Throughout the secret passage of the hollow tree, a massive chittering echoed — though no one was there to hear it. An army of night-vision Oculnids marched relentlessly, their destination clear: the third floor. It was finally time for Adrian to get a proper look.
He’d delayed this exploration until he had at least one nerve bundle installed in the third floor. Thanks to recent biomass-gathering operations, he had enough to deploy 150 Oculnids into the dark unknown.
As they reached the exit to the third floor, Adrian sent three Oculnids climbing up the hollow tree to take strategic vantage points. The rest waited patiently inside the passage.
It was finally time to see.
The world bloomed into existence in black and white as the Oculnids’ vision streamed into Adrian's mind. He had no trouble looking through all of them at once, but focusing on too many at once rendered everything a blur. Better to concentrate on a few at a time and leave the others on auto-pilot. If something interesting happened, they’d ping him.
From their positions high in the tree, the Oculnids revealed a sprawling swamp, shrouded in shadows. Not surprising — swamps were his theme, after all. Here and there, pockets of light glowed from bioluminescent shroomtrees, their faint illumination barely piercing the gloom. Tiny points of light drifted through the air.
Gloworgan Flies, his identification skill informed him. Interesting, but just another part of the ecosystem.
Something else caught his attention: wolf-like creatures, riddled with parasites, tendrils slithering across their bodies. Ambush predators, hunting in packs of four or five. So that’s what Chomp heard, Adrian thought.
Then, for just a moment, he saw it — a wolf-like creature walking on two legs — before it vanished behind a tree. His mind buzzed with curiosity. Did I see that right? Whatever it was, it was gone now.
On the far side of the floor, near where he suspected the entrance to the fourth floor was, the scene changed dramatically. The ground turned a blood-red hue, tendrils swirling eerily through the air. Dead wolf-creatures lay scattered, torn to pieces. In their midst, a flesh-like entity pulsed ominously.
Near the tunnel entrance, he saw the bonetrees Chomp mentioned. Only… didn’t Chomp say there were just a few? This looked more like an entire grove. Tendrils writhed among the branches, and the sight made his non-existent stomach churn.
Well, as long as those flesh-beasts stay put, it’s fine.
At least the rain here seemed normal. Chomp’s description of the blood rain on the fourth floor sounded like a nightmare.
Adrian focused back on the task. “Oculnid Team Alpha, go!”
A third of the Oculnids scurried out, their spider-like legs making mushy sounds on the wet ground. They climbed trees, gnawed into bark, and settled into position. In five minutes, a perimeter around the hollow tree was secure.
“Oculnid Team Beta, go!”
The second wave marched out, spreading further. Wolf-creatures watched them warily but didn’t attack. That was good — the dungeon needed to be a predator, but not one that overhunted its own ecosystem. He couldn’t afford to drain the biomass supply too quickly. Besides, Lucy would never let him hear the end of it. The last time she went on a tirade, he wondered if she even needed to breathe.
A quick check showed everything was clear.
“Oculnid Team Gamma… energy!”
The Oculnids hesitated.
“Uh, I mean… go, guys.”
I really need to find a way to show them Star Trek someday.
There it was again — the two-legged wolf-thing, lurking and hiding. It looked like a werewolf, thin and elusive. Definitely need to investigate that later.
The third wave found their homes, and Adrian’s third floor finally had surveillance. There were still blind spots, but the most critical areas were covered.
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BIOMASS: 1493 / 16000
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“Running on a low tank… again,” Adrian grumbled. No matter. Once adventurers started running around, the biomass would flow in like a flood. The second floor alone had more biomass potential than the first. And now, with the third floor operational, things were looking up.
He installed another nerve bundle, strategically connecting it to the tunnel entrance. One more, and he’d have a triangle of influence. Two more, and the whole floor would be covered.
Time to test some effects.
He tried a few ideas:
* Reverse gravity? Nothing.
* Enable flight for non-winged monsters? Nope.
* Toxic fumes? Nada.
Finally, something worked: dimmed firelight.
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NERVE BUNDLE EFFECT:
* Reduced light of flames by 50%.
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Not bad, but adventurers needed some way to see. He remembered the Gloworgan Flies.
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UPDATED EFFECT:
* Reduced light of flames by 50%.
* 5 Gloworgans construct a glowtorch equivalent to 100% flame light.
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Perfect. Now adventurers would have to hunt glowing bugs to see properly. That should be fun.
Next, he populated the floor with monsters:
* Flesh Crawlers: Empowered queens for stronger colonies.
* Skitterbush: Parasitic plants that mind-control Quillbugs.
* Shadowstalkers: German shepherd-sized spiders with venomous fangs, net-spinning, and jumping spider genes.
Hours later, his monsters flooded the swamp.
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BIOMASS: 72 / 16000
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I really need to curb my shopping sprees…
For now, it was time to lay low and chill out.
Ulrick and his Team:
As they expected, the academy awaited the return of their guides. Ulrick’s team had a mission of utmost importance: establishing diplomatic channels with the Wendren. But that wasn’t going to be easy.
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After what seemed to be a level-up of the dungeon was confirmed, the labyrinth was no longer on the second floor. The core room had moved further down, and it seemed like the entire labyrinth had gone with it.
Trailing behind them were three other adventurer teams. Much to Ulrick’s dislike, these adventurers, experienced with the second floor, were eager to take on the third.
“Are you sure they’re following us to the third floor?” Nole teased, swaying her hips a little more than usual. “Maybe they just want to look at my back for a while. I’d understand.”
The entire team rolled their eyes — except Nole. For a moment, they understood why the dungeon’s Oculnids sometimes did that.
As they walked through the second floor, they noticed something strange. Monsters watched them but didn’t attack. The guides knew why: the dungeon was intelligent. Lucy had told them as much, and the existence of the Wendren near the core was proof enough.
“Do you think the dungeon’s giving us a little special treatment?” Gale whispered to Ulrick.
Ulrick shook his head. “Nah… it feels more like it’s eager to show off.”
They reached the tunnel leading to the third floor and regrouped with the other teams.
“Okay, you guys don’t want to wait for a report and just jump straight in?” Ulrick smirked. “Well, it’s your funeral, not mine.”
The first group of adventurers, all smiles, confidently stepped past the guides — and then froze. Out of the tunnel walked Lucy.
“Ulrick! Nole! Gale!” she yelled, her voice full of joy.
Behind her stood four Wendren, clad in… was that armor? Bugs clung to their bodies like armor plates, and their weapons gleamed with organic blades.
“Uh… hello, Lucy?” Ulrick stammered.
The four Wendren seemed peaceful but blocked the path into the third floor.
“We were actually looking for you guys,” Ulrick said, trying to keep his composure.
“What’s that supposed to mean? We can’t continue?” he asked.
Lucy tilted her head, her expression innocent despite the unsettling sight she presented.
“Nope! The third floor isn’t ready yet. Give it two or three days!” she chirped.
“I understand,” Ulrick nodded.
“Pfft, ready or not, we’re going down there,” one of the impatient adventurers scoffed.
Lucy’s eyes glinted mischievously. She bent backward in an impossibly flexible arc, looking at the adventurer upside-down.
“But you won’t go down there,” she said sweetly. “Because my friends will cut you into pieces and feed you to the dungeon. That might speed things up, though. So, do what you want!”
She hummed two short notes. The Wendren stepped forward, their armor-clad forms dropping into combat stances.
The adventurer paled. He’d heard stories about the Wendren at the gates — but no one had fought one in full armor. After a long moment, he swallowed hard.
“You know… three days isn’t that long. We could, uh, collect more herbs,” he muttered, turning around.
The other teams quickly followed. “I’m not messing with those Wendren,” one whispered. “They probably have classes now…”
Ulrick bit his lip, barely holding back a laugh.
“We’re on a mission, Lucy. We can’t just go back,” Brill said.
Lucy straightened with a grin, her odd flexibility still unnerving. “What mission?”
“We need to establish diplomatic channels between the adventurers and the Wendren,” Gale explained. “Now that the Wendren are recognized by the system, we want to know more about them. We’re holding a banquet at the academy tavern and want to invite a Wendren delegation.”
“And,” Nole added with a sly smile, “you can tell me how you keep your hair so pretty. There’s no way you’re bathing in this muddy water.”
Lucy’s eyes sparkled. “Oh, I have Venomwings do my hair! Their saliva is great for it. Here, feel it!”
Before anyone could react, Lucy dashed at Nole, her hair waving wildly. Nole laughed and went along with it, running her fingers through Lucy’s surprisingly soft hair.
The rest of the group stared, baffled. Ulrick glanced at the Wendren — they looked equally confused.
“That’s so soft!” Nole gasped. “And you let those things lick your hair?”
“No, no!” Lucy giggled. “They use their claws to brush it, too. I have two Venomwings trained for it!”
“Uh, ladies?” Ulrick interjected. “Mission? Dungeon? Remember?”
Nole and Lucy froze, realizing how strange the scene looked.
Lucy stepped back, clearing her throat. “I’ll pass the message along. The Wendren might come. When’s the banquet?”
“In two days, in the evening,” Ulrick said. “If they don’t come… well, more food and ale for me.”
After saying their goodbyes, the guides headed back to the academy. Lucy and her entourage descended into the depths.
“This could be fun!” Lucy grinned. “If the Wendren go, I’ll bring Chomp. Free food? Oh yeah!”
Corwin:
They were slogging through the bog again, and Corwin hated every step of it. Mud sucked at his boots, rain trickled down his neck, and the ever-present threat of hidden beasts gnawed at his nerves. The dungeon’s first floor was a miserable place, where the air itself clung to you like a wet shroud.
Their party was still inexperienced. Lukas, the quiet hunter, led the way. His girlfriend, Karry, the tavern owner’s daughter, trudged beside him. Ailin, a priest of a minor healing god, brought up the rear, keeping an eye on Kraven, the burly fighter who never seemed to tire.
And then there was Corwin — the outsider. The spy. He’d come here on orders, but these people had become his friends. He was here to watch and report, but more than that, he was here to save them.
They huddled under a cluster of twisted trees, the branches offering meager protection from the downpour. Ailin knelt beside Karry, his hands glowing softly as he healed the bite wound on her leg — another gift from a Flesh Crawler they’d barely escaped. The light of his magic seeped into her flesh, closing the wound.
Corwin watched, fingers tightening around his bow. The sight of Ailin’s magic always made him uneasy. It felt… wrong. A pale imitation of the true purity offered by Vareth.
“These Wendren sure look horrifying,” Corwin muttered, testing the waters, his voice low and thoughtful.
Karry winced as the healing magic finished its work. “They’re not that bad,” she said, trying to sound brave. “Lucy says they’re just… different.”
Corwin’s jaw clenched. Lucy. The girl who straddled the line between light and shadow. He respected her resolve, but her acceptance of the dungeon’s ways only deepened his conviction.
He looked at his friends — at Lukas’s watchful eyes, Karry’s brave smile, Ailin’s serene faith, and Kraven’s steady resolve. They were good people. But they were also godless, blind to the salvation he believed they needed.
If he could just show them Vareth’s greatness, he could save them from the chaos and damnation he knew was coming. He wasn’t trying to betray them; he was trying to protect them.
Lukas adjusted his grip on his bow. “We should move soon. Staying in one place too long makes us targets.”
Corwin nodded. “Right.”
Ailin clapped him on the shoulder, smiling. “You okay, Corwin? You’ve been quiet.”
Corwin forced a smile. “Yeah. Just thinking.”
They didn’t know. They couldn’t know. But one day, he would help them see the truth. He had to. Before it was too late.
As they gathered their gear and stepped back into the rain, Corwin whispered a silent prayer to Vareth, his fingers brushing the hidden emblem beneath his cloak.
“Holy Vareth, grant me the strength to guide them. Help me save them before the darkness claims us all.”
The rain continued to fall, indifferent to his prayers.
SHADOW IN THE SWAMP:
The little things with the big eyes were everywhere.
Perched in the trees. Hidden in the shadows. Always watching.
Hunting with his pack had never been so difficult. The swamp was thick with their presence, yet they did nothing. Just… watched. He could smell them — dozens of them scattered throughout his territory. They had appeared shortly after the glowing letters woke him from his slumber.
He still remembered the words.
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SYSTEM MESSAGE:
As a subspecies of the evolved race of the Wendren, you are entitled to receive a class! Choose your class:
* Packhunter
* Shadow Claw
* Feral Berserker
* Eye in the Shadow
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He had chosen Shadow Claw. He didn’t know what the other alphas would choose, if there even were others like him. Everything felt strange now. The simple days of hunting with his pack of four-leggers were gone. Life was more complicated.
But these… skills… they were useful.
He melted back into the shadows and activated Shadowblend. His form darkened until he was nothing more than a whisper in the gloom — invisible to all but the keenest eyes.
He looked down at his claws — sharp as always, but not entirely his own. The worm-like creature embedded in his hand bent to his will, completing his claw. It was more agile than his other fingers, flexing with a sinister grace. The parasite was part of him now, enhancing his hunting abilities.
His claws flexed instinctively. Rake made them deadlier than ever, slashing through prey with a force his natural strength couldn’t match. He had used this skill to hunt, to survive, and it had brought him to Level 2.
That’s when he gained his newest skill: Leap.
A burst of power that let him cover great distances in a single bound.
But his pack… they had no such advantages. They followed him, trusted him, but he could feel the growing distance between them. They were still four-legged hunters, bound by instinct. He was something… more.
What makes me different? he wondered. He had always been their leader, but now no one could challenge his claim.
He examined his claws again. The parasite curled and uncurled, ready to strike. He flicked one claw between his teeth, dislodging a shred of meat. The body of a massive swamp cat lay before him, its blood still warm. He had taken his fill, a few chunks of meat missing from its flank. The rest would sustain him for days.
Enough time to observe.
He settled deeper into the shadows, his eyes narrowing as the little watchers continued their silent vigil. He didn’t know why they were here, but they made his instincts hum with caution.
Something is changing.
The swamp, his very existence — everything was shifting. The days of simple survival were over.
Now, it was a game of shadows and secrets.
And he intended to master it.