"Well, if it's like this, then of course I gotta go with the peaceful approach. I still have a lot to learn about this damn world, and I wouldn't want to get a bad rep among the people." Axel decided it would be in his best interest not to make enemies in a world he knew almost nothing about. 'Though I don't need to necessarily hand out rewards, they still wouldn't be able to get any rewards if my trials are too hard for them, hehe.'
[A great choice, Master Axel. Once you decide to begin working on the labyrinth, you can access supplies from the inventory. As explained earlier, the labyrinth core can generate resources. In your case, you can monitor the amount of energy stored within the core, as well as the resources that can be created from it. These energies regenerate over time, so there is no need to worry about exhausting the core.]
"Hmm, okay. Well then, with all thats said, it's time for some fucking renovations!" On the bottom-right corner of the translucent map, Axel noticed a display: Energy: 1000/1000. He assumed that was the current energy level of the core. Above it, a button labeled "Inventory" caught his eye. Clicking it revealed a list of supplies.
"Hmm, ropes, oil, pickaxes, shovels… guess this is the starter pack," Axel muttered, scrolling through the list. Most items were basic tools for fortifying and setting traps, along with some food, water, and basic household furniture.
After selecting the items needed to set up traps and fortify the labyrinth—essentially most of the inventory—the supplies materialized beside the pedestal.
"Damn," Axel groaned. "Hey, System, can't I just have these moved to their designated rooms? It's gonna be a pain hauling them room by room."
[That feature is currently unavailable, Master Axel. You must level up your labyrinth to unlock more options and upgrades.]
"Fuckin figures… Well, good thing I got this portal ring from the rewards earlier."
Touching the ring on his hand, Axel visualized a portal leading to the first room. A swirling gateway opened on the chamber wall.
"Whoa… this feels weird, guess I gotta get used to this shit." he muttered, stepping through. The sudden shift in environment left him momentarily disoriented, but he quickly regained his footing.
The first outermost room was empty—a large hall with a gate on one end and a glowing circle etched into the floor on the other. Axel guessed the circle was the teleportation point where invaders would arrive from.
One by one, Axel moved supplies through the portal and began decorating the room with traps. He rigged the first room with some simple pitfalls and oil-based flame traps, then moved on to the hallway leading to the second room. Bit by bit, he repeated the process, decorating each room with a mix of traps that would surprise and frustrate any invaders.
---
"Haaah… Guess that about does it," Axel said, wiping sweat from his forehead. Grinning, he muttered, "Hope y'all like what I prepared."
Returning to the core chamber, Axel checked up on Sylva. She showed no signs of waking up, so he turned his attention back to the pedestal. After emptying the remaining items from the inventory, he set up some simple furniture—just enough to make the chamber feel like a proper living space.
Axel returned the food and water supplies to the inventory, figuring they wouldn't spoil inside. Satisfied with his work, he slumped into a makeshift chair.
"Hey, System, how do I create stuff using the energy? And are there any limitations?"
[To generate items, focus on the core and visualize the desired object. The corresponding energy cost will be deducted from the total. You may also create monsters using energy. However, unlike summoned creatures, these monsters lack sentience and will act solely on your commands. Regarding limitations, you still cannot generate items with magical properties, and you must have a clear understanding of what you are creating. Attempting to generate something purely from imagination will result in failure.]
"Hmm… What about monsters? Can I create any creature from the RPGs I've played or the books I've read?"
[As mentioned, you can create anything you have a general understanding of—even creatures not native to this world. However, generating such monsters requires a tremendous amount of energy.]
"If that's the case, then… hehehehe," Axel chuckled, an excited glint in his eyes.