The last few days went by pretty quickly while growing my domain and using my remaining consciousness to observe the pond. The area under my control is a semi-sphere of 4 meters in radius, and while initially I couldn't see much, since many creatures there were not mine yet, my Luminous Moss surprised me when it began to tilt that ratio a bit and gave me some vision back.

I didn't think it could do that, but in retrospect, it makes perfect sense. Since the Wasps could do it, the Moss should as well. Despite being disdained by the Akashic Records, and being ineffective in protecting my core if not for my Trait, it is still a Common creature with its strengths. It can also live without any lights and even provide it with only mana. That ability alone is impressive.

With the Moss's help, I was able to study the ecosystem of the deep pond in more detail without the presence of the Wasps disrupting the peace. It was the only task I truly missed from my existence as a tree. And now it is even more rewarding since I can follow the life of a creature for some time without falling asleep and finding it long dead.

Several diverse animals passed by. Sadly, the bigger ones were shapes without details, and the only critters I could fully observe were mundane insects and tiny fishes. It still gave me an idea of the food chain inside the water, and it became pretty clear my Wasps were truly unlucky when they met that snake. I saw only one other in all those days, and while it was slightly bigger than the first, it was clear that the creature was a predator on the top of the food chain. Everything ran away pretty quickly when it swam by.

At least the body of the first one wasn't wasted.

The small colony completed its nest after a few days, and it takes up all the space inside the 4 meters separate tunnel. It is dark blue, the same color as the vines, but it looks slightly more fragile. Internally, it is layered with hexagon cells, and a good part of it is already filled with eggs; many many eggs. More than I wish to count.

The Queen didn't lose any time. Even while the nest wasn't completely built, she was already laying the eggs while she was given most of the snake's corpse to eat. She is still busy with the task, not moving away anymore.

Before the eggs were laid, the Wasps bickered a bit whenever they had to choose who would eat. However, once the future of the colony was laid, they gave almost everything they caught to the Queen to eat. I didn't need to order them to do it either. It was fascinating to see.

In the end, I decided to give Twitchy's body to the Queen to eat as well. They didn't have any problem eating the other dead Wasps that day, and, in a way, it is passing the fighting spirit she demonstrated to the new generation.

While the Wasps were hunting inside the waters, my defenders didn't meet any fatal danger and even killed something I was in dire need of for my dungeon, a Common prey.

Congratulations! You have acquired a pattern, Bright Slug.

Bright Slug (Common): This particular species of slugs only lives deep underwater or within wetlands. The mucus a Bright Slug constantly generates to keep itself alive is packed with nutrients that small insects and fish enjoy feeding on. It's not unusual to see a cornucopia of Bright Slugs slowly slither on the sea bed being constantly shadowed by shoals of small fish. However, the true particularity of the Bright Slug is its eye-catching color that easily attracts predators. While most species try to blend in with their surroundings, these slugs evolved to do the opposite for a simple reason. When eaten, the dying Bright Slug delivers inside the predator's stomach its acid-resistant eggs. The eggs slowly make their way and stay inside the host's intestines until they hatch. Soon after, the newborn slugs safely slither their way out, having survived the dangerous egg stage.

When the Wasps hunted it, I thought they would eat the corpse, but they left it alone instead. I don't know if they favor other types of food or just couldn't feed on it. And while I was studying it, it was snatched away by something else I couldn't see with my limited perception of the waters. It wasn't a snake, of that I am sure.

Fortunately, this time I gained the creature's pattern and could produce one myself. To create, a Bright Slug costs slightly less than a Wasp and requires Water-Attuned mana. As an adult, it is pretty small, at 10 cm in length, and as the description says, it is really eye-catching. Its body is ink-black, with glowing green and red lines running everywhere on its body.

Of course, I created a few of them inside the pond to let them reproduce, ordering my Wasps to leave them be for the moment. However, I didn't take into consideration something important. The only way these slugs propagate is by being eaten by bigger predators. Yet, when that happened, the hunters swam away with my creatures inside their stomachs. And after an hour or so, I lost my link with them.

I tried a few other times, but the result was always the same. Unclear shapes would catch the Slugs and afterward move away, leaving me with nothing. I tried to sic the Wasps on them, but the thieves ran away at first sight, and my creatures couldn't chase them outside the small domain.

So, until I expand further inside the waters or gain a bigger predator to let the Slugs safely hatch inside its stomach, I will have to wait to introduce them.

To start some of my plans without the Slugs, I used a few hours of my bolstered mana regeneration to create more mundane critters inside the dirty waters. I did not forget about the Dark-Attuned snake, and populating the part of the pond inside my domain with great quantities of prey is a crucial step to gain its pattern.

The outcome shocked me. This time in a positive way.

I already found out that the second generation of dungeon-born creatures is better, stronger, and reproduces faster. And I knew this affects mundane insects and spiders as well. However, I didn't take into consideration something else.

My Trait Throughout abundance affects mundane beings too, which I didn't think would happen when I picked the Trait. The description did say all creatures, but I thought the Akashic Records meant all Common or rarer creatures, not mundane ones as well.

After a few days from the selection, the 30 meters long shaft is stuffed with insects feeding on my Luminous Moss or each other. If I focus my perception on it, I can hear buzzing sounds coming from everywhere. Even the new growing Luminous Moss inside the pond looks healthier and greener since I picked up the Trait.

On the last day, the Natatory Wasps completely stopped going inside the waters and simply fed on the insects that reached their nest instead.

It is that full. Which is not entirely a good thing.

The ecosystem is unbalanced with so many tiny crawlers and not enough predators that feed on them. Initially, I didn't create many Natatory Wasps because I didn't have enough food, but now it's the opposite. Luckily, the first eggs the Queen laid are hatching, increasing the amount of food the Wasps need as well. With so many eggs and larvae, I hope they grow as soon as possible to cull the insect and spider population.

I don't think the fecundity increase by 50% is the main reason, and the only thing that explains this much growth is the improved chances of generation and reduced chances of defects.

It is a sad thing to discover.

How much of the new Life would have died before it could truly experience living without this Trait? How many creatures now inside my dungeon would have perished before taking their first breath or first light? Everything deserves to strive and explore the world, to fight for survival and growth.

With the Trait's influence, the number of dungeon-born creatures inside my dungeon is growing by the hour. Tiny new insects and spiders are crawling and flying everywhere, and observing between the Moss, I can see nests full of eggs and larvae.

There is so much Life inside my domain, it is astonishing.

As the mundane creatures inside the waters multiply as well, my perception grows clearer with them. Even if their influence is much more limited than what the Luminous Moss or a single Wasps can bring, every bit helps.

The Akashic Records sends a message as I keep observing the waters, one I waited for days now. The workers were finally able to destroy enough of a vine to kill it, and sure enough, it wasn't a mundane plant.

Congratulations! You have acquired a pattern, Waterborne Resonating Liana.

Waterborne Resonating Liana (Common): Resonating Lianas, commonly called by mortals Though Vines, develop only in areas where mana is abundant or from vines that laterally evolve under intense and strenuous circumstances. To grow and reproduce, Resonating Lianas need to be constantly exposed to high physical or magical pressure. To bear the incredible burden they require to live, the vines grow in clusters and rely on each other, constantly supporting the ones who have to carry the largest weight by shifting their mana every time it is needed. They passively defend themselves with the same ability and are much tougher and healthier the more vines are in a cluster. When isolated and in low mana concentration areas, a single Resonating Liana cannot survive.

This Water-Attuned variant is able to use the aquatic pressure of deep expanses of water to grow and reproduce, often pulling in the near liquid. If left unchecked, they can create giant dams and obstruct rivers.

Curious about the new creature, I pick a spot inside the tunnel under all the other lianas, and after attuning half of my mana to Water and half to Wood, I create one. Following the pattern, I move the energy in position, and I push more or less 2 units of mana. I could add even more to have it older and bigger, but I don't want to use all my mana for a single one creature. After a while, it snaps in place and forms a half-grown vine.

As the Resonating Liana grips the others, mana starts flowing between my own plant and the others. Tense minutes go by, until I can finally relax when I see the shimmering mana stabilize between them. I feared they would reject it out of the cluster, but it seems my fears were unfounded. Seeing everything is okay, I create another four, distributed in other spots. My own plants will reproduce and slowly overtake the natural ones; I don't need to waste all my mana creating most of my creatures anymore, especially with the new Trait.

I check my current mana, and I realize only now I probably overdid it.

Current Mana: 0.3/40

Without any mana to spare, I can take a step back and let the Life inside my dungeon develop by itself.

Mmm.

I didn't notice it before, but after reading the information from the Records and creating my own Resonating Lianas, it is obvious. The lianas grow weaker and smaller as the tunnel leads up to the bottom of the pond. While the ones inside the waters have half the width of the ones below and are much more sparse as well.

That is why the Wasps took so much time to kill it. I selected one of the new and thinner growing vines, but it is clear now that it was reinforced by the impressive ones around it, making it incredibly sturdy and healthy. While they were chewing through it, the vine was healing the damage they did with the help of the others.

And I cannot even blame my Wasps, it is all my fault. Again.

Why am I still making mistakes that I could have easily avoided if I simply paid more attention to my surroundings? I saw the Wasps going for the ones outside the waters, and for them it makes sense since they cannot stay underwater for that long. However, if I just wanted the pattern, I could have sent them to kill one of the weaker ones inside the water, and it would have been much faster. They could have done it in a minute or so.

Why is doing things and planning so hard? If I noticed this before, I would have saved so much time. Maybe my plans about the pond would have been completed a few days faster than they will be now. What if all the Dark-Attuned snakes die before I can gain their patterns?

And I would be much more developed if I had noticed that the small channel near my first room didn't count for my Title and would have gained more mana for those few hours. Perhaps Twitchy and the other Wasps would be alive right now if I took a moment off my expansion while they explored the pond for the first time.

I nearly forgot, but...I killed one of the Wasps in its first seconds of Life, didn't I? It didn't even have any chance to struggle and grow. It didn't die fighting like Twitchy and the others, it just suffocated to death without understanding why. And it happened because I was so excited I gained my first pattern that I forgot animals needed air. I was so focused all this time, I didn't even care even if it was my fault it couldn't live a worthy existence.

How many mistakes am I making even now that I just do not realize?

I can do so much as a dungeon core, have so many possibilities, but this just means that what I can do wrong is multiplied as well.

How could my children and mortals do it? How could they keep trying after constantly failing like this?

Why only now am I having these thoughts? I am 1000 years old, not a tree that has just gained sapience.

Desperate for something, I find my consciousness focus on the tiny insects and spiders living inside my dungeon.

Distractedly, I observe them as they live on. As a mosquito loses a wing escaping away from a web and it still struggles to find food. As a colony of ants successfully fights off a small centipede but loses many of its members. As a spider hides while one of my Wasps flies and destroys its web without even noticing, yet it just waits until the predator is away and rebuilds it after.

Ah. I am a fool.

I never lived, didn't I? I don't have any experience with this.

I saw myself as a guardian of Life all my years, but I never experienced Life myself, not really. I never had to. All my existence was growing, sleeping, absorbing light, and enchanting the creatures around me. I understood pretty early on that living was all about fighting for survival and growth. And I survived and grew better than anything else around me, but I never fought for it. I never had to. Not like these feeble tiny creatures are doing right now.

I never failed before because I never tried.

I never took charge. I never had to make plans or hard decisions. I didn't even feel any responsibility toward my children and guardians.

I slept most of my years. I aged but never lived.

However, I have to make choices now. I have to decide how to grow and develop. I have the lives of all my creatures in my roots. It is on me to give them the chance to live a worthy life, one full of struggle and growth.

How did they do it? They simply accepted that mistakes are a part of Life too and tried again, didn't they? Like the mosquito, ants, and spider are doing right now. Like Twitchy and the other Wasps tried as well in their last moments.