Chapter 11

A heavy silence hangs over my core room as Hugh Man is escorted away by a hellclaw. I was surprised by how resistant he was to the changes I made while he was gone. I know he's worried about the church, but I think we will be fine. Finally, after what feels like an eternity, Sluggo break the silence. "Master, Hugh Man was correct on some things. We should make sure the new floor looks like it’s the first floor of a dungeon to reduce suspicion. We are too weak to take on the church at the moment."

"Ha! Me and the boys can take on any foe!" Dak’s voice is as explosive as ever. Sluggo glares at him, causing Dak’s enthusiasm to waver, just a tiny bit. I decide to interrupt this display before it grows any more tenuous.

"Yeah I understand that Sluggo but we have a bit of an issue in that case. I can't make normal monsters anymore." I say.

"Master, you will be fine. The church knows that there are a limited number of monster types that can appear in the world and it's dungeons. However, the average adventurer shouldn't be aware of what all the types are." Sluggo divulges the information to me in a tone that would remind one of a wizened old wizard. It makes for a quite remarkable appearance, hearing that voice come from a tentacled goblin.

"So we should start with with weaker monster fusions first? In order to make the difficulty of the dungeon seem low?" I ask, albeit a little sheepishly. I wish I didn’t have to rely on my friends so much, as helpful as they are. Sluggo, ever patient, continues to explain the situation to me.

"That is correct master. The lower the threat level, the less likely it will be that any higher ups in the guild or church will show up. The longer they take to arrive, the stronger we can grow." I take a moment to think on the current information I have available to me. I quickly remember that I have 5 more research points that where made available after digging the stairway to the second floor of the dungeon.

"I'll create a simple dungeon, based around the mine we’re already in. Perhaps I’ll put a few beasts or slimes as well as a boss monster at the end." I state my plans plainly, with no room for misinterpretation.

"Dak would rather have more strong boys. Let Dak kill church. Only need one god anyway. Only need Shiny God." Says Dak with a smug smile.

"You underestimate their power." Sluggo’s chiding tone pierces through Dak, and his smile drops. "For now let us focus on building the second floor and prepare for the guild investigator.” Once more it is up to me to stop their bickering.

“We can worry about who to kill later." I attempt as soothing a voice as possible, and it appears to work. Dak and Sluggo talk amongst themselves for a few minutes before they both dismiss themselves. As Sluggo begins to exit my core room he suddenly turns as if remembering something.

"Oh master? Do try to avoid using humans and other sentient beings in fusions for now." He says before leaving the chamber completely. I guess it's a good that I got so many new materials to absorb from Yidhra over the last two days. After all, I do need to make some new monsters for our new floor.

For the time being we just need a simple monster type and a boss. I decide on my first fusion. I think the best options are going to be a giant mole and a lesser wolf for the base materials. These two creatures were on the acceptable difficulty list that Sluggo gave me. Hopefully regular adventurers can deal with them easily with some teamwork. I assign my research point and head over to the church. The church itself appears to be reverberating as I move towards it, almost as if it is trying to acknowledge my presence. Next to the church is our new path leading down to a lower floor complete with its own set of rail tracks. Suddenly a roach cart shoots out of the second floor tunnel. The roach flies past me and I noticed it’s filled with various ore, and sitting atop said ore is a goblin who is currently screaming. I'm glad he is having some fun while working. The electricity generated by the roaches sure does make them move fast. I wonder if we can use the roach carts to transport adventurers later as well?

Standing at the sides of the entrance to the second floor are two hellclaw guards who salute me as I pass. As I travel down the stairs and into the new hall I notice a half dozen goblins working ahead in a small chamber. The goblins have been carving out the tunnels and rooms down here in order for me to save on my mana usage. Oddly enough my dungeon theme seems to detect these tunnels and rooms and begins to change them in accordance with my dungeon theme. Mine cart rails run down the tunnels for our roach carts while wooden columns and arches support the walls and ceilings. Lanterns hang at close enough intervals to provide just enough light for working, yet leaves just enough darkness between them that one can only wonder what lurks in the in betweens. I pause and admire the goblins’ work. They really are doing a great job. "Thanks for the hard work everyone." I say to the group of goblins. All of the goblins simultaneously stop what they are doing and look towards my general direction. Each of them drops to the ground, prostrating themselves and they remain in position, in silence. I wait for a moment and decide to break the silence. "This is awkward. You guys don't need to act like this everytime you notice I'm around. We are all friends!" Sadly none of the goblins move from their positions.

"I figured this would happen." Says a familiar voice from down the tunnel. At first the figure is blurry as my attention is directed elsewhere, but as they begin to move closer I quickly recognize them.

"Oh hello Hugh Man. What are you doing down here?" The sight of Hugh Man prompts me to put on a more benevolent tone in my voice.

"Well I decided to come down here and make sure you don't make anything too terrifying this time. It's already going to be difficult enough to explain the church above us." He says.

"You are wrong. There isn't anything wrong with the church. I like it and so do the goblins." I say sternly.

"Fine. I won't argue." Hugh Man’s eyes scan the chamber as the words leave his lips. He continues his surveying of the room before continuing, "You guys should get back to work. Glaaki will applaud your worship but Sluggo will be aggravated if the second floor isn't complete before the guild arrives." The goblins in the chamber suddenly spring up from the ground and begin working harder than before. "So have you created anything horrible for the second floor yet? Hopefully I'm not too late." His breath seems to quicken at the thought, I think he’s excited to meet a new friend!

"Yes, I have already researched a new monster and im calling it a Molf!" I say proudly. Hugh Man, to my suprise, sighs and begins speaking.

“One monster type is fine for the first floor, let's just add some traps and a boss in the last room. Dungeons should be fairly simple early on. The first floor of a dungeon is usually a series of tunnels and chambers with no deviating paths. We don't want anyone getting suspicious early on.” Ah, so that’s what he is concerned about.

"Right. Traps. Like the pits the goblins dug? Should I have them dig some more?" I really want to assuage his anxiety over any possible unpleasant outcomes. Hugh Man raises an eyebrow at me and asks a question.

"Master please don't tell me you don't know how to make traps? Every dungeon can make them. They are usually more frequent than monsters in most of the dungeons early floors." I am taken aback by the question, this is the first time someone’s ever expected me to have more knowledge than I possess. Frankly, it’s a little daunting.

"Maybe that was something Steve should have taught me. Stupid Steve. Maybe you can help me make a trap Hugh Man?" Hugh Man strokes his chin for a moment and then looks back towards me with a smile.

"How about we mine out a long slanted tunnel, with grooves in the side occasionally. They should be just big enough that a humanoid can stand in them. At the end we should have a doorway leading to the boss room." He says. Hugh Man probably knows what he's talking about, so I begin creating the hallway in his design. After a few minutes and some mana I have a finished tunnel and a rather empty boss room. I do have some questions however.

“What are the grooves for? Oh, will Goblins hide in them and stab people!" I ask excitedly.

"Not everything needs goblins." Says Hugh Man.

"But I like goblins." I say sadly.

"This is a trap room. Other dungeons tend to use these early on. It's called a boulder trap. You need to outrun a boulder to get into the boss room. Slower adventurers can hide in the grooves and will be safe, but then the boulder will prevent them from entering the boss room until they leave and it can reset. Fairly simple and good for keeping weaker adventurers from moving too far in when they are not ready for a boss yet." Says Hugh Man.

"But what's a boulder?" I ask. Hugh Man shakes his head briefly.

"You really don’t know anything unless someone tells you about it? It's uh, basically a giant ball that drops from the ceiling and rolls down the slope. It astonishes me just how unlike a dungeon you can be." He gives a quick laugh before my excitement overtakes the discussion.

"Oh a giant ball! I can do that! Goblins are fine for that right?" The pride in my voice is immeasurable.

"What do you mean goblins? Wait!" Shouts Hugh Man but I am too busy assigning my research point. I summon my new creation from the menu immediately. It’s pretty expensive at fifty mana but I'm sure all will be well. After all, Hugh Man is the one that wanted to make this! I feel my mana stretch out and encompass the boss room and boulder trap tunnel. A bright light fills every nook and cranny of the second floor and as my new creation appears Hugh Man drops to the ground crying. He must be really happy that our ideas came together! In front of us rests a giant mass of entangled goblin limbs and heads forming a sphere. The creature possesses countless arms and dozens of heads which first look at Hugh Man before moving to me.

"Orders master? Should we consume the frail human?" Asks my new friend.

"Oh don't consume him! He's basically your papa he helped make you!" Hugh Man would make a really great father now that I think of it.

"Understood. This inferior human shall be designated at this one's father. Hello father." says all of the creature's heads in unison while gazing at Hugh Man.

"Please stop. "Says Hugh Man. He's still crying and now he has also begun to shake. He must be so happy to be a father now!

"Orders?" Asks the goblin sphere once again while looking back towards me.

"Oh right, orders! You are our new goblin boulder trap! When intruders enter here you should fall and roll down the tunnel. If they hide in the grooves don't hurt them! Then you fight them in the boss room to prevent then from moving forward! This was all your dad's idea, isn't Daddy smart?" I say excitedly. My new goblin ball buddy begins climbing up the tunnel walls and hangs itself over the doorway before begins digging out a hole in the wall. It nests itself in the new dark hole it has made. The creature is now out of sight but still ready to drop behind unsuspecting adventurers at a moment’s notice. I look over and notice Hugh Man has fainted from sheer joy! I will have to give him some time off to spend with his child in the future. I decide to open our joint creation’s status window.

Monster Information

Name

None

Stats

An entangled mass of goblin body parts, acting as a floor boss. This creature functions as a living boulder trap found in most dungeons. Due to its massive size and redundant organs this creature is incredibly hard to kill by conventional means. Although Powerful, those who make it to the boss room before it shall not be harmed.

Species

Goblin War Sphere

Strength

10

Titles

Spawn of Hugh Man

Constitution

20

Age

1 Minute

Dexterity

18

Sex

Intersex

Agility

8

Health

1000/1000

Intelligence

8

Mana

0/0

Charisma

3

Status Effects

Energy

100/100

Wisdom

6

Lesser Regeneration, Stealthed

Sanity

100/100

Luck

10

Jobs

Job Level

Skills and Traits

N/A

N/A

Basic Climbing, Goblin Language, Intermediate Unarmed Combat, Intermediate Weapon Mastery, Tough Skin, Redundant Organs, Lesser Regeneration, Grand Master Multitasking, Basic Stealth

A boss and a trap all in one. Truly the definition of efficiency. Besides, the only thing cuter than a goblin is dozens of goblins put together! This was a great idea. I will have to consult Hugh Man every time I’m building from now on! I open my monster menu again so I can begin summoning some Molfs.

Monsters

Mana Cost

Monster Type

2 Mana

Molf. Creates 1 Molf.

5 Mana

Mindeater. Creates 1 Mindeater.

6 Mana

Palmtail Skitter pack. Creates 3 Palmtail Skitters.

6 Mana

Hellclaw Soldier. Creates a Hellclaw Soldier.

10 Mana

Goblin Naga. Creates a Goblin Naga Dungeon Boss. Limit 1/1

Requires a Goblin monster to evolve from.

10 Mana

Goblin Swordman. Creates a Goblin Swordman Dungeon Boss. Limit 1/1

Requires a Goblin monster to evolve from.

50 Mana

Goblin War Sphere. Creates a Goblin War Sphere Dungeon Boss. Limit 1/1 when used as a dungeon boss.

Goblin War Spheres can be used as a regular monster type after the construction of a 5th floor at a reduced mana cost.

This is great news! I can make as many Goblin War Spheres as I want once the dungeon grows enough! I'm really glad Hugh Man joined us. Now that I think about it, the boss room needs to guard a core room according to Hugh Man. I very quickly build a small chamber and hall at the other end of the boss room across from the boulder trap. Inside I build a neat little replica of my dungeon core atop a stone pillar. Hopefully anyone that enters this new core room thinks this is the real dungeon core. Now that I have a boss room and “core”, I need to get some monsters summoned. The molfs are cheap so I hope this means their difficulty is appropriately low. I decide to create five of the creatures and my mana spreads out into five pools and takes shape fairly quickly. The creatures have the fur of a wolf with a shaggy tail that seems to wag happily. Its rear legs seem to be wolf legs that end in regular wolf paws. The torso is fairly wide and gives the creature a stocky build. Its front legs end in large claws used for digging. The head of the creature looks vaguely like that of a wolf, but instead of a snout its face ends in large teeth that push out of the front of both halves of the creature’s jaw. This gives it an almost beak-like appearance. The creature’s eyes seem to be fairly small but should be well adapted to low light conditions. The five molfs run off in different directions not being intelligent enough to follow complex orders. They should be able to attack adventurers when they show up at least.

I move back towards the entrance of the second floor and head into the longest tunnel the goblins had dug. I head towards the end of the tunnel and begin using my mana to create a chamber. Once I have made a decent size room I get a notification that the upgrade I’m looking for is available.

Empty Chamber

An underground chamber that was found at the end of a mining tunnel.

Cost

Upgrades

10 mana

New!!! Upgrades the chamber into a Molf nest. Molfs will eat, sleep, and breed here. Allows the respawning of Molfs when the floor is empty.

80 mana

New!!! Adds a Molf Mother and Molf pups to the room. Killing the Molf pups will spawn a unique floor boss called the Molf King.

10 DP

New!!! Adds Molfs to the worlds monster pool.

Woah, I have never seen something that costs so much DP before. I definitely can't afford that. We will just have to settle on the molf nest for now. My mana leaves me and in an instant a series of small tunnels open up in the walls all along the rooms. Flesh moss blooms from holes surrounding the tunnels and begins covering the walls and ceiling. Surprisingly little else in the room changes. Not even my dungeon theme changes the room. I guess molfs wouldnt live in a mining area. Most likely the flesh moss is what the molfs diet will be mainly consist of. I wonder what they will do about water? I take a closer look at the small tunnels that appeared and they seem just big enough for the molfs to enter. I’m guessing their nest is actually some sort of network of small tunnels? Well either way we can now respawn these guys. Sluggo said only dungeon bosses respawn automatically, so for everything else I make we will need some sort of building or nest. We even had to make a place for the hellclaws up on the first floor, they are now actually able to respawn in Dak’s barracks, even when the floor has intruders. Sluggo said this is because the dungeon will not recognize visitors as hostile in the town, so the hellclaws can even respawn when people are here! A molf walks into the nesting room and looks towards me while wagging their tail. These guys are pretty cute! They would make good mounts for the goblins upstairs! As I am imagining my goblins friends happily riding around on molfs and roach carts inside the town I’m suddenly interrupted. Hugh Man bursts into the chamber covered in sweat. He looks at the molf who is sitting wagging his tail before looking towards my direction.

“Master we can talk about these ugly things you’ve made later. We have a problem.” I recognize an unfettered urgency in his voice, yet I’m more concerned with him insulting my new friends.

“No you are wrong the Molfs are so adorable! What's the problem, did Dak break a door again?”

“No. In what world would that be considered a problem here? By the gods you distract me so easily. This is bad. The guild investigator has arrived.” Says Hugh Man with a horrified expression plastered upon his face.

Spoiler :

Heres the dungeons current status window. Looks like the corruption from the core is begining to effect it.

Dungeon Information

Name

Shiny God

Due to an influx of impure mana from the war, a nearby abandoned mine has become a dungeon. There is a new town that has been constructed above the dungeon and the creatures that live within worship the Shiny God. Everyone living in the town is happy, they are all friends, and they don't hurt each other. The totally normal dungeon below the town is definitely one floor and not two floors. Also, the church in the center of town is not weird. It’s cute.

Dungeon Name

Nameless Dungeon

Titles

House Of Horrors

Age

8 days

Sex

N/a

Mana

20/100

Current Skills

Theme

Small Mine

Goblin Language, Common Language, Ambient Translation, Basic Goblin Construction, Basic Leadership, Magic Eye

Floors

Error

0 Dungeon Points unspent

3 Research Points unspent