Well this chapter turned out lot longer than I thought it was going to be lol. Hope you all enjoy it!

The changes to the dungeon shocked everyone around but the guild master seem to be prepared for all of this. He quickly got Jake and Ardry to take a group of adventurers with them to map out the area. This time the scouting process lasted for 2 days for Jake and Ardryll’s team to map out the new first floor. This time they focused a lot more on mapping so they avoided most fights.

“This is a complete map of the first floor.” Jake then handed over a scroll to the guild master then continued “This is so different from when we went in last time. I mean beside the increase in rooms but the feel of the whole floor feels different too.”

“Hahaham, every perceptive kid. You are right there is something different from the dungeon now compare to the last time you went in and when Alex’ team went in.” The guild master looked out the window “This dungeon core show far more intelligence than ordinary dungeon core at this age.”

Ardryll couldn’t help but blurted out “What do you mean?”

“What was the feeling you had when you were sent to scout the dungeon the first time. What was everything in the dungeon screams?” The guild master slowly asked the two.

“...” The two were completely stumped. What the feel of the dungeon screamed at the time? How could they possibly know?

The guild master let out a sigh “Still too inexperienced, did you guys not feel how desperate the dungeon core was trying to keep you out? How each side was getting increasingly more difficult and finally forced both of you to leave for your own safety? Now think about how you felt in the past two day when you explored the dungeon”

After a bit of a pause Jake answered “This time it felt… normal like how it should feel in a dungeon. Lots of rooms and tunnels that allows a lot of people inside at once. The monsters were more spread out and scattered making them easier fights. Everything felt more inviting than before.”

“That’s is right kid, that is how must dungeons should feel. You see when dungeon core first awaken they are just following their instinct and doing whatever that tells them to do. It isn’t until they reach 10 floor in size so they finally gain some self awareness and can start to feel the need to preserve their life. This is why new dungeons are so easy to destroy because they don’t even know that they should protect themselves.” The guild master explained

“What?” Both Jake and Ardryll were shocked at this news. There isn’t much information about dungeons cores so in Zeal so they only know of their existence.

“This isn’t well known here due to how protective the kingdom is of the dungeons here but if you were to go to the big kingdoms it is common knowledge. There are a lot of people that try to make a quick buck hunting newly born dungeons in those big kingdoms but even then it is pretty hard.” The guild master seem to be remembering something from the past as he paused

“Why would it be hard? A dungeon is so weak when it is borned a high level adventurer would easily wipe it clean and then search for the dungeon heart.” Jake couldn’t help but ask.

“The same reason as why it is so hard here. Just because the kingdom itself might not care about these dungeons doesn’t mean other people won’t. No matter what dungeons are a valuable source of income and in the large kingdoms those not controlled directly by the kingdom are controlled by other powers. These powers have developed way to detect for possible dungeon awakening spots and constantly sent out scouts to search area for possible new dungeon. Once the a new dungeon is found they would immediately move resource to protect it and claim it as their own. Trying to compete with those powers for the dungeon is not an easy task and many saw it as too dangerous line of work.” The guild master let out a sigh after he finished talking.

There was an heavy feeling in the room that lasted for a bit before the guild master continued “Our dungeon here is very special, right after it awakened it felt the need the preserve itself so the dungeon was built with the message of stay in the outer two room or die if you come in any farther. This is how the last floor of a dungeon is once they grow past 10 floor in depth. When you are on any other floor the dungeon is built with an inviting feeling as if it was build for adventurers to explore and hone their skill but the moment you enter the last floor you are endangering the dungeon core and it want you out by any means necessary. So what do you think this change in the first floor means?” The guild master finished explaining and toss a question at Jake and Ardryll.

Both were stunned by all this new information about dungeons cores that they have never heard of before but after a while they were able to process of this. Then after some careful thinking Ardryll finally said softly “That the dungeon has a second floor now?”

“Hahaha, that’s correct my dear! The dungeon core has already started on its second floor and moved its body down there. Now that his body has a new home floor one became a place where the dungeon core wants all the adventurers to be so that it came grow faster.” The guild master said with a smile.

“This is simply too shocking, I never knew that dungeon cores had their own thoughts….” Jake couldn’t help but mutter this as the news was too shocking.

“The dungeons are simply a very special lifeform that exists. No one really knows why they are formed but after having co-existed with them for so long we have learned many things about them. However in a small countries like this all the dungeons are far too young. In the bigger kingdoms the very old dungeons have a much closer relationship with their kingdom than people know…” The guild master’s expression suddenly became very serious “Remember, what I have told you today is a secret here in Zeal. This is something not even the king or royal court knows about. I have told you this because I believe in the potential you two hold and that both of you will one day leave this tiny kingdom. Ah, as backwater as this kingdom is it sure does produce some good youngsters…”

Both Jake and Ardryll were shocked by the guild master’s sudden serious tone and strange last words but they were smart people so they realize just how shocking this news really is. They both nodded to the guild master and said “We understand and thanks the guild master for believing in us.”

“Hahaha, now you two have a bright future ahead of you. Here take this letter to the Adventurer’s Guild in the capital and take your rank B exam. I expect you guys to pass without much of a problem. By the time you two are done and are back here there will probably be more work related to the dungeon for you guys to do.” The guild master handed them each a letter.

“Yes, guild master! We won’t fail you!” Both Jake and Ardryll replied and left.

With the new updated map the Adventure Guild began to allow much more than just one team into the dungeon at a time. Normally a dungeon of this size wouldn’t need regulations anymore but because so many people have gathered here that even now it needs to be regulated.

Sage was very happy with everything that has happened so far. Because Jake and Ardryll spent two day inside the dungeon with a group of adventurers they end up giving a lot of mana to Sage and allowed him to level up to 21. Then after they were done a lot more adventurers began to enter daily allowing Sage’s level to grow at a steady rate.

“Hey Alice, I just thought of something. Why don’t I capture a some of these adventurers and keep them in a cell somewhere? That way I’ll always have adventurers inside my dungeon speeding up my growth.” Sage has been thinking about how to speed up his growth as he felt it was the best way to deal with this damaged soul.

“That is pointless, you might as well just killed them if you are doing to do that.” Alice quickly replied.

“What do you mean?” Sage questioned.

“Well the mana that you drain from the adventurers that allow you to level up are mana from outside your dungeon. Once you drain all of it from the adventurers they would have to leave to replenish that mana. If they are trapped in here they can only absorb mana from the dungeon which is your mana and won’t help you level up at all. So if you trap them and slowly absorb all the mana they gather from outside and once that is gone you won’t get anything out of them. A lot faster to just kill them and get it all at once rather than stalling it out over the course of several weeks.” Alice casually responded as it was common sense, which probably was for almost every other dungeon beside Sage.

Have the idea shot down cause Sage to realize once again just how little he knew about this world as a whole. The next week passed by without anything too exciting. The adventurers explored the first floor of Sage’s dungeon but none of them dared to challenge the boss. Only 1 person died this week and it was someone tripping over a small pebble and proceed to face plant into a pit fall trap and devoured by a slime. Alice felt the gods were pitying them and give that unlucky adventurers life to them.

However on this night something unexpected happened. It was late into the night and all the fire from the camp have already gone out. There was no moon today so the area is even darker than normal. A shadow quickly moved through this darkness, she was tired, she was hurt, and she was near the end of her rope. The figure moved through the forest trying to find some place to hide. She has been hunted for almost a month now, her once leisure life was replaced with a month of hell. She hated the enemies that chase it so. She had tried many way to get rid of them but they always find her again.

Soon she sense an area of dense mana and quickly moved toward that area. She hoped to use that mana to recover herself a bit and allow her to run just a little bit more. She quickly saw the entrance of a cave and dashed in. The moment she entered she felt the dense mana surrounding causing her to feel very comfortable. How long has it been since she felt like this but just at the same moment she suddenly felt something watching her and muttered “A dungeon…”

This was a great shock to her, the mana here was dense because it was part of a dungeon but if so this has to the first floor. How can the mana be so dense only on the first floor of a dungeon? However soon she no longer had the luxury of thinking about that as she notice her pursuer closing in. She knew she was out of opinions and made a decision.

She took a deep breath and whispered “Oh mighty dungeon core, I offer myself to become your servant in hope of survive! All I ask is that you rid of me my pursuer and I shall offer my eternal servitude!”

*Sage’s Chamber*

Sage notice the moments outside cave and check the entrance of the cave. He was startled by what came into the cave. The person that came in was a beautiful woman with hair as white as snow, skin that looks as smooth as ice, and a face as beautiful as a flower. She would have looked much better too if her white dress isn’t completely in a complete mess with dry blood stain everywhere. Even so she was very pretty, if she was in a small to medium sect back in Sage’s world she would be consider the gem of that sect.

Sage was very curious as to who this was as he feel that she is somewhat different from the adventurers that came through his dungeons so he called Alice over. Just as Alice into the room Sage heard the woman say something that completely shocked him.

“Oh mighty dungeon core, I offer myself to become your servant in hope of survive! All I ask is that you rid of me my pursuer and I shall offer my eternal servitude!”

Alice just happen to hear this as well and darted toward the project Sage showed and immediately shouted “Sage! Agree! Now!”

“What” Sage was still recovering from the shock of that woman’s words.

“Sage I’ll explain later but agree right now or else those people chasing after her will be here soon.” Alice said then suddenly seem to remember something “All you need to do right now is cover her with your mana and accept her request. The contract between the two of you will be completed then.”

Sage notice the urgency in Alice’s voice he quickly Alice instruction and surrounded the woman with his mana and accepted the contract she offered. Soon a light glowed around her and a lot of mana in the surrounding area entered her body. By the time the light faded her cloth were no longer damaged and revealed to be a snow white dress with white gloves. The woman now is lot more graceful and elegant compared to before.

“Quickly guide her deeper into the dungeon, the people chasing her is not something she can handle right now. Pull all monster back to the room outside the boss room. That is where we will fight them.” Alice once again quickly instructed Sage.

Sage immediately responded and guided the woman into the room outside the boss room. At the same time he pulled the monsters on the way back there as well. He also pulled the elite mobs he has placed in the second floor out as well.

Just as the woman ran deeper into the cave give fiery figures appeared just outside the cave. Their eyes glowed red as they watched the woman escape deeper into the cave and then charged in without any hesitation.

They were fast and she barely kept her distance as they slowly closed in on her but soon she entered a large opening and just as they charged in a bright light appeared before them and blinded them.

Rumble, rumble, rumble.

Two rocks fell down blocking the only two exit to this large cave. The five fiery figures suddenly became alert and looked around and was immediately shocked. Aside from the woman they were chasing there was an small army of monsters here. At least 30 goblins with 3 goblin elites and 10 kobold with 1 kobold elite guarding the woman.

One of the figure finally said “Dungeon core, know your place and don’t mess with our plan. If you hand over the woman now we will ignore this offense and leave you be.”

Sage was startled when he heard this, how long has it been since he heard someone say something that arrogant to him. He couldn’t help but remember all those times when the taught those arrogant young geniuses a lesson. He wasn’t even going to reply and decide to teach them a lesson.

He ordered the slime he had hidden in the ceiling to all drop down. Soon 50 slimes rain down from the ceiling. The fiery figures noticed and try to dodge but a circle suddenly appeared under their feet locking them in place. The slime fell on them and began to try to digest them. However these figures were tough and their body seem to contain fire elemental naturally so the slimes were soon all burning. But this distracted them greatly which allowed the rest of the monsters to attack.

Each elite monsters lead a group of 1 monsters and attacked one of the fiery figures each while the woman took on one herself. Soon the battle was spread across the fight room as the fiery figure engaged in combat with the monsters and the woman.

At first fiery figures thought that killing these monsters would be a piece of cake but soon they were in for the fight of their lives. The elite monster leading the group were lot stronger than they should be but if it was just that it wouldn’t have pushed the fiery figures so far. What is really beating them is the coordinated teamwork of the weaker monster the elite monster lead. Soon the figures were pushed their limit and then their robe suddenly burned off revealing a body made rocks glowing red.

“Demonic Lava Golems!” Alice quickly shouted.

Sage caught the words but was too busy giving the monsters directions to think about it. The figure’s body lit up figure and they suddenly became much fiercer. The battle became even but the goblins and kobolds were still weak monsters after all. If this continued then the goblins and kobolds won’t be able to hold out.

The sudden change caught the monsters off guard and the Demonic Lava Golem all manage to kill some of the goblins and kobold. Just as they thought they were going to turn it around circles appeared under their feet. They thought it was going to be like last so they decided to break it by force but this time it was different. Their whole body was locked in place and the force they used wasn’t nearly enough. As they were locked in place the remaining monsters pierced their weapon through them and the elite monster dash in and cut their heads off. Just like that 4 of the Demonic Lava Golems fell.

As for the last one facing the woman he was the worst off of them all. After recovering she was stronger than the Demonic Lava Golem and beat him around. Even when he revealed his true power he was only a punching bag for her. She didn’t finish him off instantly even though she could have was because she wanted revenge for all that has has been put through. Finally after the Demonic Lava Golem was beaten until it can’t even anymore she froze the golem and then shattered it to pieces. She then walked to the other 4 bodies and did the same.

The fight was over and the monsters won, in total 12 goblins and 4 kobolds were lost but the elites were fine. Sage was happy with the result as this kind of fight is what is needed to make these monsters stronger.

The woman after getting revenge on her pursuer came into the boss room. She was completely shocked at the sight of the Kobold Lord. At first she was kinda worried as this dungeon seem to be very new with only goblins, kobold, and slimes. For a moment she thought she made a mistake seeking shelter in this dungeon but the moment she saw the Kobold Lord all those worries disappeared. She realize that this dungeon core was not that simple. She could tell that this Kobold Lord is stronger than her in her current state and had the dungeon core sent it out it would have easily defeated those creatures with the help of the monsters.

She walked down the stairs to the second floor and headed toward Sage’s chamber. When she entered the second floor she felt the mana density increase and couldn’t help but feel very comfortable. This was exactly the environment she needed to recover.

Soon she entered Sage’s chamber and inside she saw a crystal core and a fairy.

“Hello my lord, my name is Sigrid and I’m an Ice Maiden.”