"As we tour through the fourth floor of this nature dungeon, ensure you note the floor's theme. Each floor will have a predominant creature type for the first five floors before reaching a safe area. The safe area is right after the theme boss, which generates every five floors. Each individual floor will have floor bosses which correspond to their predominant creature type. With sufficient knowledge and awareness, you can speculate on the nature of the theme boss based on the creature types you've encountered. Susan, care to speculate on what we may encounter for the theme boss?"

"...well, we've encountered rats, hogs, elk and wolves so far. So I'm thinking some kind of terrestrial animal? Something that doesn't fly at least."

"Excellent job Susan, adequate analysis. And Mr. Lurik? If this was an underwater dungeon, what would you think it'd be?"

"It's unknowable because no one goes to them and we'd all be dead."

"Quite right Mr. Lurik."

--Sylvia Sorensen, Dungeoneer. Recorded Lesson from: "DUN101: Intro to Dungeoneering." AC 1132

The rush of blood slowly fades as I remove my claw from the enemy crab. The sheer force of my descending strike had split his carapace in two. I use [Water Manipulation] to scrub the ichor off my claws as I review the fight. That was too close. Even though we were commensurate in size and weight, he was still stronger than me. Is it because of his species or level? I pull up the [System] notification to double check and see that yes, he was level three. I look to my fallen foe as his blood stains the sands.

"Sorry buddy, it was you or me." I sigh.

As I prepare to move away from the slowly cooling body my stomach growls. When was the last time I had eaten? I spent a few weeks by the coast with Toriana but she said I was in my soul form there. I hadn't needed any food and didn't grow hungry so I hadn't thought about it. Shrugging, I turn back to the fallen [Dungeness Crab].

"Waste not, want not I suppose."

As I reach out to begin prying the shell off the crab a sudden spray of bright lights appear, motes of mana dissolving in the water as the crab fades into nothing.

"What? Noooo! My food!"

I scurry closer to try to save a piece as it disappears. I pat my claw on the ground, trying to figure out if maybe it had gone into the floor. Things don't normally just disappear out of thin air after all. Getting no response, I sit down to rest and as I do, the sand where the crab had fallen opens up. A piece of crab meat rises from the ground, cut perfectly square and ready to eat. I eye it warily.

Yeah... that's not normal at all.

I flicker my [Mana Sense] on and off to see if it's another trap but I receive nothing. It's just a piece of crab meat. Extending a claw I poke it. It jiggles menacingly at my strike.

Hmm... well I am hungry.

I walk up to the meat and pick it up, examining it from all sides. The coloration seems to be normal, nothing rotting or malformed. I smell the water around it. It appears to be fresh. Already weirded out by this place, I conduct more tests. A claw placed on the meat shows it to be within ambient temperature ranges. I lift it above my head and let it drop to the ground. It gently falls through the water before landing with a little *puff* of sand. It demonstrates the expected fluid dynamics of an inanimate object. I decide to check it's friction coefficient with the sand on the ground and give it a slight nudge. It slides within expected parameters. I decide...

***

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Aethir: "JUST EAT IT!!"

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***

A slight tingle ripples through my carapace. My runaway thoughts screech to a halt as I swivel to identify the source. It felt like there were eyes watching me from the dark. I scan my surroundings, looking at the walls and ceilings. Nothing but cool stone. This place is unnerving. And why was I trying to do all of those tests before? Thoughts of fluid and friction scrambling my awareness. I set the matter aside for now and decide to check my new status.

"Status."

Character Screen Name: Sir Crabby McCrabbington I Age: 8 Months Level: 2 Class: Apprentice of the Coasts Race: Elemental Crab Titles: Triumvirate Unveiled, Kiss from a Crab, Luck of the Crab, Lore Contributer II Health: 37/70 H-Regen: 0.07/sec Mana: 112/170 M-Regen: 0.19/sec Stamina: 94/170 S-Regen: 0.11/sec Basic Stats Strength: 4 Wisdom: 19 Vitality: 7 Intelligence: 17 Dexterity: 9 Charisma: 16 More...

Woo! Sir Crabby is making progress! The level gave me plus two to all stats and it looks like... well, I guess the base value for STR, VIT & DEX still isn't high enough to give more points for [Kiss from a crab]. Hmm... that was strange before though, I've never gone off on a tangent like that, trying to test things. And all those weird terms and phrases? Maybe the stats are doing it? I already dismissed being a Three Headed Crab because I didn't want my personality to change.

I eye my status warily.

It stares back at me.

I glare back at it.

"I'm watching you [System]." I shake my claw threateningly.

*silence*

Oh well, I guess I'll just have to keep an eye on that. Settling down, I tear into the meat; waiting for my health to recover.

***

While recovering, I think about the fight. I didn't really have any experience fighting when I lived on the coast. I was tiny and I hid in a hole in the ground during the day. At night, I [scuttle]'d out and looked for food. If something scary like a bird or a bigger crab showed up, I ran and hid. Wait! Hiding! I still have [Natural Camouflage]. I don't know how well it will work but it might help. With a quick bit of concentration my light blue and black shell fades to grey, matching the dull floor and walls. If I have to fight some more, maybe I can get the drop on the bad guys this time.

As for the fighting part? I guess I'll continue to use what worked here. Anchoring myself to the ground gave me a solid base to leverage the motion of my claws, and moving the water away from my strikes let me swing faster. For more power, I can coat my claws with earth to increase the weight and [Coast] will compensate for the reduced speed. Finally, [Slice] will give my claw a cutting edge and allow me to fell the enemy with one attack!

"Haha! It's the perfect plan! There's no way it could fail!"

*ominous current flows through the dungeon*

I suddenly shiver, weirded out for a second. Alot of strange things are happening here. It's probably just because this place is full of mana. That must be the reason. Dismissing it from my thoughts, I get to my feet. A quick flicker of [Mana Sense] shows me the exit, and I creep ahead; ready for any sudden ambush.

***

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Toriana: "Did... did he just tempt [Fate]?"

Aethir: "Shh... it's starting to get good."

Lira: "Pass the popcorn."

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***