I am jumping up and down hugging Takeshi, I did it. I made Daddy proud! I finally let Takeshi go and then fix the Kimono that Mommy summoned for me… It has a little bit of damage, but that should take care of itself. I however quickly cast clean to get the kobold blood off of it.
A voice then echoes out drawing my attention. It is the elder… I think his name is Draco… Daddy told me but I can’t remember for sure.
Draco: “Very interesting youngling. How could you handle even 12 crimson kobold brutes and elders with a single spell?”
Inari: “Well compared to Daddy’s training your trial was simple. Although it would have taken me at least another hour if it would have been just 2 rooms larger, but only so I could rest to refill my magic.”
Faron: “Well we are very curious about your… Daddy’s…. training methods.”
I am not quite sure what to say, but when I look back to Daddy one of the elders speaks.
Dyson: “Now I believe that means I win, as such I think matters concerning how the new cores are trained are my jurisdiction.”
Lucille: “You are not planning keeping her training methods secret even among us are you?”
Dyson: “Secret? Of course not, but there just isn’t any reason to bore you all with the details. After talking with Two-Twelve I do intend to begin using that method on the new cores starting next year.”
Draco: “I will be looking forward to your report on the matter.”
Madam Erin: “Matters between the elders can be settled later, for now let’s deal with the task at hand.”
Lucille: “She is right.”
Draco: “Very well. Dungeon Core #602 [Ivetta] and Dungeon Core #682 [Ysaac] If you will excuse yourselves to the waiting room we will deal with you later.”
The two new cores that the elders trained look nervous as they nod and head out of the room.
Faron: “Now Dungeon Core #2 [Caecillius] and Dungeon Core #514 [Ferox Marionette] Please join the others up here.”
After the two join Mira and me standing before the elders the big woman that seems really interested in Daddy begins to speak.
Madam Erin: “We asked for a new elder to breathe new life into the elders, and as much as we stubbornly tried to deny his suggestions. It appears Dyson was correct. As such I wish to congratulate you 4 on becoming the newest Dungeon Cores.”
She then steps down from the podium asking us to join her, she then rolls out a large piece of parchment on the table. It then appears to begin to grow, and doesn’t stop till it is more than just a map but a miniature of the entire continent.
Madam Erin: “Dungeon Core #2 [Caecillius] you first.”
The rat beastkin looks over the map then points to a barren land on the west coast of the map, he then disappears.
Madam Erin: “Dungeon Core #108 [Mira] you’re next.”
Mira steps forward almost pointing to the exact opposite of #2 heading disappearing heading to a small village on the east coast.
Madam Erin: “Dungeon Core #514 [Ferox Marionette] Your turn.”
I am a little confused my number is 245 so I should be next, so why is she having her go first… However what is more troubling is the creepy little girl points to the map not far away from Daddy’s dungeon as she disappears…
Madam Erin: “Dungeon Core #245 [Inari] now is your turn, but before you go I would like to have a word with you if that is alright.”
“Before I agree to anything, if I stay to listen to you, you have to let me take Takeshi with me.”
Madam Erin: “The map doesn’t quite work like that, but I am sure we can come to some kind of arrangement if he wishes to join you.”
The big lady leads me from the room, but as I leave I see the one called Dyson heads down from the podium and begins talking to Daddy and the others. She doesn’t lead me far from the room only just to the hallway.
She squats down to be at my level but I think even if she sat on the floor she would still be taller…
Madam Erin: “There are quite a few curious things about you I wish to ask you before you leave.”
“I will answer what I can, but Daddy told me to be careful with what I say.”
Madam Erin: “First off is your race, you look to be halfway between a feral beastkin and a normal beastkin, and the only other time I have ever seen such a thing was one of Two-Twelve’s boss monsters.”
“You mean auntie Roxy?”
Madam Erin: “Now, I seen Roxy before she became Two-Twelve’s boss monster and she was a normal beastkin. Two-Twelve said her change was a by-product of becoming his boss monster, so what I want to ask did he do the same to you?”
“I don’t understand…”
Madam Erin: “Is that the reason you are so strong. Did Two-Twelve make you one of his special boss monsters?”
“Of course not, I was born this way because Daddy and I are special.”
Madam Erin: “How are you both special?”
“Daddy wouldn’t want me to say thing else…”
Madam Erin: “Ok how about that special spell of yours.”
“I don’t have any special spells, they are all pretty normal…”
Madam Erin: “What you did with the orbs.”
“That’s not a spell. It’s a bunch of them.”
Madam Erin: “It was more than one spell then? Did it really use every element?”
“That is the way it works… It has to have an even amount of spells from each element. It is the special skill I got because I inherited Daddy’s special trait.”
Madam Erin: “Overlooking the fact that ignores the point everyone has one element they can’t cast. That must cost an extreme amount of magic…”
“Not as much as casting them separately, but it adds up quick… Thanks to Daddy’s training though I can use it quite a few times.”
Madam Erin: “My last question, Two-Twelve was different than other cores in almost every way. You seem to have gotten some of his traits, but are you like him or like a normal core?”
“I know everything a normal core knows, and also the things that make me special because of Daddy’s trait, so somewhere in between I guess?”
Madam Erin: “Two-Twelve was quite scary as it was… His lack of knowledge seemed to be the thing that balanced things out.”
“I can’t do all of what Daddy does. I can make boss monsters normally and they don’t evolve like Daddy’s do.”
Madam Erin: “So that’s what it is? His boss monsters evolve even if they are from races that don’t have an evolution path?”
Inari: “I can’t say anything more about Daddy’s dungeon.”
Madam Erin: “What about you then, are you an evolved form of a beastkin then?”
I take out my adventurer’s ID to show her.
Madam Erin: “Divine Beastkin, if that’s an evolved beastkin does that mean his mysterious Divine Being is an evolved human?”
“…”
Madam Erin: “Dyson wanted Two-Twelve’s training dungeon core to be a divine being so bad, he doesn’t like beastkin much you see, so the first divine dungeon core being a beastkin is going to really get under his skin.”
“But I am not the first… What about Da…”
Madam Erin: “Are you saying Two-Twelve is a Divine Being?”
Daddy is going to be mad at me, he didn’t tell me nobody knew about his race… He said he had an adventurer’s ID like Mommy so I thought they knew… I bow my head and don’t answer her, but even I know that is as much as confirming it…
Madam Erin: “I am also wondering about how you managed to reach level 14 during your training… That should be impossible for a training core.”
“Daddy already told Dyson how to do it, so ask him…”
Madam Erin: “So it wasn’t due to Two-Twelve’s unique nature, just his unique way of thinking then, so Dyson wasn’t lying he does plan to re-produce it?”
“Daddy loves humans like Mommy, but he also wants the new cores to be able to defend themselves against the mean ones.”
Madam Erin: “I guess that is all I have for now, would you mind if we talk again some time, I would like to be your friend like I am with Two-Twelve, I will even let you call me grandma if you want. Because I am sure Two-Twelve told you that I was the one that trained him.”
“He said Auntie Thirty-seven trained him, he just happened to be born in your dungeon.”
Madam Erin: “Fair enough…”
She the stands and looks like she is about to ruffle my hair but instead just lightly pats me on the back. She leads me back into the room and the Elder Dyson is still talking to Daddy. After reaching the map I know exactly where I want to go, but I have to do something first.
I run back to Daddy giving him a big hug. “I love you daddy. Take care of Mommy and Aunties for me.”
After letting go of Daddy I look at Takeshi. “Madam Erin said she will help you find me, so I guess I will see you soon.
Takeshi: “Understood, I will join you shorty… Inari…”
“You just?”
Takeshi: “Your training is over, so since you asked me to address you that way I thought I better get used to it.”
I quickly move over hugging Takeshi as well. “I will see you soon.” I then head back to Madam Erin and the large map.
Without any doubt in my mind I look for the large island off the northwesterly coast and point to a large temple right in the heart of the island.
After the sensation of being teleported I find myself standing in the middle of an abandoned temple… I thought Mommy said the Inari she took my name from was important in Shima… So why is the temple run down?
I look down at the message I have received.
New dungeon has been formed. 50,000xp obtained
Dungeon has utilized existing structure [Worn Shima Temple] -1000xp
Set Dungeon Core #245 Permanent name.
Small Polychromatic Spinel has been placed
[Worn Temple] added to available textures for 0xp extra cost.
Current xp consumption set as 1xp/7 days.
Well first thing is first Mommy gave me this name and I chose this location because of it and the stories Mommy told me, so.
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“Set name Inari”
Dungeon core #245’s name will permanently be set to Inari. Do you wish to proceed?
“Yes.”
Dungeon Core #245 [Inari] Now set
My small crystal seems to have taken root right in the middle of the temple, so I need to see what I got going on here to find out what I need to do next. Only the temple itself is part of my dungeon but there are quite a few outlying buildings on the grounds. I decide to spend xp on covering the entire grounds of the temple area costing me another 5000xp.
I go through the list of new items available to summon but they don’t appear to be anything extraordinary so I decide to have a better look around. I would have liked to have a bit more above ground, but I don’t want to make a tower type dungeon.
At least the temple is on top of a pretty good sized hill. I can’t see anything through the nearby forest, but if this is a temple there can’t be people to far away. The temple doesn’t appear to have had any visitors in quite some time however.
I find a small well that is on part of the area that I extended and decide to add another floor at the base of the well.
Warning! Placing [Sub-Level 1] permanently sets dungeon to build [Sub-Levels], and locks the ability to place floors above [Ground Floor]. Do you wish to proceed?
The temple appears to be on top of the biggest hill in the area that means everything is ground level or below so I won’t have any problems there, so I agree and my dungeon now has a second floor. I guess before I do too much building I need to add a core room, so after I do that I transfer to it.
Just under half of my xp to go, well I need to get the crystal out of the middle of the temple floor so I add a hallway at the bottom of the well without setting a texture it unlocked the cave texture. I make the cave tunnel about like Daddy’s but with the water at the bottom of the well I leave a path to one side creating an underground river.
Daddy told me during training when making a room to always utilize the full amount of a room even if you don’t need it that big, as you can always add a wall for a 100xp to make it smaller, but it would take 1000xp to make a new room or at least 500xp to make the room larger if you need to later.
I offset the room about 5ft lower than the cave, so when I connect the rooms with a small archway in the underground river the room fills with 5 ft. of water. On the walkway I add another connection to the room with a Shima style heavy wooden double door.
Using wood flooring I make a pathway above the water in the large room. Towards the back of the room I use stone wall to make a semi-circular floor that connects to the wooden pathway. I then add a few of the stone fox statues that were around the temple and another shrine right in the middle.
I then move my crystal into this new shrine at the bottom of the well. I add a few Shima style décor items along the two rooms and add accommodations to the core room. When it is all said and done I still have 20,000xp left over.
I don’t know if humans even come here anymore so I better save as much xp as possible. I clean up the temple with [Menu], but I can’t fix it up with it so I will have to fix it up by hand. That will have to wait as it was late when I arrived I am only minutes away from the start of the new day.
Adding no monsters or traps yet my xp consumption is still very low, but until I find out how far away the humans are I don’t want to risk rising to high. It is still so low that when midnight does hit no xp is removed, but a counter till next consumption is counting down till the end of the week.
That big lady, Madam Erin, promised she would get Takeshi to me, but as late as it is it doesn’t look like it will be tonight, so I settle into my bed. I only tried to snuggle up to Daddy and Mommy because I figured that’s what a normal child would do, but now that I don’t have the option any more I feel kind of lonely as I drift off to sleep.
I wake up with a jolt the next morning with an alarm about an intruder in the dungeon. Is it Takeshi? I jump out of bed casting clean on myself, and making sure I am presentable, but I don’t see Takeshi in the screen. Instead is a little old man walking across the stone pathway wearily towards the temple.
I decide to watch him for a while. He looks somewhat scared as he makes his way across the area and into the temple, I had to use a few candles and torches last night to see what I was doing. They have long since burnt out, but the old man seems interested in them.
He hobbles over to the shrine taking quite a while to kneel down to pray at the shrine. After getting back to his feet he checks a few more things and buildings rubbing his hand across several surfaces apparently noticing the lack of dust.
At his slow pace it seems to take half the day, but in reality it has only been about an hour. If he is really that slow, wouldn’t it taken him all night just to climb the hill to begin with? After seeming satisfied the man slowly hobbles back down the stairs leading down the hill.
Maybe I shouldn’t have cleaned everything last night… Well this is my home now, so why wouldn’t I? With still no word from Takeshi I decide to begin the work on making some repairs on the worn-out parts of the temple and grounds.
My magic isn’t much help with this kind of labor, and by the time noon rolls around Takeshi still hasn’t arrived so I decide to summon my boss monster.
Do you wish to procced to summon boss monster with 1000xp?
“Yes.”
The core room is filled with light. When the light fades a young fox beastkin man is kneeling in front of me. He is a bit younger then Takeshi, he looks to be around my age in appearance, unfortunately that means he isn’t as well-endowed as Takeshi either. He is kind of scraggily as well.
He also has quite a bit more fox like features then Takeshi, kind of like I do, but even with his silver ears, tail, and fur, his hair is short and coal black. I open his class screen seeing what is available. After looking over a few I decide on one and select it.
After that I select the relevant gear, summoning it but leaving it in the dungeon inventory, I do however equip him in a set of Shima clothing which appears to be a lot less detailed Kimono. I wonder if it is just because it was cheap clothing or if my kimono is the odd one.
“Well you are no Takeshi, but I guess you will have to do for now.”
Fox: “Is Master displeased with me?”
“Not displeased. You are at least a divine beastkin, so at least that is something.”
I open up his status page and it actually is pretty good, he is more of an offensive type where Takeshi is defensive, so if he can manage to catch up to Takeshi he will do quite a bit of damage.
“Alright, I guess we need to give you a name… How does Yuji sound?”
Set Boss Monster Divine Beastkin (Fox) name to Yuji?
“Yes.”
Boss Monster Divine Beastkin (Fox) name set to Yuji.
“Alright, I was in the process of fixing up this place, so why don’t you give me a hand.”
Yuji: “…Yes Mistress.”
After a few hours of working on fixing up the temple Yuji only talks when I ask him a question or tell him to do something. He never even tries to make conversation.
“You don’t talk much do you?”
Yuji: “Does Mistress wish for me to talk more?”
“I just thought you might want to know more about me, or at least what I expect from you.”
Yuji: “What I want is irrelevant. I just serve as Mistress directs.”
“Are all the monsters in Shima like this…? Daddy told me to take good care of my monsters so they take care of me, so it isn’t irrelevant. If you are happy in what you do then you will put more effort into it.”
Yuji: “Anything Mistress directs me to do I promise to put all my effort into.”
“…”
We continue our work in practically silence the rest of the afternoon. We barely made a dent in the repair work as the sun starts to set we can’t see to do much more.
One of the little buildings seems to be some kind of living quarters so once we are finished I tell Yuji he can sleep there and I head to the core room. I watch him in the screen and he heads directly to the bed lying down…
Takeshi still hasn’t arrived, I hope it doesn’t take him to long.
The next morning I receive another warning about intruders, this time I don’t get overly excited just checking my screen first. The same old man appears to have returned this time however there is another old man with him.
They speak in a language different then what the humans of the Gowen Kingdom speak, but unlike Daddy I can understand what they say just as easily. The man that has returned seems to be trying to convince the other one that he thinks there is something called an Oni here at the temple.
Old Man 2: “That is preposterous. Inari would never allow a Oni in her temple.”
Old Man: “Her shrine has gone neglected over the years maybe she has truly abandoned us now. The Oni stepping foot on the temple should be more than enough proof of that.”
Old Man 2: “If it was an Oni, why would it clean up the shrine? Look it even appears that some crude repairs have been made.”
Crude? I tried the best I could… that was rude.
Old Man: “How else do you explain it then?”
Old Man 2: “It is probably some criminal or vagabond that stumbled on the old temple and thought it would be a good place to lie low.”
There is a noise and the old men become skittish. I look at another screen and see Yuji as left his building and is heading to the temple. As the old men slowly move in to investigate I manage to pull Yuji to the core room just before he would have been spotted by the old men.
Yuji: “Mistress?”
“You almost walked right into them.” –I point at one of the screens.-
Yuji looks confused and I remember I haven’t giving him any access yet so I set it where he can use the basic functions of [Menu].
The old men appear a little worried now looking over the temple grounds.
Old Man: “You heard that too right?”
Old Man 2: “…Maybe it’s not an Oni but some kind of Yurei.”
After that old men leave as quickly as their old legs will carry them.
“Those old men can’t get far. There has to be a village near by or something. I want you to keep working on the temple today while I go down and investigate.”
Yuji: “But Mistress shouldn’t I go? If something were to happen to you…”
“A lot of good that will do, you’re only level 1.”
Yuji: “But Mistress!”
“I will be fine. Daddy taught me how to act around humans.”
After transferring back to the temple I wait till Yuji begins his work, I then follow the trail down the hill, in the direction the old men went. They are moving slowly enough I easily catch up with them before they reach the bottom of the hill so I hide out of sight following behind them.
Once at the bottom of the hill we reach a tall wall of timber that runs in both directions I can’t quite tell how far it goes. Once the old men reach the wall they call out and another man appears at the tall wall of timber.
After calling back and forth for a bit a gate opens allowing the men to pass the large timber wall… This might be a little harder than I thought. I don’t want to walk up to the gate right behind them so I make my way up to the wall and try to find another way in.
I am not quite sure how long I have been walking, but with everything looking the same the only way I know I haven’t made it all the way around is because I haven’t seen the path back up the hill. I haven’t even seen anything else resembling a gateway either.
This wall of timber could wrap Daddy’s town twice over… I finally see a break in the trees. I thought I made my way all the way around but this area doesn’t look familiar. This does appear to be another gate though complete with a road leading out from the timber wall into the forest.
Once I step onto the road I hear a voice calling down from the wall.
Man: “Hey! You there! What are you doing here?”
Daddy told me being an adventurer allows for a decent explanation for most situations so I decide to go with that. “I am a traveling adventurer.”
The gate begins to creak and open slowly, an older man walks out, and then gate is quickly shut again behind him.
Man: “Adventurer? Are you some kind of hero?”
“A hero? No, just a normal adventurer.”
Man: “We get quite a few adventurers though here, but never by themselves. You must be pretty strong to pass through the forest alone. You don’t look any older then my daughter though…”
“I am a mage of sorts.”
Man: “Your appearance is quite strange. I have heard of beastkin before, but I have never seen one before.”
“I thought you said you get quite a few adventurers here?”
Man: “Well yea but most of the adventurers are from Shima or come on a boat from Dailian.”
Dailian Kingdom is the place Mommy told me that still treats beastkin as monsters. If beastkin are really rare here maybe I should be a bit more cautious.
“I see…”
Man: “Well if you show me your adventurer’s ID we can head into town. I hate being outside the gates for too long.”
I am not sure what to do. Race should be ok because beastkin are rare here, but how am I going to explain my name or favored element, but before I have to think up something some of the trees begin to shake nearby.
Man: “Hey! HEY!! There are Oni out here! Let me back in!”
Two creatures that look like large red hobgoblins come crashing out of the forest from the direction I came from, each carrying a large club. There is a horn blowing from the other side of the gate while the man flails against the gate but it shows no sign of opening as the creatures charge this direction.
I don’t know what these “Oni” creatures are exactly but they look to be roughly the size an appearance of the hobgoblin hero other than their red skin. The man doesn’t look like he is going to be much help, so I will have to do what I can.
Without knowing their strength I decide it would be best not to pull any punches so I focus my magic summoning 12 multi colored fiery orbs. I decide to focus all 12 orbs into one of the creatures just to be on the safe side.
Most of the orbs don’t seem to affect it much but the two made with the light spells seem to devastate the creature and it collapses to the ground. Light seemed like the only effective method so no reason to waste magic so I instead begin using a [Bullet of Light] spell using the [Empowered Magic] skill I used my xp to learn during my last two weeks of training I power it as strong as I can get it.
The creature is right on top of me before the spell is fully charged making it easy to launch the spell directly at its face. The empowered spell erases the creature’s head, the body then stubbles collapsing to the ground with a crash.
The man finally calms down a bit looking a bit bloody and bruised just from his flailing at the gate.
Man: “Oh thank Inari… I thought we were goners for sure. You really must be a powerful adventurer to take on 2 Oni at once like that.”
“You’re welcome… Now, can we go into town before any more of them show up?”
Man: “What about their things, are you not going to collect it?”
“It only looks like they had them club things…”
Man: “I am not talking about the clubs, although they do sell for a pretty good price, I am talking about the tusks, liver, and heart I mean practically their entire bodies are used as some kind of alchemy reagents.”
“That is disgusting…”
Man: “Oh the number of Oni you had to of killed to make it through the forest alone… I wish I was the person who finds your trail…So you don’t mind if I?”
The fear he had before the Oni attacked and during has seemed to completely vanish after I tell him to help himself. He then moves over and begins cutting into the creatures. It isn’t long till the gate opens up and two more men come trotting out of the wall they begin to argue with the man and he seems adamant on staking a claim to the bodies…
“I guess I will just find my own way…”
The men ignore me as they have seemed to have come to some sort of agreement and the other two men begin cutting on the second body. I make my way through the open gate to find a well-built man dash up to me.
Chiseled-Man: “What is going on?! Why is the gate standing open?”
“I killed two Oni that attacked just outside the gate, the guards at the gate seem to be divvying up the spoils…”
Chiseled-Man: “Thanks for the help stranger.”
The man then bows to me then finishes his jog to the gate and begins yelling at the men outside.
Chiseled-Man: “What if you were overrun while playing around out there you idiots! How many times have I told you the gate cannot remain open for more than 10 seconds!”
The gate that looks like it would take several men to move is now swiftly slammed shut but the one well-built man. You can hear the panic begin on the other side of the gate as the 2 younger guards and 1 older guard seem to realize the situation they are in.
The well-built man however ignores their pleas until he climbs to the top of the wall peering out in the forest. After looking out for quite a while he then heads back down opening the gate. The three men then begin dragging the bodies inside past the gate then the man slams the gate shut again.
Chiseled-Man: “You idiots could have been killed! Worse yet you put the entire town at risk!”
I decide to leave them to their fate and head deeper into the town. The town isn’t quite what I expected, I thought it had to be much larger then Daddy’s town, but even the farms are within the wall making the buildings spread quite far apart. That must be why I was unable to see it from on top the hill.
I follow what seems to be the main path. Most of the villagers seem to do a double take when they see me. Like they were not interested but once they spotted my ears and tail they begin to stare. Everyone seems to be wearing kimonos as well, but none are quite as intricate as mine. Most don’t even appear to have half of the layers this one does…
Once I reach what I assume is the heart of the village it is only 4 large buildings. One looks to be an inn, another seems to be a smithy that is even better than the one at Daddy’s town, a third is a general store, and the last is a adventurer’s guild.