Dungeon at the End of the Universe

As I worked on my Dungeon network, worries about existentialism and Faellen faded from my mind. What filled it instead was a rather interesting idea.

Perhaps it was time to start learning proper enchanting. But in an improper way, because it’s still me we’re talking about.

I quickly gathered some mana back home in my moon Dungeon and asked it to show me how a certain enchantment would look. Fortunately, it wasn’t anything too complicated, so I got to work.

Previously, I connected my various Dungeon Seeds with simple straight lines. Not the most complex, but I was rushing back then. Now however, I had time.

So, I got to carving. Not just myself, my tunneller monsters too. We created tunnels that weaved and bobbed. Here and there some zigzags appeared, even if they were a rarity. Overall, there were many more curved tunnels than anything else.

In the end, I got a huge spider’s web of tunnels. There wasn’t just one line connecting each Seed to the nearest few. No, I had maybe up to a dozen going from each Seed. There were even some intersections! And some dead-ends!

Maze-like quality of the new Dungeon network aside, it had a much more important feature. It was, after all, built after the enchantment mana had shown me.

An enchantment that does what? Likely the simplest enchantment in existence, simply on a much larger scale than people could’ve ever imagined.

It was a mana gathering enchantment.

Specifically, one that’d concentrate as much mana as possible at a focal point while letting the concentration slowly fall off towards the edges.

Like this, my first mini-Dungeon, the point nemo island, would be in the highest density area. The newest ones would, in contrast, have barely any mana to contain.

There were a few reasons I did this. Mostly, it was because I realised only Dungeons wouldn’t be enough to protect all the mana I would be introducing. Secondly, it was because my great and awesome Dungeon network had the small side effect of distributing mana equally along the entire area it covered.

While that may be useful later on, for now it’d just mean that powerful monsters could mutate absolutely anywhere within the area of my network. That’s the opposite of what I wanted.

Instead, with this, the most powerful monsters would be drawn as far away from civilization as possible. Simple enough.

As I was finishing this project, I had another idea. Since we already had a ritual that was able to specifically target someone and transport them across space, and if I also combined that with my apparent capability to alter reality thanks to my [Eldritch god] status… couldn’t I modify it somewhat to make a semi-permanent portal between my Dungeon network and my Dungeon moon?

Like that, I’d finally have access to all the new materials and monsters I’d been developing down there.

That would likely take some assistance from Faellen though.

Though, it has been at least a few days since we’ve last talked. Time always seems to go by so fast when I’m Dungeon working.

Actually, if that’s how much time has passed, it’s also already time for a new set of adventurers. Might as well go on and figure that out, and maybe ask about the other stuff while I’m at it.

Once I talk to Faellen, it quickly becomes clear that it had been waiting for me to finish. We exchanged Sipalians with the planet bellow. Only then did I ask.

“So, did you think it over?”

“I… feel I’ll still need some time.” Before I can interrupt, it continues, “But that’s only about the plan for seeking out my past. I’ve decided I’m fine with becoming a System Anchor.”

“Oh, okay. Also, I was wondering if you could help me with a ritual. Or would it be an enchantment? I don’t know.”

I quickly explain what I’d been up to with my mini-Dungeons. I’m somewhat surprised when it isn’t surprised and doesn’t call me impossible.

We quickly get to work. The new Sipalians won’t need direct guidance from Faellen for some time, the Sipaloons can take care of the class selection process. Actually, I think they themselves have also begun going through it, so maybe they can even do some of the later guidance too. But I digress.

I begin with once more asking mana for an example of the enchantment I want. Unfortunately, this one is way too complex for my skill level. Which means that the rest of our work on it is taken up by Faellen continuously simplifying it and asking me if I could manage to make that version.

In the end, we end up with a version that doesn’t even have half as many lines as the original.

“Alright, with how much I had to remove I would be hard pressed to call this even a semi-permanent portal,” Faellen says. “You’ll only be able to open it about every month or so. Not sure for how long though, but it should be at least a minute.”

“Nice! Thank you, Faellen.”

I quickly carve it. This one isn’t a megalith enchantment like the mana gathering one, so it takes much less time. It’s also a paired enchantment, so I have to make one in my Dungeon moon and one in a Lapis Dungeon.

At the last moment, I decide I actually want a pair for every Dungeon Seed I have. The result is a whole room dedicated to portals.

“Oh, and one last thing,” Faellen speaks up. “Since you’ve blessed me, I’ve been able to feel much more through our connection and I think that-”

Level-Up available!

“-you’re close to a Level-Up. Yup, there it is.”

I’m a bit stunned for a moment. “Okay, you definitely need to teach me that later. It’s a bit embarrassing if you know more about this than me. But anyway, can I?”

“I think so, yes. There’s no ongoing crisis for once. Plus, with me apparently being your champion, I should be able to access your Abilities enough to bless and transport people.”

“Oh. I didn’t even think of that. I’ll try not to resist when you’re using my Abilities,” I jokingly smirk.

“Sure, you do that.”

With that, it’s finally time for me to go to sleep. Well, the closest thing a Dungeon Core will ever feel to sleep. I’ll still be awake for the most part.