I glanced at the crow, Alexandria, with hesitant eyes.

Skeptical, I asked, “What is it you want now, Alexandria?”

“Oh, my! Dear Dungeon Master, why do you sound so stressed?”

The crow knew why.

“There is nothing about me for one such as yourself to fret over. It is but a benign request of mine. Actually, Dungeon Master, you proposed it yourself. Rewarding me through the Dungeon System, remember, dear Master?”

What is this cunning crow planning this time? I thought.

“Yes,” I admitted. Indeed, I asked Yellow Screen to reward Alexandria. “Speak. What about Yellow Screen do you want?”

Immediately, Alexandria replied. “Ah. Yellow Screen, the Dungeon System Interface, which happens to be yellow. Fitting. Master, you wanted to give quests and rewards to your Ogres. No, I do not need quests on behalf of the System. But it would only be fair that I also receive rewards for completing your requests. A most fitting reward, of course.”

The crow lifted her wing and tapped her head as if suddenly recalling something. “Ah! Yes! As it so happens, I have one thing I desire, Master. One that will benefit you as well.”

Playing hooky, this crow. “Fine. Spit it out, Alexandria. Stop playing around with me.”

“Oh! Never, Master! You misunderstood me again! There are no games - only mutual benefit. You request my help to educate the Ogres. I cannot guarantee churning out geniuses, especially with that buffoon, Strong One. But I am confident in increasing their intelligence a point or two.”

Strong One’s nostrils flared as he bellowed back with spit shooting towards the crow. “Whats?! Flying Thing wants fights again?! Flying Thing wants smash!?”

Blocking the balls of saliva with her wings, the crow flicked them off with a huff. “Disgusting. Case proven.”

“Strong One, stop. And Alexandria, cease calling Strong One as such.”

“Then the Ogre needs to stop calling me Flying Thing. I have a name, Master. Until the buffoon can address me correctly, his name will be so,” the crow retorted.

“No’s! Flying Thing is Flying Thing! Puny! Annoying! Flying! Flying Thing!” Strong One snapped.

“Then buffoon, your name shall be,” Alexandria responded.

My head - it ached.

The crow looked at me again, “See? It will not be easy, Master, but I shall attempt to teach the half-brained Ogres. Hopefully, they take my wisdom and become more intelligent, possibly literate. Hopefully. However...”

“However?”

“However, in return, Master, I want you to reward me by creating me minions.”

The unusual request confused my mind. “A minion? For you?”

“Minions. Plural. More than one. I wanted to be rewarded with minions for me to boss around. I already have one particular type in mind. You know this creature well, Master. From what you mentioned, you both are well acquainted.”

Surprised, I was. Why did the partly, ghostly crow need minions? Think, I did. But how could I know? I did not know what went on in that crow’s brain. But the crow mentioned wanting a specific type of creature - one that I knew. But only Ogres came to mind. I only had complete blueprints to make Ogres.

“Another Ogre? Is that what you want, Alexandria?”

“Good gods, no! No! Absolutely, not! I can’t handle any more pea brains.”

Strong One snorted. “Flying Thing’s head smalls - brain smalls too! Flying Thing also’s buffoon! But body no meats. No’s goods.”

Alexandria ignored Strong One and twisted her head away. She glanced at my other Ogres who gave her a begrudging eye. Especially Strong Defender. He was not pleased by her insulting words, but the crow did not take any back. And Strong Defender could not argue either. My largest creation was the most level-headed. He knew.

“No Ogres for me, Dungeon Master. I do not need any more duds to educate.”

“Huh? Then what? I know of no other blueprints for creatures.”

“Hehe. Complete ones, no. But fragmented ones, yes. The one you call Green Eyes - the Nether Hound Moles. Reward me with an army of Green Eyes, Dungeon Master.”

Astonished, I was. I gasped in utter shock and disbelief. “Green Eyes!? Why?! Why would you want such a terrible monster?!”

My belly trembled at the mention of Green Eyes’s name, and bits of dust and pebbles crumbled from the ceiling of my stomach. I relived the trauma from my first encounter as a newborn Dungeon. Unsavory memories flashed into my mind. Recalling those moments, I unfortunately did. I remembered how Green Eyes tore through the walls of my belly, slashing with its curved claws - burrowing with swift and determined movements. Green Eyes - it quickly invaded my stomach and almost ate my heart.

I shuddered at how Green Eyes relished my core.

Fleshy. Slimy. Slippery. Hot. Wet. Webbed tentacles from the sides of Green Eye’s nose. Squirming. Wiggling. Touching and slobbering all over my heart.

Gross.

And the crow wanted Green Eyes as a minion? My first nemesis as her underlings?

That crow. What was she scheming now? Why Green Eyes?

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“The answer is easy, Master: for locating other nearby Dungeons.”

Something clicked. It all started to make sense now.

Alexandria’s fragments.

The crow desired the scattered pieces of herself - the other parts of the Bastille of Knowledge. My wariness slowly turned into greed. I now had second thoughts - I did.

“Ah, understand, I now do, Alexandria. I, too, want more of what your Bastille has to offer. So be it. But I cannot create Green Eyes. Not yet.”

The crow nodded her head. “Eventually, Master, you can. A few more rounds of digesting those dead creatures should be enough to obtain a blueprint of the Nether Moles.”

“Hmmm… Correct, Alexandria.”

“Not a problem then, Dungeon Master. Our Green Eyes problem can be easily resolved. We can lure the moles into the Dungeon and to their doom. However, educating the Ogres will not be such an easy feat.”

Strong One did not like where the conversation between Alexandria and I was heading. With a stomp of his feet in protest, Strong One glared while jabbing his fat finger at the crow. “No! No, no’s! Strong One not plays with Flying Thing! Onlys smash!”

The crow turned back at me and smirked. “See, as I expected. Master, you will have to convince the unwilling buffoon. The Ogre will not listen to me.”

“Listen? Nevers! Me nevers playings with Flying Thing!”

I glanced at Strong One. He never outright resisted my requests. However, stubborn, I knew Strong One could be. He needed rewards for proper motivation.

“Strong One, it is not easy to become stronger. Sometimes you must work through things you do not like in order to grow. You may not like it, but Alexandria will help you on your quest. If you do well, I will reward you.”

Strong One pouted and resisted, but his ears perked up at my last sentence. Eagerness flashed brightly in his eyes. “Master! A present for me’s? From Master?!”

“Yes. A reward once you finish your quest. You wanted your home, my belly, to be more like the outside world, yes?”

“Yes! Yes! Strong One wants home like outside!”

“Okay, make it as so, I can. If you do as Alexandria says, I will add and create additions to your room from the outside world. Whatever you like. Like the Honey Bulb Tree that bears the fruit you call Great Treasure.”

“Reallys, Master?! Reallys?! Master makes Great Treasure for Strong One?!”

“That, and as much more as I can. The same goes for you two as well, Strong Defender, Strong Helper! Learn and grow stronger, and I will help decorate and embellish your rooms with whatever you desire from the outside.”

My creations burst with eagerness as they stared hungrily at the crow. Alexandria trembled, seeing my Ogres’ frightful, crazed faces. Much more work, she will have to do. The exuberant rewards my assistant requested would not be so easily earned.

A thought crossed my mind as I looked at the crow.

Why not just order my creations? Why bother with giving quests through Yellow Screen?

I would find out the secrets of Yellow Screen and its worth.

“Yellow Screen! Issue my creations quests! The Foundation Basics - Stats - Series Quest! Their goal is to increase their intelligence with the help of my spirit assistant, Alexandria! If completed, I will help them build the interior of their rooms to their liking!”

[Notification]

Reviewing request…

Parameters are deemed acceptable.

Evoking skill: Dungeon Quests LVL 1

Note:

The Dungeon System will now introduce a function and byproduct of the series quest: Foundation Basics - Stats!

Enhancing certain stats to required thresholds and obtaining specific skills will allow for specialization and Class Evolutions.

A new tab has been created by the Dungeon System. Please see the [Dungeon Creatures] tab to see your creature’s stats. A Class Evolution Tree, showing specific requirements and/or materials, will also be located in the tab.

Assigning quests to available Dungeon Creatures:

Foundation Basics - Stats - Series Quest

“Oh! Master! Master! Me sees Yellow Screen!” Strong One shouted.

Strong One did see Yellow Screen. Yellow Screen popped up in front of all of my three creations. I wanted to check what Yellow Screen said, but there was other tasks to do first.

“Yes, Yellow Screen will help you all become stronger, my creations. Alexandria! Take them. Do as you said you would.”

“Oh, of course, Dungeon Master! But, I can only tutor one Ogre at a time. Other species I could possibly take on and teach more at one time, but Ogres are intellectually challenged. They require more attention. Besides, Master, you need the others to obtain more mana, and more of your so-called Green Eyes, yes?”

This crow… She was right again. Knew not, if Alexandria truly could only teach one at a time, but I did need more mana to build the insides of my belly. Although, I detested the thought of creating Green Eyes and keeping the Green Eyes in my belly. The thought alone triggered those unpleasant memories where I almost died.

“Fine, Alexandria. Take Strong One. Strong Helper, Strong Defender! Let’s hit two birds with one stone! Shall we do some training on teamwork while obtaining some food?”

“As you will, Master. I will always obey,” Strong Defender said with a bow of his head while lifting his hand over his heart.

“Yes, Master! Strong Helper wants to hits two birds! Buts not with stones! With Strong Helper’s two fist!”

I chuckled at Strong Helper.

“Master! Me’s too’s! Me smash too!” Strong One jumped in and added.

“No, go study and learn with Alexandria, Strong Helper.”

“Buuuut Maaaaasstrer…”

“You want your room like the outside world, yes? If you study hard, you will be the first to get your room decorated. Maybe if you learn fast, you can even join in with your siblings.”

For some reason, Strong One smirked at Strong Defender. “Ha! Me’s smash study fast and gets me room first! And smash Furry Thing too! Ugly! Needs to follow Strong One!”

Strong Defender snorted back, “We will be done before you even finish, Strong One.”

“Ha! Uglys wrong! Watch! Me comes have fun soon!” Strong One turned to the crow. “Flying Thing! Hurrys! Tell me wheres study! Strong One wills smash study fast!”

I heard a big sigh from Alexandria. But I did not interfere with the bickering duo. Instead, I commanded my other two creations, focusing on them with my skill: Internal Awareness.

“Strong Helper, Strong Defender, head out past Strong One’s room and to the right - to Strong Defender’s room. Prepare for battle, my creations. Open another hole, I will! A hole on the side of my belly that will lure in Green Eyes. We will kill and feast on Green Eyes!”

“Yes, Master!” My creations replied in unison as they stomped out of my chamber with sharp, determined eyes and clenched fists.

“Master…” Strong One made a sad puppy face.

“Strong One, you can join them when you finish. Now go with Alexandria.”

It was hard for me to resist immediately soothing the pouting Strong One and giving my creations whatever they wanted. But I knew I could not always give them what they wanted. I must only give what they need. I ignored my sad and grumbling creation. I could not spoil Strong One, my first creation.

Using the Internal Awareness skill, I followed after Strong Helper and Strong Defender. Entered Strong Defender’s room, we soon did. The room was like my chamber before Alexandria put in the Library of the Bastille. All was barren and empty, except for the rocky walls and the pointy ceiling. The air was damp and cool, but soon, all would be hot and bloodied from battle.

“Strong Helper! Strong Defender! Discuss, we must, a battle plan! A plan for fighting invaders, now and for the coming future. Learn, we must, how to help each other, how to cover each other’s back. Understand your foes, our prey. Soon, I will open a hole and lure in Green Eyes with my mana.”