mistake my generosity for weakness. I will not allow any challenge to my rule. You will remain Overseer, but understand this: Your position is because I trust you. Do not allow your people to forget that."

 Chapter 12

    The following days were filled with tension. Gobu did his best to maintain order among the goblins, but the seeds of discontent had already been planted. Some of the older goblins, including a few of the six chiefs, began to voice their displeasure more openly. They had lived as leaders of their respective tribes for years, and the idea of answering to one of their own who was now an emissary of Lucas felt like a betrayal.


    "What gives Gobu the right to rule over us?" one of the elders muttered. "We were chiefs before he was ever chosen. Why should we bow to his title?"


    Others whispered of rebellion, a faction rising to challenge Gobu¡¯s leadership. Perhaps we should leave, return to our villages, and carve out our own future, they murmured. If Gobu insists on being the Overseer under the automaton''s control, we will have no choice but to rise up.


    Lucas, ever watchful, had heard the rumblings of dissent. He knew he had to act swiftly to prevent the situation from escalating. The goblins, though under his protection, were beginning to question their position in the world. If left unchecked, their rebellion could lead to full-scale defection or worse¡ªan uprising that would threaten his authority.


    Late one night, Lucas summoned Gobu to the dungeon''s main chamber. Gobu arrived, his face solemn, as if he knew what was coming.


    "Great Master," Gobu said, bowing low, "I have tried to maintain order, but I fear I am losing control over my people. They question my authority, and some are calling for rebellion."


    Lucas studied him, his expression unreadable. "You are my Overseer, Gobu. You were chosen for a reason, and your loyalty is unquestionable. But your people are restless, and I understand why. You cannot rule through fear alone."Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Gobu¡¯s eyes lowered. "What should I do, Master?"


    Lucas stepped forward, placing a hand on the goblin¡¯s shoulder. "You need to show them that you are their leader, not just my puppet. You must make them understand that their place here is by my will, and by your strength."


    Lucas paused, allowing his words to sink in. "But if you fail... I will step in myself, and you will not like the consequences."


    The following day, Gobu called for a meeting of the goblin chiefs. He was determined to regain control over his people, but he knew this would be a turning point. As the chiefs gathered around, their expressions were skeptical, their eyes filled with doubt.


    "I am your Overseer," Gobu began, his voice firm despite the tremor of uncertainty. "And I lead by Master''s will. But I also lead for the good of our people. The Master does not wish us harm; he offers us protection. But we must earn it, by showing loyalty and discipline."


    One of the chiefs spoke up, his tone sharp. "And what of the others? The ones who believe we should leave? Should we just stand by and follow you while you bend to the automaton''s every command?"


    Gobu¡¯s heart raced, but he stood tall. "I do not bend to the automatons," he replied, his voice steady. "I serve him because it benefits us all. If you cannot see that, then I will have no choice but to act. The Master has given us a chance, and I will not let it slip away."


    The room was silent, the weight of Gobu¡¯s words hanging in the air.


    After a long moment, the chiefs reluctantly nodded. They had seen Gobu¡¯s resolve, and despite their frustrations, they knew he was the leader they had, whether they liked it or not.


    Lucas watched from the shadows, his mind racing with the knowledge that Gobu¡¯s success or failure would dictate the future of his empire. This is bad, I should have thought of this.The goblins had made their choice¡ªfor now. But the test was not over.


    Gobu, despite his insecurities, had proven his loyalty once again. He had quelled the unrest, but Lucas knew that in the future, there would be other challenges¡ªother leaders to contend with. The power struggle among the goblins would not end so easily.


    For now, Lucas allowed them to settle into their roles. But he knew the balance of power was fragile, and as long as Gobu remained his Overseer, Lucas would be watching carefully for there is something coming.

 Chapter 13

    It had been some time since Lucas¡¯s transmigration into this strange and perilous world. What had begun as a survival struggle had transformed into something far more complex¡ªan empire, a power that he was steadily building within the depths of his dungeon.


    Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months. Each passing day brought new challenges, but also new opportunities. The goblins, initially suspicious of Lucas and his automatons, had slowly come to understand the benefits of his protection. They were learning the value of tribute, and Lucas had used their offerings wisely, expanding and fortifying his domain. His automatons, too, were growing¡ªnot just in number but in strength, skill, and purpose.


    From an initial batch of 28 automatons, Lucas now commanded 105. The rapid growth of his force was a testament to the success of his plans and the resources he had at his disposal. It wasn''t just the automatons that were flourishing, however. His dungeon, once a modest hideaway, had now transformed into a sprawling and formidable structure¡ªan underground fortress that could rival some of the greatest strongholds in the world.


    The goblins, whose once chaotic and fragmented tribes had been united under Lucas¡¯s banner, now offered their weekly tributes with unwavering loyalty. In exchange, Lucas had promised them protection and a future¡ªa life that, though under his command, was still better than the harsh existence they had once known. And with each tribute, Lucas¡¯s power grew.


    The dungeon itself was now a labyrinthine network of chambers, each more secure and strategic than the last. It was divided into five main chambers, each designed with both function and defense in mind.


    The First Chamber: The Hall of Tribute


    The first chamber was a large, open space at the dungeon¡¯s entrance. It was where the goblins came to offer their weekly tribute¡ªgoods, ores, and other materials that they scavenged or produced. Here, they could also speak with Lucas, should the need arise. The chamber was heavily guarded, with 20 automatons stationed at key points along the walls. The presence of so many automatons in one space was intentional. It was a show of strength, a message that Lucas was not someone to be trifled with. Any would-be challengers would think twice before attempting to disrupt the peace.


    "Twenty automatons at the entrance, Lucas," said one of his trusted commanders, an automaton who had grown particularly skilled in organizing the defenses. "We have the strength to hold any force that dares approach."If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Lucas nodded, his eyes scanning the chamber from his vantage point above. "Good. Keep the perimeter secure. We can''t afford any surprises."


    The first chamber also served as a place where Lucas could observe the goblins as they approached, assessing their loyalty and any subtle signs of dissent. He needed to remain vigilant¡ªwhile many had pledged their loyalty, Lucas knew how easily allegiances could shift in such a volatile world.


    The Second, Third, and Fourth Chambers: Training Grounds and Crafting Halls


    Beyond the first chamber lay the second, third, and fourth chambers. These were more specialized in function. The second chamber was used primarily for training the automatons, helping them grow stronger and more capable of handling different tasks and challenges. Lucas had long realized that brute strength alone wouldn¡¯t be enough to maintain control over his dungeon. He needed to create an army that could think, adapt, and respond to threats on its own. Each automaton was trained in combat tactics, group coordination, and even basic survival instincts¡ªskills that would be crucial if his plans were to succeed.


    "Lucas, the training is progressing faster than expected," said another automaton, who served as the head of training. "The soldiers are learning to fight together in formations. Soon, they''ll be able to face larger groups without faltering."


    "That''s good to hear," Lucas replied, though his mind was already drifting toward the future. "But we must push harder. We need them to be ready for anything."


    The third chamber had become the heart of Lucas¡¯s weapon production. While the goblins had their own crude methods of crafting, Lucas was attempting to replicate their processes, albeit with greater efficiency and quality. His observations of the goblins had given him a unique understanding of their crafting techniques, which he was now using to create better tools, armor, and weapons for his growing army of automatons. This chamber was filled with anvils, forges, and benches, and the sounds of metal being shaped and sharpened echoed throughout the area. It was a place of industry and productivity, one that would play a crucial role in the future of Lucas¡¯s dungeon.


    "Lucas, I''ve started to perfect the design of a new type of weapon," a particularly clever automaton said as it approached Lucas, carrying a newly forged sword. "It¡¯s stronger and lighter than the old models. It should give your soldiers a significant advantage."


    Lucas examined the weapon with interest. "Good work. We¡¯ll need as many of these as we can get."


    The fourth chamber was used for more specialized purposes. Here, Lucas worked on refining the layout of the dungeon, adding traps and defense mechanisms to ensure that any intruders would have no chance of breaching the deeper chambers. He had already begun experimenting with ways to harness magic or other resources to reinforce the dungeon¡¯s defenses. Though it was still in its early stages, the chamber held great potential¡ªonce fully developed, it would make his dungeon nearly impenetrable.

 Chapter 14

    As Lucas surveyed the dungeon from the high platforms, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a surge of accomplishment. His vision was finally taking shape¡ªwhat had once been a mere idea was now a reality. The dungeon had grown far beyond what it was when he first arrived, its defenses fortified, and its capabilities enhanced. The automatons, now far more numerous and formidable, were more than ready for any challenge. The goblins, once unruly and chaotic, had learned to work under his leadership. They willingly offered their tributes, understanding the value of their allegiance. Lucas¡¯s creations had become a force to be reckoned with, and his dungeon had transformed from a shelter into a well-oiled machine.


    The weapons stored in the armory were now of a much higher quality than when the goblins had first arrived. While they were not the finest weapons in the world, they were leagues ahead of the crude tools the goblins had once used. Lucas had worked hard to improve them, ensuring that his forces were well-equipped for any battle that might arise.


    As he ran his fingers over the edge of one of the old, worn weapons, a thought crossed Lucas¡¯s mind. Why did the goblins attack me in the first place? The initial confrontation had left a deep mark on him, and the memory of the goblins'' ferocity still lingered. The goblins he commanded now were different¡ªsubdued, loyal, and cooperative¡ªbut those first attackers had been far more savage. What had caused that violent outburst?


    His thoughts were interrupted by the sight of the old weapons that once belonged to the goblins. They were crude, made from bones and sharpened stones, the remnants of their primitive ways. But there, among the collection, he noticed something that caught his eye¡ªa set of weapons far more advanced than anything the goblins had ever crafted.


    Lucas¡¯s curiosity turned to suspicion as he examined the weapons in detail. They were different¡ªcleaner, sharper, and much more dangerous. There was something eerily familiar about them.


    He suddenly realized where he had seen such weapons before. They were the weapons of the Lake Drifters, a notorious group that had been a constant thorn in the side of the goblins. They were ruthless, feared by all who lived in the surrounding areas. Lucas had heard rumors about them before, but never had he expected to find their weapons here, in his very dungeon.


    With a furrowed brow, Lucas ordered one of the automatons to fetch Gobu. It was time to get some answers.


    Moments later, Gobu entered the chamber, bowing respectfully to the automaton that had summoned him. His usual confidence seemed tempered with a hint of unease. The tension in the air was palpable.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    "You asked for me, Master?" Gobu inquired, his voice steady but cautious.


    Lucas nodded, his gaze fixed on the weapons in the automaton''s hands. He spoke through another automaton, the one he had trained to communicate for him. "These weapons¡ªdo you recognize them?"


    Gobu turned his gaze toward the weapons being presented before him. His eyes narrowed as he carefully inspected them, his expression betraying a mix of recognition and discomfort.


    "Master," Gobu said slowly, his voice tinged with dread, "these... belong to the Lake Drifters."


    Lucas''s eyes hardened. "The Lake Drifters? How were you able to get your hands on these?"


    Gobu hesitated for a moment before answering, his voice dropping lower. "I¡ª... I do not know, Master. We have never had these weapons before. They were taken from... from those who came before us. They were the ones who oppressed us, the ones who left us with nothing. But now... Master, we should not let these weapons be seen by the others."


    Lucas raised an eyebrow. "Why?"


    Gobu looked around nervously, lowering his voice even further. "Because, Master, these weapons... they are a symbol of our past. The Lake Drifters were the ones who forced our kind into servitude, and if the other goblins learn that we have their weapons, they will think we are allied with the Lake Drifters. They will rebel¡ªthey will believe we are betraying them, and that would lead to chaos."


    Lucas absorbed Gobu¡¯s words with growing concern. His mind raced as the implications of this discovery settled in. A rebellion was the last thing he needed right now. The goblins had already pledged their loyalty to him, and any spark of doubt could be enough to ignite a flame of dissent. He could not afford to lose control¡ªnot now, not when everything was so carefully balanced.


    Lucas leaned back, his fingers steepled in thought. The goblins were already on edge, their loyalty fragile at best. He had given them protection and stability, but that could all be undone with a single misstep. If word got out that these weapons, the very tools of their former oppressors, were now in his hands¡ªhow would they view him? Would they still see him as their protector, or as a potential tyrant, a new Lake Drifter in disguise?


    "I see," Lucas said after a long pause, his tone firm. "I will make sure no one else sees these weapons. We cannot risk suspicion or doubt spreading. Keep this matter quiet, Gobu. If word gets out, it could ruin everything we''ve built."


    Gobu bowed deeply, grateful for his master¡¯s understanding. "Of course, Master. I will make sure of it."


    Lucas¡¯s gaze lingered on the weapons for a moment longer before he turned to leave. His mind was still racing, but he knew that maintaining control of his dungeon and his forces was now even more crucial than before. The peace he had fought so hard to establish could easily slip away if he wasn''t careful. The growing tension among the goblins had to be addressed, and soon.


    But for now, Lucas had made his decision. The weapons of the Lake Drifters would remain hidden, their history erased from the minds of the goblins under his rule. And in the shadows, far beneath the surface, new threats were already beginning to stir.