Martin stood there stunned. Until on of the adventurers walked over and touched him.
“You still with us, boss?” the adventurer asked.
Martin snapped out of the daze “Yeah, just thinking about my change of plans. A life dungeon like this is an interesting development.” he stated.
The adventurers didn't look too convinced about him being okay but what were they to do. Martin ordered everyone back to camp.
At camp the 36 parties of adventurers were excited about the herbs and monsters they had found, along with the news that this place was a dungeon and not some mine deposit they needed to guard.
Martin addressed the crowd, “As most of you know, this forest was caused by a dungeon, a life dungeon. By kingdom law we have to report this to the crown. Before we leave however we are going to survey the land for 25 km and completely map the land for 6 km.”
A short nodding and whispers hit the crowd.
“Now thankfully we have the high rank surveyor Sir William Hill with us, with his ability we will be done in a month or two at most. Dungeon raids rights will be given to those who gather the most herbs and kill the most monsters. We will be moving camp into the dungeon entrance. Do not go into the dungeon without permission. We have a contract and I have already put down the down payment and the herbs the we have already gather will complete the payment. So everyone let's do our jobs.” with that Martin clapped his hands.
Camp was easily moved to the entrance and for the labors the cooking area was the most impressive. Those large buttons were to adjust the heat. Allowing the chefs to cook wonder meals.
Martin had many thoughts about the dungeon. His thoughts were changed from thinking that he could mine out 1 cube meter of high quality mana crystal for 1 large gold, to how to settle the land. There was also the disturbing thoughts that went into his mind. He knew it must have been the life dungeon communicating. It was no matter, he would be rich and at least made an earl by the king.
The only problems were the vague rewards promised by the dungeon and how to get people to move to the city surrounded by forest and monsters. Time would solve the problems as high level farmer could produce plentiful amounts of food. Refugees from other countries could be used for the labor in return for promises of land, low taxes and less competition. The mapping would be down first and would be finished within two weeks as the more extensive part of the assignment needing to be down.
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Two weeks past since the Jade had Martin go and complete the task. His goal was two parts. First check for resources he could use to become stronger. The second was to set up a city formation.
The city formation needed precise measurements. Of the things he received, bones and metals were the most important factors. Mortal iron, copper, silver and gold couldn't be used. Jade needed to go back to his roots and refine massive amounts to get, 1000 year cold iron, profound copper, 100 year sharp silver and purple gold. With those Jade could complete a proper city formation. The bones were needed as a supplement for the formation and the refining process.
These last two weeks, Jade was able to create the profound copper and 1000 year cold iron. If Jade could find the right bones, the 100 year sharp silver and purple gold would be a walk in the sky, umm park.
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A few adventurers had come into the dungeon, but upon seeing the tunnels.decided it was not worth it to go explore at this time.
Martin came in the next day with a map of the entire area that Jade’s dungeon was over and a little extra. The less defined map would be coming in a few weeks. It was enough for what Jade had planned. That night the right set of bones were collected and set up to create the 100 year sharp silver.
As the next three weeks passed Jade barely found a combination of bones that let him complete the purple gold. Jade had tried creating the needed bones, but the created bones didn't have the resentment that was needed in this type of refining. Jade just took the bones that Martin brought from the adventurers and gave generously in coin for them.
With the final map showing the flow of the land. It was time to create the city formation. Jade had been saving up his mana for this.
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The night after Martin had delivered the second less defined map, he felt a little betrayed. The dungeon promised him a reward yet all he had gotten although in a large amount, was just coin. He wanted something more. It troubled his night making him have trouble getting to sleep. Then the roar came. The ground broke up, trees fell. The roaring sound scared everyone awake and they watched outside as the an abyss was shallowing the trees.
The shaking stopped but the ground remained opened. Then a bluish glow came out of the ground. It was mana crystal. Buildings of mana crystal cane out of the ground. Roadways, towers, and unknown things were everywhere.
‘This is the reward!’ Martin’s worries faded instantly, he had a city!
There was then a blue light coming behind him. It was a mana crystal key. As Martin picked it up it drained his mana.
Almost screeching at what happened, he felt a voice enter his mind.
‘The key controls the city.’
Not understanding, but knowing the value, Martin held the key close to his chest.
No one left the campsite until the next day. They were amazed at the city and its wonders. Everything was labelled. Some sections said to be developed, others said housing with how many rooms and baths.
Things were almost too much when Martin cried out “Everyone gather. We are leaving today to go back to the capital. Do not wander off or you get be lost. We do not have the time to go search for you.”
This those word they were reminded in purpose and got to work. They said goodbye to the campsite and the wonderful water and cooking places, the bathrooms were great too.
As they walked out the path they came, they found a giant wall hundreds of meters tall thicker than 5 meters of pure mana crystal blocking their way. There were doors and staircases all over. Eventually a gate was located at the on the main street. The gate needed at key to open. Martin now knew what the key meant, it was the key to the city.
Trekking back to the capital the group was determined to share their stories with their guilds and get a location in the city for themselves.
As they shared the story with fellow travelers out of the forest on the kingdom's roads, it quickly became the most talked about thing in the kingdom. A magical city made of mana crystal and with a dungeon underneath in the middle of a monster infested forest. The story of a crystal key controlling the gates was also told to a lesser extent. Those with greedy eyes sought to make it theirs.
The king heard these stories before the expedition returned. He had a banquet set and a special force sent out to go to the city and validate the stories. Martin was given a seat of honor and showed off the key with pride. The special force was given magical steeds, speed enhancements and long range communication devices and they confirmed the city wall only a week after the expedition returned.
Martin was made an earl by the king. Drunk and enjoying himself, he went out and hid himself as an average man to the whore houses. On the way back home, a thief took the crystal key along with this coin purse.
The next day Martin woke up and learning about the key informed the king who created a 10 large gold bounty on the return of the key. The thief scared of what he had stole tried to pawn it only to be chased down and died in a ditch, the key wasn't with him. For in the chase he tossed it in a rubbish pile. To get rid of it.
9 years had past and no one had found it until one boy playing in the capital landfill discovered it.
Dungeon Status
Level 10
Dungeon Type: Jade
Name: N/A
Titles: N/A
Achievements: Perfect Perfection, Ancient Presence
Mana: 200/25000
Points: 1150
Floors: 1
Skills: Basic Dungeon Mana Gathering Level 1, Unknown Mana Gathering Level ???, Dungeon Mana Manipulation, Mana absorption, Mana creation Level 6, Dungeon expansion, Summon Monsters, Summon life, Monster imbuement, Monster Naming, Environmental Controls, Floor creation, Architecture Level 3