*Susan*

After a great deal of effort, it was finally time to create the Floor Boss for the first floor and begin work on the second floor. As I had thought, the Dungeon Master class made it very easy to control Core’s monsters outside the dungeon and the work went relatively fast. I was still unsure how to feel about my new class, but I felt less bad about it when I was using it to help Core.

Core was operating the ‘menu,’ something that I still had not gotten used to, and was creating the boss as I looked on. It was not anything too special, just an enhanced version of the Spectral Guardians that were placed in each of the previous rooms. However, it would be a far more powerful opponent and a difficult foe for most adventurers due to its resistance to normal weapons. More importantly, after this I would be able to have my own house and bed!

Core did what he could, but I was essentially sleeping on the bare rock floor of a cave with minimal supplies- and it showed. At this point a bed and a bath would be absolute heaven, let alone other furniture like tables and chairs!

However, my daydream was broken by a chiming sound and I jumped as a menu popped up before me.

“Hey, Core.” I called out, and felt Core’s attention turn to me. It was still a little awkward between us, but there was nothing to be done but press forward and hope for the best at this point. “Take a look at this!”

[Dungeon Master Class Unique Ability: Mastermind Activated, options unlocked.]

In front of me was a small list of options that seemed to have been activated when Core had confirmed his decision regarding the Floor Boss. The list contained things like, [Boss Possession Special] or [Vengeful Bodyguard Special] and I had no idea what they meant!

“What do you think Core?” Despite having little knowledge about the world in most areas, in some Core seemed to know almost everything. I gambled he would understand this and was not disappointed.

“It appears to be one of your Classes special abilities,” he said with interest. “You appear to be able to confer special abilities onto Floor Bosses, though I must confess it worries me.”

“Why is that?” I could not see how it would be anything but a good thing to have a stronger minion at our disposal.

“Hmmm, well since there are game mechanics it would logically follow that there is game balance,” Core was speaking words I knew, but the order he said them in made no sense. “To simplify it for you, the world itself would not allow you or I to create a dungeon that cannot be cleared- at least under normal circumstances. Depending on who set up those mechanics, and whether or not they are currently present and overlooking their creation, there may be exploits, but I doubt we will see any of those holes until far in the future.”

“Core…” I could not help but sigh, “that does not simplify the explanation at all…”

“Your ability is likely to either have a downside or create some sort of reward that will attract stronger people to try and challenge the dungeon to obtain it.”

“Why didn’t you just say that in the first place!?” I smacked him (the wall) playfully, “so should I just ignore it then?”

*Core*

I get what she means by slapping the wall- but isn’t that unproductive? It is not like I can feel it, but I will not say anything because she might actually try to slap me and I do not know whether or not she can touch me. If I were a betting sentient magical object, I would put my money on the line that she probably could.

“No, we might as well use what we can.” I reply, “overall, the benefit should outweigh any disadvantage- otherwise there would be no point to the ability.”

“Which should I choose…”

Even a small list can seem daunting when you have no idea what the impact of your choices are- the list did not come with an explanation. Of course, I was able to get a bit of an idea as to their function based on my previous knowledge. For example, [Boss Possession Special] probably allowed either Susan or myself to take direct control of the boss- useful for a melee focused Dungeon Master, but useless for Susan and I right now.

[Vengeful Bodyguards Special] would likely add minions to fight with the boss, but I would wager there was more to it than that. What that ‘more’ was I had no clue.

Other than those two, there was also [Mini Boss Encounter Special] and [No Boss Special]. Which did not seem useful on the surface, but by my prior reasoning must have some use or they would not be there.

“Hmmm, well if we work backwards,” I was thinking out loud, glad to have someone to bounce ideas off of. “[No Boss Special] obviously removes the boss entirely, which is a disadvantage. However, because it almost certainly has an overall positive affect, I would wager it improves the strength of minions on the floor.” Probably. If that option turns out to be a hard mode points multiplier option I will strangle the being that made this world with my bare hands the second I get a body to do so!

“As for [Mini Boss Encounter Special] it probably changes the battle from a single boss fight to an encounter with multiple bosses throughout the dungeon, culminating into a final battle here- but all of the creatures would be individually weaker than the usual boss.”

Actually, I wonder if these abilities are like my own and unlocked based on conditions? No, they almost certainly are- which would mean…

“If you would be so kind, please choose that option.” I ask, because the reality is I actually have no choice in this. ...Wow that sounds passive aggressive, by the time I get out of this predicament I am going to need a shrink.

Susan did so and in front of us a larger than normal skeleton began to form- a Spectral Guardian Mini Boss named… Specy.

“My Lord!” Specy exclaimed in shock, and the belatedly added, “My Lady.” Before continuing on, “What has happened to me? We feel… I feel? Strange…”

I briefly checked the dungeon and as I suspected, the Spectral Guardians in each room had changed into mini bosses- each getting progressively stronger until the one in front of him in the boss room, and all of them appeared to be Specy.

“Hmmm, well skipping the unimportant parts, you have become the boss of this floor and all of you are the same being now.” I said lightly, “how does it feel?”

“This must be a fraction of what it is like to be my Lord!” Specy said in awe, “to be multiple places in the dungeon at once, I am in awe…”

“Wow,” Susan seemed a little stunned, but came back to herself. “That is incredible.”

“And now, finally, we can start on the next floor.”

Fortunately, the staircase down to the next floor was free and surprisingly, the floor came with theme options- one of which was necropolis. How convenient, well might as well use it then, I thought. It was a good reminder to think before I act, I would later say.

My first floor was a maze, a labyrinth and even though a necropolis would, by design, be more open, I had planned to continue down that vein as much as possible.

Instead, I got a more or less completely open floor- to the point where it was annoyingly creepy- and a palace at one end. The necropolis floor functioned vastly differently than normal dungeon floors, rather than purchase hallways to dig through the rock, I would have to purchase buildings to fill the cavernous space!

“Well,” I sighed as I turned to Susan. “I guess you get a palace after all.”