Pain.

Everything - so painful.

My darkness rumbled, twisting and pulling. Pain, I felt from my stomach. The tops were gripped hard. Yanked. Stretched, I was. Ripping apart, my belly did. Yet, I healed. I was re-molded.

I grimaced. I groaned.

“Huuuurrrtssss,” I moaned with a hiss.

But I kept awake. Focused with all I had, I did. I kept aware. Attention - I paid attention to Yellow Screen’s actions. Relentless, Yellow Screen was - completely unaffected by my woeful moans.

Must keep conscious. Must observe how Yellow Screen uses skill. Must not pass out. Bastard, Yellow Screen! No delicacy at all! Dammit! Strong, I will become!

“Shhhhiiiitt!!!” I swore.

Yellow Screen did as I instructed. My stomach felt taller - pulled and stretched taller for Strong Defender to stand comfortably. But pain like nothing before ripped me apart.

Literally.

I previously ordered Yellow Screen for the tunnel coming from the outside world to eventually split into two paths, each leading to two separate rooms.

Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. I felt like reprimanding myself.

Forget, I did, that the path to be split was my belly - my stomach. I did not realize I asked Yellow Screen earlier to split one end of my stomach in order to create two rooms - one for Strong Defender and the other for Strong Helper.

Oh, regret, I did now.

I shrieked, feeling part of my belly gouged down the middle and forcefully ripped apart. Snap, break, crumbled, my insides did. I gasped with no sounds.

Why was I not numbed for such a gut-splitting procedure?! Why awake, must I be?!

Huh? Say what now? Numbed? Procedure?

Not now. Numbed, however, I do need to eventually ponder about. Such pain in the future - avoided would be better. But now cannot, unfortunately. Agonizing pain took over all my senses, but still I tried to remember how Yellow Screen used my skill: Create Floor. Gritted myself. Must watch closely. And watched, I did. But moaned as I continued.

Huuuurrttss. Hmmm. Easy. I got. Huuurtsss.

Watched Yellow Screen and learned, I did. Not too complicated a procedure, honestly.

Step one: Grip parts of my stomach and pull. Next, expand. Stretch until the shape desired is obtained. Not obtained? Pull hard until ripped open. Obtained.

Step two: Force mana, my mana - my blood, over the damaged areas and heal.

Done.

Easy.

Yellow Screen made it look easy.

But control, I must. Careful, I needed to be. Gaping, elongated holes, my belly now had. My mana wanted to escape, flowing like blood out of my torn belly. Waste, I could not allow that to happen. Must keep all motes of shiny gold mana together in place - together within my belly.

Yellow Screen was amazing. Watched, I did - astonished. Not one single fuzzy mana mote flew away from the open holes of my stomach. Covered, my mana did - covered all the holes and breakage in my stomach in a thin, shimmering translucent layer.

Understood now, I did. But apprehension, I felt. I was uncertain if I could replicate Yellow Screen actions.

Quickly, I would have to create the fine layers of mana to block the holes in my stomach. I watched as my mana grew, following Yellow Screen’s command. The layers of mana thickened, coagulating and condensing. Objects formed - rocks and dirt. Pushed out, they did, more and more.

Sheets of rocks and dirt continued to grow and mend the cracks and holes. A new layer of rock and dirt now lined my newly formed belly. Like skin, the hardened layers were. Hardened into dirt and rock, the outer layers of my mana became. A new solid barrier now holds my mana that flowed between the walls.

Easy?

Not so easy.

Controlling mana as it flowed in the open air without dispersing strained my mind. Even as Yellow Screen was the one doing the work.

Passed out, I almost did, nearly unconscious from attempting to enlarge my belly.

Not easy at all.

I held on - kept watching as Yellow Screen enlarged the two rooms for my creations, pulling my stomach outwards and molding them into rocky caverns. Connected the two rooms to another for Strong One, Yellow Screen did - stretched and pulled my stomach the same for Strong One’s room.

Pain. Paaaain, I felt.

Finally, Yellow Screen’s torment was almost over. A passage connected Strong One’s cavern, leading out towards mine.

My belly ached. Worse than a bad case of diarrhea. Thundered and rumbled violently, my belly did. All shook inside me. Pointed stalagmites snapped off and fell to the floor, shattering upon impact. Like bombs, they dropped, bombarding my lower stomach with unending fury from being moved. New rocks and stalagmites grew in and filled the open spaces.

Strong Defender dropped onto all fours - hands gripping into the dirt to hold on. Yet, still knocked around, Strong Defender was. Bumped side to side against the walls of my stomach, Strong Defender grunted. Elbows to the ground, Strong Defender lifted his large, thick hands to cover the back of his head. Battered continuously, Strong Defender was. But only bruised, he was, not bloodied. Glad, I was, that his hide was strong - thicker than Strong One. Shameful and sorry, I felt. Hurt Strong Defender, I did.

I expressed my guilt, “Apologies, Strong Defender! Knew not that my insides would fall down on you. Are you okay?”

Continuously hit on the back by my crumbling insides, Strong Defender grunted again, “Ooof. I understand, Master. Strong Defender is alright.”

More rocks and stalagmites smashed Strong Defenders’s back. Groaned more, he did. Not alright, Strong Defender was.

“Will be over soon, Strong Defender. Hold on just a bit more.”

The ground - the bottom of my belly - quaked and shook. Everything shook. Rocks and pebbles were thrown everywhere. Dust and dirt flew around in my warping belly. But when the last of my room was finally remodeled into its own cavern, the terrible shaking stopped. My belly ceased aching. Diarrhea had passed.

Will I have to experience this every time I enlarge my stomach?

Becoming strong, hurt. Not easy, was it to become strong. But grit myself, I did, and continue I will!

But sad, I was.

Warm, I was no longer. My heart - my core, it was once again cold.

Warm light from the outside world no longer reached me. My room was once again dark, being hidden behind all the other rooms for my creations.

Wait. But was I safer now?

Think, I did.

No. No, Atlas!

Safer, I was not! Not at all! My heart - my core, it was still by itself - now even further from my creations and most far from the outside. I built on instinct instead of planned thinking. Now too late to change, my belly was.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

I needed to protect myself against Green Eyes! Not the outside world! At least, I hope not.

Facepalm, I would if I could. Sighed instead, I did.

But really, was I wrong? No, not completely. It would have been better, yes, to surround me with my creations and their rooms. But in that case, my creations did not need rooms. Green Eyes did not come for my creations. Green Eyes would not dig into their rooms, even if they surrounded mine. Their rooms could not envelope mine. Green Eyes would avoid their rooms and still dig into mine. Regardless, my main problem was not resolved.

“Yellow Screen! How do I fortify my belly?”

[Notification]

Secondary requests received: strengthening the walls of the dungeon.

Please review the rewards from the completed Quest: Size Matters.

Reinforced walls: You can now reinforce the lining of your dungeon to better protect you from internal and external damage.

Note: Sturdy materials must be found or manifested with extracted knowledge to be used.

Warning: Certain materials may draw more/unwanted creatures. Be prepared.

“Materials? What materials can I use?”

Currently, rocks, Yellow Screen responded.

Deadpan face, is what I wanted to reply back. But alas, Atlas has no face, I think? Rocks did not matter! Rocks did not stop the curved claws of Green Eyes! Rocks, Green Eyes easily dug through!

But Yellow Screen did give a clue: extracted knowledge. And I had three dead Green Eyes that have yet to be extracted!

“Yellow Screen, extract Nethermoles knowledge of metal and minerals!”

[Notification]

Request acknowledged.

Applying skill: Extract LVL 2…

My darkness spun, circling. Slightly dizzy, I felt. More information than usual crammed into my head, which seemed to be also located in my heart. Flooded, my mind was. Memories - specific memories came into mind.

Green Eyes dug through dirt, paddling through the rocks with one claw and then the other. Stopped, it suddenly did. Sniffed, it started. Green Eyes’s snout bobbed up and down in happiness. Tentacled nose twitched and squirmed like a blob of intertwined worms, moving slightly left and down. Tantalizing smell, it sniffed. Surprisingly, I smelled it too - the smell of something spicy and savory that came from below. Clawing the earth with its front paws, Green Eyes dug deeper into the ground.

Smell now became stronger. Close, Green Eyes was to a spicy treat. Faster and faster, Green Eyes moved - swiping both claws out at the same time from the side of its furry belly. Hard, grating noises and sparks flew as Green Eyes slashed through the earth around it. Green Eyes’s claws swiped and clawed past its head, collecting dirt as its paws synchronously dug the earth. Scooping dirt, Green Eyes then did, hugging and moving it down beneath its belly. Dirt - scraped and pulled under itself - Green Eyes scratched and kicked backwards with its bottom two feet, moving the dirt behind it.

Interesting technique, Green Eyes.

Green Eyes’s digging technique kind of reminded me of swimmers who used the breaststroke. Their movements looked similar?

Breaststroke? Swimming? Underground? Needs water, no? But what is water? What are swimmers? And most importantly, what is that swimmer creature? How familiar…

A strange image came to mind - a creature called ‘swimmer’ stood at the edge of a square pool of clear blue water. Peculiar sensations, I felt, recollecting the strange creature. I’ve seen this ‘swimmer’ creature in person before.

Where, though?

I couldn’t remember.

I vaguely recalled a blurry image of a hairless bi-pedal creature with a weird blue cap covering its head. Female, the creature was, wearing some sort of scantily clad fabric that barely covered some of its soft, delicate parts.

“Hmm. Not very good at holding or covering, the clothes were. But maybe it will still be good for Strong Helper,” I thought.

[Notification]

Unknown memories have been extracted!

New items now available to be created!

Available new items:

Water

Swimming Cap

Bikini Wear

Water? Bikini? Swimming cap?

No time to think. Memories continued to play.

Leaped into the air, Two-legged Creature did, before seamlessly diving into the blue water with little to no splash. Surprised, I was, that its clothes did not strip off.

Swimming Two-Legged Creature broke through the water with its upper torso. Dove forward, the creature did, extending its hands past its head, gliding through the water. Two-legged Creature then hugged the water, scooping the water past itself to propel forward. It swam powerfully, using the water to push away while bobbing its upper body up and down through the water.

Green Eyes’s digging technique looked very close to Two-legged creature’s swimming style.

But the swimming did not draw my attention. Drawn, I was, to the creature. Nostalgic, Two-legged’s body was. The shape and form I felt like I knew well.

Why? I wondered. But strangely, the odd familiarity did not bother me. Rather, I cared more about Strong Helper.

More thinking, I did. Surprises for my creations, I thought about.

I imagined Strong Helper in Two-legged Creature’s bikini. Burst apart, the imagined bikini did.

Strong Helper would not fit such a dainty size. Strong Helper needed the largest size. A hammock-sized one, she needed. Make, I possibly could. I wondered if Strong Helper would like a bikini should I make it. Ask Strong Helper later, I will.

Or should I surprise her?

Stopped pondering, I did. Green Eyes dug out its prize. I focused back on Green Eyes’s memories. A delicious snack was touched and sniffed, slobbered over by Green Eyes’s nose.

I was now completely focused on the hard, shiny white object Green Eyes plucked out of the earth and began gnawing on within its mouth. Large flat molars on the back of Green Eyes’s mouth clamped down on the white, translucent stone. Clink, clink, the glowing white jewel sounded inside Green Eyes’s mouth. Cracked then crunch - the white jewel shattered. Grinding. More crunching. Unusual, the taste was. Never would I have ever thought jewels or rocks would taste good. But tasty, they were. Crunchy, spicy, salty, and slightly bitter. Interesting combination. At least, from what Green Eyes tasted.

Dug more, Green Eyes did. More and more. Continuously. Dug and ate. Dug and ate. Repeatedly. Yellow Screen did as it said - it showed me continuous replays of Green Eyes digging and eating metals and underground minerals. With my Extract Skill at level two, I witnessed much more with longer durations of my consumed victim’s memories.

Bored, I grew. Green Eyes lived a dark, lonely life. Ironically, it was similar to mine now. Dark and cold, my life now was. The light of the outside no longer reached me.

No! I now have a family! Bright and warm, I will be. Create warmth, I can! Basked in light, I can! I know I can! I now have my strong creations! Provide for them, I will! Strong together, we will become! And for my new family, I made them a home with their own rooms. Now I just need to make our home stronger - make my belly stronger.

So I endured - endured two more times of reviewing the last two Green Eyes’ memories. I watched - only finding Green Eyes eating more stone and metals.

[Notification]

Extraction of Nethermole memories complete!

New additions can now be added/infused into the Atlas Dungeon!

Precious Stones - (Raw, unprocessed):

Peridot

Quartz

Rubies

Sapphires

Diamonds

Mana Stones

…(Press to see more)…

Precious Metals - (Will be added only in ore form):

Iron

Copper

Tin

Silver

Gold

Adamantite

Hyperion

Mythril

…(Press to see more)…

Note: Processed materials/items can be infused or placed in the dungeon, if in possession. To do so, certain skills are needed to refine raw materials. Manifestation of processed goods is also possible once consumed.

[Notification]

Knowledge of materials required to reinforce dungeon walls have been acquired.

Request to increase durability of dungeon walls can now proceed.

Much knowledge on metals and minerals, I learned from Green Eyes. In particular, I learned what Green Eyes did not like to eat. Or more precisely, what gave Green Eyes indigestion. Plain and dull minerals, Green Eyes refrained from consuming. Glowing and shiny, Green Eyes preferred. Tasted better. More nutritious.

But untasty metals that Green Eyes avoided were exactly what I needed. Extracted information proved useful.

[Notification]

Physical materials required to enhance walls were unable to be located. Manifestation of materials will be required to continue, which will need mana.

Cost of infusing materials to enhance the dungeon walls varies and will depend on the type of materials and the desired density.

Please select any of the listed materials to be added/infused while noting their costs and offerings.