A Slow Start

'Huh.' Alvar's mind ached from his soul being transported to his dungeon. Previously in the afterlife, he could feel no pain (though his mind was strained from the intensive study session). It was different now.

'I have been reincarnated now.'

Finally, he was able to open his eyes. Or rather, eye. He had only one point of vision. Oddly enough though, he still had depth perception, it was just by feeling instead of by sight. He was in a cave the size of a one-room apartment. It was dark and wet, with drips of water falling from stalactites. There was one pool of water that he went to, hoping to see his reflection. However, what he saw was shocking. He was a light blue ghost light just like a will-o'-the-wisp, the only difference was a dot in the middle that seemed to be his eye. He was slightly smaller than a baseball.

'Why am I a pea-sized glowing balloon? <Open Interface>' With that command, a screen like an old DOS command prompt was opened. It read:

}} Dungeon Interface {{

>Status<

>Floors< [Locked]

>Monsters< [Locked]

>Construction< [Locked]

>Utilities< [Locked]

>Crafting< [Locked]

>Enchanting< [Locked]

>Shop<

>Settings< [Locked]

'<Open Status>' Alvar thought. The DOS terminal seemed to glitch or faze for a moment, as new text was typed below, revealing a status screen.

}} Dungeon Status {{

[Locked][See Information]

'This is the wrong screen, I wanted to see my own status, where do I find it. Oh well, but what is the see information thing? It is colored red compared to the rest. Let's try this, <See Information>.'

}} See Information {{

- Your Dungeon is currently not fully formed. Progress: 2.36%

'Oh, that worked. Progress is at 2%. Right, I remembered that it would take some time for my dungeon to form.' Alvar glanced to the back of the cave, where a rock formation that looked like either roots or veins converged into a speck-sized glowing crystal. This was the Dungeon Core, or at least it will be when it is fully developed.

The dungeon is in an extremely vulnerable place. Apparently, though, dungeon cores are useless until fully formed. In fact, in one of the volumes Alvar read, it said that most countries saw that the destruction of a dungeon before it is fully formed is a major offense. The reasoning is simple, a premature dungeon is worthless, but it can become extremely valuable. Removing a premature dungeon causes the government and the citizens to lose potential wealth.

'Though rebels would still do it for sabotage. Anyway, how do I access my own stats? <Open Personal Stats><Open Personal Status><Status><Personal Status>!' Alvar continued through a list of potential commands. '<Open Master Status> you stupid screen!' After that command, the glitch DOS terminal returned:

}} Master Status {{

Name: (null)

Level: (null)

Race: (Temporary)[See Information] Wisp

Blessings: (null)

Abilities: {Mana Stockpile}

Masteries: (null)

Techniques: (null)

Score:

-Health: 10/10

-Mana: 3/10

-Strength: 0

-Dexterity: 3

-Defense: 0

-Magic Defense: 5

-Constitution: 0

-Affinity: 3

Quirks: {Ethereal Body} [See Information]

'Wait, I really am a wisp. What is this, I'm so weak. A person's sneeze could kill me. I have no defense or strength. <See Temporary Information> That didn't work. Okay, <See Race Information>.'

}} See Information {{

- Welcome Dungeon Master. Due to the difficulties in reincarnation, you have been given a spiritual body. This is temporary and you can change race at any time. Beware though, once you change your race, you are stuck as that race for the rest of your life.

'So I can change my race, but only once. <See Quirk Information>'

}} See Information {{

- Welcome Dungeon Master. This body is not as weak as you think. It is immune to all physical damage and most magical damage. You are able to ghost through walls and turn invisible. You are also able to store mana past your limit. Beware though, if you run out of mana you die.

'Hmm, so I don't need defense or strength since I am pretty much a ghost now. Oh, so that's what {Mana Stockpile} means...wait, DIE! If I run out of mana I die! What if I am attacked by a creature that steals mana. Also, if I can store mana past my limit, what is the point of the limit? I'm glad they tell you this or I would have probably died soon. That's probably why they tell you. But why is there no information for other things?'

'Great, well maybe the shop has something that can help me not die. <Open Interface><Open Shop>'

}} Shop {{

Points: 200

>Floors< [Locked]

>Dungeon Effects< [Locked]

>Utilities< [Locked]

>Blueprints< [Locked]

>Personal<

>Modules< [Locked]

'Why is everything locked again? Maybe because this isn't a dungeon yet. <Open Personal>'

The Personal section sold abilities and blessings. What was interesting was that at the top there was a first purchase sale, where the first ability purchased would be 200 points. It seemed as if this was Heaven's way of giving out a free skill. After scrolling through the list, Alvar found the skill he was looking for.

'<Purchase ability {Create Lesser Familiar}>'

}} Purchase {{

Would you like to purchase the ability {Create Lesser Familiar} for 200 points?

'<Yes>'

}} Purchase {{

Success!! Beginning to integrate new skill into the host.

A strange feeling was felt through the wisp. Unlike what Alvar was expecting, it did not feel like an epiphany, but instead like a sore muscle you never knew you had. He was greeted by a feeling, the presence of this new power.

The reason why this skill was chosen over the other was because of a unique quirk of dungeons in this world. In a video game, monsters just appear or spawn in dungeons, ready to attack the player. However, there was no such convenience. When Rosa said that there were no handouts, she wasn't kidding. Monsters do not spontaneously appear. Monsters also cannot be bought in the shop either. Monsters literally have to be recruited into the service of the dungeon from the outside world.

This wasn't at the expense of the monsters either. Dungeons provide a lot of benefits to them. First, it offers a safer place when compared to the discord outside. Second, it can have a lower death rate in wars if the Dungeon Master is competent. Third, it can assist monsters in growing stronger, especially evolution.

Evolution is a natural process and does happen without the assistance of a dungeon. However, it requires certain conditions to be met and a large amount of mana to fuel. With the right skills and abilities, a Dungeon Master could find out the conditions for most evolutionary paths. The Dungeon Core is a huge source of mana that could be used to evolve.

It isn't just monsters though. Humans, elves, and other races can also join a dungeon. However, Alvar could not exactly remember why they would.

However, a premature dungeon and many newly created dungeons are not attractive employers. There is an ability of a dungeon though to compensate for this, {Conscription}. An ability that forces creatures under the control of the dungeon. The will of the creature and the will of the dungeon fight, and if the dungeon wins, the creature is forced into an imperfect servitude. Monsters with weak wills are often less intelligent or less powerful. If a monster is dumb enough, they can ignore commands without consequence simply because they are not intelligent enough to understand it.

This ability is difficult to use in the beginning though. In exchange for power, Dungeon Masters all have on fatal weakness. They cannot exit the dungeon. The Dungeon Core is their lifeline, and by leaving they cut it off.

The strategy that Alvar came up with was to use the skill {Create Lesser Familiar} as a proxy and a makeshift minion.

'<Activate Tutorial Assistance>'

Souls thrown into a world of magic and skills were at a severe disadvantage. As such, all Dungeon Masters could use a system called Tutorial Assistance. In exchange for making abilities easier to use, there was not much freedom. However, using the skill is more important.

'<Tutorial Assistance Interface>'

The slightly glitch DOS terminal returned. 'So, I don't have to say open.'

}} Tutorial Assistance {{

Select an Ability:

{Mana Stockpile}

{Create Lesser Familiar}

'<Create Lesser Familiar>'

}} Tutorial Assistance: {Create Lesser Familiar} {{

Select the Familiar you would like to create:

Surveillance Flies; Cost 2 Mana

Phantom Rat; Cost 20 Mana

Phantom Bat; Cost 35 Mana

Astral Weasel; Cost 85 Mana

Phantom Thief Fox; Cost 125 Mana

'THIS IS ROBBERY! These are so expensive. I have only ten mana, unless I stockpile, but I could end up dying if I overspend.'

Alvar's worries weren't unfounded. Lesser familiars are cheap, but with a few caveats. First is that they are unstable. Unless fed with mana regularly, they would unravel and dissipate. They also need mana to heal. The final caveat is that they are incapable of having their own mana, and need to get that mana from the host and user.

'Maybe that is why I would die if I run out of mana. <Master Status>' Alvar checked his mana and found that it was now 4 out of 10. He decided to wait since he was generating mana by himself.

…

Alvar discovered what the ability {Mana Stockpile} meant. Every hour he would generate a point of mana. After reaching ten, though, he would stop gaining anymore mana. In other words, it was not passive.

It was a sort of meditation ability that gave ONE MANA PER HOUR. One hour of concentration. Alvar had a thought to just stockpile stupid amounts of mana and turn himself into a nuclear warhead, but realizing that only two mana gets a few flies, he changed his mind.

There was nothing to do though. He couldn't leave the dungeon or he would die. He couldn't play because he lacked a physical body. There were no video games or smart phones. So, all he could do was stockpile mana. For one week, he mediated, and wasn't even able to get the weasel, much less the fox. Rosa wasn't kidding when she described this opportunity as hell.

…

In this world, there existed many races of fantasy. There were elves, humans, dwarves, vampires, trolls, and hundreds more. Most countries were open to trade and immigration. This caused most countries to become diverse. Whether the country was a 'human country' or an 'elf country' was dictated by the race of the royal family. If they were humans, the country would be 'human.' It was the same for every race. Intense segregation was, for the most part, removed from government policy. However, that didn't make all the races unite together. Segregation in small forms, like banning a race from a village or having a human-only tavern were not uncommon.

Every race had their factions, and it was not unusual for factions from different races to unit. This was politics. Stereotypes only divided people and should never define people. Because it will end with a knife in your back.

…

The Rolstreuch Monastery was a sanctuary dedicated to the bow. Among the archery institutions in the kingdom of Irdan, it was ranked 4. It was highly traditional and had a low acceptance rate. It was still highly popular because of the seven bowmasters in Vallad United Kingdoms, Roland Rolstreuch, was the head master. The Rolstreuch had a high amount of prestige. A swordmaster was said to be able to handle an arm by himself. A bowmaster was said to be able to kill a swordmaster. The only reason that the monastery's rank was low was because of how few students there were.

The monastery itself was situated on a tall hill surrounded by plains and horse. It should be no surprise that horseback archery was pioneered here. The red and pale brick walls and buildings caught the sunrise, projecting its majesty to the surrounding flatlands.

In one corner of the monastery was a courtyard. It spanned fifty feet will a young boy, about 16, on one end and a target on the other. There was only one thing unusual, there was a tree between the boy and the target. The boy nocked an arrow and shot it at a sideways angle. The arrow had a blue glow and curved, striking the target in the center. A flash of blue light blinked and the arrow broke through the target, embedding it into the ground. The target was made of a metal refined in a dungeon, making it highly durable. The arrow still tore a hole through it and the metal started to wiggle and sow itself back together.

In the corner was a 19 year old boy under an overhang, who whistled. He looked at the archer and said, "So this is you masterpiece Jace? You used Heart-seeking Arrow and Armor Break. It definitely is good, but it needs more. There are a lot of people how can deal with that. Still, how did you manage to get this far at only 16. I created mine at 18, and father created his at twenty. You don't need to be so fast."

"So what, I am create a bow art before that stupid horse-face does, Nailar" Jace was stared at the target like he was reading an old tome. Until his brother smacked him on the head.

"Lighten up. If you get to caught up on trying to one-up that kid, you will get surpassed by someone else."

Nailar and Jace Rolstreuch, two geniuses and brothers. One was the successor to the Rolstreuch head, and the other seemed destined to become the next bowmaster. Both were extremely dangerous to fight. Nailar had the nickname Heaven's Spear after a myth about the god of lightning. His bow technique is centered around lightning and speed, with overwhelming accuracy.

Jace, on the other hand, was given the nickname Dragon Tooth. It was a common belief that a dragon tooth could pierce any armor once. His archery was centered on power and efficiency, with his unique ability {Armor Break}.

Comparing these was like comparing apple to oranges, but it was obvious that Jace was the stronger of the two. After all, bowmasters were snipers, designed to kill the strongest.

The day passed as these two went about their day in the monastery, hardly taking anything seriously.

That was why they were unprepared for the night.