Chapter 5: Working

Chapter 5: Working

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The silence of the dungeon was dense, broken only by the soft flickering of the floating tiles of light that represented my control interface. Each tile was a visual manifestation of my domain, a lattice of options and settings that allowed me to modify the dungeon as I saw fit.

Manipulating the tiles with precise gestures, I began to rearrange them, grouping the most frequently used functions into a more efficient structure. If I was going to expand my control over this territory, I needed my management system to be as fluid as possible. As I rearranged, I remembered what Fi—the goddess or entity that had made me Dungeon Master—had explained to me:

"Your dungeon adapts to its master. If you wish, you can learn to control it with will alone. There are Dungeon Masters who never move a single muscle and manage their domains as if they were part of their very being."

The idea of ​​reaching that level of mastery was fascinating to me. I imagined a scenario where I could move every rock, every creature, every trap, just by thinking about it. But for now, I still relied on floating tiles and my gestures to adjust every parameter.

Browsing through the summoning options, I discovered something that caught my eye. Creature progression depended not only on the dungeon's expansion, but also on its elemental affinity. Until now, I had only summoned shadow creatures—goblins, golems, and wraiths of darkness—but as I looked through the unit details, I noticed a hidden option in the settings:

"Element Assignment"

Selecting it brought up a drop-down menu with a number of unexpected options. Fire, water, ice, wind, thunder... I wasn't limited to shadow creatures alone. Any summon could be given a different attribute, losing only a small affinity bonus if it deviated from the dungeon's natural type.

"This changes a lot of things…" I murmured, sliding my fingers through the possible combinations.

To test just how flexible this was, I selected a Shadow Golem and modified its element to fire. The creature rose from the ground in a reddish flash, its body made of dark stone with lines of magma running through it like fiery veins. Its core glowed with an incandescent glow. Not only had its element changed, but its appearance as well.

It was an important revelation. With this knowledge, I could create unexpected combinations for my defenses. An Ice Dragon in a dungeon of shadows. A Wind Golem moving with agility in closed corridors. The strategic possibilities multiplied.

But one question bothered me: what about the corpses of the adventurers?

I turned to Fi, who was always ready to answer my concerns with her mocking and honeyed tone.

"As a Dungeon Master, you have control over everything that dies within your domain. In a grim dungeon, you can turn the dead into zombies, skeletons, or even specters… depending on your level, of course."

That made sense. But then, I saw something on the menu that made my blood run cold.

"Revive as a human."

Just that. Not "revive under control," nor "revive as a servant." Simply revive as a human.

—This… could be dangerous… or it could be an opportunity.

If I could bring back the adventurers, they might remember everything that had happened here. Warn others. Return with reinforcements. But at the same time, what if I controlled that process? Could I negotiate? Manipulate? The idea was tempting, but also extremely risky.

I decided to leave that option for later and focus on something safer: reviving my own fallen monsters.

I opened the creature list and selected the Shadow Goblins that had been eliminated in the last battle. With a low cost of Dungeon Energy (DE), they were restored almost immediately. Their ethereal bodies emerged from the blackness, their eyes glowing with a crimson glow.

"Perfect."

Next, I looked at the mage's corpse. It was a potential problem if I brought him back as a human, but if I turned him into an undead under my control…

"Reanimate as Shadow Wraith"

A dark aura enveloped the lifeless body, absorbing it into a whirlwind of shadows. When the process was finished, what was once a mage was now a floating entity with red eyes, its robes moving as if it were submerged in invisible water. It was no longer a man. It was now an extension of the dungeon.

I placed it on the first floor, where it would serve as a special guardian.

Finally, I moved on to trap building. My initial skill "Improved Environment Modification" allowed me to alter the terrain more flexibly, and now, with more ED accumulated, I could create more advanced structures.

I opted for a system of four-meter-deep pits, each filled with mini steel golems.These little constructs would be a pain for any unwary adventurer. If someone fell into the trap, not only would they have to get out of the pit, but they would have to do so while dodging the golems' attacks.

As the dungeon layout became more sophisticated, I felt something curious inside me. A strange feeling, as if every decision, every adjustment, every creature summoned was making me more... powerful. I wasn't just managing a dungeon. I was becoming the dungeon.

Fi laughed in my mind.

"You're feeling it, aren't you? A Dungeon Master's power doesn't just lie in monsters or traps. It's the connection to their domain. It's the understanding that this isn't just a space... it's an extension of you."

And I was feeling it. With every change, with every adjustment, my control became more absolute.

The dungeon wasn't just a battlefield.

It was my new home.

And soon, it would be my most lethal weapon.