Dungeon Annihilation 3-21

Good Morning! I have two versions, and unless I get a lot of feedback, I will be going with Version 2. 

Chapter 21

Regan/Earle

Time for some building! I had been focusing too much on external affairs as of late. That was all good and fun, but I couldn’t neglect my dungeon. I had two sub-cores now, however, that didn’t mean that I was safe in case someone powerful attacked me. There was such a cliff for power climbing in this world that a single tier was already leagues above the previous one.

Speaking of tier, I was close to reaching tier three. Just gathering mana was fairly easy. My problem was the fact that I was using it left and right. At least I didn’t have the roadblock of a breakthrough that most mortal had to deal with as a dungeon. I tapped my proverbial chin since I was in my ethereal form before I moved under my core room.

“Set. What sort of floor do you think I should make next?” I asked my dungeon fairy. Even though she wasn’t near me, she could hear anything I addressed to her no matter the distance. Another pro of being a dungeon.

The fairy in question appeared with a poof of smoke. “Something a bit more deadly would be nice. The last couple floors might be able to delay a party, but it lacks in the finishing blow department.”

“I can’t say I don’t agree,” I replied. “The question then is what sort of theme should I go for?” Magic was more powerful with a strong image. If I created the floor with a strong mental image it would be that more effective. “What to do? What to do?”

“Are there not more sins as you call them?” Set asked.

Version ONE

“Hmm. There are a few more minor ones, but I don’t want to do another sin floor. The virtues might be good but I can’t think of a way to twist them good enough. I meant they are the virtues for a reason.” Wait. I paused as I actually thought about the virtues. Should I even bother twisting them?

I had the sins mainly because I thought it was funny. They also had a set theme that increased the monsters’ powers to a degree. If I created virtue floors that the adventurers suddenly had to deal with, I’d wager it would throw them off to a good degree. Plus, being virtuous was almost impossible for many people in this strength makes right world. As the church of Lelune, at least from what I’ve researched, didn’t have anything pre say on the dealings of righteousness and wickedness.

I clapped my hands deciding to go with that idea. The tower grew taller around us with a grinding of bricks and stone. I was End tier two, so I had access to over ninety floors. With the Neon City, I had only used thirty-five. It had been a few weeks since I had actually grown the physical tower. I still found it fascinating that the tower only occupied roughly a kilometer in diameter space outside, but the floor was nearly five and six hundred kilometers inside. If the trend kept up, it would be in the thousands before long.

Looking at the empty floor, I tapped my mental chin as I debated which virtue to do first. I went with Pride as the entrance level boss. Afterwards, I couldn’t help regretting that given that Pride is supposed to be the strongest sin. There wasn’t much I could do about it at the moment as boss levels were to change once set.

I shook my head. Enough dwelling in the past. Since I did Pride first, I might as well go with Humility. If I remembered correctly, the virtues were commanded by the seven archangels. It took me longer than I cared to admit remembering the name of the angel over humility. Being a scientist, I wasn’t exactly religious when I lived on Earth.

Before working on the boss, I needed to create a suitable stage for them. I snapped my fingers and the floor expanded to its maximum size. Since I was using five floors worth at a time, it was quite the space at nearly a hundred kilometers. I created a mountain in the center that reached to just below the ceiling.

At the peak, I created a temple. I made it look very holy with white and silver colored marble floors and pillars. It possessed an open planning with the sky being the ceiling. Only above the temple would the sky transition from day light to a night sky filled with thousands of stars. All and all, it looked very lovely. I cringed a little when I finished putting the final touches on it. It just went against the whole aesthetic I had been creating since I came to this world. Shadows and darkness.

“It is… very different, master,” Set noted when I finished designing the temple.

“Yeah. I’m getting goose bumps just looking at it,” I admitted. The rest of the floor took on a picturesque view. A nice river made its way down the mountain and cut through a jungle of sorts. Now I needed to create the beings that would be protecting this floor.

Boss Description. Rapheal, female oni that has been altered to appear as an angel. 

Version Two

“There are but I’m sort of tired of doing sins. It feels like I’m teaching the mortals how to behave or something,” I admitted rubbing my head.

“The mortals like their wars,” Set suggested and I grinned.

“That’s the truth,” I replied. I tapped my mental chin as I considered how to make that work. If the mortals had to amass a large enough force to get through the floor that would be a decent obstacle in its own right. Then there was the actual fighting they would have to do. I nodded deciding to go with that idea.

I clapped my hands deciding to go with that idea. The tower grew taller around us with a grinding of bricks and stone. I was End tier two, so I had access to over ninety floors. With the Neon City, I had only used thirty-five. It had been a few weeks since I had actually grown the physical tower. I still found it fascinating that the tower only occupied roughly a kilometer in diameter space outside, but the floor was nearly five and six hundred kilometers inside. If the trend kept up, it would be in the thousands before long.

On the outskirts of the floor, I created a simple town that possessed everything that I thought the adventurers would need this deep into the dungeon. For some parties, it would be very much like crossing a few countries if they didn’t have any tokens. Moving on from the town, I created the battlefield.

This is where I decided to have some fun. I made a new breed of oni. They were a mixture of undead and Verre crystal. I grinned at the thought of making the little priests and priestesses freak out when they saw that. Especially when they tried to use holy magic on them and the undead just absorbed the energy. As a handicap, I left them vulnerable to other types of magic, for now at least.

As for the setting, I went with World War two from Earth. There were a mixture of vehicles and weapons that the undead Oni could use. I debated allowing people take some of the guns out of the dungeon but didn’t like the idea of giving mortals that will one day be my enemy any sort of advantage. Thus, I enchanted the weapons to fade to dust a few minutes after they left the undeads’ hands.

As for the goal, I settled on a large victory arch that had a portal glowing in the center. They could claim it, or they could just rush through and head to the next floor. I planned on setting the boss for this level to wander and engage adventurers based on a threat level that I conceived.

“That about does it,” I said once I finished with the ruin town that was the end goal. It looked very much like a European town that had been bombed to hell and back. As a point, I left some unexploded bombs here and there that would serve as traps.

“Excellent work, master,” Set said as she floated next to me in the smoke-filled sky above the floor. Not only was there smoke, but there were areas that possessed various toxic gases and poisons. Some were from this world, and some were chemicals that existed only from my chemistry sessions. Mustard gas for example. That would be a nasty surprise for the inhabitants of this world.

“Why thank you Set,” I replied with a cocky smirk.

“What do you intend to do of the boss?”

“I hate to do it, but I’m going to use Sloth’s design. She’s the most powerful boss I have at the moment.” Sloth was already over tier three. She was loyal to the dungeon but wasn’t very useful given that she liked to, well, lay around all day. In fact, I think she has only awoken once since I created her and that was to eat before she went back to sleep in a matter of minutes. An example of how focusing on the theme might actually cause problems.

“Are you sure that is safe?” Set asked her deadpan voice actually sounding concerned. As a dungeon fairy, it was her responsibility to make sure I didn’t kill myself.

“Probably not,” I said mentally shrugging and preparing for the worst.

Forming the magic circle in front of me, I altered the magic accordingly. Using Sloth as the template, I played with the settings until I got what I felt worked best. When I was sure that I was going to get the best result, I activated the magic circle.

Mana crackled as it rushed into the circle. I had plenty to fuel it with, so I did so. Individual beings were easier to raise to higher tiers than myself. They required much less mana overall to reach the next tier after all. The magic continued to condense for several minutes. It was already in the hundred thousand if I were to put a number to it.

A bright glow filled the area as the magic reached its peak before there was a thunderous bang. As I feared, but expected nonetheless, a young girl stood in the center of the circle. She wore a white uniform that looked an altered Russian military uniform. Blond hair that went to her shoulders were crowned by three long white horns.

Several disks that were made from Verre crystal floated in the air behind her back. She also held a rifle that while the overall shape was that of a rifle used during that time, had been magicified, if that was the right word. Crystal ran down its face and the metal bright blue that looked like star light.

“Tanya?” I blurted out remembering something from Earth then laughed. “Never mind. Let’s call you Tatiana.” I think that was Russian for fairy queen, and with the disks and white crown of horns, she had that feel. Even if it was a bit more demonic in nature.

“Yes, Sir,” Tatiana said with a tight salute. “What are your orders?”

“I think I like you already. For now, stay on standby.” Much better than Sloth that attacked me as soon as she was created. Judging from the energy rolling off her, she was well into tier three as well.

“Understood!” The crystals glowed before she rose into the air. She shot off toward the arch in the center of the town.

“Well, I feel a sense of achievement having finished a floor for once,” I said to Set.

“Yes, master. I also have an increased sense of safety with another floor between us and the adventurers.”

“Ah. You worry too much,” I said waving her off. “I should probably do some work in the north. I did say I would help that dungeon. I always keep my word.”

“What about the ballroom that you promised the mortal?” Set asked.

“Oh right. I had forgotten about that,” I said with a chuckle.