In what felt like a lifetime I slept without nightmares and awoke with a sense of optimism for the coming days. That was until my partner dropped down from the ceiling right onto my face.

“Ulg, blrg, what the hell Notch, please never wake me up like that again. I think you got some of you in me,” I shout as I just up and try to wipe Notch off of me.

Notch just does his laughing wiggle and waved me to follow him. I guess it’s time to leave and talk to the Core again. With nothing to grab I continue to wipe any slime that was left on me and follow Notch back to the Core Room. When we get to the boss room, Gloop and Ooze are nowhere to be seen. I guess they are not very responsible boss monsters. I would’ve liked to say bye to Gloop again she seemed nice. Oh well, I just continue to the core room after Notch. Once in the Core Room I don’t waste any time and put my hand on the Core.

Welcome back to the land of the living, I didn’t know humans slept so long. Are you ready to leave or am I going to have to just make that your room from now on?

“No, I think we’re ready to leave, but first I wanted to ask do you know if there is anything different from taming a monster and our partnership. Other than the averaged Spirit Level that is?” I asked.

You know as much as I do on the whole thing so you’ll just have to figure it out on your own. I believe you’ll be able to figure it out as you go… well, maybe not you but Notch will.

“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” I say with as much sarcasm I can instill into my voice, while Notch is laughing on my shoulder.

Yup, no problem. Anything else?

“Can I get some loot or maybe a Spirit Level to make our journey easier?” I had to ask. I was thinking about this before I went to bed last night, this is a Dungeon Core they drop loot such as Talons, weapons, and armor. Loot would be a monetary gain that wouldn’t last long, but even one extra Spirit Level could change my life for the better. Life in the Empire of Thcerbla is based on your strength, and at this moment I am little more than the Zero I was. So if there was a chance the Core could help Notch and I lot in life, I would take it.

No, I used up all my extra Spirit just making the two of you partners, so no extra levels for you. If you want to gain more, you’ll have to do it like every other human out there and fight in one of the other dungeons and make it to their Core Rooms. As for loot, have you seen my dungeon we have no loot no one has ever been here to drop any and as for my slimes any they collect in the sewers they use as food or I use as just energy. So you’ll have to do this on your own.

“But then shouldn’t I spread rumors of your dungeon for you? So you can become stronger.” I ask even more confused by the oath that the Core made me swear.

Again no I don’t want humans in here killing my Slimes so that I can become stronger in the long run.

“Why that doesn’t make any sense,” I’m now completely lost. What this core is saying goes against everything we are taught in the Empire. You should always strive to be stronger.

Because these Slimes are special to me and I don’t want to lose them. They are my family.

“But you’re a Dungeon just spawn more,” I say stating what seems obvious to me.

Yes, I could just spawn more Slimes, but they won’t be the same ones I had before. Remember all my Slimes except for my two bosses are formally tamed monsters. I don’t think I could ever bring myself to force them to fight other than to save their own lives. They have lost enough in their lives without me forcing them to fight and die for no reason. So again I ask you to hold to your oath and not spread the word of my dungeon to anyone.

“I guess that makes sense and hopefully your family will turn out better than mine. I will keep my oath don’t worry. My life quite literally depends on it,” I say with a nod.

Well if there’s nothing else, let's get you out of here. Have Notch get on my Core. I can’t communicate remotely with him anymore now that he is not considered one of my Slimes, and I will teleport you both.

“Are you ready to go Notch?,” he gives me a nod, so I move him from my shoulder and put him on the Core.

Alright, oh before I forget. This is your first time teleporting right?

“Yeah?” I ask suspicious that the Core is going to mess with me again.

Oh, okay well hope you have a good trip!

“Wait, why did you ask th….” is all I can say before there's a bright light that fades and we are standing in a different part of the sewer. “Well that wasn’t so bad it had me all worried…” as soon as I say this I start to try and throw up everything in my stomach… which is nothing. After a few minutes of dry heaving, I am finally able to look at Notch who is just waiting next to me.

“That god damned Core could have warned me…” I say to Notch who only shrugs.

“So, what should we do now?” I ask Notch only to get another shrug in return.

“Well, that’s no help… I guess we could try to go back to my family… I am no longer a Zero they may accept me into a Noble family?” I hesitantly say. “Or they may just kill me.”

Notch just start shaking his body after that last part.

“You’re right, I don’t think I could forgive them anyways,” I say shaking my head. “Let’s just get out of here. Then we can think of something. Do you know a way out of here that doesn’t go by a Zero work camp?”

Notch nods then starts sliming his way down the sewer. “I guess that’s a yes,” I say and follow the little slime.

After only a few minutes we come to a ladder that leads up to a utility hole. I put my hand on the ground and allow Notch to climb up my arm and onto my shoulder.

“Before we head up we should decide what we're doing because we have no money, no home, and no food. While we were walking here, I thought about it, and we should probably leave the city. Anyone that happens to know I was a Zero and sees me with you will know something happened and honestly… that may break my oath and kill me. So we should leave Ignus and head towards one of the other great cities or maybe a dungeon town would be better than we can go stronger,” I say to Notch. “What do you think?”

Notch just shrugs then nods.

“Okay, so which one do you want to do town or city? Either way, we'll have to hunt or scavenge food along the way,” I left up a finger for each the town and the city.

Notch seems to think then points towards the town finger.

“I thought that would be better too. Alright let's head out of here,” I say with a nod and start climbing up the ladder.

Once we were on the surface I look around, “I think we are on the west side of Ignus. If we head towards the West Gate, we can leave from there. We can also check with the gate guards about a town near a low-level dungeon.”

Notch nods, and we head off to look for the West Gate.

It takes us longer than I’m proud to admit to find a gate. It turns out we were on the east side of the city. But doesn’t matter we made it to a gate. It may not be the West Gate but semantics. So I approach the huge stone gates and see a guard in light chain mail with a Shangyang, a water-based bird monster that is white with blue at the tips of its’ wings and tail, on his shoulder standing next to the entrance.

”Excuse me, sir, do you know of a nearby dungeon town with a low-level dungeon?” I ask after I grab his attention away from his fellow guards.

“What’s your Spirit Level boy?” asks the guard while looking between Notch and me.

“One…,” I say sheepishly.

The guard is stunned for a second then starts laughing, “That explains the Slime, Ha. Okay, the closest dungeon town that you would even be allowed to enter at that level is a good 75 miles North of here it’s called Dondton, or Weaks End.” The guard points vaguely in what I can only assume is North and then turns back to the other guards while still chuckling.

“Uh, Thank you,” I say feeling embarrassed and leave the path to walk in the direction he pointed.

The countryside outside the east gate is quite tame near the city all it is is rolling hills of farmland for about 10 miles. While walking through one of the fields, I see some strawberries and pick a few as I continue in the direction the guard pointed and towards a forest. While eating some strawberries and sharing a few with Notch, we finally enter.

“So this is what a real forest looks like… kind of dirty,” I say mostly to myself while looking at the all the decaying debris on the ground. As I’m saying this, a Horned Rabbit comes out of its rabbit hole and stares at me for a second before charging.