As I zoom through the rooms and tunnels on my way to Talia's, I make a quick stop to see Veris as she beckons me over upon my arrival.

"Hey Boss, watcha doing?" She shouts, waving her muscular arm while beaming a bright smile at me as my jade green light approaches her.

"I'm on my way to explain which Rogues will be heading out first and what the teams will be," using my amazing new voice, I also ask how Veris is doing.

"Well... I'm ok but I could use some features in my room. It's great and all but it's just me and nothing else, it's empty." She says rather glumly.

The inhabitants of my dungeon have many different buildings now and I just assumed Veris would use them as well. I assume she does but this is obviously about her own personal room and she's right, it doesn't look very boss-like.

"I don't really have any boss-type furnishing items yet, but when I get some I'll definitely spruce your room up, I promise."

I tell her to keep her spirits high and Veris throws me another beautiful smile, happy with my given answer. I really adore my monsters and I would like to be able to give them whatever they want, the only problem with that is that DP doesn't go far as I wish it could and my catalogue doesn't have the biggest selection.

"Thanks, Boss, I'll be waiting." She then sits down and starts to meditate causing me more questions.

Me, do dungeon monsters usually complain about their rooms or is this just another one of those 'It's because they're unique' moments?

Ha. That was worded rather well, what do you think?

Was that a laugh, I must have Dungeon Fever, hehe.

I reckon it's another one of those unique moments that I just happen to have hungry, needy women residing within my walls.

What?

I can say that.

Happy that Veris is happy, I move on through the Batcave saying hi to Violet, who is up here with the bloodsucking bats. This is followed by another greeting, or multiple greetings I should say, in the Wonderful Womb of Web with Webster and the Willies before I reach the Wolves Den.

Upon my arrival, I notice that the adorable Trixie is making some rather strange noises. The other wolves, seemingly concerned about their pack leader, have gathered around her.

Stopping beside the poor white wolf, who lethargically raises her body up to greet me, I use my newly acquired voice to ask how she is. Even though I can now communicate with others, unfortunately, Trixie can't. The feelings that I'm getting from her through the dungeon's connection are that she doesn't feel too well.

There's not much I can do on such little information. I tell her to drink lots of fluids and place 2 square patches of water with some of my remaining DP. I then leave to meet up with the Rogues at the Tavern. I would send her down to the third floor but I don't want to move her. I don't want to leave her here either, but this meeting shouldn't take too long and I can come right back as soon as it's finished.

Watching the beautiful creature flop back down to the ground as I leave pains me to my Core.

I reassure her that I'll be back through my will as I set off fast, flying down the short tunnel and zoomin' straight through the empty prayer room. I round the corner before I have a quick game of crabs with Jack and a nice browse of Tara and Lara's stall, before finally reaching Talia's Tavern.

I didn't really stop for a game with Jack as everyone is at breakfast and I really want to get back to Trixie, but I'm starting to enjoy being able to put labels on my dungeon like this.

It would have been simpler and quicker if you just viewed the dungeon through the Core.

Yeah but I love being able to move again, Me, and It's not as though I earn DP by the second, is it?

Not yet, anyway.

Plus I might not have noticed that Trixie was sick if I was using the overview, I would have just brought the Tavern up potentially missing my poorly baby.

Dungeon Monsters do not get sick.

Well, she looked sick, the cute thing seemed like she had no energy at all.

Maybe it was the food from last night?

Dungeon Monsters do not get sick, Abi. I have just told you.

You once told me that Rogues might not need food and look where that got us.

She looked poorly, Me. That's all I'm saying.

I'm going to go back and check on her once this meeting is over.

Fine, seeing how the dungeon is progressing well, I suppose there is no problem with it. You can make upgrades or purchases from any locations, so it is not an issue where you choose to do so from.

That's settled then.

As I float through the Tavern doors I see that all of my human-type summons have gathered together and are sat down eating Ali's nutritious breakfast. The scene before me is a sea of beauty as every Rogue has their hood down to eat. The beautiful faces warm my heart and also make me a little fearful of the plan I am about to enact.

I don't need to eat and I don't possess the urge to, not that I could if I wanted to, but I do feel a slight sorrow at not being able to participate and enjoy the meal with my...

As they eat, I inform them that they will be going out in teams of two when taking on missions and that they are allowed to decide between themselves who their partner will be. Anyone already set to a room will be staying within the dungeon and if anyone doesn't wish to be involved in the parties, they can also be given a room or feature to manage.

As soon as they have finished their meals two of the female Rogues, both have long blonde hair and eyes like miniature suns, come forward stating that they don't wish to leave the dungeon and would be happier working here rather than going out again. Both women are still unnamed so to correct my lazy attitude, I name one Mira and the other Hana. Assigning them to the Watch House, to be the faithful eyes of the dungeon, they smile at me as they disappear from the Tavern off to fulfil their role.

Ali steps forward next, stating that she also wishes to remain in the dungeon and would like to make food for my other human-like monsters. As long as my Rogues are content and I've got enough left for the plan, I don't mind at all and I suppose Ali has already started her culinary journey just recently.

No one else wants to stay behind so I let them form three teams of 2, which was the bare minimum I needed, and I begin describing the rota.

For now, each team is allowed 8 hours outside the dungeon. That means they cannot travel more than 4 hours away from me without being late upon arriving back. Me assured me that each monster is able to keep time accurately. I'm having trouble trusting his information at the moment, but with no one else to rely on, what's a Core to do?

Using this method of scouting, I should be able to work out if I'm still in the same place now as I was when I died. I should also be able to establish if my location is still the same as where the previous Dungeon Core had made its home. Once one squad has returned, another team can leave which makes three scouting runs per day. Until I summon some more Rogues that is, or maybe next time I'll create a few Vagabonds instead. It's only 40 DP for a team of two, which isn't a bad price for me now and doing so will bring me closer to unlocking the third tier in the Rogue class.

At the moment, the Vagabond is my strongest monster with human features. I only want to send out human types as they have more options for carrying objects, loot, or people, home. They also have the best chance of fooling a patrol of guards or adventurers seeing as though they can talk. I'll wait till I've got enough DP to purchase another three teams. Then they can join the rotations making it two teams out at one time, but overlapping. That way there will be a team returning every four hours increasing my DP income even more.

The teams consist of Light and Dropper, Dum and Dee, and the last two unnamed female Rogues in my dungeon.

It's been a busy day and a half, don't judge me.

I name one of them Coral due to her hair colour. The other Mystique because of the looks that she's giving me over the table. I also swear at this moment to name every human monster on the spot so I don't have this problem again.

After everyone is named and everyone understands the plan, I send out Dropper and Light for the first shift. Dum and Dee are informed that they will be going out second, once the first pair has returned. Coral and Mystique will be going last.

That concludes my first brief strategy meeting as a Core.

Easy.

Dropping off more of the same-old food to Ali as we still don't have much variety until I absorb something different, I quickly take in the beauty of the people surrounding me before heading back to my poorly wolf in a flash by dropping Manifestation mode.

Upon recommencement of my skill, Trixie doesn't even attempt to get up and looks to be in no better shape than before. If anything she looks a little worse and must be in some serious pain. Especially if she is refraining from movement. I ask if she's been drinking water before realising she still can't answer me as there's no way she has learned telepathy in the twenty minutes that I've been away. Feeling foolish, but caring none the less, I look to my Alpha to see her head nodding slowly to my question and I chuckle in satisfaction at her human-like response.

I spend the next three and a half hours reciting tales of Abi the Great, Abi the Mighty and sometimes Abi the Scaredy Cat. They're just stories from my time as an adventurer with Anya, with the exception of Kal being left out to avoid unpleasant memories, but she listens intently the whole time. Unfortunately though, she shows no signs of improvement.

Floating beside my adorable white wolf I continue the stories of Abi the Incredibly Beautiful, whilst upgrading my dungeon as a good Dungeon Core should.

Still holding a torch for my human self.

Not putting too much effort into the upgrades, as it's literally impossible to read upgrades and tell a story at the same time, I choose a cheap building that definitely needs it.

Box of Worship has become Shed of Salvation:

Requires four Acolytes or one Dungeon Disciples to function correctly

A new monster has been unlocked:

Dungeon Disciple: 20DP

Reward:

4 XP

I summon the Disciple because it's needed for the feature. Doing so unlocks his attire for my loot collection and after the light of creation fades a man, who looks very similar to Zen, is stood with his head bowed towards me. He has no hair, large brown eyes, and is quite handsome for a priest. The colour of his robes are a musty red and a small gold chain hangs from his neck. At the bottom, with the letter A featured in the middle, a gold circle made entirely of knives hangs loose for all to see. I name him Avos and send him off to meet Zen and Ang, who are probably overjoyed and maybe a little shocked that their box just upgraded into a shed.

Are all the male Disciples going to be bald and what's up with the names of this building?

Optional Choice:

Set Dungeon Disciple as a Mini-Boss for this Floor?

Yes/No?

Yes, please.

With that finished I add ten wooden doors to the tunnels on my first floor as that also doesn't require much thought, unlocking the next upgrade in the process.

A new feature has been unlocked:

Stone Door: 4DP

I place the new Stone Door on Veris's room hoping that this single feature will quell her needs for the moment. I don't expect it too, but I had to do something for her after earlier. She made me feel guilty so as I confirm the purchase I think of Veris and what she means to me. She's my protector, my defender. Her image appears on both doors, in two different intimidating poses, her weapons drawn in both, looking magnificent.

They look rather good, even if I do say so myself.

I finish by summoning six Vagabonds, whilst regaling the tale of Ali the Desert Explorer, and they all come out looking like Veris. The only difference being that they have sandy-coloured hair instead of the snow-white look my Boss features. Not making the same mistake as last time, I break in my story for a quick moment to name the six new ladies. It was very difficult to think of six different names on the spot, but I eventually went with Alba, Nessa, Baluka, Rocky, Sandy and Senna.

Afterwards, I assigned them shifts for scout duty with the Rogues. The first set of Vagabonds, Sandy and Senna, will be heading out in thirty minutes. At that point, Light and Dropper's will have been out for exactly half of their alloted time. Doing this means their patrols now overlap and a scouting party will return every four hours hours instead of eight.

With my points running low, I continue talking to my Alpha. Until my storytelling ends abruptly that is when Trixie starts to shake and gets up from the floor. She appears to be choking and is hacking away like a cat that has a hairball. I'm beginning to worry as there's nothing I can do because apparently, Dungeon Monsters don't get sick!

Me, what do I do?

...

Me!?

Yes, I am here, I just... Dungeon Monsters do not get sick! It's just not right Abi, I don't know what is happening.

Sniff...

It's ok Trixie, I'm here.

Don't worry, everything is going to be ok.

You're going to be ok, p-please...

Cutting the mental connection for a moment I finish my thought, please don't die.

Trixie let's out a loud sickly noise and a large purple puddle of last nights dinner is expelled from her within her. It's got all the different vegetables from the portion Ali gave her with large chunks of boar meat inside it and a big slimy ball that looks like mucus.

Trixie suddenly looks to have made a miraculous recovery and her tail is wafting up a storm, blowing dust behind her spraying all the other wolves in her happiness.

Gorgeous.

Thank the Gods she's ok.

Turning my attention back to the vomit pool, without really looking at it because it's disgusting, I wonder why it hasn't disappeared yet.

Me, why haven't I absorbed this yet?

The materials used in the meal were created by you so you will not absorb them naturally as you do with others. You must dismantle it for the materials to be removed, also the Slime can not be dismantled or absorbed.

Slime?

I give the puddle my full attention and I can see that the pink ball of goo, which I had originally assumed to be mucus, is actually the beautiful no bodied babe from before.

The cutest Pink Slime you will ever see is currently covered in a thick layer of unchewed remains. I will have to talk to Trixie about chewing her food in the future but seeing as she's healthy and not ill in any way, she's fine for now and my full attention can go on the Slime.

Slime, Slime, Slime.

Hehehe.

"Hi, I'm Abi. Can you talk?" I ask the monster covered in remains.

The slime turns to me, or at least it looked like it did it was hard to tell due to the food on top of it, before it wobbles and absorbs the vomit that's covering it.

The feeling of stupidity should be the motto of my dungeon.

I generally have it every other hour or so.

Watching the wonderfully-wobbly Pink Slime, I notice that she isn't just wobbling anymore. She's actually getting taller and thinner, gaining contours and limbs, creating hair and changing colour.

Oh. My. Gods!

It's a transforming Slime!

Still wobbling, but at the height of a regular person, the beautiful Pink Slime has formed the upper body of one of my Rogues.

A naked upper body, I might add.

"Only if I possess... a mouth which I may... speak through. I think?" The Slime woman responds with a slight speech impediment.

If I had a mouth... it would have dropped open.

I'm speechless.