Soon entering my Entrance room, the group of Guards took a moment to go over their plan once again, which I won't lie. I found it to be stupid of them.
Did they not think I would hear? Did they doubt my intelligence? Or did they not even care if I heard or not?
The Captain did a role call and assigned all the Guards their roles.
They decided to enter my Dungeon in a square formation, with the Captain leading at the front.
None of them besides the Captain had Guns which lessened my worry a bit.
She'd still be able to kill most of my monsters using her Guns, but based on the Siege. I doubt she had enough ammunition for all of my Monsters.
Once they were mentally prepared, they stepped through the archway and into The Weeping Woods.
Taking a look around, I could see the surprise in their eyes.
The dark forest, the small sources of light scattered through the forest providing a small amount of light, and the thick trees and grass that's grown on the first floor.
I could see them become more cautious before stepping forward and begin exploring my first floor.
The first started by examining the surroundings of the entrance, making a complete circle around the small entrance, and realizing that the first floor was an open forest.
I could see some of the Guards cringe upon hearing my Monsters' distant roars and howls, and I couldn't help but smile at their reactions.
Is this why so many people enjoy making horror games on Earth?
If so, I can completely understand. It's pretty entertaining seeing the reaction of my guests.
I watched as they slowly moved through the floor, eventually encountering their first monster, a Slime.
It was a recently split slime, so it was only a level one and basically not even a threat to the party of Guards.
"The hell is that?" One of the Guards asked warily, raising their sword towards the slime's direction.
"Doesn't matter. Kill it," another Guard said, stepping forward.
The Captain quickly yelled to stop, but it was too late as the Guard was within range of the slime, which latched onto his leg and began dissolving the armor to get to the flesh.
The Guard soon released a terrifying yell as the slime melted through the armor and began dissolving his flesh.
The other guards quickly moved over and tried to pry the slime off, but every time they tried to grip it, their fingers slid off its gelatinous body and dissolved if they pushed them into the slime.
One of the Guards noticed the small core at the center of the slime's body and took the chance and struck it with his machete, killing the slime.
To the Guards' surprise, the slime's remains dissolved into shards of light, leaving behind two vials of slime.
The Guards looked shocked, but what drew my attention was that the Guard who killed the slime seemed to be staring at something else...
[Congratulations on obtaining your first player! Delvers who kill a Monster of your Dungeon will be integrated into the System, allowing them to gain the abilities and perks of a Player]
[+1 SP for gaining a Player]
"Excuse me? What the hell, System?"
[As part of your contract entails expanding the influence of the System. This includes integrating more entities into the System, which can be done by letting an Entity slay one of your Monsters within your Dungeon]
"Are you fucking kidding me? What if something or someone I can't handle gains access to the System and attempts to destroy me?!"
Finding the system silent to my inquiry only infuriated me further.
"What's the benefit of letting these people integrate into the system?!"
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
[If someone becomes Integrated into the System through your Dungeon, not only will you be awarded a point, but if the System-User perishes in your Dungeon, you will gain bonus EXP. Its also been noted that these System-Users usually become unintentional protectors of your Dungeon to not 'Lose the Golden Goose who lays Golden Eggs']
"And if someone doesn't care and has a vendetta against me and the power to do so?"
[Then you will likely perish]
"That's bullshit!"
[No, its fact]
...
Meanwhile, a Guard was looking at a strange holographic floating screen before his eyes.
Name: Elias Trikoony Titles: None Race: Human Gender: Male Classes: None Selected -----[+++]-----
First Class: None
Second Class(Locked until level 100)
First Class Level: N/A
Second Class Level: Locked
First Class EXP: 0/100
Second Class EXP: Locked
Health Points: 243/255 (4.9 Per Hour)
Mana Points: 43/43 (6.8 Per Hour) Stamina Points: 189/225 (4 Per Hour)
==[- Stats -]==
Strength: 12 Perception: 10 Vitality: 8 Endurance: 9 Dexterity: 10 Intelligence: 8 Wisdom: 6 Charisma: 8
Class Skills: None
Active Skills: None
General Skills: None
Passive Skills: None
Unlocked Paths: Path of the Newbie (0/10), City Guard (0/100), Man Slayer I (0/100), Monster Slayer I (0/100)
Completed Paths: None
Path Points: 0
"What...What is this?"
"What's wrong, Elias?" A Guard nearby asked, looking at the dozed Elias staring at seemingly nothing in front of him.
"You...You don't see it?" Elias asked.
"See what? Are you alright?"
"There's...something floating in front of me."
"What?" The other Guard asked, looking in front of Elias, "I don't see anything...are you sure that you're alright?"
"I'm not sure..." Elias told his fellow Guard.
"Try to focus. We can't turn back now until we complete our job," Captain Isabel told the Guards, bandaging the leg of the Guard who was attacked by the slime.
Ordering one of the guards to help the injured Guard walk, the group continued, collecting a sample of everything they found, which went as far from the bark of trees, and every unknown plant they found, to the glass vials of slime that appeared after the disappearance of the slime.
And when the team came across another Slime, they kept their distance and tried to go around it.
But, even though the slime had no visible eyes or other organs that would allow the monster to see, the slime somehow noticed the group of guards and, at a slow pace, began sliding over to them.
Not underestimating the slime, the Captain stepped forward and thrust her sword through the slime's core, destroying it instantly and causing the slime's body to burst into light and drop a few more vials of slime.
However, when the Captain reached down for the vials to put away in a bag she was carrying, she suddenly froze as she seemed to stare into the empty space before her.
"Captain...do you see something too? Like a floating square filled with information?"
"I...do?" The Captain said, sounding concerned.
"Try to ignore it. This may be a trap set by the Dungeon activated upon killing one of the Monsters made by the Dungeon."
"Are...Are you serious, Captain?"
"This Dungeon or some of its monsters are intelligent enough to write the common language, which means we have to be a lot more careful for traps and monsters we come across, we've already got a wounded Guard from underestimating the first monster we have come across, and we have yet to see any of the Monsters that helped us in the Siege," The Captain informed the Guards.
"But they helped us? Why would they be hostile?" Asked one of the Guards.
"If it was the Dungeon, it only helped us for its own benefit since we knew where the other Dungeon was and will try to kill us now that its rival has been destroyed. On the other hand, if it was an intelligent monster that helped us, it was probably doing what its Dungeon wanted. Neither of which is good because if there is an Intelligent Monster in this Dungeon, that means that this Dungeon is even more dangerous. However, if the Dungeon is intelligent... it's been here far longer than the founding of Yil City..."
Suddenly the sound in the distance alerted all the Guards, and when they turned to the sight of a large pack of Wolves growling menacingly at the Guards.
"Uh...Captain...I don't think we will make it out of this one...."