The notification was amusing; it appeared just as the kids and Kemy left the Dungeon, escorted personally by Renny who had taken a break from training his dead-man crew circus act.

Team Heroic Holy Pot and friends have conquered your Dungeon as challengers. You have gained +10 DP for challenging them to their limits, please continue to gRӣw! Get strongӣ$ and K311-

The thing fizzled out with a sharp pop.

“I think I was supposed to get that on day one or something,” Delta muttered to herself.

“How come Seth and Quiss never gave me this when they went through my Dungeon?” Delta asked aloud causing Nu to appear.

Those two weren’t a challenge. They were a slaughter waiting to happen if they wanted it and you had no chance. The kids were more appropriate.

“Rude, but fair,” Delta admitted as she stretched in her entrance hall. Alpha had decided to patrol the hallway leading further into the 3rd floor. He didn’t seem to like the implication that there was a whole series of cults under her Dungeon.

Delta thought Alpha was somewhat standoffish, but he was turning out to be really sweet. A bit... different, but sweet.

Do you want to discuss the way you flew off the handle at the sight of the spore?

Nu’s box was casual, but Delta stiffened, going still.

“It was...” she began but had to stop to collect her thoughts. The spore was many things. Not a single one of them good as far as Delta could sense.

“They were his nightmares, his fears, his doubts... his pain and anguish. The voice inside his head that would tell him he was worth nothing. Anything to inflict pain to Deo. It wanted him broken so the spore could seep through the cracks. It was vile,” Delta’s hands clenched, shaking ever so slightly.

Surely, not all of life’s negative traits can be simply spore-based. People are flawed, but are you suggesting that all those traits come from spores?

Nu turned so he was facing her fully, doubtful. Delta shook her head as she walked down the hall, declining to float.

“No... but they entrench themselves so deeply into those type of feelings that it’s like a dream. No end and no beginning. The spores become anger, the spore becomes fear... they feed it and get fed in return. But even something like anger may burn too pure or bright... grief too real for the spores to settle comfortably,” she shrugged in ponderous thought.

“Not all bad emotions are spores, but all spores are bad emotions,” Mushy announced, stepping in from the pond room. Delta smiled at her giant mushroom lord. His moustache and noble air always delighted her.

“Sometimes, but they can be devious too. Hiding in pride or toxic love,” she added.

“I’ll just burn them out where I can. Being in my Dungeon does it naturally, but Deo’s was... too deep within. It had a foothold that I don’t think most do. It was let in and it made a mess,” Delta sighed and just stood in her Pond Room.

How long had it been since she was here?

Too long...

You know... while we’re on the first floor. We could change things or purchase upgrades~

Nu said slyly, floating past her with a whistle to his text.

The idea of changing the layout... moving rooms about... it upset Delta on a spiritual level, a deep part of her that she was beginning to think of as her ‘dungeon’ self. A part of her where human and core blurred hard enough that it scared Delta a little.

Waddles opened an eye from where he was resting in his little alcove. He was looking a little more ruffled than usual.

“What’s wrong?” Delta tilted her head. Waddles’ red eyes merely looked at the pond then went back to sleep.

Frowning, she opened the Pond Menu window, seeing what was left. There shouldn’t be anything besides the space upgrade and crossbreeding since she purchased it all ages ago but...

Pond Room

An idyllic room with relaxing rocks, grass, a place to camp, and a fishing spot with rare fish and rumours of the three fish of bronze, silver, and gold...

Upgrades discarded since last checked.

Flood the pond room and spawn mini-Boss to attack campers. DISCARDED.

A glowing will-o-wisp will lure the feeble-minded to drown themselves. DISCARDED.

Wood becomes toxic to burn, suffocating those who breathe it in. DISCARDED.

Fire Crystal will overflow, cooking any swimmers alive. DISCARDED

If all fish are caught, spawn a giant catfish with legs to devour the overachiever. DISCARDED/Redesigned.

New Upgrades:

Make the room bigger on the inside, a common upgrade to get around the lower floor limits. 20 DP.

Fake sky: Allow the formation of glittering mushrooms to mimic stars as mist clouds mimic clouds. A ‘full moon’ made of moving glass also occasionally appears. Mimics state of the real moon outside, so a full moon inside means a full moon outside. Increases the happiness of those camping. If harvested, stars turn into Starlight Mushrooms. 25 DP

Spawn Jelly-Fish in the lake. Natural creatures made of jello for those who are against eating meat. Gluten free. 5 DP.

Spawn a giant catfish that will swallow the moon after catching ten or more fish along with a bronze, silver, and gold fish. Catching this behemoth rewards the fisher. 30 DP.

Add fireflies for ambience. 2 DP.

Allow new fish to crossbreed with existing fish. Population limited to pond size. 10 DP.

Delta was stunned, but she slowly began to grin.

“Nu, how much DP do I have? 400, 500?” she asked distractedly.

883

Delta looked at the list with diligence and carefully selected her choice.

Delta’s finger carefully ran down the entire list with poise and elegance.

There was a rumble in the room and Waddles looked more awake as his kingdom expanded in all directions, a false sky painting itself across the high ceiling as glinting mushrooms grew in place of stars. Slowly, a floating glass circle in the shape of the moon floated to one corner, showing it was three fourths full.

Glowing little lights began to flicker in and out of the grass, fireflies that danced cheerfully along with the air. Trees grew in, the average trees that Ruli had ‘donated’ so long ago. The interesting thing was the slight glowing fish in the pond that looked shiny and... plump.

Gummy fish that darted about, leaving little trails of reds, yellows, and oranges.

Then with a massive stretch, the lake filled out. It wasn’t quite big enough to fit a steamboat, but it had depths enough that when a giant round fish with dragon-like whiskers breached the surface, licking its lips at the moon... it vanished easily into the murky depths around the side.

Delta, face wide with a smile, opened its menu.

Moon-Eater Fish. (Challenge Spawn)

A creature whose hunger is so huge that it said it could swallow the moon itself. It is said to have a cousin in a dark city that puts people to sleep.

Upgrades:

Allows a mini-space inside its stomach to form, creating a secret challenge dungeon for those brave enough to fish it out and enter. 10 DP.

Full-Moon Form: Catching this monster during a full moon will unlock a special reward. 20 DP

New Moon Swap: When captured during a new moon will be replaced by Clamamity in a mimic-catfish form. 10 DP.

Well, Delta just needed all of them for science.

She purchased them and deep in the pond, an orange glow flashed.

Another new upgrade formed in the Pond Room’s menu so she swapped back.

Moon Alter: Allow a tribute to be offered to change the phase of the moon. Only works once a day. Dungeon-moon only. 30 DP.

Delta hit her elbow on it, sounding shocked when she purchased the upgrade, purely by accident of course.

“I’m so clumsy, my depth perception is out of order,” she tittered at herself. Nu was blank and judgemental at her side, not needing to type any words to convey his mood. A narrow stone pillar rose out in the pond somewhat, three stepping stones lifting to create a path to it.

The dial it held was like a sundial but it had a middle platform for something to be placed and phases of the moon printed along its silver edge.

Delta sat back on a rock, admiring the scenery. Fish lept from the pond, playful with each other as Waddles resided over them all. The duck’s menu was unchanged. It was Overlord for 1500 DP or nothing.

Waddles was a simple duck... thing.

Are we not rushing off to create the next catastrophe? The next game-breaking room?

Nu asked this sarcastically, but there was no real malice to his tone. He was relaxed too, content to get back to the task of being a dungeon. Delta got comfy, floating in the air above the rock to cheat at being comfortable.

“No... I don’t think I will,” she announced. Nu flickered in surprise, but Delta conjured herself a glass of lemonade from the bar. Making a construct of pure energy was something she was beginning to learn to do, although it didn’t have any practical use at the moment. It didn’t let her do anything she couldn’t do before to the real world, save for one thing...

She sipped it with a hum.

It tasted like lemonade, but Delta didn’t have a tongue, so the drink didn’t have to try too hard to make her happy.

It came with a little straw that Delta saw as blue; but of course, the world would see it as orange.

Why not?

Nu was a tad bit petulant.

“Because Nu, it’s like my old job... I think. They heard me singing and they told me to stop. Quit these pretentious things and just punch the clock,” she said and took another drink before she eyed her companion.

“All work and no being lazy makes Delta go crazy. I’m also still drained a little from Deo. I need a break!” she insisted.

Very well, five minutes won’t harm us.

Nu floated down until he was flat on the ground staring up at the sky.

This is boring.

Delta sipped a little harder.

Surely we can do something else?

Delta gave a massive yawn and reclined in the moonlight.

Delta? Delta, do you hear me? Delta? Delta? Delta?

“Not... at all,” Delta reported, dreamily as her tension over the last day just melted away. She still had an undead army gathering their strength and a lot of work to do, but...

Delta was only human...

Her foot went up in the air, causing her lemonade to fly all over her face. She began to slide along the ground as Nu formed a near-human body to physically drag her out of the room.

“I resist! I refuse! I deny your sloth nature! I am a good menu and I will be used. Now, stop lazing around and use me, you vexatious paradigm of paradoxes!”

Nu yelled, a voice of deep baritone sounding out.

“Says the sentient menu growing legs to insert his opinions and feelings,” Delta muttered before she shrugged and put her arms under her head and got comfy again. Dragged through the mud, floating in the water, laying under the water...

Anywhere could be a napping spot if you tried hard enough, especially when you could choose to let things like the rocks, ground, and drag friction... just not affect you.

Maestro slid in with a soothing melody of strings and piano.

“Ah, my life is the best,” Delta said, ignoring Nu’s furious insertions of vexing vixens or something equally catchy. Honestly... she had drained something important in helping Deo. Extending more force than she should have been allowed.

It was like growing a new level, during which her form slumbered to avoid stress and pain.

This was much the same, but instead of sleeping, she felt the urge to just lay about and enjoy the scenery.

“Nu, just do the mushroom grove and mudroom on your own, but just do what I would do,” she insisted and Nu dropped her like she had just burst into flames.

“Truly? You would allow me to... Dungeon?”

he asked hopefully.

“No death traps, no clever plots... don’t make me regret this,” she warned as she floated through the walls to go have a drink in Fera’s. A nice calming environment would be nice, but until she found another bar, Fera’s was the closest.

She barely heard Nu as she vanished.

“This is going to be strange, but I must...must... wait, did you say you’re making me do the Mushroom Grove? Delta? DELTA COME BACK YOU CONNIVING WOMA-”

Ah... bliss.

---

Isanella frowned as Deo sat looking out the window. He had returned from his ‘adventure’ and something about him seemed different. He was also quiet which worried Isanella. His red hair was obscuring something over his ears.

“Ok, I’m worried about him,” she said to her husband, the mountain of a man looking up from his knitting, the blood-red wool giving the sweater a lovely hue; a winter jumper for Deo since he was growing so fast.

“Maybe he won, but he didn’t feel like he did his best?” he suggested softly, “You know he takes that hard.” She loved her husband, a man who could lead hordes, but chose to be doting and domestic with her.

His voice could inspire life-long pacifists to pick up an axe and give a warcry, but he only whispered promises of love to her and Deo.

“No, something else is going on,” she insisted. Deo’s voice came and she looked back to see him still staring out the window, staring at birds perched in the tree outside. Wildlife was becoming common again in the area and it was a lovely sight.

“I’m fine,” Deo promised, sounding... still off, but Isanella didn’t want to smother him

She turned to get back to making a list of things to purchase at the market, but her mind stuttered for a second, having an issue over something that just occurred. At the exact same moment, Cresire’s knitting needles clattered to the ground.

Isanella turned back to see Deo wincing at the sound of the metal needles striking wood, but then slowly relaxed.

He never turned to look. His feet weren’t touching the ground as he kicked them in the air.

“Deo...?” she whispered, afraid she had been using her ‘voice’ to call to him, but there was no mana in her vocal cords. Deo shifted before he finally looked back. His face was tear-streaked.

“My mum sounds like an angel... and my dad is so strong... I just wanted to keep listening. I wanted to listen all day... I wanted to listen to my parents,” he explained and he was modulating his voice so perfectly as if he could...

As if he could...

Isanella didn’t remember moving but she was holding Deo, feeling with her Mana the lack of void in his head... foreign mana now mingled with Deo’s, forming bridges where only darkness and her own failure lingered before.

They were both wrapped up by Cresire.

“I hear you! I can hear you...” Deo kept repeating over and over.

Isanella was strong, keeping her voice under control as she cried into her child’s hair, her wonderful...healing child.

Cresire, however...

He roared in a choking sob hard enough that forks, knives and even a broom sat up, looking for foes to clobber and outside three songbirds fluffed up in aggressive stances, ready for a bird war.

Her gentle mountain heaved noisy tears over them and Deo winced then laughed... then winced as the noise rose and fell like an avalanche.

“How?” she asked, smiling as he to her voice... without looking at her! It was surreal and Deo looked up, beaming through his tears.

“Delta!” he answered, and Isanella was going to marry that Dungeon.

Cresire would understand.

But... if Delta broke or went corrupt then Deo would lose his new gift. She tightened her family into an embrace, eyes narrowing as she stared out over a grass hill and the horizon beyond.

That...

Would not be allowed.

Ever.

---

Max Mana: 350

DP: 711