Ethan glared at the countdown timer that ticked away in the corner of his vision. Seven minutes remained until the Level 50 adventurer would breach the entrance to his dungeon. The tension was stifling, but something new caught his attention-a notification hovering over the blueprint.
Level-Up Bonus Activated. Processing Attribute Changes…
Lines of text scrolled past his vision, listing the new stats and enhancements.
Dungeon Core Status Update:
Strength: 40 → 45
Defense: 35 → 42
Energy Capacity: 100 → 120 Trap Effectiveness: +10% Monster Morale: +15% Room Expansion Slots: +5
Ethan blinked at the changes. The numbers felt abstract, but the effects were immediate. His traps were now deadlier, his monsters more aggressive, and his dungeon's defenses sturdier than before. He could feel it coursing through the core, the raw energy of his upgrades fueling his confidence.
"Alright," he muttered, his gaze shifting back to the dungeon map. "Let's make these upgrades count."
He turned his attention to the five new room slots he had unlocked. Each room required Core Energy to build, and with his gacha winnings and level-up enhancements, he had plenty to spare.
Available Core Energy: 120.
"Time to expand."
He zoomed in on the blueprint, placing the new rooms with precision:
The Poison Mist Chamber: a maze of suffocation filled with toxic fumes. The lair of the Shade Warden: the best nest for his newly acquired monster. Explosive Hallway: lined with dart traps he had spun earlier. The Mysterious Merchant Room: tucked in an isolated chamber, where it could operate discreetly. Decoy Treasure Room: a false prize at the heart of the dungeon, to lure adventurers into a deadly ambush.
Every room solidified onto the blueprint, glowing as they merged into the dungeon. The whole map started to pulse with power as the dungeon was becoming increasingly complex and hazardous.
Ethan took a moment to survey his work. The Poison Mist Chamber connected to the main corridor, and any intruder would be sure to pass through it. The Shade Warden's Lair would act as a choke point, and finally, the Explosive Hallway would be one last hindrance before the Decoy Treasure Room.
"This should slow them down," Ethan said calmly.
There was still a problem, however: the adventurer.
The system chimed in with a new notification.
Incoming Threat Assessment: Adventurer, Level 50.
Class: Spellsword.
Strength: 60.
Magic: 70.
Defense: 55.
Abilities: Blink, Flame Slash, Barrier.
Ethan's stomach began to twist into knots. The Spellsword was substantially stronger than anything his dungeon could handle at the moment, and the Blink ability would make traps land exponentially more difficult.
"Ah, damn," he whispered, clenching his fists. "That's gonna be a pain."
The system wasn't done with him yet.
New Mission Unlocked: Survive the First Assault.
Objective: Defeat or repel the intruder.
Rewards: 50 Core Energy, Gacha Spin x1, Attribute Boost (+5 to Strength, Defense, and Energy Capacity).
Ethan's eyes narrowed. The stakes were rising. If he succeeded, his dungeon would grow stronger. If he failed. well, failure wasn't an option.
"I need to be smart about this," he muttered, pacing within the void. "What else can I do?
Then he remembered: the Mysterious Merchant Room.
Summoning the blueprint's interface, he concentrated on the merchant's icon until it materialized. A swirl of light coalesced into a cloaked figure with glowing eyes and a crooked smile.
"Welcome, Dungeon Core," the merchant said in a slick voice. "Here to trade?"
Ethan didn't waste time. "What do you have for defense? Traps, monster buffs, anything."
The merchant chuckled, producing a menu of items.
Venomous Trap Upgrade 20 Core Energy: Increases poison-based traps with a stacking damage-over-time effect. Monster Infusion: Shade Warden 30 Core Energy: Increases the level of Shade Warden by 5, adding also the Shadow Strike ability. Barrier Rune 40 Core Energy: Creates a protective barrier around the Dungeon Core, absorbing one strong attack. Ethan weighed his options. All three items were valuable, but he had enough Core Energy for only two.
"I'll take the Venomous Trap Upgrade and the Monster Infusion," he said decisively.
The merchant nodded, and the purchases were processed.
Poison Mist Chamber upgraded. Venom effect added.
Shade Warden upgraded to Level 15. New Ability: Shadow Strike.
Ethan felt the dungeon pulse with newfound power. The traps were now deadlier, and his Shade Warden was a force to be reckoned with.
The timer in the corner of his vision hit zero.
Adventurer has entered the dungeon.
Ethan's heart pounded. The Spellsword's presence was palpable, a fire belching aura on the blueprint as the intruder stepped into the Poison Mist Chamber.
"Let's see how you handle this," Ethan whispered, watching the adventurer's icon move through the maze.
The game had begun. This time, it wasn't going to be a fair game for the dungeon.