Chapter 34: Phase Two Beginnings

With all the excitement surrounding the possibilities of a second level for the dungeon, Brent wasted no time diving into the layout design. The introduction of the new mechanized carts meant he was no longer confined to tracks on the ground. He eagerly reviewed the available rooms, making a few strategic purchases that would complement his vision.

Just like the previous level, he was required to establish a boss lair and a mini-boss room. Fortunately, this fit perfectly with his plans. Reaching level fifteen had opened up a trove of new minions, room types, traps, and items. With so many fresh options, Brent felt practically giddy with anticipation.

After placing the rooms down without a set order—just to have the foundation laid—he quickly turned his attention to the minion selection.

"Alright, time to get ourselves a mini-boss," Brent declared, a tinge of disappointment in his voice as he remembered he couldn’t physically rub his hands together in anticipation anymore.

"I admit, I’m quite eager to see what’s available myself," Emil added, standing beside Brent and gazing at the shared screens.

Since Brent had reached level fifteen and had previously chosen a mini-boss, the page now displayed only three choices for him.

"Hey, Emil, why don’t I have the same options as last time for the mini-boss selection?" Brent asked, puzzled by the change.

"Good question," Emil replied. "Each time you unlock a new floor, the System randomizes the list of mini-bosses available. Typically, dungeon cores can choose from anywhere between two to six options. Fewer options generally indicate more powerful choices, so having three is actually quite a positive sign. If you’d looked back at your previous options, you’d notice that once you chose Kagejin, the mini-boss selection became unavailable. The System limits the number of each type of minion you can have, so acquiring more requires leveling up."

"Interesting," Brent mused. "There’s still so much I don’t understand about this System. I’d be completely lost without your guidance, Emil. I hope you know how much I appreciate it."

"Thank you, Brent. Hearing that genuinely means a lot. Now, what do you think of the options before you?" Emil asked, redirecting his attention to the screens.

Brent focused once more on the available choices, reading over each minion's specialties with an eager, critical eye.

Mini-Bosses

1. The Arcane Dynamo

 Description: A sentient construct of whirling magical energy and clockwork, the Arcane Dynamo serves as a living energy core. Suspended by rotating rings of metal and crackling with arcane energy, it constantly shifts positions, discharging bursts of magic and mechanical traps.

 Abilities:

o Shockwave Pulse: Releases a burst of magical energy that pushes carts back and disorients adventurers, making it harder to control their movement.

o Barrier Nodes: Summons floating orbs that create barriers along the track, forcing adventurers to react quickly by hitting switch plates to alter their course.

o Mana Drain: Drains mana or energy from adventurers within a specific radius, weakening spellcasters and enhancing its own defenses.

2. Golemancer's Apprentice

 Description: A smaller golem-like creature with a sharp intellect and the ability to control lesser constructs. This mini-boss uses strategy and manipulation of mechanical traps and golems to confound adventurers.

 Abilities:

o Construct Swarm: Summons smaller mechanical golems that act as obstacles, jumping onto carts and causing disruptions.

o Trap Reconfiguration: Alters the track layout mid-battle, creating sudden turns or bringing dormant traps online, making the race even more unpredictable.

o Mechanical Barrage: Fires an array of projectiles or mechanical debris that adventurers must dodge or counter.

3. Molten Forge Master

 Description: A hulking, molten-forged metal golem who appears as a blacksmith with molten iron flowing through his veins. He’s surrounded by a ring of floating anvils, each capable of crushing or impeding adventurers.

 Abilities:

o Anvil Smash: Throws massive, superheated anvils onto the track, blocking paths or forcing adventurers to maneuver quickly.

o Molten Trail: Creates streams of molten metal on the track, dealing damage over time to adventurers who pass through it without protection.

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o Flaming Forge Strike: Strikes the ground with a hammer, creating waves of fire that ripple along the track in multiple directions, requiring precise timing to avoid.

“There it is again,” Brent said, his voice laced with curiosity.

“There what is?” Emil asked, turning his gaze toward Brent.

“The System messages… they’re tailored specifically to my dungeon. I always thought they were generic,” Brent explained, still focused on the lingering glow of the notification.

“Oh, that’s because the System administrators can tweak things as needed. Once you establish your dungeon’s unique style, they’ll often update options and messages to reflect it. Otherwise, every dungeon would look and feel the same.”

“Wait, hold on. Are you saying there are people actually working on the System?” Brent asked, incredulous.

“Yes, of course. That’s how issues are addressed, and updates are managed. However, most of the routine monitoring and changes are handled by a creation that works automatically—like an overseer for the System.”

“What, like AI?” Brent asked, his interest piqued.

“AI?” Emil repeated, unfamiliar with the term.

“Yeah. Artificial Intelligence. Back on Earth, it was a type of program that learned from data, made changes, and offered suggestions on its own, without human input.”

“Hmm, I haven’t heard of that before, but it does sound similar to how this creation functions,” Emil conceded.

“Well, regardless of how it works, I think I’ve got a good idea for what we need here. The Molten Forgemaster feels like the perfect fit for the dungeon we’ve built so far.”

Decision made, Brent selected the Molten Forgemaster. Light began to coalesce in front of him as the minion was summoned. He and Emil watched intently as the lights twisted and converged before exploding outward in a brilliant display. When the radiance subsided, a large mechanical figure with the shape and build of a powerful dwarf stood before them.

Runes etched into its iron chest flared with a molten orange light, casting shadows around the room. Its mechanical eyes glowed like a blazing forge, and a metallic beard clinked and scraped against its body with every small movement. Short but sturdy legs supported a barrel-chested frame, and its powerful arms gripped hammers, one in each hand, ready to forge or fight at a moment’s notice. The newly summoned minion stood silently, its gaze fixed on Brent’s core.

“You know what time it is, Emil?” Brent asked, his core glowing brighter with excitement.

“You’re going to name it again, aren’t you?” Emil replied, barely masking his exasperation.

“I’m going to name it again,” Brent confirmed, speaking nearly in unison with Emil.

“Fine. Just make it quick. We’ve got a lot more to do.”

Brent considered his options. “Back where I’m from, there was an ancient god of fire and metalworking. I think we should honor that. Let’s go with Vulcanis.”

The moment the name left Brent’s core, the minion was lifted off the ground, surrounded by swirling lights. When the display faded, Vulcanis gently lowered back to the ground. Brent felt a familiar pull on his energy but noticed that it wasn’t as draining as it once was. “ I must be getting stronger, too, ” he thought as he admired the bright yellow-orange glow that now filled Vulcanis’s eyes and runes.

“Master. Thank you for bestowing a name upon me. I will honor it with every strike of my hammers,” Vulcanis said, placing one hammer over his heart and bowing deeply.

“Oh, god, I forgot to nip this in the bud. No ‘master’ stuff, alright? Just call me Brent,” Brent said, shaking his metaphorical head.

“As you wish, Br—Brent,” Vulcanis replied, with a slight, mechanical hesitation.

"Excellent! Now, you're going to be in the new level of the dungeon," Brent explained enthusiastically to Vulcanis, his core glowing with excitement. "But this won't be like most other dungeons you've heard of. We're going to have two levels that adventurers can access at the same time. Instead of the traditional 'run through and kill everything' style, this dungeon specializes in races. Adventurers will navigate the dungeon in Mechanized Carts, trying to outmaneuver traps and beat each other. Your job, Vulcanis, is to make it as challenging as possible—stop them, slow them down, maybe even take them out. But nothing too ruthless; we get more return visitors when they can live to tell the tale."

Vulcanis tilted his metallic head, runes flickering with curiosity as molten light danced within them. "I think I understand your vision, Brent. But I suspect I will need to see it in action to grasp it fully. Please, continue your preparations. I will observe and learn."

Brent nodded, feeling a surge of satisfaction. "That's fine. I’ll show you the current course. In fact, there are adventurers running through it as we speak." He shared a visual projection with Vulcanis, the molten dwarf's glowing eyes narrowing with interest as the display showed adventurers dodging traps and racing through the perilous course.

"Thank you, mast—Brent. Apologies, old habits," Vulcanis said, placing one large hand over his chest. "This... will take some getting used to."

"No worries. You'll get there. We're all learning here," Brent reassured him, his energy pulsing with warmth.

With Vulcanis settled, Brent's attention shifted back to his menus, his core vibrating with barely contained excitement. It was time to select the new Boss minion for the second floor. He always loved this process—each new minion summon was like opening a rare pack of trading cards from his past life on Earth. The anticipation, the thrill of the unknown—it was intoxicating.

Navigating through the interface, Brent arrived at the Boss minion selection page and felt his enthusiasm briefly dampened by the hefty cost. "Three thousand DP?!" he exclaimed, his voice reverberating through the Core Room. "That's a lot of Dungeon Points for one summon."

"It’s a second-level Boss minion, Brent," Emil said matter-of-factly, floating beside him. "You should expect it to be more expensive."

"I know, I know," Brent muttered, still disgruntled. "It just feels like the System is robbing me blind sometimes. Fine. Whatever. Stupid System, always after my Dungeon Points."

With a resigned sigh, he selected "Summon Minion" and watched, heart pounding, as the process began. Activating his Dungeon Vision, he rushed to the second floor's newly constructed boss chamber, eager to see what awaited him.

Unlike the shimmering lights and motes that had accompanied previous summons, a dark void materialized in the center of the room. It pulsed with an unsettling energy, bending the ambient light around it and casting jagged shadows across the walls. The air crackled with raw power, and Brent could feel a gravitational pull toward the void, as if it sought to draw in every mote of light in the room.

A glimmering hand emerged first, its surface a swirling tapestry of stars and galaxies. It moved with an eerie grace, followed by an arm, and then the rest of the entity stepped through the portal. The being floated several feet above the ground, its translucent body rippling with celestial patterns. Its robes shifted like constellations across a night sky, and its eyes—brilliant, star-filled orbs—gazed down at Brent with a mix of ancient wisdom and cold, otherworldly detachment.

"Woah," Brent whispered, awe-struck. He took in every detail: the arching runes that shimmered with an inner light, the way its form seemed to phase between the physical and the astral plane, and the palpable aura of power that radiated outward. This was no ordinary minion.

Brent quickly accessed the creature’s profile, curiosity and excitement swirling within his core as he prepared to learn all there was about his newest and most formidable Boss.

"Holy crap..."