Book of the Dungeon Maker

by Nathan Valerio

  “FUCK THIS!” I shouted and slammed the book shut and dropped myself in bed.

  “Fucking book and fucking system from this shitty book shitty world…”

  After a half hour of cursing the entire world to hell I finally got over the system’s bitching and opened the book again and saw the mana slowly dropping.

  I summoned the guardian and told him to focus on the mana drop flower. I sent him back and watched him stop near that batch of herbs. When I asked about the mana regeneration, I saw it dropped by a third.

  “So that is it, this thing absorbs two thirds of the mana from the air and one third from the dungeon. The others absorb five but this one ten, wonder what the difference is?” I muttered.

  I pressed on the plant and checked the counter but something different appeared.

  “Three minutes until mana is gathered? Does this thing mature just with mana?” I asked myself. I kept watching the dots while cursing how there wasn’t a decent video image out loud. Sadly when I wanted something to happen the fucking book ignored me.

  After three minutes were up, the -30 suddenly changed to +30 and the guardian moved away and returned to his duties. Not only that, when I looked at the regeneration of the book I saw it was 80 (-30).

  “Nice, the flowers add to the book and the dungeon’s regeneration. So that means that the dungeons will gather more mana and in turn exp for me. I doubt it’s that easy, it says I should guard them. This clearly means that once they enter full bloom the attraction of true monsters into the dungeon will be larger. I wonder, what are the evolution paths for wooden puppets and or requirements?” I said out loud hoping for something to appear and to my joy it did.

  Evolutionary Table

  Low Grade Guardian Puppet

  None Currently Available or known

  Common Grade Common Wooden Puppet

  Farmer

  ???

  ???

  ???

  ???

  ???

  ???

  ???

  Farmer? Is it because of the fields?

  I look at the single option and wondered if I should take it, I didn’t have resources to make equipment from anything… wait equipment.

  Summoning the guardian I looked up at him.

  “Tell me, can you only make weapons with your creation skill?” I asked.

  “Yes Master, this servant can only make weapons of the longsword variation as this is the weapon this servant knows how to use,” he replied.

  “And what of the wooden puppet?” I asked.

  “They as well can only make weapons, but they have the potential to learn to create different items if master is capable of showing them the form and correcting them in their craft,” He said.

  “Do you know the evolutionary paths of the wooden puppet?” I asked.

  “This servant does not, this servant only knows how to supply the basic knowledge. Afterwards it is for Master to experiment. This servant does know that puppets are highly adaptable and can learn any skill. Previous master had once made beast puppets but process of reaching such form is beyond this servant,” he said.

  “Beast puppets! That means that the format of the puppet changes depending on what it knows. For a beast, does that mean quadruped? Did he really have a puppet train walking on all fours? That’s a surprise, I wonder how it ended. Still he succeeded and it will bring me more joy if this thing is quick and large enough to carry me or at least I can make him large enough.” I thought.

  “Show information of puppet farmer,” I said out loud.

  Common Grade Wood Farmer Puppet

  This puppet is a support class puppet, it has no fighting capabilities but instead it focuses on nature based magic. They possess a degree of farming knowledge that can always improve crops, and by using their Natural Creation skill which is converted to Nature Molding skill they can slowly alter crops for better production, taste, or effects.

  Their knowledge of farming stems from their master, so as long as the master can learn more about agriculture these puppets can implement it to a much greater degree. Also, with the knowledge of planting they can access the Book of the Dungeon Maker’s gathered items to use items that could aid in improving the farming.

  Farmers can cultivate any vegetation from a forest tree to a flower garden.

  Requirement for Evolution

  Equipped with a Hoe

  Evolve skill Natural Weapon Creation to Nature Molding

  “How do I have a puppet get Nature Molding skill?” I asked the guardian.

  “As this servant said previously, Master must have it learn to grow different items,” he replied.

  I dismissed the guardian and sit there thinking about what to do with the puppets. At that moment I had one puppet and the guardian. It would take several more hours before the next one appeared and the current one was busy.

  “I have to wait for now, can’t overstep the bounds wanting everything with one worker. Let’s first set up the dungeons carefully, then I will worry about the puppets as they slowly arrive. I only have 42 puppets that I can make and use right now until I can kill more demons so I need to be careful with my choices.”

  *Ding*

  A new Wooden Puppet has been completed.

  “Guess I don’t have to wait after all. Let’s get busy quick!” I said, and summoned him.

  Chapter 14

  We were sitting in the first floor of the inn with our breakfast in front of us and my book next to me.

  “Looks like today is promising. 23 gray wolves, 10 black jaguars, 80 savage rats, and 54 horned rabbits. Quite a number of monsters,” I said.

  “Strange, gray wolves are obviously our objective but the other ones aren’t common in this area. Did something happen to the dungeon?” Charlotte asked.

  “Happen? Well I did plant more plants and spread grass through the first dungeon I put, it says here that there are 12 gray wolves in the second one and looks just a bit more difficult than what the first dungeon was yesterday. Oh right, I purchased some mana drop flowers and put three inside the first dungeon,” I said.

  “WHAT! You didn’t!” Charlotte said.

  “Is that a problem?” I asked.

  “Of course it is! Mana drop flowers may be the lowest class mana herb, but once they reach adult size they release thicker purer mana. Inside a dungeon which is an enclosed place monsters naturally feed off that mana and grow stronger,” she said.

  “Oh, so that explains it, that said because of that over 2000 mana was accumulated just from the natural absorption of the magic hole quite impressive more than 10 times the previous max it gathered in one day,” I said nonchalantly.

  “Don’t be like that! Take the flowers out of the dungeons. If you want leave only one so that it doesn’t release so much mana inside. It doesn’t do us any good to strengthen the gray wolves we want to hunt,” Charlotte said.

  “We still need to gather exp for you guys and me, I need to make a exp crystal as well to upgrade a room into something else. I can’t wait to have more puppets, I really need to make a proper dirt floor room so that I make that garden,” I said.

  “Cross-san, please stop ignoring Charlotte-sama,” Misaki said.

  “I am listening, but I have lots on my mind. I need to think of how to make them stronger, which to make workers, which become warriors, which become farmers, which become crafters. It’s not really that easy, you know I don’t know shit about this system so I can’t take some random beast so I need to do everything with my 42 puppets I can build,” I said.

  “As I said, stop ignoring her. Remove the flowers now,” Misaki ordered.

  I rolled my eyes but opened the page and transferred one flower to the closed dungeon and one to the second dungeon since I didn’t place them there.

  The current population of puppets were all working in the closed dungeon. One already had a wooden hoe. The guardian leveled up his weapon creation skill so he shaved one hour off his growing process, and after a while I as
ked him to show me his roots without planting them. He only made long thick roots normally categorized as main roots. I told him to make shorter thinner roots that branched out more and do that with the plant tools and weapons he built.

  That went double for the other puppets. It goes without saying that the natural weapon creation skill was bumped up by three levels quickly with that and dropped three more hours. The other puppets happened the same, but for them this caused their skill to morph into the nature molding since they were also building wooden armor and tools.

  “There, I left a single flower as bait and left the guardian in front to keep it from being stolen,” I said.

  “Good, now how many did you plant? In total?” Charlotte asked.

  “Well I moved one to the second dungeon which currently has around 10 goblins exploring it, and I have traps deactivated so they can leave, some monsters are inside but if compared, it's like the dungeon yesterday before I added the mana drops. I also made a dungeon as an experiment and found that they still exist within the book and can slowly be altered so I had crops, herbs and the flowers planted there. The dungeon survives off the book’s own internal mana which has been steadily growing as I plant more mana drop flowers. Currently, I have 15 mature flowers inside that dungeon and each of them increases my books mana absorption ability by 30 per hour,” I said.

  “15 times 30… 450 mana regeneration?!” Misaki asked surprised.

  “500 actually due to the 50 that is natural regeneration,” I said.

  “That's an impressive amount, have you ever tried to tap into the book for the mana stored inside?” Charlotte asked.

  “Too many questions about the book, and too little time to experiment. For now, I want to let it gather. I don’t know if it's true or not, but I want to see if mana is gathered enough by the book if it can make exp crystals. If not then I will test using its own mana for runes,” I said.

  “Got lucky in the class… I am still swordswoman hmpf, hmpf! World is too unfair.” Misaki said.

  “Well, classes aren’t permanent, they evolve. Normally the hero class is the least capable of actually changing but it can change chance,” Charlotte said.

  “So class advancement? I can only see hero turning into fallen hero though,” Misaki said.

  She took a large bite of her well-filled plate.

  “Well for more common classes, yes. As a hero you probably have different options and your weapon is even more uncommon in our nation so it may give you a far eastern nation. I can’t say what you can be though, Ace,” Charlotte said.

  “No problem, this is already a pretty hard class to properly figure out. I really need to look into a book on all kinds of loot so that I know what can drop from animals and monsters and what is useful. That way my book can properly recognize what to loot from the dead creatures,” I said.

  “You are a scholar type class. Research is your forte so figure it out yourself,” Misaki said going in to stab her food but finding her plate empty. She lifted the plate and put it on top of the three others.

  “Waitress, another plate of roast pork,” Misaki said.

  “You should stop eating so much, we can’t support it financially yet,” I said.

  “Lies, you just got 12 silver from selling herbs, go sell the crops to the inn owner and we can stay here for several dozen weeks I bet,” Misaki said.

  “From your way of talking… by chance are you trying to eat away the stress of coming to this world?” I asked.

  POW!

  “Who is eating away what now!” she said angry.

  “Ouch owowowowowow. I knew it! You really aren’t handling the entire hero thing as calmly as you show!” I said.

  “How can I! I was killed by a fucking bengal tiger! Then I was thrown toward the sun, and only when the flash from the summoning happened did I realize what happened and could only shut myself off! You think I am like you, who was killed in the world's most cliche fashion. Even if I was trained to use the sword, I don’t know how to kill! I am forced to kill monsters now and you're still fine because you can just sit back and activate traps from behind your stupid book while I need to be in the front lines!” she said anger boiling and her face red.

  The others looked our way and the waitress was a few meters away.

  I looked at her and told her we were fine, we didn’t need the last plate called, and I asked for the bill.

  After paying we got up.

  “Let's talk about this where others can’t hear,” I said and walked toward the door.

  Charlotte looked worried and looked at Misaki but soon stood and Misaki as well.

  Just as we were about to reach the door a large man walked in front of us with an arrogant grin.

  “Oh missy, you’re quite cute and your features and armor remind me of those from beyond the demon lands. I've been there before, that cursed land, why don’t you follow this uncle and he will talk with you about it,” he suggested.

  I looked back a bit worried now but when I looked, Misaki didn’t have anger on her face, and instead she looked like she had dead fish eyes.

  Her hands moved to the sword she held on her left hand.

  “Shinigumi-san, please not here,” Charlotte whispered to her.

  Misaki stopped and smiled and handed the sword to Charlotte, and she walked forward.

  “My name is Misaki, what is yours?” she asked and with a sweet smile. She stuck her hand out to shake.

  The man’s brow raised and his grin widened as he took her hand.

  “This uncle’s name I… ARAHHHH!” he shouted and collapsed to his knees looking at Misaki who had gripped his hand.

  “Okay arahhhhh, let me tell you something. I am currently really annoyed at the moment. My life completely changed the last few weeks, stress has built up, and I am forced to fight monsters to survive, now you appear…” her voice slowly filled with rage with each word. “... now you appearing trying to pick me up…”

  CRACK!

  The man turned pale and yelled with his full might as he frantically tried to remove his hand that was twice the size of hers but she held firm.

  “My patience can only handle so much, and the humiliation you just gave me… you truly seek death don’t you?” She tightened her grip more and broke more of his hand.

  At this point he was changing from pale to yellow and soon began to foam at the mouth as the killing intent she was releasing was to such a degree that he couldn’t handle it and fainted.

  As soon as he collapsed, she just held his hand in the same spot before letting it go.

  She looked at him with the same emotionless face as before and turned before taking her sword back.

  “Let's go,” she said in a quiet voice.

  We stepped over the body leaving the quiet tavern in silence.

  “I am sorry for the inconvenience,” Charlotte said before exiting.

  They walked through the town and left towards the dungeon soon after with Misaki already with her sword drawn. She only said one thing to me.

  “Draw long lasting runes. Now!”

  ***

  “Boy, what in blazes did you do to crush your hand so badly?” the crazy old coot in front of me said.

  “Some bitch crushed my hand, fix it old man or give me some fast acting healing potions so it can heal,” I told him.

  “You need to find a priest first, you need light magic to heal your hand by at least half the damage or there will be irreversible damage left if you drink. I can only make inferior elixirs with what I have so I can’t make something that can help you,” the old alchemist said.

  “Shit, a priest's services aren’t cheap old man!” I shouted.

  “Boy, I am telling you what you need so you can keep working as an adventurer, if you want to retire then I can sell you the elixir, but if you want to keep fighting with that hand then look for a priest. This village has a small church and a number of clergymen the skill isn’t the best, but with several waves of healing magic it should set them
all into place again. Come back after you get it healed, it shouldn’t cost more than 50 silver to heal it up oh and the elixir is 30 silver a vial,” the elder said.

  “You're fucking with us old man!” my subordinate shouted.

  “I'll tell you right now brat, me and my apprentice are the only alchemists in this town, elixirs take two days to brew and need a constant supply of flames, rare flowers, and materials of high quality. Don’t think that I will sell you even an inferior grade elixir for less than 30 silver. If you insist on shouting, I won’t even make it. Now scram and if you still want it come back after three days,” the old man shouted.

  I held my hand as I left the house with my men.

  “That bitch! She is costing us almost a gold coin! We will definitely make her pay, boys go check where the bitch went, track her down but don’t let her see you. I want to beat her down myself then I will turn her into a fucking toilet!” I said in total rage.

  My group was a party of 20, and ten men ran off to search for them while the rest of us went to the chapel to get a priest to heal my hand.

  ***

  Wan, wan, wan.

  The cries of gray wolves within the dungeon ranged all over.

  Charlotte and I watched as Misaki fought alone with an expressionless face that had some blood splatter on it.

  We had gone to the dungeon with all the monsters, and she had ordered me to lead her through while killing all the monsters. The animals she didn’t care about, just the monsters. Pack by pack she killed while venting. She shouted and after each monster pack, she would cry a lot then turn emotionless again until the next group of animals died.

  It continued until the last group which were the gray wolves.

  The animals Charlotte had been taking care of since we couldn’t very well leave them or we would have a hard time absorbing the bodies.

  As the final wolf died, instead of crying Misaki let out a deep sigh and with her sleeve she wiped off the blood stain with a frown and heaved another sigh of relief.