Moving on to the yellow finches, the child took another mana string. Finally, the child rolled into a tightly condensed sphere of mana, just over three centimetres, and they sewed it into the finch.

Once the core was placed, it instantly began to change. Unlike the other sphere-shaped forms, the core changed to become a four-centimetre long and half-a-centimetre thick spiral-shaped core. No less durable than the other monster cores, it was very different, which intrigued the child. Did this mean that there would be something special about their bird monster? Or was it just that that was the core style that fits best?

Either way, the child continued to study the changes that the bird endured as it became a monster.

The bird's wingspan grew from 12 centimetres in length to a stunning 150 centimetres. Though not big like their sharp bills, the yellow finch still grew bigger and stronger. Along with their growth came an increase in both elasticity and strength in their muscles, allowing the bird to lift objects five times their weight in flight. Their claws had a joint right below the bone of the lower leg that allowed the monster to turn their claws almost 360 degrees around, allowing for the bird to choose the best gripping and attack angle. The bird's four talons turned curled and had miniature ridges, allowing for better tearing and grip. The feathers of the bird gained a razor edging to them. Due to the amber colour that the bird's feathers gained, they named the monster "amber finch."

Seeing how the bird turned out, the child decided that they would be best suited for the sixth floor. With the majority of empty air space, it will really suit the airborne monster. The seventh, eh, not so much. It was too crowded for a true airborne monster like their amber finch. They quickly made a few more amber finches and placed them within the sixth floor.

Turning to their last potential monster species, the green mantis, the child got to work.

Rolling out another core, this time about two centimetres in a spherical shape, they sewed it into the mantis and watched their monster and its core change.

The core stayed spherical in shape but gained these small, pin-like indents that systematically went all around the core.

The mantis grew from nine centimetres long to 35 centimetres long and 20 centimetres tall. The insect kept its classic green pattern, but the child noticed that its skin, all over its body, shifted to different shades of green and the occasional burst of colour. It was all made so that the mantis could blend perfectly into its environment. The next change was the change to their long claws. Growing sharper with thinner but more exact blades on both sides of the insect's claws. The claws were bent and tucked into the insect's chest, but at lightning speed, they could whip them out and slash and grab hold of prey. Their eyes were able to spot any movement far away, and their jaws allowed them to rip and tear into hard shells and surfaces easily. The monster could also move stealthily and quietly throughout the flora where it lived.

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But one of the best things that the mantis changed was their wings. Before, the two sets of wings weren't that powerful and only allowed them to glide short distances, but now they sustained the insect in long flights, allowing the mantis to be both a land and air monster.

And boy, were they happy. They now had a monster able to move stealthily in areas with many plants and could fly as well.

Seeing everything that their new monster was, the child decided to name them the "scythe mantis" due to their claws.

And they knew that the floor that these monsters would reside in was the seventh floor. The child thought it was a perfect fit for the seventh floor.

As the child watched their scythe mantises, amber finches, and engulfing algae live throughout their sixth and seventh floors, and the ice krills, ravenous snails, and alluring vines that lived on their first to fifth floors, they got to thinking.

What if I add a different type of string with the making of the monster cores? Or what if I just use a different mana string altogether?

But before they could even try to start these experiments, the child felt a large group of Tsiamewo enter into their territory.

Different from the last two times they came, it didn't seem like the group of thirteen were there to gather creatures and plants like they have been doing.

The group was made up of fifteen people, and a majority of them appeared to be warriors. However, including the two previous warriors, Remu and Sucha, there seemed to be seven other warriors and what looked to be people who were … mages? At least they looked somewhat like the few mages entering their dungeon in the five islands.

The three maybe mages were dressed in billowy robes made of the same fish skins as all of the Tsiamewo's people seemed to be dressed in. The robes didn't seem practical, and the three carried these staffs made out of a mix of different types of woods. The three maybe mages were made up of two females and one male, and they looked older than the other Tsiamewos. They had these black lines marking the contour points of their face.

The child didn't know whether this meant they were old or that it signified something different, but it made the three stand out to the child. But they will just call them mages until they figure out what they are.

Just as the group made it to the dungeon's entrance, the three mages climbed onto the ice platform. They took out what looked like to be a carving of a miniature dungeon core carved from a deep blue stone that sat on top of a black stone column.

As one, they bowed before the core and spoke together.

"Oh, great, Dungeon Core! We thank you for your allowance on our trespassing, and we ask that you bless our bodies with your acceptance and kindness. Please accept this offering in exchange for our presence within your halls."

Okay? Thought the child as they watched the group perform this prayer to them? Really they didn't know what to think about them, praying to them for safety.

After the three said the prayer, the male grabbed a little pouch made from what looked like woven kelp and placed it just within the entrance.

As soon as they placed it, the female who said the prayer with a greenish-blue plumage turned to the warriors and gestured to the entrance.

"What are you waiting for? Let's go."