If Veraform had any intention of killing an adventurer he’d have to surprise them. Killing the boy would be much easier than the man so Veraform decided he needed to quickly end the kid in one move. But how? The rats were mostly just a distraction and clearly the imp attack hadn’t killed him. He needed traps. How was he supposed to do that? He couldn't make pits since he couldn't expand downwards and likewise couldn't drop things from the ceiling for the same reason.

Veraform checked his menu while he thought. He was surprised to see his mana at 16/30. It was at 6 before the intruders came and he was sure less than an hour had passed, let alone 5. Had he gained mana simply from fighting? The question was what should he do with it? He could summon minions but then how different would his fight really be? If he expanded he’d be able to level up and maybe he could make something new or summon a stronger minion.

The message said that he needed ‘a few more rooms’ last time he had leveled up, but how much was ‘a few more’? If he kept expanding as he had been he would have room for many more rooms. Veraform finally settled on a decision. He would invest some mana in getting 5 more rooms. Investing 6 mana brought his size to 31*5*18 which would allow him to add plenty of rooms. He added more 5 by 5 rooms along the back and beyond the long room. 6 additional rooms brought his total to 11 which brought mana regen to 3 per hour and mana capacity to 60. Upon finishing the 10th room though he was met with the much desired message.

Level Up!

You’ve got 10 rooms! Now you’ve got some space to work!

Ability gained! Mana infusion

Ability upgraded! Expand can now be used to gain new floors!

Beware: new floors are magical and provide access to strong new abilities and creatures, but you’ll have to pay their upkeep costs or suffer severe consequences! A safe idea is to have 25 rooms before making your first new floor!

Veraform was dismayed that he had not gained any new creatures, but both mana infusion and new floors sounded promising. 25 rooms was a ways away but perhaps mana infusion would help him. He currently had three rats and an imp. He called a rat out of the tunnels and had it sit in the middle of his entry room. Then he focused on it in an attempt to use mana infusion. The rat startled and squeaked before suddenly bursting. Veraform felt a change and checked his menu. He had lost 1 mana and regained a lesser soul, but he also gained a Knowledge point and a whole new section of his menu, ‘Research options’. It had a list of things and prices in KP.

Giant rat obtained

Spined rat: 5 KP

Rotten pantry: 5 KP

This was promising. If Veraform used this power on his imp he could create potent new imps. This would only work if he continued to gain KP from rats though. He brought out another rat and tried again. This time the rat died much the same way but when veraform checked the menu he had another research option and an additional KP. The new option was a displacer rat, for 5 KP.

He was down to 1 imp, 1 rat and 8 mana. He decided to summon a second imp now and then spend the mana as it came. When the creature materialized he was confused and glanced around the room. “I-I’m alive.” it stuttered. Veraform felt odd about this one. It felt wrong somehow. The feeling wasn’t bound in any logic, it was just a feeling inside him. At least until the notification appeared.

Notice

You’ve spawned a creature using a soul that may not be used to its body. Most souls have preferences about what sort of body they inhabit, though a lesser soul can inhabit any lesser body and any minor soul any minor body. It may take them time to get used to their abilities.

That was the first time a message had appeared that wasn't about leveling up, veraform noticed. “imp,“ he called. Both looked toward him and he realized a minor problem. “You’ll need names I suppose. The first will be Leo, and the second Sett.” With that out of the way and no objections he continued. ”Leo, help Sett get familiar with his body.” “yes master” he replied as he wobbled towards Sett.

Veraform didn't really know if it was necessary since he was going to be mana infusing them anyway but it felt right to give them busy work while he waited to gain mana. As time passed Sett became more capable and could even cast his demonic blast. It had not taken very long at all. Veraform gained 3 mana from his hourly regen and he called out, “Sett, come to me.” Sett arrived and stood looking towards the emerald. “I am here master” he told him, not really knowing whether the core could see. Without warning Veraform began channeling energy into the unready creature. “URHAAAA” he howled from the pain. Suddenly his back burst and wings sprouted.

Veraform, as well as the imps, was shocked. Quickly he checked his menu and saw he had gained 1 KP, Obtained winged imp as a material and a research option, and lost 2 mana. This was promising. Sett started flapping experimentally and soon enough he was off the ground. ”Ha, look at me. I’m flying!” Leo looked at the flying imp, then back at Veraform. “wh-Why did you choose him master? I have served faithfully. Was I not good enough?” “Enough” Veraform demanded. “You are next. Be patient minion.”

With that, Sett landed and both imps left the core room. Additionally Veraform decided now was as good a time as any to move himself to a deeper recess of the dungeon. Adventurers would have to go through at least 6 rooms to reach him due to his winding layout, not that it would be difficult if he had no minions. Again, Veraform had to sit and wait for mana. When the time came he called in Leo and told him “now it is your turn.” He channeled on the creature and it let out a pained scream before suddenly, it burst. Leo was dead. Sett stiffened. A gentle “Oh” escaped him. Veraform, surprised but unperturbed, checked his menu. He had lost two mana, gained 2 KP, and learned 3 new research options.

Clawed imp: 5 KP

Summoning sigil: 20KP

Sacrificial altar:20 KP

Veraform had 6 KP to spend, but he had less than a day before the adventurers would return. To gain 14 KP from rats he would need to spend 28 mana, nearly 10 hours worth of mana. He’d also be gaining new research options from them. However, he still had to worry about summoning a new imp. Which was another 8 mana. He’d had time he thought so he got to work. With his remaining 2 mana he summoned another rat and began pumping mana into it before it could even process its existence.

The creature writhed in pain as predicted but instead of dying the rat grew, slowly at first then suddenly it was over two feet long. Veraform was confused, his power seemed inconsistent, How was he to predict what would happen? The thought left him quickly when he checked his menu and found that he still gained a KP. Now down to zero mana he once again had to wait.

Over the course of the next 10 hours he created rats and infused them until he had accumulated 20 KP and several research options. In addition a second rat survived the infusing and became a giant rat.

Plague rat: 5 KP

Dire rat: 10 KP

Winged bat: 5 KP

Now he had to decide what he was going to use his KP for. Originally he was going to get an imp upgrade but now he was less sure. He could get a variety of rat upgrades. What even would the summoning sigil or sacrificial altar do? The sigil, Veraform assumed, would give him access to more creatures. The altar would be too risky since he’d probably need to make a sacrifice and he had little to give at the moment. The rats, he decided, were not going to be strong enough. He’d have to take the risk with the summoning sigil.

Unlocked room: Summoning sigil

This room lowers the cost of certain minions, at the cost of agency of choice, additionally injured minions of certain types will heal passively when your dungeon is empty!

Perfect, he thought. Cheaper minions would be a great boon. Unfortunately the room cost 10 mana to actually place. Once he had some mana he would construct it and try to summon something. In the meantime he cleared out an indent in some walls for the giant rats to hide in. they would be far too large to actually be hidden but unobservant or distracted adventurers may not notice them.

After 3 hours Veraform could create the sigil room. He wrestled with the idea of putting it by the loot room or the core room. He settled on the core room since that was the direction the adventurers headed last time. As he focused on the room candlesticks rose from the ground and a bloody circle with glyphs within it was transcribed from nothing. Bowls containing chunks of gold submerged in some foul liquid materialized beside the circle. The winged imp took flight and found his way to the room. With his nose raised he spoke ”what is that smell. It” sniff “smells like ecstasy.” He emphasized the last word to convey his thought. Once he realized where the smell emanated from he dropped to his knees and lifted a bowl so he could drink from it. Once it was empty he set it down and it began refilling until the gold was covered.

Now Veraform had to wait again. He wouldn't mind had he not been on a time constraint. Waiting itself wasn’t bad, it was the thought that he could do nothing to prepare while he waited that irked him. Regardless it didn't take long, one he had 4 mana he could feel the sigil call him. 4 mana, only half the cost of an imp. He channeled on the sigil and it glowed. Spontaneously it bagan spinning and shrinking. Once it was just a point it erupted outward to form a portal, out of which a creature flew. Another winged imp. Mildly disappointing but useful nonetheless.

The imp got down and groveled, “Thank you master, for returning me to life. Faithfully, I will serve you.” This was Leo, Veraform realized. The souls he used persisted between lives. That could be useful, not immediately, but in the future it may be. Much time had passed and veraform knew the adventurers would return shortly. Any more mana he would spend on rats until the adventurers intruded on his domain. Veraform had less than he hoped for, but he would make due. If he could kill just one he felt his power would rise immensely and so he began scheming.