Tweedledee and Mystique are sitting at the center table inside Ali's fine-dining establishment and it has a red tablecloth with white heart-shaped serviettes placed in a symmetrical pattern on top. Oblivious to this, and everything else around them, they both enjoy their time partaking in a delightful three-course meal made by The Chef herself.
Earlier that day, Tweedledum had informed Ali of what was going to be happening inside her establishment that night. Being the person she is, Ali was happy to oblige and cater for the potentially first coupling of dungeon residents.
As the two infatuated scouts talk and laugh in between meals, neither of them notice Dee's companion, sitting in the corner of the busy restaurant. There's no ulterior motives or hidden agenda, Tweedledum only has his best friend's interests in mind. He may also be a little bit nosey.
Lowering the menu so that he can peak over the top of it, Dum watches for a few seconds before he turns to his own pretend-date for the evening.
"What do you think they're talking about?" he whispers.
"It's hard to tell from so far away. If you would have chosen a table that was closer, perhaps we would be able to hear them," The blue-haired woman points out Dum's mistake.
"Damn. It's too late to move now as well, he would definitely spot us. He's got good instincts my partner," Dum smiles and peeks over his menu at Dee.
"Well then, what do you suggest we do? Talia smiles at Dum's smile causing his heart to jump as it did before.
"Well, we... W-we could enjoy a meal together... Whilst observing their body language that is," Dum pulls his menu further in front of his already embarrassed face.
"I'd like that, Dum," Talia smiles again at the man behind the menu.
The evening went on and after a while Dum stopped watching Dee and instead, gave his full attention to Talia. He listened to her stories about the drunken customers that she would have to kick out of The Retreat from time to time and she listened to the exciting tales of his scouting missions.
By the time dessert had been served, eaten, and taken away, both Dum and Talia were thoroughly enjoying each other's company. Neither of them saw Dee or Mystique's smiles as they held hands and left the restaurant.
Dee did happen to notice his partner sitting in the corner with Talia but kept it to himself as he didn't want to ruin their atmosphere, or spoil his own date.
Dungeon Stories Volume 1
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With my lonely Golem calmed down, I pop my head into Veris' room to find Sweet C all alone. Even though Veris is the Boss of my dungeon, she leaves the Sweets in charge whenever she goes out to hunt. Since we aren't accepting dungeon runs at the minute, her room is just infront of mine on the Seventh Floor.
Right next to the Boss Room.
I get it. It's strange. And I'm still learning. Just because Veris is the Boss of the entire dungeon, hindsight is killing me over that, doesn't mean this floor can't have its own.
Hence, Ian.
Ian? Really?
That's right.
As per, I forget to name the Iron Golem sat twiddling his thumbs. After rectifying past Abi's mistake, I pop in to say hi to Colin. Although, I swear there's something off about my Core Room.
The King Mimic seems to be in a relatively good mood, relaxing by my Core. The chests I placed down, however, are scattered across the room in different locations. Funnily enough, it looks they're all headed somewhere, yet none of them are moving.
I mean, they are only chests after all.
Is Colin playing with them? Aww, that's so adorable.
Actually, he has...
Don't ruin it, Me. It's nice to see him happy.
It's not like Colin gets out often. Social event are the only time he ever leaves my Core Room. Again, I can't help but be moved by my King Mimic.
"Aww, are you my little protector? Well... You're not so little anymore, but who's a good defender. Colin. Colin is. That's who. Are you OK? Do you want anything?" Colin jumps up and down. He gets giddy at the sound of his own name and is almost like a pet.
He's like the dog I never had!
He's probably after more of your Core.
Me! Why're you always so mean to Colin? It's not like he's out there eating people, is it?
He is a King Mimic, Abi. He's now past the point of legendary and is most certainly not a dog.
He may aswell be. He certainly acts like one when he see me. It's a good job saliva goes through me these days.
Anyway, who can say no to that smile... Grin? Maw? Not me, that's for sure. Summoning Colin a few more silver chests, 'cause chests are going to start getting expensive soon and I don't need one of those pets; even if I do like to spoil him, I watch him pick one up and inspect it.
Which is weird, but what isn't, right?
Leaving it at that, it's time to crack on with what I came here for. Beginning the usual routine, a door appears behind Ian the Iron Golem. Who seems excited when I explain what's going on. As the Boss of this floor, it's his job to guard it. It's probably why he looked so depressed when I arrived. He doesn't have anything to guard. Poor Ian, no wonder he was twiddling his thumbs.
Not a Floor Boss, or a Core Boss.
At least he's happy now. And he's got a name.
Giggling to myself as Me huffs a remark about my sense of naming, I drop my forms and enter the dungeon overview. Watching as the staircase drills down and a room opens up beneath to accommodate it. From here I'm able to customise the design, size and shape however I want, but I decide against using features from the Remnant Cores for this floor.
May as well stick to what I know for now. Those features didn't help the others Cores out in any way, did they?
Not necessarily, but I would suggest that you look through them in your downtime and maybe incorporate some of their designs into your own.
That's not a bad idea. Once I'm out of DP, I'll look them over. That said, I do want to try out one of these new elemental features.
The room stops expanding once it reaches its maximum size. I decided to go with a square room, as usual. I don't know why but they seem to be my favorite.
Large rooms mean a lot of travelling back and forth for adventurers searching for the correct path. Not that I have any adventurers treading my dungeon yet. If I do ever find myself in that situation though, I need to make sure I'm thoroughly prepared.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
As I think about the precautionary measures I'm taking against future events, nothing could have prepared me for what came next.
Error:
First Time Absorption Bonus: 1DP
Error:
Defender Level 19
1XP
Error:
Cleric Level 18
1XP
Error:
Error:
Error:
A new class has been unlocked:
Mage: 10DP
A new subclass has been unlocked:
Teacher
New features have been unlocked:
Mages Guild: 80DP
Teleportation Stone: 1000DP
A new skill has been unlocked:
Light Bender
What the fuck!?
"Abi?" A ghostly voice, one I know all too well, yet never expected to hear again, calls out to me against all the odds.
"A-Anya? W-Where are you!?" as I look around the room, there's nothing to be seen and I wonder if I've just lost my mind. If I thought I was going crazy when I became a Dungeon Core, then I don't know what level of madness I'm on now.
Am I going mad, Me?
No. I... I heard that as well. I do not know how but I definitely heard someone say your name.
.
.
That was Anya. My best friend. The problem is that she's dead.
"Abi?" again my name is called out from the empty air of the dungeon causing chills to run up my Core.
There is a chance that it could be related to whatever the error was that you just absorbed. You did unlock a new human-type class and I would make an educated guess that it was someone's remains.
I remember the nightmare from my terrortation session all too well and the only people that I can think of are me, Anya and the bastard Kal.
Does that mean that I've just absorbed myself? Is that even possible? Absorbing Anya and giving her the comfort of being at peace with me I can get behind. But Kal? Fuck that guy! Can't I spit him back out?
Unfortunately not. It would also appear that all of the bodies were... less than fit for consumption, hence the small amount of XP and DP.
What do you mean 'less than fit' for consumption?
There wasn't much remaining of... Your friends.
Friend! Singular. Remember the bastard Kal I told you to watch out for? He was the level 19 Defender.
On another note, I'm getting sick and tired of all these errors. For once, it would be nice to understand what's actually happening to me.
As always, my lack of knowledge and frustration run hand-in-hand alongside my excitement.
Another elemental skill has been unlocked and it happened a lot sooner than I was expecting it to. Not only that but I unlocked the teaching role for my academy and the mage class alongside it. Ignoring the rather expensive Teleport Stone, the icing on the cake is an actual guildhall.
How the hell did I get that?
Maybe I'm the lucky dungeon?
The Mages Guild: 80DP
All Mages register at the guild to ascertain what magic they specialise in although most people already know
Int and Wis are boosted by 20% when a proficiency test is undertaken here
Oh, I'm so excited.
"Abi?" Again the haunting voice of my best friend calls out to me, throwing me off my game.
Do you think I could summon her? She is calling my name.
It is highly unlikely. Her soul should have already been reincarnated.
I huff in disappointment and finish off the Seventh floor layout. Multiple tunnels lead out of the main room and I fill each one with traps as I go. Even though I started with the goal of making the floor intruder ready, the voice that keeps calling out to me is really doing a number on my mind.
"God's damn it, Anya! What do you want from me?" The building pressure finally gets to me and I can't stop myself from screaming out at the empty tunnel I'm in. Not that she replies.
Just after I create the Boss Room, she calls out to me once again and, instead of responding, I teleport away to my tower. The sun setting in the distance slightly soothes my fragile mind now that I've removed myself from the haunted floor.
Why won't she stop saying my name, Me? I mean, I'm really happy that I can hear her voice, or I was at first, but the fact that she only repeats my name is quite disturbing. Especially when there's nothing I can do about it!
It may be related to the seventh floor in some way.
That's what I thought! I did die on the Seventh floor of the last dungeon. It could be related to that somehow.
"Abi?" As I'm discussing my problem with Me, the chilling voice of my friend calls out to me in my tower.
.
.
Well there goes that idea.
Whatever. In time she might learn some new words. I've just got to get used to the creepiness of it.
I teleport back down to the Seventh floor and begin looking through my new list of recently acquired elemental features. I decided to try out the wind feature first and apply it to the whole floor. Dust is pulled in as the air begins to swirl and two tornadoes grow opposite one another. Getting larger and wider as they do, once complete they slowly start rotating around the room.
The tunnels aren't exempt from the elements either as I add it to tmentire floor, not just the main room. Anyone trying to find the Boss Room will find themselves pushed back due to strong currents inside, rushing towards the main room and supplying a constant influx to the unnatural disaster
Continuing the theme of wind, I browse my ever-growing list of monsters before adding three different varieties, all with an affinity for wind magic. Once I'm finished though, I realise that I may have added more than what was needed to on this floor. I also learn some valuable knowledge regarding Mini-Bosses and my mountain.
Although it's nice to be able to create, fill and finish a floor, without running out of DP like I used too.
In the tornado room I summoned ten Goldors, a bird-type monster able to create blades of sharp feathers that they're able to launch at their enemies. Light-brown feathers cover their entire body. After that I immediately purchased the next tier, Galdunes. These monsters have incredibly-strong beaks, razor-sharp talons and are three-times the size of a regular Goldor. Black feathers and a white chests make them look quite pretty to say they're just large birds. The Galdunes become the first Mini-Bossed of the floor and I leave them with their underlings, guarding the main room.
Finished with the main room, this is where I overspent. Instead of going with the third-tier Dalgon, assigning it as a boss and moving on, I went with something different and summoned ten Wind Sprites and a dozen Wind Pixies. Each Sprite cost the same amount as a Galdune, which I took to mean they were equal in power.
What do assumptions do though. They make an ass out of you.
There was no Mini-Boss option for the newest additions and I dismissed the idea of them being as strong as the Galdune. With ten wind tunnels connected to the main room, I sent a Sprite to guard and boost the elements in each. They look like me when I only use manifestation, only they're dark clouds made of wind instead of a green goddess.
The Wind Pixies are pink clouds of dust, until they stop moving that is. As usual I didn't put much thought into them and they all look quite similar. Their skin is vibrant pink and they're all around 15cm tall. Fluorescent-coloured hair, gorgeous white wings and cute little-outfits cover their cute little-bodies. I didn't give them specific tunnels but instead left them to decide between themselves, after I confirmed their status' as Mini-Bosses that is.
Why did Pixies work, but not Sprites?
After 40+ monsters were added to the floor, the Boss Room was still left to be filled and I spared no expense. Beefing up my security and continuing my theme, I summoned ten Harpies. A bird monster with human features, it baffles me how the Remnant Cores lost with all these monsters. I'm not even unlocking new tiers since I already have the option to purchase higher. I'm just a fan of the heirachy system and I feel like I need the lower leveled monsters to assist the boss.
Anyway, the Harpies were followed by ten Siren. More women than monster, all of them have long, grey hair and white wings. They barely have a shred of clothing between them either and I can't help but feel she's doing it on purpose again. If my human summons come with clothes, why don't my human-type monsters?
Me said I could have as many Mini-Bosses as I wanted, so all ten Sirens earned the title. During that, I felt a little strange and hearing Anya calling out to me was already throwing me off my game, so I ignored the feeling like a boss.
After that, I confirmed the next tier in the Harpy line, The Temptress, as the Boss of the floor. She isn't as strong as some of my other monsters, especially not the Rogues, but her strength lies elsewhere. The Temptress is a master of illusions, or so her status claims.
As though a dark angel had risen from hell itself, her long-black hair complements her even darker wings magnificently. The alluring black dress she wears fits her body perfectly. My Core skipped a beat whilst taking in her beauty. Aside from the wings, and her pitch black eye sockets, she could pass as an ordinary person quite easily.
Is that because I complained about the lack of clothing for monsters? I mean, even those little shits get loinclothes.
Anyway, seeing as my dungeon is still closed at the moment, The Temptress' strength isn't a pressing concern. The newly-grown forests, high up on my mountain though, are another story.
Huh. Who would have thought it?