Uno

So yeah, stuff happened and now it seems like I have an electrical affinity. Not much changed though. I was still bumbling about with my dungeon plans. There was a new innate ability, but I still wasn’t sure what it really did.

[Status]

Race

Dungeon core

Name

Uno

Dungeon core level

0

Affinity

Electricity

Element

Anima

Location

Henrik Waltzer ruined Castle - Dungeons

Magic

None

Skills

None

Innate Abilities

Mana sight, Anima manipulation, Electricity Encroachment

I had other problems.

These two rooms near the food hall were bugging me now. Empty and useless. This won’t do! I decided to take the first crack at the one just to the right of my former entrance. Since there were tables and chairs in the other room I decided to remake this one as a kitchen.

Of course, there weren’t any edibles right now - not counting stringy rat meat I could now produce because of earlier invaders. It was useless though as none of my creatures needed feeding. Even Ratlings were sampling electricity from Chandelier fruits or directly from the wires. It seemed like enough to sustain them.

However, once I gained some true, living minions I would have to feed them. As such creating a kitchen space would be a sound investment.

First I added a light source, smaller than the others, but still as dangerous. After all, nobody cooks in darkness. Then a few tables, chairs and cupboards. I even created frying pans, dinner plates, forks, and knives (although dull ones) - and in a fit of brilliance - false foods. In a "salt" container I put talc, and then I did the same with sugar, but using crystal-like stones. Next was a slab of meat made from sandstone and colored to look like a real thing. A few more greens I remembered from Earth-like potatoes, carrots, cabbage, and fruits - apples, oranges, and strawberries.

All made of stone.

I would get to work out here as soon as I could get my hands on organic materials from outside. I would then make my kitchen ingredients even more real. And maybe even create a cook to work in here?

As a finishing touch, I added an electric cooking stove, hooking it up to the wires that now infiltrated every centimeter of dungeon space. Just like the tunnels of my Ratlings.

And the rest?

Plans for the future, plans for the future.

For now, there is a second room awaiting attention.

This one is a bit bigger so I decided to use it as a sparring space. Two sources of light were attached to the ceiling and after a moment I created a weapon and armor racks. They were placed near the wall standing opposite the entrance. On these, I put wooden versions of club, sword, and square shield… yeah, it was not much.

But this will change in time!

For now, I also summoned two more Lebirs and ordered them to spar. After the mute discontent I felt from the others, a rotation system was put in place - to get every single one of them a chance to fight. Thankfully my minions were undead, so things like fatigue or boredom were beyond them, and as such their bouts could continue even in the blackest of nights.

Not like we had clocks or knowledge about the time of day in the dungeon.

A few minutes after the first bout a Ratling found its way towards the sparring room and started to work as a… judge? It started and stopped fights, telling the undead who won and who lost the duel.

It also asked me for a blackboard.

I obliged, giving it a few pieces of chalk to write on it and a cotton rag.

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

Now it looked more like a gambling room than sparring space, but oh well. All is good as long they’re lively.

Speaking of lively - I can see that my Drones nearly finished making their tunnel to the buried room on the east side. Once again I sent some Ratling scouts, but this time I took their reports with a pinch of salt.

Nothing was moving just like before and only opening the road towards my core would show with one hundred percent accuracy if any undead were buried there. And then probably another round of tower defense would commence.

This time I was ready though.

I added five more Lebirs, raising their numbers to twenty-two, and immediately ordered them to get armed at the forge room. Then they proceed towards the excavation site. Just in time as the tunnel was being breached right now and stale mana from it mixed and fought with my own.

After a chilling moment of waiting the skeletons peacefully lying in the room stood up at once, armed to the teeth in their rusted coifs, plates, and chains. In their hands were weapons in a little better state than their predecessors. Both swords, maces, and spears had seen better times. Their heads turned like one towards the entrance and slow, but the sure patter of their feet disturbed the silence.

It had begun.

Once again undead started stumbling towards my core room.

This time however I focused more on dealing damage than stopping them from walking. The results were already showing - not one of the undead walked past my trapped hallway! Both Ratlings and Lebirs were able to hurt them, in some cases even destroying skeletons completely - the former taking out the legs and the latter simply bashing fragile skulls in. No disabled and hurt minions either. Even though we had to use a new electric trap once, throwing the unsuspecting undead toward its doom it was still a full success.

Everything was going just fine… until this THING appeared.

Large humanoid in black armor, with arms clasped on a giant ax. At least it moved slowly, but with each step, the ground trembled. My forces pretty much eliminated all opposition so I ordered them to retreat towards the food hall. Pretty much all of my Lebirs were there, sans the one in the core room.

Ratlings too were ordered to help with defense.

They stood in their little tunnels, ready to shoot. And behind a few of them was… what was that?

[Analyze].

Iron Ratling Queen

Like most of the rat races, Iron Ratlings tend to breed uncontrollably when left to their own devices. Even the dungeon-spawned ones are no exception. It is in such conditions that Queens are born - tougher, bigger, and more intelligent than any of their brethren. And - most importantly - capable of giving birth on their own.

This individual has the ability to command her subordinates and even create new breeds of Ratlings. Additionally, as one born in a dungeon with uncommon affinity, it managed to feed on a few electric fruits and in turn gained power over lightning.

Threat level: E++

Oh, so that’s why I had to plant some of the Chandeliers again! These cheeky… then I suppose planting some more exotic plants would be good too since at least one type of my minion thrives by devouring them. Crafting an ecosystem was always a fascinating idea - even if it came to life in a dungeon!

Ratling Queen looked really menacing right now, biting on something and wearing - yes, wearing - a cape made from cotton. It was white and not really that well made, but making something, anything without opposable thumbs was a challenge and respect was due.

Also, I now noticed what she was chewing on. Haaaaaah. And I was wondering where did the crippled Lebir arms and legs go… In the end, I was forced to make them from scratch.

I also used an Analyze on our opponent and twitched in nervousness.

Ironhide Undead Dark Knight

named Jailer Jonathan

When all was lost some of Waltzer's castle soldiers decided to stay behind, in order to slow down their enemies, trading their lives for the safety of civilians and their comrades. Their sacrifice will be remembered.

Jailer Jonathan was not one of them. He hid in the castle dungeons, hoarding food and other supplies. This bought him a few months, but in the end, he was reduced to cannibalizing his prisoners and committing suicide.

Because of such a past, he was bound into this form, forced to roam the halls of the castle with endless hunger and despair.

Threat level: D-

To reiterate - this Dark Knight stood at the height of two and a half meters, clad in black, dull armor that seemed to devour even light. Its helmet had two horns, one of them broken, leaving an impression of a tired, old warrior. The eyes glowed in unholy, green light adding to the intimidation. But the real horror was beneath those eyes - large mouth full of shark-like teeth, endlessly chewing and swallowing, even when there was nothing to eat. What’s worse it looked hungrily over its own companions and my minions too!

The beast roared, taking a step forward and biting into one of the few skeletons which were left. Poor sod flailed for a moment until it was devoured by hungry maw. In the next moment, it jumped forward, landing in the middle of my Lebirs. They attacked immediately, stupidity making them immune to fear.

Then one of them was grabbed and his arm snacked on, while his companions smacked the attacker on his armored chest and thighs to no avail. It was then that one of the Lebirs jumped back and charged - the rest soon followed. Their combined weight forced the being to shake and fall to its knees, crippled Lebir still attacking it with fervor.

At that moment Ratlings also decided to attack under the command of their Queen. Spears flew through the air and mostly found their targets, as Lebirs were pretty much immune to such attacks. Sadly Dark Knight was too. It shook again, this time to dislodge a few of the sticks that were chafing it - trying to remove not pain, but just discomfort.

Then I suddenly realized that some of these spears were made from pure metal. Which was strange, because I didn’t recall making them like this…

In a flash of lightning, my answer arrived - it was time for Queen to shine, as she gathered more than a few electrical fruits (let’s just call them electropears) and threw them forward adding a bit of her guiding magic in the process.

It flew true, lodging itself into the undead chest and shocking both the enemy and Lebirs surrounding it. What's more, Dark Knight was thrown backward, flying through the wall and into the Kitchen area I set up beforehand.

Argh. Just thinking about all these small pieces that I would have to remake was giving me a headache.

Focus!

Focus, Uno!

The enemy was still alive!

My forces gathered near the rubble and prepared for an attack… which never came.

What I heard (because my camera was blocked by a cloud of dust) was the sound of chewing and swallowing.

*crunch*

*crunch*

*crunch*

*gulp*

*crunch*

Again and again.

Then the dust settled and I was confronted with the weirdest blue box ever.

Jailer Jonathan wishes to join your dungeon!

Do you accept?