Pawline's mind snapped back into her body. The pain was gone, but something new was there, around her head. She felt its edges, the circular formation of fur buzzing like the purring of a second, unseen cat. She felt the pulse it emitted, but there was no noticeable effect. Was this the Crown of the Cat?

"Mutation!", a voice whispered in her mind, soft and slow. "Congratulations!"

"Lazerpointer, is that mew?", she mentally spoke in amazement. Her strange ball could talk to her now? She knew it was alive, but now that they were bonded, they could actually communicate. She purred in excitement.

*Self Purr-fecting has reached level 2!

*Self Purr-fecting has generated 4 xpurr. Current xpurr: 24/100.

That was nice! The Cattess was right about it being unnecessary to spend Killpoints on expurrience. It already gave her 4 points and it was only level 2! Of course the Cattess was right, she knew a lot of things after all!

"Yes, it's Lapo. Lapo is happy to talk to you, partner.", it whispered.

"What are you? Why can you talk? Why do I feel the cavern?", she asked.

"I cannot feel it, you're the guide. I am a symbiont core, the first of a kind. And you are a dungeon pillar, also the first of a kind. Queen of cats, blind wrath. We unite for greatness!"

"Guide? Wait, doesn't wrath mean anger? Oh right, the dogs.", she hissed in rage.

"Look at my screen. I dance in joy at finally being a true dungeon core."

"You have a screen too? I have one, but it hurts me a lot when I select things...", she began excitedly, but her tone dropped when she remembered it.

"Pain is not from the System, but from your body changing. Give me your mind whenever you mutate, I'll shield you."

"Really? You're a good ball!", she declared.

"Dungeon core, not ball."

"You look like a ball to me, so you're a ball.", she said in a tone that brooked no argument.

"Observe, partner.", Lazerpointer said, its mind retreating back into itself. She followed it, sinking her senses into the ball. She saw the dungeon status screen, which was much shorter than her own. It had no floors, no monsters, and she was the only creature present, and the most important. Of course she was; she was a cat, after all! Lazerpointer began clicking on every one of the items in the status page, expanding them with more information.

*Name: Lapo The Blind Core.

Your personal name is Lapo, and your dungeon name is the Blind Core. This name is what you'll be known by, so do not share your personal name to anyone but your closest allies.

*Title: Symbiont Progenetor.

You are the first dungeon in history to have formed a unique bond with another creature, letting it develop your missing senses and starting a connection that empowers the two of you. For this, you are the Progenetor. All temnplate costs will be reduced by 50%, and creatures will feel your unique presence, making them more receptive to being your followers.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

*Floors: 0.

You haven't built any floors. Floors consist of areas to travel, monsters and beasts, and ecosystems of danger and opportunity. Each floor has a powerful guardian at its end, drastically empowered but unable to leave the floor.

Monsters: 0.

You haven't built any monsters to defend your dungeon. You currently have 1 free template available. Click here to access the dungeon shop for monster templates to buy, based on your elements.

*Contracts: Contract of Symbiosis with Princess Pawline.

You have no contract with any living creature except your pillar, your symbiont. Dungeon cores find creatures and convince them to work for them and become their denizens, in exchange for energy and advancement opportunities. Creatures include spirits, beasts, and sapient life.

*Yaz: 1000 Iron, 10000 Silver.

Yaz is the energy generated by significant etheric activity. Its presence is beneficial for the dungeon's ecosystem as a whole, allowing it to stabilize and grow. However, its presence is short-lived, lasting longer the higher its rank. Mercury Yaz lasts the shortest, and Lead lasts the longest. You may focus Yaz when forming a monster or contracting with a creature to improve their advancement and quality.

*Dungeon points: 1400.

Dungeon points are used to buy monster templates from the shop. They are gained by receiving adventurers and letting them clear the dungeon, and all activities that generate Yaz.

*Elements: Hostile Humans, Cats.

Dungeon elements are the affinities of a dungeon core. They naturally attract appropriate creatures and monsters, as well as determine the monsters you have access to from the shop, alongside dungeon achievements.

*Mentally summon your symbiont's status screen.

That was interesting.

"What is this Yaz thingy?"

"Monsters and Harmonic Beasts generate it when mutating and evolving. It's an energy that benefits the rest of the living creatures in a dungeon and signals to all nearby that an evolution has occurred."

"Wait, so it came from me when I mewtated my crown?"

"Yes, and quite a lot of it too! I'll see my options in the dungeon shop and use this Yaz on whatever I get..."

But something happened. She looked up, seeing a cloud of light floating in the sky. Light from the ball surged up, flying into the cloud above. Some other lights mixed in, and a weaker cloud fed into it.

"My first monster does not need any points to buy, it seems.", Lazerpointer whispered. Pawline was mesmerized by the lights that were changing, twisting into new shapes. They solidified, and fel onto the ground. It was odd. A translucent human-looking thing with an angry expression on its face. It was riding a green cat. Were they one creature or two? The thing spoke.

"Formed by your will, I bend to your will. All humans against you shall fall down by my hands and claws. And if they are stronger than me, then I will reform stronger!", it wailed. This wasn't a normal monster, and both Pawline and the dungeon core could feel it deep in their bones. All that Yaz energy had made it much more powerful than it would have normally been. A system message rang across their minds.

*Congratulations! Your elements and the Yaz inside your unformed domain have formed a unique monster known as a Wanderer. Wanderers are as strong as boss monsters, but they are bound to no floor. Instead, they're tied to their master's existence. If they are destroyed, they'll reform from any energy available, be it Yaz or the Ether that symbolizes dungeon points themselves. Each tenth floor will open up a new wanderer slot.

*Avenger Catrider: Tier1 wanderer. A humanoid ghost riding atop a feline steed, this monster's basest instinct is to seek out humans who hurt dungeon cores and end them. With a cat's agility and stealth, and a ghost's intangibility, this creature is formidable indeed. It has the notable ability [Human Detection], which allows it to perceive all humans nearby, no matter the attempts at stealth or obfuscation.

*When this monster's vessal is destroyed, all its memories and experiences will transfer to you, until a new body is formed from accessible energy nearby, repairing the monster. Throughout this process, you may spend additional dungeon points or Yaz to improve its stats.

*For creating a monster unique to your elements: you receive 200 dungeon points. For creating a Wanderer as a first monster on the first attempt, you gain 800 more dungeon points.

*Lapo's Status:

*Name: Lapo The Blind Core.

*Title: Symbiont Progenetor.

*Floors: 0.

*Monsters: 1 Wanderer.

*Contracts: Contract of Symbiosis with Princess Pawline, Wandering Avenger Catrider.

*Yaz: 0.

*Dungeon points: 2400.

*Elements: Hostile Humans, Cats.

*Mentally summon your symbiont's status screen.