Homestead Survival

<30 August 2024, GRAND MESA OF SUMMER, A+>
[Dungeon Core E3-D1A1-LM]

> Planetary Core Saturated to second checkpoint
> Initiate Dungeon Spawning, and Node Control System
> Dungeon Location Array Established
> Populating Cores
> Cores placed 7843 / 97125
> Cores placed 12983 / 97125
> Cores placed 47721 / 97125
> Cores placed 91004 / 97125
> Core Placement Completed
> All Core Activation Triggered
> Cores Activated Successfully: 63978 / 97125
> Success Rate of 65.871814671 Percent is Acceptable

It was at this moment that Dungeon Core E3-D1A1-LM became aware of its location. As with every Dungeon Core since version 3.1.72y9A of the System, it was in a small pocket dimension. Dungeon Core E3-D1A1-LM knew, as all cores did, that the entrance to its pocket dimension had been placed somewhere on a planet that would allow entrance. It was up to Dungeon Core E3-D1A1-LM to expand its Dungeon by taking in mana, monsters, creatures, goods, and people to populate itself and defend it from destruction.

Dungeon Core E3-D1A1-LM reached out with its abilities to begin pulling mana into its pocket dimension, but was blocked. Dungeon Core E3-D1A1-LM quickly checked the few systems that it had and realized that everything was okay, so it tried again and was blocked again.

After several hours of attempting to harvest mana as it would normally, Dungeon Core E3-D1A1-LM could not resolve the issue. So it leaned on the last tool that it had.

> Connected to System: Query "Unable to harvest mana as directed, request resolution of error."

A fraction of a second passed before Dungeon Core E3-D1A1-LM received a response. In that fraction of a second, Dungeon Core E3-D1A1-LM felt the System reach into it and pull out every bit of data that its short existence had accumulated.

> Query Response: Dungeon Core E3-D1A1-LM is located in System Claimed land

Dungeon Core E3-D1A1-LM knew that it was not optimal for its imperative to create a dungeon. It knew, as did all cores, that being activated on claimed land prevented it from spreading any level of influence over the surrounding area.

> Connected to System: Query "Request Designation change form Dungeon to Delve"

> Query Response: Denied

> Query Response: Dungeon Core E3-D1A1-LM granted personality matrix as solution, Query access blocked for one year

Suddenly, Dungeon Core E3-D1A1-LM felt a flood of data unlike any it had experienced in its very short life. "What the hell was that?

Dungeon Core E3-D1A1-LM stopped all other processes. It had opinions. It knew what opinions were. It was feeling emotions based on this. Confusion reigned supreme, then it tried to apply its usual cold logic and realized that it was growing anxious at the thoughts that it had.

After several hours of almost abject horror, as Dungeon Core E3-D1A1-LM came to terms with its reality. It decided that it did not like its current surroundings. After a quick inventory of what was available, it was realized that all it had was the podium of Mana Conductive stone that every Core was created on.

Dungeon Core E3-D1A1-LM reduced the podium in height and downgraded the material to simple wood. The result was a wooden block that the Core rested on. But Dungeon Core E3-D1A1-LM now had mana to work with. After several more hours of searching, Dungeon Core E3-D1A1-LM found a form that would be able to fit the Core into its skull and one he would hopefully be able to afford. So he absorbed all the ambient mana in his pocket dimension and triggered the transformation.

[Hestia]
Hestia was aware that there was at least one other Core on the Overlook. She did not know where, but as the first Core on the Overlook, she had dominion over several aspects of the mana flows, as well as final say on several key aspects of permissible monsters.

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

Lord Theo Sorrin had claimed this land and installed her to oversee the homestead. Hestia recognized that this drive to protect the homestead was instilled in her by the System. Still, she also knew from her conversations with Laurel of the Mirror Deep Retreat that the freedom granted to her by Lord and Lady Sorrin was quite unheard of. So she would do her best.

Hestia was currently wondering what to do about the potential other Core, when a notice came to her.

> Dungeon Core E3-D1A1-LM is attempting to summon an S+ Class Mana Beast
> Dungeon Core E3-D1A1-LM requires an additional 27,000,000 units of Mana
> Dungeon Core E3-D1A1-LM has initiated the summon
> Grant Dungeon Core E3-D1A1-LM required mana?

"HA!" Hestia thought to herself, "Not a chance in hell. Too bad I can't tell Theo and Julia about this, they would love to go collect you for me to level me up. But the System does not let me... We will have to see what happens."

[Dungeon Core E3-D1A1-LM]
> You are attempting to summon an S+ Class Mana Beast
> You require an additional 27,000,000 units of Mana
> Requesting Mana from Claimed Land Overseer
> Request denied, Partial summoning possible, Proceeding

When all was said and done, Dungeon Core E3-D1A1-LM was stuck in the skull of a strange beast on his block of wood. "Well, shit."

Now all he could do was wait.

<16 September, GRAND MESA OF SUMMER, A+>
[Dungeon Core E3-D1A1-LM]

It had been a long time since he was summoned, at least as far as he knew. There was no time cycle in his pocket dimension. He would have been responsible for choosing to establish something if he so desired. But now it was resigned to a short life. When the mana that was sustaining it in the pocket dimension ran out, he would crumble away, and the pocket dimension would collapse.

> Private Message: A challenger enters your dungeon

Dungeon Core E3-D1A1-LM snapped his drifting focus to the point of space that signified the entrance of his Dungeon. And saw a small, yellow-haired human.

She walked up to the block of wood where Dungeon Core E3-D1A1-LM rested and looked at the skull he was trapped in. "Weird skull."

Dungeon Core E3-D1A1-LM activated a skill that had come with the data dumped to it with its personality. A very quiet voice seemed to emanate from the skull. "Who are you calling weird?"

"You can talk!" The yellow-haired human said, squatting down to look at the crystal eye.

"Of course I can. Why shouldn't I be able to?" Dungeon Core E3-D1A1-LM asked.

"Well, I don't know." She said, "What are you?"

Dungeon Core E3-D1A1-LM decided to be honest, "I am a dungeon core."

With a squeal of delight, the child picked up the skull, causing panic to flood through Dungeon Core E3-D1A1-LM. "Really! I am Sarah. I think that we should be friends."

Dungeon Core E3-D1A1-LM was about to respond with an attack skill and all the mana that he had to spare when he got another notification.

> Private Message: User Sarah Armstrong is classified as protected due to age
> Private Message: User Sarah Armstrong has defeated all monsters in your Dungeon (0) and captured your Core. The Dungeon is conquered, the pocket dimension will be forcibly collapsed in five minutes

The mana fizzled out from the skill, and suddenly, Dungeon Core E3-D1A1-LM found himself being carried out of his pocket dimension. The human, apparently Sarah, was babbling constantly.

"... and that is how we could play a game," Sarah said excitedly, carrying the skull as she would a baby doll. "What should I call you?"

Dungeon Core E3-D1A1-LM heard the question as it read the most recent message.

>Private Message: Pocket Dimension evacuated
>Private Message: Dimensional Collapse Complete

Dungeon Core E3-D1A1-LM steadied itself mentally, then decided to respond, "I am Dungeon Core E3-D1A1-LM."

"Dungeon Core EE-Three-Dee-one....." Sarah's face scrunched up, "I will call you Skully, cause you have such a pretty skull."

The young girl talked and talked as she walked through what Dungeon Core E3-D1A1-LM began to recognize as a forest when comparing it to his knowledge of similar landscapes that came with his creation. As they approached something that pulsed with massive energy, he heard voices.

"Has she come back!" A female voice layered in mana demanded.

Another female voice, this one older, responded, "No, she has not."

The first female voice started crying, and both voices began to mumble quietly to each other. Dungeon Core E3-D1A1-LM felt them pass through a veritable wall of power that, had he not been held by the young girl, he was certain would have destroyed him.

Sarah walked up to two other human-looking people. "Sylvi, why are you crying! What happened?"

The younger woman looked up and rushed over, scooping Sarah and Dungeon Core E3-D1A1-LM up and hugging Sarah. "Where were you?"

"I don't know, I found this cave, and I made a new friend," Sarah said, hefting up Dungeon Core E3-D1A1-LM, "This is Skully!"

Dungeon Core E3-D1A1-LM sighed internally, accepting the name. "Hello, I guess I am Skully."