Chapter 2
Emelia sharply asked, “What do you mean, that's not how things are going to go?”
“This dungeon is going to be different from every dungeon you've probably ever seen before. First off, this dungeon has a purpose. I will be training the human adventurers, turning their puny forces into an epic fighting force. Towards that end, I will indeed have floors gradually increase in difficulty. This will be one of the few similarities with other dungeons. What will be different will be the enemies. You've seen the animals and monsters in my treasure rooms, and this is what will train the D through B-ranked adventurers. Starting with the A ranks, they will be fighting demons.”
“NOOOOO,” Emelia screamed, “if we become a demonic dungeon, the churches will kill us for sure. You're not just going to get yourself killed, you're going to get me killed as well.”
“Well for starters, now you know why I have 11 shields surrounding my core, one for each of the elemental magics capable of making shields. I'll also help you create a shielded area for yourself, should you ever need to hide. You have to understand, Emelia, I've had only two goals my entire life, and I've already accomplished the first. All that's left is my vengeance. The Demon and Devil Plane will be destroyed, I will be the instrument of their demise, and the humans will be my tool. Only the greed of the humans will allow me to control powerful armies to achieve my goal, as apparently the higher realms can't be counted upon for help. Now, you've told me how to accumulate Dungeon Points, but you haven't told me why breaking down matter and killing living creatures grants them. And you haven't told me how to use them.”
Emelia, now calmed down, started using her teaching voice again: “Using Dungeon Points is simple; every time you make a monster or addition to your dungeon, Dungeon Points will be automatically deducted, based on the complexity and power of your creation. Remember, dungeons are all about entropy. Every time you break down and absorb matter, entropy is increased. Every time a living body dies within you, entropy is increased. The gods created the System, and the System is only able to detect the increases in entropy within your body. For every 1.0 unit of entropy you create, you are rewarded with 0.7 units of Dungeon Points, or 0.7 units of negative entropy, by the gods. They take a 30 percent tax on the entropy you create, and everything is settled. Eventually, dungeons will be the instrument of the universe's demise, but that's not something you need to worry about for hundreds of billions of years.”
“Wow, that's a lot to take in. You mean, the ultimate goal of the gods is to destroy the universe? And we dungeons are the tools they've decided to utilize? Sounds more like the goals of the devils rather than the gods.”
Emelia responded, “The gods have different priorities than mortals, and this specific issue has something to do with balance and maintaining the multiverse. Don't bother asking, since I don't really understand it myself.”
Emelia continued, “Now, there are three important things I haven't mentioned. First, the levels. Each level represents an evolution of yourself. More importantly, the levels determine how many floors you can have. For the first ten levels, each level allows you to have another floor. Other perks will come with higher levels, and this will be made clear to you. Trying to extend to having another floor without the appropriate level simply won't work. This is really just a restriction created by the gods to make sure you waste Dungeon Points and thus decrease entropy waste. Second, there is a third way of getting Dungeon Points, besides absorbing matter and killing living beings. You will passively receive DP's off every sapient being that is in your dungeon, which explains why dungeons offer loot: dungeons want to be as popular as possible. It's all a balance between trying to kill as many beings as possible and still attracting said beings to come to your dungeon.”
Dorn mused out loud, “Hmmm, this confirms a theory I've long had about dungeons. Why do dungeons frequently have areas for mining? The metals have to be continually replenished, costing the dungeons energy, but the miners are very infrequently killed. This is considered a paradox in the human world, but now it makes sense. This is very good, and will work nicely with two of my plans.”
Emelia looked worried and asked, “Do I even want to know what these plans are?”
Dorn honestly replied, “Probably not, but once you get used to the ideas, they will make a lot of sense.”
Emelia took a deep breath and told Dorn, “Alright, hit me with your strange ideas for a dungeon.”
Dorn looked closely at Emelia, before responding, “The first floor will be a simple entrance hall. No danger whatsoever. It will be well decorated and have steles that explain what my dungeon is, what each floor is, and what the purpose of my dungeon is. I know you don't think I should announce to the world that I'm sapient, but I believe I am safe enough behind my shields and that this will galvanize the people to come to my dungeon.”
“Alright, fine, I can live with that. Are you sure you don't want any monsters or traps? It's bizarre to have a dungeon floor without danger.”
“Well, then you're really not going to like the idea that my first three floors will not have any dangers at all,” Dorn said.
“Why? Why could you possibly want three floors without danger? Seriously, are you trying to build a dungeon or a resort… wait a minute. You're not building a resort are you?” Emelia asked.
“Not exactly; I'm trying to get people to come live in my dungeon. This has always been my plan, and you telling me that I can passively obtain DP's off of the beings within my dungeon only further cemented the idea in my head. The first floor will be the entrance hall, the second floor will be for D level housing, and the third floor will be for D level mining. Four of the common metals, iron, copper, tin, and aluminum will be available as replenish-able resources, as well as a quarry for stone, both granite and basalt. Although, since it's impossible to smelt aluminum, I don't really know what the purpose is.”
“Actually, aluminum is smelt-able, it's just very difficult, and even the dwarves can't do it. And aluminum is a very useful metal; it's the perfect material for both containers and large machinery. But that's only seen in the Higher Realm, so it's not really relevant.”
Continuing on while ignoring Emelia, Dorn said, “The training will begin with floor four. Floors four through nine will be training for the D4 through D9 cultivators, respectively. And floor ten will be the boss of the D floors; this floor will be a test that will serve in place of the imprecise adventurer's guilds' exams that adventurers usually use to advance. Pass through level 10 and you are a C-rank adventurer. To avoid parties carrying unworthy but wealthy individuals through these floors, the first half of each boss floor will be solo tests that cater to each type of adventurer, whether it be rogue, tank, warrior, ranger/scout, healer, or mage. After every member of a party has passed his or her solo test (or failed or died), they will re-group to fight a boss monster. As for what comes after floor 10, I haven't decided yet. There definitely won't be only 10 floors per class, as while that will allow for enough floors for the D and C-ranked cultivators, it will not be sufficient for the A through SS-ranked ones. There will, however, be a mixed solo and party boss floor that serves as a dividing line between each group of floors, and each of these 'test' floors will be followed by a more appealing living area.”
“Explain 'more appealing' living areas,” Emelia said.
“I will as soon as you tell me what that third important thing is,” Dorn replied.
“Huh?”
“Earlier, you said there were three more important things you needed to tell me, but we got sidetracked after the first two.”
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Emelia thought hard, and then brightened, before saying, “Oh yeah. The Dungeon Store. Once you get to level five, you will gain access to the Dungeon Store. Anything and everything you could possibly want is available through the Dungeon Store. Resources, plants, animals, monsters, all are available there for purchase, as well as all sorts of critical, dungeon-specific abilities. Or at least, some basic versions in each of those categories will be available. At level ten, we will unlock the auction function; there's a yearly auction that you and I will virtually attend along with all other level ten and above dungeons from all of the populated planets in the Lower Realm. Every year, the gods will offer high value items for the dungeons to bid on, preceded by the dungeons putting up resources for bidding, either in the form of an item's pattern or functional units of an item. The Dungeon Store and the annual auction are how some dungeons seem to have flora and fauna that do not belong to the area that they reside within.”
Dorn mused, “Fascinating. While on one hand it seems like an obvious DP grab by the gods, it also really helps serve the function of assisting dungeons in growing.”
Emelia deadpanned, “Yes, fascinating. Now, tell me what you meant by more appealing housing following each test floor.”
“Ha! Found my ideas interesting, didn't you? You're getting drawn in, and you're complaining about my strange ideas less.”
“Would you just hurry the fuck up and tell me, before I bash your crystal in?”
“Can't, I'm a perfect diamond, immune to physical damage.”
“Are you immune to psychological damage?” Emelia asked sweetly.
Suddenly coughing, despite not having a throat, Dorn decided to quickly continue: “I will answer your question; just don't do anything precipitous.”
“I won't, because I have no idea what that word means,” Emelia stated proudly.
Dorn refrained from commenting or explaining. He just continued, “I will be building a limited number of dwellings in each of the housing floors. The D level housing will only get a rudimentary, dungeon-run inn and a communal church. Everything else will have to be built by the residents. The inn will be a way to earn money off of the adventurers, and the church will be there to hopefully alleviate some of the fears the churches will have of my dungeon, due to it containing demons and devils. As the adventurers reach higher and higher levels of housing, more and more amenities will be pre-built by me, meaning they will have a higher quality than even that which the greatest of artisans and crafters could build. By the time I get to the S level housing, a fully functional city will be built, with state of the art facilities, including illusions on the ceiling to project the sky with illusionary stars, moons, clouds, and the sun. It will also have store fronts for shops as well as smithies, smelters, alchemy and enchanting workshops. There will be entertainment facilities, including a great Colosseum that fighters from the lower-ranked floors can visit to watch fights or participate in, making money. Finally, the S level housing will have private villas for every resident that makes it there.”
“I can see it! It's a great way of motivating the people to work hard and increase their rank, because the tangible results of strength will be right before their eyes. By visiting the Colosseum, they will get experience fighting against each other in groups or singly; it will serve to keep the residents' minds off the fact that they live in a dungeon. You will be able to rake in the DP's. Genius!” exclaimed Emelia.
“I know. I was a 3,000 year old dragon; I didn't spend the time twiddling my non-existent thumbs and fucking around. Now, let's get the first floor entrance hall going. After all this talking, you still haven't told me how to actually build the dungeon,” Dorn complained.
Emelia sighed before muttering, “Ah, it's going to be a very long eternity, isn't it?”
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Kiera didn't like her new okra farm. It was too plain. In every direction, the land was flat, as far as the eye could see, with no interesting hills or mountains to break up the monotony. There was only the one, lonely mountain that seemed to stick out of the land like an enormous tooth. It was about thirty miles south of the farm. How does a single, giant mountain show up in the middle of unending plains, wondered Kiera. She figured that magic must be responsible in some fashion.
This land, to the southeast of the capital city of Khal, Khal City, was owned by Duke Hallowedlash. His territory extended both south and east from Khal city, but the okra farm marked its most southeastern corner. Therefore, the mountain was technically only owned by the monarchy. Anyways, his lands were famous for overworking workers; in fact, if it wasn't for the fact that she had been through most of the other farms in Khal, she would never have come here. Supposedly, Duke Hallowedlash was coming to visit his lands soon, and she would be required to go hear the noble speak. She wondered what such a man would be like, someone who cared more about his vegetables than the lives of human beings.
Kiera was working in her line by planting okra seeds in the freshly tilled soil, done by some Earth mages. Kiera's eyes had been green with envy watching the mages work the land. If there was one thing Kiera wished for, it was the knowledge of how to use her Chi cultivation and manifest some magic. As she bent over to bury some more seeds, the person across from her, an older woman named Therese, started speaking to her,
“Hey, Kiera, you see that mountain over there?”
“Yeah, what about it?” asked Kiera.
“They say that a silver dragon lives there.”
Kiera just snorted. What were the chances of there existing a silver dragon in the weakling Khal kingdom. Most dragons lived on the Central Fantisa continent, not here in East Lucenia. And of all things, a rare Space magic dragon. Kiera replied with scorn, “Yeah, right, and I'm the secret, illegitimate daughter of Duke Hallowedlash.”
“No, it's true; I've met the farmers who say they've seen it flying up in the sky,” replied Therese.
Kiera just ignored her, continuing to plant her okra seeds. Unfortunately, Therese didn't stop babbling.
“They say dragons are horrible, vicious monsters who only like to kill things with their powerful breaths and eat people.”
At this, Kiera just had to respond, “If that's the case, why hasn't it come and decimated these lands, eating all the farm workers?”
“Because we'd be too stringy for it; we'd get caught in its teeth,” said Therese before breaking out in a mad cackle.
Kiera shook her head, focusing on her work.
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“Hi there, Kiera, you sure are pretty today,” said the fifteen year old farmer kid named Coyne. She knew that he didn't mean it as anything more than what he said. The kid was born wrong and had never developed normally. As such, Kiera obviously didn't take any offense.
“Hi Coyne, thanks for the compliment. How was your day?”
“I saw that silver dragon today; it was so scary,” replied Coyne.
Jeez, what is it with these farmers and that stupid rumor of a dragon. Becoming more curious, she asked, “Hey Coyne, has anyone ever headed over to that mountain to meet the dragon?”
“Oh yes, but they never come back. The dragon is awfully mean, always eating people.”
Curious, Kiera went over and found the kid's mom, saying, “Hey, Therese, has anyone ever gone to check out if there's really a dragon in that mountain?”
Therese cackled, before saying, “Why would anyone in their right mind go to a dragon's lair? No one goes there, since there's a dragon.” She said it like it was the most obvious fact in the world.
Kiera just laid down on the dirt floor for the night, thinking. Tomorrow is another day of planting seeds. Eventually, we'll get to maintain the plants for summer, before harvesting in the fall. So exciting.
Kiera, mastered in the art of bottling up her feelings, started to tear up a little. Is this really all that's left for me in this world? Maybe I should give adventuring another go. I am a C2 rank Chi cultivator now. Maybe someone would give me an application book and then I could finally use my strength.
Kiera sighed, knowing how untenable that plan was. She had no money, no appreciable skills, no talent. She was stuck in a path in life she didn't know how to escape. She laid on the ground, huddled up with the other female farm workers, as the spring had cold nights.
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“So you ever going to settle down with a man and have some babies?” asked Therese.
“Ugh, why does that have to be a thing? I'm still young, with all my future ahead of me. Why would I blow that by settling down with a random farmer and pushing out a couple of brats?” asked Kiera with scorn.
“Cuz that's what people do,” replied Therese.
“And are you happy with that life?” asked Kiera.
“What does being happy have to do with anything? Since when does life owe you happiness?”
Kiera fiercely responded, “You're right, life doesn't owe you anything. That's why you have to take what you want, grab the bull by the horns. And what I want from life is much more than marrying a random farmer and having kids.”
Therese just shook her head, saying, “Sometimes, you have to face up to reality. Look around Kiera; this farm is it for us. There is nothing to grab by the horns for us farmers. You need to make the best of the life you have, not the one you dream about. Because, honey, I have some news. You're never going to have anything else than this life.”
Kiera didn't respond. She just silently thought, No. You're wrong. I will have a different life; I will not stay here. Maybe I'll go live with that silver dragon over in the mountain. At this thought, Kiera snorted. Then she went back to planting more okra seeds. She looked forward to the afternoon, when she would be able to go see the Nature mages fertilize the land, boosting the sprouting and growth of the new okra plants, followed by the Water mages creating artificial rain.