***Velgo the Shadowborn***

"Can you see this, my brothers?!" Velgo exclaimed as he spread his arms before the sphere of light that rapidly increased in size as it rose closer to the ceiling. "This is power! Our power! Gha-ha-ha!"

"All Hail the Shadowbark Tribe! Woof!" The one hundred twenty kobolds roared in unison.

By linking your Mana to the Dungeon Core, you have been Connected to Genesis System. Connection type: Dungeon Keeper. You have been promoted to the Champion Rank. As a Bronze Champion Monster, you can appoint up to 100 monsters as your Minions

Velgo saw the words appearing before his murky yellow eyes—it signified the new beginning for him and his Tribe. New power filled each cell of his body, bringing him to the entirely new heights.

"Approach me one by one and receive your gifts!" He proclaimed with a grin.

Knowing what was expected of them, the kobolds created a line leading towards their leader. Or, at least, they tried. Many of their kind weren't as smart as even a ten-year-old human, and while their instinct told them to obey their leader, it didn't mean that there would be no fight over the honor of being the first to receive the blessing.

Very soon, about a dozen of the kobolds who were considered to be the strongest warriors gathered near Velgo. They tried to push each other away from their Chief while loudly barking just like lowly beasts. Velgo just observed them passively. A sinister glint was hidden in his eyes as his glance passed over one of the contenders.

As the kobolds competed using the strength of their bodies and the loudness of their bark, to no one's surprise, an obvious leader became clear. Maybe the result would be different if they used their weapons and skills, but who could compete with Malgoc the Big in a primitive brawl? Not even their Chief, though no one dared to voice this fact.

"As expected, you guys are weak!" Malgoc declared as he sent two other contenders flying with his muscular arms.

His moniker was well-deserved—towering over the rest at 5'9'', he was way bigger than any other member of their Tribe.

Malgoc stood proudly as he looked at their leader and said, "I may have lost the leader position to you, Velgo, but those small fries aren't qualified to be my opponents! Who else, if not me, should be the first to get the Blessing of Revival?"

The other kobolds watched the Big with unhidden envy. Some of the contenders had thoughts of drawing their weapons to prove that in a real fight, they would obtain different results. Alas, none were foolish enough to truly throw their life away against someone who some of the kobolds considered to be even deadlier than their actual leader.

Velgo approached the tall kobold, who didn't show any reverence towards him. When the Shaman was only a few feet away from his former rival, the difference in their size became all too apparent. In the past, this had frustrated Velgo. There had been an inherent sense of inferiority deep inside himself towards someone way larger. With his 5'1'' frame, the Shadowborn wasn't short for a kobold but compared to the one called ‘The Big’, he was no different from a child. But, as he had gotten older and wiser, Velgo had stopped caring about those insignificant matters. Still, there was one thing that bothered him about the number one fighter of his Tribe.

"It isn't any of my concern whether you are the first or the last to join me in making this place our home," Velgo talked slowly as their surroundings got silent. "But I want you to remember that I'm making you my Minion, according to the will of The System God. Do you understand that?"

Malgoc creased his brows. "Is this really the way you treat your old friend, Velgo?! We were brought to life on the same day, and ever since, both friendship and rivalry bound us. And now you want me to acknowledge you as my Boss?! Don't think that just because you became the Chief that you are the strongest! Have you ever won against me in a fair battle? No! You became our leader through your tricks and sorcery. I accepted my loss, but it doesn't mean that I'll accept disrespect towards us, the true warriors!"

As the surrounding kobolds heard those words, they started to whisper among themselves. Some agreed with Big. This was especially true for those who had supported him in the competition to become Chief. In spite of losing the race, Malgoc still had a considerable influence. The majority, though, knew the right side to choose and his words made them angry at his disrespect.

"I see, so this is how it is?" Velgo whispered as he turned his back on his old friend and took a dozen slow steps.

When the Chief turned his body towards the kobolds again, his maw formed a warm smile. "I understand your feelings, my old friend. Indeed, you are right. . . Our Shadowbark Tribe is truly fortunate to have you among our ranks. So be it. . . you will be first, Malgoc."

Hearing those words, Malgoc the Big couldn't help but put his hands on his hips and puff his chest out in pride. He was sure that the Chief Shaman still was afraid of his prowess and wouldn't dare to boss him around even after giving him the Blessing.

As the Shaman saw through the shallow emotions of his fellow kobold, he repeated his words. "You will be the first, Malgoc. . .the first to die."

In a second, deadly silence descended on the hall. No one dared to mutter a sound as the Chief gave his order.

"Kill this arrogant fool. Whoever deals the finishing blow will be the first to join me in immortality!"

His Tribe had one hundred twenty members, and it meant that twenty of them were extra baggage. What Velgo wanted was a group that would fully accept his authority and submit to his will without any questions. He didn't need anyone with rebellious thoughts, no matter how strong they were. And who would be a better sacrifice than the only kobold who thought of himself as the Chief's equal?

"Gah-ha-ha-ha!" Velgo guffawed as a dozen kobold warriors besieged his old friend.

***Lex Lurker***

The new message from the System confused me for a moment.

A Dungeon? Did the building fall underground? No, wait a minute. . . Wasn't this word also used in role-playing video games? Yeah, this whole thing with status screens really gives me RPG vibes. But. . . what the heck changed? Does it mean that I can't just leave this place now? It's also strange that the electricity returned at this exact moment. . .

I had a lot of things to contemplate, but while my situation didn't seem that urgent, my body thought otherwise. Hunger and thirst made me forget how tired and weak I truly felt.

Slowly and carefully, I removed the tubes that were connected to me. Something as simple as raising my upper half from the bed took me almost a minute of effort, which proved how weakened I truly was. My body barely felt like my own.

I hope that getting some normal food will be enough for me to restore some of my vigor.

I checked my half-naked body for any obvious injuries or traces of medical intervention. I found some, but not as much as I'd expected. I had long-since healed scars on my abdomen—one vertical at the center and two curved diagonally, one on each side. If there were any still broken bones, however, I couldn't find them. My skin was unhealthily pale and I could see my own ribs easily, but those details weren’t unexpected.

How long did I spend here anyway? It should have been for some time if the scars are barely visible.

Honestly, I looked like someone who had starved for weeks, and my hospital garment made everything worse. I decided to get up from the bed, flinching as my bare feet touched the cold floor. The patient robe I wore didn't include any underwear, of course, which only intensified my discomfort.

I need better clothes. . . Some pants would be nice.

I looked around the room but didn't see anything that would fit the bill. Something else caught my attention, instead.

A smartphone? Why is it here?

With unsteady steps, I approached the desk at the corner of the room on top of which this out-of-place item was placed. I experienced a vague sense of deja vu as I took the phone in my hand.

I can swear that I've seen this model before. . .

I pressed the button to turn it on, and a peculiar wallpaper greeted me on the screen. It was a photo of a teenage girl hugging a middle-aged man, most likely her father.

What the heck?! That was the only thought I had at this sight. After all, I knew the girl in the picture all too well.

Is this her phone? Why is it here? This doesn't make any sense. . .

Yes, it was a mobile that, most likely, belonged to Lisa Brightwood, the target of my one-sided crush. It took me some time to guess what was going on.

No, wait. . . If I think about her personality, then it can be easily explained. She's kind and gentle, so of course, she would visit the unconscious boy who was hit by a truck in her place. But. . .does it mean that she was at my side just before the world changed? Why couldn't I have woken up just a bit faster?!

It was then when I noticed the date in the corner of the screen.

September 27th, 2015.

Wait, what? That can’t be right. . . I clearly remember that the day of my supposed confession was May 30th, 2012. Initially, I assumed that today was December 21st of the same year, as many phonies blabbered about Apocalypse and whatnot. It isn't unheard of to be in a coma for a few months. But how do you expect me to believe that I have spent more than three years in an unconscious state?! Heck, no wonder I feel like shit, and my physical stats are terrible in spite of all the exercise I've done throughout my life!

Honestly, I had never been an athletic type per se, but Mom had made me understand very clearly that you can't succeed at life without training both your body and your mind. Yoga and meditation had become my close friends since I was twelve as a result. Now, though, it seemed that it would take some effort to return to my former peak.

On another hand, it also means that Lisa was still visiting me even after so much time had passed. . .I wonder if she met my mom.

With a renewed determination, I decided to explore the hospital I had found myself in. The scent of disinfectants and the whiteness of the surroundings alongside the total quietness all made for an atmosphere befitting a horror movie. At first, I walked slowly and carefully—not only because it was really unpleasant to walk barefoot and I was still not used to my body, but also out of wariness of whatever might lurk in this Dungeon. After ten minutes of hearing nothing other than the sound of my own footsteps and breathing, though, I relaxed a little.

Well, this building is large, from what I can guess. The hospital itself is probably only a small part of it. I can only hope that those kobolds that made this place into their nest will stick to the lower floors. In any case, monsters or not, I doubt that they would notice me first, even if we do encounter each other—it’s me, after all. Also, if my limited knowledge of video games is right, they should be some of the weakest creatures out there.

As I got more and more comfortable with my peculiar situation, my heartbeat stopped accelerating, and my mind was no longer on edge. The room where I'd found myself hospitalized seemed to be just one out of a dozen or so. Apparently, it was some sort of private hospital for rich patients.

As my search continued, I found a change of clothes—a rather stylish white doctor coat, scrub trousers and scrub top. I also was lucky enough to get my hands on warm linen slippers left by one of the patients. Still no underwear for me, though, sadly.

Soon after I changed my clothes, the place I had been striving to find was before me—the cafeteria. Obviously, not everyone in the hospital had been in a coma like me or bedridden at all, so there was a place to allow everyone to fill their stomach.

The dozen tables were spotlessly empty, so the world-changing event didn't happen at dinner. I checked the time on Lisa's phone, and it displayed 10:52 PM.

Strange, the sky was too bright considering that it was about 10 PM when the dimensional change happened.

I put those thoughts to the back of my mind as I stepped into the sacred sanctuary of a hungry person—the kitchen. The place was about half as big as the cafeteria itself. A couple of stoves and sinks shone with a metallic glint, and three large refrigerators could be seen at the back of the room.

A quick test proved that there was no problem with either tap water or electricity. It meant that I would have the chance to show off my exemplary cooking skills! Too bad that the only witnesses would be those godly beings that supposedly spied on me.

In the refrigerators I found enough food to sustain me for a couple of months. Unfortunately, about half of it would expire way before that. So, as a wise man, I checked the drawers of the kitchen cabinet nearby and found enough cereals and noodles for at least a year to come.

Okay, I guess the food question is solved for the time being.

My growling belly made me change my initial plans. Instead of making something myself, I decided to be satisfied with whatever ready-to-consume food I could find. Just as I’d expected, carbonated drinks weren’t allowed in a hospital menu, so no Sprite for me. Still, there were some peculiar dishes I decided to try.

Sweet potato casserole? A strange choice for hospital food, but I'm not one to complain.

I served myself a full plate of sweet potatoes and then warmed them up in the microwave oven. It was nice to have all the benefits of civilization even in the midst of an Apocalypse! After getting a cappuccino, I started in on my first proper dinner in the last three years.

Hell yeah, this is delicious!

Like a hungry beast, I devoured everything before me in a most ungraceful manner.

I hope Luxuria isn't watching me right now. . . It would be really embarrassing to be seen by a higher existence in my current state. Wait a minute, why do I even care? Is this the influence of her so-called Charisma?

Before I knew it, the plate before me was empty. I had an urge to get a second serving, but I was informed enough to know that it wouldn't be good for my stomach.

Sated and satisfied, I continued to sit down in the middle of the empty cafeteria. For the time being, I wasn't in a state that encouraged physical activity. Without anything better to do, I opened my Menu.

Player Menu

Status Race Concepts (locked) Quests Gear (locked) System Shop (locked) Options (locked)

The last time I only checked the Status section, with Race and Quests being the only two of the rest that weren't locked. Before continuing my exploration, I decided to recheck something. I opened the Attributes sub-menu and chose to see more details about the Nerve Attribute.

NERVE: Agility (39%), Balance (61%)

[Nerve] reflects the overall capabilities of your physical vessel in terms of energy.

[Agility] reflects the development of the various systems responsible for the speed generated by your vessel and your ability to move through 3D space. The higher this Attribute is, the faster your actions and reactions will be while allowing you to maintain overall control. Additionally, it determines the Velocity of your Vita.

[Balance] reflects the development of the various systems responsible for the energy equilibrium of your vessel. The higher is this Attribute, the better your body's ability to control the subtlety of its actions and regenerate to its perfect state. Additionally, it determines the rate at which your Physical Strain recovers to normal and how high the Stability of your Vita is.

Hmm, the difference in the percentage between my Agility and Balance is probably because of my yoga training, but I'm not sure. The explanation of how those stats work isn't too obscure, but at the same time, not all that clear either.

I decided, once again, to leave the rest of the Attributes for later.

Now let's check what the System has to say about my Race. What did it call me again?

Race

Lesser Human (Natural Sentient)—One of the most common Sentient species in the Omniverse, homo sapiens are hominid primates with a very fast rate of procreation and civilization progression. If left unchecked, they rapidly strive for self-destruction, often taking the planet of their inhabitation along with them. Humans are one of the best candidates to become Players for two reasons. First, their Essence Code is one of the closest to the Akashic Thinkers, the creators of the System. Second, their extremely low starting point allows for the highest degree of Essence Development Guidance. In worlds filled with Essence, they can Evolve to higher forms of their Race or can change into a varied number of other species due to the purity of their Life, Essence, and Soul Codes. Homo Sapiens have unlimited potential, hindered only by their Sins—Sloth and Pride, in particular.

Average starting Attributes of an untrained adult specimen:

Body: 5

Nerve: 5

Mind: 10

Spirit: 10

Fate: 10

Peak-level starting Attributes of a physically trained adult specimen:

Body: 25

Nerve: 25

Mind: 10

Spirit: 10

Fate: 10

Peak-level starting Attributes of a mentally trained adult specimen:

Body: 5

Nerve: 5

Mind: 20

Spirit: 20

Fate: 15

Peak-level starting Attributes of a fully trained adult specimen:

Body: 25

Nerve: 25

Mind: 20

Spirit: 20

Fate: 15

Training limit: 75

Considering how it called us "lesser", I assumed that the System has nothing good to say about us humans, but it seems I was wrong. It even mentioned that we are very close to those who made it in the first place. Does it mean that I can expect some preferential treatment? Nah, I doubt it. Maybe the fact that everyone else was transported from Earth that has become engulfed in total chaos already proves how nice it is to us. But not to me in particular, that's for sure.

There was another interesting thing I'd learned from this section—I wasn't anything special in terms of my stats. While almost all of them were above average, I was still far away from the so-called peak. It couldn't be helped. There were all sorts of people in the world—Olympic athletes, geniuses with 200 IQ, CEOs of large corporations like Mom, or famous actors like Lisa. How could I contend with those who had worked hard through their whole life to achieve greatness? Only my Spirit was surprisingly high, but it was just one stat.

With those bitter thoughts, I scrolled to the next section of the screen.

Racial Traits

[Adaptive Learning]—You can learn a variety of passive Skills that help you to improve both your Attributes and your ability to perform specific actions. Slots taken: 0/3.

[Basic Concept Affinity]—Each human has an Affinity with at least one Common Elemental, Biotic, Occult, and Ego Concept.

[Human Pride]—By achieving something deemed unusually difficult and exceptional, you can earn Titles that give you additional Perks. The Penalty for failing Quests sometimes increases. Slightly improves your Affinity with Pride Concept depending on the individual. Available Titles: [Pioneer Of The New World] (Perk not selected)

[Human Sloth]—Unlocked at Level 20.

Interesting. . . So just being a human gives me some unique advantages? I'm not sure how I can get those Adaptive Learning Skills. Do I need to try doing different things to unlock them?

The new information I had learned from this section of the Menu made me more confident about my future, even if just for a bit.

Strangely enough, the Human Pride Trait directly interacts with the System itself by affecting Quests and even giving a whole different way of improvement with Titles. Oh yeah, I almost forgot about this Perk thing. Let's check how it could help me.

Hoping to get something useful, I opened the last section of the Race screen.