Chapter 2: Beginning

Chapter 2: Beginning

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The past is a mirage, blurry and unreachable.

I remember that day with the clarity of an old dream, blurred at the edges, but indelible in its essence.

I was five years old.

The forest seemed like an infinite world to me, its shadows dancing between the tall, ancient trees, whispering secrets to me that only a child with too much imagination could understand. My mother had warned me: "Never go into the forest alone. There are things in the forest that must not be disturbed." But childish curiosity is an insatiable monster.

The treacherous roots almost made me fall several times, my small hands scratched themselves on the branches as I pushed them away from my face, but each stumble was worth it because there, hidden among the undergrowth and the ruins, I found her.

A stone goddess.

Cracked, worn by time and weather, but still majestic. Her stone eyes seemed to follow me without moving, and there was a strange sweetness in her unchanging face, as if she understood something I didn't.

I watched her in silence for what seemed like an eternity.

"The gods must receive offerings," I thought.

I took from my pocket the only thing I had at the moment: an apple. I placed it carefully at the feet of the statue, and when I blinked...

It was gone.

In its place, an ethereal glow flickered around the effigy.

I didn't feel afraid. I felt excitement.

The next few days I returned, each time with something different to offer: candy, shiny stones I collected from the river, even my favorite toy. But the goddess never spoke, never moved.

Until, one day, I tried something different.

With my mother's small knife, I cut my finger and let a few drops of blood fall on her stone feet.

The light intensified.

A cold chill ran down my spine.

That day I felt, for the first time, her presence.

Not with words, or gestures. But with a feeling deep within me. As if something in me had tied itself to her. As if, without realizing it, I had opened a door that should not be opened.

I returned every day, leaving my blood as an offering.

And each time, her light grew.

Until we moved away from the forest, and I could never return.

I wake up in the present, drowning in darkness.

I am not a child now. I am not five years old.

But I still feel the chill run down my spine.

Only this time, the goddess was not asleep.

But this time I'm not just a kid playing archaeologist in ancient ruins.

I'm a Dungeon Master.

An enemy in this world.

The chronicles say that the country of Renswick was founded thirty years ago, after the collapse of a decaying state.

But the real story began with the Magic Shock.

No one knows exactly how it happened. One day, magic, something that only existed in fantasy, became real.

Dungeons appeared out of nowhere, emerging in the middle of cities, in deserts, deep in the oceans. Impossible creatures began to sprout from within. Humans began to be born with supernatural abilities.

The world changed forever.

Some learned to adapt. They became adventurers, explorers, warriors, wizards. The economy itself revolved around exploring these dungeons, collecting mystical resources.

But humanity is simple.

If there are heroes, there must be monsters too.

The logic became undeniable:

Adventurers are the good guys.

Dungeon monsters are the bad guys.

Dungeon Masters... are the worst of all.

And now, I'm on the wrong side of history.

I open my eyes.

The darkness around me is unnatural. It's thick, alive, as if every shadow is watching me.

Tiles of light float in front of me, translucent interfaces that flicker with strange messages.

(Welcome to the Dungeon.)

The words glow with a dim, impassive glow, as if they haven't just sentenced me to life.

(Dungeon Master 101.)

My breath catches.

I refuse to believe this is happening to me.

The entity lied to me. Or maybe it never did. Maybe I fooled myself into thinking there were no consequences.

Because now I understand.

I am not just an intruder in this dungeon. I am part of the dungeon.

The air feels heavy.

All around me, the blackness begins to give way. Shadows mold into columns, into dark, craggy walls. As if the emptiness itself is shaping its new owner.

And then, the voice comes back.

"Do you understand now?"

His tone is sweet, but there is something cruel in his gentleness.

My jaw tightens. "What did you do to me?"

He laughs.

"I didn't do anything. It was you who called me…"

The tiles of light flicker again.

[DUNGEON MASTER SKILLS ACTIVATED]

[AREA: MAIN CORE]

[FUNCTION: EXPANSION]

I feel nauseous.

I'm not a warrior.

I'm not a wizard.

I'm a nobody.

I've spent my whole life surviving on coffee and shitty jobs. And now I'm being asked to run a dungeon.

But now...

I am now a threat with its bounty.

I close my eyes, trying to hold on to a rational thought, but the system gives me no respite.

[LEVEL 1 – AVAILABLE SKILLS]

A menu unfolds before me.

Options. Strategies. Resources.

Each one designed to grow the dungeon.

To attract adventurers. To annihilate them.

My stomach turns.

Damn it...

This is a mistake.

But the menu is still there.

The dungeon continues to breathe around me. There is no escape.

If everyone wants to kill the Dungeon Masters... then I only have two options:

Either I let myself be exterminated.

Or I learn to play.

I gulp.

The choice has already been made.

The air vibrates. Shadows twist, stretching into dark stone walls. A gothic arch looms over me as if it had been asleep, waiting for this moment.

It's like the dungeon is taking its first breath of air, like the world itself is acknowledging my existence in this place.

Notifications flicker through the air, each one with a mechanical urgency that makes my stomach clench.

[SELECT A START SKILL]

I take a deep breath. I still don't fully understand what's going on, but if I'm to survive, I need answers. I look at the interface in front of me. There are three options available:

[Summon Minor Creature: Allows you to summon a basic minion to defend the dungeon

Terrain Manipulation: A skill that allows you to alter the structure of the dungeon on a small scale.

[Core Aura: Increases the dungeon's influence, weakening intruders]

My instinct tells me that any choice could seal my fate. A mistake here could mean my death. But I can't stay in this limbo forever.

The voice returns, as if it's enjoying my indecision.

"Time doesn't wait. Isn't that what you wanted? To play?"

My jaw clenches. I'm not going to be a puppet.

I reach out and select [Terrain Manipulation]

[ACQUIRED SKILL: TERRAIN MANIPULATION]

A surge of energy runs through my body. It's like a new connection is activated within me. I can feel the ground beneath my feet respond to my presence. If I concentrate hard enough, I can sense every corner of this place, as if the dungeon and I were one.

"Interesting choice," the voice whispers, satisfaction hidden in its tone.

The dungeon trembles slightly. It's not an earthquake, but a manifestation of my control. My mind fills with possibilities. I can change the layout of hallways, close paths, open traps, shape the environment to my advantage.

But one question keeps nagging at me.

"Why me?"

The voice laughs again, but this time it's softer, almost as if it pities me.

"Because you wanted it. Because you called it. Because you've always belonged here."

A chill runs down my spine. I don't know if the voice is lying or if, deep down, I always knew this was inevitable.

A new warning appears before me.

[FIRST WAVE OF ADVENTURERS ON THE WAY]

[RECOMMENDED PREPARATION]

Shit.

There's no time for questions. There is no time to hesitate.

If the world wants me dead, then I will have to show them that it will not be so easy.

The game has begun.

But if they expect me to play to lose... they are very wrong.