I was once asked by a random village girl on how many types of magic there were in the world.

She was small. But had the mage class and was going through all the materials her village held at a voracious rate. She was already trying to figure out what type of mana to pick for her first specialization.

I told her there were as many types of magic as there were mana.

And then she asked me how many types of mana there are.

At first I laughed and mentioned "a dozen or so". I started going over the types I learned as a kid quite confidently. I stated they were: Fire, Ice, Wind, Earth, Lightning, Light, Dark, Kinetic, Life, Death, Mental...but as I kept going my confidence in my answer started to disappear. I remembered, I myself use Wood and Chain mana.

How does chain mana fit into this list? Is it an variation of Kinetic? Earth? My confidence in my answer faded part way through giving it.

I finished the girl's lesson by mentioning "and several more specialized ones". Embarrassed by my lack of knowledge I set out to find out just how many types there were. Thus a world opened up showing just how many I had missed. Many I could create in specialized settings and many more I found existed throughout the world.

For the tribes of Merkin: Trident, Salt, Drowning Tide, and Deep Abyss mana; were all common types of magic to learn. Their clever use had earned the Merkin tribes a reputation as true warriors, on par with the Orcs.

Then for the Dwarves of Mount Everlast: Lasting, Eternal, Lamp, and Snow Forge mana; were what had made them great and powerful. Allowing them to create eternal works of art.

So, I narrowed down my mana types to those who had long lasting branches of magic that used them.

And, while that eliminated many of the student projects and more amusing spells; even the strangest of Magic's held traditions that were older and vaster than even the entire elven species.

Ultimately, the girl made her decision without my help. Becoming one of humanity's best Toxic and Decapitation mages ever seen.

My time was spent writing this damn paper and travelling the world.

It's how I gained the class [Recorder of Magic]

Ultimately. It seems that magic is far vaster than anything the basic peasant can dream to know.

And I'm not stupid enough to not count the high mages of each race among those peasants.

Our continued focus on the most common types has lead to many standardized spells and great accomplishments. But maybe it's time we branch out and explore paths of power that we have forbidden from our colleges for too long.

-Archmage Islotepen, an excerpt of his papers, The Magic This College has yet to Gain, arguing for further study and integration of magic and mana not of the main types into the colleges.

A half hour or so after Innearth finished coordinating with his friends and he finally started to feel normal.

He was still motivated to help Bose, but the level of anger he had reached was unsustainable – it had mostly faded by now. The anger he had felt was weird. Stronger of an emotion than he had ever felt – stronger than he had thought he could feel – it had coursed through his influence like hot soup.

A Core had tried to kill him once, but it had only resulted in him being annoyed at the time. In the end, he felt like thanking Zoi for the material and life lesson rather than feeling animosity – the annoyance couldn’t even be placed on the same level as his anger this time.

Every time he thought of someone trying to kill his friend – every time he thought of losing him – Innearth felt like breaking something.

He had started up a full-blown war between the snakes and the spiders to try and distract himself – instead of the small battles and cold war they had been in – but it hadn’t helped.

No, as entertaining as watching his monsters fight each other was, the distraction was just a waste of time.

By thinking about Zoi, Innearth was considering how best to use their gift.

How best should I use this? Innearth pondered while slowly picking up and moving an inert chunk of expanding metal flesh around.

I want to fill their whole dungeon. But I don't know if that will be enough.

Is there something I can do with its "improvement" capabilities? Is there some way to control it?

Innearth designed several experiments where he made nearly every kind of monster he had available. Each time, with a fragile container containing various sized chunks of the material that could kick start the mutation.

None of them worked how he had hoped sadly – a few seemed close, but all eventually spiralled into madness. Not that madness as a bomb is the worst! Especially if I can figure out how to corrupt the Core itself. But just making madness-based monsters doesn’t seem as effective. Even though they are much stronger after being corrupted, they’ve lost all critical thinking skills and most of their useful instincts.

Innearth tried to figure out why and how the otter had stopped part way through its corruption. Is it because it was a natural creature? Or maybe because it was not yet a monster?

Both those theories were refuted one day.

A single bird had flown into his influence and he had offered it a small chunk of metal flesh to see how it reacted.

Not well. Not well is how it reacted.

It had gone much the same route as his monsters – with the bird turning into a screaming, twisted, pumping…mess of a monster – before being brought down by the snake king.

As straightforward as that cleanup had been, it was enough to ascend the snake to level 1. And as busy as Innearth was, this event had been big enough for him to briefly stop everything just to focus on it.

Congratulations! You should explore outside my entrance. Tell me where we are! Tell me what I have to look out for and if there’s anything important you can see. Oh, and have some fun! You’ve earned it.

The snake bobbed several times in agreement and then slithered out into the unknown. A brave scout leaving Innearths dungeon for the second time.

…Too many distractions constantly. What was I doing again? Let’s see. My current theory is that the flesh is controlled by willpower. Somehow the otter had been so focused it was able to halt its corruption?

...that didn't help Innearth at all. He didn’t know how mentally strong most of his monsters were and he didn’t want to use his newfound level 1 monster as a guinea pig. Something had flipped as soon as they evolved, and Innearth no longer considered them as expendable.

…

Finally, a breakthrough came through. It wasn’t an instantaneous eureka moment, but a series of tangents that slowly built upon each other accumulating into...something.

First, Innearth started looking at the offshoots of Earth mana he had ignored.

Specifically Metal mana. Not being able to control the flesh-metal himself he wondered if he could make a monster who could.

Metal mana – despite being made in a similar way to Crystal mana and using Innearth’s Earth affinity – was a chore to emulate.

Innearth brought a bar of iron out of his inventory and then left to soak in environmental mana for a while. After a significant amount of time had passed, Innearth was able to filter the “matte silver mana” that flickered through it out as “Metal mana”. A few hours after that, and he was able to consistently make use of it in his monsters.

…

Cut forwards another day and Innearth had made several metal-cored monsters. Some seemed slightly better able to control the expansion when infected, but none were able to halt it.

…

Finally the cumulation of this tangent, Innearth created a monster with a truly massive circuit of dozens of small cores – metal connected to life, kinetic and void and twisted into a helix of connections.

The monster itself was designed around the schematic that Bose had sent.

Not quite a match – but close enough – Innearth’s version was completely solid and only vaguely had the same shape.

The mask was mostly the same, as was a ruffling cloak; but Innearth could not be bothered to figure out the Air mess that Bose used…Instead, it was a solid bulky cylinder, hidden inside the cloak. The whole pillar monster was controlled with a set of wheels and kinetic mechanisms.

I wish we could watch a stream of the attack…But the harasser is the same level as Bose and it would be next to impossible to trick them into filming it if they were a higher tier…I’ll have to be satisfied with this!

This was not a monster that corrupted itself, it was one that could slightly control the expanding material it was being sent with.

Sadly the “control” was limited – the hooded figures could influence the material into growing in certain directions. they could also somehow stop the material from moving, with a crust of sorts that would grow and stop its expansion…but time was up and Innearth had to accept what he had so far. They were executing the plan now.

Innearth: So how are we sending stuff through this portal?

ZeMadDoctor: You’ll have to send me everything. Everything you want me to shove through it. I’ve prepared a containment room. I’m going to push everything through a hole.

Amy: Okay…Be very very careful with this. I wouldn’t want you to infect your own dungeon…I’ve done so multiple times now and it's really difficult to scrub out of the walls!

Innearth: Before we start getting ready to send stuff through – Doc have you gifted the harasser the payload? Have you figured out how to send it in an innocent manner?

ZeMadDoctor: I…have not managed no. Should I just send a message saying. “Here I have a present for you”?

Innearth: No! I think…I think it would be for the best if someone else sent the initial present. I could?

Abe: Hey guys! I’m ready. I’ve figured out how to set up chained explosions – this monster explodes…then regathers itself and explodes again. Rinse repeat! It's nearly endless…okay it's actually something like 10% chance of not recovering from the explosion? Either way, it will chain several times before it fails!

Fated Eternal Design: I think Abe should gift them. He’s the most sociable and least suspicious sounding. Ace should…Ace will probably accept if it's Abe sending it.

Innearth: “Least suspicious sounding”. Wow Abe. That’s a raving review given by Bose huh...

Abe: Yeah m8 that’s fine. Doc. Hit me up with this trapped monster. Does this “Ace” character sell stuff on the market? I’m going buy something from them and then act like I’m so impressed and thankful. I want them to critique my own creation.

ZeMadDoctor: Okay, Here. One sec.

…

Innearth started sending his prepared monsters to Doc. He had only had enough time to make 4 of the “Controllers” and they were set up in pairs. Two were holding a chunk of silver (for maximum speed starting the reaction) and two were holding the expansion material.

…

Abe: They Bought it! Stupid core…I didn’t actually think that would work.

Innearth: I thought you were confident? You had a whole plan.

Abe: Yep. Still winged it. What can I say. "Ace" is not number one when it comes to intelligence. Or maybe I'm just number one when it comes to charm!

Amy: So we send my monsters through first. Wait till they are far enough into the dungeon and then Abe can send his explosions through?. Hopefully the explosions will help spread my viruses and Abe’s stuff will break some of the hostile dungeon’s halls and traps and stuff. Innearth can be sent through last? How does that sound?

ZeMadDoctor: …I’m sending stuff through as well. I’m not just providing the access. I’ll send a Higher Tiered demon or two. Innearth what is what you’re sending going to do?

Innearth: …expand a bunch? Plug their whole dungeon up.

ZeMadDoctor: …that works. You know getting sufficiently plugged up is enough to kill a core?

Innearth: That’s the goal! I never really looked into it that much – how does that work?

ZeMadDoctor: Pretend the open areas of a dungeon are…like one of your circuits I guess. If they are currently large enough for a Tier 4 dungeon. Then get completely full. They will drop down to enough for a tier 1 dungeon.

ZeMadDoctor: That size isn’t enough to host a Tier 4 dungeon soul and the dungeon will suffocate. And waste away.

ZeMadDoctor: Same thing would happen if somehow you lost your current mana regeneration. We consume mana to survive. You don’t notice – it's less than your regeneration – if it was less you would start eating from your pool. Reach zero like that and you die. Okay, Shoving Amy’s monsters through. I’ll follow the order correctly after that okay?

Amy: Be careful. Make sure they don’t shove anything through in the other direction! I wouldn’t want you to get hurt.

Fated Eternal Design: I just want this to be over.

Abe: Doc I think your demons might affect my explosions…They also might disable Innearth’s present! Can you hold off on them? I’ve been thinking and I’m pretty sure they would ruin everything.

ZeMadDoctor: …Okay. Fine. Abe’s monsters are being sent now.

Abe: Lol! They just noticed Amy’s monsters and asked what was happening. You don’t have much time left. Send Innearth’s group and then close the connection! I’m going to send a “Get Crushed” message as soon as you do.

ZeMadDoctor: Getting rushed but okay. Innearth’s sent as well.

…

ZeMadDoctor: I think everything made it through? A bit of Abe's explosion clipped my portal as it closed. But it seems fine. Now we just have to wait and see if it worked.

Abe: Man. This core has quite a vocabulary. I'm learning so many new swears! Good riddance.

…

Abe: They've stopped. Hey bose? I think you good now.

Amy: How are you feeling?

Fated Eternal Design: ...good.

…

Fated Eternal Design: Ah yes. My fate is full. My mark upon this blessed world has been strengthened. My conviction renewed. My re creation of the Dungeon that always was must resume! My halls shall become legendary as they were destined to be!

Innearth was glad Bose was feeling better.

He couldn't pay that much attention however. A sole box that floated in the center of his consciousness and took up all his attention.

Warning system: Through system analysis, your direct actions have been linked to the release of a tier 5 environmental threat. Through backchecking, fault has been removed and the release deemed an accident.

No actions required. No negative title given. Minor culprit tag given.

A second flavoured notification appeared shortly after.

Title Gained.

Silver Menace Quest | Culprit

Description

Accidentally unleashed the Silver menace upon the world.

Duration

1 year or completion of quest.

Effects.

Shows quest participants your fault. Raises your suspicion multiplier while applied.

Innearth felt cold. His preparations hadn't been enough and once again it felt like the system was spying on him. Watching his every move and judging his actions. I guess...I guess the hoods I sent couldn't control the spread of the silver flesh…I wonder if I sent the flesh without those hoods if it would have given me a "negative tag" whatever that means...

Innearth: Hey guys. Has anyone gotten a system message?

Abe: Nope

Amy: No I haven't.

Doc: no.

Fated Eternal Design: negative my comrade.

Innearth: okay...just wondering.

Abe: Did you get a message?

Innearth: just a small one. not important.

...okay. So that's a new title. It says it isn't negative but I don’t really know…culprit. That sounds pretty negative to me.

Can adventurers see it when they come? They should be here soon...it will be embarrassing if they can.

As Innearth sat there wondering what effect his new title had, it suddenly blipped out without a word as quickly as it had appeared.

Does...does that mean it was taken care of? That's suspiciously fast. I'm not complaining but was it even a problem if it got taken care of that quickly?

...Well, I think I want to move the only bits of this flesh lower down in my dungeon just in case.

Innearth pulled every scrap of metal flesh deep into his crystal caverns and tried to return to a sense of normalcy while he waited for all his ongoing projects to bear fruit.

A sense of normalcy for Innearth meant improving his monsters. First off, he went through the work to emulate stone and dirt mana to complete his “Earth main offshoots” group.

A bunch of the materials that Dirt mana made were…okay but its real shine started to appear once he started combining it with other mana types. Dirt and Water manas made Mud mana, and if he hadn’t gone all over crystal muscles it would be one of the best flesh type materials he had made so far. When you considered the liquid crystal muscles and bodies needed multiple crystal cores just to function and mud flesh needed none it was even better.

Dirt and Life kickstarted lots and lots of plants. It wasn’t a standard plant that was created, simply a material that seemed to nearly spontaneously start growing plants.

Stone mana made materials similar in many ways to Earth mana. However, as soon as he started making cores out of it, its true purpose started to show.

Monsters that had Stone cores could affect stone hundreds of times more efficiently than Earth mana could…Innearth made snakes that swam through the walls and called them worms. He upgraded his burrower into one that had stone cores as well as a metal/dirt/crystal group just for completion's sake and it no longer faltered at the edge of his influence while it dug.

Now it pulled the surroundings towards it, stone seeming to melt and flow like water as it slurped a tunnel into its void gullet. Innearth’s expansion was increasing by a huge multiple and he soon upgraded to having 3 burrowers simultaneously working with several sections of his mind constantly focused on keeping up with them.

Speaking of void, Innearth improved his trapdoor spiders immensely by making a similar stomach of void. As well as dropping several of its random damage sources to double down on its void capabilities. They now seemed to pull prey into the abyss, for anything that was grabbed and “eaten” never escaped.

...

Time passed while Innearth waited and he received several updates from his scout. He couldn’t really talk to him normally, but Innearth figured out a cheating sort of way of communication. First, he made a plate of mental mana and connected it to a second plate with a slime situated on it. As soon as the “Snake King” – now renamed to “Snake Scout” – stepped on it, his thoughts would rush through the air and mingle with the slime (who had very very little to think about).

Innearth could grab and hijack that mental mana connection and read the snake's surface thoughts and then speak normally back to him.

Through this convoluted method of providing updates, Innearth learned where he was situated.

Halfway up a mountain surrounded by even more mountains, Innearth was facing a valley.

A valley that contained several rivers and a medium sized lake at its bottom. There were several animals that lived in this valley: frogs, rabbits, natural snakes, otters obviously, several birds, wolves, and the most dangerous at least one bear. Of those animals, several had monsterized variants. A pack of black wolves had slipped into the shadows while the Snake Scout had watched and seemed to travel through those shadows disappearing and reappearing dozens of meters away. A giant frog sat in the center of the lake, surrounded by a thick cloud of miasma – poisonous green mist, causing anything that grew near to slime over and die. A long legged creature with dozens of bones sticking out of it like a porcupine wandered around and shot quills of decay. A blood bird was found eating a bear, its small size made up for in pure ferocity as it dug through the corpse and finally the alpha predator of this valley was a hulking otter covered in silver armour and wielding a sword of pure light in its extendable arm.

…That was the closest the scout had gotten to death since it evolved, for the metal otter seemed to recognize him as the killer of her friend and roared with fury as soon as she saw him. It had taken everything the Scout had to evade and he steered clear of them from this point on.

Sadly, with all the surroundings, Innearth’s scout couldn’t find a single sapient creature. No adventurers walked by and no signs of a city – or even civilization – met with his exploration.

…The adventurers will come soon. I hope.

Innearth waited.

...