Chapter 340: The Owner of the Dungeon Core
Dungeons grow under the guidance of a Dungeon Master. Thus, the Dungeon Core seeks out a Dungeon Master.
It is unclear what kind of person the previous Dungeon Master was or what philosophy guided their expansion of the dungeon. Perhaps they met an untimely demise due to some unforeseen event. Monsters born within the dungeon cannot become Dungeon Masters themselves; for the dungeon to grow, it seems that a living being from the outside must take on the role of Dungeon Master. However, for many years, no one has managed to navigate through the treacherous traps to reach the innermost depths.
“Wait, so you became the Dungeon Master just like that?”
“Yeah, it seems so.”
As the two of us sat on the sofa, we shared what we had learned from touching the Dungeon Core.
“Thinking about it, the previous master feels like a robot-loving Japanese person…”
The evidence lies in the dungeon’s enemies, which are all robots, and the design of the innermost chamber. The robots weren’t particularly intelligent, so they could be considered akin to the golems of this world. Still, the layout of this room feels a bit far-fetched.
“So, that previous master was the one who created this innermost chamber, right?”
“That would be the case.”
I looked around the room again; it had the interior design of a house you might find in Japan.
“It definitely feels like a house you’d find in Japan…”
Whether it was the Japan we knew or a parallel world version of it remains a mystery. However, pondering it further won’t yield any answers. We need to think about what to do next. By the way, a Dungeon Master is not bound to the dungeon; they are recognized by the Dungeon Core and granted the rights and knowledge to use it.
“Still, managing a dungeon sounds like a hassle.”
In fact, one could destroy the dungeon and cash in the core if they wanted. Normally, considering the benefits of being a Dungeon Master, one wouldn’t think of discarding the core. Perhaps that’s why there’s no binding contract to keep one tied to the dungeon? It’s a mystery I can’t solve, so I’ll just accept it as it is.
“But the dungeon has been functioning fine without a Dungeon Master until now, right?”
“Now that you mention it, that’s true. It seems it can be left unattended. Since I can control it now, I won’t let a Stampede happen.”
As I discussed this with Rio, the knowledge of the dungeon reminded me that if I appointed a proxy and granted them authority, I could delegate everything.
“Ah, so that means I could also trigger a Stampede?”
Putting the delegation aside for a moment, I recalled Rio’s words and the knowledge of the dungeon. Of course, the answer was affirmative.
“Yes, you can.”
“Then why not send it against the Stampede in the Forest of Enchantment?”
“Good point.”
I envisioned myself lounging in the back while the Stampede in the Forest of Enchantment unfolded before me. But that might be a bit out of character for me.
“Maybe if we hit it from the back or the side, it won’t be noticed.”
If it became known that the dungeon had also triggered a Stampede, it could lead to serious trouble. If we were to do it, we’d need to be discreet.
“Oh, right.”
The menu I had seen on the tablet might now be fully accessible. As I attempted to operate the tablet in my hands, a similar menu appeared in my mind. It seemed that as the Dungeon Master, I could control it just by thinking.
I decided to test it by granting Rio operational authority and handing her the tablet.
“Oh, I can see a lot of options now.”
“Great, that’s good to hear.”
Comparing it to the menu in my mind, it seemed we could do almost the same things. DP stands for Dungeon Points, which are consumed when expanding the dungeon or creating items and monsters.
I could simply think about what items I wanted to create, but searching for them on the tablet seemed like it would be a hassle.
Hmm? It looks like I can add a search function. 5000 DP, huh? Let’s implement that.
“Hey, a search bar has appeared!”
“I just added it.”
“Wow, you can really do that…”
It felt like anything was possible now.
Hmm, I could also create Elixirs for 1 million DP. For now, let’s try making four. When I appraised the bottles that appeared before me, they were indeed Elixirs. I had focused on the liquid while appraising, so there was no doubt. I should distribute some to Ivan and Phonia later.
“What is this…? Oh, it’s an Elixir!”
Rio quickly appraised the item I handed her.
“It seems like we can create just about anything.”
After all, I had a staggering 5.6 billion DP.
When I came to look for treasures produced by the dungeon, it turned out I could create any item the dungeon could generate.
“Alright, we’ve conquered the dungeon, so let’s head back for now.”
Stretching my arms while sitting on the sofa, I found the innermost chamber surprisingly comfortable. I might consider using the dungeon as a base in the future.
“Let’s do that. Dungeon conquering is exhausting, after all.”
I felt like I had primarily been on edge due to the traps.
Just as I took a breath, I realized I was getting hungry. We had managed to conquer the dungeon faster than expected, but it was still only around lunchtime.
“Let’s head back and grab something to eat.”
With that, we left the dungeon and, as usual, observed the monsters in the Forest of Enchantment before returning to the town.