DCO- Dungeon Core Online

Chapter 44

“Oh good,” Steve’s voice echoed in the emptiness, and James could feel the developer’s presence as his words heralded his arrival, “I made it in time.”

They were currently standing in a space of darkness, with naught but the shimmering portal from the sixth floor around them. This was the empty canvas for the seventh floor. James had decided to wait to find out what types of mobs he got this time, before he crafted the floor itself.

“Steve!” Rue exclaimed with a smile on her face as she turned to greet the developer. James looked at the man, noting the massive bags under his eyes. Somehow, he seemed thinner, gaunt even. Considering they were in a virtual expanse, James felt it strange that Steve would present such features on his digital self. Was it intentional? Was his virtual self depicting his exhaustion? James hadn’t seen him, nor heard from him, since their meeting a few days ago, when everyone had been informed of the governments plans, and had separated to do whatever preparations they were best suited for, in anticipation of their upcoming attempt to thwart the government.

“Hello Rue,” Steve grinned, the bags on his eyes lifting slightly, as if the sight of her James revitalized him, “did you guys miss me?”

“Have you completed everything on your end?” James asked, his mind racing. One of Steve’s most important tasks had been to work with Rachel to confirm Rue’s safety.

“Mostly,” Steve said with a sigh, “it’s not ideal, but we’ve got a few ideas to ensure we can 100 percent guarantee Rue’s safety, no matter what.” Steve smiled, it barely caused his lips to lift, “and, on the upside, I’ve made damn sure your dungeon, and the data for the two of you, is as secure as Fort Knox…” Steve trailed off, shaking his head, “wait, terrible comparison. Fort Knox wasn’t secure it was a front, er… as secure as… er…” he snapped his fingers, “I know. As secure as a politician’s search history.”

“As secure as what?” James laughed, more from uncertainty than anything else. Steve had always been eccentric, but he was pretty sure the developer was now losing his mind. He’d been through a lot. They all had, but Steve, even before this, had seemed tired. Like he was wearing himself to the bone. James wasn’t sure the developer had much left to give.

“Never mind about that,” Rue looked at Steve, “how’d you manage to show up just on time?”

“You didn’t message him?” James asked. Usually Rue sent Steve messages, behind his back, whenever they were about to do something exciting in the dungeon. It wasn’t that James didn’t like the developer… but sometimes he did like doing things with just Rue, so her inviting the man felt a bit, awkward at times… Steve was a blast, but even as a blast, he was still a third-wheel.

“Not this time,” Rue said with a shake of her head. “I was too busy taking care of Mr. Pouty Pants here to remember to message Steve. Besides,” she looked back at the developer, “I didn’t want to interrupt anyone if we didn’t have to. You know, considering everything going on.”

“Fair,” James muttered, looking back to Steve. “So, yeah, how did you show up just on time?”

“Honestly?” Steve walked forward and ruffled James’s hair. “You’re predictable buddy. Super predictable, really. I got the notification your dungeon had hit Tier 7, and figured you’d jump right on in to make the next floor. If you hadn’t,” he stepped away, the dark look on his face again, “I would have been worried about you. I know this is a lot, but even still, gotta always remember Rule 34.” Steve paused, shook his head again, and cleared his throat. “I mean, Rule 32. Enjoy the little things.”

“I’m pretty sure you like to remember internet rule 34 as well,” Rue said under her breath, though loud enough for Steve to hear. The developer’s cheeks went slightly red.

“Any who,” Steve directed the conversation back to James. “Now that I’m here, feel free to begin.” A drink appeared in his hand. “Let’s get this show on the road. I’m super excited to see what the seventh floor will bring to your dungeon.”

James ignored whatever vague references Steve and Rue were throwing around, and turned his focus to the task at hand. Creating his seventh floor. First and foremost, that involved spinning the wheel of dungeon mobs once more, and seeing what fate had in store for him. There were countless options, and James had no idea if he’d even seen all of the dungeon floor types. He’d spent a good amount of time scanning all of the information he could on the other dungeons in existence, and while many seemed to have rerolled on day one for more ‘normal’ floor types, the weird and wacky combinations in existence were impressive. And… considering Steve had once told him they’d included a ton of ridiculous floor types purely to try and drive rerolls on day one for profits right out the gate… James didn’t have high hopes that he’d get something normal.

Statistically, it was possible. But, a lot of things were statistically possible in life that never happened. That’s how statistics worked.

James mentally pulled up the command, and the tell-tale lever and slot machine appeared before him. He looked at Rue, and smiled at her, remembering how much she’d enjoyed spinning for the mobs, and bosses, throughout their time together. He motioned towards the lever. “Would you like to do the honor, Rue?”

She shook her head, and James would have been confirmed, if not for the smirk on her face as she crossed her arms. “Nah uh,” she said with playful tone, “no way am I going to risk being the one to blame for whatever mob type you end up with your seventh floor.”

She grabbed his hand and lifted it to the lever, drawing close to him as she did, hugging him with her other arm as she placed his hand onto the lever, her hand resting softly atop his.

“This may be the final time we get to do this,” her mouth was close to his ears, tone soft. He got what she was playing at, and he felt her weight press against him as she leaned into him. There was a slight pressure on his hand from hers, but he knew she was waiting for him to make the final decision, and to pull the lever.

“Then let’s do it together,” James said, completely ignoring Steve as best he could. The developer was currently holding his fingers out towards James and Rue in a heart shape, his drink floating casually in the air in front of him, as he sipped from it through a bendy straw.

“Let’s,” Rue whispered, and the pressure on his hand increased ever so slightly. She was eager to do this, she loved this part, and the waiting, he knew, was killing her. It wouldn’t do to keep her waiting, now would it.

James grinned, spreading his fingers slightly, allowing Rue’s to thread between his, pressing down atop the lever, and together, the pulled the lever down. The musical tones sprang to life as various dungeon mob types flashed before their eyes. Then it slowed, the tones ticking slower and slower, before it settled on a single mob type. As always, James had a single thought spring to mind, as he read the option. He looked at Steve, and the man held his hands up in feigned innocence, as if he could read James’s mind.

James sighed, knowing there’d be no point in complaining. He’d learned that, across the past six floors, that weird and wacky, well, that was just how the Random Dungeon was. And, he’d seen some food based dungeons that were actually quite interesting. So, while he wanted to curse Steve, while he wanted to question, loudly, what type of sane person would create such a thing, he didn’t. Instead, he grinned, allowing himself to get caught up in the weirdness, and view it as a challenge, an exciting unknown, that he could lose himself in. At least, for a small amount of time.

“Alrighty then,” James said, pulling up the Dungeon Creator as he did, to look through various floor options. Now that he knew the mob type, he needed to create a floor that could work with it. “Let’s see what we can make.”

Before him, as he skimmed through floors, the dungeon mob type flashed brightly. He had no idea what they’d be like, but considering what he knew of Steve, aka one of the lead developers on mob types, he had a decent guess. Or at least, as he glanced at the flashing once more, he thought he did…

Cocktail Creations