Chapter 19 Part 3 of 3 (Patreon)

“The wall is going to collapse!” Han Wu yelled.

Erik fired on the smaller elementals coming from the western wall. He cut down dozens but more were pouring in from the broken wall. Two more large elementals appeared as Rugrat killed another.

“Reloading!”

“Covering!”

“Grenade!”

“Han Wu how are things back there?” Gong Jin asked,

“We’re taking them down.”

The southern door and wall exploded, small fire elementals fell over one another pushing forward. Two more large fire elementals came with them. Rugrat killed another large elemental at the Western wall.

“Reloading!” Erik yelled as he tore out the magazine and replaced it, he glanced at the water. It was bubbling frantically, he could see a light in the depths.

“More coming in from the south! Erik!” Han Wu stood and fired his grenade launcher into the new opening. It stemmed the tide.

Even in this chaos they were controlling the situation.

“Just need some more time!” Rugrat finished off the last large elemental on the western side. The ground erupted with Earth spikes stabbing through the smaller elementals. Rugrat’s round spread a southern elemental’s fire across the wall, fires started here and there among the roots.

Erik reached down into the steaming pool, the metal melting heat didn’t affect him as he grabbed the dungeon core.

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You have come into contact with a dungeon core. With your title: Dungeon Lord, new options are revealed.

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Do you wish to:

Take command of the Dungeon

Remodel Dungeon

Destroy the Dungeon

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“Take command!”

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You have taken over the Black Spring of Souls

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Construction ability unlocked

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Erik released the dungeon core still in the water, rolling awkwardly to his side. “Stop!” Erik’s voice spread through the entire dungeon. Like puppets on strings the elementals were pulled up short.

Erik pushed up from his side, to see rail gun rounds cut through dozens of the paused elementals.

“Cease fire! Cease fire!” Han Wu yelled.

The weapons fire died down.

“Fire elementals stop the fires and return to your rooms,” Erik ordered.

They drew the flames into their bodies, leaving charcoaled roots they moved back to where they had come to.

“Consolidate in the dungeon core room,” Gong Jin ordered.

“I’ve got control over the dungeon now. Just give me a minute, I have to check out things.” Erik said.

“Understood, Han Wu set up an all around defense on the dungeon core.”

“Yes boss.”

Erik pushed his slung rifle to the side so he wasn’t lying on it and reached into the boiling water again.

“Rise up.”

Erik guided the dungeon core up so it wasn’t in the water. He checked through the notifications that had come with taking control of the dungeon.

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Resources

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Monster Cores:

23194x Low Mortal Grade:

8712x Mid Mortal Grade:

52x High Mortal Grade:

61x Low Earth grade:

14x Mid Earth Grade[mc6] :

Minor Fire Elementals blueprint

Minor Water Elementals blueprint

Minor Air Elemental blueprint

Minor Earth Elementals blueprint

Large Air Elementals blueprint

Large Fire Elementals blueprint

Large Water Elementals blueprint

Earth Elemental blueprint

Dara-bird blueprint

Beast Core Golem blueprint

Diseased animated objects blueprint

Diseased rabbit fur bracers

Small bag of exotic spices

Tapestry

Continual Flame Spell Scroll

Continual Water Spell Scroll

Powerful Earth manipulation scroll

Strong Invisibility Spell

Ghost Shield medallion

5x Broken Ballista

152x Broken armor

118x Broken spear

4x Shrine

5x sealing scrolls

6897x Wobbergol Fish

19238x Wobbergol Spawn

14x Teleportation formations

1x Armageddon Formation

3x Mana Chaos formation

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Upkeep costs:

150 Mortal Mana Stones per day

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You have gained control of:

Dungeon Core (Grand Earth Grade Dungeon Core)

Beasts:

2139x Minor Fire Elementals

5123x Minor Water Elementals

874x Minor Air Elemental

15748x Minor Earth Elementals

17x Large Air Elementals

38x Large Fire Elementals

53x Large Water Elementals

73x Earth Elemental

1923x Dara-bird

13x Beast Core Golem

Rune of Fear

4x Energy drain

14x diseased animated objects

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“Fucking jackpot.” Erik knlt next to the dungeon core getting it to display a map of the dungeon.

The dungeon was a mass of semi-interconnected rooms. “This place is chaos, small rooms here and there. Everything has been formed with roots. The dungeon core simply acted as a keystone for all of the beasts populating the area.”

“How are we looking Erik?” Gong Jin asked.

“Place is five kilometers by eight, roughly. We’re lucky we found the entrance we did. This place is a damn maze. There are thousands of elementals in here. Three floors in total. Top two floors are built out of the roots, the bottom floor is under ground. The dungeon area was created more by the mangrove trees than the dungeon core. The dungeon core was only responsible for creating the dungeon beasts I think. Got teleportation formations as well.”

“Gonna install a mana gathering formation.”

Erik pulled out a blueprint and held it up to the dungeon core.

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Blueprint accepted

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Black Spring of Souls Dungeon can now create:

Mana gathering formation (Large)

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On the map of the dungeon Erik manipulated the formation, it didn’t work on the upper floors, only the bottom floor. The Dungeon core couldn’t manipulate the living trees around it.

The ambient mana decreased as the dungeon set to work.

“Okay, we’re going to need formation masters in here to finish inlaying the mana gathering formations. Lets get that teleportation formation set up. We’re going to need the crafter’s help and Matt. This place is much bigger than we realized. If we were to just copy Alva dungeon’s set up we’d lose a lot of room. There are fish living in the dungeon, the roots will act as a natural carbon sink and it's frankly massive.”

“Another backup position good and ready to go,” Rugrat said.

“Shit, who knew there were so many damn elementals and what’s with the fire boyos?” Han Wu said

“We’re sitting on top of a series of hot springs, there’s an active magma flow beneath us. There’s also Air Elementals in here as well.” Erik said.

“Well looks like we can turn this work over to another squad and Matt,” Gong Jin said.

“Got what, another two dungeons on the roster?” Rugrat raised his rifle.

“You heard Lord Rodriguez, check your gear we’re going Dungeon hunting!” Gong Jin couldn’t quite hide his eagerness.

***

“What are your plans to deal with the increased attacks?” Punita Pakesh, asked. The middle aged woman had been trading in the Fourth Realm for decades building up a trading empire. Her caravans crossed the chaotic lands, to the East, the Northern white wastelands to the north and across the seas in the south.

Chonglu was sitting in the main seat in Vuzgal’s public hall, behind him were two empty seats.

In front of him were the leaders of the traders and merchants within Vuzgal.

“We are looking into the situation. This is the Fourth Realm. I am sure you know that bandits are not uncommon. With the fighting that has just cleared up in Aberdeen to our west and between the sects to our north and south there are sure to be fighters turning to banditry.”

“What do you expect from the city that allowed another sect to attack someone under their protection, Pakesh?” Olivar Murillo, a trader specializing in the trade of smithing goods.

He is part of the group controlling the warehouses.

“Do you think I need you to fight my battles Murillo?” Pakesh drew out her voice, lifting her lip in disdain.

Murillo’s lazy eyes sharpened.

Chonglu pushed on. “What happens outside of Vuzgal is not our concern. We~”

“That is clear! Can you even defend your Vuzgal?” Arleta Melnik said.

Murillo snorted and looked towards Chonglu.

The traders were looking down at Chonglu.

“The associations have already started to move their people. It is clear that others will be allowed to attack if they meet the association’s desires!” Arleta continued.

“What the associations do is not our concern,” Chonglu said.

“Bah! You think that you will remain much longer with this?” Arleto threw up her hands.

Chonglu sighed and stood.

“Vuzgal is open for trade, you are all supposed to be adults. Hire on more guards. You will be protected inside Vuzgal. If you cause trouble, not even an old monster from the Sixth Realm will be able to protect you.”

“There was no way that was Sho Tolentino!” Murillo said.

“Are you so sure?” Chonglu looked at Murillo.

“There is no way that he would have fallen like that in such a cowardly attack!” Murillo argued, his supporters among the other traders agreed.

Chonglu showed an ugly smile and snapped his fingers.

A door opened to Chonglu’s right, to the side of the three chairs.

The pressure in the room sky rocketed.

A skeleton walked out wearing repaired robes, Embroidered on the robe was the Tolentino crest. From the man’s neck hung a medallion of the Willful Institute.

Each step seemed to increase the pressure. Only the sound of the skeleton’s footsteps and medallion hitting his breast bone filled the hall.

He stopped, the fire in his eye sockets looking over the traders.

“I do have to thank the Willful Institute for supplying us with such a powerful fighter. In Vuzgal, we don’t let anything  go to waste.

“That could be any skeleton!” Murilla yelled.

“It could be,” Chonglu’s smile had a bite to it.

“The Willful Institute will destroy you if you turned one of their people into a skeleton?”

“One person? They sent us such good talents. We couldn’t let them go to waste either!” Chonglu chuckled. Some traders shuddered while the veterans among them showed impassive faces.

“Might makes right in the Ten Realms. Starting today Vuzgal will supply discounted heavy repeaters and ammunition contracts to any sect that is attacking the Willful Institute. We also offer contribution medallions. Those that wear our medallions and attack the Willful Institute, for every member they kill they will gain contribution points that they can use in Vuzgal. We will place contribution points above mana stones in purchases. One can get memberships to the Battle Arena, concoctions, gear even bid in auctions! We have made the same offer to the guilds in hunting down the bandits in the area.”

The traders leaned forward in interest.

“How many repeaters are we talking about a week?” Pakesh asked.

Chonglu looked up.

“We have twenty thousand for sale right now. With three thousand per week. We’ll offer discounts on stamina and healing potions as well as spell scrolls.” Stunned silence fell over the room

We can sell all of our old stock that we don’t use any more. The factories are already producing higher level potions and spell scrolls compared to what we’re selling. We can buy ingredients with the money and feed the factories and the true Alva military. They’re just not used to having items produced on such a scale. Just wait when they look at the looted gear that we have for sale.

Several aides moved up pulling out papers.

“Please take a look. These will also be posted at notice boards across the city. Prices have been listed on the pages. Thank you for your time. I know you have other things that require your attention.

Chonglu turned and left the hall, the traders were all grabbing papers from the aides, talking to one another as they looked at the gear lists in surprise.

The Undead Sho Tolentino turned and followed Chonglu out of the room.

That should stir things up a little.