Chapter 23: A Meeting of the Minds

With everything moving so smoothly, Brent decided it was time to begin regular meetings with his team of minions. After another successful day of dungeon runs, he summoned Ferron, Kagejin, Ignarok, Caldron, and Mechard to meet with him and Emil in the Boss Room. Kagejin had recently earned the ability to leave his designated room after killing five adventurers, a perk that had made team communication easier. Now, Brent didn’t have to rely solely on mental commands or using Dungeon Vision to meet with his minions individually, which had been quite limiting.

Kagejin’s new freedom had also provided some unexpected entertainment for both Brent and his minion. One team of adventurers, having been misinformed that boss and mini-boss minions couldn’t leave their designated rooms, had made the mistake of taunting Kagejin by blowing raspberries at him after barely surviving his traps. To their horror, Kagejin charged after them, chasing them down the corridor and swiftly killing two members of the group for daring to mock him. The remaining adventurers barely escaped, much wiser than when they had entered.

Ignarok, however, wasn’t as thrilled by Kagejin’s newfound mobility. His immense size made the idea of roaming the dungeon impractical. He brooded quietly in his chamber, clearly envious but resigned to the fact that his role in the dungeon would keep him stationary.

Once everyone had gathered in the Boss Room, Brent felt a surge of pride. He was eager to address them. "Alright, guys, I just wanted to start this meeting with some kudos."

"Kudos?" Emil asked, his small frame looking up at Brent, confused by the term.

"Yeah, it means praise or compliments," Brent explained, smiling. "I want to say that I’m so proud of the work you’ve all been doing. You are what makes this dungeon special, and I can’t thank you enough for all the hard work you’ve put in."

Ferron, always modest, rubbed the back of his neck. "We appreciate it, Brent. But you're the one with the ideas. We just help out with the implementation. We'd be nothing without you."

Brent waved away the modesty. "Nonsense! You all are the heart of this dungeon. Without any one of you, we wouldn’t be nearly as successful as we have been. Don't sell yourself short, Ferron."

"Thanks, boss," Ferron said, though still slightly embarrassed by the praise.

Brent’s enthusiasm grew. "But we can’t stay stagnant. So, I’m implementing weekly meetings. Once a week, we’ll shut the dungeon down for the full six hours and brainstorm what we can do to improve. Gotta keep those adventurers on their toes! Emil, is there any way we can shut down for longer than six hours for more extensive changes? How do other dungeons manage to make major upgrades?"

Emil, ever the fount of knowledge, nodded. "Of course. You can shut down for a full twenty-four hours once a week to make substantial updates and for forty-eight hours once a month. The System understands that dungeons need time for proper maintenance and upgrades. We could take advantage of the twenty-four-hour window in three days to implement any new designs you have in mind."

Brent's eyes lit up with excitement. "Perfect! We’ve unlocked three more rooms and the ability to add four new minions. While we’re not quite at the point of adding another high-tier minion like Kagejin, Emil says we’ll get there by level fifteen. For now, we’ll focus on maximizing what we’ve got." His words tumbled out faster and faster in his excitement.

Kagejin, ever the pragmatist, chimed in. "We need more stealth-based traps. Silent kills seem to be the most effective."

Ignarok, who had been quietly listening up to this point, rumbled his displeasure. "That’s ridiculous. Powerful traps—crushing, devastating traps—are the ones that secure kills. Stealthy traps can be dodged. But when you're crushed, there’s nowhere to run."

"Your traps are so slow, adventurers just pass right by them—just like they do with your fists," Kagejin retorted, his voice sharp.

Ignarok growled deeply, his molten eyes narrowing. "Are you calling me slow, shadow-dweller?"

"If the boot fits," Kagejin replied coolly.

Ignarok leaned forward, his massive form towering over the others. "At least I face my foes head-on, unlike you, slithering in the shadows like a cowardly thief."

Kagejin's own dark aura flared to life, and the runes on both of them pulsed with energy as their anger mounted. They rose at the same moment, and the tension between them was palpable, both ready to strike.

"Enough!" Emil shouted, his mechanical eyes glowing brightly in frustration. Despite his much smaller size, his presence carried weight, and both Ignarok and Kagejin immediately backed down, looking chastised.

Brent shook his head, sighing in amusement. "Alright, calm down, guys. There’s no need to fight each other. You both bring something special to the dungeon. We’ll need a mix of stealth and power to keep things interesting."

He turned his focus back to the group. "Now, let's talk upgrades. Emil mentioned that we can take a full twenty-four-hour break soon, so that’s when we’ll implement the bigger changes. But for now, let's focus on what we can accomplish in the smaller shutdowns."

Brent pulled up his Dungeon Menu and began scrolling through some of the new options. "We've got the ability to add three more rooms, and I was thinking of going with something a little more thematic—maybe an illusion-based room or a puzzle chamber. Something that really makes the adventurers think instead of just relying on brute strength."

Ferron nodded in approval. "A puzzle room would be a great addition. It would force adventurers to slow down and be more careful. And it would give our traps more time to reset."

"I like that idea. Plus, we can add a time limit to the puzzles—failure to solve it in time could trigger an automatic trap or summon extra minions," Brent said, already imagining the possibilities.

Mechard, who had been silently taking notes, finally spoke up. "If we’re adding a puzzle room, I could devise some mechanical traps that would be particularly difficult to detect or disable. I also have some thoughts on improving our existing traps. More precision, less waste."

"That sounds fantastic! What did you have in mind?" Brent asked, his excitement rising with Mechard's suggestion.

"Well," Mechard began, his mechanical fingers tapping together as he formulated his thoughts. "Since we want a puzzle integrated into the race, but the adventurers are confined to their carts, we could design a room where they're trapped in a continuous loop unless they solve a pattern-based puzzle. Perhaps some sort of switch plate system that requires a specific sequence to unlock the route forward?"

Brent's core pulsed with excitement. "That's genius! A perfect way to force them to think under pressure. Devious, but still fair. Great idea, Mechard! That's exactly the kind of creativity that will keep adventurers coming back. Now, what else do we have on the table?"

Ferron, always practical, chimed in next. "I think it's time we give Caldron a chance to show what he’s made of. He's been keeping busy with dungeon upkeep, but I know he’d love to test his strength in a room specifically designed for him."

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Caldron, who had been quietly observing, was taken aback by the attention. "Oh, well… I’m happy to help with maintenance," he stammered, shifting uncomfortably under the sudden spotlight.

"Don’t downplay your role," Ferron encouraged. "You’ve got skills that could be invaluable in a challenging room. Every one of us deserves a shot at making the dungeon even better."

Brent nodded in agreement. "Ferron’s right, Caldron. You’ve earned the opportunity to contribute in a more direct way. Let’s look at some options for a room where you can really shine."

Turning his focus to the interface, Brent scrolled through the available rooms, narrowing it down to three solid concepts that would make the best use of Caldron’s talents. Each room would incorporate Caldron’s strength and resilience while adding dynamic elements to the race experience.

Once he had his top choices, Brent accessed his Dungeon Notes menu—something Emil had shown him recently. It allowed him to keep track of existing projects, jot down new ideas, and assign specific tasks to his minions without having to micromanage them constantly. He’d become quite adept at using it to maintain smooth operations, giving each minion their own responsibilities and updates.

Satisfied with the room ideas, Brent compiled his notes into a list and sent it directly to Caldron. "Take a look at these options, Caldron. I want you to pick the one that feels right for you."

Caldron glanced at the glowing notifications in front of him, still surprised that Brent wanted his input. "Thank you, Brent. I’ll give it my best."

New Room Ideas

1. Ironclad Gauntlet Room

 Description : A long, narrow passageway lined with mechanized walls that shift in and out, creating barriers and obstacles that racers must dodge or navigate through. A minion can be set up to manipulate the shifting walls and floor plates, controlling the timing of these barriers to make the racers’ journey more perilous.

 Mechanics : Racers must hit switch plates to avoid being slammed or pushed off the track by traps. The room focuses on timing and precision rather than speed, forcing adventurers to make quick decisions.

2. Crushing Chamber

 Description : A room filled with large, swinging hammers, moving pistons, and crushing mechanisms. Minions oversee this room from a raised platform, triggering the movements of the giant crushers that slam down on different sections of the track. The minion would be responsible for resetting the traps quickly after each swing, keeping the pressure on the racers.

 Mechanics : Racers need to time their movements to avoid getting squashed by the large crushers. Switch plates can adjust their speed to help them avoid certain death, and failure to do so results in instant elimination by the crushers.

3. Magnetic Mayhem Arena

 Description : A room where the tracks are embedded with magnets that interact with the iron in the racers' carts. Minions use remote-activated magnetic devices to pull or push carts into danger zones or alternate paths. This room would have high ceilings and twisting, narrow tracks, making the racers feel like they’re constantly at the mercy of the powerful magnetic manipulation.

 Mechanics : Switch plates allow racers to briefly neutralize the magnetic effect to avoid being thrown off course or into traps. The minion's goal here is to make the adventurers lose control of their carts, pushing them into obstacles or away from the finish line.

"I think I like the idea of the Magnetic Mayhem Arena the best," Caldron said after some contemplation. "That way, I can move through the room and play my own role in throwing off the adventurers."

"Perfect! We'll get that set up during the twenty-four-hour shutdown," Brent replied, excited. "Now, we just need one more room to stretch the dungeon and add a bit more of a challenge."

Brent scrolled through his menu, eager to find something truly spectacular. He didn’t want just any addition—he wanted something that would leave adventurers breathless. Then, his eyes landed on the perfect option.

"A lava room!" he exclaimed with enthusiasm.

Emil raised a brow. "Like the one we already have?"

"Sort of," Brent explained, "but this one comes with a racetrack. Imagine it—adventurers dodging molten rock while navigating through a fiery course. Plus, our Magma Elementals can be used to attack them. It'll be both terrifying and aesthetically brilliant."

Emil nodded thoughtfully. "Alright, that does sound like a fitting addition. And it ties in well with Ignarok's overall design. Let's go for it."

"Great! So, we've got the Magma Elementals ready for the lava room. What other minions should we use?" Brent asked, looking toward his team for input.

"How about Thundertreaders?" Ferron suggested. "They would go great in Caldron’s room. They’d really add some spark to their trip through the Magnetic Mayhem Arena."

Brent grinned. "Nice! Thundertreaders it is. Any other ideas? We still have space for four minions, so should we use two of each, or maybe mix things up with something else?"

"I think sticking with two of each is the best approach," Ferron replied. "No need to overcomplicate it. Sometimes, the simplest solution works the best."

"Ah, Occam's Razor," Brent said.

Ferron tilted his head. "A razor? You want to add a razor?"

Brent laughed. "No, no. Occam's Razor is a philosophy that suggests the simplest explanation is usually the right one. It goes along with the phrase K.I.S.S.—Keep It Simple, Stupid."

Kagejin crossed his arms, suspicious. "So, you're calling us stupid now?"

"Not at all!" Brent chuckled. "It's just a way of saying not to overthink things. A reminder to avoid making problems more complicated than they need to be."

"You have such strange sayings," Kagejin muttered, still not entirely convinced.

Brent grinned. "Sorry, I’ll try to 'KISS' more for you guys."

"Anyway," Emil interjected, steering the conversation back on course, "we should get started on setting things up, even if we can't finalize everything until the shutdown. There's enough space to lay out the framework without disrupting the current racetrack. Then, we can make all the final changes during the break."

Brent nodded. "Yes! Let’s build this new layout into something truly unforgettable—something that’ll have the thrill-seeking adventurers singing our praises!"