Forgotten Dungeon

Charles

My blood had run cold, and sweat was slowly trailing down my spine, as I desperately tried to force the System to acknowledge the commands. The situation was critical. I might not be the biggest fan of the Gods, but their power was unquestionable. The gap between us was insurmountable, even more so if I couldn't ascend to at least semi-divinity.

That was why I felt a sense of relief when a blue window appeared before me. It was a flickering, stuttering thing… but it was there.

Nonetheless, I felt the pang of panic as the System slowly unfurled. I could see its tendrils burrowing into my soul thanks to the newly gained clarity. Normally, it should be a horrifying, violating, vomit-inducing experience.

For better or worse, I had recently experienced something even more traumatic, so my threshold for horror had risen remarkably. Not to mention I had other, bigger problems, like, for example, a mad Goddess breathing down my neck.

Yanderes were cool, until one tried to stab you.

Focusing on the present, I took a quick look at my status, even as I felt the force of change purring into life. It was a slow and steady start, akin to an ancient machine shaking off the rust that clung to its every part.

But it was happening.

The panel was garbled, but I had seen worse. At least a section for my race didn't appear, so I was supposedly still a pure-blooded human. Normally, I would chuckle at that, but the rise in surrounding mana left little time for humor. Soon, its concentration would reach a saturation too large even for the Dungeon's walls to contain. People and even monsters wouldn't be able to survive contact with this concentrated power.

I had my link to the core to thank for even having an option to stall; otherwise, I would already be down for the count, trying desperately to process the incoming mana while radiating the undigested scraps all around me. And that was only a preparation part, the "softening" of my flesh for the incoming ascension into a divinity.

That gave me another insight into why there weren't many - if any - divinities left on Yana. Well, demi-divinities. Semi-divinities? Anyway… what I wanted to say was that the process of ascension was too damn volatile! Too user-unfriendly!

My options were limited. One way to avoid complications was to deceive the world that it was Forgotten Dungeon's ascension, not mine; there was, however, one big fat problem with doing just that. The Dungeon's Core was supposed to be completely destroyed, with only dredges of its basic functionality remaining, barely enough to keep the place running.

If normal cores were like Personal Computers, repeating the same lines of simple code, then Silver Oasis was supposed to rule over something resembling an abacus.

And abacuses don't ascend!

…

That was a weird comparison.

Anyway.

My train of thought had been cut short, as an ominous blue window appeared in the corner of my eye.

A timer.

It looked like I had about five minutes to get my affairs in order. It wasn't long enough, but beggars can't be choosers.

And, while the wheels of change were turning, I was worried about quite a few things - the battle between elves and the Lich and a powerful signature rushing from the North were amongst the most important, but stashing both Agnes and my people somewhere safe came close second.

I sighed before squaring my shoulders. There were contingencies to be made. Work to be delegated.

Now, what could I do?

Well, the first part was easy.

I had to evacuate Silver Oasis's residents downstairs, then ask Non to protect me during the ascent. After that came recalling the monsters deeper underground. That last action would be tricky, but at the same time, a welcome change.

With the newly gained control over the dungeon, I could mould it nearly instantly. It was not free, however - there was a steep cost in mana. At least that problem was temporarily easy to deal with, as I started siphoning any remains of my ascension process into the Dungeon's coffers. As a bonus, it seemed like the System couldn't decide which limits were to be enforced - ones designed for the Dungeon Cores or sentient beings. So, in truly broken fashion, none were in place.

All the better for me.

"Adam!" I bellowed, creating a sudden commotion, as people realized my presence. "Adam, I need you here!"

My white-haired butler sprang out of the crowd with a speed that did not suit his age. Agnes, Master Vincent, and a few of the trusted officers were following closely behind him. Despite his supposedly low level, he arrived first and without a trace of fatigue. The old man straightened his back, returning to his persona, while only the tightening of his eyes betrayed the emotions behind the mask. "Y-young Master?" He stammered before catching himself. There was hesitation in his tone. "Are you all right? Do you feel okay?"

I paused, noticing the reaction. My brows furrowed as I searched for some reflective surface before sighing and stilling. How unnecessary. I forgot that was in the middle of my domain. With a flex of will, a small, hand-held mirror had been summoned, fitting snugly in my palm.

The crowd around me sighed with emotion, reacting to, frankly, a paltry trick.

"W-what? H-how? Young Master!" My oldest servant forcibly calmed down before continuing, a trace of a smile returning to his face. "I see. I'm glad that your endeavor was, in the end, successful. Congratulations." Adam bowed deeply, even as his eyes continued their roaming. I ignored his attention, more focused on unexpected changes to my body.

A face different from usual greeted me in the silvery mirror. Parts of my hair had turned black, with my eyes pretty much completely consumed by darkness. A single pinprick of green light burned violently in both pupils. There was also a certain gauntness to my skin now, creating a more solemn and austere image than usual.

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I scratched my chin before shrugging. At least my clothes stayed the same.

"Thank you. You don't need to worry - I am still myself, Adam." I flashed a smile. "It's just that… power has its price. One that had been paid in full." I added mysteriously. I really didn't want to talk about the battle in the goop cave. Or the devouring that happened after. It felt dirty. Inhuman.

My trusted butler clenched his teeth before bowing down stiffly. "Forgive this old fool. I have failed in my task. I wasn't strong enough, wasn't smart enough… to save you."

"Save me?" I asked, not understanding.

"You… you are no longer human, aren't you, Master?" Both Agnes and Master Vincent nodded their heads in solemn silence.

"Technically, I still am." I disagreed, but my joke fell on deaf ears. I sighed, noticing both his and Agnes's reddening eyes. Master Vincent just looked intrigued. Figures. My girlfriend, on the other hand, was holding her dainty hand near her mouth in melodramatic fashion. I squinted. "Why are you acting surprised, Agnes? According to Adam, we're the same now. You should rejoice. No more whispers about half-bloods." She glared at me for a long moment before stepping forward to engulf me in a hug.

"Spoilsport. Fool. Why do you always want to carry all the burdens? I don't need you to protect me. I need you alive." She whispered as I hugged her back. I wanted to drown in her heat and voice. To forget what needed to be done.

But no. The time was running out. "Isn't that what you did too?" I asked clippily, before relenting. There was no need for scuffles. "Soon, the rest of the power that Uno promised will arrive. And I'll completely cease being human." I muttered, my mouth filled with Agnes' hair. "I predict that the transition will be violent. There may be some obstacles, too. To avoid the aftershocks, I intend to send you all underground. The rooms are already being prepared." I lied. Technically, the order wasn't yet given. "Dungeon's stone and magic will shield you."

"What? No!" She scowled. "I won't let you fight alone!"

"You can't." I didn't add that her strength was not enough. We both knew it. "I'll return victorious, you'll see." As she whimpered in my ear, acting like a spoiled princess, I focused on my secondary cores. They were a part of me now, a part of my power.

And so I channeled them into creating a most expedient way to the third floor - a slide. I made it from gleaming black obsidian, which had a bonus quality of eliminating any snags on the way down. The completely black tunnel looked like an entrance to Hell, but contrary to its looks, it was exceedingly safe.

My will pierced through the rock separating the Dungeon's levels and obliterated anything that stood in the way of my newest creation. Then, as soon as its nozzle opened on the lowest of my floors, I moved to start the excavation.

The floor had a bare minimum already, but these were asylum rooms, not places for humans to live. So instead of changing the existing structure, my power had been funneled into disintegrating large chunks of stone. Then, in a flourish, the Dungeon's presence retreated. It seemed like too much mana was unhealthy for those who weren't my denizens.

Who knew.

Seconds later, I gazed at the freshly dug out cavern, full of pride… only to observe as it collapsed on itself.

Ah… right.

Despite not being shackled by the Dungeon's normal rules, I still had no fuckin idea about architecture. Sure, I knew words - load-bearing, arches, foundations, and all other stuff. What did they mean, though? To that I was blind. Usually, I would just shore that deficiency with magic.

At least the solution was easy. When in doubt - delegate!

With a quick twist, I condensed some of my power into an artefact. Imagination was important for the shape, so I chose a humble drill. For the denizens of this world, it was an enigma. For me, it carried an unspoken romance. Well, it wasn't like my knowledge about drills was that profound, but as a form suitable to carry the power I designed... it was good enough.

I condensed three of such items. Why three? It was just a nice number. Each of them was given to a Ratling with a penchant for digging. They instantly became something akin to celebrities, with mobs of rats following their every word. After my orders were delivered, they and their miner wannabies were promptly ignored.

Two minutes remained.

I hissed, turning my attention to the two higher floors. If an apocalyptic scenario that I predicted really was going to happen, then the residents of these places would be turned into ash… or worse, twisted into something unfit to live.

Normally, I would be powerless to intervene. The calcification effect of the Dungeon was already taking place. They were not mine to command anymore; instead, they followed the arbitrary rules of the floor.

Or so would it be, normally.

Right now, my enhanced mind cut through their control threads, like they were mere cobwebs. The creatures stilled, lacking the usual guidance, before turning to panic. For the first time in their lives, they were free.

And they were not happy at all.

I sighed and sent a message before they started a rampage.

[Follow the rats and Dos to the lowest floor. They will lead you. They will protect you, and you will protect my people.]

Many of the creatures were not intelligent enough to understand what I was talking about, but the infusion of meaning took care of that. Soon, an exodus happened, as the undead, monsters, and even bile-brained golems were slowly making their way downstairs.

And, for the first time in ever, the production of Lebir Exploders had stilled to a stop.

My job was done.

Or so I thought, but there was a small buzzing in the corner of my mind. Like I forgot about something important.

Oh.

Ogrekin!

They were too large to fit into the slide and too stupid to survive on their own. I could resize the slide, but their sheer mass would squash anyone not fast enough to get out of their way. So instead of doing that, I simply sent another rat contingent to lead them.

With Guardian and his kobolds also retreating, they were the perfect force to sweep any stragglers downstairs. The staircases were barely adequate to contain Ogrekin bulk, and I wasn't sure they'll escape fast enough to avoid the fallout… but it was the best I could do for them.

After all, they were a precious sample of dungeon-enhanced humans. It would be a shame to lose them.

As the seconds began to tick down, I understood that most of the Silver Oasis residents would be evacuated after my ascension started. It was an unpleasant truth. Clenching my teeth, I made a few more slides and focused on Agnes, still clinging to me tightly.

"Love, you need to go." I whispered. "The mana will start leaking soon, and then only Non would be able to withstand it." The former revenant quietly stood in the background, her new flesh and power under strict control.

"I don't wanna." My fiancée whined, her golden eyes staring into mine. "It's not fair."

"Now you know how I felt when you left to fulfill your duties." I teased. "The roles are reversed, and I promise you, that'll return intact. Just like you promised me before."

Agnes pouted for a long moment before relenting. She planted a long, sloppy kiss on my lips before whispering. "Don't forget about me." Her glare swept over nearby Non, and suddenly things clicked in my mind.

I wanted to chuckle. Jealousy was such a weird thing.

"I wouldn't dare. Now go, my love. Things out here are going to get nuclear."

As she retreated, I focused on the blue window, summoning it to the middle of my vision. The rest of the time passed quickly. With a jolt of pain, the words changed, and at the same time I felt… full.

I had been filled to the capacity with mana, and then there was a ping, and suddenly everything around me turned muted - as if I was perceiving the world through layers and layers of gauze. It was a certain detachment. A forcible separation. My senses sharpened.

I could feel the sudden anger of the elves as they noticed my change, the calm loyalty of Non… and a feeling of maddening glee radiating out of the Lich battling the gilded angels.

A jolt of pain elicited a hiss from my mouth. My claws twisted for a moment, and the tails stilled as an automatic reaction. I scratched the unruly scales on my chest. The tentacles on my head swirled for a moment too, their suckers and poisons swirling underneath the fleshy surface. All of my twelve eyes blinked.

Then the sensation passed, and I could breathe again. The delicate skin and white teeth were back. And yet I knew that underneath all that was human, now another layer of power stilled and waited for a command.

I was not in control, but at the same time, I was bursting with power. The windows didn't wait for me to think, however.

Was that who I thought it was?

Fuck.

Fuck, indeed.