Cooper was preparing to enter the [DUNGEON] for the third time. But instead of checking his weapons or hoarding potions like he would with any other [DUNGEON], the elf's problem was far more daunting. Getting Albert in the bag. When the beast got in voluntarily, like in the town two days ago, he presided over the satchel like it was his kingdom. But otherwise? The little shit would employ every trick in the book to escape. Cooper finally just gave up and let Albert perch on his shoulder.

After they had left Julian's tent, Cooper had gone to the Guild and tried to explain the new [DUNGEON]. The keyword being 'tried'. They believed the part about a talking [LIEUTENANT], But the idea that a murderous labyrinth of magic stone was not, in fact, murderous? He would have a better chance of convincing them that he had a tea party with a dragon.

So now he was back at the very place to get a bit more proof. He had no idea what would constitute proof, but that was what he was here for. Maybe another [ARTIFACT], or a few levels from the [CREATURES]. Either way, it was time to talk to a [DUNGEON]. Cooper turned his head, looking at the beast perched on his shoulder.

"You ready bud?"

Albert fell off his shoulder and landed in a bush.

----------------------------------------

Lasair had been practicing. After both Apollo and Mirage woke up, they all had been. They had each upgraded one of their skills, bringing it up to 'minor'. Lasair with her mana, Apollo with his light, and Mirage with her air. She had refilled the [CREATURES], with the Aviary now holding fifteen [FIRE-BIRDS], and about twenty-five [WILL-O-WISPS] floating between her two rooms. There had not been many chances to test [SOUL TETHER], but so far it seemed like a more direct version of [SOUL BOND]. And it was through this bond that she called Apollo to the Aviary. Elf boy was back.

"Hello, elf boy and the other one."

"Cooper and Albert, if you don't mind."

"Elf boy and the other one."

The man just let out a sigh and stepped into the middle of the room.

"I tried to convince the Guild about the whole 'not trying to kill people' thing, but..."

Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

That probably made sense. Her whole situation was not exactly believable.

"Anything we can do to convince them?"

The elf seemed to consider the question for a moment, before coming to a decision.

"Levels. If I get a whole level in a day, let alone two, they'll have no way of denying that I was in a [DUNGEON] and survived."

"Levels? How do things outside a dungeon get those?"

"Whenever I kill something that is magical in nature, a small amount of the energy that makes it up flows into me. Once enough is gathered, I level up. Usually, a commoner such as myself will reach about level fifteen in their lifetime, and I'm about halfway through ten, thanks to those wisps I killed. Anything from a [DUNGEON] contains at least a hundred times the energy found in everything but the strongest of beasts. Adventures who devote their lives to raiding [DUNGEONS] can reach levels that most could never dream of. The top adventure over at Dreadwood Glade is level forty-three."

Lasair was struck with an interesting thought right then. Adventures killing her creatures made them stronger. And if that was done in the process of being 'defeated', then she would gain a fuck-ton of energy. It could be a mutually beneficial agreement, with both sides getting stronger off it. She had Apollo voice these thoughts and waited for elf boy's response.

"So... I kill [CREATURES], making me better. But eventually, you defeat me, making you stronger. I'm getting all this right?"

"Yep. Duck."

"What?"

Three birds flew from their perches behind him and flung haze blades. One hit his left arm, one hit his shoulders, and the last hit the small of his back. Or they would have, had the elfs eyes not started burning a brilliant green before he weaved between the attacks.

"[NATURE'S DOMAIN] is already proving its worth."

So he had some kind of warning power now. No matter. That was just three birds. Mirage took to the sky and the air within the Aviary became a gauntlet of wings and haze. All fifteen birds descended, Mirage watching from above. Elf boy's new power helped him dodge the majority of the attacks, but it couldn't save him from an impossible situation. Despite their speed, two [FIRE-BIRDS] perished in the assault, falling prey to his dagger. He was currently evading the horde and using his ax whenever they got too close. This had been amusing, but playtime was over. Mirage dove from the heavens once again, slipping through the air like a bullet. Right before she hit elf boy, his eyes flashed that green one last time. But even his flashy new toy could not live up to Mirage's speed. She stopped, hovering perfectly in the air, with a singular talon less than a centimeter from his right eye. The heat from her speed spread in a cone behind her, proving just how easy it would have been for this to finish the other way.

[A DUNGEON'S PURPOSE]

About half as much as last time, but last time was a far closer call as well. Probably a lot of scaling there.

"Uh, may you please remove the incredibly sharp claw from my face?"

Ah, he's still here.