In the dungeon's core cave. Just as the monster was first summoned.

Name: ___ . Class: Wild Beast (Fire) . Level: 40

Species: Nightmare . Title: ___ . Rank: B

HP: 1238/1240 . SP: 721/840 . MP: 585/585

Attributes

Body: Str 194(124) . Con 144(73) . Tuf 130(78)

Move: Dex 16(28) . Agi 76(65) . Spd 255(183)

Mind: Int 18 . Wis 52 . Spi 49

Gen: Cha 25 . Att 48 . Luk 42

Bonus points: __

Traits

Race Bonus: +30Str +15Con +15Tuf +10Agi +50Spd +10Wis +10Spi

Size Bonus: +40%Body +20%Spd -20%Agi -40%Dex

Common Skills

___

Passive Skills

Listen 12 . Running 33 . Scent 19 . Sneak 5 . Spot 9 . Sprinting 14

Combat Skills

Bite 12 . Body Slam 9 . Kick 14 . Trample 11

Magic Skills

Fire 21 . Move 3

Unique Skills

___

Titles

___

Equipment

___

The dungeon had just called a monster into his core's cave successfully for the first time. Identify labeled it as a 'nightmare.' And to judge by how pregnant it looks, it was certainly a mare. In all other respects, it matches up with the description of a nightmare in a D&D monster manual.

A large horse, or at least it has the same shape as one. Not a super-large breed like a clydesdale, instead quite close to what some movies show NY City cops riding. The smoldering hooves were jet-black, just like the short fur. While the eyes were aglow with a fierce bright yellow light. When it opens its mouth, a bit of red-orange color shines out from deep in its throat. Showing their literal inner fire. Its breaths filled with smoke. A nightmare is almost as much a fire elemental as it is a horse shaped beast.

And she was beautiful. For a literally horse-faced girl.

[You'd make a great birthday present for my mom.] {Tame . Cost 25DP}

Target has higher Level: +300DP to tame

Target is Rank B: +50%DP to tame

[So it'll cost me 487? That'll leave me just about tapped out again. sigh, Sure.] {Do it.}

Wild Beast has become your Dungeon Beast

You now control an underdeveloped monster

Accelerate aging process?

[yes] [no]

[Must be the soon to be little one. Buy one, get one free.]

{Yes, always. Set that to default to yes and don't ask me again.}

Settings changed

Accelerate aging process set to automatic

[Now what to name you? Well, you're a nightmare and also a mare. You've already doubled down on the one. So how about the other? The french word for black is 'noir'. That sounds good enough for me.]

{Your name is now Noir.} to which she nodded.

Owned Monster Status Updated

Name Registered as "Noir"

[It was really a mistake to stop ignoring those messages.]

{Come, Noir. Touch my crystal so I can make you stronger.}

As instructed, she slowly trots over and nuzzles against the facets. The monster's breath upon his crystal body was as hot as inside an oven. But with his inorganic form, this was noted with the same concern as a fly upon the wall. [You could fry an egg just by breathing heavy on it. No, not even heavy. Just breathing regularly.] {Mod: +1Int}

There's just one question he had right now. [If I raise her Rank, would she get a bigger race bonus retroactively, or just going forward? Would her colts be born with the higher Rank as well? Why do the Mod uses reset at dawn, but the DP's refill at dusk? It's almost like they're from two different systems. How much longer until the freedom militia is ready to help me liberate the town's slaves?] Okay, a constantly well-rested, active mind can come up with nearly unlimited new questions.

Unfortunately he didn't have anyone to ask, mostly.

It doesn't matter to him anymore though, as Noir (black) the nightmare mare's body chose this moment to go into labor. The 'accelerated aging' process had changed her due time from 'any hour now' to 'this hour, get ready to catch.' This was the miracle of new life. That many people couldn't even be paid to watch. [It seems like the perfect time to discuss Koko's future.]

¤¤¤

{Hey Mom, it's time for us to discuss an important future decision with your sister & niece. In private.}

"Oh? What about?" Her left fox ear twitches, as if it was hoping to catch his voice. As much an instictive action as a learned one.

..

"Fine, be that way." She pouts at his lack of response. Her cute fox-tipped nose scrunched up with mild irritation.

. . .

. . .

*sigh* "It's not like I had anything better to do anyway." She unfolds her legs to stand up. Letting her concentration break. Without her continuous flow of mana, the candle-less flame before her sputters out.

She starts heading toward their shared room, expecting to find them there. But a stone slab etched with a direction arrow appears in front of her. Pointing left toward the training halls. "Right, thanks." [No, left is right. Right is wrong. Nah, it's a good thing she couldn't hear me say that. The joke wouldn't have translated.]

As she approaches the archery range a few beastkins start saluting her. Right fists over their hearts, heads bowing down. Frustrated, she berates them "I told you before, I'm not some general! Stop treating me like one!"

Scowling, she stalked past them. Stomping her paws in anger as she went.

Toeclaws clacking on the floor louder than her pawpads were slapping it.

It seems her sister heard the outburst. Since she stopped her firing practice to wait. Unsurprising with ears like theirs. When Dara finally neared, she gave a mock salute. Shouting "Welcome, Commander General Sister, Sir. To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?"

Little Koko by her side copied her stance with a giggle.

*sigh* "Don't you girls start that, too."

"Yeah, I know you aren't some great military leader. But look around, your kit is already well on his way. Surprising given his current age. (negative 4.6 months) If anything you're a placeholder? No, the general's assistant."

"Enough about me, our dear 'general' has something he wants to discuss with you." The fox beastkin kneels down to talk with her young human niece at close to eye-level. "Both of you. Let's go back for privacy."

"What's this about? And why does it involve my Kotsumi?" (rhymes with 'so sue me' but with the tsu from tsunami)

A bit startled, the Hero checks his cousin's Status. [Huh. Turns out Koko was just a kid's type pet name for her. But why does it sound like it's japanese? Dammit, now I wanna know. Did they hear that from some isekai guy? Or is it even a real japanese name? Why doesn't the universal language skill include personal names? With how everyone else's name sounds to me, it might just be a coincidence. Like Dara instead of Sara, or Kestral from Krystal. It's kinda like copyright avoidance, like 'Adidos' or 'Hallmart'. But with names instead of brands. What other weird names are out there? Gamifur Bikael and Stebe? (from Jennifer, Michael and Steve)]

"He wouldn't write. He gets all tight-lipped as it were, whenever he runs low on po-eents."

[BWAAHAHAHAHAHAA!! That cracks me up every time!]

Eventually they make their way back to the living quarters. The two guards Pan and Vela are out, training those who are willing. Leaving the three of them alone with, in the omnipresent entity.

"Can you let us in on what this is about?" asks the girl's mother, visibly concerned.

In response, he starts dropping in writing-filled slabs. His own mother reads them aloud: "{First what we will discuss needs to stay a secret from everyone. I need each of you to make a vow upon the Gods to never reveal what would be discussed right now to others. This is for my safety as well as everyone around me.} Wow. I've never read him be so serious before. Is this- I think so, yes. Do it Kestral. Make the vow, this can only be good for the both of you."

. . after the two make their vows, the discussion stalls.

A tiny stone bit etched with the number '3' appears in Dara's hand.

So she makes a vow as well. Then the discussion continues.

"{A few days ago I overheard little Koko ask about having a tail, like yours. I can make that happen. I was given a Unique Skill called Modification. It lets me change anything about a person. With certain conditions. It must be a single word. Like Strength or Intelligence. Or beastkin. Koko, I can make you all fluffy and poofy like our mommies are.}"

"Wow, riwwy? You can do dat big bro?"

"{Of course. We're family, cousin. It won't be all at once. Might take me a few weeks once I get started. I just have to touch you and you'll get fluffier each day. And that's why I wanted the vow of secrecy. Some bad men might decide to take all this gift for themselves. And the only way for them to force me would be by stealing all of you.}"

"I thought you said he gets less verbose."

"Maybe he wasn't running low then. {There was just one thing to think about. One option is to be foxxy like us. Another good option is to stay human like you are now. But a third option is to be a new, even more foxxy type of foxkin. With this last choice I can use my dungeon powers to make you immortal. I'm offering this to all three of you. And don't be scared, I've already decided to take this option myself.} Thi- . . Wha- . . Oh, Gods!"

[Couldn'ta said it better myself.]

"Wow‽ Just. Wow!"

[You put it succinctly.]

"{Take your time to decide. You still have decades to wait, if you want. But becoming an immortal is kind of a big thingy. I won't be able to start until we meet face to face anyway. Or at least face to facet.}" [Oh, there's another pun no one in this world will appreciate. Guess the conversation's over now, I just ran out of DP's by doing all these scribblings. Good thing my refill(sunset) is in about 7 minutes.]

"So I's can be more fwuffy-er dan you, mommy? Dat's wha I wan. But wha's a mimortaw?"

"Sweetie, an immortal is, well . . not mortal. It means you just can't die. But can he really do that? No, even if he can't, just the suggestion of the possibility would mobilize all the armies of the world. We really need to keep this a secret. Even from our friends, family and tribe."

[Glad you see things my way on this. Mostly. Eternity would be boring, no, heartbreaking by myself. Close family and BFF's should be welcomed. Now how are my horsies doing?]

¤¤¤

He moves his perception back to the core cave. Just in time to see the baby(colt) take his? Her? Oh, definately his then, first sip of mother's milk.

[Awww. So precious. And messy..] {Recycle} All of the afterbirth was instantly converted into intangible DP's. Regardless of whether it was on the floor or the elder of the monsters.

The DP's were replenished at this point, due to nightfall.

[That's butter! Mostly. Now as for you, little guy.] He checks the less than hour old horse monster's status. And noticed the newborn firey beast was labeled Wild. Not Tame like its mother had become. [So it'll accelerate a pregnancy, but then I gotta catch 'em myself afterwards? Better to know than remain ignorant. Pokéball Go!] {Tame} followed by another {Recycle}

{Your name is Ember. Once you've had your fill, come and touch my crystal. So I can make you strong.} He blearily lifts his head from the teat. Blinked twice. Then returns to his first meal ever.

[Now I wonder how much time compression there is from the aging acceleration? 10X? Maybe even 100X? Would it even use decimal at all? Or maybe it could be tied to the timekeeping this world uses. One day's time equals one week/month/year of growth. X8, X40 or X400 respectively. Hmm, it's probably the month then. Just X8 or X10 doesn't sound like enough to really be all that useful. While X100 or more seems just whackadoodle.]

In the time the dungeon spent musing to himself, Ember the newborn horse monster finished filling his little tummy. Then he started wobbling towards the crystal set into the back wall. With mama Noir nuzzling at him to help with his balance.

{Mod: +1Tuf}

Okay, that's enough of this flashback into the montage. It's finally time for some action.

Next update.