It took a moment for Rin’s mind to catch up with what he was seeing. A dungeon flower was the last thing he expected.
I didn’t know these existed outside of dungeons. The word ‘dungeon’ is even in their name.
He carefully plucked the flower, knocking loose a cloud of pollen that would have killed most ordinary adventurers, and deliberately lifted it to his mouth, full of trepidation. He fully expected something else to happen and interrupt the action, like the appearance of a warning notification or the creaking of a secret door opening. To his surprise, nothing occurred whatsoever. He mechanically chewed the leaves with his usual resignation, the familiar sensation of bitterness assaulting the back of his tongue.
+1 Charisma
On a whim, he opened his status screen and pored over every stat. When he reached the dungeon flower counter for Bastion’s Boulder, there was a new line that made his brain lock up all over again.
Dead Man’s Barrow: 1/10 flowers acquired
The boy flopped back and slid to his backside, allowing the stone lid to tumble aside.
There’s a dungeon? Here?
Rin scrambled to the sunken box and felt around on its interior walls. They were solid stone, smooth and impervious, but the floor from where he’d pulled the flower by its roots was a fine white sand, powdery to his touch. He plunged his fist into the sand, attempting to discern its depth, but all he could feel was an endless sinkhole full of the stuff.
He grinned.
I know just the monster for this.
Without hesitation, he changed into a level 5 Greater Cave Wriggler and dove into the sand, burrowing down with ease. After around fifty feet, the square shaft changed direction, angling around in a distinct ‘U’ shape until he breached the sand in a new location.
You have entered the Cursed Temple: Dead Man’s Barrow
Temple? Not a dungeon?
Rin had never heard of such a thing. Not for Craven. It was common for the other gods to have temples in major cities, but he’d never heard of a temple for Craven. Besides that, why hide your temple underground where followers could never find you? If that was going to be the case, why bother having one at all?
He changed into human form, complete with his conjured set of clothes, and inspected his surroundings. He was at the end of a dim earthen corridor, lit only by a torch with Craven’s telltale phantasmic blue flame.
The boy laughed, reaching up to withdraw the torch from its iron brazier.
No doubt I’ll be needing this to unlock some clever secret somewhere. Seriously, Craven? You couldn’t come up with something less predictable?
However, when the boy tugged at the torch, it wouldn’t yield to his efforts, the flames flickering as if taunting him. Looking closer, he found that this particular torch was a solid metal rod bound permanently to its brazier by a thick metal clasp. It wasn’t designed to be removed and wasn’t going anywhere soon, no matter how hard he tried.
Rin shrugged, putting the device out of his mind as he traipsed onward. The corridor opened up into a circular chamber, dozens of feet wide with a pool at its center surrounded by marble statues of the five major gods. Oddly, the figures all had their backs turned and were peering over their shoulders in Rin’s direction.
On the far left was Nymera, the goddess of mages, holding her customary spellbook in one arm and clothed in a long robe. Beside her was Trystina, the goddess of healing, wearing another robe and gripping a pointed wand. Next was Ronin, the god of battle, raising a broadsword over his head with both hands. On the right was the hooded god of rogues, Sorronia, with her two thumbs hitched into her belt full of daggers. Finally, Gallo, the archer god, stood proudly on the far right with his longbow stashed on his back and his arms folded, completing the set of the five major gods.
Every statue sported a look of disdain as they turned their collective backs on a sixth figure carved in the likeness of a young man in bold black marble. The man was central to the display, bending on one knee with his palm outstretched toward the pool. Bubbling from his palm was a hidden water source pouring in an unbroken curtain into the pool below. After studying the central figure for several seconds, Rin noticed an all-too-familiar ring on the man’s finger.
It was Craven. Or it was supposed to be, for the statue bore no resemblance whatsoever to the frail old man Rin had met the previous day. Instead, this young man was sturdy and well-built, with angular cheekbones and a tall frame. If it weren’t for the telltale ring, Rin would swear it was a different person entirely.
Technically, Craven wasn’t one of the major gods. He was The Outcast. The Shunned. The Cursed. Rin now understood the arrangement of statues and felt an uncanny connectedness with the young man in black marble. The statuary was the perfect design for a temple dedicated to the god.
Best of all, sprouting from the pool’s edges were 9 dungeon flowers, the remaining ones indicated by the dungeon flower counter.
Huh. That was easy. No secrets?
Behind the array of statues was another corridor, an exact mirror of the one where Rin had entered, trailing off to somewhere in the dark. To the left and right, the circular room was divided into six pens, three on each side. Each pen hosted a different kind of monster.
The first one on the left side of the room held the creepiest monster Rin had ever seen: a skeletal raven. It was as long as the boy’s arm, sitting serenely on a bone-white tree branch with its head cocked aside. It peered at him with empty eye sockets in a haunting glare. Rin couldn’t help but shudder.
The second pen contained an enormous spider, five feet tall with thick furry legs and a host of beady eyes arrayed across its head. A closer look revealed the spider’s exoskeleton was a kind of metal, glinting in the light, and each hair along its legs was a deadly metal needle.
The third pen contained a levitating specter, its form blurred with shadow with only its head possessing any kind of definition. Its face was that of a woman with long black hair trailing to the floor and a yawning mouth that opened to blackest void. It was eerie and terrifying, and Rin subconsciously backed away.
Okay, I was wrong about the raven. This is the most creepy by far.
Across the room, on the other side of the arrangement of statues, the monster pens continued. First was a majestic horse with resplendent gold fur in a vibrant pattern, standing proudly at sixteen hands tall for the boy’s consideration. When it stomped its hooves, bright yellow flames blazed from its feet and a zephyr of cinders spiraled into the air. Next was a formidable lizard, several feet long with skin of crumbling ash that exuded a wavering mirage of heat. It gazed with interest at the boy, its forked tongue whipping about, tasting the air.
To Rin’s surprise, the third and final pen on that side of the room contained a humble chicken. It pecked the ground, pointedly ignoring the boy while sparks of lightning swept down its back and arced across its tail feathers.
What is this place? A petting zoo? A monster stable?
He approached the magnificent horse, drawn to pet its striking gold fur. His hand made contact with the beast, and Identify triggered automatically.
Level 79 Fireburst Palomino (Fire Type)
You do not have enough Charisma to charm this creature.
Level 79!? I’m lucky this thing is so friendly. It could have killed me with a sneeze.
He used Identify as he strode toward the lizard next, but jumped back in surprise when he saw its level was even higher.
Level 88 Giant Southern Skink (Ash Type)
You do not have enough Charisma to charm this creature.
It looked agreeable enough, but with a level that high, all it would take was a misplaced chomp for Rin to lose a limb. He diverted his path to the pen of the feeble-looking chicken. It was currently minding its own business, preening its feathers.
Level 94 Murder Chicken (Lightning Type)
You do not have enough Charisma to charm this creature.
This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
By the gods’ balls! Is nothing here safe?!
At this point, Rin resigned himself to eating through the pool of dungeon flowers and using Identify from a distance. He soon discovered all the monsters were placed in order of ascending strength around the chamber, from left to right. He was stunned at how quickly their levels ramped up.
Level 32 Scout of the Undead (Death Type)
Level 49 Shadow Weaver (Steel Type)
Level 65 Banshee (Sound Type)
Level 79 Fireburst Palomino (Fire Type)
Level 88 Giant Southern Skink (Ash Type)
Level 94 Murder Chicken (Lightning Type)
Does that mean I discovered this temple earlier than I should have? Should I leave and come back later once I’m stronger?
Rin paused his snacking to marshal his courage and approach the weakest monster of the lot: the skeletal raven.
He raised his hands in a placating gesture, trying to gauge if it would attack. It didn’t react to his advance except to tilt its head in curiosity. When he tentatively reached forward, it even allowed him to scratch the back of its skull, an action that elicited an involuntary shudder from the boy’s spine. The monster, however, was delighted, leaning affectionately into his hand for more scratches. But at the moment of their touch, a familiar notification appeared.
Level 32 Scout of the Undead (Death Type)
You do not have enough Charisma to charm this creature.
Dammit, I can’t charm any of these!
He abandoned the raven to resume gorging on the flowers. Twenty minutes and one churning belly later, he was finished, and his status reflected his new and improved Charisma value of 30.
It’s almost as high as the level of the undead raven. With a little luck, I bet I can charm it now. I’ll give it one more shot.
But before he had the chance, a swirling smoke trail of essence stole his attention. The magical mist coalesced into a dungeon chest in front of the corridor he had yet to explore. It was one of the rarer chests, with bright brass bands and detailed pictographs carved along its side.
Oh, it’s like the beginner dungeon—I’ve cleared every last flower so it’s reward time!
The boy sauntered over in high spirits and triggered Identify. Its description was most unhelpful.
Dungeon Chest
Open to receive reward
Jeez. I never thought a notification could make me feel like an idiot. But there you go.
He kicked open the chest’s lid to reveal a smooth black stone resting on an embroidered purple cushion. He activated Identify once more.
You have received a personal message from Craven
Well done, Rin, well done indeed! It took me years to consider utilizing my clothes as weapons, and here you are employing the technique the very next day! You’ve earned yourself a special reward. I can’t wait to see what you do with it!
Gift of Craven, god of envious style & fashion
Evolution stone for Craven’s Infinite Wardrobe
Absorbing this stone will evolve this ability by one grade.
Damn, an evolution stone? These things are super rare. And for my newest ability, too!
Part of him thought it would be best to save it for later. Then again, what if he lost it? His discarded clothing was frequently unattended. If he lost something as valuable as an evolution stone, he’d be kicking himself for weeks. That possibility, no matter how remote, was the clincher that ended his internal debate. He placed the stone against his forehead, absorbing it with a puff of blue essence.
Without warning, his body levitated off the ground and blue lights spun around his body. A visible torrent of mana essence rushed into his body, taking his breath away. To top it all off, a sphere of blue smoke exploded around him, completing his evolution.
He fell to the ground, panting. The following notification made his jaw drop.
Craven’s Infinite Wardrobe has evolved to Grade E.
Evolved ability: Memorable Outfits unlocked.
Store and organize previously created outfits for speedier equipping during battle.
Memorable Outfits require zero MP to equip, although higher-grade outfits may incur an ongoing MP cost.
The following outfits have been autogenerated with a fitting name based on your previous creations:
What a smashing hat!
Those sleeves are fire!
Pack in the saddle again
If you would like to rename a memorable outfit, focus on the name in your status screen and clearly express your intent.
The smile on Rin’s face spread from ear to ear. The evolution was a noticeable upgrade, particularly the zero mana cost of equipping a previously created outfit. He was far less excited about the outfits’ names. They revealed a hint of Craven’s humor but were so long as to be rendered impractical during a fight. If he had to remember the precise phrase “Those sleeves are fire!” to summon an outfit, he’d lose valuable seconds that could spell disaster.
Rin spent a few moments updating the outfit names to reflect simpler phrases he’d easily remember.
Memorable Outfits:
Smash Hat
Fire Sleeves
Monster Pack
Much better. Now for another shot at taming that raven. It would help if I could feed it. But what do undead monsters eat? Brains? Bones?
He was about to search his knapsack for some kind of snack, then realized he’d discarded it aboveground when he’d changed into a cave wriggler.
A solution arose from the most unlikely of sources. After searching each monster pen, vainly attempting to keep each creature at a distance, the only item he found remotely resembling food was a lone egg in the nest of the Murder Chicken. The egg was surprisingly dense, visibly battered with scratches and pockmarks. He retreated with the egg in his grasp before he stopped to consider what he was doing, eyeing its mother with sudden apprehension.
Oh gods, please dontkillme dontkillme dontkillme.
The chicken was unperturbed, even going so far as to raise its feathered chin and look the other way. If Rin didn’t know better, he’d think it was purposefully snubbing him as unworthy of its attention.
The boy returned to the raven’s pen and tsked to himself.
This is never going to work. But it’s all I’ve got.
To his astonishment, the raven was keenly interested in the egg but not as food. It used its beak to delicately grapple it from his hand, then fluttered to the ground and placed it in a nest of bones. It was almost comical seeing the bird settle its bony behind over the egg. It had no feathers or insulation of any kind, and Rin was sure the exercise was futile. Nevertheless, the bird appeared supremely pleased, looking up at him with its head cocked aside.
You have charmed a Level 32 Scout of the Undead (Death Type)
Duration: 5 minutes
The following abilities have advanced by negligible amounts:
Monster Charming
“YES!” he shouted, pumping a fist in the air. “This day is turning out alright after all!”
He spun around and was about to use his newly charmed monster to attack the next one in the chamber. Combined with his own stats and his wardrobe ability, he might have a chance of beating it.
Following the order of the monsters in ascending strength, the second weakest one was the level 49 Shadow Weaver in the next pen over. Rather than the monster’s level, the creature’s type gave the boy pause.
Level 49 Shadow Weaver (Steel Type)
Rin was no expert on death-type monsters, but he knew they were typically weak to steel types that could smash their bones to pieces.
The boy’s brow scrunched as he discovered a pattern to the order of monsters.
They’re placed too purposefully for this to be chance. Not only their levels but their types, too. Craven is trying to tell me something.
By attempting to fight his way up the chain of monsters, he’d be constantly working uphill because each one in the sequence of ascending strength was placed beside their precise counter type.
Death types were weak to steel types, who in turn were weak to sound types like the banshee that could resonate their steel limbs and put them at a supreme disadvantage. So, not only would Rin have to defeat the perfect counter to a death type, but after that battle, he’d have a similar challenge: Using the steel type against its counter type. It was a significant tactical disadvantage.
It didn’t end there either, because the next monster, the fire-type Palomino, would counter the sound-type Banshee. Sound had almost no effect whatsoever on fire. The ash-type skink would effortlessly route the horse since fire’s effects against ash were heavily dulled. At the end of the chain was the level 94 Murder Chicken, a lightning type. If there was any doubt in Rin’s mind about the monsters’ order, it was shattered by this final monster, for lightning monsters held indisputable reign over ash types. The whirling movement of ash was even known to boost lightning by lending its own static charge to the mix. He had no delusions of winning against the Murder Chicken as an ash-type lizard. He’d last longer jumping off a cliff. It would probably be less painful, too.
The monsters watched him intently as his gaze roved over the chamber. Then it all ‘clicked,’ and he understood why the deck was so heavily stacked this way. It was a purposeful limitation, an ingenious design typical of Craven’s machinations.
Craven doesn’t want me to fight my way up at all.
That was the only theory that made sense. And that left Charming.
All I need is another dungeon under my belt, and I’ll have enough Charisma to charm another one. Maybe two, if I’m lucky.
Convinced of the best route forward, Rin put the monsters out of his mind and turned to the final corridor he had yet to explore. He strode confidently inside to enter a vast earthen cavern. The ground was littered with the remains of thousands of smashed terracotta pots, shattered into a carpet of wicked shards pointing in every direction. While Rin stared, the carpet rose and fell in undulating waves, the shards of clay grinding against each other like a meat grinder’s teeth. From the chamber’s center arose a gigantic four-legged serpent, a wingless dragon, with a neck like an oak and a head bigger than a carriage. It’s features were angular and blockish as if carved bluntly into clay by a god with no time for soft edges. Its body was a series of interlocking terracotta segments that clattered loudly as its jaws yawned wide.
Every muscle in Rin’s body trembled as he triggered Identify.
Temple Boss: Level 106 Terracotta Drake (Clay Type)
Elite and boss monsters cannot be charmed until first defeated in battle.
Charming requirements not met.
NOPE.
For the second time in as many hours, the level 6 potato farmer turned tail and fled.