There are various reasons as to why Isao hadn’t confronted the Cult of Murkhata like he did to the 3 criminal organizations in the dungeon. And the main reason is this—he underestimated the threat they bring.
But it was asking him for the impossible at the time—to know the danger that not even Wilab or the cultists themselves knew.
Although he wouldn’t outright regret it, there would be times in the future when he would entertain wishful thinking like “What if I did this instead...” The events following the proclamation of the Philippine Adventurer’s Guild’s establishment were filled with unforeseen consequences.
***
Day 8
Most Filipinos are devout believers in God. Although most of the time they only attend twice, if not once a month, they still hold their faith close to their hearts. But they really are devout, to the point that it is apt to say that they are fanatical.
A prime example of this is the Filipino Catholics. On the day of the Feast of the Black Nazarene, where it would be paraded around Quiapo, Manila, young and old alike would struggle fiercely with their fellow believers.
They have only one goal: to wipe the figure’s feet with the cloth in their hands or maybe even kiss it. And for what? Peace of mind, maybe. A good luck charm, perhaps. Or probably to show their devotion to the Black Nazarene.
Hundreds of cases of injuries have always been reported during the annual procession. However, for these devotees, the risks are worth it, as they believe in the miraculous powers of the Black Nazarene. The fervor and dedication displayed by these individuals is a testament to the deep-rooted faith and spiritual connection they feel towards this religious icon.
A few might find themselves scratching their heads at the absurdity of their high-risk, vague-return actions. And indeed, even the authorities at the head of this event suggest that, instead of this life-threatening show of devotion, why not do it in relative safety? In fact, before they parade the figure at the Quiapo Church, devotees are free to wipe its feet as long as they want to.
Well, perhaps due to the romanticism of the idea, most devotees pick the former option.
But what if praying to a deity gives substantial returns? Like, say, a system that allows an individual to do what fictional heroes could do?
This is what happens: an avalanche of human bodies, similar to aunties who fought for the best deals at a sale, floods the gates of the Church.
The volunteer prayed sincerely but not specifying any god; he just asked to be given a system the gods deem appropriate for him. And what he got was a Farming System from Dumangan the God of Good Harvest, similar to the farming simulator browser game that got famous in the late 2000’s.
Immediately after that, the other volunteers as well as the other evacuees swarmed to the gates of the Church. At first, it was as described after the first volunteer walked out of the Church and showed off what they had. But after one warning shot fired skywards from Ava and with the help of cyberpunk-esque full-body armored soldiers who supervised the procedures, the barbaric mob returned to civilized modern-day Filipinos.
***
And after a time when a sizable number of evacuees had received their systems, one of the numbskull MAKALATODA(Brgy. Magsasaka, Kabuyao, Laguna Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association) drivers, who hadn’t got his system yet, got it in his head to annoy Wilab.
“Hey, Wilab! I tried to pray to you but I didn’t even get a system!” He jeered. Unsurprisingly, Wilab started shouting, spouting nonsensical remarks in response to the driver's taunting.
The majority of the tricycle drivers in this area are from Second Tree Village or Riverside, while drivers from First Tree could be counted on one hand. And this particular bonehead is from Second Tree, which has—for some irrational reason—the culture of annoying people they are close with.
‘Are they teenagers who wanted to get close to their crush?’ was the thought that crossed Isao’s mind when a customer from Second Tree explained their village’s culture.
He almost wanted to ask if the tricycle drivers in this area had a crush on that old hag. If so, their taste in women must be so horrible if they wanted to get close with Wilab of all people.
He could accept and is more inclined to accept if someone is attracted to an individual of the same sex. Of course, as an ugly person himself, Isao finds people who judge others not with their looks but with their personalities.
But, to be attracted to someone with awful appearance plus downright evil personality, then disgusting is the only word to describe their taste in women. ‘To each their own, I guess.’ However as a citizen in a democratic nation, Isao was forced to accept such nonsense even though he was extremely loath to do so.
With these thoughts running through his mind, Isao begrudgingly went to pacify the old hag.
“If you’re not a liar, then why don’t you prove it, eh!” Taunted the tricycle driver, a smug grin on his face. As he was about to calm the old woman, he heard that and Isao suddenly got a bright idea. ‘Oh ho, prove, eh?’ he thought, unaware that his action would be the catalyst for the pandemonium that would happen in a few moments.
“Wilab, what he’s saying is right. And conveniently, I have someone who could verify your insistence of being a child of a God. Of course, if you’re willing to cooperate, that is.”
Sadly, at this moment in time, Isao was too preoccupied with his thoughts. The only thing on his mind right now is to eliminate unwanted groups inside his dungeon, although it has to be said that the dungeon master also has some personal motives driving his actions.
It might not be obvious—or perhaps it is—that Isao abides by the saying, “If others do unto you, do it to others.” Meek and timid might be the best way to describe him, however, he wouldn’t let others take him for a fool.
Like he did to Oliver, the boss of Alpha Kids, Isao would meticulously prepare and patiently wait for when the odds are finally in his favor. And on this day, Isao could finally shove reality on the old hag’s face.
“Racquel!” Isao called to one of his Dungeon Apostles, Racquel the Seraph. In response and according to his will, she entered the scene in the most holy way possible.
With her pure-white wings and the divine aura radiating from her, none would doubt that Racquel was an angel from heaven. She floated down gracefully, and she elegantly curtsied to Isao to show her respect to her master.
“The Seraph of Justice, Racquel has arrived, Your Majesty.” Isao nodded approvingly, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction as he observed Racquel's majestic presence.
Among the Dungeon Apostles that Isao had created, not all of them were geared for battle—although for some reason none of them weren’t warmongering idiots. What a mystery. And the blind angel was one of them.
ＳＴＡＴＵＳ
Name: Raquel
Designation: Support Unit (NPC)
Race: Seraph
Class: Judge
Rank: I
ＨＰ: 10/10
ＭＰ: 1000/1000
STR: I
DEF: I
STA: I
AGI: I
DEX: I
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ACC: I
SNS: I
INT: G
RES: I
Unique Skills: Justice
Skills: Holy Magic Rank I, Healing Magic Rank I
Most of her skills and stats, as shown in her status, were only for support, like Healing Magic and Holy Magic. She could still contribute to combat with her skillset, but Isao prefers it if the monsters derived from her DNA would participate instead of her.
Why? Because of her Unique Skill, Justice. When designing Racquel, Isao wasn’t hoping for an angel with an endgame-esque loadout of skills and stats. His combat-oriented Apostles could take care of that. Instead, what he had in mind for Racquel and her subordinates was to act as judiciary inside this dungeon.
The Unique Skill “Justice” could be classified as a Cheat Skill—or so he would insist. In actuality, it wasn’t that convenient. Although not as time consuming as its counterpart, the skill still needed evidence and such before it could pass down judgment.
But for this instance, Isao would take advantage of Filipinos’ deep faith in the divine. ‘I mean, look. The onlookers are already down on their knees and praying to her.’ It is as Isao described. The crowd of onlookers in the dungeon were fervently praying to the angel, unaware that she is a creature synthesized by him.
And so Isao explained to the onlookers that Racquel would serve as a judge, verifying whether Wilab is truly the daughter of God like she proclaims. After that he asks “Is that clear to everyone involved?” None shook their heads. Everyone was convinced of the angel’s ability to discern the truth.
‘Checkmate,’ Isao sneers inside his mind, although he made sure to not let it show on his face. “Then let’s cut to the chase: Wilab, are you really the daughter of God?” The room fell into momentary silence as Wilab confidently declared, "Yes," while Racquel instantly countered with, "Lies."
She was so confident and so sure of her answer that Isao had to summon all his willpower to restrain himself from cracking up when the angel judged her as lying. Although the onlookers were not so subtle, one of them was literally laughing with his ass out.
"Heeh. Then how about I answer your question instead?" Out of nowhere amidst the laughing, Isao heard a voice seeped in malice and maliciousness, sending shivers down his spine. Looking in the direction from where the voice came, he saw Wilab, but there's something off about her.
His Danger Detection skill was blaring in his mind, warning him of the imminent threat. Isao doesn't know what exactly is wrong, but he didn't waste any time taking action.
Opening his Dungeon Interface, his fingers racing, he accessed the map and transported the threats outside of the dungeon. One of the functions of his Dungeon Interior Management interface was to designate whether someone was a threat or not, and Isao had marked Wilab and the Murkhata Cultists as potential threats.
He knew that it was better to be safe than sorry, so he made sure to include the cultists among those he booted out of his dungeon. And it was the right decision. When he expelled Wilab and the cultists with the surveillance function of the dungeon, Isao witnessed a sight that would haunt him for years to come.
"Oh ho, what sharp senses you have, Dungeon Master Isao," Wilab—no, that wasn't her anymore—sneered, its voice dripping with malice. The entity looked directly at Isao through the monitoring system, its eyes filled with a malevolent gleam that sent shivers down his spine.
"Who... who are you!?" Isao stammered, his voice trembling with fear. The entity chuckled darkly, its voice echoing through the dungeon. "You don't know me? Good grief. Humans really are so quick to forget the past."
"Then let me remind you, First Filipino Dungeon Master, and the Filipinos seeking shelter in your dungeon," the entity sneered, its tone laced with disdain. A skeletal hand emerged from Wilab's chest, its bony fingers grasping her heart. When it clenched it tight, smoke wrapped around Wilab's body in an ominous embrace. In a blink of an eye, Wilab was gone, and a withered old man appeared in her place.
"I am Sitan, the God of the Lower World," he declared, his voice echoing with an otherworldly power. "And I shall have my revenge on that detestable thief who stole what was rightfully mine." Sitan's eyes burned with fiery determination as he continued, "I am going to start with you, Isao, his chosen one."
"But I'm not going to be the one to do so, as I have yet to regain the entirety of my strength." Sitan paused, a wicked smile spreading across his face. "Come, demon. It's time to make good with the deal the Dark Gods have made with me," Sitan declared, his voice echoing with a sinister tone. A demon dressed in a nobleman's attire emerged from the shadows, a wicked smile playing on his lips.
"As you wish, Sitan," the demon replied, his voice dripping with malevolence. "Greetings, Dungeon Master Isao. I am Marnueluch, a Demon Knight from the Chaos Faction." Marnueluch's eyes glowed with an otherworldly fire as he bowed mockingly to Isao.
"In accordance with the Chaos Emperor's will to have the Philippines under his dominion, I have been sent to destroy any opposition and establish a reign of darkness," Marnueluch continued, his words laced with a chilling certainty. "In light of that, I hereby challenge you to a Dungeon War and a Throne War, Isao."
Isao knew of these two from the guide given along with his blessing. The Dungeon War is a game wherein Dungeon Masters bet the entirety of their beings—their Dungeon Core—in a fight to gain full control of the other’s Dungeon. On the other hand, in Throne Wars, the Players would fight in a game where anything goes as long as it doesn’t completely break the rules.
In a Dungeon War, the God of Games would connect the entrances of their dungeons. They have to traverse each other’s dungeons, exploring each floor in search of the stairs to the next floor, all the while hindering their enemies’ advance in their dungeon. This game is a race to destroy or touch the opponent’s Dungeon Core on the bottom-most or upper-most floor.
And then in a Throne War, their battlegrounds would be the same land they were disputing for. They have to defend their territories—signified by a flag they erected—and conquer their enemy’s territories by exchanging the flag on that spot with theirs. The Player is considered victorious if they annihilated the enemy forces and forced them to surrender or if they managed to conquer the majority of the disputed land and managed to defend it for a designated amount of time.
Sir Marnueluch of the Chaos Faction has challenged you to a Dungeon War and a Throne War.
Do you Accept?
Yes? or No?
A holographic prompt appeared in front of Isao, displaying the rules of both games. He read it, and the contents were the same as what was inside the guide. "Before I accept," Isao replied, his voice devoid of emotion. "Sitan, is Wilab, the old hag, dead?" Sitan's twisted smile grew wider as he answered, "Yes, she is no more. And you're next."
After hearing Sitan’s answer, Isao chose to respond to the holographic prompt in a silent manner as he selected the yes option, accepting the challenge with a detached demeanor. Once he made his choice, the holographic prompt disappeared, and his body glowed as he was transported to a new location.
***
As Isao materialized in the unfamiliar location, he took a moment to assess his surroundings. As far as he could see, he was standing in an endless gray void with no distinguishable landmarks or features.
His adversary, Marneuluch, was standing several feet away, wearing a confident smirk on his face. Sitan was nowhere to be seen, but a different figure caught Isao's attention.
It was a child, lounging on an extravagant throne, wearing his crown not on his head but rather on his upper arm. Although there was innocence in the child's eyes, it wasn't the pure sort that one would expect but rather the cruel kind that sent shivers down a person's spine.
"Well, well! It's been only a week, but it seems we already have a Dungeon War and a Throne War on our hands!" the child said, his voice dripping with a mix of amusement and malice. "But how about we make it more interesting? Let's add another competitor to the mix, shall we? I have a feeling these games could use a little extra chaos and unpredictability."
The child's sinister grin widened as he looked around, eagerly awaiting the reactions of those gathered in the throne room. But it didn't get the response he expected. He could understand the demon's composure and confidence, as they thrived in chaos, but the other contender, Isao, seemed unfazed by the child's proposal.
'Oh well, it doesn't matter.' the child dismissively thought, summoning the other contender in the upcoming games with a wave of his hand. Between Marnueluch and Isao, light shone brightly before a figure materialized, before an obese man in gaudy clothes appeared.
"Baldwin Moore of the Order Faction, at your service, God of Games." The man introduced himself with a flamboyant bow, hiding his eyes alight in avarice and thirst for power.
Another holographic prompt appeared in front of Isao. However, this time there weren't any yes or no options; it just informed him of the rules and regulations of the upcoming games. He nonchalantly closed once he had skimmed through the document, as nothing had changed.
"No objections?" the God of Games inquired, his voice dripping with amusement and a hint of malice. Isao shook his head, indicating his acceptance of the terms without hesitation. The other contenders followed suit: Marnueluch arrogantly crossed his arms and smirked, and Baldwin was rubbing his hands together in anticipation.
The God of Games chuckled, pleased with their compliance. With a mischievous glint in his eyes, he declared, "Let the games begin!"
World Notice!
A simultaneous three-way Dungeon War and Throne War have been initiated. The contenders, Baldwin Moore of the Order Faction, Sir Marnueluch of the Chaos Faction, and Dungeon Master Isao of the Neutral Faction, will compete for the right to rule over Kabuyao City, Laguna, Philippines, as well as seize their enemies’ dungeons...
***
When Isao got back to his dungeon, the evacuees were anxiously awaiting his return. They had read the World Notice, and instead of feeling scared or worried, they were filled with excitement and anticipation.
He didn't react much to their enthusiasm but instead addressed the crowd indifferently. "I appreciate your eagerness to fight and your unwavering spirit," Isao began, his voice devoid of emotion. "But not to rain on your parade; none of you had any combat training or experience. Most likely, those with combat-focused systems wouldn't be getting a chance to participate in the upcoming battles. Instead, those with farming and other non-combat systems would be the ones taking the leading role. Register at the Adventurer's Guild to let us assess your skills and assign you to appropriate roles."
"Await announcements at the Adventurer's Guild for further instructions and updates," Isao concluded, his voice filled with authority. And with that, he marched off, all the while using the dungeon's telepathic communication system to relay a terse message to his Dungeon Apostles. 'Gather ASAP at the meeting room at headquarters.' he commanded.
When he teleported to the meeting room, Isao found his Dungeon Apostles already assembled, their expressions a mix of anticipation and determination. As they settled into their seats, Isao began, "I'm sure you have read the World Notice, so I'll keep it brief and get straight to the point. We'll be having a simultaneous three-way Dungeon War and Throne War against the Chaos and Order Factions."
Isao's voice was devoid of emotion as he continued, "Our objectives are to maintain our weak facade at the beginning of the war to deceive our opponents, attain total victory on all fronts while still managing to hide our full strength, and rescue the Filipinos still outside the dungeon and the civilians trapped within the Chaos and Order Factions' territories."
"As for the defense operations for each front," Isao paused, his eyes scanning the room. "I propose Operation Rubix Cube for our dungeon's defense in the Dungeon War and Operation Ant Nest for our territorial defense in the Throne War. You already knew what these operations entail, so there's no need to go into detail." Isao's proposal was met with nods of agreement from his Dungeon Apostles.
"I'll leave planning the offensive operations to you, Fel..." Isao's words trailed off as he searched for the cat-eared maid, but what he found instead was a cat-eared butler. 'I'm getting deja vu,' Isao thought to himself, massaging his temples. That butler has the same features as Fel, and he was sitting on Fel's seat on the conference table, wearing a butler’s uniform.
"Yes, nya?" asked the cat-eared butler in the same gender-neutral voice as Fel. That settles it in Isao's mind. 'So Fel's has always been crossdressing as a maid from the start,' Isao thought, curbing the irritation he felt and deciding to continue the meeting.
"I'll leave planning the offensive operations to you, Fel.." Isao repeated what he said earlier, deciding to pretend that nothing happened and focus on the task at hand.
As the cat-eared butler nodded in acknowledgment, Isao continued. "Planning the offensive operation is in your hands; I don't care about the specifics as long as we achieve our objectives," Isao added, relying on Fel's cunning and strategic thinking to make the best decisions—but he's also a warmonger like the other Dungeon Apostles.
"But." Isao paused, his voice almost a growl as his voice dropped to a low, dangerous tone. "The dungeon of that Marnueluch from the Chaos Faction—I'll deal with it ALONE. That's all; continue the meeting without me." The dungeon master gruffly stood up from his chair as he stormed out of the room.