Chapter 106: Monster Control 1

Chapter 106: Chapter 106: Monster Control 1

The light beyond the ruined throne chamber grew impossibly brilliant. Arin turned to watch it through the shattered remains of the throne room as the remnants of the former dungeon guardians’ bodies decorated the floor behind him. The swarm was dead, the Nest Master defeated, and the ancient guardian security mechanism that had protected the chamber was gone for good.

A strange feeling came over him that, despite the circumstances of its entrance, there should not have been anything dangerous waiting for them beyond that door. Rayan cleaned his sword on a stray piece of torn fabric. "Can we please be done?" he asked. Dev lowered his guard. "Was that not what you just said ten minutes ago?" he said. "I was optimistic," Rayan replied.

Saira stepped over the wreckage of one of the fallen swarm constructs. "You’re still doing that around Arin, aren’t you?" she asked. "I’ll try to be less demonstrative," Arin said. He turned, walking towards this new light. Ayan followed without hesitation. So did Tara.

Unlike much of the ruined dungeon they had entered on the lower levels, the walls of this corridor were intact despite being nearly impossibly narrow. Smooth black stone formed the walls, and lines of pale mana were embedded into it, flowing around them like veins. Arin’s Dungeon Master’s Mark burned unexpectedly warm. Arene’s voice spoke inside his mind.

"We are approaching the core," Arene said. "I guessed," Arin replied. "Do not touch anything without asking me first," Arene warned. Arin examined the runes on the surrounding walls. "You still don’t like that I touch things, then," he said. "Your recent history demonstrates that touching various items has thus far resulted in your transformation, awakening, battle, collapse and the recreation of several undesirable situations to repeat this," Arene said. "That’s a stretch," Arin said. "Isn’t it?" Arene replied.

The corridor opened at the far end. Arin halted. There was a single chamber beyond it, and at the middle of that chamber hovered a mass of pale blue crystal no larger than his head. It shimmered impossibly bright despite the dim light, spinning slowly on a set of broken stone rings at its base as lines of faintly glowing mana arced between the structure and the ceiling.

The shifting crystals of the construct continually rearranged themselves across its surface, changing the apparent shape and colour in pale blue and silver swirls, but a series of thin cracks marred nearly half its surface. It was, even injured, an undeniably impressive object. Rayan appeared in the opening. "That’s the core?" he asked. "Yeah," Arin said, sounding far more certain of that than he felt. "You seem to know what you’re doing," Rayan said.

"I’ve seen enough dungeon cores in my time," Arin replied. Tara moved close enough to smell the crystal but stopped several metres from touching it. "Is it dangerous?" she asked. Arin turned towards the voice. "Currently?" he asked. "Possibly," Arene said. "Useful," Arin said. "I am being accurate," Arene replied.

A System interface appeared before Arin’s eyes.

[Abandoned Dungeon Core Detected].

[Current Status: Unclaimed].

[Integrity: 38%].

[Previous Master: Deceased].

[Defense System: Disabled].

[Claim Conditions Met].

Arin’s mouth suddenly went dry. Another popup appeared.

[Dungeon Master Authority responding.]

The chamber trembled. Everyone in the room instinctively raised their weapons. Arin felt a pressure building inside the chamber around him, but where the force had been moments ago, he felt targeted, this time it was directed at him personally. "Arene?" he called. "I feel it coming," Arene said. "What’s happening?" Arin asked. "Your Authority is responding to the core," Arene explained.

Arin’s teeth clenched hard enough that he could taste blood. The mana in the chamber bloomed outward in thick jets from the broken rings around the core, feeding back into the crystalline structure. The cracks lining the structure flashed brilliantly, and something deep inside Arin twisted painfully. Not physically. Authority. It was growing, spreading outwards, feeling almost like what his experience in Zerf’s Domain had been like when Neva’s power had washed over him, only this time there was nothing forcing itself inside him.

A new power.

[Dungeon Master Authority increased.]

[Dungeon Master Authority: Level 1 → Level 2]

Arin’s mind reeled away from the sensation, focusing instead on the expectant faces watching him. "Level Two," he said. Saira blinked. "What happened?" she asked. "My Authority," Arin said. He turned to her. "It increased," he explained. Ayan’s mouth twitched. "Level Two?" he asked. "Yeah," Arin said, barely stopping himself from laughing. He had waited on this his entire life, ever since the day he had left the Elf Lands.

Arene’s voice broke into his thoughts. "Further notifications are coming," she said. Arin focused.

[Authority Level 2 achieved.]

[Further Dungeon Master functions becoming available.]

[Upgrade Skill Set available.]

[Dungeon Perception upgraded.]

[Range increased.]

[Environmental Detail increased.]

[Dungeon Sense upgraded.]

[Structural Comprehension increased.]

[Dungeon Manipulation upgraded.]

[Control Efficiency improved.]

[Mana cost reduced.]

[Dungeon Barrier Formation upgraded.]

[Durability increased.]

[Dungeon Territory Reading upgraded.]

[Greater Territorial Awareness Unlocked.]

Arin stared in astonishment. "That’s a lot..." he muttered. "And not everything," Arene said, sounding almost proud of himself. Another window opened.

[Dungeon Core Synchronization upgraded.]

[Compatible dungeon cores may now be claimed.]

Arin turned back to the glowing core. "Oh," he said. Arene was already replying. "Yes," she said. "So I can take it?" Arin asked. "You can try," Arene replied. "What’s the difference?" Arin asked. "If you fail, you may cause further damage to the core," Arene warned. Arin’s grin faded slightly. "How likely is that?" he asked. "I cannot give you an exact percentage," Arene said. "You’re useless at this," Arin said. "I am supposed to be responsible for stopping the fun parts from killing you," Arene replied.

"It doesn’t bother me that badly," Arin said. He turned towards the pedestal. "Arene, help me up," he said. The young woman’s fingers found his wrist but hesitated there. "Is this one of those dangerous things you’re thinking of touching again?" she asked carefully. Arin turned a small smile on her. "Possibly. Arene?" he asked. "I can claim it," Arene said. "That’s not what I asked," Arin replied.

Rayan chuckled from his place beside her. Arin sighed. "Arene says there’s a chance it could go wrong," he explained. Tara’s friendly expression faded instantly. "How much of a chance?" she asked. "She doesn’t know," Arin said. "Then why are you smiling?" Tara asked. "Because I just reached the second level of authority," Arin said. "That wasn’t an answer," Tara said.

Arin gently pulled her fingers away. "I’ll be careful," he promised. Tara gave him an odd look. "You say that word too often," she said. "I will turn it into action before you force my hand," Arin replied. Ayan moved closer. "Should you fail, release it immediately," he said. "I agree," Arene said. "Not today," Arin said. Saira blinked several times. "Who are you?" she asked. Ayan turned his attention away from Arin. "Doesn’t matter," he said.

Arin mounted the pedestal. Something deep inside him felt its new power for the first time, and the bands of mana around the core flared brilliantly, speeding up their rotation until the structure itself hovered rapidly around its support.

[Claim Abandoned Dungeon Core?]

[Yes / No.]