A new notification pops up once I state my name, but I’m distracted from reading it by Vistra’s reaction. “Huh? Saol Nua? How… interesting. Does it have a particular meaning where you come from?” I can tell that she’s confused by my choice in name, and honestly I’m a little embarrassed by my naming choice.

  {Well,} I begin, my voice bashful, {in one of the languages of my world, it can mean ‘new life’, or even ‘another world’. So I thought that it would be fitting for that to be my new name.}

  Vitra taps her finger against her chin, a thoughtful look on her face. “‘New life in another world’ huh?” She tilts her head to the side before clapping her hands and exclaiming, “I like it. At the very least it is better than nonsensical names that people come up with simply so their children seem unique.”

  She shakes her head. “Anyway, I am assuming by your declaration that you have accessed the Menu?”

  {Yeah, that’s right. It gave a little welcome spiel, explained the basic points, then asked me to decide on a name before I could continue.}

  “In that case, please continue through the Menu and make your choices on the aspects for your Dungeon. If you have any questions do not hesitate to ask me.”

  {Will do.} As I’m turning my attention to the menu I’m struck by a question that would be imperative to all the choices I would be making in my Dungeon design. {A quick question before I start, Vistra. Where exactly am I? And are there any settlements or roads nearby?}

  She nods her head at my questions. “Excellent questions for before you get started.” She straightens out her dress before she speaks in a lecturing tone. “At the moment, you are located within a large hill on a vast plains. Green as far as the eye can see. The only exceptions are several miles to the north and the south where there is a small forest and a road, respectively.” She pauses for a moment before continuing uncertainly. “There also happens to be a large, solitary tree upon the hill above us, its trunk is large enough to encompass the entire hill. It is likely that it grew so large due to feeding on the excess mana saturating this area.

  I give a mental nod at her analysis. {That seems likely, considering that Soach said they were going to put me in an area over-saturated with mana. What about monsters? Did you notice any around the hill when you got here?}

  She shakes her head in way of a reply before seeming to think of something. “I saw no monsters nearby, however I did see signs of battle in the cave above us, so it is possible there were monsters here recently but were slain by adventurers. If so then they will most likely return within the next month or two to ascertain if this location could be used as a training area for adventurers.”

  I contemplate what she’s told me so far, and if I could smile I’m sure that a huge grin would be spreading across my face. {So what you’re saying is, we have a month to get my Dungeon up and running before we get our first team of adventurers? And they’ll bring even more in the coming weeks?}

  Vistra matches my mental grin with a physical one. “That is correct Saol. So let us begin the Dungeon construction process.”

  {Agreed.} I turn my attention to the Menu, full of excitement for what’s to come

  I immediately dismiss the insectoid option, as well as the avian and aquatic beasts. I just can’t stand bugs. I think a shiver just went down my Core when I thought about seeing giants bugs in my Dungeon. I didn’t even think that could happen! Anyway, having avian and aquatic beasts would be helpful in the Dungeon at some point, but for my first monsters they wouldn’t be very helpful considering I’m starting underground. The same goes for reptiles.

  As for elemental and slime monsters, well, I suppose That I’ll run into the opposite problem than the beasts I dismissed. I doubt most new adventurers would have any kind of weapons that would be decent against an element, and if the slimes are acidic like the ones in books, then only enchanted weapons would be able to last any length of time against them. Everything else would probably just melt. But just in case…

  {Hey, Vistra. How strong is the magic in this world? And how many groups of new adventurers would be able to defeat a low level slime? Are their bodies acidic?}

  Vistra raises her head and looks at me from the hole in the wall she’s resting in. “Magic and slimes? Well, magicians generally have multiple types of beginner spells. For example, the fire spell Flare, the wind spell Gust, and the water spell Condense. These three are the basic spells most magicians start with once they choose the class, though that is simply for the general magician class. There are a variety of magic classes, as well as physical classes that use mana to aid their attacks.”

  “As for how a group of new adventurers would fare against a slime?” She taps her chin in thought for a moment. “An average group of level one adventurers would have no problem defeating a single level one slime. However, it is fairly rare for adventurers to encounter any level one monsters, considering that they would be killing other beings to survive themselves. Though most have bodies that are acidic, the intensity varies depending on their type, which also factors into the fight. An ordinary level five slime is moderately acidic and can typically melt organic material within ten to twenty seconds, so long as it is not resistant to it. Inorganic matter such as metal can take up to a minute in small amounts, or forty seconds if it remains within the main body. In this scenario, the team of five adventurers would likely lose a member or two, as well as having to repair or replace a goo deal of equipment.”

  {I see. So for- wait. Did you say goo deal or good deal?} I speak over her reply, {You know what, never mind. I’ll just accept that you’ll be slipping in any puns you can think of when we talk.} I ignore the look of satisfaction and the small smirk on her face as I continue, more to myself at this point. {Anyways, so a team of new adventurers wouldn’t be able to fight small groups of slime consistently through my Dungeon, so those are out as well...} I trail off as I consider the remaining options.

  To me, beasts and plants seem kind of generic, mainly in that adventurers could probably just go to the forest to fight them if they wanted. That only left the undead, the constructs, and the absorption options.

  Out of the last three options, I could immediately dismiss constructs. I could see it now; dozens of scholars and their overpowered bodyguards coming to my Dungeon in order to study them. They would come in droves, trying to recreate them while screwing over their coworkers. Eventually one of them would discover that I’m the one manufacturing them and would either take me from my Dungeon totudy, or smash me when they can’t figure out how I do it.

  That only leaves the undead and the absorption process. I have always wanted to be a necromancer, but based on the description, it seemed like I would get a lot of holy types trying to purge me. And honestly, the absorption option seemed like it would keep me interested for millenia. A huge amount of variety for my Dungeon appeals to me, and while it does seem like a more difficult start, the returns further down the road can pay massive dividends. There’s also the matter of this ‘adaptable Trait’, and how it would affect my Core directly.

  {Hey Vistra, what are ‘Traits’?} Without turning my attention away from the Menu, I question my resident encyclopedia on all things Drefrit.

  “...”

  {Huh, Vistra?} I turn my attention to her to see why she didn’t respond. I see her asleep in the wall, curled up into a ball. And wearing a set of pajamas. No idea where the pajamas came from, or where the dress went. But she looks cute. I suppose I can just ask about Traits later, or I’ll figure it out by the time she wakes up.

  I turn back to the Menu and select ‘absorption’.

  I wait for a few moments, trying to see if I can feel anything different after getting the Adaptable Trait. When nothing happens, I shrug my nonexistent shoulders and focus back on the menu.

  I stare at the traps, my eyes drawn to the magic traps. It’s a fantasy world, magic is basically a requirement. But I know that I won’t be able to use them effectively, not when I’m just starting out my Dungeon. I reluctantly turn my gaze away from the magic and towards the physical traps. Without any monsters, any mental traps I would be able to build wouldn’t be able to do any kind of lasting harm to anything that enters my AOI, and considering that the first thing I would need to kill would be a monster or animal to populate my Dungeon with…

  I select ‘physical traps’, all the while swearing that I would be buying a ton of magic traps when I obtain enough DP.

  Well that’s underwhelming, I can’t help but think. The pitfall is a cliche for every Dungeon, so it makes sense that I would get that. As for falling stones, well, I was hoping for stone spikes. Oh well. I can see some utility for it if I put it in a sloping hallway. Ooh! Or if I make a bowl shaped room…

  I get lost in my Dungeon plans for a few moments before giving myself a mental shake. Gotta focus on finishing my start up. Everything else can come after. No more distractions! I turn my attention back to the Menu, committed to finishing it before I make any more plans.

  {Status!} I exclaim in excitement. I have a status sheet, and money!

  Okay, so my status was a bit bare, but I suppose I should’ve expected that considering I’m a sentient rock. Though it's surprising that my class reflects my monster and trap choices, what really catches my attention is that I have two Traits. I try selecting them to see if I can get any more information.

  …

  ……

  Huh. I mean, the apathy Trait isn’t wrong, but still. I decided that I would just ignore what it said and focus on the benefits.

  Eighty percent mental resistance! For both me and my monsters! This would go a long way towards ensuring my safety should anyone find out I have a mind. And for my monsters, anyone who thinks they can control them to clear the Dungeon is in for a rude awakening!

  {Muahahaha!} I let out an evil laugh at the image of some kind of experienced monster tamer walking into my Dungeon, trying to control the first monster he sees, then seeing their expression when they fail and it eats their face. It’ll be hilarious!

  “Mmhhmm.” My musings are interrupted by a groan as Vistra stretches herself and wakes up. She looks around with a dazed look on her face. She blinks at my Core a few times before she seems to remember where she is. She flies towards me, her dress, nope, not thinking about it anymore, fluttering around her knees.

  “Good morning Saol, have you finished with the Dungeon Start-up yet?” Her tone is curious.

  I check my notifications and am excited to see that there’s only one left. {Just about. It seems like I only have a little bit left before we can start construction on our Dungeon.}

  “Excellent. Then do not allow me to disturb you, I will see if I can find anything that might be useful down the other tunnels.

  That gives me pause for a moment {Huh? There are tunnels down here? Actually, wait. How far are we from the surface anyways? Is there a path down here from the surface?} If there’s a path down, then I wouldn’t have to design everything myself, which would let me scheme and fantasize about my Dungeon! Unfortunately Vistra shakes her head.

  “There is no path leading from the surface to here. I teleported down here from a cave above us using the directions given to me by Lord Soach. There is a tunnel in the far wall, though I have yet to explore it. As for how far down we are…” She trails off trying to come up with the answer. She speaks hesitantly, “I believe that we are roughly fifty feet underground, not including the hill the tree rests upon.”

  I process that for a moment. Apparently it’s going to take a lot of work to get the Dungeon up and running before those adventurers return in a month. Especially by the looks of this last notification.

  Yeah, I can tell that getting ready for the adventurers is going to be a lot of work. Sigh. Oh well, no time like the present to prepare for death and chaos!