"We've gone over the most common dungeons in the first half of this course. Now, in this second half, you'll have a chance to take a guided tour. If you look at your schedules, you'll see we have nature, fire, construct and trap dungeons lined up for everyone."

"But ma'am, what about underwater dungeons? I don't see them listed."

"Mr. Lurik, go sit in the corner. A demerit is going in your record."

"...but."

"Can you breathe underwater? Can you fight three dimensionally? Can you move quickly against fluid friction? Can you evade combat when a single drop of blood can be sensed by every creature? Can you hide your body's natural electrical field? Can you survive without your armor? Without a bow? Without any basic elemental spell other than Earth and Water which EVERYTHING has a resistance to?"

"...no."

"Listen up class, I'm only going to say this once. NO ONE goes to underwater dungeons. The Sea Folk LIVE in the water and they still negotiate for access to land dungeons. The only people who go to underwater dungeons are the desperate and the mad. It's a DEATH sentence."

--Sylvia Sorensen, Dungeoneer. Recorded Lesson from: "DUN101: Intro to Dungeoneering." AC 1132

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Adventurer!

Welcome to the Deepwater [Dungeon]!

**************************************

As I wake up, I do my usual self-diagnostic.

Okay, cave... check.

Claws? *Clack, clack* Check.

Legs? *[Coast] left and right* Check.

Everything appears to be working fine, no damage at all. I pull up the last message I received before passing out.

[Dungeon]... [Dungeon]... [Dungeon]...

Yep. Not sure what that is.

I assess my surroundings to try and figure it out. I'm still in some kind of small cave, completely surrounded by water. Ambient light filters in from some unknown source. I'm alone, and I try to figure out my next actions as a gentle current flows past my shell.

Okay Crabby, gotta make a plan. Step one: get out of the cave. Step two: figure out where I am. Step three: make my way back to the coast. Step four? Well I'm not too sure about step four, but Erica said it'll involve parties and a top hat and a miniature cane... whatever those things are. Nodding to myself, I venture forth, searching my sparse surroundings.

Circling the room, I fail to find any sort of way out. Remembering how I got here I activate [Mana Sense] to try and find some kind of clue. The walls shine bright gold to my vision as I see that mana literally suffuses every inch of this place. As my sight roams across the walls, a discoloration is brought to my attention.

I [coast] over to the anomaly and try to take a closer look. A small section seems to be a lighter color than the surrounding area. I deactivate my [Mana Sense].

Regular wall.

Activate [Mana Sense].

Lighter wall.

Deactivate [Mana Sense].

Regular wall.

Activate [Mana Sense].

Lighter wall.

Deactivate [Mana Sense].

***

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Aethir: "I can't watch this."

Toriana: "Shhhh... he'll figure it out! .

Lira: "It is painful to view. Simply exquisite."

**********************************

***

Regular wall.

Very slowly, I reach out a claw towards the surface and give it a quick tap. As I do, I scurry backwards just in case.

*silence*

I look at my claw. Wait a minute. I tapped the wall but there was no sound. Gingerly stepping forward I lay my claw against the wall... and pass right through!

Ha! The wall is fake! It's not real!

'ding'

***

[Mana Sense II] is now level 2.

***

I lift my claws and wave them in excitement,

"I, Sir Crabby McCrabbington have solved the mystery of the discolored walls!"

Nodding in satisfaction, I [coast] through the illusion to find myself in another room...

And a claw spearing towards my face.

WHOA!

****

You are in combat!

[Dungeness crab] attacks you for -10 HP!

You have taken damage!

****

Go away [System]! I don't have time for you right now.

***

**Combat Notifications disabled.**

***

I brush the notifications out of my sight as I see my attacker. We're about the same size, but the [Dungeness crab] is an ugly brown and white. The initial hit speared me in the side, and a twinge of pain distracts me from examining the wound. I quickly activate [Eyes of Intent], trying to communicate the misunderstanding.

"Hey buddy! Didn't mean to just barge in here. No harm, no foul right? Let's just take a minute and talk about this."

As the thread of my will reaches out to the crab, I receive a response.

**[RAGE]**

Okay... well that doesn't look like it's going to work. Negotiations failed, time to go with Plan B.

"Alright then! You want some! Come get some!"

I [Coast] ahead, raising pincers to strike my foe. Our claws lock as I grapple the crab, our limbs entwining as each attempts to dominate the other. We have almost equal weight and limbs, so the engagement isn't quickly decided.

As my legs scurry, trying to find better leverage, I realize something.

I'm slowly losing.

It might be only a little bit, but the [Dungeoness crab] is stronger than me, and I'm already growing tired.

With a heave of strength, I push and disengage, drifting backwards in the water to get some distance. My mind races as I pull up skills and screens, to try to come up with a plan.

The [Dungeoness crab] isn't interested in giving me a moment to breathe, rushing forward to reengage. I [Coast] to the side, dodging his forward rush as a plan begins to form.

The crab stops, using it's legs and the friction of the water to slow itself and turn to face me again. I can almost see it's simple thoughts, see it prepare to charge me once more.

I use [Earth Manipulation] on the floor underneath me, digging my legs into the floor and locking my limbs into place. I lift some sand from the floor and coat the top of my claws with it as I raise my arms in challenge, taunting the crab.

"Is that all you got!"

It races ahead, legs kicking up debris in the water as it prepares to tackle me. Its getting closer, closer...

NOW!!!

With all of my strength I rapidly engage my skills. [Water Manipulation] at the bottom of my claws, to remove the fluid friction. [Earth Manipulation] at the top of my pincers, pulling them towards the floor. [Coast] applies to the action, 10% faster where Water and Earth meet. I activate [Slice] as my claws fall...

And rip my foe asunder.

***

You have defeated level 3 [Dungeoness Crab]!

Experience is awarded for your actions.

[Coast II] is now level 2.

[Slice II] is now level 2.

[Water Manipulation I] is now level 2.

[Earth Manipulation I] is now level 2.

You have leveled up!

You are now level 2.

You gain +2 to all stats from the level up.

***

***

***

***

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Toriana: "YAY CRABBY!!!"

Aethir: "I was not expecting that."

Lira: "A brutal victory. Glorious."

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***