Lorien
As soon as Lorien entered the dungeon’s aura, he used two of his skills.
Heightened Senses
Sixth Sense
A procedure unnecessary for a newborn dungeon, yet circumstances make him cautious. Soon, his senses catch the gaze of the dungeon, testifying to his cation and wariness.
He follows his usual routine, turning on the recording device and recording his findings, which will later be used as a reference for a detailed report.
“We have entered its aura and attracted the dungeon's attention, it is currently observing us.”
He focuses on his senses and frowns as he notices the anomaly.
“Detected curiosity, worry, anticipation, and fear. Too complex for a newborn or any ancient dungeon. Will proceed to delve said dungeon for further investigation.”
Then he turns the device off, checking his equipment once more.
“Finally, we get to do something exciting!”
An excited shout bellowed beside him as he turned to face her.
Varkana, the representative for the Alliance of the Free Lands, an orc of royal descent, though she is more well-known for her prowess as a warrior and adventurer. Then, another voice follows.
“I hope this was worth the trouble.”
Despite her words, her expression betrays her true thoughts as there isn’t a hint of worry but a certain confidence she naturally carries.
Andrea, the representative of the Steelheart Confederacy, a skilled craftsman but more known for being one of the wealthiest merchants. Any choice she personally makes has been known to be lucrative, surprising quite a few when she competed for and won the position to be here.
“May the Gods guide us.”
The priest says with a calm and serene tone and aura, which has a natural charm and maturity despite their young visage.
Nolan, the representative of the Sacred Order Theocracy, is one of the youngest to gain the position of high priest. He is renowned for his talent and devotion and was one of the people permitted to enter The Forbidden.
Lorien observed these distinguished people following behind him, as agreed beforehand on how to act when dealing with the dungeon. He thought about how it turned out like this.
It was just the usual. One and a half weeks ago, he was signing paperwork in his office when a signal for a new dungeon was detected. Then it was doing the procedures conveying and reporting the news, assigning dungeon inspectors to inspect said dungeon. Usually, where trainees and mentors would be selected as a newborn dungeon’s danger level is negligible, perfect for trainees to gain experience.
However, once we tracked down the whereabouts of the dungeon, we couldn’t follow normal procedures. Soon after that, news spread of a message received by one of the oracles from the Theocracy about The System lifting the ban on The Forbidden, complicating matters further.
The Theocracy was zealous in finding the meaning behind The System message, something The System had done only in records. Once they got news of a dungeon appearing in The Forbidden at precisely the same time as the message was given, it was more than enough for them to follow through.
Then, as the diplomats of the countries gathered and discussed, it was decided that a representative of each country would investigate and, based on the information gathered, decide further on what should be done.
That was why he, Lorian, was here as the representative for Emerald Grove. He had been selected for his profession as one of the most skilled veteran dungeon inspectors and the first to find the signal.
Then, with the four selected and gathered, it took them five days to travel to and find the dungeon. Considering the dungeon's appearance, finding it was the least difficult part of all this.
As the four reached the entrance, Lorian thought about how strange this dungeon was. A clean roadway was made on the mountain leading to the entrance. The entrance was smoothed out to a perfect rectangle, and in front was a temple-like structure with smooth marble pillars supporting a roof. Intricate and beautiful carvings were made as Andrea took an interest in them.
“Interesting, very interesting. Not to mention its beauty, I have never seen designs such as these. Creation starts from imitation, yet I fail to see where they have gained inspiration from, meaning these designs are original or come from things I am not aware of.”
She ran her hands along the carvings and pillars, analyzing how they were made.
“I sense no trace of imprints always made in the process of craving, making them and meaning they are naturally formed in these states. Oh, it is such a shame they are dungeon floors. Quite a few would be more than eager to buy it for a hefty sum.”
Still, Andrea fervently observes and feels them with enthusiasm and with a glint in her eyes.
“These designs could be interesting for future temples to be built.”
Nolan casually says as he takes note of the layout and design, while Varkana was indifferent to it all.
However, none of these entered Loiran's eyes as he stared at a carving made at the top of the entrance.
‘Dungeon Of Desire’
Records are made for those who enter The Forbidden, and the last time someone was present was a month ago.
“Speculated dungeon has named itself and will check for intelligence levels. Mystery is how they know the concept of desire even if the dungeon possesses higher intelligence.”
Lorian began to prepare for the worst as he brought back his party's attention.
“We’re going in, be wary. This is something I have never encountered in my years of working as a dungeon inspector.”
“Heh, more fun for me.”
Vorkana reveled in the unknown as the four of them entered the dungeon.
However, they were soon stopped once again when something they never thought possible happened. As they entered and walked a few steps, they discovered a doorway with a hole in front of which they could not see the bottom. Moving to investigate, just before they were about to reach it, an invisible force blocked them as a system message appeared.
Side Quest: To the Core
Welcome to the Dungeon of Desire. To reach my core, you must navigate the floors I designed and complete the games I have made just for you.
Good Luck, Stay Safe, Have Fun, and
May you have an unforgettable time
Mission Goals
-Complete all the Main Quests
Reward for Completion: Access to Dungeon of Desire’s core room
Penalty for Failure: None
Will you accept the quest To the Core?
The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
Yes
No
They were momentarily frozen by what appeared before them. It was Nolan who first awoke with a fanatic smile and eyes.
“It is now confirmed this dungeon is related to the system in some way. We must put all our efforts into investigating and understanding this dungeon.”
Varakana, on the other hand, moved cautiously, measuring the extent of the blockage and its workings.
“The blockage starts and ends right at the doorway; it doesn’t feel like magic or like something is blocking me, but it's more towards something I’m incapable of doing. Yo, does anyone have any clues as to what this is?”
As Varkana looks toward them, Nolan explains fervently.
“It is The System, an order and rule. Like how objects fall, how the sun rises, how the wind blows, or how the seasons change. It simply is.”
“Cool, so any way around it?”
“No, it would take at least a few grandmasters specialized in order to create an opening, which no one would do by bringing disorder to The System and the severe backlash it would entail.”
Varkana frowned at his remark, which was filled with certainty. This dungeon had something none of them could solve. She was all for the thrill of danger and the unknown, but she enjoyed living through the odds, not a death wish.
“So, are we going forward or turning back with this bringing more back up.”
Just as Nolan was about to persuade them, surprisingly, it was Andrea who spoke up first.
“Of course, we move forward. Do you not know how much advantage we could have by being the first ones to delve into this dungeon?”
Lorian questioned her motive.
“Is that truly all?”
“Look, I was surprised just as you when a system message popped up, but the system is the system, a natural law that has been with us for who knows how long that has not brought us harm.”
Nolan was a little dissatisfied with her casualness with The System, but Andrea ignored it as she continued.
“And The System doesn’t lie. It may be vague or sometimes not tell us everything, but it has always said the truth. This message seems to be made by the dungeon. I doubt it would kill us this early when it went through all the trouble setting up its floors and games mentioned by it. Now, why don’t we accept this quest since there is no penalty and delve into this dungeon as my merchant senses are ringing about this lucrative opportunity.”
They discussed it for a few moments before deciding to leave the dungeon, allowing them to use their transmission devices. They would then send news to each of their countries to notify them that the dungeon was, in fact, related to The System. They then went back in once more.
As they walked through, they observed the hallway. It had a glowing white ceiling on top, with a glowing strip of white in the middle leading forward on the bottom. Carvings on the walls depicted fruits and plants, with vague humanoid figures eating some of them. There were also depictions of some of them worshipping a massive pillar.
Soon, they reached the end, a portal in front as they stepped forward.
Lorian first felt the ground underneath him, and the smell of dirt, water, and a floral and fruity scent invaded. Then, as the dizziness from the space distortion faded, he felt the warmth of light and the passing wind. He quickly entered an alert state, ready to attack as he opened his eyes.
With the portal behind them, they arrived at the end of a five-meter-long stone cave. Light poured in from the opening, revealing greenery ahead. Momentarily stunned by the view, they soon left for the opening.
Outside, they saw the sky as three different colored suns shone from above; a stone-tiled road leading them to the middle was seen with shrubs and plants filling the space on either side of the road. What was most noticeable was the massive pillar reaching toward the sky you could see in the middle.
Varkana was silently checking her surroundings. Andrea's eyes gleamed with interest. Nolan was calm and serene as usual, and Lorien used one of his skills.
Mind’s Eye
Soon, Lorian saw the view from above him. He could see sections where different plants were situated. He tried to take this place in as a whole but failed due to its massive size, though he was able to confirm that it was inside the mountain and that they weren’t teleported.
Cancelling his skill, he began to record his findings.
“Entered the dungeon's first floor, currently observed approximately 20 kilometers around me, but has more space unobserved. However, confirmed to be an enclosed space inside the mountain. Higher mana density was detected on the floor than usual, speculated to be a plant-type dungeon.”
Soon, he began to move toward the road, with the rest following. As soon as he stepped on the road, a system message appeared before him.
Main Quest: Floor 1-3 (1)
Welcome to Nature’s Bountiful Garden, where all sorts of foods are waiting to be harvested and devoured. Enjoy the treats and gifts nature has to offer.
Mission Goals
- Follow the road and meet the ruler of this domain
Reward for Completion: Next Main Quest
Penalty for Failure: None
Will you accept the quest Main Quest: Floor 1-3 (1)?
Yes
No
Lorien accepted it, as did the others, as he recorded.
“The dungeon has named the floor Nature’s Bountiful Garden. Will now proceed to meet its ‘ruler.’”
Then, as he was about to finish, he noticed something unusual about the road.
Analyze
He used his skills to observe the road and the floor of the cave behind him and recorded his findings.
“Observed the entrance on floor one and the road to the middle are safe zones, unlike ordinary safe zones, possess a curse imbued to activate in case any hostile behavior is detected.”
The more he was in this dungeon, the more it was disregarding his common sense of dungeons. The size, the use of space manipulation, the fake sky and sun, the safe zones typically appearing after tier 3 floors present on the first floor, and the intelligence and emotions shown are impossible for a newborn dungeon. Lorien didn’t know what to think about it.
They discussed that it would be best to follow the road and observe while in the safe zones, follow the quest, learn about this ruler, and understand what happens when a quest is completed.
They moved briskly along, Lorien using his Mind’s Eye intermittently along the way. Near the middle of the floor, he observed that the floor was a 40-kilometer square with eight sections, each with a theme and certain type of plant, with an underground cave system spreading everywhere underneath. The surroundings were enclosed by a 10-kilometer-high stone cliff with a waterfall in the northwest corner.
He informed his party as he recorded his observations. A few minutes later, they arrived at the center of the floor, where an opening with an enormous wooden pillar was located. The road ended at the clearing and began again on the other side.
A grass field spread out 300 meters around the pillar, showing the perimeters of the safe zone. Benches and tables were placed, with trees acting as shades and trees made into shapes, such as hammocks and swinging chairs.
It felt peaceful. Although the benches and tables were clearly artificial, they seemed to blend in with the scenery. They strolled through the park, fascinated by their surroundings. While the others observed the park, trying to find this so-called ruler, Lorien focused on the pillar.
He has been continuously activating his Heightened Senses and Sixth Sense. Being this close, he felt it. It wasn’t a pillar, it was something alive.
Appraisal
Name
◼◼◼◼◼◼◼◼◼◼
Race
Tree of ◼◼
Titles
◼◼◼◼◼, ◼◼◼◼◼, ◼◼◼◼◼, ◼◼◼◼◼
Affinity
◼◼,◼◼,◼◼,◼◼◼
Skill
◼◼◼◼,◼◼◼◼,◼◼◼◼◼◼,◼◼◼◼◼,◼◼◼◼,◼◼◼,◼◼◼◼…
Trait
Dungeon Born, Boss Monster, ◼◼◼◼◼◼,◼◼◼◼◼◼
“Haven’t someone told you that it’s very rude to stare, much less spy on something private.”
Soon, a strong, mature female voice resounded within everyone as they were stunned, quickly readying their weapons. They stopped and lowered their weapons as soon as the curse started to affect them, and a system message popped up.
Main Quest: Floor 1-3 (1) Completed
Mission Goals
- Follow the road and meet the ruler of this domain
Reward for Completion: Next Main Quest
Main Quest: Floor 1-3 (2)
You have met the ruler of this domain. For this is the domain of hunger, present yourselves to the ruler of hunger. She will explain her domain and the rules to follow. The Mother, The Guardian, and The Garden’s Heart, may your hunger be quelled.
Mission Goals
- Listen to the ruler of hunger
Reward for Completion: Next Main Quest, One mystery fruit
Penalty for Failure: None
They were shocked, still standing in place as the voice continued.
“Is it not basic etiquette to introduce oneself when meeting them for the first time? However, you are our guests and the very first one at that, so perhaps I should introduce myself first.”
Soon, a section of the pillar in front of them started to change and form into the upper half of a beautiful woman. Despite looking like a wooden figure, it moved smoothly and was somehow filled with life.
She moved her mouth, yet no sound came out as the voice was transmitted directly into their minds.
“Evangeline Sylva Seraphim greets our most welcomed guests to fathers garden. As the caretaker of this garden, I shall answer any questions you may have about it.”