Ordis finally grasped the terrain surrounding him. His dungeon sat in the middle of a vast grassland, bordered by a dense rainforest. He had no idea how he had ended up here, but the more he observed, the clearer it became—this place wasn’t some fantasy world with floating islands or magical beasts. Everything looked… familiar. Too familiar. The trees, the sky, even the way the wind rustled through the grass. It was the kind of scenery he had seen before, something he could recognize rather than the surreal landscapes often described in stories.
As he scanned the area, his vision picked up movement—small animals scurrying through the grass and darting between the trees. They weren’t strange, mystical creatures or anything out of place. Birds perched on branches, chirping in a way that didn’t sound alien at all. In the distance, he could make out a few mammals that he instinctively recognized, ones that had no magical aura, no extra limbs, nothing unnatural. Just normal wildlife, the kind that would belong in a world he understood.
A strange feeling settled in his core. “This… this isn’t how I imagined things would be,” he muttered to himself. “No strange moons in the sky, no floating ruins, no fire-breathing lizards prowling around. This place… it’s too normal.” This realization made him somewhat disappointed. If this wasn’t some grand fantasy realm, then where exactly had he ended up?
After he focused on his surroundings, he became aware of something else—his dungeon was changing. Or rather, it was adapting. Air was slowly filtering in through the entrance, seeping deeper into the underground space. Microscopic life, the kind that thrived in every crevice of nature, was beginning to settle in. Bacteria, tiny spores, the kind of things no one thought about but were essential for life. He could feel it happening, like his body was no longer just a hollow cave but something… alive.
“Wait… am I breathing? No, not exactly, but it feels like I am,” Ordis muttered to himself. “So this is what it means to be a dungeon, huh? I’m not just a chunk of rock; I’m an environment. A real, functioning space that interacts with the world.” The thought sent a strange thrill through him. If his dungeon could take in air and support tiny life forms, then maybe… just maybe, he could become something much greater.
"I won’t get sick or anything, right?" Ordis muttered to himself, watching as microscopic organisms drifted into his dungeon. It wasn’t like he had a body anymore, but the thought of bacteria and other tiny lifeforms invading his space sent an uncomfortable shiver through his core. He didn’t exactly want to become the world’s first dungeon to die from an infection.
Ordis immediately received a response from the system.
[Dungeon will not get sick.]
Well, that was direct. He wasn’t sure if the system was just lazy or if it simply didn’t bother with explanations. Still, as blunt as it was, it was reassuring. "Alright, I’ll take that as a good thing," he muttered to himself, deciding not to dwell on it.
It wasn’t long before Ordis received another series of messages from the system.
[Mosquitoes have entered the dungeon.]
[Flies have entered the dungeon.]
[Ants have entered the dungeon.]
[Beetles have entered the dungeon.]
[A lone butterfly has entered the dungeon.]
Ordis blinked—well, mentally. "...Great. My first visitors are bugs. But why they entered to this place?"
Ordis was a little surprised. How were these insects even surviving inside him? The first floor was completely barren—nothing but rock and air. The second floor had some water pooled in certain areas, but that was it. Besides, these bugs hadn’t even managed to get past the first-floor door. Yet, they had still found a way inside, crawling and buzzing through his tunnels like they owned the place.
He let out a mental sigh, feeling a bit frustrated. He couldn’t exactly shoo them out, and he had no way to stop more from coming in. The only thing he could do was rely on the system’s map, which at least gave him their exact positions and numbers. It was oddly detailed, showing even the smallest creatures scuttling about.
"Oh, well. At least this is a good learning process," Ordis muttered to himself. Experimenting with the map, he found he could filter what he wanted to see, zooming in and out with ease. Every function responded just by thinking—no need for gestures or commands. At the very least, this proved he had some level of control.
"I wonder if there's something else I can do?" Ordis mused, directing the question toward the system. If it could track insects so precisely, maybe it had more functions he hadn’t discovered yet.
[Failed process task.]
The blunt response appeared instantly, and Ordis couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. So, the system wasn’t some all-knowing guide that would answer every curiosity he had. It seemed only capable of responding to specific actions or events.
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"Great. Guess I’ll have to figure things out on my own," he muttered, already trying to think of another way to test his abilities.
In the end, there was little Ordis could do except watch the movements of the insects that had managed to enter the first floor. They wandered aimlessly, crawling along the rocky surface, completely unaware that they were inside a living entity. It was frustrating how powerless he felt—he couldn't interact with them, couldn't stop them, just observe.
Occasionally, he shifted his focus outside, peering beyond the entrance. The vast grassland stretched before him, but his vision had limits. He couldn't zoom out beyond a certain point, as if an invisible boundary defined the edges of his awareness. It was as if the world beyond his immediate surroundings was just out of reach.
"Hm, this is kinda boring," Ordis muttered to himself. Watching insects crawl around and staring at the same stretch of grassland wasn’t exactly thrilling. He was starting to wonder if this was all there was to being a dungeon when, suddenly, a new message popped up.
[ Mana Reserves increasing: +1 after converting microorganisms, oxygen, and other ambient elements. ]
Ordis blinked—well, if he had eyes, he would have. So he could gain mana just by existing? That was… interesting. It wasn’t much, but at least something was happening.
Ordis mulled over the message. Just by existing, he could generate mana—but it wasn’t as simple as that. The system specifically mentioned converting microorganisms, oxygen, and other tiny things from the air. Did that mean he was taking them from his surroundings? Would the insects inside be fine if he kept absorbing these things?
"Hm, can you explain more about this conversion process?" Ordis asked, hoping for a clearer answer.
[ The Dungeon converts living beings and ambient elements into Mana at a rate of 1 Mana per 2 hours. ]
"Oh… When I look at it, that feels kind of slow, doesn't it?" Ordis mused.
[ What are you saying? We’re generating Mana from nothing. This is quite generous. ]
Ordis couldn’t argue with that.
Another message popped up, giving Ordis an important piece of information.
[ We are also taking all small insects into account, as their bodies can be converted into Mana as well. ]
"Wait, isn't this something you should've told me earlier?" Ordis protested, but the system remained silent, offering no further explanation. He sighed. At the very least, he now had a clearer understanding of how his Mana generation worked.
It reminded him of those fantasy stories where the bodies of creatures mysteriously vanished inside dungeons. Now, it made sense—dungeons weren’t just swallowing them up for no reason. They were absorbing them, breaking them down, and converting them into energy—Mana that fueled the dungeon’s very existence. And now, it was happening to him too. Whether all dungeons functioned this way or if he was special, he had no idea.
Ordis let out a sigh, feeling somewhat disappointed by how little he could do with just 1 Mana. “Is there even a point in having this much Mana?” he muttered before directing the question to the system.
[With this amount, there isn’t much we can do. However, the system recommends using it to accelerate the growth of mushrooms, small grasses, and other plant life on the first floor. This could also help attract more animals into the dungeon. We have already detected some seeds that have made their way inside.]
“Oh? That actually sounds useful. How much Mana would I need for that?” Ordis asked, his interest piqued.
[At least 5 Mana would be required for a reasonable rate of growth. With such an amount, we can double the speed those small plant.]
“Alright, let’s go with that. So, I’ll need to wait another eight hours to gather enough Mana,” Ordis mused, resigning himself to another stretch of idle observation.
Unexpectedly, while Ordis was waiting, another message popped up from the system. He noticed notifications informing him that mosquitoes and flies were leaving the dungeon, while the ones that had died inside were being absorbed. Their tiny carcasses vanished as they were broken down and converted into Mana. It was a strange feeling—knowing that even the smallest creatures could be a source of energy for him.
However, that wasn’t the most surprising part. As he observed the process, he realized something even more significant. The system wasn’t just passively absorbing dead creatures—it was actively analyzing and breaking them down, ensuring that nothing went to waste. But what truly caught his attention was the unexpected discovery that came with it.
As he read the new messages from the system, his curiosity grew.
[Successfully analyzed the body of a mosquito. You can now summon mosquitoes as minions.]
[Successfully analyzed the body of a fly. You can now summon flies as minions.]
Ordis blinked, stunned. "Wait… I can summon mosquitoes and flies now?"
[Your level is still too low. Your Mana reserves are insufficient.]
“Ahaha, that’s too bad. But my focus this time is to use this growth spurt for small plants. System, do it!”
[Yes... Growth Supplement exclusive for small plants released inside the dungeon.]
Ordis watched closely as the system executed his command. This was his first time actively using Mana for something, and he could feel a faint energy pulse as it spread through the first floor. A fine, glowing powder materialized in the air, shimmering like stardust before gently settling onto the ground. He was mesmerized by the sight—it was as if he were casting a spell, even though he wasn’t the one directly wielding the magic.
“This is... pretty amazing,” Ordis murmured in fascination. He had never been able to use magic, skills, or Mana before, but now, as a dungeon, it was an integral part of his existence.
Just as he was about to admire the effects, a new notification from the system interrupted his thoughts.
[Achievement unlocked: ‘Mother of Mana.’ Achievement reward: 50 Mana.]
“What!? That’s amazing! That’s the same amount as five days of Mana regeneration!” Ordis exclaimed, his excitement bubbling over. He hadn’t expected to gain so much Mana in an instant. If achievements could grant such rewards, then perhaps there were more ways to speed up his growth.
“Hahaha, I wonder what kind of achievement this even is.” He eagerly checked the details, only to be left speechless at the system’s explanation.
[Mother of Mana is an achievement for someone who introduces Mana into the Earth.]
“Hm... wait... Earth... Earth...” Ordis repeated, his mind racing as he processed the words. “So we’re not in a fantasy world or an isekai... we’re still on Earth?”