Chapter 8 - How to make your Dungeon Part 1

Starting Races (Choose 2) Goblins Kobolds Slime Skeletons Golems Lesser Dryads Elemental Spirits Hive Insect Queen (Random) Dire Beasts Combat Bugs Dungeon Ability (Choose 1) Automatic Repair Monster Loyalty Spawn Timer Increase Evolution Chance Dungeon Instance Naming Increase Stats of Selected Race Trap Knowledge

Dryads are a must at this point, not only do they seem to be the most intelligent creature on this list, I also have a book of nature magic written by Dark Druids, which granted could get me killed if I use it but I could use it as a reference for when I start modifying plant-based life, which I assume dryads are. But what should I choose for my second one? Elemental Spirits seem to be the rarest one on the list but its power level is unclear, which makes it a potentially even bigger gamble than the random selections, Dire Beasts, and Combat Bugs are a good take too, their combat ability is reliable it's just that they're not as intelligent as the humanoid races. Hive Insect Queen is the high-value creature, over time the amount of value I get from just having one is just suburb, but the initial investment is so high I might just have to wait a few days or weeks just to summon one.

It's at this point that the first 4 races seem more appealing, I already know their stats and have already developed some combat strategies for them. Why 4 not 5? Slimes aren't included, I already got Lesser Slime from the Lottery, wouldn't choosing Slime to be akin to slapping myself in the face?

For Dungeon Ability I have already resolved myself to take Monster Loyalty, I could get the other ones later but if I really intend to choose an intelligent creature like a Dryad then I must have it.

Reaching my decision, I pray that I'll get something good. Slowly I pick out Lesser Dryads, Hive Insect Queen, and Monster Loyalty. Why Hive Insect Queen? Simply because it fits me. In Hearthstone I'm that guy who spams control decks and slowly grinds away at my enemy using high-value cards that have a weak board presence but will allow me to grind away at the opponents cards before I beat them down through sheer value and card generation. There is nothing more satisfying than watching your enemy run out of cards while you still have half a deck left.

Once again the scene of lottery repeats itself, right now my best option would be a race of similar strength to the ants I currently have, that way the costs won't be too absurd. The words slow down and I get the result I wanted.

--~=~--

Unlocked Hornet Queen Species

Rank: Iron-Low

--~=~--

"HORNETS!!" I scream in joy, though I don't really have a mouth. Hornets are basically bees if they wanted to kill you really badly, not only are they a lot larger than bees, they have stingers that are a LOT more painful than any old bee and they don't have that flawed trait of shooting their stomachs along with their stingers to attack, they can stab you as many times as they like!

"And since they're ranked Iron-Low they can't cost too much more than the ants..."

If I had a drink right now, I would've spat it out.

"Seriously 180 DP? I know flight is a super strong advantage but seriously almost every other stat is lower than the ants. System can't you lay off on me, 180 DP is more DP than I have currently even touched!"

...

As expected, no answer came to my question.

The most remarkable stat for the Hornets was their agility which was 7-8 and the rest were at 2. The ants had more rounded stats with 6 being their strength and 3-4 being everything else. The Queens of each race had 1-2 more points in every stat.

The Hornet Queen had a stinger which could shoot up to 5 stingers, or she could opt out of range and just close into melee to stab you. The normal Hornets only had 1-2 stingers. The stingers will come back at about 1 per hour, the Queen only had a reload time of about 40 minutes for every stinger and they can't exceed their original stinger count unless they evolve or something.

Checking Lesser Dryads, I was rather pleased. Though they couldn't move they were almost as strong as golems and had the same intelligence as goblins. They also had vines which could be used to suck nutrients.

Checking Monster Loyalty, I was pleasantly surprised.

--~=~--

Monster Loyalty

All things you summon will be eternally loyal, regardless of difference in strength

--~=~--

It's a simple thing, yet it means I can operate without fear of my own dungeon creatures. What was interesting was the last part. If it holds true then I could theoretically roll C'thulu off of lottery and it will still be loyal to me.

Thinking about lottery I glance at the 2 books I rolled off lottery, which were on the floor at this moment.

"It's strange, the books are inside my core yet it says it's inside my inventory. I suppose that means this space is my inventory."

My eyes passed those books and landed on the book I got from the tutorial.

"CRAP! I messed up, why didn't I check the guidebook first!"

I had completely forgotten to check Beginner's Dungeon Making Guide, hurriedly I grabbed the book and quickly flipped through it.

I quickly skimmed through the book and let out a sigh of relief.

"Thankfully there isn't anything too game-changing in here."

I would've really regretted it if it included information on the starting races. Even if the new information wasn't enough to change my mind I would've regretted not using all possible sources of information before making my decision.

Luckily I got off easy this time, the book only contained some information on dungeons and some tips regarding how to organize monsters and rooms. The last part I could pretty much ignore since none of the strategies I saw is something I couldn't think up myself. However, there was some general knowledge on dungeons which I needed to take note of.

"I would love to just slowly make my dungeon without making an entrance until I'm ready, however, it seems that isn't possible."

The reason Dungeons make entrances which lead to their core is to expel waste. All mana that is absorbed into the dungeon is purified automatically thanks to our skill. But this also produces elemental dust.They are like particles which float in the air, they cannot do anything on their own but automatically bond to mana in the environment and changing its property. If the concentration of it grows too thick, it can even block the flow of mana and damage living creatures.

The entrance or more accurately exits are used to expel this energy back into the environment. After it combines with the mana outside, it will slowly disappear after a certain period of time or be absorbed by something and then used up. Most of the time animals or plants are the ones who absorb this, but sometimes a mage might come along and absorb that mana. It seems some elemental dust is destroyed in the purification process, so only about 60% of the original elemental energy is left after purification.

However, that doesn't change the fact that dungeon cores will still emit waste automatically.

Simply put mana is food, purified mana is energy and elemental dust is crap. An entrance is needed to get rid of the waste.

"Pfft, if people know that everytime they enter a dungeon they would be entering through the ass they would probably quit dungeneering altogether."

Going into Dungeon Perception, I see my core looking almost like pure glass, with only small specs of green dotting my core. In contrast, the room I'm in is slightly lime in color. It isn't at the point where it would hurt me but the waste will obstruct my absorption of mana, the longer I go without opening an entrance, the harder it will be to absorb mana. Until eventually I assume I will be stuck in a cycle of not being able to get new mana and not having enough mana to make an entrance. If I wanted to expel waste at the same rate I'm making them, then I must have at least a door sized entrance.

"In the end, I guess its impossible to slowly grow in peace huh."

—~=~—

Status Screen

General

Name: - (&^#@?%*)

Title: Reincarnated One

Race: Dungeon Core, Dungeon Master

Gender: -

Rank: Level 8 Low Iron Rank

Jobs: Dungeon Core LVL 6, Dungeon Master LVL 2

Stats

Strength: -

Agility: -

Stamina: -

Intelligence: 16

Wisdom: 18

Will: 8

Charm: 7

Mana: 857 (25)

Skills

Technique: -

Magic: Level 1 Mana Control, Magic Contract

Racial: Level 1 Dungeon Control

Unique: Reincarnated One, #*>@%,

Total Combat Evaluation:

LVL 0 Unranked (Dungeon is part of the Dungeon Core’s body and will be counted in the evaluation)

—~=~—