Chapter 28

5 days remaining… Maybe…

“Teacher, stop doing that.” Frizzy deadpanned.

“Doing what?” Jack said, caressing his hands with one another. not really paying attention as he was currently fantasizing what goodies he might find with his mile stone upgrade.

It somewhat surprised him that level three was considered a milestone for a dungeon. Then again, he was in a particularly strange position since he was on the path to become a god of some kind. He still needed to look into that but now was not the time, there were other thing that were a little more urgent than his evolution. Like the invading army, making sure that his trade didn’t die out, rebuild a lost society, and maybe reclaim what lost memories he can. Little things like that.

Can’t forget that guy, The One Who Watches. Jack thought to himself. That guy is clearly up to something. Just need to figure out what they’re up to or after. Ugh… I have eternity yet it feels like there isn’t enough time to get anything done.

“That.” Frizzy clarified, bringing Jack back from his musings. “That right there. acting like some kind of villain in a lair and being vague.”

“Fine,” Jack groaned, fixing himself up. “We are getting a boon or a bonus for reaching some kind of milestone. Not sure it’s because we hit level three or something else. Either way, I don’t care. But we are getting a bonus of some sort. The upgrade options menu along with the dungeon menu itself is supposed to get an update.”

“That’s amazing!” Frizzy cheered, her face practically split by the smile spreading across her face. “Did you look at it yet? What do you think the changes be? Do you think it will help with the upcoming battle? Why aren’t you telling me anything?!”

Frizzy squawked, having jumped up and clung to his face. Her manic stare practically burning a hole through Jack’s head. Her normal hand holding on to him tightly as her prosthetic hand was like and over cranked vice on his bones. Good thing his bones were coated in metal or there would likely be some cracking noises coming from her grip.

“Tinny terror needs to release my face!” Jack protested trying to pry her off. “I haven’t checked yet you menace!”

It took a minute to get the now very excited Frizzy off along with summoning four zombies to pull her off his face. even then the zombies were in very rough shape when she fought them off all to get Jack to answer her questions. He loved the little blue menace and since she’s honestly his best friend. Sometimes though she was way too intense when she wanted to know or learn about something. He’s going to have to establish some boundaries at some point since she almost pulled head off when the zombies tried to separate them. he had to admit, Jack was really surprised by her sheer will and determination to get answers. Especially when she used her prosthetic arm to tear to break the zombie’s wrist so that she could get her feet on the ground again.

“Just show already!” Frizzy both barked and pleaded at the same time.

“What do you mean show you!?” Jack barked back, having used the teleport ability to hand from a ledge overhead so he was out of reach of his disciple. “How can I show you something that is private?!”

Frizzy who was standing under Jack at the base of the pillar was about to climb up when she heard him shout. Making her look up with a harumph.

“You know you can write down what you see on your stat sheet. Or you can summon it so it is viewable to who you want. How can you not know that by now?” She grouched; Watching Jack slowly climb down once he was sure she wasn’t going to pounce on him again.

“Maybe because I been a little busy.” He said in a sweet voice when he feet touched the ground once more. “You know, managing the dungeon, working on new inventions, teaching you new techniques for fabricating, building an army, and maybe it’s because… No one told me!”

“… I can see how that might be an issue…” Frizzy answered back sheepishly, especially since she knew he was completely right. “Fine, I forgot about tell you about that. Mostly because I’m used to everyone knowing about it.”

“Right, awesome. How do I do it?” Jack asked, taking his turn to have a sassy stand across from his disciple.

“Ok, I can take the hint.” Frizzy relented. “Believe it or not, it is much easier than you might think. All you have to do is think or say is ‘open personal menu, double’ once you see both you select the one you want to show, and what parts, then say ‘present selected menu’ and that it. The other person will she your menu.”

“Really?” Jack asked, slightly bewildered. “It’s really that simple?”

“Yes. The System is surprisingly easy to use once you get the basic idea. But people are constantly nearing something new from it despite its simplicity.” Frizzy said with a shrug.

Not really having anything to add to the subject, Jack did as he was instructed and opened the menus. Eager to see what changes have been made and what new resources or abilities he would have at his disposal. Specifically calling for the newest information in mind.

Attention!

The Dungeon has now reached level 3!

Dungeon Core Sheet

Dungeon Master: Jack Smithson

Race: Lich (currently) (Formally Human)

Dungeon Mobs Available:

Level 3 Mobs:

Ghouls

Bronze Ape

Amalgumation

Land Squid

Current Loot Drop Options:

Items:

Eitr – Metal – This metal is the embodiment of a paradox. A metal that is both solid and liquid simultaneously. This metal is able to take any form and shape.

Rooms/Chambers:

Level 3

Dungeon Bazaar

Runescribe Hall

The Ossuary

Miasma Pools

Gravekeeper’s Sanctum

Attention!

New Dungeon Upgrade Options Available!

MOB UPGRADES

LEVEL 1

Constructed Guardians and Undead Construct Hybrids (Cost: 30 Points)

Description: Unlock powerful constructs, including hybrids that combine undead and mechanical elements.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

Effect: Introduces mobs like Iron Golems, Clockwork Sentinels, and hybrid creations such as Skeletal Watchers, blending necromantic and mechanical components.

Restless Spirits (Cost: 10 Points)

Description: Introduce ghostly apparitions that are bound to specific objects or areas within the dungeon.

Effect: These spirits cause minor disturbances and psychological tension, unsettling adventurers without overwhelming power.

Reanimated Guardians (Cost: 20 Points)

Description: Unlock a new type of mob that combines the resilience of the undead with the strength of constructs.

Effect: Introduces mobs like Reanimated Sentinels or Bone-Bound Guardians, heavily armored and equipped with weapons, making them tough opponents.

Level 2

Trickster Spirits (Cost: 45 Points)

Description: Summon mischievous and deceptive spirits that confuse and disorient adventurers, turning traps or dangers against them.

Effect: These spirits may use illusions, teleportation, or mind-affecting abilities to confuse adventurers. Some might turn invisible, cause hallucinations, or create decoy copies of themselves, making it hard to determine which are real.

Level 3

Runed Guardians (Cost: 80 Points)

Description: Constructs and undead infused with basic arcane runes for durability and resistance.

Effect: Stronger against basic elemental magic (fire, ice, lightning). Slightly tougher and more coordinated in battle.

Vulnerable to dispel effects—if the runes are broken, they weaken significantly.

Lingering Wraiths (Cost: 60 Points)

Description: Ghostly remnants of fallen warriors that haunt the dungeon.

Effect: Appear as flickering echoes, watching intruders before attacking. Can pass through walls but only attack when fully materialized. Disappear when banished or if their tethered item is broken.

Grave-Touched Abominations (Cost: 100 Points)

Description: Lumbering undead fused with dungeon stone or metal, making them slow but durable.

Effect: Resist physical attacks but are vulnerable to fire and divine magic. Can break walls or obstacles, reshaping dungeon paths. Slow to react, making them easy to avoid unless in tight spaces.

AVATAR UPGRADES

Eitr-Flesh (Cost: 180 Points)

Description: The Avatar integrates Eitr – the Living Metal, to grow and develop lost flesh.

Effect: The Avatar will begin to tissue made of this ever adaptable and shifting metal. Organs, muscles and eventually skin will form over the Avatar’s body. This process is very slow but can be accelerated with the absorption of Eitr.

Slow self-repair: Minor wounds regenerate over time unless destroyed outright.

Weakness: Strong vibrations or resonance disrupt the Eitr, temporarily destabilizing the Avatar’s flesh.

Arcane Focusing Core (Cost: 150 Points)

Description: A specialized magical core improves the Avatar’s ability to cast and sustain spells.

Effect: Faster spellcasting and reduced cooldown on abilities. Can store one extra spell, releasing it instantly when needed.

DUNGEON ABILITIES

Level 3 Options

Shifting Trap Network (Cost: 120 Points)

Description: Traps become slightly adaptable, repositioning or resetting automatically.

Effect: If a trap is disarmed or avoided, it may rearm after a short time. Some traps subtly shift positions, making repeat visits more dangerous.

Residual Arcane Energy (Cost: 100 Points)

Description: The dungeon absorbs small amounts of excess magic, allowing traps or mobs to gain temporary magical boosts.

Effect: Certain undead or constructs may have slight magical resistance or temporary enchantments. Occasional arcane surges may empower a mob for a short time.

LOOT UPGRADES

LEVEL 1 OPTIONS

Refined Dungeon Materials (Cost: 120 Points)

Description: Specialized dungeon-forged metals, woods, and minerals become available.

Effect: Weapons and armor crafted from these materials are slightly more durable or resistant to corrosion. Some materials hold enchantments longer, making them useful for enchanters.

Cursed Trinkets (Cost: 80 Points)

Description: Small arcane charms with both beneficial and negative effects.

Effect: Grants minor benefits (e.g., enhanced vision, minor strength boosts). But also imposes drawbacks, such as paranoia, discomfort, or minor magical interference.

Jack was left without words. Everything he was more or less what he had expected. What he hadn’t expected were two things stood out to him beyond anything else. Two things that took his metaphorical breath away. Leaving him standing like a statue. He wasn’t even sure if it was real but he wanted them. He wanted them beyond anything else here and now. He was so focus that he hadn’t even noticed that Frizzy was thumping a fist to his leg to get his attention.

“Jack. Jack! Wake up! Stop ignoring me and say something!” Frizzy said, grabbed his thigh bone and shook him.

“Frizzy, I just saw something that might not help us win the fight. But here are things that I really, really, want…” Jack said quietly, thinking of the possibilities of what might imply.

Yes… yes, that might work.

“Stop being mysterious and show me already!” Frizzy barked, shaking Jack more vigorously.

“Alright! Alright! Stop assaulting me! Here! Just read them already! Present Selected menu!” Jack protested as his bones were rattled.

With the menu now visible for Frizzy to see, she looked them over. Almost snatching them out of the air to read it. Leaving Jack to fix his cloths while he waited for her to finish going over the menu until she was ready.

“Teacher… what is ‘Eitr’, I never heard of it before.” Frizzy said with her head tilted, her large bat ears up and wide to catch every word he was about to say.

“That my friend,” Jack said with full seriousness. “That is a metal that not even the greatest of us fabricators or alchemists was ever able to achieve. Many of us in the guild theorized the possibility of a metal that was in a state of both liquid and solid. Able to take any shape, change and shift to any form on a whim then go back to its original state. For us fabricators, it is the equivalent of what the philosopher’s stone for alchemists.” Jack said, morphing the floor to create a pair of basic chairs that both he and Frizzy took.

“But, teacher, that doesn’t sound possible.” Frizzy replied, her ears pinning down. Likely because she didn’t understand the concept. “How can a metal of all things be both a solid and a liquid? Everything you thought me says that metal, or anything really, only has two states. Solid or liquid and that it can be one of the other.”

“Yes, that is true. If I haven’t seen the system confirm that it was possible I would have mostly agreed with you.” Jack said leaning on his knees, his pointer and middle fingers rubbing his temples. Feeling an imaginary headache from all the ideas he was having. “But there is also the state of vapor but that will take a day or two to explain. But the state that is liquid and solid at once is real. It was just never real for metal before now. You can make it easily with starch and water and that was what started the theory of this metal. We called that mix Oobleck. In a relaxed state it could bend, flex, shift and even flow through small spaces like a liquid. But once you hit it with great force it gets almost as hard as stone.”

“That sounds amazing!” Frizzy said, her excitement growing then calmed once she fully saw how Jack was acting. “That… that is amazing, right?”

“Oh, it’s more than amazing Frizzy. For people with our trade, this is the stuff of myth. Just imagine it, a metal that can take any shape, take forms impossible by normal means. Able to adapt and change itself to the crafter’s needs. Able to strength itself on impacts, able to repair itself, take on the properties of things that other metals simply can’t replicate.” Jack said, still deep in thought. “… it also means a lot of what we know and understand of the properties for metal go out the window when it comes to Eitr.”

“That sounds frustrating but it’s still exciting!” Frizzy said with glee to the point her face was nearly split in half by her shark tooth grin. “We are about to experiment with a metal that even the Ancients considered a myth. Think of all the possibilities! We already know it can imitate flesh!” she said, bouncing in her seat with all the joy in the world.

“Only one problem my excitable friend.” Jack said, feeling like an ass for raining on her party even though he felt the same way. “We don’t have time to experiment. We have four maybe five days max until the invaders come. Until then all new experiments have to be on hold.”

At the news, Frizzy’s ears drooped. Disappointed that they wouldn’t be able to play with the new toy at their disposal. Letting out a defeated sigh then regained her focus and composure.

“Right… Your right. Just wish we could get this over with already.” Frizzy pouted. “I want to go back to how things were before… experimenting, learning, inventing… everything was so much more fun.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean…” Jack sighed. “But we can’t go out to them because they would have the advantage. Last I checked trolls, orcs, centaurs, and minotaurs were tough and fast. Not too keen of giving them any kind of advantage.”

“Yeah… yeah… Sorry that you didn’t get anything more immediately useful for the fight.” Frizzy said trying to be comforting to her teacher.

“Yeah… so am I. Welp, enough of the pity party. Time for me to make a shit load of bodies.” Jack said slapping his knees while standing up.

“I feel like I should be worried about how you phrased that.” Frizzy said as she hopped down from her own chair.

Not saying anything further, Jack extended his will and absorbed the mess he left from his failed weapon test. Removing all the gore and shattered stone until the area was clear, then he started to summon bodies. Dozens and dozens of bodies of all kinds, including few trolls, while using his dungeon ability to reanimate them. Creating a battalion of basic zombies who steadily brought themselves up to shamble about the room.

If these zombies are considered mobs, I am going to be slightly pissed.

***

Within the forest, miles and miles away from the newly found dungeon was the army of Ungormoric. An alliance of worshipers of the dark gods. By following the will of their gods, they have found a great many riches and grew stronger. Orcs, trolls, minotaur, harpies, and goblins composed the forces of the rightful rulers of this world. Leading them was the grand general Igmond, the bastard child of an orc and troll. A giant among their ranks and a powerful martial warrior who was also a system secret holder. At nine feet tall, he surveyed his forces as they marched into through the forest. The orders of his gods ringing in his ears clear and true. he breathed in the clear air through his stubby nose, his beady eyes gazing over the surroundings rich with resources to further grow his forces. The sun warming his gray skin with as he stretched his bulging cords of muscle. Smiling to reveal his pronounced crooked tusks that poked out from his cracked lips.

The reports of his advanced troops were promising. Telling of a futile fight he was delight in crushing at the dungeon. A so-called ghost that snatched up his warriors or staked his officers deadly arrows. Yes, once he broke these pathetic attempts they would make for a great assassin. He could already hear their pleas for mercy and it filled him with delight. Once he took over the dungeon of course. With that he could make his army truly grow and start to truly make moves to conquer the neighboring countries. But what really excited him though was that rumors the dungeon had once been a city for the Betrayed. With monsters and creatures that were once creations left behind. More secrets he could use to grow all the more powerful. It was the discovery of the Betrayed’s war engine that he started to grow his power. if there was another then he truly would unstoppable.

He turned away from this army of forty thousand to approach the sleeping monster in question. Being pulled on a giant sled by teams of minotaurs and centaurs was the beast. A giant amalgamation of iron and steel. With eyes burning red eyes, skin of black iron and bared fangs, the beast slept while rubbed its head.

“Soon pet. Soon you shall taste blood once more. The dark gods have promised this and they have not lied yet.”