Chapter 27: Dungeon's Awakening

Back at the dungeon, on the deepest level, the air was cool and still, permeated by the faint, metallic tang of raw earth. In the newly constructed Arcano-Industrial Research Center, the skeleton researchers were hunched over their workbenches, their empty eye sockets glowing faintly as they examined the strange, pulsing stones.

Their bony fingers meticulously prodded and turned the magic stones, their internal processors whirring with complex calculations. Their priority task was clear: understand how these magic stones could enhance industrial production. But they lacked a frame of reference, a foundational understanding of magic itself.

Karl, too, was new to this 'magic stone' phenomenon. He was from Earth, where magic was a concept of fantasy, not a tangible force. Even becoming an undead had been a sudden, inexplicable shift, and he had simply assumed magic existed, taking its presence for granted. That all changed now, seeing his researchers stumped, seeing these stones that the slaughterhouse had been dumping aside like so much trash.

As Karl watched, one of the researchers, a particularly meticulous skeleton with a slightly larger skull, placed a magic stone near the central Dungeon Core, which he had positioned back at the heart of the research facility. A soft, almost imperceptible thrum resonated from the core.

Then, a System notification flared, crisp and immediate:

[ +3 Dungeon Mana Infused from F-rank Magic Stone ]

Another skeleton, observing the first, hesitantly placed a second stone.

[ +2 Dungeon Mana Infused from F-rank Magic Stone ]

A third, with more confidence, added another.

[ +4 Dungeon Mana Infused from F-rank Magic Stone ]

Karl's empty eye sockets widened, a dry, silent gasp escaping him. The dungeon core… it's absorbing the magic stones automatically! This is it! His interest immediately switched. This was another, far more efficient way he could refill the dungeon mana, and finally unlock the elusive "Dungeon Edit" feature.

He gestured with a bony hand towards a nearby crate overflowing with the glowing stones. "Put fifty of those in," he instructed, his voice a low, dry whisper that carried absolute authority.

The three skeleton researchers glanced at each other, a flicker of what might have been surprise in their empty eye sockets, then immediately complied. Their bony hands moved with practiced efficiency, picking up the stones and carefully placing them into the core's glowing receptacle.

[ +2 Dungeon Mana Infused from F-rank Magic Stone ] [ +4 Dungeon Mana Infused from F-rank Magic Stone ] [ +2 Dungeon Mana Infused from F-rank Magic Stone ] [ +3 Dungeon Mana Infused from F-rank Magic Stone ] [ +7 Dungeon Mana Infused from E-rank Magic Stone ]

As the mana flowed into the core, a new phenomenon began. The very walls of the core room, where the research center was also located, now glowed with faint, ethereal lines, like circuits etched into the stone. The lines pulsed with the incoming mana, spreading outwards, slowly filling the entire chamber. Karl watched, mesmerized by the glowing patterns, a silent awe settling over him. He gestured again, a subtle sweep of his hand. "Continue with it," he commanded, his voice barely a whisper, "until I tell you to stop. Observe the patterns. Log everything."

He stepped outside the core room, the glowing circuit lines extending all the way across the -4th floor. They pulsed along the stone, even tracing the narrow bridge that spanned the endless, dark pit separating the core from the other rooms. The entire level seemed to hum with a newfound, subtle energy.

Then, a sudden, blinding flash erupted from the core room. A powerful thrum vibrated through the floor, making Karl's very bones resonate.

[ Dungeon Mana Reached Capacity 500/500 ]

Karl immediately walked back inside, his steps quick. The skeleton workers, their empty eye sockets glowing with excitement, were about to dump an entire crate of magic stones into the core. "Stop!" Karl commanded, his voice sharp, cutting through their automated enthusiasm. They froze, their hands hovering over the core.

Then, before his very eyes, a holographic panel shimmered into existence directly above the Dungeon Core. It pulsed with a soft, blue light, displaying intricate diagrams and glowing text.

What surprised Karl even more was that the skeleton researchers, Karl who had previously only seen System notifications through his vision, the skeletons were also staring at it, their heads tilted, their bony fingers pointing. It was as if the panel, usually visible only to him, had now become a shared reality.

[ Initializing Dungeon Diagnostics... ]

The text shifted, replaced by a new, stark message:

[ 7 Critical Components Needs Repairing ]

[ 1. Main Power Room Not Enough to Kickstart ( Level -100 ) ]

[ 2. Mana Distribution Grid Missing Crystal Capacitors ( Level -99 ) ]

[ 3. Necro Mana Atmospheric Regulator No Power (Level -98) ]

[ 4. Automated Defense System No Power (Level -100) ]

[ 5. Egress Hub ( Level 101 ) Crystal Engine compromised ]

[ 6. Necro Communication Uplink Array Destabilized ]

[ 7. Dungeon Intelligence No Power Level 101 ]

Karl's skull tilted, a gesture of profound surprise. That's a lot of repairs, he thought, the sheer scale of the damage sinking in. And levels like -98, -99, -100, and even 101? What even are these levels? How do I even access that? This dungeon is far more complex than I imagined. His initial triumph was now tinged with a new, daunting challenge.