Two days had passed since Mark finished restructuring the dungeon’s lower floors. And during those two days, Mark had done absolutely nothing — except sleep a lot.
Modifying multiple dungeon floors had left him completely drained, both magically and physically.
His mana reserves were nearly empty, and his body felt like he had run a marathon while carrying an enormous rock.
Which was why Mark had spent most of the last two days sleeping in the freshly created bed inside his chamber on the tenth floor.
’Definitely the best decision I’ve made in a long ti.’
The bed was enormous — king-sized, with soft black silk sheets and pillows that felt like clouds.
Mark had used his Dungeon Lord ability to create it, along with several other pieces of furniture to make his chamber more livable.
’If I’m going to be a dungeon lord, I’m at least going to be comfortable.’
Now, lying in bed and staring at the black crystal ceiling, Mark found himself turning over sothing that had been nagging at him.
’Why didn’t I beco the owner of the other dungeons I cleared before?’
He had cleared dungeons before eting Ely, but none of them had ever offered him ownership.
So why had this one?
Mark frowned and sat up in bed.
"Vorax," he called.
Almost imdiately, the black sli materialized on the nightstand beside the bed, its gelatinous form rippling slightly.
"Yes, Master?" Vorax responded in his usual calm voice.
Mark crossed his arms, leaning back against the headboard.
"I have a question," Mark said. "Why did I beco the owner of this dungeon, but not the others I cleared before?"
Vorax went quiet for a mont, as if considering the question.
"That is a good question, Master," Vorax said. "The answer is simple. Low-level dungeons without a boss automatically close once all their monsters are eliminated."
Mark nodded, processing the answer.
’So that’s how it works...’
"Dungeons are sustained by their core and their monsters. If a dungeon has no boss and all its monsters are killed, the dungeon core loses its anchor and the dungeon collapses or seals itself."
Mark absorbed the information.
’So that’s why those dungeons never offered ownership. They just... shut down.’
"But this dungeon is different," Vorax continued. "This dungeon had a high-level boss — myself. When you defeated and I submitted to you, control of the dungeon transferred directly to you, Master."
Mark nodded slowly.
"So basically I can only beco a dungeon lord if I defeat a high-level boss and take control," Mark said.
"Correct," Vorax confird.
Mark sighed, running a hand through his hair.
’Well, at least that clears that up.’
But there was sothing else that had been bothering him.
Sothing more important.
Mark swung his legs off the bed and stood up, pacing around the chamber.
’The adventurers who died in the dungeon didn’t give any experience.’
That had been an unpleasant surprise.
When the first group of adventurers entered the dungeon and was killed by Ely and Yuki, Mark had expected to gain experience from their deaths.
After all, he was now the dungeon’s master.
’Shouldn’t I earn experience when intruders die in my dungeon?’
But nothing happened.
No notification.
No level up.
Nothing.
Mark had checked his status several tis, and his experience bar hadn’t moved even slightly.
’So I can’t just stay here and farm experience by letting adventurers die in the dungeon.’
That realization forced Mark to completely rethink his strategy.
’I put so much effort into making the dungeon practically impenetrable — restructuring the lower floors, adding traps, organizing my subordinates to defend it. And for what? I can’t even level up from any of it.’
Mark stopped pacing and stared at the wall, feeling frustration building inside him.
’...I’m going to have to leave the dungeon.’
The thought was annoying.
He had finally found a safe place to stay — sowhere he had absolute control — and now he would have to leave it just to find experience.
But there was another problem too.
Mark had noticed that his leveling speed had slowed down significantly.
When he started out, he had leveled up quickly — sotis gaining several levels in a single dungeon run.
But now...
’It’s taking forever to level up compared to when I first arrived.’
And that was a problem.
Because despite all the levels he had gained, he didn’t actually have that many spells.
Mark felt a flicker of anxiety.
In the ga, there was an entire skill tree for mages and spellcasters, with branches for different specializations.
For necromancers specifically, there was a whole sub-tree focused on curses, instant-death spells, and the summoning of undead — both low-level hordes and high-level elites.
’By now I should have access to way more spells — Bone Wall, death rays, life drain, corpse explosion, skeleton armies... but I haven’t gotten any of that.’
This world didn’t work like the ga at all.
He had known that from the beginning, but it was still frustrating.
’I need to figure out how to get more spells. And I need to level up faster.’
Mark stopped pacing and made a decision.
He walked to the throne in the center of the chamber and sat down, then extended his mind through the ntal link they all shared.
’Ely, Yuki, Aria — I need you to co to the throne room.’
His call resonated through the link he shared with them.
And monts later he heard footsteps approaching, and the chamber door swung open. Ely entered first, wearing the sa gentle, relaxed expression she always had for him.
Aria followed right behind her, her face lighting up imdiately at the sight of Mark on his throne. And finally, Yuki materialized from the shadows in a corner of the room, appearing silently as if she had always been there.
Her expression was calm and neutral, as always.
"You called, Master?" Ely asked, kneeling in front of the throne.
Aria and Yuki did the sa, kneeling on either side of Ely.
All three looked at him attentively, waiting for his orders.
Mark leaned back in the throne and let out a heavy sigh.
"We need to talk..."
User Comments
0 comments from readers