Chapter 2: The core is dead, long live the core.

Chavu looked at the vampire, for there was no denying the man's species after one saw his pale skin, sunken cheeks, and all too perfect looks.

The man placed his two-handed sword in a scabbard on his back and began to walk away.

"Wait, who are you?" Chavu now knew that the vampire was not going to kill him. For, Chavu was his new boss. Or was the system the boss?

the system told him in his head. Her voice sounded just as he had imagined it.

Snappy auntie with a sandal indeed.

the system warned, and the vampire stopped. He looked around, as if he was considering something, and went back in the core room.

"My name is Marcellus," the vampire offered Chavu his hand. "And you are not my boss."

"Then, what am I?" Chavu asked. He was confused. What had been the role of the former dungeon core? Just to ask him to rearrange the spikes each day?

"The system's mana generator. As you may have noticed, the former core was a bit senile," Marcellus informed him. "That will be you, in a couple of years."

"Oh, no. That darn auntie with a sandal," Chavu cursed.

 Marcellus rummaged in a bag, and pulled out an old sandal.

"If you don't want this to touch your head, I suggest you don't refer to the mistress as such," Marcellus warned.

"Why are there red smudges on the sandal?" Chavu backed away as Marcellus smirked. "Marcy, why are there red smudges on the sandal?"

"What did you just call me?" Marcellus rose the sandal over Chavu's head.

"I'd like for us to be friends?" Chavu began, as he slithered backwards. He liked to give people pet names. It was so difficult to give a Naga a pet name. Their names were always too much of a tongue twister to get a pet name for them.

"Don't call me Marcy," Marcellus growled, as he pointed at the biggest stain. "The previous dungeon core called me Marcy one too many times. That is from him."

"Wait, the dungeon core was a living being before it became a crystal?" Oh, the worker protection unions were going to have a field day with both the system and the vampire.

the snappy auntie told him.

"We have run this operation for thousands of years," Marcellus informed him. "You won't be the one to bring us down."

Oh, wow.

Chavu thought that this was now a kidnapping. He had never imagined that he was going to get kidnapped. Maybe captured, for some adventurers liked to take mobs with them as battle companions. But, never kidnapped.

"What am I supposed to do, now?" Chavu asked. He was not going to die bludgeoned by a sandal. He had plans for the future. Ones involving countless naps.

Chavu blinked. The system had sounded calm and had adopted a somewhat fond tone.

Were the end times coming? Was it possible that the only thing that was needed of him was to take naps? No, he was not going to do just that!

Chavu imagined his worker profile, at least a thousand pages thicker, and with all his achievements as a dungeon core.

"Chavu: Dungeon Entrepreneur" would be written in bold, golden, letter on the cover. Under which his many close calls where Marcellus would defeat countless adventurers would be listed.

Yet, he didn't want to just play tower defense. He knew that dungeon cores got more mana once they got more money. Chavu was fairly certain that the money of the former dungeon core now lined the pockets of its killers.

The Naga turned to the vampire and gave him a smile. His eyes shining with greed.

"Marcellus, I would like some money," Chavu told the vampire, not a shred of shame in his voice.

"You don't need money. You are a dungeon core," Marcellus told him slowly, as if he was speaking to a retard.

"I need more money to get more mana and level up this dump. Don't you want to be known as the boss mob of the most successful dungeon there ever was or will be? Come now, Marcy..." Marcellus made a threatening step forward, the sandal held high.

"Sorry, Marcellus. Anyway, think big, buddy," Marcellus closed the distance between them, and gently swatted Chavu over the head.

 Chavu grinned.

The vampire was considering his words, or the beating would have started. Judging by the blood stains on the sandal, Chavu would have turned into a crystal in a minute, if the vampire was not convinced that his words had merit.

the system sounded like a woman who was preparing to go on a shopping spree.

 Both men shivered. For, while the woman did so, they would need to stay put and nod politely.

"Give me creative freedom. I know I can turn this place around in a month," Chavu pleaded. He wanted to show off his managerial skills. Not to take the back seat and provide the system with mana for spikes.

The system snapped, and Marcellus raised the sandal again.

"Did they save the old dungeon core?" Chavu asked, watching as the sandal made its way down, only to stop and for Marcellus to look him in the eyes.

"The old core is dead because you didn't take your job seriously," the vampire accused.

Marcellus glared at Chavu, clearly blaming him for this turn of events. Chavu grinned and slithered pass him.

First, he needed to see if his savings were still where he placed them. Then, he would rob the vampire blind.