After the initial acceleration, I had some questions concerning the data packets.

“A.I. how do I open the data packets?”

“You must open up your dungeon menu then go to dungeon additions and select the desired packet you want to learn and you will learn it.”

“Just learn it?”

“Yes, you will understand what I mean when you open the data packet.”

Utilizing this new found knowledge I opened up dungeon additions and proceeded to open data packet machines T3. When I opened machines T3 I felt as if I had made countless machines before, with each one from a different viewpoint, but with everything except for the machine to be out of focus, I could see the inner workings of windmills, mechanical water pumps, clocks, watches, mechanical computers and many more machines. I could understand how they worked, what their purpose was and how to construct them. At that moment I had gained an understanding of them and could now visualize each part of a machine easier however the individual purpose of each part was not exactly clear for I only understood how to build the machines and their purposes not the purposes of each individual part.

Seeing as what the A.I. had meant by learn, I opened the other data packets. Mechanical workings T3 let me understand the purpose of each part and what they do along with a list of common parts used in machines. Technology T3 gave me manufacturing, and processing techniques, along with knowledge on common chemicals involved in them. While metals gave me information on the metals of this universe.

After receiving this information I got excited. If machines T3 gave me information on mechanical computers then what would be in T5? What about T10? Wanting to advance to these higher tiers I decided to ask the A.I.

“A.I. how do I advance to data packets to higher tiers?”

“To advance data packets to higher tiers you must gain knowledge about that field by either learning it from studying technology or texts left behind by a civilization that has already advanced farther than you in that field, study that field yourself, or spend dungeon points to advance in that field. Keep in mind that dungeon points will only get you as far as other people have discovered it and no farther.”

“Well, Thanks for the information!”

“Your welcome? I am merely an A.I. there is no need to thank me.”

Ignoring the A.I.’s comment I went to work in Dungeon CAD, after all, if getting more information can get me more data packets then how much would a steam engine advance machines? Electric motors? These were some of the many questions I had that would only be solved in time.

After much trial and error I had finally managed to create a working steam engine in Dungeon CAD using simple heat enchantments and lots of steel. After expanding upon the steam engine, I started creating things that used steam to move such as doors. The doors were connected to a switch; when flipped it would allow steam to flow to a set of pistons which would then unlock the door allowing it to be opened.

After creating various things for a while, I decided to go into the life menu to see if there was anything in it. In the life menu I found an object called machine core T1. The machine core’s description was, “A machine core, similar to a monster core but it is different in almost every way. This machine core is only capable of executing simple commands and will only execute those commands and no others. The machine core T1 maximum number of outputs is six while its maximum number of inputs is two. The machine core must be connected to the rest of the machine through wires or valves both of which can be chosen when first importing the machine core into your machine. The machine core has many benefits compared to a monster core. The monster core relies on being in the central nervous system of the monster and takes on a spheroid shape, while the machine core T1 takes on a polyhedron, but is not limited to a sphere like shape.”

Seeing the lengthy description I decided to open a new workspace in Dungeon CAD and created a machine core with six outputs and two inputs. After creating the core I created a steam engine and connected it to one of the cores inputs and saw the cores menu change.

Machine Core T1

Power usage 2 units per hour

View Core Log

Input 1: Steam Engine

Input 2: Unused

Output 1: Unused

Output 2: Unused

Output 3: Unused

Output 4: Unused

Output 5: Unused

Output 6: Unused

Seeing this change I knew I now had a way to tell if something was connected to the core. I then proceeded to make a steam accumulator for the steam to go into after which, would leave the engine through six pipes that had valves at the end and were controlled by wires that toggled them on or off by being pulled on by the machine core output mechanisms. These valves controlled pistons that worked together to create a six axis mechanical arm. After saving the design as six-axis steam driven arm I created a new workspace and imported 6 of these arms. After I imported the arms I created a chassis to mount the arms on I then proceeded to move the steam engines from each arm along with their steam accumulators into the main chassis. Seeing as to how I would have a problem moving each individual arm myself I added a machine core on the chassis to control the arms and in the process I unlocked a new feature in Dungeon CAD.

Control Machine Core T1

A machine core that controls other cores allowing for more advanced actions, can be controlled by dungeon core. Can control two other cores of an equal or lesser rank. Cannot control other Control Cores. Power usage 4 units per hour when in use. Startup time 30 minutes.

Seeing as how I conveniently got a new core type just as I needed one I decided to put it to use. I added three machine cores onto the chassis with each one controlling two arms, one on each side. After I got done adding the control cores I proceeded to make a mount for myself, the Dungeon Core. When I was done creating the dungeon mount, I looked at it and found that is was a steampunk fan’s dream come true, If only I had added a chair on top along with some levers to control it, which I didn’t because I am a dungeon and not a person. I also realized something else. It was not meant for space travel, sure it looked cool and it was somehow functional but it would not help me in my current situation, so I went back into Dungeon CAD to continue designing more machines.

The next design I made was a strange one. The design had a boiler in the back that controlled pumps with the assistance of a machine core. The pumps each lead to a steam accumulator that was kept warm using fire enchantments. Each steam accumulator had a machine core in it that controlled several valves that would shoot out high pressured steam in the direction opposite of that I want to move. I had also attached three control cores to give me control of the entire vehicle allowing me to move in all directions.

After building for so long I decided to check to see how much mana I had, so I checked my menu.

Machine Dungeon

Name : Atlas

Species : Sapient Dungeon Core T2

Gender : N / A

Age : 5 Days

Health : 1000 / 1000

Health Regeneration Rate : 8 per Hour

Magic : 555 / 1000

Magic Regeneration Rate : 1 per Hour

Power : 0 / 50 Units Used

Inventory : 0 m³ / 1 m³

Titles : Machine Dungeon, Kaladrian Space Pioneer, Voyager, Nomadic dungeon

Jobs : Dungeon Master

Status

Constitution : 30

Perception : 125

Intelligence : 95

Dungeon Menu

“Hey, A.I. how do I increase my mana production?”

“You must expand your dungeon to collect the ambient mana in the surrounding area.”

“And if I can’t do that?”

“That’s Impossible! There is always ambient mana to collect.”

“. . . I suppose you forgot that we are floating through space. Where there is no ambient mana at least not enough for my status to factor it in with my mana generation.”

“Oh, I forgot to account for that fact. Well I suppose you could increase your core mass so you can draw more mana from upper planes.”

“Upper planes?”

“Ah, normally dungeons don’t have to worry about upper planes when they are this young, but normally dungeons aren’t in an area where they rely on upper planes for getting all of their mana. Normally we A.I.’s call the mana collection from upper planes as your mana generation rate until you come into contact with some sort of creature that lives within the higher planes.”

“You say higher planes, but what are the properties of these higher planes?”

“The higher planes are really just planes of existence that rely on higher forms of energy to exist. Because there are such energies, objects from higher planes tend to radiate energy of some sort of energy, however objects from lower planes tend to do the opposite, they absorb energy.”

“What if an object came from a plane that had no higher energy, a plane without mana I guess you could call it.”

“Depending on the object the effects could range from just drawing mana in, to ripping a hole through the plane into a lower energy plane creating mass destruction capable of destroying whole worlds in an instant, however you shouldn’t worry about that. A plane without mana wouldn’t be able to exist, and if it did nothing would be able to get to higher dimensions because nothing would be able to live down there after all, all living things need mana to live.”

“Ok, but how do I increase my core’s mass?”

“To increase your core’s mass you must collect and condense large amounts of mana within your core expanding it outwards.”

With that explanation I tried following the A.I.’s instructions. First I looked at myself through my dungeon sight, then zooming in, I tried to look into myself. I saw a crystalline structure full of impurities and imperfections, so I took upon myself the task of clearing the impurities out and improving my structure. This process took four months. At the end of the four months I had taken on the shape of a glowing neon blue cube. I decided to check my menu again after not having checked it for almost four months.

Machine Dungeon

Name : Atlas

Species : Sapient Dungeon Core T2

Gender : N / A

Age : Four Months

Health : 1639 / 1639

Health Regeneration Rate : 8 per Hour

Magic : 1232 / 2376

Magic Regeneration Rate : 3 per Hour

Power : 0 / 62 Units Used

Inventory : 0 m³ / 1 m³

Titles : Machine Dungeon, Kaladrian Space Pioneer, Voyager, Nomadic dungeon

Jobs : Dungeon Master

Status

Constitution : 54

Perception : 137

Intelligence : 97

Dungeon Menu

Seeing as how my mana generation increased along with my mana storage I became happy, however that does not change the fact that I am still drifting through space, so I opened Dungeon CAD and tried creating a simple electric motor and succeeded in making one in the simulation, so with me being bored and with a little mana to spare at the current time. I made an electric motor and activated it and with it came a message.

“Through a Demonstration of Your Knowledge of Technology Data Packet Machines T3 Has Turned into Data Packet Machines T4.”

And with that message came the learning experience that came with all data packets, however this time it was not nearly so intense as it covered things I already knew such as steam engines and electric motors like the one I had made.

After receiving the knowledge from the data packet I corrected my course and went back into Dungeon CAD. Five more months had passed and at the end of the five months, I had finally arrived at a new planet.