The first thing Ryo noticed was the cold darkness. His mind felt sluggish, and there was no sense of touch, no arms, legs, or body to move. All he could do was float in a strange void, with only his thoughts for company.
"Where am I? What the heck is going on?"
His last memory was clear—he'd just finished the final raid in "Dungeon Master Saga". After three days of no sleep, he had collapsed in front of his computer… and now, he was here.
As he struggled to make sense of his situation, a sudden burst of information flooded his mind.
[Welcome, New Dungeon Core.]
You have been reincarnated as the heart of this dungeon. Protect your core. Evolve your dungeon. Survive.
"Wait… WHAT?!"
Panic surged through him. He tried to move, but nothing happened. No arms. No legs. Just… floating consciousness.
That's when he saw it—a glimmer of light in the darkness. He could feel his awareness tethered to a large crystal, pulsing faintly with energy.
"I'm a… crystal?"
[New Dungeon Core Tutorial: You are the source of all power within your dungeon. Use mana to create rooms, summon monsters, and place traps. Intruders will come. Defend your core at all costs.]
Ryo groaned mentally. "I got reincarnated as a freaking rock?!"
But before he could spiral further into despair, more information poured into his mind.
Dungeon Core Status
• Core Level: 1
• Mana: 100
• Current Layout: Empty Room (10x10 meters)
• Abilities Unlocked: Basic Room Creation, Summon Slime (Tier 1)
"So… I can build a dungeon?" Ryo thought. A spark of excitement flared. As someone obsessed with RPGs and dungeon management games, this was right up his alley.
But before he could celebrate, a loud crack echoed through the space. He felt a disturbance—as though someone had entered his domain.
[Warning: Adventurer detected!]
"Already?! I just got here!"
A faint glow appeared at the far end of the room. Ryo could see a small human figure—a young adventurer—creeping into his empty dungeon. She carried a wooden sword and wore basic leather armor, her wide eyes scanning the dark space nervously.
[Adventurer Identified: Novice Explorer]
Threat Level: Low.
Goal: Destroy the Dungeon Core.
"Oh, hell no! She's here to break me?!"
If the adventurer shattered his core, it would be game over—permanently. Ryo needed to act fast.