A kaleidoscope of phantasmal lights passed by in the dark vacuum of space, shifting around a small gemstone. As its consciousness becomes aware of the surroundings, it can vaguely recall passing a grey asteroid before its attention shifted toward a globular green mass it seemed to be falling towards.

"Well, scratch that. I'm definitely falling towards this planet. Why am I traveling through space at very, very, very dangerous speeds towards a planet!" it internally screamed.

"Okay..okay...calm down me. Lets just drift along, I'm sure we'll be fine," the small supersonic-uniform-octahedron-gemstone-like object told itself. "Oh, that's my body. Huh, guess I have a lot of sides to me?" the gem remarked to itself.

"Oh, it's getting hotter. Phew, I think I'm sweating. Can I sweat? Okaaaaay, I am getting awfully close to the ground now. Oooph those were some thick clouds! Oh wow, those are some big trees. Oh look a city. Why is it glowing aaaand I can't see it anymore. Am I getting faster? Alright, I need to stop panicking, let's just close our eyes and breathe..... breathe....... breathe............" a loud crash echoed around the stone as random chunks of rock flew, massive trees fell, and various critters were blown away around a newly made crater. 

"Oh. I stopped moving," the alien rock commented. As it refocused on its perception, all around itself, white steam had spread while the dirt and gravel was compressed from its landing. 

"So, looks like I'm alive. I DO NOT want to go through that again. I mean the view was great but not a big fan of hurtling through the atmosphere. So, what am I doing here? Oh what's this?" the gem noted, a green blinking pinpoint of light seemed to be bouncing at the edge of its vision. Granted, its sight did include everything around it without any blindspots. How there is an edge, the newly born consciousness could not and frankly did not bother to fathom. Focusing on it, a multitude of box-like objects started to spring forth. 

[Landing successful]

[Initializing dungeon core parameters]

[Locating universal position]

[Location identified: Sphaira]

[Handing over to local node...processing...contacting...contact established]

[.....]

[Welcome to Sphaira!]

And somehow the words were decipherable for the nascent consciousness. 

"Hello?" 

"Oh, a reincarnated one? Hmm, let's see here. Good, personal memory reconfiguration, hmm, personality was retained? Okay, whatever works. So hey there, you got a name?" a new masculine plummy voice echoed in its head.

"Hey, what's going on?" the now confused gem asked.

"I need a name little guy." 

"I don't know!"

"Okay, so full personal memory wipe, not reconfiguration. But looks like he's still got some spunk. Lets see....alright, so listen to my instructions. You'll get all the answers soon. For now, focus on the words [Initialize Tutorial]. I'll be back after you're done little one! Remember, focus!"

"Oh...okay." it replied as the boxes in front of it faded away, not really aware of what exactly was going on. "Well, I have nothing to lose so....Initialize Tutorial!"

...

...

...

"Okay, that didn't work. Need to focus! [Initialize Tutorial]" As it focused on the prompt, the surroundings began to glow in a light green hue.

[Tutorial System has been initialized]

[Dungeon Core detected]

[Parameters: Reincarnated; No memories; Personality Intact]

[Detecting local source node]

[Source node found]

[Transferring source node to current location]

Reading the prompts, the surroundings of the new dungeon core suddenly started to change. The crater it found itself in began to jump back as if it were a trampoline. The surrounding flora and fauna started to grow once more as the wind, and almost invisible miniscule blue particles, started to converge on the core. The ground beneath it elevated and spread as if a balloon was being inflated from below. Mounds of rock and gravel began aging, shifting, configuring themselves as a small hill rose out of the crater. Suddenly, another green flash prompted and the core found itself sitting inside several layers of the recently made hill.

[Transfer complete]

[Generating entrance type: Auto-selected CAVE]

As soon as the box faded away again, the soil shifted around the gem, spreading apart as if invisible hands molded the soil into stone, creating a cracked and upturned floor. The earth around it molded, heading out and shaping itself into a rounded opening to the outside world. The light started to invade near the entrance of the newly created cave, and the core found itself covered in hard soil, hidden from the view of anyone who might peek in.

[Welcome to the Dungeon Core Tutorial]

"I'm back little guy." The jovial voice from before returned suddenly. "So, hate to break it to ya, you are now a dungeon core. You used to not be one, but somehow or someway, you've been turned into a dungeon core. Now, before you ask, 'What about my past life?' Let me tell ya, it doesn't matter. Not anymore. So introductions are in order I believe. Why don't you tell me how you want to call yourself?"

[Designate Name]

The abrupt return of the voice startled the gem. And now, the voice told it that it had a past life? A past self that doesn't matter anymore? You would suspect our little dungeon core to perhaps be furiousor melancholic, but it couldn't remember anything! So, should it care about something it can't remember anymore? Especially when it is still alive and has been essentially given a new life? Should it cling on it any of its now-erased memories even though they are completely useless to its new existence? 

[Designate Name]

It didn't have a name. Even though the dungeon core understood what the boxes wanted, it didn't know why it should name itself. 'What would I want to call myself?' 

As if in answer to his query, a word, no, a name, started to form in its mind. It didn't know why, but an instinctual response replied to the prompt, "I want to be called Lethe." 

[Name designation successful]

[Name: Lethe]

"Okay great! Hello there Lethe. I'm Mr. S, an administrator of the system for Sphaira, the world you are currently in. My job is to introduce the System to you and answer a few questions. Ease the process along as they say. Our surveys have found that recently reincarnated dungeon cores are better able to adjust if there is a more personal touch at the start of their new lives." the administrator, Mr. S, replied in a carefree manner.

"Well, I appreciate the help. I was really confused since I woke up in space and crashed into a new world!", it,  no he, testily replied. 

"Yeah, sorry about that. Timing the initializing of consciousness is an imprecise art. Glad nothing traumatic happened though," he placated. "So, these boxes with words you see, this is the System. It does not have a personality or any real intelligence but it will help you manage your skills, what you can or can't do, give you quests, and generally help you out."

"Okay, so it'll basically help me do...dungeon core things?" Lethe replied. Surprisingly, he somehow knew what a dungeon core was, as if the knowledge just decided to be aware at this time.

"Exactly Lethe. Now, you should already know what a dungeon core is, since well, you are one. Weird how that works, I know. However, I need to remind you of something very important." Mr. S suddenly stated in a grave tone.

"As long as you are in this world, know that you are not special. Sphaira itself is a system-based world and there are hundreds of thousands of dungeons located all over multiple continents. Time to time, we get a new one or one of the other dungeon cores decide to reset themselves and start from somewhere new. You're the former, a new dungeon, which is fine. But you are not special! Even the dungeons that reset themselves are not special. There are plenty of lifeforms on Sphaira, from hominids to draconids. One in a billion or trillion of these life forms can become special. They can become immensely powerful and take charge of the multiple continents. However, you as a dungeon have a different purpose, and so do all dungeons. Which is why you are not unique or special!" he reiterated.

"Alright Mr. S, I get it. I'm not special. But still, why me?" Lethe asked. He couldn't remember his past life; but he knew he was alive. What did he do that would lead him to reincarnating in this form and on this planet? 

"You see, Sphaira has been around for eons and it is maintained by the system. The celestial bodies that surround this planet, and most of the inhabitable regions in this universe in fact, are managed by the system. The lifeforms that grow here and the civilizations that thrive use the system. However, all of these lifeforms have a soul. As part of this, souls need to be maintained. In this universe, once a soul leaves its body, be it the body of an insect, human, elf, sentient golem, or monster, it is recycled and reassigned. Technically, your past life does not matter what you reincarnate into; but here and there we make exceptions for the exceedingly evil souls. Either way, that was not you. Since you're here, that means you weren't anything special in your last life. And in this life, as a dungeon core, you're only purpose so to say, is to continue to exist." Mr. S remarked.

"Okay, so my only purpose is existence? Why?" Lethe asked again after the confusing and concise explanation.

"Even though I say that you are not special, you do have a function in this system. You do not have a mission to save the world. In fact, the system will keep the world saved. However, whenever someone or something passes away, their souls need to move on. These souls naturally gravitate towards a well; however, many eons ego, most souls would have to be harvested by the system manually and had to travel a fair distance, losing and corrupting parts of themselves in the process. That's where you come in. Dungeons are what the system uses to save resources in recycling souls and prevents them from being corrupted. And the closer something dies to a dungeon core, the easier it is for the system to recycle the soul. So, you are what the system uses as a beacon for the departed." Mr. S's voice calmly explained. "Take a look at this."

[LEVEL 0]

[EXP to LEVEL 1: 100]

"So, whenever a soul dies in a dungeon, you get some of the power of that soul as experience. Using this, you can empower yourself. Think of it as an employee benefit. However, if a soul dies outside of the dungeon, you won't get anything in return and will simply be used as a waystation. The issue with that is, souls tend to get corrupted outside of a dungeon, even evil dungeons yes, and so the system wants as many souls to pass away in the dungeon as possible. Especially for stronger souls, as they are harder to recycle outside of dungeons. And in return, the dungeon core is free to do whatever it wants." Lethe heard Mr. S say as his voice took on an abrupt tune. "I'm actually jealous of you, you know? As a dungeon core, you are basically pampered by the system. You can summon mobs, use and manipulate mana without consequences, create fantastical structures and creations, and not even have to worry about death!"

"Well, since I already died once, not dying again does sound nice." Lethe commented, agreeing that it all seemed too good to be true.

"Anyway, Just a few other things before we proceed with setting you up. To clarify, every lifeform on this world can use the system through which they can receive quests, rewards, and strengthen themselves, even dungeons. However, at the end of the day, for dungeon cores, they only need to exist. So you can do whatever you want. Want to build an undead dungeon? Go ahead. Want to introduce brand new technology? Sure! Feel like just not doing anything? I mean, it isn't recommended, but you could! Just have fun is what I say." he jovially finished.

"That actually sounds really nice. Should I be worried about anything though? What if someone steals my core? I mean, I don't have anything to defend myself with." Lethe questioned after taking some time to digest what Mr. S had introduced him to. 

"Good question little one." Mr. S started in his jovial manner of speech once more. "But you don't have to worry about that. First of all, no one can see a dungeon core. And I mean no one. You can see that you are a gem, but if someone comes up right next to you, they will only see, feel, smell, a clump of dirt. You exist in a separate dimension from this plane basically but you're still here. Its one of the protections the system implemented after a group of self-proclaimed [Mage King]s a few billion years ago tried to control it by harvesting dungeon cores. Either way, once you're high level enough, you'll even be able to create an ephemeral body to travel around your dungeon with. However, you won't be able to move outside of your territory, another restriction the system implemented on dungeons after one particular nasty reincarnated core created for himself an empire a few eons ago. For now, just follow the quests made by the system." Mr. S finished, an accented flourish in his voice.

The newly designated dungeon core patiently listened to it. Lethe didn't understand all of the comments that Mr. S made, but he understood one fact. "So....I just do what I want and follow the quests?" 

"Yup, just do what you want." Mr. S confirmed. "Since introductions are over though, I'll let you get on with it. Catch you later allig...uhh cough ahem..I mean little one." Lethe heard before a short abrupt tone indicated that Mr. S seemingly...disconnected?

Refocusing his thoughts, Lethe looked at the now once again blinking prompt at the edge of his vision, once more focusing on it with his thoughts as a new box appeared.

[Quest: Open the status screen 0/1]

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