Instead of making a 4 room long corridor second floor I went with 10 rooms with short winding corridors similar to the first floor. This was so I can get the basic spaces down. It would also be easier to simply move rooms around then making more.
Julie and Milliana, the mage, went to the goblin village on the first day. I had already set for Cores to appear inside the goblins. All of the current existing ones are also under my control but are quite wild still. Reylin brought language and basic magic books for the two girls to teach the goblins.
The objective is to increase the intelligence of the current goblins even a little so that the next generation will be smarter.
The goblins I sent up to the first floor were the dumbest and surprisingly they were so dumb that they didn’t care about the culture of living in your own built. I was able to easily build a trashy village for these goblins and put the cores in them without trouble and having to wait for it to be built.
Now to make sure the lower level monsters had food I connected the cracks from the first floor to the second. A few rooms I also added moss and released simple bugs into it to attract the bug eaters.
With most of the second floor finally built I turned my attention to the queen who was already experimenting with his powers.
Dalson can take my MP and literally weave it into a core for any monster I have.
I still wanted something else though. I brought several bats to the lord’s chamber through my influence. I was going to upgrade these. They were the strongest of their race, about 6 bats. I also brought small bug eaters to see what they could become.
Dalson: ”So you want better bats huh, why them first?”
Mavis: ”They haven’t evolved on their own in a while unlike the other animals. I plan on making the second floor wider and higher so that more air monsters can move about. Bats are small but with us changing them we can make them stronger.”
Dalson nodded towards my heart then turned to the bats. He walked to the one in the front who held the most MP. Touching the bats head caused it to start glowing and its body began bloating. Soon the skin ripped and the bat grew nearly twice its size as its muscles swell up from the core releasing its MP.
Dalton: ”Wow, it had a lot stored up.”
He touched it again and all the muscle was absorbed by the core. He picked up the small core and put both hands together before letting the core loose. Instead of falling it stayed between his hands. A small dense ball of muscle was released and from Daltons fingers I could see strings of MP he moved his hands in process movements for a few minutes and then stopped after a minute and nodded.
He dropped the dense meat egg and watched as it expanded and grew into a new bat.
The bat was chimp like; it was hunched over with long arms that ended with the hand. It had three clawed fingers while two of them curved backwards and were long to support the thin webbing that made up the wings. The face and ears was still bat like and it had four long fangs, two above and two below, which looked like it, could rip apart huge chunks of meat. Its feet were made like primates as well giving it a hand like foot with a working thumb which can grab things just as easily as an ape could. The creature was a meter tall and each wing about a meter and a half when fully extended
Dalson: ”Here, it’s done.”
Mavis: ”Its fucking ugly, that's for sure.”
Dalson: ”Yes but it's strong and smart and can understand us now so don’t go insulting it.”
I focused on it and got the status.
Race:Vampire BatHealth:120Magic:0Intelligence:85Strength(attack):62Endurance(defense):43Magic Defense:0Magic Attack:0Skills:Blood conversion
Mavis: ”What's the skill do?”
Dalson: ”If they are injured and drink blood they can heal themselves by converting it into life force. I would suggest creating some kind of cattle the bats can use for this.”
Mavis: ”They will hunt like the others. You, vampire bat, you are the leader of the bats.”
The bat bows low like a slave which is quite unexpected but since it's about 40 points smarter than a goblin then it should at least understand that much.
Dalson then did the same with the small bug eaters.
The little bastards had about half the MP the others one had. The small bats body was about the size of a human palm, with each wing being as long as the body.
What came out was a strange bat. It was about double the original size but still half the size of a man eater bat which is a bit more than half a meter tall. What was strange was that the wings shined with the seven colors of the rainbow.
Dalson: ”Ah so it came out a 7-colored Bat”
Mavis: ”You know what this thing is?”
Dalson: ”Ya, they are a neutral kind of bug and meat eater. They fly in large swarms to attack but if in small numbers they don’t try to hunt and go eat bugs instead until the population increases.”
Mavis: ”So you bridged the gap between the bug eater bats and the man eaters?
Dalson: ”Man eaters are still stronger. The 7-color bat can rank up into a vampire bat but it will take much longer time and it will need to gather much more MP since the size difference is too great.”
Seeing that done we release the Bats. The 7-colored bat was guided through the cracks back to its first floor nest.
It was then I noticed. The experiment took a lot of power. The first bat took nearly 700 MP and the small one 200. To experiment it takes a lot of power but I think the result would be worth it. I still fear that how much it would cost to make all the monsters rank up.
Help: You require only one experiment that creates a new race. Once the new race has been made by a queen or you recognize a monsters evolution as a new race then it will be considered a new race and will be added to your monsters options for rank up. If a more advanced monster dies and it is part of the family of something in you dungeon it can also be added as the knowledge of the beast will be added to yours.
Ok that is convenient. Still it cost me too much to experiment. I tell Dalson to not do much more since making floor two cost a lot. Instead I start slow breeding the animals on the first floor. Every so often I spot a feral rat or saber cat. Hellen, in the week she was with the pack, grew to full size and because she is a variant she is bigger than normal just like dad. Strangely Dalson doesn’t have Variant in his race, though considering the race Queen is an unknown thing to any of us could be the reason.
Anyway with the time I spent on the first floor, half the bug eaters ranked up into 7-colored bats which were much weaker than man eaters so it was good for the trainees that are going to be coming in. I removed the poison bugs from the first floor since it’s because of them that my dungeon is dangerous.
What was left in the first floor were bigger aggressive rats, bug eater rats, bug eater bats, 7-color bats, wild cats and some mongrels I was able to attract into the first floor. This time I kept them separate from the wild dogs and hound.
I mostly bred the animals with the 3 days I focused on the first floor. I needed to fill up the gap that was left by removing so many animals. Several meat eater rat nests were made but I figured out a way to block them from growing up. What I did was have Dalson alter the nose of the mongrels and wild cats so that they could sniff out rats that are almost ranking up to feral rats. This would keep the danger level of the first floor down.
With that we simply wait for the trainees to come.
Reylin PoV
I’m currently sitting in Commander Grant’s office. I came to speak with him about 3 days after I retrieved Theo from the room.
We were able to dissect the one of the spells he obtained, the Mana Drain. We spread it among our men and taught all of them both the Dungeon Walk and this. Now even the human members can visit Mavis but they won’t hear him.
Now why was I here at the barracks simple.
Grant: ‘I’m sorry Rey but I don’t feel it's safe to allow young trainees into a dungeon that could kill an ex B rank adventurer like Morgan. I can’t stop you from recruiting kids into your guild and doing that for yourself but I won’t put my own men and their children at risk.’
Rey: ‘Then send a trained soldier with them or two. We can also send one of our men to assist. I have personally gone and spoken with the dungeon’s spirit.’
Grant: ‘Oh before you say something tell me how many floors are there?’
Rey: ‘It obtained its second floor from Morgan and his men’s corpses. Now as I was saying, I spoke with it. He would remove the more dangerous monsters from the first floor and leave it with the animals it controls. They are much weaker to the point that it's the same as the training sessions you do with your trainees do but with more targets. You guys barely find animals now a days and only goblin subjections are successful.’
He frowned hearing me say the truth. Goblins are weak creatures around here because periodically a trainee subjugation mission is sent out. They hunt down the goblins in the field while the real patrol locates the village and kills the heads. It takes around 5 or 6 months before a smart one shows us.
Goblins aren’t strong and definitely aren’t good opponents for leveling their classes. Slow, clumsy, weak, stupid. This combo has landed goblins at near the lowest rank of monsters. The only goblins that are a threat are those raised in a dungeon hidden away from the eye of the guards. If Grant knew Mavis was breeding goblins as well he would have a fit but I wasn’t about to say that.
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Grant: ‘God you’re persistent. *sigh* Fine but on one clear condition. Julius come in here.’
The boy entered the room and saluted after he was next to me.
Grant: ‘Julius gather a few of the other boys who are at your point in their training. Rey YOU will go with them and lead them to the final room of the first floor.’
Rey: ‘I will keep them from dying but the spirit wouldn’t kill them unless they were bandits or some criminal. Instead he would beat them unconscious then drain their mana and throw them out.’
Both the man and the boy looked at me a bit dumbfounded.
Grant: ‘Is that what happens? Wait but then he won’t get anything in return if the trainees succeed, right?’
Rey: ‘The animals aren’t monsters, he breeds them so if you kill them he simply claims the body back. He gains MP from dead bodies no matter what kind.’
The commanders started to scratch his cheek then his beard as he thought of it.
Grant: ‘It set things up so that no matter what happens he would win out in the end.’
Rey: ‘Yes sir.’
Grant: ‘Still you go with the boys. And you Julius categorize all the monsters you see. Identify all of them no matter how insignificant they are. I want all creatures accounted for.’
Rey: ‘Just so you know, I will take the boys as far as the last room of the first floor. The agreement was only using the first floor so I won’t help out after that point. If the boys wish to go further than it is at their own risk.’
Grant: ‘Heard that Julius no getting cocky even if the first floor is “safe” now the monsters still killed Morgan Helm so it can’t be such simple things as that in there.’
Julius: ‘Are we going at night sir?’
Rey: ‘We can go at this moment or within the hour. My young apprentice Theo who was one of the elves inside the dungeon I had come back. He can open the way to the dungeon even off the proper time.’
The commander looked at the boy and nodded before the boy saluted and left.
I got up as well and moved to leave.
Grant: ‘Careful so that the nobles don’t catch wind of what you are trying. If you can set up an academy before they find out then go right ahead but do it discreetly. You will need to build your influence fast if you want that to succeed.’
Rey: ‘Don’t worry. I have help.’
I smile towards him and leave. My men were already gathering an apprentice each. The elves were able to gather all the slaves from Morgan's slavery business that was in chaos now. Humans, Beastmen, Demihumans...and elves. All were in there and now are all hiding in our guild house.
There were whole villages of people in that slaver’s storages. We are studying the slave seals now to try and figure out the unlocking secret. That mage girl also needs this so we need to work fast.
It’s a shame slave collars are gone. They are magic items that nearly kill the slave if they run but would be much easier for us to remove in our situation since Mavis could use a trap circle that unequips items.
Slave seals make it impossible for any slave to deny an order from someone. It’s a sick magic that has cursed countless of my people. The slaves aren’t being trained because of the danger it would be if someone ordered them to attack us after they gained skills.
We are close but for us it’s still hard. maybe another month we might find it. We took large shelf full of books from Morgan which we are looking over.
Once they are free they will be recruited to the guild as adventures. They have no home and no protection to keep them safe so we are the last line of defense for them.
I wait for Julius at the front of the barracks. He appears with a young mage boy, a knight’s page, two archers and a scout.
Rey: ‘Are these all?’
Julius: ‘Yes Sir Reylin. These are my friends, we are all training so that one day we can travel. Even I, when I get to old to travel, will return here just as Commander Grant did.’
I chucked at his show of respect for that young brat.
Rey: ‘Come then you six.’
I lead them out through the large gates of the city. Kelion has stood nearly 300 years. With large white stone walls and a huge size for its great population it’s one of the strongest humans cities but also one filled with corruption. I would wager that if at least 2 more crime lords fall civil war will erupt as the remaining two would fight the nobles that backed the other three before fighting it out for the crown.
We pass our guild house and pick up Theo before we head into the woods. The area near our guild was clear of goblins but further in we had to fight some groups. I stuffed them into a magic bag and told the six that it's my greeting to the spirit.
They kind of frowned but since they didn’t know how to go about a greeting to a dungeon they didn’t argue. We reached the rock face the dungeon was at. I nod to Theo. He walked close and stuck his arm out. From the center of the rock face a light swirled out and circled around before spreading out in a large circle making an opening to the dungeon.
Mavis: ”So these six are the trainees? The clothes scream guard trainees. Weren’t you bringing guild recruits.”
Rey: ”The guild recruits are slaves found in Morgan’s slavery business. We are trying to remove the slave seals first.”
Mavis: ”Understood. Now about the first floor. I all that’s left on the floor are bug eater bats and rats, a more aggressive hunter rat, Wild cats, mongrels and 7-colored bats which Dalson created.’
Rey: ”Wow, the strength really went down. But it still is too much for any normal person but just right for a novice.” ‘Ok then shall we go. The first floor has had all the main monsters removed and only weaker animals are left.’
Julius: ‘We shall see.’
We entered the kids in front. I knew very well even these animals with a good plan could corner them.
Rey: ”Did you figure out how to make the drop system?”
Mavis: ”Yes, after I asked Help. She said that I simply focus on a race and think of drop system. I then can choose what kind of body parts can drop. That includes the core in their chest. The cats and dogs have a chance to leave behind a few fangs, claws or possibly some piece of meat known for its use in cooking. 7-color bats have a chance for the wings, fangs and claws to remain and rats leave the tail or fangs. The cores I will absorb again along with the body. Not every single one will drop. I set it for 20% chance of dropping 1 of the items.”
I chuckled at how advanced the dungeon system took it. Though normal dungeon monsters are known to drop items it's normally armor and such. I guess the higher the rank of a monster will involve the items obtained.
The first room the boys went about catching one of every bug and identifying them. Around 30 different varieties were here and some were poison but in its body. The rats were caught and examined as well. Smaller doses of poison was found in them from the bugs they ate but they had immunity. Once all the bugs were categorized we headed into the other rooms. We found the more aggressive rats and they easily killed all those who attacked. 7-colored bats also came at us inside the narrow corridors but were shot down by the archer and mage.
The challenge began in the fifth room with the wild cats appearing. They attacked as a pack but the kids were well organized and pushed them back and killed all those that attacked before retreating from lack of numbers. rooms 5-8 had cats while 9-12 had mongrels. The final room was the size of the old chamber but at the spot the dungeon heart would be stood a 4 meter high 4 meter wide door leading to a stairway that turns to the left leading down. It seems Mavis turned the stairs before beginning. I wonder what kind of beast are down stairs.
Anyway what else was in the room was an old wooden chest.
Julius: ‘What is that?’
Rey: ‘Hmm...oh well we agreed with the dungeon spirit that those who reach this room would get a reward. It’s something for beginner adventures our guild wants to start training.’
He walks over and opens it and pulls out the simple weapons and some leather armor.
Julius: ‘Yes this stuff definitely is for beginners. Considering the dungeon strange I would rank this dungeon at level 1.’
Rey: ‘*sigh* Don’t joke around boy. I already told you that the dungeon spirit pulled out all the dangerous monsters from this floor to the second floor.’
Warrior: ‘Ya we will believe it if the dungeon lord pops comes here then.’
I face palmed myself here this. I sigh because not a moment later a new portal appeared and walking right out of the portal that remains open was Mavis’s dungeon lord. The six kids got ready to fight pulling out their swords, arming the bows and preparing their magic.
In one swift movement I ran through all of them striking their wrists to drop their weapons.
Julius: ‘You're in with him. I knew you were evil.’
Rey: ‘Shut up boy. Do you brats even know that the dungeon lord moves with the conscious of the dungeon. A real dungeon lord unlike boss monsters is a second body of a dungeon it uses to interact with the world.’
The six flinch hearing my harsh tone.
Rey: ‘Go back downstairs. I will take it from here.’
Mavis nods and walks once again into the portal that closes.
Theo had several veins showing on his forehead.
Theo: ‘Damn to be so annoying. We need to get the commander to teach you discipline next.’
Rey: ‘No Theo, I will do that personally. I know the commander will just go easy on them. True discipline has to be done the way we elves do things.’
Grinning mischievously Theo starts cracking his knuckles.
Theo: ‘It will be my honor to help you out in this sir.’
Rey: ‘Pleasure is mine.’
We both turn towards the six boys who were pale now. One of the warriors tried to get for the sword at his feet but I moved and stepped on his hand.
Rey: ‘Now now, be a good kid and learn from your mistakes.’
Neither I nor Theo showed mercy as we disciplined these kids showing them proper manners by beating those bad mouths out of them.