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Frank glanced at Orb as he decided to Rank her Up. ​​

Although he didn't know how.

"Where do I pick the option to Rank Up Orb?" wondered Frank, as if the System had heard him, it quickly answered his call.

Ding!

[Do you wish to Rank Up [Dark Lair (Rank 1)/Dungeon Core: Orb (#12434)]?]

[>YES NO]

"Oh, there it is… Yes," said Frank.

Ding!

[You have spent 10.000 Divine Power Points]

[Initializing Dungeon Rank Up…]

"Uwaaahh! It's happening, it's… really happening now!" cried Orb, as she was enveloped in dense quantities of Divine Power, which began to seep into her entire being and 'evolve' her very being into a greater one.

Flash!

Orb screamed a bit in surprise, but after a bit, she calmed down and received the energy of the Divine Power, increasing her overall capacity and functions to a greater height.

Suddenly, the energy slowly seeped inside of Orb, as her size increased by a few centimeters, and the brilliance and transparency of her appearance was enhanced.

Ding!

[The [Dark Lair (Rank 1)/Dungeon Core: Orb (#12434)] has Ranked Up to Rank 2!]

[Your Dungeon Skills have leveled up]

[Your Dungeon Traits have been enhanced]

[Dungeon Maintenance Status: Dark Lair Dungeon (Rank 2)]

[Owner: Frank James.

[Assigned Dungeon Core: Rank 2 Dungeon Core: Orb.

[Dungeon Rank: 2

[Converted Divine Power: 3.735

[App Points/Converted Divine Power Needed for Upgrade: 20.000 App Points.

[Dungeon Structure: Labyrinth-type.

[Energy Gathering Efficiency Grade: E > D

[Available Treasure List Grade: E > D

[Dungeon Size Grade: D

[Hastened Monster Multiplication Grade: E > D

[Special Abilities: [Lesser Monster Multiplication Enhancement: Level 5], [Energy Transmutation: Level 5], [Automatic Dungeon Regeneration: Level 4], [Hastened Monster Reproduction: Level 3], [Hastened Monster Growth: Level 3]

[Dungeon Functions: [Dungeon Manipulation], [Dungeon Transformation], [Dungeon Treasure Creation], [Dungeon Trap Creation], [Teleportation Gate Creation], [Dungeon Master Energy Conversion]

[Dungeon Traps Available: [Arrow Trap], [Arrow Trap Wall], [Boiling Oil Trap], [Falling Net], [Pitfall], [Scything Blades]

"Uwah, Master, I have really become quite stronger now!" said Orb.

"I am glad, little Orb," said Frank, petting Orb's spherical body as she chuckled adorably…

Aaronarra glanced at this scene with surprise.

"Impressive, I wonder if other Dungeons can upgrade to greater Ranks…" said Aaronarra.

"Axitl told me that something like that wasn't possible anymore. Perhaps if she were to pour a lot of power into them and personally do it, but it cannot happen naturally, as it was only something that happened in the past when the Divine Power she was using to create Dungeons was being poured over the world… It is thanks to my Abilities that Orb can Rank Up," said Frank.

"Oh? Interesting… I am starting to believe that you might really be some kind of demigod…" said Aaronarra.

"No… Not yet, I am really weak… I cannot even compare to such a being," said Frank, remembering how he stood absolutely no chance against beings such as Wasp, even as he was now… Frank saw himself as incredibly weak.

"You're overly modest, your powers are insane and you say such things… Do you know that by being so honest, you might end up offending those that are not even capable of achieving what you do?" asked Aaronarra rather annoyed.

"Ah… That wasn't my intention…" said Frank.

"Well, whatever, go to your home now, I will stay here with Orb," said Aaronarra.

"Fweh?! I am staying with this old man, Master?!" asked Orb, she didn't like Aaronarra's personality and appearance.

"Yes… Sorry, but he will be living here. We already talked about this, Orb," said Frank.

"Fweeehh… But I want you to be here!" said Orb.

"But Orb I got… a lot of things to do outside, sorry," said Frank, petting Orb and even kissing her a bit.

She was just a sphere of crystal, so it was not as if he did not felt anything over her other than brotherly care as if Orb was a smaller and even more needy Kamei.

"U-Uwah! M-Master, y-you kissed me! T-That was my first kiss! Y-You idiot!" said Orb, flying away in embarrassment.

"Eh? But she's… not even humanoid. Why does she have to get flustered?" sighed Frank.

"Haha, she's quite something. Do not worry, I will not bother her, I will go rest in that one corridor that goes down, I am sleepy. I have already taken my share of the Divine Power and now I feel rather full, I have to rest for a bit and assimilate the power. Call me whenever the Gods are ready to talk to me," said Aaronarra.

"Alright, good night," said Frank.

"Yeah, yeah," said Aaronarra, walking away.

Frank felt a bit regretful for what he did to Orb, perhaps he didn't have to be so affectionate with the Dungeon Core with the appearance of a crystal ball, although her personality made her huggable.

Frank called to Orb again as he walked towards a small room where she often lived.

She had made her room something similar to the room of a little girl, she even had several little toys and even a small bed.

"Eh? Did you make all of this through Divine Power? Well, I am not against it… But just how much Divine Power did you spent?" asked Frank.

"Uwah! W-Why are you in my room, Master?" asked Orb in embarrassment.

"I wanted to apologize… Are you busy?" asked Frank.

"I was resting… could you… let me alone?" asked Orb.

"Alone? Okay… Sorry again," said Frank.

"…It's… okay…" said Orb.

"Okay?" asked Frank.

"Y-Yeah… I am glad…" said Orb.

"Glad?" asked Frank.

"If it was Master who gave me my first kiss… I am glad…" said Orb.

"…You're taking this way too seriously... But alright, think whatever you want," sighed Frank.

"N-Now that I accepted your apologize get off!" said Orb, as she pulled a little force through Telekinesis and forced Frank out of her room, closing it through her Dungeon Manipulation.

"Ah… Well, she'll get through it…" sighed Frank, finally making his way back to the surface and then to his house, where the groans of Yurei greeted him.

"Guuoon…"

"Sorry Yurei, did I took too much time outside? Is it boring being a house?" wondered Frank.

"Guuoon…" said Yurei, she seemed to be happy to protect others, and her base stats were already quite ridiculously high, so Frank did not felt the immediate necessity to find a way for this Ghost House to hunt monsters to gain EXP… although one method might be to simply create a high-rank Hunting Domain.

Yurei gently opened the door as Frank entered and tanked her by petting the walls, walking upstairs, and then finally getting to sleep on his bed, where Kamei was sleeping soundly.

"At least she's having a nice sleep…" said Frank, as he caressed Kamei's silky black hair until falling asleep…

This time, Frank only managed to sleep around two hours before he was woken up by Annabelle, who called them for breakfast as always.

"Another new day is upon us! Wake up!" she said.

"Alright, alright, we can always count on our reliable alarm clock," said Frank half-jokingly.

"Good morning nii-san… Hm? You feel a bit different," said Kamei as she touched Frank's chest to find out ribcages protruding out of his flesh and creating some kind of hollow cage where a glowing blue gem was being protected…

"W-What happened with your… body?" asked Kamei with a bit of concern.

"This… well, it's a long story, I can explain things downstairs, but don't' worry, I am feeling fine," said Frank.

"A-Alright…" sighed Kamei, walking downstairs with Frank as they were greeted by the family and Vheslia, who had another hangover.

"Gguuhh…" she muttered.

"Again? Gift of Life," said Frank, healing Vheslia's hangover instantly.

"Ah! Thanks!" said Vheslia.

After sitting and eating with everyone, Frank finally addressed the elephant in the room, the changes in his body, and overall presence.

Although the whole story about meeting an Ancient Dragon while digging and all of that seemed pretty strange, even more, when he did all of the stuff around the Dungeon and even more negotiations which ended in the evolution of his body and soul was surprising, everyone quickly ended up accepting things as they were.

"Eh? I really thought you would be more surprised!" said Frank.

"Well it's you, what did you expect?" asked Gwendolyn.

"Yeah Frank, you always got through a lot of insane stuff…" said Cathyl.

"We have gotten a bit used to it maybe…" said Annabelle.

"E-Eh? That fast? I guess that's that then…" said Frank.

"However, I am glad you got your heart back! Although it is now your Mana Core or something… which makes it even more bizarre so yeaaah…" said Gwendolyn.

"Can you turn back into a human now?" wondered Cathyl.

"…No, I can't. It seems that when I evolved… I… am stuck on this appearance," said Frank.

"Oh that's harsh…" said Gwendolyn.

"Well you're looking as handsome as ever, so I don't think it is much of a chance," said Cathyl with a warm smile.

"Indeed, I would say your charm has just gotten bigger now~," said Vheslia, who was unknowingly being affected by Frank's Death Attribute Charm.

"Well, as long as you feel like you are fine, nii-sama, I don't care about your appearance, I will always love you," said Kamei, hugging Frank.

"A-Ah, well, thanks, Kamei, I really appreciate your warm hugs, especially now that my body is naturally quite cold," said Frank.

"Hehe, I will always be there to hug you… whenever you need it," said Kamei.

"And I will make sure to be there to protect you, whenever you need me…" said Frank, he was dead-set to never let those close to him die every again.

"I guess you've grown up a lot… You're saying some dumb stuff again, you're not a Hero character from a comic or something you know?" said Kame half-jokingly.

"A-Ah, do I sound that cringy?" asked Frank.

"Yeah! Haha!" laughed Kamei.

"Damn… So this is what I have become…" muttered Frank.

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