I finally talked to someone! Even better it was a girl! The idea of using Mulan or Mary as a spokesperson had crossed my mind but I’d never been comfortable with the logistics. Sending a giant bird samurai or literal shadow demon as a peace ambassador could send mixed messages. But with Mary’s newest abilities making people comfortable is easier than ever.

The conversation had been enlightening to say the least. Alice had revealed numerous details about the people of this world, the other dungeons in Illia, [Quest] design, and the oncoming onslaught of high-ranking adventurers.

According to Alice, and reinforced by Mary’s report, after the King’s ruling against enslavement most B class and above adventurers had ignored me. Fighting for space inside the new dungeon against hundreds of rookies for no obvious reward obviously wasn’t a big draw. But after the reports about my Teleporters, Save Point, and challenging layout had spread, many are on their way here to check out the interesting dungeon. More mana for me I suppose!

We’d also briefly touched on the other dungeons across the country. Alice could only speak about the ones she’d visited personally but the names had intrigued me. Every normal dungeon in Illia seems to possess a strong theming they are named after. For example the Dungeon of Crustaceans consists almost entirely of crustacean based monsters. Of course the monsters varied wildly in affinity, size, and evolution but a crab can only be altered so much. Maybe choosing a theme for my own dungeon would be a good idea? Nothing so confining though. Something broad with room for interpretation and creativity.

Future growth in mind let’s look at my level 20 creature selections which thankfully updated again after level 15. Along with the new options I’ll also show the rather generous list of donated creatures. Of course for skills I’d received [Quest} which I’ll go into more detail on later.

*NEW CREATURE HAS BEEN ABSORBED, “COMMON FOX” ADDED TO CREATE CREATURE LIST.

*NEW CREATURE HAS BEEN ABSORBED, “GOBLIN” ADDED TO CREATE CREATURE LIST.

*NEW CREATURE HAS BEEN ABSORBED, “COMMON SPIDER” ADDED TO CREATE CREATURE LIST.

*NEW CREATURE HAS BEEN ABSORBED, “COMMON BATS” ADDED TO CREATE CREATURE LIST.

*NEW CREATURE HAS BEEN ABSORBED, “GNOLL” ADDED TO CREATE CREATURE LIST.

*NEW CREATURE HAS BEEN ABSORBED, “BULLET ANT” ADDED TO CREATE CREATURE LIST.

*NEW CREATURE HAS BEEN ABSORBED, “GREEN VIPER” ADDED TO CREATE CREATURE LIST.

*NEW CREATURE HAS BEEN ABSORBED, “BROWN TREE SCORPION” ADDED TO CREATE CREATURE LIST.

*NEW CREATURE HAS BEEN ABSORBED. “GOAT” ADDED TO CREATE CREATURE LIST.

*NEW CREATURE HAS BEEN ABSORBED, “TORTOISE” ADDED TO CREATE CREATURE LIST.

*NEW CREATURE HAS BEEN ABSORBED, “DIRE CENTIPEDE” ADDED TO CREATE CREATURE LIST.

*NEW CREATURE HAS BEEN ABSORBED, “COW” ADDED TO CREATE CREATURE LIST.

*NEW CREATURE HAS BEEN ABSORBED, “SHEEP” ADDED TO CREATE CREATURE LIST.

*NEW CREATURE HAS BEEN ABSORBED, “COMMON CARP” ADDED TO CREATE CREATURE LIST.

*NEW CREATURE HAS BEEN ABSORBED, “GREEN ANOLE” ADDED TO CREATE CREATURE LIST.

*NEW CREATURE HAS BEEN ABSORBED, “COMMON BASS” ADDED TO CREATE CREATURE LIST.

*NEW CREATURE HAS BEEN ABSORBED, “CARPENTER BEE” ADDED TO CREATE CREATURE LIST.

*NEW CREATURE HAS BEEN ABSORBED, “HUMMING BIRD” ADDED TO CREATE CREATURE LIST.

*NEW CREATURE HAS BEEN ABSORBED, “GLOWWORM” ADDED TO CREATE CREATURE LIST.

*NEW CREATURE HAS BEEN ABSORBED, “FIREFLY” ADDED TO CREATE CREATURE LIST.

*NEW CREATURE HAS BEEN ABSORBED, “WHEAT” ADDED TO CREATE FLORA LIST.

*NEW CREATURE HAS BEEN ABSORBED, “PUMPKIN” ADDED TO CREATE FLORA LIST.

*NEW CREATURE HAS BEEN ABSORBED, “GRAPE” ADDED TO CREATE FLORA LIST.

*NEW CREATURE HAS BEEN ABSORBED, “BELL PEPPER” ADDED TO CREATE FLORA LIST.

*NEW CREATURE HAS BEEN ABSORBED, “LETTUCE” ADDED TO CREATE FLORA LIST.

*NEW CREATURE HAS BEEN ABSORBED, “CARROT” ADDED TO CREATE FLORA LIST.

*NEW CREATURE HAS BEEN ABSORBED, “RICE” ADDED TO CREATE FLORA LIST.

*NEW CREATURE HAS BEEN ABSORBED, “GREEN PEAS” ADDED TO CREATE FLORA LIST.

*APROPRIATE LEVEL REACHED PLEASE SELECT A FREE BASIC FLORA TYPE ORGANSIM. NEXT FREE SELECTION WILL BE AVAILABLE AT LEVEL 25.

*MANA GRASS

*MANA KELP

*MANA LILY

*MANA CORAL

*SPIDER PLANT

*CACTUS

*BAMBOO

*OAK TREE

*SPRUCE TREE

*COMMON BROWN MUSHROOM

*PEANUTS

*CUCUMBER

*POLE PLANT

*WATERMELON

*CRYSTAL TREE

*COCOA BEANS

*CATTAIL

*APPLE TREE

*WITHERING ROOT

*PALM TREE

*APPROPRIATE LEVEL REACHED PLEASE SELECT A FREE BASIC CREATURE TYPE ORGANISM. NEXT FREE SELCTION WILL BE AT LEVEL 25.

*KOBOLD

*SKELETON

*HARPY

*ONI

*CYCLOPS

*COMMON EEL

*STINGRAY

*COMMON DOLPHIN

*ANGLERFISH

*LEATHERBACK SEA TURTLE

*SMALL REEF SHARK

*SWORDFISH

*IMP

*DIRE WEASEL

*DIRE RAT

*COMMON HORSE

*BISON

*HIPPO

*MONKEY

*CHEETAH

*FIRE ELEMENTAL

*WATER ELEMENTAL

*EARTH ELEMENTAL

*AIR ELEMENTAL

*SHADOW ELEMENTAL

*LIGHT ELEMENTAL

Level 20 is by far the most impressive list so far! Level 1-10 had only offered basic animals or weaker fantasy monsters like goblins. Level 10-20 had added some different paths while still laying the foundational creatures. At Level 20 though I feel the voice has been holding out on me! Swordfish! Oni! Cyclops! Why did I start off with Common Freaking Mushrooms?!

Perhaps the selection is updating less frequently in correlation to stronger monsters? Now that it is recommending me more intelligent and stronger creatures to evolve, I think the voice is trying to lock me into a constrictive theme. Less options means greater development down further evolution paths. But if I do that all my floors will start looking similar...

So far both my floors, and the planned 3rd, have very little to do with each other. Acting as completely separate ecosystems that would never mingle unless I willed it. Both finished floors had been lengthy and expensive projects I poured my heart into. Simply creating the same design over and over again would be boring in comparison. If I had just kept making stronger and stronger swamps the dungeon would begin feeling repetitive. My opinion may not be a popular one but I feel each floor should be a memorable and unique experience that rewards all who reach it. Call me what you will but 1 great floor versus 20 mediocre ones is a trade I’ll always make.

Looking at the Flora options I had a clear favorite. Cactus, Bamboo, Palm Trees, Withering Root, and Pole Plants all seemed interesting but wouldn’t be a great fit for the 3rd floor. So far both the Mangle Bog and Smoldering Sequoia have had the plant life serve as a major aspect of the floor. To keep things fresh I want to dumb down the trees importance and spend some time creating custom plant life. With future growth and potential in mind I chose Crystal Trees.

All my experience with the Ethereal Elk has taught me a lot about incorporating elemental affinities during the creation process. Incorporating the magic crystals into Crystal Trees could provide interesting results and help further my skills. Besides, these were one of the few plants I didn’t recognize from Earth and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t curious.

*CRYSTAL TREE SELECTED

*CRYSTAL TREE CAN NOW BE CREATED USING CREATE FLORA SKILL

Creature selection was a lot more challenging than flora. For the first time since Lamia, which I need to begin tinkering with soon, I have the chance to create a traditionally sapient race. I’m hesitant to choose them now though. Until I know more about how creating intelligent creatures differs from [Naming]’s gifted intelligence and normal animals, I should hold off on selecting more than one.

Elementals are also a tricky road to go down. Right now an Elemental exists for every basic element I’m aware of. My fear is that choosing one element, for example fire, will limit how the dungeon can grow in the future. As much as I like my Smoldering Sequoia I don’t want every single floor to be a blazing inferno. It’s also strange that not all the magics I’ve discovered have an elemental. At the very least I know that Space is a magical element from the Magenta crystals the Elk give me, so why is there not a Space Elemental? While interesting the Elementals aren’t grand enough to be considered.

With Elementals and intelligent races off the table that leaves me with more animal templates like Stingrays, Sharks, Swordfish, Bison, Hippo, and Cheetahs. It’s times like this I wish I knew more about the world I’m in. If I knew what kind of animals lived near me, or could be reasonably obtained, then it would make my decisions easier. Actually I might be able to use my new skill here...

The new skill I’d gotten for Level 20 was called “Quests”. From what the voice tells me I can issue quests or challenges for adventurers and give rewards for their completion. I think this is used by other dungeons to lure in more adventurers, but I might be able to use it for manipulation and resource gathering. While I can’t directly ask for information since that would give away my intelligence perhaps I could ask for certain monster and animal parts? If that doesn’t work Mary buying some ecology books and groceries in disguise with all the Rhilos I’ve absorbed is always an option.

For now I’ll be taking Stingrays. Seeing them listed had given me a lightning bolt of inspiration similar to that of Burst Corn.

*STINGRAY SELECTED

*STINGRAY CAN NOW BE CREATED USING THE CREATE CREATURE SKILL

Other dungeons have 4 basic [Quest] types. Elimination, Exploration, Gathering, and Custom. Elimination rewards adventurers for killing a certain number of a certain type of creature. Exploration quests reward the first adventurers that reach a certain place or find a certain item somewhere in the dungeon. Gathering quests usually give monetary rewards for bringing requested plants and animal species into the dungeon for it to absorb. Gathering quests are only given to adventurers from core owners rather than dungeon cores themselves. Finally, Custom quests are given to certain individuals for a certain task the dungeon or core owner wants carried out. For example my information quest to Alice would be a Custom Quest.

Using the Gathering Quest I’ll begin requesting monsters and animals I know for a fact exist, mainly those available for selection. For the reward I’ll put a flat 20,000 Rhilos for every creature since I can’t determine the difficulty of finding Cheetahs in Illia.

As of now I’ll begin posting these [Quests] as [Banners] on the adventurers bulletin board they put up in the Save Point dining area. During my time with Alice we’d learned I could make [Quests] invisible to all but the recipient or make a physical hologram like piece of paper that hangs from the walls. All the current jobs are gathering type [Quests] for Cheetahs, Hippos, Turtles, and any other creatures I haven’t selected in the past.

Cracking my metaphorical neck I zoomed over to the back of Camp Core. Since I want to incorporate some of these creatures into the 3rd floor I’ll be waiting for a little longer. But that doesn’t mean I can’t get started on the floor’s structure!

---

Stress was nothing new to Eli. As captain of the royal knights it came with the territory. He’d been hoping that as the tide of rookies began to disperse some peace could return to Brooksdam. Much to his chagrin however, his stress would only increase. The letter in front of him was proof of such.

Everest is coming.

-Maxwell