Day 02

Knock! Knock!

"We are here!"

With a firm knock, Blackrock's voice announced our arrival before opening the lid of the crate, allowing the warm, golden light of the early morning sun to filter into the previously dark and cramped interior. As Builder and I emerged from the container, we found ourselves near the entrance to the Dungeon. The mountain loomed above it, providing a beautiful sight in the morning. Looking around, I couldn't help but notice Blackrock's Mask was now an angry Silver White Oni, complete with furrowed brow and menacing expression. He is also wearing different clothes now. It resembled the costume Storm Shadow from the Snake Eyes movies wore.

"Why did you change your mask?" I asked.

"Oh, Blackrock is tending to the horses over there!" He pointed to the carriage, which had been parked in the shade of old trees. The carriage is entirely black and is the size of a cargo compartment used by old trains. A bald man with the familiar 'Crying Face Mask' feeds apples to four tall black Draft horses. He changed out of his business attire, wore golden heavy plate armor, and a thick bronze-colored great sword on his back. Another bald man with a bronze 'Laughing Face Mask' opens the carriage door, steps out with a large bucket of water, and brings it to the Horses to drink. I couldn't see the details on all three of them.

"Call me, Whiterock! The man next to Blackrock is Redrock. We are triplets, so our voices are the same, and wearing masks makes it easier to tell us apart." He explains before nodding to him and waving at his brothers.

"I couldn't help but notice we had been in that crate for several hours. What took so long to get here?" Builder asked as he got out of the crate.

"Blackrock believed that all of us were required for this job. After everything was set, we received a tip that the gamblers had hired some thugs to wait outside the Den until you and your companion came out. To counter this, we arranged for three fake carriages to pick up crates that looked similar to the one you were in and send them off to the other kingdoms. It helped to split the attention of their thugs. However, some of them chose to follow our carriage. Hence, we had to take many detours and even deal with an ambush to get here," Whiterock explained.

"I appreciate what you've done to get us here safely. I thought the Den's patrons wouldn't dare attack the Agents of the Black Market," I replied as I exited the crate.

"They give us respect but won't hold back when it comes to something they want that no one else has. Oh, they know our expertise lies in delivering goods, not escorting clients. Redrock and I accepted this job because you promised Blackrock 100 trees worth of Manawood in exchange. That's a significant wealth you are offering," Whiterock clarified, leading us toward the carriage.

"I didn't realize it was a fortune. Your brother didn't mention their market value," I replied.

"Well, you would have offered less if you had known. But as long as we get what we are owed, we're good," Whiterock said, pointing at the Imps being released from their cages. The Imps came out of the carriage and assembled in a line before Redrock.

"As promised, here are three Warrior Caste and three Miner Caste Imps," said Redrock as he waved his hand towards them. I noticed he had a barbed whip on his waist and an expensive crossbow strapped to his back. His clothes resembled the ones Brock wore when he entered the Dungeon.

The Warrior Caste was impressive, with their massive, muscular frames resembling Mountain Gorillas. They have thick red leather skin, tiger-like fangs, triangular ears, arrow-tipped tails, and noses shaped like a chef's knife, added to their fearsome appearance. They also had goat eyes that seemed to gleam with primal intelligence and small goat horns protruding from their foreheads, making their already intimidating presence even more formidable.

The miners had a Chimpanzee-like appearance but were smaller and more agile. Despite their small size, they shared many physical attributes with the Warrior Caste, including sharp slanting ears and arrow-tipped tails. However, their white leather skin differed from the warriors' red skin, and their goat eyes lacked the same ferocity and intelligence. The main difference was that their hands resembled mole claws, which were long and curved to help them dig.

"Were these Imps tamed by you?" Builder asks Whiterock as I hand over the two Mana Crystals I promised as payment for their delivery.

"I am both a Ranger and a Tamer," Redrock asked me, and I shook my head.

"Bring the Imps inside the Dungeon, and we will settle the payment in the Second Level of the Dungeon." I request.

"I'll inform Miner," said Builder before leaving. I noticed Blackrock had finished tending to the horses and came over to ask something.

"Do you know that one hundred Kingsmen visit the Dungeon once a month?" Blackrock asked.

"No, but I suspected they would since they have to check no one is stealing the King's livestock and slaughtering some for the royal kitchen," I reply.

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"Did you move in recently? The Kingsmen inspected last week and found nothing besides the animals in the reports I checked." Whiterock revealed.

"I did! Did any of those reports mention trees or mineral deposits inside the Dungeon or any records of materials being collected from the Dungeon?" I ask out of curiosity.

"The King would have sent people long ago to harvest or build an outpost if something existed." Blackrock pointed out.

Does this mean that the resources are somehow connected to my existence? If someone were to kill me, would the resource nodes in the Dungeon disappear along with me?

"Thank you for sharing that with me. It will help to explain who I am and what I can offer you three for your services in the future." I reply while leading the Triplets and the Imps to the Dungeon gate as a wall made with liquid mercury. But when I touch it, a notification appears asking which Level of the Dungeon I wish to travel to, and I choose the 1st Level since the Triplets wouldn't be able to use that feature.

Upon passing through the gate, we found ourselves in a serene and picturesque grassland. The animals near the gate go into a state of fear and panic, possibly traumatized by yesterday's slaughter. To my surprise, the Imps appeared excited, and one of the Warrior Caste Imps spoke out.

"This is the land of our ancestors!" said the Warrior in a gruff voice, taking in the fresh air with his fellow warriors.

I was surprised to hear the Imp speak the Falaran language. Did he learn it from Redrock, or do all Imps in Falar territory know it?

"Who told you to speak?" Redrock yelled and was about to use the whip on the one who broke the silence.

"STOP!" I yell at Redrock, who pauses his action and pulls back.

I approached the towering Warrior Imp and asked a question.

"Did you mention that your ancestors hailed from this dungeon?" I inquire.

The Warrior Imp studies me and sniffs.

"Yes, they were born here long ago. Just as you are born from this land!" He states, and the other Imps screech in excitement.

Whiterock and Redrock were taken aback and reached for their weapons, but Blackrock placed a reassuring hand on their shoulders.

"When I shook his hand, I had a feeling that Rai wasn't a Dwarf or a Human, and his desire to return to the Dungeon only confirmed my suspicion," Blackrock pointed out. "Now that we know the connection, you do not need to keep hiding it."

I nodded, revealing the Warrior's Golem body as I removed the Shadowcloak and rags of shadow fabric. The glow of the Rune armor captured the attention of the Imps.

"That's Rune Armor! Our Mage Caste etches it onto the bodies of our strongest warriors!" explained the Warrior Imp while the other Imps screeched even more.

"A Golem? I wondered why his crate was so heavy!" Whiterock points out.

"Aren't Golems supposed to be gigantic?" commented Redrock.

"I think Golem bodies will grow in size as we rank up," I replied.

"You think? What are you, Clay Rank?" Redrock asked.

"Yes, I am Clay Rank. I haven't been in combat to Rank up since I was born yesterday." I explain on behalf of Warrior since it is his body.

"Yesterday? I sense a lie in that." Blackrock pointed out.

Is there nothing that can hide from him?

"Technically, I was reborn into this world yesterday. My spirit comes from a different world where Magic and Monsters exist in fantasy tales." I explain.

"So, you were reborn into this Golem?" Blackrock asked, acknowledging the truth in my words.

"No, my true self is below the 10th Level. I can control my Golems from down there." I explain.

"You... You are a Dungeon Lord?" Blackrock asks.

"Yes, I am! But I am not out to kill anyone who has no intention of harming me, my Golems, or my Dungeon," I try to reassure them.

Blackrock's brothers were shocked, but they saw him nodding his head.

"He means it." He tells them, and they slowly relax their grip on their weapons.

"The Dungeon Lord has returned!" The Warrior Imp yelled and bowed. His brethren mimicked his actions.

I was surprised by their sudden outburst and uncertain how to react, but I nodded and asked a follow-up question.

"There is some kind of prophecy about me?" I ask.

As the Warrior spoke, his voice trembled with a newfound reverence. "For generations, our Priest Caste, the holy order of our people, has long foretold the return of the Dungeon Lord. It is said that he will lead the chosen Imps to fertile lands, where they will be blessed with immortal bodies."

The Imp's eyes gleamed with a fervor born of faith and conviction. He believed that the prophecy was coming to pass.

I took a moment to process the prophecy. However, I wondered if the Demon King gave their Priests these visions. I wonder how he knew I would choose the Imps to harvest their souls and turn them into Golems.

Right then, I realized I couldn't tell the Imps my plans for them. Even if I slaughtered them right now, it would take a few days to get the right amount of Mana Crystals to turn them all into Golems. Still, if they were to serve me willingly, I wouldn't need to kill them, and they would increase the mining speed immediately. Even the Warrior caste can help the Builder with the logistics and cutting trees.

"Ah! So you bought these Imps to populate the Dungeon and serve you?" Blackrock asked.

Shit! The Human lie detector will ruin this if I say yes.

"It was my intention for them to serve me by mining resources and protecting me." I choose my words carefully.

"No lie in that, but it feels a bit cloudy," Blackrock mentions.

Cloudy? I have no idea how his ability works, but he can detect a half-truth!

"We are ready to serve the Dungeon Lord! Please accept us and grant us eternal bodies!" The Imp shouted, and the others echoed in unison.

"I'm sorry, but I need more time to select the most deserving among you for that honor," I declare calmly.

"Of course! We must prove to you that we are worth the blessing of Immortality! Ask us what you will, and thy will be done!" The Warrior Imp declared.

The Triplets watched in shock as Six Imps treated a small Golem like their God.

"I urge you to enjoy the lush greenery of the vast grasslands stretching before you. The crystal-clear river that flows nearby invites you to quench your thirst and refresh your senses. And if hunger pangs strike, do not despair - you may seek sustenance from the old or sick animals that wander in this land. I promise to reveal my will to you as soon as my business is done with the Humans." I decided to lean into the Messiah figure they were expecting.

"What a wonderful day to be alive!" The Warrior Imp yells out. The rest of the Imps follow him as they run across the grassland.

The Bison and Elk herds scream in terror as the Imps chase after them.

I shake my head and then look at the Triplets.

"Follow me to the Second Level. Your payment in Mana Wood awaits you."