Uno

Now then - the first real invasion of my dungeon was taken care of.

Somehow.

Losses - two Lebirs, two arms and legs of a Lebir and two Ratlings.

They’ve been replaced already. I even made sure to repair the damaged Lebir, so he (it?) wasn’t worse for wear.

I also made sure that the minion who defended my core stood watch there - permanently. It was going to be my boss if only in name. At least until I’ve got my hands on some better metals and maybe magical resources?

Speaking of gains - I’ve managed to get some common cotton cloth - thankfully I was able to remake it in its pristine, non-rotten state. I summoned it few times - just to make sure that magic was working all right. You never know.

Then I kinda left it as it is, as there was no real need for it. My Lebirs had armor and Ratlings were made from metal… And yet the latter were abnormally interested in it. Their unspoken request was granted and in a fit of good mood, I summoned a few more pieces of white cloth.

Ratlings squeaked in delight as they dragged them towards their tunnels.

My other absorptions weren’t really that noteworthy. One or two more types of wood, ash, rusted pig iron, some pieces of different stones and statues. All interesting things, like food, paper, glass and such were long gone. And no magical items either. I guess even if they once were down here time and undead presence destroyed them completely.

Just my luck.

On another note as soon as all enemies were defeated I managed to claim the food hall and two additional rooms from where civilian undead came. There is also one more room just left of my dungeon former entrance, but while its door was barely functional at some point of time there was a cave-in. This meant that my Drones had to break through in order to expand. Which I wasn’t too keen on. At least for now.

I was still continuing my earlier line of thought - to claim what remained of the castle dungeons and even lower levels if these were up for grabs. So just you wait, conveniently-out-of-place-room!

But I was going to make some changes first. The last battle taught me as much.

I need to rework my traps. Or rather add new ones. Skewering and cutting undead wasn’t really working. True - I might have to contend with adventurers, but that was a future I’ll have to survive first to even experience.

I dug a few pits and lined their surfaces with sharp metal spikes. Or at least as sharp as I could make them. I mostly put them in bottlenecks. Fair play? Never heard of it! But leaving them open would be too stupid even for mindless undead. Instead, I opted for a bit of manual touch.

Above every pit, I put a sheet of metal with two rods long enough to keep it in place. And then add a lever in one of Ratling tunnels running near it. With that, I only needed to give them an order to pull the lever whenever somebody walks over it… and done!

Of course, the metal looks mighty suspicious so I also put freshly acquired cotton on top of it and covered its surface with dirt and ash. Flickering light from Chandeliers wasn’t helping in spotting the discrepancy either.

Few more Ratlings were made too, enlarging their colony to about twenty-three individuals. With their new trap duties, this much was a given.

More Lebirs were added. Now I had fifteen soldiers ready to defend me to death. One of them in the core room, two in the future forge room, two each in rooms attached to the food hall. That left eight of them standing between statues I just made in the food hall. Just to screw with anybody walking in. Heh.

The whole room was remade, with a central table and many chairs prepared. I even created small bowls and utensils from wood, to compliment the theme. Under the walls stood both my Lebirs and statues eerily similar to them. Of course, some of them had been tampered with, sporting either cutting or stabbing traps. Add to that my Chandeliers and the whole spooky-creepy atmosphere was complete!

No!

Focus, Uno!

You’re doing it again!

Now for the most important change.

I lied. I found copper.

And this was a game changer for me. After all, I can use it to create wires which can carry electrical impulses. What is more important - I hooked them up towards the electrical fruits I accidentally made. That and few changes to traps allowed me to electrify some of them. Just for extra OOMPH!

Soooo then - to the next plan.

I was not omniscient in my dungeon.

But that was going to change.

Because now I had copper. And - after few dissections - knowledge of Ratling and Lebir eye structure, so there was only one thing to do. Create cameras that is.

That part was easy.

Connecting them through the wires laid in the ceiling - also easy. Putting one in each room and longer hallway - eeeeeeasy.

Now, for mad scientist part.

I was going to attach them to my core gem. My onyx. And since I didn’t have any idea how to do it I, so I just went with the flow.

This means that my core room now has a lot of copper wires hanging from the ceiling, attached through small suckers to my gem. Now... time to start the engine!

Aaaaand…

GO.

GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

I huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuurts, abort! Abort! ABORT!

GYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAH, GUUUUUUUURGH!

I need… to…

Darkness comes, I see. Ugh. I must pay for my stupidity. Farewell, cruel world! Haaaaah.

Congratulations!

Your Affinity has been changed to Lightn-!&1&!

New Affinity has been created - Electricity!

Your Affinity has been changed to Electricity!

Uhhhhh… Thanks?

***

The Geinard Kingdom, a few days later

Chambers of Charles Blueflame, High Paladin of Order of Fates Untold

Charles was a Blueflame, of those Blueflames, but as the third son of noble, even influential one, position in this relic-like order was all that his father could manage. It didn’t help that there wasn’t a chance for promotion, because paladins were in charge of new dungeons. Which there won’t be any since their Goddess said so one hundred years ago. More or less.

Their whole existence was obsolete, which he lamented even now, sipping his goldlire tea and reading a book near fireplace. It didn’t help that the whole organization he was in charge of was, in reality, a bunch of young immature second and third sons of nobility stuffed in here to get them out of sight.

Of course, he was here because of other reasons. It was all because his older brothers grew jealous. He just knew that!

In few years his flame would reach the famed “blue” level! Just you see!

As he was enjoying his plans and faces of his brothers looking up upon his magnificent magic his old butler, Adam, entered with all haste.

"What has you so spooked, old man?" He asked while smiling. Little peasants, always running and panicking. Inner peace is what differentiates nobles from the masses.

"Our resident priest just received an oracle - a new dungeon was born in the northern reaches of Heiron continent! The location is not yet known, but we must move, now!" The old man shouted and it was Charles turn to panic.

"What?! H-how? Goddess announced that there won’t be any changes?!"

"Who are we to contend with the Gods wisdom?" Asked his butler in a pious tone.

"Y-yeah, I guess… Get the recruits ready, prepare rations, wagons, and weapons. Make sure there are enough bottles of holy water and hired magical support. And for fuck's sake, don’t let my brothers know!"

"At once, master!" The old man was clearly getting warmed up. After all - it was said that such a new dungeon was bound to be unique! And, more importantly - it was a job that only the Order of Fates Untold was able to do!

***

The Geinard Kingdom, five hours later

Undisclosed location

"So, are you saying that those pompous buffoons did get a prophecy from the Goddess?"

"Yes, your Majesty. Our spies confirmed that they’re already forming an expedition. What we should do? Arrest them?" A person clothed in a robe and a dark hood was kneeling before a small throne.

"No. It’s their duty for once. And more importantly… You may not remember, but dungeon exploration rarely goes without hitches. Let them try it first."

"Oh, so we let them pull chestnuts out of a fire, then?"

"Yes. After all, from what I’ve heard it's just north from our borders."

"Somewhere around there. It would take about a month to just get in the vicinity. And then search for it while battling undead..."

"Let them do the work then."

"Your Majesty is most wise."

"Flattery will get you nowhere, Hawk."

"I live to serve, your Majesty."

"Somehow I doubt it. Just make sure that they take some of the soldiers with higher levels too. It would be a shame if the young Blueflame were to perish just like that."

"It will be done."