'Mmmm tired'
'Why can't I open my eyes? Oh well I'll just go back to sleep'
'Feels like it's been days. Shit that means I've missed work! Gotta get outta bed man or I'm toast!'
'Eyes won't open! Can't feel my body! Cmon Kyle concentrate, calm, concentra.....'
As I calm myself and concentrate a picture starts to come into focus like I'm opening my eyes. It's dark, but there's a soft glow coming from...me? I focus on where I feel like my chest should be but all I see is a rugged rock the size of a potato. it looks like a geode but glows softly. Surrounding the rock is just...dirt....tons of dirt....am I underground?
[Dungeon Core System Initializing]
'What was that? Hello? Can you hear me?'
[Dungeon Core Awakened]
[New Objective- Create Core Room]
[If user requires help just request tutorial]
'The hell? Umm....tutorial please?'
Several seconds pass before a new non robotic voice appears in my mind and starts explaining what's going on almost like a YouTube video set on autoplay.
{Welcome Sir/Madame/Genderless mortal being to the exciting role of a dungeon core! I'm sure you have many questions so I will start of by saying that sadly...your dead! But don't fret friend for you were chosen to be reborn as one of the most powerful creatures alive! You are now a Dungeon Core, a creature of pure magic that can create entire worlds within itself. As a Dungeon Core your new job and ultimately your survival is all reliant on training those who enter your territory. You shall provide monsters and loot as well as challenges that will help those who enter grow stronger. In exchange you get a portion of their energy to keep your own core fed, strong, and healthy! If one of these people or beings that enter die you will gain the ability to create a basic copy of that species as a new creature in your dungeon. These creatures have no thoughts or emotions and are solely made for combat but in certain cases these being may begin to grow souls and eventually personalities if they survive long enough. All equipment or items that those who enter your dungeon have will be absorbed by you upon their death and you may create and even improve these items and give them as loot to a certain extent! Exciting isn't it? Well you don't have much choice so oh well! As you progress you will obtain objectives and quests and if your lucky you shall level up! And if your not so lucky adventurers will beat your creatures, raid you for riches, then take your core, ultimately killing you! If your core leaves your dungeon you will DIE as in real death, no second chances! To start concentrate on the area around your core and imagine eating the surrounding dirt and minerals, once your core room meets requirements the next tutorial shall begin!}
'Holy sarcastic rambling sentence and that overly chipper teenage girls voice. But I think I got the gist. I read a book like this once, I'm gonna be a dungeons like in rpg's! So much cooler than desk work and bills, so she said eat the dirt, easy!'
Concentrating nearby I focus on a boulder that's as big as I am. Staring at it I can feel exhaustion creeping up on me before finally a small piece begins to disintegrate before me. I celebrate a little bit and after a few moments I can feel my energy top off again and I get back to work before attacking that boulder again!
If feels like its been days but I finally did it! That stupid boulder is gone and I figured out that taking out the rocks are harder than normal dirt! I've made progress though and now I have a little room to myself. I can feel my body floating in the center and I've come to terms with the fact that I'm basically a shiny magic rock. I can still taste at least! I mean kinda....sorta...maybe? I nibble a small bit of dirt near the wall and focus on the flavor and notice a cardboard earthy kind of flavor from it. Next I nibble a pebble nearby and it tastes kind of like a penny but duller. I'm happy I can at least still taste stuff at least and continue to eat away at on wall to make my bedroom a bit bigger. I realized once I got into making my room that I don't really sleep anymore but at the same time I can almost shut off all my senses and rest if I concentrate.
Feels like a few more days have passed and I found something kind of cool. After I ate the dirt underneath something some of the stuff above it fell down which means that direction must lead to the surface. But that's not the cool thing! When all the dirt fell there was a skeleton! It's not very big, probably a little smaller than me, but it's cool cus this skelly has little wing bones mixed in like a bat I think. I think I'm gonna eat it before expanding more just to see what happens, plus I'm tired of cardboard and copper flavors.
Can't really tell how long it's been but I finally ate the entire skelly and I got a random pop up from this system thing. Haven't gotten one since the tutorial and honestly I've been feeling really lonely. I even started talking to the skelly and left it's head until last in hopes it said something back but just the message.
[Bones of a Plague Pixie obtained! Core not high enough level to summon this creature. Please finish tutorial to have this possible option.]
'Hmm if I'm not high enough level that means I need to stop slacking off! Plus I miss the sun! Lets do this!' I think to myself as I throw myself into eating more. Eventually I get a notice saying that I'm not allowed to eat higher so I focus on making a giant box. It feels like months have weeks have passed before I feel a jolt of energy go through my core and the tutorial pops up.
[Congratulations on finally creating your Core Room! This room is your most important area in the entire dungeon as it is the place your core will always reside. That being said your core room must always be connected to the rest of the dungeon and accessible but that doesn't mean you let the enemy waltz right in! Trick walls, traps, trickery, maybe even a minion to guard your core the possibilities are endless. You also have most likely stumbled upon random treasure, remains, or resources. If so this is great news! This gives you the opportunity to create your first loot, possible resource nodes, or a familiar unique to yourself that can help you progress as well as keep your sanity! The next step you take is simple and I'm sure you'll be able to do it! Probably!]
[Dungeon Objective-Build Core Room-Complete!}
{New Dungeon Objective-Create Three dungeon rooms. Reward-One time use of Create Familiar Spell. Ability to create entranceway to your dungeon to the surface.]
'The ability to have someone to talk to! Time to get to work and get these rooms made! Now I'm excited!'