Awakening to a sorrowful mood, the cold touch of death's embrace still lingers in my mind.
After tossing and turning all night, my body must have finally shut down. Removing myself from the warmth provided by the bed, I move to the window.
Dawn hasn't broken yet and the town is still covered by a blanket of darkness. My body is exhausted, but the thoughts running rampant in my mind won't let me rest. No mater where I look, a monotone grey has painted my world and all thoughts ends with the same two words.
"Why me?" A whisper escaped my lips, but no one is around to hear my self pity. How am I supposed to move on from what happened? How did my saviours brush it off like dust?
Staring out of the window at the depressing view of the desolate street, I make a decision.
I'm going to find them.
That's the only thought I've had that doesn't drag me down. All others are drowning in the murky waters of death and disdain.
Grabbing my pack, I remove anything that isn't essential and will only serve to slow me down. By the time I'm done, there are only a few items left inside. A flask, a few potions and some preserved food mean I'll be travelling light.
My uniform is on the drawers. I almost chose to leave it behind, but the material offers minor protections to defense. I'd be foolish not to wear it. Even if I don't deserve it.
With everything ready, I leave the inn as quietly as possible before creeping over to the north gate. Because of the time the streets are empty and I'm grateful, I don't want to see anybody nor do I wish to speak to them. There are only two people I'm hoping to talk too.
I can't bear to face anyone else. It took everything I had to recount the events to the Mayor and I've been hiding at the inn since. Catergoriser Elric is furious that I won't speak to him, but he hates me anyway so what difference is it?
With a single goal in mind and my direction set, I pass through the gate and journey back to where the horrors of yesterday began dominating my mind.
- Katrina Kartova
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Rain drips off the cloak of the woman shaking in my entrance. Trying to avoid the poor weather, she decided to wait it out in the cave close by. Which just so happened to be my Dungeon.
She almost seems more shocked than I am that she rushed in without checking first. I mean, come on. You never know what you're going to find in caves these days.
As I take her in, I notice that the cloak she's wearing seems familiar before remembering why. I used to own one myself and they make them in Orad. A dull green and about as plain as plain can be, the cloaks are fantastic at keeping you dry, but do nothing for the wearer's sex appeal.
For some reason though, that rule doesn't apply to this Categoriser. She looks to be a bit of a beauty hiding away beneath that hood. She has brown eyes, curly hair and her skin looks so smooth it shouldn't be fair.
What's more shocking than the fact that she actually looks good in one of Orad's less-than appealing cloaks, are her clothes. Visible below the flapping material, the apparel of a Dungeon Categoriser makes my Core sweat.
All white, apart from the black line that runs down the side, Categoriser's are unmistakable. Even though they all dress differently, the colour and design of their outfit never changes.
As though her jacket and skirt weren't enough, a necklace with the letter C also screams Categoriser in my face and I feel weak upon seeing it.
It's like my new life has already met its fateful end.
Crap!
"H-hello..." She doesn't sound very confident. Calling out to darkness, her voice echoes down to the trap room.
My entrance only has a single Torch inside. I didn't want the light to be noticeable from a distant, so I kept it weak. It's enough to be able to see my intruder, however. Even if I am slightly jealous of her looks.
I can't help but think that my entrance needs sprucing up now that my plans have changed though. If I survive my new guest's visit, I'll look into doing just that. If not, then it doesn't really matter, does it?
"Hi.." My greeting was just as weak as hers. What do I say? This is the first time a living person has entered my Dungeon. It's just my luck that she's also one of the people that decide if dungeons are to be destroyed or not.
What kind of twisted fate is this?
Keeping my eye on the intruder, I wait anxiously for her response. The fact that she hasn't moved yet and is looking around curiously makes it appear like she didn't hear me.
Or maybe she feels the same way I do? Sacred shitless. She is on her own after all. Either way, this awkward standoff is starting to grind my Core.
I greet her again, louder this time, but she still doesn't hear me. Which is strange because I'm super loud. Now that I think about, can she even see me? I know it's dark, but Manifestation is doing its thing and I'm quite close to her since my entrance is tiny.
Either she's blind and deaf, or she's blatantly ignoring me on purpose. That thought alone is almost enough to resurface my annoyance from earlier.
Why do I keep feeling like that?
What's happening here, Me?
Manifestation is only capable of interaction with your Dungeon monsters. That human cannot see or hear you and I suggest you kill her quickly.
What?
Why didn't you mention that before? Don't you think it's a crucial piece of information for the Dungeon Core to know?
It did not seem relevant at the time. Most Dungeon Cores do not attempt to communicate with humans. As I say this, I am reminded that you are certainly not most Dungeon Cores. I wager you're not even going to kill her, are you?
No, I'm not going to kill her!
I mean, I'm not even sure if I can. I'm almost 100% sure she's a Dungeon Categoriser.
Look at her clothes and that necklace. What happens if I attack her and she ends up being a King-Dick Catergoriser? I'm screwed then, Me. It'll be bye-bye Abi and see you later Rogue Town.
You do have more than 100 monsters now. Just incase you weren't aware.
Well, no, but...
Damn. Sometimes he's on point, but on occasions he forgets to tell me the important pieces of information.
"H-Hello!" My intruder's confidence is growing as she shouts down the tunnel and the next time she speaks, her hesitation is gone. "Mr and Mrs Assassin?"
What?
Mr and Mrs Assassin?
Who the hell is that? Whatever. I have to try something because we can't stay like this forever. Gods? Please don't let me die. If you help me out this one time, I swear to stop calling you stupid and lazy.
The reply I get is a blanket of rain blown in through my entrance and a gust of wind that pushes the Intruder forward. She stops just infront of me and I cant help but hold my breath.
Unable to suffocate since Dungeons don't breathe, I tell me Mira to come to the entrance since she's the closest available Rogue. I make her come on foot so that she doesn't startle the Categoriser while informing her to be careful when she enters.
When she arrives, Mira glares at the intruder and my Core sinks. What is she playing at? Do these Rogues only listen to what they want it hear, or what? Striding over whole exuding confidence, the woman beneath the cloak notices her. A mix of fear and resignation is written across her face.
"Ask her what she wants and why she's here. She also dropped a... Hang on, one sec."
Realising that I didn't check that last notification before popping on Manifestation, I look to find I've already gotten rid of it.
Did she offer me a tribute?
No. She placed her pack on the ground and you absorbed it. There was a rabbit, some wild vegetables, a water canteen and a couple of different potions.
Oh. So I just stole her supplies then?
Quite. If you kill her now, it won't what matter.
"Sorry, Mira. I'm almost done." Ignoring Me, I summon the possessions we acquired by accident. Without thinking, I deposit them between the two women. I don't miss the Categoriser's eyes flicker down, before focusing her attention back on Mira.
"Tell her that we mean no harm and that we didn't mean to take her stuff." I give Mira the words needed to communicate with humanity and bam, this Dungeon Core is creating history.
I'm grateful that I no longer need to wear underwear. I feel about about as nervous as she looks and a change of knickers isn't easy to come by out in the wilds. It would be nice to believe she stumbled upon us because of the rain. The fact that she's come looking for a couple of Assassins almost puts her in the right place.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Mira repeats my words while the other woman keeps eyeing from the freshly-spawned items. She looks more shocked now than she was when she first arrived, which is understandable. The meat alone would be enough to throw me off as there's more there than one rabbit could possibly provide.
Still feeling sorry about the accidental theft of her belongings, I decide to offer a little compensation to sweeten the deal. Hopefully sparing myself from destruction along the way. I summon her the best weapon available from my catalogue, the Silver Rapier.
It was part of Talia's upgrade and I place it beside her belongings before telling Mira, "That's an apology for taking her stuff. Tell her I'm sorry and that I'm not a bad Dungeon Core."
Why did I add that last part?
Why would I admit to being a Dungeon? The cat's already out of the bag since her pack was absorbed, before coming back better than was previously. Not to mention the items being bigger and better than they were before is a dead giveaway.
What the hell am I saying? I think this is the first time I've felt truly afraid since becoming a Dungeon Core.
I've almost come to accept my new life. If I'm being honest, I could have been reincarnated as something much worse than a Dungeon Core. Still, I can't help but hold a candle for my former self.
R.I.P Abi of old.
Even though I complain about the specifics, I certainly don't want my new life to end so soon. I'd miss Me too much if that happened. And everyone else.
Would I even remember him after reincarnating? Probably not.
When Mira finishes relaying my message, the Catergoriser nods once in response. Her brows furrow as she takes it in, looking slightly confused at the same time. Eventually, she passes out. Straight up faceplanting the Dungeon Floor.
I hope she doesn't take that as an attack.
I'm not going to absorb her, right?
No, she has only fainted. She is not dead. Yet.
Me!
This is the perfect opportunity to acquire some more levels.
Yes, but it's also the perfect opportunity to plead my case. If I can convince her I'm not dangerous, we don't have to worry about other Categorisers turning up.
Your case is not as good as mine.
Why not?
In the case of her death, XP is guaranteed. If you try to persuade her, however, the chances of you prevailing are slim.
Damn. You can be convincing when you want to be. You may have won the argument, but I've got the body. Or ball... Whatever. You know what I mean.
I'm not killing her.
I guessed as much. I was just offering the suggestion.
It sounds more like you want me to do it.
That is also correct, but I am just the assistant. You are the Core.
We still need to talk about our at some point, Me. For now, that conversation will have to be shelved until I sort out my latest problem.
I have Hana join Mira and they carry the Catergoriser safely through the Trap Room. They take her all the way to the Retreat and set her down in one of the suites upstairs. While that's happening, I drop in on Ali and give her some new ingredients.
After decloaking the Catergoriser and placing her in bed, Hana and Mira return to the Guard House. I don't want to leave her unattended incase something bad happens when she wakes up. Luckily for me, Light and Dropper are at the bar enjoying their time back and are available to help. Which isn't so lucky for them.
They get given the job of looking after her until she wakes. I don't really know what she's capable of, but it's better to be safe than sorry. Having Light and Dropper sit in on her makes me feel much better.
The fact that she's a Catergoriser doesn't really tell me much else about her. Can she use regular magic alongside her class or is she just Dungeon orientated? Is she a good fighter? Is she proficient with weapons? It's a bit of a shitter.
Not that any of the extra stuff matters. The only thing I should be concerned about is how well she can use her class. That poses the most danger to me.
Time passes uneventfully within the dungeon whilst Barry drops his loads and the Catergoriser sleeps. Watched over by the two bodyguards told to keep an eye on her.
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"Why do you think she's here?" Sitting on a chair beside the bed, Light stares at the woman turning in her sleep. Across the room, Dropper is looking out of the window. She watches as Peaches passes below with two Vagabonds. Knowing she's same tier as theose woman, the corner of her mouth curls up slightly.
"I don't know. I just want to get stronger to please the Dungeon." Making sure her face is neutral, Dropper turns to face her partner.
"Yeah, yeah. That's all you ever say. Get stronger to please the Master. C'mon, Drop. Let's have a proper conversation about proper stuff." Light pleads. A conversation about anything not related to XP, or pleasing the Dungeon, is all he wants.
"Like what, her?" Cocking her head at the defenceless woman tucked snuggly in and having what-looks-to-be the most pleasant dream imaginable, Dropper scoffs.
You wouldn't be able to guess that sleeping beauty collapsed from shock not long ago if it wasn't for her red face.
"Yeah. Why not? That's the woman from the forest, right?" Believing he's got an in, Light pushes for her to continue.
"I think so. It's hard to tell since she's not covered in blood and fully clothed." Showing an actual interest, Dropper leans over and takes a good look. "She's lucky I didn't kill her for the XP back then."
"That's harsh, Drop. Plus, Abi won't be happy if she hears you. You'll get dismantled for killing her in here." Ever diligent, Light earns himself a scowl and a punch for his efforts.
"Idiot. How dare you say I'd offend the Core? I'm not that foolish. Plus, I know the rules better than you do. If we're talking about outside the Dungeon, the fact that she was covered in blood and being plundered detracts from her value as cute and makes her fair game. In here, I didn't mention anything about killing her. Only that I should have done. No one can be harmed in the Dungeon unless they've passed the priests." Not that the thought doesn't cross her mind.
Dropper huffs before returning to the window. Wishing she was outside the dungeon growing stronger.
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Dum and Dee arrive back at the dungeon on time and, to be honest, the loot they got isn't great. Or maybe I've just been getting spoiled recently and my expectations have raised because of that?
That's probably it.
I'm setting the bar too high.
Dum has an assortment of a woodland critters and Dee has some fish, speared on a branch. He's also missing his Dagger, but they're cheap as chips so im not concerned. If anything, I'm surprised they haven't already broken.
Still. No monsters and no humans.
I'm actually a little sad. Although, it's probably a good thing that I'm not digesting dead people when there's a Categoriser sleeping in my Retreat. She might have a skill that let's her know when someone dies in the same Dungeon as her.
That's almost enough to scare me into following Me's suggestion.
Almost.
All in all, I earn 11DP and 7XP. More than enough to replace Dee's Dagger, but not enough to do much of anything else. The absorption fills my list with low cost purchases that are quite fitting for the forest on the third floor. At least, the woodland animals would give the wolves something to chase.
Dum and Dee head inside as Coral and Mystique arrive to take their place. These guys deserve a round of applause because Me was right, their timekeeping is impeccable.
I spot the Rusty Daggers around their waists and consider it briefly before deciding against. At some point I will upgrade all of their weapons. Right now, there's just so much to do and not enough DP to go around.
With a total of 238DP, I just want to thank Barry. The DP dropped by my Rockstar is blood in my veins. What I had remaining, plus Dum and Dee's spit in the ocean, was still less than 100.
It's almost a third of what I spent earlier and a substantial amount of points. It will most certainly benefit my future so long as my future stays present.
Mulling over the prospect of potential destruction, I consider spawning a large number of cheap monsters to increase my defence. Everything I've summoned so far seems to excel at combat.
Tweedledum and Tweedledee spring to mind.
OK. Maybe not everyone.
Dumber than a bag of rocks, at least they've got the looks. Sometimes, that's all you need.
Instead of causing a massive miniature-monster pandemic, do I spruce my features up instead? The Categoriser might want to have a look around. Depending what she thinks, the idea of trade and hospitality doesn't seem so far-fetched.
Will it work?
I hope so.
These choices are rattling me because I can't pick. Even after creating my own law and established a direction for my Dungeon, I've buckled on the arrival of the first living person.
Granted, I find myself in the unlucky-position of said person being a Dungeon Categorisation Expert, but still, I should stick to my plans and not deviate. If I don't follow through now, then I can't say I gave it my all.
My Core pulses and I take a few imaginary breathes.
Ok.
I'm composed.
Dungeon Core Abi, ready to rock.
Deciding to fill the room left behind from Trixie and her pack, I attempt to purchase a feature that screams awesomeness. The description isn't the usual half-assed System one either. It's actually to the point, even if that point was Me's.
I still can't believe he dropped that bombshell on me.
The Syndicate:
80DP
An organisation that helps the dungeon's with its primary objective
Reward:
Contracts
8 XP
As if dying wasn't bad enough, being reborn as Dungeon means I have to help other people achieve greatness.
What's that bullshit? I'm pretty sure I deserve some of that for myself. Especially when you consider what I had to go through. Becoming a Dungeon Core puts a heavy strain to the mind. In the beginning, all I could think about was what I couldn't do.
Pushing on, I leave my thoughts to fester with the rest of them and hit confirm. Only then realising I haven't actually designated a room for a feature to go in.
Error...
Before I can do anything, pain unlike anything I've ever felt before shatters my Core. I'd say it was Core-shattering, but now's not the time for jokes. It feels like some part of me has been ripped and twisted. Or a hole has been gouged inside me. It's slightly similar to when I tried to take control of Barry's tunnel, only worse.
Much worse.
It's that bad that Manifestation dropped the moment it came on and I've been screaming silently since.
Unable to confirm purchase...
Screaming like I've never screamed before.
Querying...
When the Geels bit me in the marshes near Tune, I didn't scream this wildly.
Configuring...
Even when I almost lost my life in the mines near Denho, I didn't scream this bad.
Rebuilding...
Even when I woke up after my Terrortation session ended, I didn't scream this loud.
Feature; The Syndicate, has been placed successfully
Rooms have been placed
Rooms have been altered
Tunnels have been removed
DP has been adjusted
Active Skill Acquired:
Divinity's Creation: Level 1
The Syndicate:
Level 1
All associates earn a 10% boost to all stats regardless of location
Contracts until next level:
1
Contracts can be acquired from: Taskmaster Talia
My monsters feel everything I do thanks to the connection we share through the Dungeon. That alone makes me feel bad because that pain was something else. If I didn't know any better, I'd say the entire Dungeon shook. It's not like I can confirm my theory though.
Thanks to The System sorting out my screw up, the pain doesn't last as long as it could have. The purchase manages to compkete aswell, but I have no idea where it is. Not that it's first on my list of priorities.
Trying to calm down, I look at my Core and fail epically. I'd need a paper bag if I was still human as a gem-sized piece of my Core has broken off. Colin looks just as worried as me. He's shaking nervously and guarding the broken fragment.
Not only am I missing a crucial piece of what constitutes as my heart, but the Core itself is also badly damaged. There's a large crack running straight down the center and multiple fractures flake off from it in all directions.
Looking at it, all I want to do is cry. I don't follow through on that because I'm scared the rest might follow. If it disintegrates now, I'm done.
What the hell just happened?