on this floor has been reached>

The longest message I’d ever seen popped up. Standing up on my minion’s shoulders let me finally put that right above the two arrow traps in the first corridor. The plan was to do the same layout of traps for the other corridor before this annoying message came.

“Why is there a limit?” I hissed and kicked the dumb core.

“Unfair?” replied my minion.

How was it unfair? This was my life, my safety at risk, because of some dumb rules? Who even put these rules here? If there was a limit on how many traps I could put down, what other limits were there?

With my wisdom increased from getting [Mana Manipulation] both me and the core were recovering two mana an hour. With thirty mana to spend still I wasn’t sure what to do with my plans blocked off.

Make more rooms or add more creatures? As I was considering my choices an alert rang in my head. The core vanished from my claws, no doubt going to its pedestal in the .

A Delve had started.

By the time I got out of the hallway it was over which surprised me since it was nearly instant. Of the six foxes I had guarding the entrance room one was dead and the rest surrounded two wild fox corpses.

“Oh, what good work.” I pet a couple of the foxes heads which they enjoyed and watched the wild fox bodies fade into nothing as the dungeon absorbed them. I didn’t notice anything new, no options or extra spirit points, so I wasn’t sure what absorbing them exactly did.

“Hmm?” That was odd. No, was it odd? “Minion!”

“Master?” My minion walked up to me and nodded.

“Where is my dead fox?”

He looked at the spot where the wild foxes were. “Dungeon eat.” When I glared at him he cowered and hastily corrected, “Dead! Dungeon fox dead.”

Ah, what did I really expect? Of course I’m the smartest one here so why would my minion know? He had random knowledge at times as a dungeon creature so I was a bit hopeful.

“Dungeon creatures revive, right?” I asked. It was a more specific question so maybe…

“Yes. Need room,” he replied cautiously.

I pet him on the head too like I did the foxes and hurried back to the . The difference of knowledge I got and my minion got confused me. Wouldn’t it make more sense for me to know these things?

There were currently three rooms: the entrance with the archway, the middle room, and the . I grabbed the core and brought it back to the entrance. Honestly I didn’t know it vanished to its room when an intruder came so I could stop worrying about being caught with it.

>Upgrade Rooms

>Designate Boss Room

>Assign Creatures

It took all of my awesome self-control not to throw the core at someone. Why hadn’t I seen this before? Of course I wanted a ! I tried to select it but got a feeling of rejection.

First limits and now requirements? I mashed down on the message but it refused to tell me anything more. Well, if I couldn’t have a boss then I should upgrade the rest of my rooms.

>Kobold Lair - 25 MP

The resting spot for all kobolds. Allows assigned kobolds to respawn, requires one bedding per kobold.

>Fox Den - 25 MP

A home for all foxes. Allows assigned foxes to respawn, requires one bedding per fox.

>Rosefur Fox Den - 25 MP / 1 Spirit

Requires Fox Den. Allows one assigned fox to become Rosefur Matriarch.

Interesting! Kekeke, so if I made a I wouldn’t have to worry, right? I would be able to revive, right!? Before I knew it I had already touched the floor of the which held our nests with a glowing claw.

I blinked. Right, I moved the nests over to the middle room and tried again. I might have let my actions get away from me for a moment, but anyone would understand. This time it was successful.

The dark red wooden walls slowly melted to resemble a crude cave, although the walls were still wood, with a spherical ceiling. The floor turned into packed dirt with sparse grass underfoot. A fire pit grew in the middle of the room and lit itself with a smoldering flame. The air grew warmer, something that was extremely comfortable over the normally cold rooms.

I was giddy when I went to assign myself and my minion to the room. Finally, the fear of dying would be beaten! Ah, dying would still be awful but at least it wouldn’t be the end. I opened the list and froze.

I wasn’t there. No, no, where was my name? I mean I didn’t have a name, but my minion was on there! Clearly he was and when I tapped his name I got a very clear image in my head of him. The five dumb foxes were also there as well. Just not me!

The core went flying across the room to land in my nest.

Is this how you repay your debt, you smug core!? After I protected you and built your dungeon, you abandon me like this? I knew I was a dungeon creature since I had no memories before a couple days ago. Deep down in my spirit I knew, yet why was there a difference between me and my minion. Between me and the foxes?

No, it wouldn’t do anything if I continued to be angry at stuff I didn’t understand. It was good that my creatures wouldn’t die permanently. Wasn’t that their role? Ah, I went over to the core and assigned my minion to the . At least his life was secure. I didn’t want to have that spirit point wasted.

My minion came into our new lair and marvelled at it. “Is very nice feeling.”

“Yes, it is. I don’t have more mana to make the right now so we’re training.” I motioned for him to get ready and he held up a claw.

“Master, can ask?”

This was surprising. “Yes?”

“Claws no good. Feel bad. Give weapon?”

That… that was a good idea. I liked using my claws, especially the way they feel now that they seem sharper, but a weapon? I flexed my claw and debated on it for a moment. It was true that even after all our training, my minion still hasn’t learned [Claw Techniques].

As was everything in my life, all weapons were made of wood. “Dagger or sword?”

“Dagger is small, pointy sword?” he asked. I nodded and he agreed.

Five mana bought him a dagger worth its cost. It wasn’t sharp enough to cut scales but it was solid with a point that could still pierce. Well, not my scales without some serious stabbing, but the fleshy bellies of foxes would be no problem.

Hours passed as we fought, my minion still falling behind when it came to landing a blow but he was growing incredibly annoying with how quickly he moved. The dagger was a good idea as where I could easily counter his claws, a dagger kept me at bay with its improved reach.

It still wasn’t enough to stop me from trouncing him when he got tired.

After we finished I had enough mana to buy my meal for the day, especially since I got really hungry after training, and we began the night cycle. My minion, who I was thinking needed a name because he wasn’t always going to be my only minion, played with his new dagger in his nest while I practiced [Mana Manipulation].

Before I slept I went to the entrance room. I had recovered enough mana along with the core to buy all the dumb foxes some . That left enough mana that I would reach my limit when I woke up and could upgrade their room.

“You all don’t even appreciate them,” I muttered as I watched the foxes gather on their respective beddings. It was hard to believe they were just cubs and it made me think of what the room upgrade said. sounded powerful, but it would be my last spirit point. Did I really want to spend it?

I’d sleep on it.

————————————

My scales tingled as I jolted awake. Again? I ran a claw down my face and kicked my minion awake since he was somehow still sleeping. “Get up, lazy minion.”

“Whuh?” he blearily asked.

He looked so carefree and sleepy, the exact opposite of how I was feeling now. “You feel it?”

“Master?”

So the weird alert I got was something only the [Dungeon Master] could feel then. That made some sense but made me suspect that if I didn’t shape up my kobolds then they would get snuck up on. Not everyone could be as sharp as I was.

Yelps and barks were so loud they were coming through the door as we neared the entrance. I decided to peek through instead of go in bravely and was glad I did. A monster twice as tall as my minions with fangs the as long as my limbs and paws as big as my body viciously tore apart one of my foxes with a snap of its jaws.

Three of my own were biting into its legs with a fourth on its back, but it seemed unfazed. What was this monstrosity?!

“Minion, go help them!” I demanded.

His feelings about it were well summed up in the look he gave me, but my orders were absolute and he snuck through the door. I remained behind to watch and retreat if I needed to. Hopefully his training would be enough.

A howl tore through the dungeon that froze my blood and bones. It hurt to move, my body locked up with terror and it was even worse for my creatures. The fox on its back fell off like a bag of meat and the others biting its legs slid down without resistance.

My minion recovered just as I did and boldly jumped onto its back. The visage of the beast twisted as his dagger found a place in its neck twice. It broke the spell on the fox cubs and they immediately went back to tearing into this huge beast.

A paw swiped at a fox and sent it flying into the wall as three separate pieces, sliced by its claws and pulverized by its strength. It was barely as fast as one of the cubs, yet its strength was so much more that it only took one hit.

While each bite of the cubs wasn’t much, they added up as the beast’s dark red fur became as black as its underbelly and maw when it was slick with its blood. A twist of its neck and a snap tore another cub into pieces and I watched a true feat of bravery in that moment.

Minion leapt from its neck to its face and stabbed the crude wooden dagger in its eye. Of course the next moment it turned its head sideways and immediately devoured the fool, but his act was an amazing one still.

It only took moments for it to crush the remaining foxes. Oh it looked incredibly hurt from its battle, but now I had absolutely zero creatures to send at it and wasn’t liking my chances after all I’d seen.

Its eyes met mine.

I could feel the beat of its paws as I dashed toward the , threw open the door, and turned back to chance a look before I closed the door. Ah, I could’ve locked the entrance door…

It ran through the open door and triggered my traps. Finally they were being put to good use! A large block of wood fell from the ceiling and crashed into its head sending it to the floor and just in time as two wooden arrows shot out to pierce its neck. What good traps they are, it was such a disappointment that I had a limit on them.

Somewhere in my head it told me there was a way to increase the limit but I ignored it. I had bigger things to worry about! Even my amazing traps hadn’t put down the beast for good.

“Kekeke, stupid beast. You’ll never defeat me. I am the great—Ahh!” It rushed to its feet and lunged at me, somehow crossing the entire corridor before I could blink. Wasn’t it super slow before?! It was so surprising that I reflexively slammed the door closed.

And promptly forgot that it opened both ways unless locked.

met a giant beast head on with a sick thud that I saw part of the door splinter. I waited for my inevitable demise as I readied my claws. It wasn’t going to take me so easily, and I was the strongest in my dungeon!

...Where was it?

A low mewling came from the corridor and I peeked past the door. Ah, right, I had a spiky pit trap right outside this door. How did I forget about it? The beast had fallen head first into the pit and had several wooden spikes piercing it throughout, even a couple broken by its weight.

I grinned and laughed in delight. Traps were the best! Of course now I had to wait for it to die so my minion, no, my chief minion because he was better than the rest, could revive.

Minutes passed and it still wasn’t dead. Go down and kill it myself? No, I am but a simple kobold. How could I do such a thing? Still, it was hanging on for a long time for something that was skewered and already injured. Could I have taken this thing if it passed the pit?

That was an answer for another kobold less smart than I.

The mewling stopped and what I was thinking as the ended. Whew, close call. Now, how long did it take for my chief minion to revive? My foxes… well, they were only five mana.

So that was an adult fox? The body disappeared as the dungeon absorbed it. If that was what one was like then I was definitely investing in that fox room. Having something like that on my side would be very good indeed.

The dungeon started to repair the damage it took as I stretched and felt a pleasant crack in my spine. It wasn’t an ideal way to wake up but the day had started already, no sense in going back to sleep.

First thing was to check if I gained anything from absorbing such a powerful foe. Hmm, no, not that, oh I now had bone and hide equipment to choose from? Ah, so that’s how it was going to be.

I had gained one spirit point.