Looking across the glowing third floor, I felt mostly satisfied. It would serve well as an initial water-based floor. Large enough to feel like an open space, but small enough that it would be difficult for anything to try and sneak through. All that remained was to populate it and see how the floor fared.

With that in mind, my attention was cast upwards, seeking out Huntress. I found her resting in her nest, occasionally brushing a tentacle across the citrine gem that fascinated her so much. It took only a mere moment’s brush across her mind to convey my instructions. She reached out and snatched the citrine from where it rested, her tentacles pulling her out of her nest quickly afterward. As she made her way through the tunnels towards the open space at the bottom of the rock pool, I cast my attention to elsewhere in the first floor.

I had the Giant Glowmouth for quite some time, and I had a theory that I could gain that new schema by two members of the species reproducing. I’d been keeping a close eye on the Glowmouths, looking for any that might be close to evolutions of their own. Luckily, there were three. But none of them were actually ready. As much as I hated doing it, I decided to try and force the issue.

My mind drew three Lampreys to where I’d gathered the three Glowmouths, and I forced the Lampreys to remain still. My hope was that the Glowmouths killing the Lampreys would trigger an evolution, allowing me to test my theory. Without any mercy, I let the Glowmouths begin. Using the blunt force impact of their bodies, the three smaller fish began to bludgeon the first to death. It brought them closer, but not over the limit.

I switched them over to the second Lamprey, letting them begin the execution of that one as well. Luckily, my efforts were rewarded. I only wish it felt more like the Glowmouths deserved it. I believed wholeheartedly with the concept of survival of the fittest in my dungeon, so to give these fish something they hadn’t earned put a bad taste in my mouth. If I had one.

I managed to console myself with the fact that I was only doing this to make them into bigger prey, meaning they wouldn’t be able to enjoy the unearned gains for long. Nonetheless, I focused on the evolutions available to me. The first Glowmouth became a Giant Glowmouth, so that I could test my theory.

However, the three killing that second Lamprey had triggered two of the small fish's evolutions, and while the first’s had been the same options as before, the second had a new one.

Your creature, White-Scaled Glowmouth, has reached the threshold for evolution!

Please Select your desired evolution!

Giant White-Scaled Glowmouth (Common) : The White-Scaled Glowmouth is a common creature to be found underground, but also within the depths of the ocean. There, in those heavy depths, the small creatures can often grow to massive variants of themselves, the added mass and muscle helping them fend off more predators, but also consume more foods.

Flash Knifer (Uncommon) : The Flash Knifer is one of the most common and weak hostile waterborne species. The white-scaled fish measures a foot and a half from head to tail on average, and sports a thin, sharp horn. Unlike their more passive cousins, the White-Scaled Glowmouths, the Flash Knifer builds a stockpile of bioluminescent material and mixes it all at once, creating a bright, blinding flash. It then takes advantage of this blindness to stab their victim.

Deiron Drowner (Uncommon) : The Deiron Drowner is uncommonly seen. This is not because they are rare, but because they do not show themselves except at the moment of their strike. This surprisingly large creatures specialize in lurking below the surface of water and leaping out, dragging a victim into the waters and drowning them.

Awakener

None

Seeing the new option, I was confused for a moment. After all, I was fairly sure this Glowmouth hadn’t drowned anything. Then I thought again. The Glowmouths ate the Humming Flyants by luring them to the water and catching them. If this particular one had failed to kill one of the insects quickly enough, it's possible it had accidentally drowned one…

Deciding that was most likely, I chose the option. It would serve well on the first floor. If it was truly that difficult to see, then it wouldn’t give away the fact that the first floor was the entrance to a dungeon. And if it did get spotted, chances were it would only be because it was taking a victim. I rather liked the creature, it seemed to fit what I wanted on the first floor quite well.

As the two Glowmouths began glowing with the light of their evolutions, I let the last Lamprey and Glowmouth go free. If the last one would evolve it would be on its own merits.

A half-hour later, the evolutions finished. The Giant Glowmouth looked much the same as the first of its kind, simply a bigger kind of the same fish. The Deiron Drowner on the other hand, had changed drastically.

The description wasn’t wrong when it called the creature surprisingly large, it was as big as the Darkwater Shark had been, close to a meter and a half from tail tip to snout tip. The creature was oddly shaped as well, not resembling the shape of a Glowmouth at all anymore. It was front heavy, with a large main body. Off of this, were two arms of a kind, ending in three claws on each side. I could tell that they were designed to help the creature surge quickly out of the water, and keep its prey from struggling as it pulled them down.

Its head was a long, wedge-shaped snout. The jaw was heavily muscled, made to clamp down and not let go. The rest of its body consisted of a long, slowly thinning tail. It had small scales, that were mottled dark grays and soft blacks. I could tell it was meant to blend into shadows and dark places underwater.

I spent a few moments appraising the Drowner before letting it go to find its place. Turning my attention back to my original effort, I directed both of the Giant Glowmouths to make their way to the central rock pool. After a few minutes of waiting, they arrived. I could feel the fear in them as they saw Huntress waiting patiently, still where I’d instructed her to be.

She couldn't spare them any attention however, her focus seemed to be entirely on the citrine gem clasped close to her. I could feel the currents of Lightning mana that was interacting with her own innate Water mana. Once the three were there together though, I called her attention back to the moment. Quickly I opened a tunnel out of the bottom of the rock pool, a way for them to traverse down to the third floor. With Huntress leading the way, I made sure the two Glowmouths were following behind, even if a bit reluctantly. Despite the two fishes' rather understandable desire to not get too close to their most dangerous predator, they swam forward.

I could tell when Huntress first saw the third floor, because she quickly sped up and emerged quickly into the large space. I watched, amused, as she used the rock outcroppings and spires to maneuver around quickly. But even using those, the floor was quite a bit bigger than the tunnels and rock pool she was used to. I watched as she seemed to almost decompress, not seeming so confined and squeezed into her surroundings.

Huntress had grown larger again, filling out her form more and more. She reached almost nine and a half meters long, and she had a twelfth tentacle growing. It would reach the same length as the others soon, giving her even more capability.

Moving much more slowly behind her, the two Giant Glowmouths still sped up slightly as they emerged into the third floor. Unlike Huntress’ immediate exploration, the two began searching for a safe nesting place. Eventually they found one of the dens I’d made, hidden near the base of one of the red corals.

I left them to themselves as I instead began creating the second tier of this floor's life. Weaving strands of mana together, I began creating creatures once more. Slowly, the forms of a number of Darkwater Sharks took shape. Their muscled forms quickly sending them gliding through the waters. Not long after that, I received a message.

You have gained a schema : Giant White-Scaled Glowmouth

If I could have smiled I would have, happy that my theory was proven right. Quickly, I began weaving more mana into new Giant Glowmouths, letting these new creatures explore and find their places here.

I took a small moment to enjoy the sight of the creatures flitting through the third floor, but I wasn’t done. More and more creatures began to join this new ecosystem, as I created regular Glowmouths and Lampreys here too. The Lampreys could prey upon the regular Glowmouths, or if they managed it, maybe even a Giant one. Either way, the newest infusion of life sent the floor into a flurry.

The Darkwater Sharks began investigating these new additions to their food chain, quickly dismissing the regular Glowmouths, but finding the Lampreys to be similar prey to the Giant Glowmouths.

And of course, at the top of everything, was Huntress. I had made this floor to be her newest hunting grounds, and yet still just a transitory floor for her. She was slowly picking her way through the floor again. I could tell she was trying to figure out what she would want to hunt soon, what and where creatures were. Nonetheless, I connected to her mind for a moment.

Quickly, she began heading to the place I’d pointed out to her. Right beside the exit from this floor, was a well-hidden den. A place for Huntress to nest. There was even a carved out place for her to set the citrine gem she still carried with her. As she settled herself into the new nest, I looked out at the third floor.

It was the largest single and open space I’d created so far. A faint glow emanated through the waters from countless groupings and collections of coral. Reds, greens, blues, and whites blending together into a faint everpresent light. The water itself seemed to dance with the disturbances caused by nearby creatures. The Glowmouths swam in pods of brilliant white scales, their glowing spots helping them find coral to eat, even in dark crevices.

In the dark corners, shadows, or small spaces, the Lampreys lurked. Using their paralyzing venom and dark coloring to ambush fish that came too close. Their lives were spent in shadow and rock. Beyond those crevices were the open waters. Prowling through them was the long and menacing shape of the Darkwater Sharks. Their slow, languid movements a disguise for their shocking speed.

And ruling above everything, was Huntress. Her long tentacles reached everything. No crevice was deep enough, no pod numerous enough, no shark strong enough. Using the outcroppings and spires that served as homes to move quickly, she would hunt. Moving as the apex predator, she found a small queendom in the third floor.

Every creature’s breaths serving as the nutrients the coral needed. Which then in turn expelled what the creatures needed. Currents forming and dissolving in the commonly traveled paths.

I watched with satisfaction as the floor slowly came into shape. The creatures and floor living in a symbiosis. And it wasn’t an environment without impact on other places in my dungeon. The vacuum of power left on the first floor had changed it. Huntress’ hunting had kept many creatures from getting to the threshold for their evolutions, leading to a largely static first floor, when it came to the underwater parts.

But now that she was gone, I could already tell which inhabitants were going to be most likely to evolve. Two Lampreys and a Glowmouth, they were close. The Deiron Drowner I had evolved was a new being, but it simply didn’t hunt beneath the waters. It seemed to rely on its tough skin and scales along with its bulk to protect it from waterborne challengers. It had taken a place outside of the regular food chain there.

And in a snap decision, I made a choice. The Drowner would never fit into the first floor’s underwater food chain, and it wasn’t a natural resident of the caverns it was in. Not that I could tell anyways.

Do you wish to appoint “Deiron Drowner - Unnamed” as the Floor Boss of the First Floor?

This appointment comes with both benefit and detriment. Should you choose to accept, “Deiron Drowner - Unnamed” will not evolve further. In exchange, you will be able to grant it a boon to enhance it so long as it is on its floor.

Do you wish to appoint “Deiron Drowner - Unnamed” as the Floor Boss of the First Floor?

The creature was made to remain hidden unless it was attacking its prey. It would allow the first floor to blend in still, but remain dangerous. And it already didn’t fit into the food chain. I doubted I’d get a better choice for the first floor.

“Deiron Drowner - Unnamed” has become the Floor Boss of the First Floor!

Please Select the Boon it shall receive on the First Floor!

Strength Unknown : This Floor Boss is far stronger than it would first appear. With enhanced strength, its strikes become far more dangerous and far more difficult to deflect or block.

Speed Unknown : This Floor Boss is far faster than it would first appear. With enhanced speed, its strikes become far faster and far more difficult to dodge or avoid.

Resilience Unknown : This Floor Boss is far more resilient that it would first appear. With enhanced resilience, it becomes far more difficult to damage or injure, allowing it to survive powerful strikes.

Intelligence Unknown : This Floor Boss is far more intelligent than you would first assume. It’s enhanced intelligence allows it to plan and strategize more effectively.

Mesmerizing Presence : The Drowner hunts those that approach water heedlessly. And now, it has become all the more dangerous. Sources of water on the First Floor will become slightly mesmerizing, leading to creatures and invaders losing focus and standing near water without caution. Making them easy prey for the Drowner.

Seeing the unique possibility for this new Floor Boss, I almost immediately dismissed it. I’d chosen the Drowner because it wouldn’t give away that the first floor was a dungeon. If I made the water on the floor special in some way, then it would defeat that purpose. I had no doubt that if this was on any other floor, I would have chosen that nine times out of ten.

But this wasn’t any other floor. Instead, I looked over what I was now almost certain were default options. The increase to intelligence struck me again as not very useful. The creature already hid very well and seemed to already have good sense of when to attack and not. Being more intelligent might finetune it, but wouldn’t bring any large tangible benefit.

The resilience choice struck me as against the creature's nature too. It was an ambush predator, if it was fighting an opponent in a way that would allow its enemy to hit it more than in surprise, it was already failing. It needed to rely on surprise and the sudden submergence in water instead.

The last two, were the ones I needed to choose between, strength and speed. I could see a case to be made for both. Strength would ensure that it could more easily pull victims into the waters as well as hold them beneath easier. Whereas speed would make it far more difficult to avoid its ambush, and would let it drag a victim down faster.

In the end, speed won out for a vital reason that I discovered. If the ambush failed, and it was discovered, it wasn’t meant to fight in the open. It would most likely lose such a fight. So instead, it would need to run away. Making it faster would let it retreat and escape without being killed.

Choosing the option for speed, I waited for the split second that it seemed to take for my decision to take effect. I had assumed that it would simply increase the muscle mass in the Drowners tail, or something similar. Instead, I watched with fascination as the ambient mana around the creature was absorbed into the Drowner’s skin instead.

It seemed that instead of letting it swim with more strength, the mana was reducing the effects of resistance on the Drowner. Water slid off the scales and skin more easily, letting it push through the water faster than it would otherwise. When it surfaced to grab a nearby Rock Skorpion, it lessened even the air resistance. Fascinated, I spent almost half an hour watching the way the ambient mana in its skin allowed it to arrow and dart through the water. Moving almost as fast as Huntress had been able to, it now represented something of a threat beneath the water as well. Because of how fast it could ram into you, if nothing else.

Eventually however, my attention was pulled away by a surge of determination flowing through my bond with Kyr. Surprised by the sudden influx of emotion, I turned my attention to where he was coiled up in the second floor.

I could see that he noticed my sudden attention, but only flicked his tail in recognition. Instead, I saw that he was watching the Giant Bats up on the ceiling and hanging from their perches. His eyes following them as they flew from one place to another.

Focusing on and expanding my connection to him, I slowly felt out for what he was feeling. A heady mixture of determination, desire, and wonder flushed through the bond as I connected more firmly to him. I could see how he was watching their wings, their flight. How he wanted that for himself as well.

I quickly shook off my surprise at the desire, before thinking about it more closely. My evolved creatures were still quite a ways off of another evolution, but Kyr was the closest. As far as I could tell, a combination of him killing the occasional intruding creature and his own mana-generating scales gave him a slow but constant build to his next evolution. There was a chance that him having taken the default Giant option made it so he had a shorter time to go as well, but that would require testing.

As it was, he was the closest. Getting close to halfway there, in fact. Leira was somewhere near a quarter of he way, and Huntress was behind even that. I had no doubt that the required threshold was related to their rarities and individual circumstances. Nonetheless, I took a moment to think about what I could do to try and help Kyr get what he wanted.

He’d been with me from the very beginning, he’d guarded me, and gained me more schemas than any other single creature had. I suddenly realized that it was past time that I paid him back for that. I quickly gave him what little ideas I had,

Your desire for flight might be enough alone… Try and hunt the Giant Bats, perhaps you’ll gain flight through the need to fly to better hunt them…

I could feel his surprise, shock even, at my incredibly rare display of interference. I might give instructions to my creatures from time to time, but I almost never actually spoke to them. He quickly recovered though, the determination I felt from him resurging as he looked back upwards. He began slithering towards one of the higher outcroppings near one of the hub's tunnel entrances. The Giant Bats occasionally flew through the tunnels, and he would be in a good position to try catching one there.

Seeing his scaled form making its way there, I couldn’t help but hope for him.

Good luck, old friend.