Twenty-Four, The Sinful Trials

** ** ** Dungeon Core ** ** **

Oh, my goddess! I forgot about the moving treasure chest! I feel bad… But he did screw over his teammates, so I guess it is justified. He would have been fine if he had stayed with his teammates. Chicane’s clan members are quite forgiving and don’t try to kill despite the fact that they are more advanced and skilled then Niccolo’s clan. That clan would probably kill if positions were switched.

That party had been the last to enter. The other four parties had already figured out that the walls had changed much to their shock. They still mapped out the new area, collected two chests out of four that were guarded by elites, and made it to the second floor. Alice’s group decided to go down the Eastern path and stuck to it, despite their many falls into desert pits of the Dracula Hare’s. Alice would just jump into the trap with her comrade and stab everything annoyingly.

He also felt that she didn’t truly appreciate his gift to her. Although he realized he probably should have carved them with clothes on… That detail seemed to slip his mind at the time, however, he was still proud of his little golems. Her group just reached Eurous and were busy fighting the quick rabbit. The other groups were making it down the other three paths. One suffering ambushes, another freezing, and the last sweating profusely.

It was fortunate that he had just finished the creation of the third floor. It looked like it might be tested today. Now he was going easy on the adventurers, but it still bothered him that his floors were being conquered so quickly. He didn’t even have the fourth floor complete. There weren’t even any adventurers over the rank of D. B ranked and up would sweep the floor with him. Even these D and C ranked adventurers were having no problem. He didn’t even want to think about S ranked adventurers. He still had time according to Gaius, but it still bothered him immensely.

Now Wenet was being challenged by the group. The sins on the third floor went in order of Vainglory, Ardor, Invidious, Voracity, Hebetude, Choler, Rapacity. He watched as Alice’s group began the trek onto the third floor. He decided to experiment with the ideas for the Fourth floor in between watching the group struggle against his trials.

He needed a new floor boss and new creatures for the fourth floor. He first thought about what he had made so far. From the Leaf Imitator, he had made Elder Berry Leaf Imitator, though it wasn’t particularly dangerous at all. From the Stick Bug, he had made Water Skater, which also had quite feeble attack power. He had created them to be hunted, but now his creatures focused on the adventurers, which had led to over population of the insects.

Maye he could recreate these insects or make them stronger. He had also used the Red Fox to make the beautiful Blood Foxes. Was there a way to make them even stronger? He already had a floor boss and seven elites, which were quite tough. Using the hare, he made the Vampiric Rabbit Queen and Dracula Hares. He could actually create more Vampiric Rabbit Queens to spawn the Hares in separate chambers so that Wenet wasn’t the only one creating them. That would actually make it a lot more challenging having swarms of Dracula Hare’s and give Wenet a break from mass producing children. He began creating four more rooms on the second floor, each hidden away and connecting to one of the four paths and placing eight Vampiric Rabbit Queens in each room.

He had used the Racoons to make the Racoonoids and he was quite pleased with their progress. Especially Chicane’s Clan. If it was serious he would have them battle to kill, but right now it was fine to let them show mercy. Using the Goat he had also made the Mini Goat for them, which could only really be used for them and had no attack power at all. He was reconsidering that creation. Was it adorable? Yes. But what purpose did it have? None. Looking back on it, he realized it may have been an impulse creation. If that is a thing.

From the Hedge Hog he had created the Stone-Hedge Hog which wasn’t weak but wasn’t very strong either. It was similar to turning the Beaver into the Serrated-Billed Platypus. It was a nuance to deal with, but if you didn’t bother it then it didn’t bother you. It was mentally still thinking like prey instead of like a predator.

His last and most shameful creation. From Grey Squirrel to Troll Squirrel. Nothing could be any dumber or more useless. There was absolutely no reason to advance that creature further or try to make a new creature using the origin creature. Squirrels were just a dumb animal all the way around.

He switched his focus back to Alice, she had made it to the first sin. It was now time for her too choose one of three trials. The right door had walls, ceilings and floors made sculpted to work as a mirror with an effect to make people appear uglier. There was also a condition placed on the room that made them have to walk the hundred feet distance naked. There was also a beautiful chandelier sculpted in the middle that that oozed a gas causing people to hallucinate. He wasn’t sure what hallucinations it would have, but looked forward to finding out. The hope was it would lead to infighting and embarrass the hell out of the adventurers.

The center door led to a room had a condition to be fulfilled making each member share a secret that they had. It had a statue in the middle that had an effect that made people near it feel more insecure and secretive. You would have to fight the statues aura and yourself to share it. There was a second statue that made others more prone to tease. He had no freaking clue how it worked, but he thought himself quite the artist for crafting it. The trial would involve getting over your own pride and insecurities and dealing with others mocking you.

The left door… Oh, she ended up choosing the left door. Might as well watch and see how it goes. The group entered the door. This was probably his favorite of the three doors. Unlike the other doors this one was quite simple. As the group walked in they encountered a key on a pedestal within the first few feet of the entrance. Now all they had to do was put the key into the door on the other end of the room. Easy right? When leaving a room with conditions it was required to leave detailed instructions on how to achieve the conditions. The pedestal had detailed instructions involving pictures showing the key being put into the door. A real no brainer…

Derk reached up to pick up the key. The second he grabbed it the other four members immediately glared at him, “And why do you think you deserve to be the one to complete the task? Who chose you to get all the glory?”

Seeing everyone aggressively staring at him he began to back away slowly. He was confused as hell as to why they were suddenly acting this way, “Well… I didn’t really think anyone would mind.. It’s just putting a key in a lock… Is there really any glory in that?”

Immediately the butt of Alice’s spear smacked him in the head. She leaped forward and grabbed the key, “Oh… Sorry Derk. I don’t really know why I did that. Here you can have it back.”

As she went to hand it back she noticed everyone else charging at her and Derk swinging his axe at her as he shouted, “It’s mine to put in the lock! I will gain all the achievements! All the glory! Give it here you bitch!”

Realizing that everyone had gone crazy she sprinted away from them. She happened to be the fastest of the group, but nearly lost the race to an arrow or two before she made it to the door and unlocked it. Immediately everyone calmed down as they began to piece together what had happened.

Hmmm that would be interesting to see how S ranked adventurers would act. Could they resist it or would they go crazy like this group… Of course, the one holding it isn’t affected so if it’s just Claire then it wouldn’t even matter… That’s dumb…

He turned his attention away from the group and focused back into his thinking of making his dungeon stronger. Ruby didn’t even challenge them, so it wouldn’t be very interesting to watch the group until they got to the next trials.

The room with the different Aura’s got him thinking about his ability Dungeon Aura. He hadn’t done much with it yet. It currently increased effects of growing and developing creatures, giving them a fifteen percent bonus combat ability, and a ten percent bonus to characteristics. It would prove helpful if he could make this effect stronger. He could also place more rooms with conditions and statues that give strange effects.

Oh it looks like the group is giving up for the day… Too bad I wanted to see them challenge the other trials… Well maybe another group will come test the trials in a bit.

With the Dungeon Aura in his mind he spread his influence into the Arua to try and see if he could alter it. He couldn’t find the Aura at first. It couldn’t be directly felt as an object, instead it felt as if it was his influence itself. The Aura was part of his influence, but with its own unique quality. He tried to increase the catalysts strength in his influence, but it didn’t seem to take hold.

Continuing on with his experimentation he tried the Angel Feather, his other catalyst. He was happy and surprised to find that it did react with the Aura. He let the catalyst mix in with Dungeon Aura. He could feel the strength of it grow in his influence. His influence felt stronger and sharper than before. A new notification came up, which he checked on.

Dungeon Aura Alteration!

Awoken with the power of Ceremonial Blood from your past. Dungeon Aura in its current state has increased effects growing and developing your creatures. As well as a 15% bonus to the dungeon creatures combat ability, and a 10% bonus in dungeon creature’s characteristics.

+ Addition of the Angel Feather gifted by the goddesses. Summon and Revive creatures at 50% their mana worth.

Hmmm it seems it grows stronger with new catalysts. If only they were easier to obtain. I wish I understood what counted as catalysts… Dungeons should really come with an instructions manual.

** ** ** Unsuspecting Adventurer (Jackson) ** ** **

The mage sat by his small encampment at the edge of the developing dungeon town. There were now ten groups of adventurers in camp. Not that he cared. He just sat by his fire with his eye’s closed and his teeth gritted.

My hand… I can still feel it, but I know it’s not their… Goddesses why me? Why have you cursed me.

It wasn’t fair. Sure he had left his teammates and selfishly ran away, but he feared for his life. Who wouldn’t run in the face of danger? It was human reaction. Simple fight or flight response. Those adventurers just shun him and cast him aside though and he was left one handed and alone. He almost wished he had stayed to face death instead of ending up crippled. He cynically realized he wouldn’t have died or been crippled if he had stayed in fight.

Now they grow rich in the dungeon as I feel the ghost of my appendage and wallow in misery. FUCK it still hurts. I would do anything just be shown the way… Just to have companions again.

A voice spoke out in the night as the sound of horse hoofs began to register in his mind, “Well hello their young mage. I see your rather farther away from the rest of the town mind telling me your story?”

A wizened old man sat atop the horse with whitened hair and a white cloak. Jackson looked at what appeared to be a man of a church as he spoke, “My priest you might as well continue on to camp. They will tell you my story and you will understand why there is no need to try to befriend me.”

I will just be a waste of time to him anything. He will cast me away just as the rest when they tell him.

He thought that would be the end of the conversation, but the old priest continued. “The Goddess of Kindness always shows mercy to those who deserve it. You have the look of a mage you know. It’s a shame you lost your arm, but you know the Goddess of Kindness always blesses her people with the strongest wind magic. If you share some of your time perhaps you may consider joining this Aeromancer as he spreads the good word of the goddess, eh? Don’t you think you deserve another chance my boy? I’ve seen that faraway look before. It’s the eyes of a man that is done with the world and seeking the end. Don’t quit on my old Aeromancer bones. You deserve mercy and renewal.”