But the warning about the anomaly still lingered in his mind.
Something had brushed against his world, something dangerous, and though it had vanished, it would likely return.
The dungeon had to be prepared.
With a quick gesture, he summoned the dungeon's status panel once again.
[Dungeon Status:]
[Rank: D]
[Core Integrity: 80%]
[Mana Reserve: 200/500 MP]
[Guardian: Elite Shade (Active)]
[Creatures Available: None]
[Traps: Spiked Pit (Active), Poison Gas Chamber (Unlocked but Inactive)]
[Expansion Potential: One Room (Locked until Mana Reserve exceeds 400 MP)]
The recent upgrades had strengthened the dungeon, but his options were still limited.
His mana reserves were dangerously low, and without more creatures or traps, the adventurers would prove a serious challenge.
He needed to be resourceful.
The notification about their approach ticked down, and he knew he didn't have much time left.
[Notification: Adventurers Detected. Estimated Arrival: 8 hours.]
The Architect stared at the countdown, trying to gauge his next move.
He had reinforced the walls and activated the spiked pit, but that wouldn't be enough.
He needed a plan, something that would catch them off guard and buy him more time to gather resources.
"Elite Shade," he called out, his voice echoing through the chamber.
The shadowy figure materialized at his side, its form blending with the darkened surroundings.
The Architect knew it was his strongest asset, but relying too heavily on one guardian was risky.
The adventurers were getting more dangerous with each encounter.
"I want you to hide near the entrance," the Architect commanded.
"Let them pass the traps. We'll strike when they're vulnerable."
The Elite Shade melted back into the shadows without a sound, ready to execute his orders.
With the Shade in place, the Architect returned his focus to the core.
He paced around it, feeling its energy pulse through him.
The anomaly had left him more unsettled than he wanted to admit.
The game wasn't just about the gods anymore, there were other forces, ancient and unpredictable, that he had barely begun to understand.
Suddenly, a notification popped up.
[System Alert: Mana Surge Detected.]
His eyes widened.
A mana surge? That was rare, and it could provide the power he needed to summon new creatures.
But where was it coming from? He quickly pulled up the dungeon map.
A bright glow appeared near the southernmost part of the dungeon, in one of the areas he hadn't explored yet.
The mana surge was contained within the dungeon, but accessing it would require him to unlock more of the dungeon's potential.
[Objective Update: Investigate the source of the mana surge.] [Potential creature summoning opportunity.]
The Architect's pulse quickened. If he could harness the surge before the adventurers arrived, he could bolster his defenses with new creatures.
But it would drain his remaining mana, he had to make the choice now.
He weighed the options in his mind.
With only 200 MP left, unlocking the room would take a large portion of his reserves, and summoning creatures would take even more.
It was a gamble, but it could be the edge he needed.
He made his decision.
With a quick mental command, he unlocked the southern room.
The mana reserves drained rapidly, dropping from 200 MP to 50 MP.
The dungeon trembled slightly as the new room expanded, and the Architect could feel the surge growing stronger.
Whatever was down there, it was powerful.
He sprinted toward the southern corridor, his heart pounding.
The walls of the dungeon flickered with the new energy, lighting his way as he reached the edge of the room.
Inside, a swirling vortex of blue mana hovered in the center, radiating with a brilliance he hadn't seen before.
As he approached, a notification appeared.
[Mana Surge Confirmed: Option to summon new creature available.]
[Mana Cost: 75 MP.]
The Architect cursed under his breath.
He was short by 25 MP, too close for comfort.
He turned back toward the core, frustrated.
There had to be a way to gather more mana before the adventurers arrived.
Then it hit him.
He hadn't harvested any resources from the surrounding land since the last battle.
The adventurers' corpses might have decayed, but their gear, enchanted with residual energy, could still provide some mana.
He quickly sent a command to the dungeon.
[Resource Harvesting Initiated: Residual energy detected in the surrounding area.]
[Estimated Mana Gain: +50 MP.]
The Architect smiled grimly as the dungeon absorbed the latent energy.
His mana reserves climbed back to 100 MP.
It wasn't much, but it was enough.
Without hesitation, he triggered the summoning process.
The vortex flared to life, spinning faster as the mana was siphoned from the core.
The room darkened as the energy condensed into a solid form, slowly taking shape.
The Architect watched closely, waiting to see what creature the dungeon would produce.
The shadows in the room deepened as a figure began to emerge from the center of the vortex.
It was humanoid, but tall and lithe, with elongated limbs and dark, shadowy skin that seemed to ripple like water.
Its eyes glowed with an eerie blue light.
[Creature Summoned: Shade Stalker]
[Rank: D]
[Abilities: Stealth, Silent Strike, Shadow Meld]
The Architect nodded in approval.
The Shade Stalker would be a valuable addition, especially with the Elite Shade guarding the entrance.
Together, the two creatures would create a deadly combination of stealth and ambush.
With his defenses bolstered and the countdown ticking away, the Architect returned to the core, satisfied with his preparations.
[Notification: Adventurers Detected. Estimated Arrival: 6 hours.]
He smirked.
Let them come.
The dungeon lay in eerie silence as the countdown to the adventurers' arrival ticked closer.
The Architect sat beside the core, deep in thought, strategizing his next moves.
The recent summoning of the Shade Stalker had added another layer of defense, but the adventurers would be more prepared this time.
[Notification: Adventurers Detected. Estimated Arrival: 2 hours.]
He stood, stretching his back.
The tension in the air was palpable, the calm before the storm.
The Elite Shade was already in position near the dungeon's entrance, lying in wait.