Author note:
I change the way to write MC's inner thought from () into italic in this chapter.
There're also several abbreviations you may need to know beforehand so it won't disrupt your reading experience:
- MMORPG: Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game(s)
- RPG: Role-Playing Game(s)
- TD: Tower Defense
- RTS: Real Time Strategy
- PC: Personal Computer
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My body is turning into light particles.
Of course, it's like that.
If an adventurer die in a dungeon, his party's member must bring him out of the dungeon soon.
Otherwise, his body will be absorbed by the dungeon after sometime.
This is also true for lost items and equipments.
It's a common knowledge among the adventurers.
I know, since becoming an adventurer has always been my dream.
And it's what happen to me now.
I'm being absorbed by the dungeon.
I wonder what'll happen to me?
Will I finally die?
Like, really die?
Slowly but steady, I'm being levitated upwards.
Uh, I'm going to crash the ceiling at this rate.
Uwaaaah, I'm crashing!
...Not.
...
...?
Nothing happen?
I mean, I know my body has gone.
But my consciousness is still here.
Nothing happen.
I'm still myself.
Except I can't see a thing now.
All black.
Ah! May be, I can turn around?
Yup, right on the mark.
I'm seeing the dungeon room from above now.
Below me is the corner where I was resting before I turned into particles.
Oh, and now I can move my view as I please too!
Then, since it's no longer fixated, that means I can look to other rooms as well, can't I?
Ah, it works! Woohoo!
To top it, I can even zoom my view when I focus to an object.
Now I can follow any interesting event happen in the dungeon from a close.
Nice!
Uh, my head, I suddenly feel dizzy.
Even though I no longer have a head.
Somebody, or something, has done a sneak attack on me.
WHO'S THERE!? SHOW YOURSELF!
...
So you like to play hide and seek, huh?
Uwaah, you even try to push me out!?
But, seriously, do you really think this level of mind attack can work against me?
You can't be serious, right?
If it's only this level, my father's training session is ten times harder.
And you're not the only one who can attack, you know.
I too can push you, like THIS!
Haa, how's that? It's time for a counter attack!
Push Push Push
Push Push Push
Push Push Push
Want to retreat, huh? Like I will let you.
Uh, wait, isn't that...?
No doubt. It's the core of the dungeon, the dungeon heart!
Then, that means, the one who attacked me was the dungeon consciousness?
Uh, it must have felt threatened by my presence.
I'm not like a parasite or something for the dungeon, am I?
Auch! Hey!
Stop! Let's talk about it!
Uh, this guy can't be reasoned with, attacking whenever see a chance.
I said STOP IT!
Haaah... Retreating again now?
Do you think you're doing a guerilla warfare or something?
Hmm, nevermind.
So this is the last room of a dungeon, isn't it? I've never been in one before.
Doesn't look it has a dungeon lord for the last boss yet.
Auch! Hey! Again?!
That's enough of you, now I'm pissed off!
No, hiding within the heart won't save you.
I can break it through easily, like this.
Stop struggling, where do you think you want to escape now?
I said, stop struggling!
...
...
Uh, I didn't overdoing it, did I?
The dungeon consciousness presence is fading somehow.
Is it dying?
Uwaah, I have become someone like father before I know!
No, no, think it over calmly.
It's a dungeon, isn't it?
So, isn't it like I'm conquering the dungeon?
That's right. There's nothing to overly conscious or feel guilty about.
... But still, what will happen to the dungeon without its consciousness, I wonder.
And to me...
*Ding!*
Hmm, what's that sound?
Something is flashing in the bottom-right corner of my view.
Ah, a notification? For me?
It has been ages since last time I received one.
Not one since I came to this world.
Let see... How do I open it?
Oh, I just need to focus on it.
A window is displayed in front of me, showing the message content.
Let see...
Access to Dungeon Heart is acquired!You are now in control of the dungeon.
Wait, what's that supposed to mean?
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
Am I the dungeon consciousness now?
Uh, seriously?
!!
Uwaaaah!
I suddenly feel a surge of power.
My mana is overflowing.
And I can sense the whole dungeon!
Wow!
Not bad at all.
Let see... I currently have four rooms, including the heart chamber.
As for the creatures, hmm... various bugs, frogs, snails, rats and bats?
I see, it already has quite a variation of animals for a new dungeon.
Although it's all small animals.
But still, tracking them all may become troublesome in the future as the dungeon grow.
Don't we have an overview page or something?
!!
Oh cool, it's actually shown up!
Let see...
Dungeon OverviewDungeon TypeCaveLevels1Rooms4Biological Types13Non-biological Types0Drops Types0Dungeon Skills2Titles0Mana Points3,128
Interesting.
When I focus on a particular part, it'll show additional explanation.
Levels and rooms are the number of floors and rooms I have respectively.
That much is obvious.
Biological types is the number of creature types I have.
It's classified further into plants (2) and animals (11).
And if I focus on either the plants or animals, it'll show the plant and animal kinds respectively.
Mosses and ferns for plants, while for animals there're moths, mosquitoes, ants, flies, spiders, centipedes, cockroaches, frogs, snails, rats and bats.
Focusing further to either kind will show me the average stats, numbers I have, and any room locations of the said kind.
Neat, isn't it?
I don't really need the last feature yet with only four rooms, but it'll surely become handy in the future.
Non-biological types is the number of trap and other mechanism types.
And drops is number of drops types that can be acquired in my dungeon.
... Why would a dungeon need a drops?
...
...! Ah, could it be... Yup, that must be it!
It's used for bait.
You can't catch a fish without a bait.
By using a drops, I can bait adventurers and kill them.
No, wait, what am I thinking!?
Adventurers are humans. How can I think to kill them so casually?!
Not good.
Let's forget and continue instead.
Next is dungeon skills.
It's the number of skills I have.
The two skills are
The
I can expand by 1 block (1x1 meter) for 5 mana points, 1 room (20x20 meters) for 100 mana points and 1 level for 3,000 mana points.
I have to reach a minimum number of rooms first before I can expand to another level, however.
The second skill,
I can also create my Dungeon Lord with this skill.
Then, titles is the number of titles I have acquired.
Although I don't really understand, it's probably similar to the titles in many MMORPGs.
I need to meet certain requirements before I can get a tittle.
Depend on the titles, they may give bonus or penalty.
At least that's how it was in the games.
Lastly, the mana points.
It's the amount of mana I have.
Or in other word, the currency for dungeon related things.
Even though I think my mana points is quite high for a new dungeon, I don't know the normal standard.
Not that I want to complain or anything.
Anyway, I'm really pumped up.
My situation is very similar to a game, isn't it?
I feel nostalgic.
Since I had a weak body in my previous life, I used to play a lot of console and PC games instead of outdoor activities.
It's one reason I want to be an adventurer.
Because it's like in fantasy-RPGs I love.
However, I love simulation and strategy games even more.
Thus becoming a dungeon master is probably a blessing in disguise for me.
Defending the dungeon heart, it's like a TD games, isn't it?
Ah, no, an RTS is probably closer.
In TD games, the pattern is fix. The first wave of attack is ridiculously weak, it's then followed by a gradually stronger waves.
While in RTS games, sometimes the first enemy attack is enough to completely wipe our base if we're not be prepared enough.
Therefore I think RTS is the right genre here.
In that case I need to understand this dungeon game mechanic quickly and prepare my base, before the first party of adventurers raid my dungeon.
!!
Uh, but life is such a cruel place, isn't it?
To think the first enemy wave is already knocking my door.