Kai stood on the entrance of his dungeon as he looked outside. He was looking to the forest as he felt the wind pass through his fur.

‘I need stronger hunters.’ He thought as he looked over his shoulder. ‘With the two wolves now breeding I might need to make more out of these wild dogs.’ He waited for a while before he moved inside once more and calling for two of the older diggers and had a small surprise. The older wild dogs, who had fought the lizards with him before had evolved into wolves after they had leveled up.

“Good.” Kai said as he smiled at his new wolves and before he gave new orders to them he opened his menu and bought the next evolution for 100 DP.

He selected two of the wolves that were before him and accepted the choice of evolving too. This made his body grow in size making him look even more menacing than before.

The two selected wolves grew a bit as well and their fur turned completely grey.

With a smile he ordered two wolves to guard the dungeon while he took the Grey Wolves with him as he walked outside the dungeon.

***

Walking through the forest edge looking for some hunt, the village hunters, along with Roran, were searching for some animals. There was already a good catch of a few foxes and birds.

Deciding that there wasn’t any large danger in the outer edge, they began to slowly move towards the deeper woods watching the tree tops and floor.

The roars and howls of animals could be heard all around leaving the hunters on high alert. Roran was in a small hunting party of 4 men spread no more than a few meters apart so they wouldn’t stay ouch of reach if one of them was in danger.

It was then that something unusual appeared before them. A big wolf covered in black fur and on the ground they could see the body of three deers and three bipedal lizards.

“Don’t move…” One of the hunters murmured to the others as they all watched the big wolf as it walked around its catch. It muzzle and claws were covered in blood which quickly dropped into the floor covering the grass with a layer of red.

It was then that the big wolf’s ear moved. They had been heard and once it lifted its head the four men breathed in a mouthful of air as they saw the three bloody red eyes looking at their way.

Scared of the beast one hunter after the another nocked an arrow on their bows. They were to take aim at the wolf when growling sounds surrounded them startling the men.

“Don’t move, or else you’re dead.” A low, guttural, and cruel voice came to their ears and they turned to see that the big wolf had started walking towards them. “Tell me, why are you all hunting me?” They saw the mouth of the beast moving and the voice coming out and it was at this time that one of the men, released one arrow without taking aim.

The arrow flew towards the big wolf, who avoided it by taking a step to side.

“You still attacked…” The wolf said as light shone on its eyes. “You’re… what is this smell?” The wolf suddenly said turning his head towards Roran. “You smell… like that child.” He said and all eyes turned to the man, who had his hands trembling like a leaf.

“No way… her story…” Roran murmured as he looked at the wolf before him. “It was real…” He said staring at the third eyes at the wolf’s forehead.

“So you know her…” The wolf said before turning to the guy who released its arrow. “Sorry, but look at what you did.” He turned to the side and a small cut could be seen on its hide. “You have to pay for it somehow…” He said and before it could talk two Grey Wolves, which were never seen before in the forest jumped from the sides.

They growled at the men but Roran ran and placed his head on the ground before the big black and white wolf.

“Be merciful, we were only hunting for our families. We weren’t after you, oh great wolf, sir.” He said still with his head down.

“It looks like some of you have a brain inside their heads.” The wolf said with a surprised tone of voice. “And you, what are you going to do?” He said looking at the other three men, who soon followed Roran’s action and bowed in a similar fashion than the man.

The growling stopped but the two Grey Wolves started to circulate the men as they watched to any strange movement.

***

After leaving his dungeon with his Grey Wolves, Kai moved towards the forest to try his lucky with some bigger prey like the day before and he was lucky enough to find three deers being attacked by three bipedal lizards and he couldn’t help but smile when he saw the scene.

With a howl he and the two Grey Wolves jumped on the six preys and using the surprise attack, as well as the intimidation of the howl, the prey soon fell to the ground, killed by their powerful jaws and claws.

Once they evolved, their speed and power grew as well showing that their size wasn’t only for show, but with real power behind it.

“Look around, don’t let anything come closer to us now.” He said as he circulated around the six dead bodies. He had to think on a way to take them back to his dungeon with him it was then that he heard a small murmur.

“Don’t move…” He heard so low that it looked like the wind but he turned his head in the direction and was surprised to see four men armed with bows, knives and some small prey around their waists.

He saw them look at him and prepare their bows but before they could take aim the Grey Wolves started growling as they circled around the group.

“Don’t move, or else you’re dead.” Kai said as he started to walk towards the men, with slow steps. He wasn’t going to go and attack them only to get some enraged NPC’s coming after his new dungeon. “Tell me, why are you all hunting me?” He asked as he if he was the main hunt the guys came to get.

It was at this time that one of the men released an arrow towards him, it was released without aim but was coming towards himself so he took a step to the side but the arrow run through the side of his body making a small cut on his hide.

Kai wanted to grimace with pain but endured it as he saw fear on the eyes of the four men that were before him.

“You still attacked…” Kai said looking at the men, which had his face full of terror. But when he took one more step a familiar smell hit his nose. “You’re… what is this smell?” He said turning his head to the man that was in the middle of the group, on his arm a small cloth could be seen wrapped as if it was an armlet. “You smell… like that child.” He said and the other men turned to the man, he was shaking like a leaf as Kai stared at him.

“No way… her story…” The man said as he looked at Kai. “It was real…” He said while looking at Kai’s head.

“So you know her…” Kai said before turning to the guy who released the arrow. “Sorry, but look at what you did.” He said showing a small cut that was on his hide. “You have to pay for it somehow…” He said and the two Grey Wolves jumped out from their hiding place.

They growled at the men but before they could do anything the man, with the familiar smell ran and placed his head on the ground before Kai, who was a bit startled by the man’s action.

“Be merciful, we were only hunting for our families. We weren’t after you, oh great wolf, sir.” He said still with his head down.

“It looks like some of you have a brain inside their heads.” Kai said with a surprised but happy tone of voice. “And you, what are you going to do?” He said looking at the other three men, who soon followed the man’s action and bowed in a similar fashion.

The grows stopped but the two Grey Wolves started to circulate the men as they watched to any strange movement.

“You may raise, but leave your weapons at the ground.” Kai said as he took started circling the four men.

“I thank you for your mercy, Great Wolf, sir.” The first man that bowed said as he raised to a sitting position. “I’m Roran and these are some of the hunters of Spring Peak Village.” He said looking forward, not daring to turn his head.

“I understand. I had brought a little girl to that village yesterday at dusk.” Kai said after he circled the group once just to stop before the man named Roran.

“She was my daughter and I’m really grateful that you brought her back to us.” He said still not looking at Kai’s eyes.

“To think I would stay before that girl’s father… she was rather unique.” Kai said as he looked at the group. “You may go, this is not a place to have a talk like this.” Kai said but it was at this time that his bracelet shined and a small doll appeared before him.

“You’re too stiff, you know that these guys meant no harm, and you still continue to be all bossy!” Isis said as she placed her hand on Kai’s paw. “Hello hunters from Spring Peak Village.” She said waving her hands.

“Oh Great Goddess of Life!” The four men shouted before they bowed deeply once more. “We are sorry to hurt one of your creation without discern!” They shouted in unison.

“There is no problem, you see, this big guy here is just all-” “Stop.” Isis started talking but Kai placed a paw over her face making her stop talking.

“Humans, you shall go before I change my mind. This doll is nothing important.” He said as he pressed the doll to the ground just and it started to struggle hitting his paw with its tiny hands.

The four were a bit dumbfounded by the action of the wolf and the Goddess Doll, but seeing that they were spared they quickly left the area.

Seeing that the four had left Kai lifted his paw releasing Isis, who was fuming and started kicking his leg.

“You’re just a big softy! You act all mighty but that is all an act, why don’t let them know already?” She said after some kicks.

“Because I don’t want to drop my roleplay.” Kai said as he walked towards the corpses of his prey. “And you know how long I had to think to come with this character’s personality?” He asked the Goddess.

“A few minutes?” She said and Kai glared at her. “So what are you staring at these bodies?” She said as she walked closer.

“I’m thinking on a way to send these back to the dungeon without leaving a tray of blood on the ground.” He said.

“Just use your shadow then.” Isis said a bit bored.

“Shadow?” Kai asked puzzled. “Why would I do that?” He asked still without understanding.

“You’re the Dungeon Core, its Heart, you control your dungeon. It will do all your ‘desires’, well, not all of them, but most of them. And as I said, you’re the Heart and as the Heart you can command these things to go to your dungeon.” She said as if it was the most normal thing of the world.

“So… you’re saying that I only need to think of sending this to the dungeon and it will got there?” He asked and Isis nodded. “Why didn’t you explain it on the tutorial?” He asked just to see the doll punch its head.

“I forgot. Tee hee!” Isis said and cutely hit her head and stuck her tongue out while winking causing making Kai sigh.

Closing his eyes, Kai felt the string that was attached to himself and thought of manipulating his shadows to pull the dead corpses into his dungeon. It was hard at first but soon he felt it and from the shadow a suction force appeared and once he opened his eyes he saw that his shadow had grown and was sucking the corpses in.

“Wow.” He said and once the corpses vanished his shadow returned to normal but this time he saw that it seemed to flicker. “So this is what I can do with this shadow of mine.” He said amused.

“Now, the reason I appeared before you, it was decided that the kill number will stay, but only for important things, like other dungeon bosses, a fight inside dungeon from any races of this world and for powerful beings like mystic creatures and natural formed bosses.” Isis said and Kai nodded at her.

“It was a quick judgment.” Kai said as he walked back to his dungeon with the two Grey Wolves following behind him.

“It wasn’t quick, this had been a talk since the early days of the games, but now that we have regular players, this will be a need…” She said with a sigh. “Oh yeah, in the next real world month the first dungeon pool will be released on the internet. People will be able to see how their dungeon is going and how their progress is, it will be a monthly update, so work hard to get the first place. There are some nice prizes for the ten best dungeons.” She said as she was sitting on one of Kai’s Grey Wolves.

***

“Arg! Why is this so hard!?” Terra shouted as she looked outside only to see most of the trees bare of small branches within a 100 meter radius of her dungeon. “What did I do wrong!?” She shouted.

“Ahahaha!” A sudden laughter was heard behind her and when she turned, she found that one of her wooden dolls was rolling on the ground laughing loudly, “W-what did you do wrong?! Ahahaha! Shouldn’t the question be ‘What did I do right?’ because you did so many wrongs choices that it’s funny!” she shouted.

“W-What!? Wait that voice! You're the AI! Also what do you mean I did so little right!?” She asked.

“Of course you screwed up, first you lack DP because you never hunt, your puppets are malnourished because you don’t hunt so they break easily, you cleared the woods of a lot of wood making it apparent that your dungeon is here. You only didn’t screw up more because you don’t hunt so no one knows about you.” Isis said through the puppet.

“W-what? These are puppets, how can they eat?” She asked.

“They are ‘magic’ puppets, how they eat is by converting matter into mana and absorbing it into their bodies. That makes their bodies much stronger. If you want to specifics of how that works though, I can’t say. Just blame magic.” Isis replied.

“E-eating? That was it.” Terra said and laughed at her own impatience. She looked at the pile of animals that were hunted, the few remaining edible ones at least, in the dungeon and told the dolls to eat while she watched.

The puppets walked over and each took a rabbit or lizard and put it against the place the mouth should be before a chunk of it turned into mana and was sucked in. They continued until the animal was completely absorbed. Their bodies glowed dully and after it stopped they began to move around with much smoother movements unlike before that was like a rusty robot.

She sighed, “Thanks.” She said to the goddess but she was already gone for a while leaving the girl to scratch her wooden head wondering where to go from here but she finally had an idea of how she could turn her now not so weak dolls into better creatures.

“First I need to give them some mouth… they probably aren’t ‘eating’ the ‘food’ with those plain weird faces… I should have thought about that before…” Terra sighed as she walked back to her dungeon while ordering her dolls to hunt some rabbit and lizards and to her surprise, they were faster than before, showing that it was the right to choice to hear the AI, even though she appeared laughing at her.

She too moved and tried to ‘eat’ some of the rabbits, even though she had a face, her mouth did not open, it was only a carving and the rabbit she put against her mouth entered her body as she ‘ate’ it while she observed the changes on her body.

‘I can ‘eat’, but at the same time not all the body is absorbed, some fall off and hits the ground.’ Terra thought after she finished her rabbit and with a small hope in her heart she moved with her dolls to continue hunting a bit so she could gather some more DP.

She was happy to see her body moving normally once more and was soon stopped by another puppet, this one had a perfect carved body and she stopped looking at it.

“I came to explain a few things you might not have noticed, but don’t overhunt, you need to let a good number so you can hunt everyday, another point is, don’t go wasting DP in things you will not need.” The AI said to her.

“But, how will I make them grow if they can’t ‘eat’ properly?” She asked gesturing that the doll had no face at all.

“It is how they are, you will soon see this, but to make it clear, don’t waste your time, just do things one at a time, no need to rush.” Isis said and the girl nodded. “Good girl, now for the main point of my visit…” She explained about the Kill count and about the first ranking of dungeons.

“I have no way to get on the top ten, I screwed things too easily.” Terra said as she sat on the ground. “I can’t move if I don’t pour everything in a single idea.” She said and felt someone touch her wood skin.

“There is no problem, you might be surprised by your own results.” Isis said before vanishing before the girl. “Just don’t lose hope.” The voice came but no body could be seen and Terra smiled.

“Then I’ll do my best! Dolls! Let’s continue our expanding plan!” Terra shouted as she stopped the dolls killing spree and organized them into groups.

***

“Looks like she is learning.” Isis said as she looked from the top of the world map, her figure a bit transparent but it was growing more and more visible as small globes of light jumped to her body.

“And I can’t wait to see how the players will react to this grading, I just hope they don’t discover the PVP as they’re now, some clearly have advantages over others.” She murmured as she prepared the first maintenance on the game.