Suddenly, I was hit with a memory of a wooden woman saying something as we walked a forest trail, "Remember, son, in nature, everything has a balance. From the worms in the soil to a mighty Roc residing in a mountain nest. If the worms weren't there, the undergrowth of the forest might get drowned by the fallen leaves of the trees. Then, most herbivores wouldn't have their food; without food here, they would migrate somewhere else. Now the predators don't have their normal prey. They cannot go somewhere else as this is their territory, and where their prey is going will likely be in another predator's area, which they will have to contend with. Then they will start to look at other creatures to eat. This will cause an imbalance in the ecosystem to a catastrophic result. So remember, every creature is a needed one."
Suddenly I jerked back to the present and felt a slight pain. I looked over at my integrity and saw that it had dropped by one percent. I also saw that I had more notifications.
> You have gained the following patterns-
>
> - Skill book
>
> - Binding (Enchantment)
>
> - Chimera (Template)
>
> - Crystallized Spell
>
> - Slime
>
> - Strange Stone
"You got some late-level things early. Yes, I will explain what those patterns are. The Skill book pattern will let you create a skill book with a Skill you know, and if the holder is compatible, the book will grant the holder its skill and disintegrate. Next, you have an enchantment, this will let you put the enchantment of the pattern on any item. After that is a template, templates are like patterns but without a specific ingredient list. In this template, you would likely be able to choose multiple creatures to make a chimera from.
The Crystallized Spell is as it says, it's a solid crystal made from a spell. When left alone they might cause a diffused and weak version of its spell in its surroundings. And when broken, it goes boom. The next one is, as it says, a normal slime. And the last one, I don't know; I have heard of it as a rare material that some dungeons rarely get. You should try to Identify all of the patterns yourself." After hearing the last part I did just that.
> Patterns—
>
> 1. Skill Book: A Skill Book can house any skill known by the Dungeon. When a user utilizes the Skill Book, the book imparts the skill at level 0, provided the user is compatible with the skill. Upon successful transfer, the Skill Book disintegrates. The Dungeon can use mana to create Skill Books containing various skills.
>
> 2. Binding (Enchantment): This enchantment can be applied to any item within the Dungeon's domain. The Binding enchantment allows the enchanted item to link or bind to another object, creature, or entity, creating a connection. The Dungeon can use mana to enchant items with the Binding enchantment.
>
> 3. Chimera (Template): The Chimera template allows the Dungeon to create hybrid creatures by combining patterns from different absorbed materials and creatures. This template accepts various materials and life forms, and the final creation reflects the combined traits and abilities of the sources used. The Dungeon can use mana to summon chimeric creatures based on the available patterns.
>
> 4. Crystallized Spell: A Crystallized Spell is a crystal imbued with a specific spell, which passively creates a localized and weakened version of the spell’s effects. When the crystal is destroyed, it releases a powerful explosion of the stored spell. The Dungeon can use mana to summon Crystallized Spells containing various magical effects.
>
> Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
>
> 5. Slime: The Slime pattern allows the Dungeon to summon and create slimes. The Dungeon can use mana to summon slimes of different types.
>
> 6. Strange Stone: The Strange Stone is a unique material that can alter some of its properties as directed by the Dungeon. This stone can change aspects such as hardness, color, and texture, making it a versatile material for construction, crafting, and various magical purposes. The Dungeon can use mana to summon Strange Stones and manipulate their properties as needed. (Disclaimer: The stone will lose all of its supernatural properties and start to crumble apart until fully destroyed if taken out of the Dungeon)
After reading the descriptions I close the window and see that my indentify skill has reached level 10. "The strange stone is way better than I thought! This will make using stone to reinforce things easier..." I heard Lily mutter excitedly. I ask her then, "So I start to make my Dungeon now?"
"No, you still have to choose your Themes, think of them like a pattern package that will also help you create a certain environment on the floor it is applied on. Normally a Dungeon gets to choose a theme on every odd number of floors. But as you don't have any floors, and the mega floors are a merge of five floors, I can't say how many you will get." Lily says, broken out of her mumblings.
I had forgotten about Themes as normal sapients don't get it. I opened up the selection to find that I could select one theme and two theme modifiers. I asked Lily what those were and she replied. "Normally Dungeons don't get theme modifiers until at least level 25. A theme modifier is like a mini theme you can modify your applied theme with as you cannot use multiple themes on the same floor normally. Here is an example, think your main theme for a floor is (Ancient Ruins), which will make the architecture of the floor look decrepit and ancient. Now you add the modifier (Necrotic). This will likely change the theme of the floor to (Ancient Mausoleum), which will make it more spooky and might even give you some patterns. But remember that the new theme is only for that floor, you don't have the theme fully." I understood that but I had one question, "Can you use Themes and theme modifiers on multiple floors?"
She said, "Themes you can use on any floor you want but a modifier can only be equipped on one floor at a time if you don't have a duplicate of it. And I forgot to say at first but you can only equip two modifiers per floor. Normally that is a problem but for you, it's not. Now open the theme selection already!" I opened the theme selection.
> Please choose one of the themes—
>
> 1. Forest: This theme transforms the floor into a lush, dense woodland environment. Trees, shrubs, and undergrowth fill the area, creating a vibrant, natural habitat. The atmosphere is serene and alive with the sounds of wildlife.
>
> 2. Cavern: This theme shapes the floor into a vast network of underground chambers and tunnels. Stalactites and stalagmites decorate the landscape, with subterranean rivers and bioluminescent fungi providing eerie illumination.
>
> 3. Ruins: This theme converts the floor into the remnants of an ancient, forgotten civilization. Crumbling structures, overgrown with vines and moss, evoke a sense of mystery and history. The air is thick with the echoes of the past.
>
> 4. Swamp: This theme turns the floor into a wet, marshy environment teeming with life. Muddy ground, still waters, and dense vegetation create a challenging terrain. The air is humid and filled with the sounds of croaking frogs and buzzing insects.
>
> 5. Volcano: This theme reshapes the floor into a fiery, unstable landscape dominated by volcanic activity. Lava flows, ash clouds and smoking vents create a harsh, dangerous environment. The heat is intense, and the ground trembles with seismic activity.
After seeing that snippet of my memory I already knew what I would choose. Before Lily could even say something I had chosen the Forest theme. When another vision didn't come, I was a bit disappointed. I see a bunch of notifications about the patterns I got. I tried to add all of the notifications together so they show up as one notification as they did for the patterns I got from the Gifts. And it worked!
> Forest Theme Patterns—
>
> 1. Wolf: Summoning this pattern creates a predatory creature adapted to forest environments. Wolves are agile hunters, capable of tracking prey through dense vegetation.
>
> 2. Boar: This pattern summons a wild boar, suitable for forest habitats. Boars are known for their strength and foraging abilities.
>
> 3. Grass: Summoning this pattern covers a patch with lush, green grass. It provides food for various herbivorous creatures and insects.
>
> 4. Rich Soil: This pattern creates fertile, nutrient-rich soil.
>
> 5. Oak Tree: Summoning this pattern brings forth a majestic oak tree.