Lucy was in the middle of a lively discussion with Nole about the practicality of spider legs with dresses when the tavern door creaked open. She glanced up, along with everyone else, to see Lukas standing there, his face a mix of nerves and confusion.

But something was odd about him.

Spider legs, long and spindly, draped over his torso and shoulders. He shifted awkwardly, turning slightly to the side, revealing an Oculnid clinging to his back. The sight was enough to silence the entire room.

Lucy’s face lit up with excitement. “Oh!” she squealed, holding out her arms.

The Oculnid launched itself off Lukas’s back, leaping three meters through the air with surprising grace, and landed perfectly in Lucy’s embrace. It wrapped its legs around her tiny frame as she cradled it like a beloved plush toy.

“Lucy,” Lukas began, still standing in the doorway and dripping from the rain, “are you… okay?”

“Oh, we’re fine!” she chirped, completely ignoring his confusion. She gestured toward one of the Wendren warriors sprawled across a table next to a muscular human adventurer, both completely passed out and reeking of ale. “Except for him. He’s… um, incapacitated.”

She giggled as if this was the most normal thing in the world, then turned her attention fully back to the Oculnid. The spider-like creature’s massive eye was fixated on her, unblinking, as she began spinning gently in place, humming a tune that only she seemed to hear. It was as if they were dancing at some royal ball.

The adventurers exchanged uneasy glances. The sight of Lucy waltzing with a dungeon monster was unsettling enough, but then she started talking to it.

“What? Oh, yeah, we’re all good here!” she said cheerfully, responding to a conversation only she could hear. “Oh, that sounds dark. Are you sure that’s fair?” The Oculnid’s legs tightened slightly around her, as if emphasizing its point. “Really? Okay, if you say so!”

“Lucy, is everything alright?” Lukas asked again, his voice hesitant.

Lucy suddenly seemed to realize where she was. She stopped mid-spin, still clutching the Oculnid like a stuffed animal, and glanced around the room. “Oh, sorry! Got carried away.” She straightened her posture and cleared her throat dramatically. “So! Big news! The third floor is open!”

Murmurs spread through the adventurers like wildfire. Before anyone could respond, Lucy added, “Here’s a riddle to help you out: ‘Five wandering lights will together light your path.’” She shot a glare at the Oculnid’s unblinking eye. “What? How else are they supposed to figure it out? Be nice!”

The open door creaked again as two glowing shapes flitted into the tavern. The adventurers recoiled as two Venomwings—the eerie, dragonfly-like creatures—settled on Lucy’s shoulders and head, their legs gripping her tightly. They immediately began combing through her hair with their tiny claws.

“Ahh! Hey! You can’t just do that out of nowhere!” Lucy protested, though she made no attempt to stop them. “What will everyone think?”

The Venomwings paid no mind to her protests, meticulously reorganizing her hair as if preparing her for a grand event. The adventurers stared, equal parts horrified and mesmerized.

“Well, as I said,” Lucy continued, clearly resigned to her fate, “Level three is open now! Have fun! And I think it’s time to go home, Marky.” She turned to Marked Skull and shamelessly addressed him with a cutified nickname.

Marked Skull stood, his imposing form towering over the seated adventurers. “The sacred tree is as careful as it is wise,” he intoned solemnly. “It would be unwise to keep it waiting. We shall return.”

“It was an honor to have you as our guests, Marked Skull,” Thalia said, bowing slightly. “Perhaps next time, the sacred tree could join us?”

Lucy burst into uncontrollable laughter. “Yeah, sure! We’ll just rip the dungeon heart out and bring it up here!”

The room froze. A collective silence fell as the weight of Lucy’s words sunk in. Thalia’s eyes widened. “The… dungeon has a heart?”

“Whoops,” Lucy muttered, her laughter turning sheepish.

“It’s true,” Ulrick interjected, breaking the tension. “The dungeon is intelligent. Smarter than most of us, apparently, if Lucy’s to be believed.” He stretched and hauled a drunken Gale over his shoulder. “Anyway, I’m off to bed. Got a third floor to explore tomorrow.”

Thalia sat in stunned silence as the room slowly returned to life. An intelligent dungeon. Not just instinct-driven, but truly intelligent. It changed everything.

Adrian:

Adrian observed through his Oculnid as Lucy and the Wendren made their way back to the hollow tree. Relief flickered through his mind, an emotion he’d grown accustomed to since Lucy’s arrival. She was safe, and the Wendren’s protective presence around her reaffirmed his decision to let them thrive within the dungeon. Marked Skull’s towering form and calm demeanor were reminders that the Wendren would defend her fiercely if necessary.

Lucy had become an intriguing specimen in her own right. After all the horrors she’d endured, she seemed remarkably happier now. Adrian still marveled at her hybridized system, a melding of the dungeon’s mechanisms with the human system she would have gained at 15. It was a testament to the system’s adaptability, though some of its decisions often baffled him—like allowing her to spawn monsters that followed her commands over his own. Fascinating, yes. Dangerous? Possibly. But Adrian shrugged off the thought; if it ever came to it, his capacity for spawning monsters far exceeded hers.

His attention shifted briefly to the adventurer’s guild. From the Oculnid’s perspective earlier, Adrian had seen more than he expected. The academy was a marvel of efficient design and thoughtful planning. One room, glimpsed during the Oculnid’s ride on an adventurer’s back, caught his interest—a laboratory, no doubt. Practical, resourceful, and full of potential for experimentation. Adrian appreciated the ingenuity, even as he noted their lack of a proper supply chain for test subjects—a shortcoming he didn’t share. He was, after all, his own supplier.

The rhythmic pulse of the dungeon heart thrummed in his awareness as he briefly reviewed his biomass reserves:

Biomass Level: 254 / 16,000.

Pathetically low, though it was to be expected with two mostly empty floors. He needed to populate them soon. The income stream would only stabilize once adventurers started exploring deeper, and that would take careful planning. For now, though, the third floor was ready, and there was another pressing issue—the fourth floor.

Adrian’s thoughts darkened as he considered the blindspot. The pathway to the fourth floor through the hollow tree refused to open. Whenever he tried to extend his awareness to the floor, he found… nothing. A void, devoid of sensation or control. It wasn’t just concerning—it was unacceptable. He needed answers, and that meant sending Lucy and Marked Skull to investigate. But not alone. Whatever was happening there would require a team, and a strong one at that. Chomp, Lucy’s tree friend, and a sizable group of Wendren would accompany them.

His gaze shifted to the activity in the labyrinth, where the Wendren were hard at work. Marked Skull had apparently commandeered one of Adrian’s failed experiments—an oversized parasite that produced resin. Initially designed to hinder adventurers, its resin hardened too slowly to be effective. But the Wendren had found another use for it, combining the resin with stone and bone to create what appeared to be a form of concrete.

Stolen novel; please report.

The resulting structures were intriguing. The Wendren worked tirelessly, building something that Marked Skull had called a “city.” Adrian wasn’t particularly interested in their architectural ambitions, but the designs tugged at the edges of his memory. They reminded him of something… but the answer eluded him. Perhaps when the structures were complete, it would all come back to him.

A faint pulse from the evolution chamber caught his attention. Inside, the parasite queen neared completion. She was no ordinary creation, designed with cunning and brute force in mind. Adrian anticipated her first appearance, imagining the chaos she would unleash on adventurers. Yet, a part of him hesitated. Some aspects of the evolution chamber were unpredictable, especially with parasites. Unexpected dependencies, like the blood reliance in the Wendren’s parasite-based armor, often appeared without warning. He hoped the queen would justify the biomass he had poured into her creation.

The thought brought a wry smile to his mind. Adventurers were predictable creatures, driven by greed and overconfidence. They would never expect what awaited them when they ventured too far. The look on their faces when they encountered the queen for the first time? Priceless.

For now, though, he would wait. Lucy was safe. The dungeon thrived. And his plans moved steadily forward.

EXPEDITION PREPARATION: THE DAY AFTER THE CULTURE EXCHANGE

Marked Skull stood at the edge of the hollow tree’s clearing, his three glowing eyes scanning the group assembled before him. Beside him, two Wendren warriors, a shaman adorned with intricate bone carvings, and a lean hunter stood ready. Their masks glinted in the faint light of the bioluminescent swamp, giving them an imposing presence.

“This mission is of the utmost importance,” Marked Skull began, his deep voice resonating through the clearing. “The sacred tree has no touch on the fourth floor, and the hollow tree’s path will not open. We must investigate and report back—no risks, no distractions.” His gaze swept over each Wendren, ensuring his words sank in.

Perched comfortably on the broad shoulder of her tree friend Oak, Lucy swung her legs, clearly not as serious as Marked Skull. “No risks, no distractions! Got it, Marky!” she chirped, grinning down at him.

Marked Skull’s glowing eyes narrowed slightly. “This is not a game, Lucy.”

“But it’s an adventure! And adventures are fun!” she countered, her smile unyielding.

Beside her, Shroomy—her newly spawned shroomwood Treant—stood silently, a faint cloud of glowing spores wafting around his fungal-covered form. He was slightly smaller than Oak, but just as steady, his presence adding a surreal beauty to the group.

Lucy patted Shroomy’s head. “And I’ve got my tree friends, Oak and Shroomy! They’re the best! Look at them—so strong, so cool, and they love flowers like me!”

One of the warriors coughed, clearly suppressing a chuckle. The shaman gave him a pointed glare, silently reminding him of the gravity of the mission.

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THE GROUP DYNAMICS

The group of eight was as prepared as they could be. Marked Skull had carefully selected his team:

* Two warriors, sturdy and disciplined, their parasite armor glinting faintly.

* A shaman, carrying pouches of resin and glowing herbs, ready to perform rituals or heal if needed.

* A hunter, agile and precise, armed with a parasite bow that seemed to pulse faintly in his grip.

* Lucy, perched on Oak’s shoulder like a proud captain with Shroomy beside her.

* Two Venomwings, circling above the clearing in lazy, watchful loops.

“This is a strong group,” Marked Skull rumbled, feeling the confidence swell in his chest. Whatever awaited them on the fourth floor, they would face it together.

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LUCY’S PERSPECTIVE

Lucy, meanwhile, was brimming with excitement. An adventure! And not just any adventure—a new floor she’d never been to before! She bounced slightly on Oak’s shoulder, giggling as she watched the Venomwings swoop and glide above.

“This is gonna be awesome!” she said to no one in particular.

But as the group finalized their preparations, a small seed of worry crept into her thoughts. Adrian losing control? That wasn’t good. What if something really bad was happening down there? She frowned, gripping one of Oak’s branches for comfort. At least she wasn’t alone. She had Marky, the other Wendren, and of course, her tree friends.

“Don’t worry, Oak and Shroomy,” she whispered. “We’ve got this.” The two Treants didn’t respond, but their silent, steady presence made her feel safe.

The group began to move, heading toward the hollow tree to begin their journey. Lucy glanced up at the Venomwings as they flitted above, their graceful movements reassuring her. With a deep breath, she smiled again. “An adventure with friends! What could go wrong?”

A few hours later:

The air grew heavier as the group descended into the third floor. Marked Skull took the lead, his glowing eyes scanning every shadow. Behind him, the Wendren warriors moved in perfect unison, their parasite weapons gleaming faintly in the dim swamp light. Lucy, perched atop Oak’s broad shoulder, swung her legs idly as she hummed a light tune to calm herself. Shroomy followed close behind, his spore cloud wafting like a protective veil.

The swampy atmosphere of the third floor felt familiar yet… off. The usual sounds of croaking frogs and rustling plants were muted, replaced by faint squelching noises and low, wet thuds in the distance.

“What’s that smell?” Lucy wrinkled her nose. The air carried an acidic tang, like rotting meat left too long in the sun.

Marked Skull paused, his fingers curling into fists. “The sacred tree’s touch fades here. Something unnatural has breached this floor.”

He motioned for the group to halt, his gaze fixed on a pulsating mass ahead. A twisted, fleshy growth jutted from the swamp floor, tendrils twitching like dying worms. The group edged closer, their movements deliberate.

Lucy leaned forward, curiosity outweighing caution. “It’s… moving. Is it alive?”

“Alive enough to die,” one of the Wendren warriors muttered, hefting his parasite blade.

Before anyone could respond, the mass lurched violently, splitting open to reveal a grotesque form—an amalgamation of tentacles and pulsating flesh. Several smaller creatures scuttled out from its base, their malformed limbs skittering like oversized insects.

The Wendren reacted instantly.

Marked Skull’s voice boomed. “Form the line!”

The warriors stepped forward, their blades slicing through the air with precision. One leapt forward, severing a tendril mid-swing, while another shielded the group from a spray of acidic bile. The shaman muttered an incantation, hurling glowing resin at one of the smaller creatures, which hissed and dissolved on contact.

Lucy clung tightly to Oak as the Treant swung a massive arm, smashing one of the creatures into a pulpy mess. Shroomy followed, releasing a cloud of spores that choked and immobilized the remaining horrors.

“That wasn’t so bad!” Lucy chirped, her smile returning.

Marked Skull glanced back at her, his expression unreadable. “Stay vigilant. This is only the beginning.”

As the group pressed on, the sounds of battle reached their ears—shouts, the clash of steel, and the guttural roars of something monstrous.

Rounding a bend, they found themselves facing a familiar group. Ulrick’s team was locked in combat with another wave of biohorrors, their movements coordinated but strained.

Marked Skull didn’t hesitate. “To their aid!”

The Wendren surged forward, their arrival turning the tide. The shaman’s glowing resin pinned several creatures in place, while the warriors carved through the remaining foes with surgical precision. Oak and Shroomy waded in, their sheer size and power overwhelming the remaining threats.

When the last creature fell, Ulrick lowered his sword, panting heavily. He glanced at Marked Skull and nodded. “Appreciate the help. What is that stuff? That does not look like that should be here.” he pointed onto some slain beings, that looked like mismached masses of flesh and teeth.

Marked Skull’s glowing eyes narrowed. “The sacred tree demands answers. Your presence here is… unexpected.”

“We saw some strange trees and wanted to investigate, and than those things come from everywhere!” Ulrick replied, a wry grin forming.

Lucy leaned forward, waving enthusiastically. “Hi, Ulrick! We’re going on an adventure!”

The adventurers exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of amusement and unease.

The low squelching noises grew louder, accompanied by faint whispers that seemed to come from nowhere.

Lucy shivered. “This place feels… wrong.”

Marked Skull nodded grimly. “The sacred tree’s touch is gone. Whatever lies ahead, we must be ready.”

Then, the rain began to change.

It clung to them strangely, heavier than before. A metallic tang filled the air, and the taste of iron lingered on their tongues. As they exchanged uneasy glances, a horrifying realization dawned on them. Interspersed with the normal raindrops were thick, crimson beads of blood.

“What… what is this?” Lucy whispered, her voice unsteady.

Marked Skull reached out, letting a drop fall onto his hand. It spread across his palm like ink, warm and sticky. His eyes narrowed. “The corruption… it’s spreading.”

The group looked at each other, the unspoken question hanging heavily between them. Whatever was happening on the fourth floor wasn’t confined anymore. It was growing stronger.

ON THE FOURTH FLOOR:

Deep within the fourth floor, hidden from their sight, a single eye rotated lazily in its meaty socket. The walls around it pulsed with life, slick with blood and sinew.

A guttural growl rumbled through the flesh-lined corridors, a sound that carried a promise of hunger and rage. Every creature on the floor froze, their movements arrested by a primal, unshakable fear.

The growl grew louder, resonating through the air like a heartbeat of something monstrous.

And the eye… watched.