“Huh?”
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User Identification: ???
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"What's this again?"
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Designation: Dungeon Core
Loading Core Functions…
Core functions Established.
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“Dungeon… Dungeon? Dungeon… like in a medieval time tower?”
A screen appeared for ten seconds, then swiftly disappeared, its content engraved in my excellent memories.
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Dungeon Core Interface
System Notification:
Congratulations, 「???」 on becoming a Dungeon Core. Your journey to become a powerful dungeon master begins now!
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"Dungeon Core? Dungeon Master… like in a game? Okay, I'm definitely lost now," I muttered to myself, feeling completely out of my depth.
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[ ???'s Interface ]
Name: ???
Entity: Dungeon Core
Designation: Dungeon Master
[ Ressource ]
- Raw Manacyte (R.M): 1▲ / 1▲
- Mana Available (M.A): 323.7▲
- Godhood Potential (G.P) Earned: 90
[ Dungeon Master Core Function ]
- Dungeon Visualisation
- Labyrinth Editor
- Resource Management
『Expand』
[ Spawnable Entities ]
- Guardians
- Spawns
- Spawns Catalog
『Expand』
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“Huh…”
***
For a moment that felt both like an instant and an eternity, I tried to make sense of the new information before me, but it remained a bewildering puzzle I couldn't quite grasp yet.
"Okay, for now at least there's something I can understand and celebrate," I muttered to myself. "Other than the remembrance, I can actually see something. Well, to be exact, given the nature of this screen, which clearly isn't physical, it's more like I'm “seeing” it than actually seeing something. Subtle difference, but it matters. Now then, what else? What's worth noting here? Okay, I guess nothing else for now, so back to the content of this screen. Let's see..."
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[ ???'s Interface ]
Name: ???
Entity: Dungeon Core
Designation: Dungeon Master
Status: Idle
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This part seemed relatively comprehensible, resembling something out of a video game character tab or inventory. Although I wasn't a video game enthusiast, it was evident that this display represented what I had become. The fleeting memory of the congratulatory notification that vanished in less than 10 seconds flashed through my mind.
"That notification did mention congratulating me on becoming a dungeon core and said my journey to become a dungeon master begins now," I recalled. "Hm, so that's what I am... a dungeon core." The term felt peculiar, not quite fitting the sensations and perceptions I had. The touch-like feeling I experienced suggested I was akin to a cave, which seemed to align with the "dungeon" part of the title. However, the word "core" left me with a sense of incongruity. In my mind, a core should be spherical, shouldn't it?
As I contemplated this, something unexpected occurred. I couldn't adequately describe the sensation, as it was entirely outside the realm of my previous living experiences. It felt as if I were being folded from within, transforming into the very spherical shape I had just pondered.
"What the hell?" I exclaimed, startled by the rapid alteration in my form.
Despite this transformation, I still retained my awareness of every nook and cranny within this cave-like existence, along with the faint weight that had appeared earlier. But now, alongside all that, I felt like something I had never imagined feeling before: spherical.
***
"Okay, that's enough 'what the hell' for the day," I muttered to myself, trying to regain my composure. "Remember, champion, you've seen too much in your life and in death to be surprised by anything. You're a literal spherical dungeon core now, like really, really spherical. So, what?"
Taking a deep, metaphorical breath, I decided to refocus my thoughts to the yet-to-be-understood interface before me. "Now then, let's see what we have next."
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[ ???'s Interface ]
[ Ressource ]
- Raw Manacyte (R.M): 1▲ / 1▲
- Mana Available (M.A): 327.2▲
- Godhood Potential (G.P) Earned: 90
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"Interesting," I muttered as I continued to examine the interface before me.
"Raw Manacyte, huh? Interesting. Very interesting. But I have no idea what any of this is supposed to mean," I mused, my spherical form shifting slightly with my thoughts. "But there's this thing going up. Mana, that's like magic, right? It clearly reeks of magic. And it's going up. Just an instant before it was at 323.7, now it's at 327.2. While I'm not truly sure, I have the feeling that this is a good thing."
I paused, trying to make sense of the information presented to me. Then my attention was drawn to another intriguing aspect of the interface—Godhood Potential.
"Godhood Potential," I mumbled metaphorically. "Godhood…Could this be what Mighty K.R.U.L talked about? Is this what he expected me to act upon?"
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I felt an inexplicable connection to this particular status, as though it was something inherent to my being.
"In that moment, even if I wasn't sure myself, I knew that the very particular status in this strange interface was one that he wanted to see go up, just like Mana Available (M.A) was going up.”
I instinctively felt it as though it was something written in me.
“But how do I do that exactly? I had no idea. That really makes me wish this all came with a manual, like that would've helped greatly.”
With no clear answers in sight, I decided to scroll to the next section of the interface, hoping to find more clues about my new role as a “Dungeon Core”.
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[ ???'s Interface ]
[ Dungeon Master Core Function ]
- Dungeon Visualisation
- Labyrinth Editor
- Resource Management
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"Interesting..." I muttered to myself as I examined the next section of the interface. I decided to start with the first option, "Dungeon Visualisation." With a mental command, I activated it, eager to see what it entailed.
The moment I clicked on it, I was greeted with what looked roughly like a map, well I called it a map but on that map there was little to no detail except a drawing that of something that I, immediately upon having my eyes stumble upon it, realized was a rough outline of my cave-like shape.
"It's me," I muttered to myself, marveling at the sight of my form represented on this strange map. There were no other markings or features on the map, which left me feeling somewhat perplexed.
I tried to interact with the map by mentally focusing on it, but nothing happened. It was as if the map was merely a static image.
"Maybe there's more to it," I thought, scrolling down to see if there were any additional options or information related to the Dungeon Visualisation.
As I explored the Labyrinth Editor section of the interface, I couldn't help but be intrigued by the possibilities it presented. The grid-based map resembled what I had imagined an editor might look like. A series of options appeared on the side, and one in particular caught my eye: [Edit].
I selected the [Edit] option. But as soon as I did, all the other options disappeared, leaving only the map itself and the following choices: [Save], [Estimate], [Bookmark], and [Reset]. It seemed I had entered a mode where I could manipulate the map.
Looking at the map before me, I decided to try my hand at editing it. The existing cave-like form seemed like a good starting point, so I began making changes. I envisioned a new shape, combining a central shaft with two spherical chambers on either side.
With a mental command, I began to reshape the map. It was a surreal experience, as if I were molding the very essence of my dungeon. The map responded to my touch, and I carefully adjusted the shape until it resembled the design I had in mind.
"Hm, perfect," I muttered, satisfied with the alterations I had made.
But my curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to click on the [Estimate] option to see what it would do.
Upon clicking the [Estimate] option, the interface displayed a gridless representation of my newly edited dungeon map. In one corner, it showed [G.P Cost: 3.79 GP]. That acronym stood for Godhood Potential, and the number was telling me that creating a dick-shaped dungeon would cost me 3.79 GP.
I couldn't help but chuckle at the absurdity of the situation. "3.79 GP for a dick-shaped dungeon? Is that what this is trying to tell me?" I mused aloud.
My mind raced with thoughts of why I might want to increase my Godhood Potential. Was it something I genuinely desired, or was it an influence from the entity known as K.R.U.L? While I was alive, I had a penchant for hoarding shiny objects and explosives, but this newfound urge to accumulate Godhood Potential felt different.
With determination, I mentally clicked away from the estimation screen. I had only 90 GP available, which was roughly 5% of my total. I wasn't going to waste it on a whimsical design change, at least not until I understood more about how to increase it.
I decided to explore the last available option in this section of the interface: "Resource Management." When I selected it, I was presented with a nearly empty screen. There was only one option displayed, which read [Mana Available (M.A): 339.7▲]. Below that, the only other option was "Allocate."
I clicked on "Allocate," hoping to gain insight into how I could use my apparently “available mana”. However, I was met with an empty tab. It seemed that the interface was indicating that I had nothing to allocate mana to.
Feeling curious and hoping for some more information, I decided to explore the last remaining section of the interface, which was labeled "Spawnable entities." This section had piqued my interest the most so far.
To my disappointment, when I checked the first two available options, I received the same message: "This section is empty."
It seemed that there was nothing to see there. However, I didn't give up hope and moved on to the third and final available option.
As I moved on to the third and final available option: "Spawn Catalog." Finally, I was, to my great relief, met with something other than emptiness.
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[ ???'s Interface ]
[ Spawnable Entities ]
Spawns Catalog
Sentients
Monster
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When my eyes stumbled upon the words sentient, I instantly mentally clicked onto it.
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[ ???'s Interface ]
Spawns Catalog
Sentients
Angels
『Expand』
Demons
『Expand』
Elves
『Expand』
Beast Folks
『Expand』
Dwarves
『Expand』
Humans
『Expand』
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Just like it has been upon seeing the words “sentience”, I, even though I was presented with more options than I initially expected, immediately mentally clicked on the one I was most familiar with: "Humans."
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[ ???'s Interface ]
Spawns Catalog
Humans
Peon
Verdenkind
HighBreed
0.1 GP
1 GP
2 GP
『Expand』
『Expand』
『Expand』
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Seeing these distinctions among humans puzzled me. On Earth, we categorized ourselves by nationality, ethnicity, or social status, but this seemed to be something entirely different. The varying costs implied some sort of hierarchy or value system, and I couldn't help but wonder what it meant.
With my curiosity piqued, I clicked on "『Expand』" once again to delve deeper into the information, hoping to understand the significance of these different human categories. The interface responded by projecting a three-dimensional image of what appeared to be a "peon."
The three-dimensional projection before me depicted a humanoid figure. It had the usual number of limbs, two arms and two legs. The head, perched on top of its shoulders, seemed perfectly normal with two eyes, a nose, and a mouth. It had the typical human proportions, albeit somewhat slender.
"It's bald," I observed, studying the projection. "But no matter how I look at this thing, this is clearly a human, just like I was."
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[ ???'s Interface ]
Spawns Catalog
Race
Peons
G.P Cost
0.1 GP
Description
Peons are the baseline human inhabitants of Fiendfell. They represent the unawakened segment of its population, devoid of the system that grants extraordinary abilities. In appearance, they closely resemble Verdenkind and Highbreed but lack the distinctive aura and traits associated with the two latter. Peons are the cornerstone of human society, living their lives in the everyday realm, yet they possess untapped potential, a latent source of magic and power yet to be unveiled.
Acquire [0.1 G.P]
『Collapse』
Exit
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"This not only looks like a human, but it's also described like one," I mumbled. "But here, it seems that magic is very much a thing, just as I suspected upon seeing the mention of mana. There is also this system…This is very confusing, but also very intriguing."
Resisting the urge to mentally click on the "Acquire" button to see what it would do, I decided to explore the other categories of humans, curious to understand the distinctions between them.
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[ ???'s Interface ]
Spawns Catalog
Race
Verdenkind
G.P Cost
1 GP
Description
Verdenkind are one of the two awakened elites of Fiendfell. These individuals have successfully awakened their innate systems, undergoing a profound transformation from Peon to Verdenkind. As such, they radiate an aura of magic and power that sets them apart from their unawakened counterparts. Verdenkind are not only blessed with unique skills and abilities but also have the privilege of leveling up their level and leveling up 6 distinct attributes and choosing a distinct class among the 20 available ones, shaping their destiny in Fiendfell.
Acquire [ 1GP ]
Customize
(Class)
Customize (Level)
『Expand』
Exit
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Once again, a holographic projection of what appeared to be a normal human was displayed before me, but the description made it clear that these individuals were far from ordinary. "This is getting more complex by the minute," I muttered to myself, my curiosity growing with each new piece of information. "What's this about leveling up and attributes? And those classes... I really feel like I’ve got a lot to learn, this, so far, was just the human species. I can’t even imagine what the other looks like."
Resisting the urge to acquire this to see what I can do with it, I returned to the catalog to explore further.
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[ ???'s Interface ]
Spawns Catalog
Race
HighBreed
G.P Cost
2 GP
Description
Highbreed, an exceptional and rare lineage among our mortal inhabitants, are born with innate gifts that elevate them even further beyond the capabilities of ordinary Verdenkind. While Verdenkind achieves their status through awakening, Highbreed inherit their extraordinary attributes from birth. This hereditary advantage grants them access to an additional unique attribute known as "faith," granting them access to an eight-attribute system instead of the usual seven-attribute one. “Faith” enhances their compatibility with holy-related powers and sets Highbreed closer to celestial beings like angels than their mundane counterparts.
Acquire [ 2GP ]
Customize
(Class)
Customize (Level)
『Expand』
Exit
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