Angela?!

Talent: Dungeon Master

Rank: Beyond Supreme

Grade: None

Abilities:

Dungeon:

The dungeon master can create a dungeon. The location is not fixed and can be moved anytime.

At the first level of every seven levels in any path in the mortal realm, the dungeon master is eligible to make a sub-dungeon of the main dungeon.

Unlike other dungeons, there is no dungeon core in dungeons created using this ability, hence can't be destroyed in normal ways. To destroy it, the whole dungeon needs to be destroyed. The dungeon master can then rebuild the dungeon somewhere else.

Dungeon Points:

Instead of earning Experience Points (EP), the dungeon master earns Dungeon Points (DP).

DP earned is equal to the EP earned for the same case. Inside the owned dungeons, DP income increases five times.

All kills done by dungeon creatures will generate DP for the dungeon master.

Dungeon Master can use DP instead of EP to level up but needs 100 times points instead in the mortal realm.

DP is the most important resource for the Dungeon Master.

Dungeon Shop: Anything can be purchased from the Dungeon Shop as long as there is enough DP.

Dungeon Creatures:

Can either be purchased from Dungeon Shop or be tamed in the wild.

Dungeon Master can choose to share DP earned by the dungeon creatures or take all of it. By default, all DP goes to the Dungeon Master.

Dungeon provides a better environment for the dungeon creatures to level up or evolve.

If killed, they will respawn with the original level they were purchased or tamed, even if they leveled up before dying.

Evolution is not reset if evolved before dying.

Can spend DP to solidify the level to counter the above problem.

Can only purchase dungeon creatures at a level maximum of three levels above the maximum level in all paths practiced.

Dungeon Bound:

The Dungeon Master can bind anyone to himself as long as they have enough loyalty to the Dungeon Master.

They then acquire DP, the same as dungeon creatures. If Dungeon Bound is a player, they earn DP instead of EP. The Dungeon Master can decide how to divide the DP. By default, it is 50-50.

They can respawn like dungeon creatures. Unlike dungeon creatures, they do not lose their level, only the experience in the current refining. If killed further, no experience from previously completed refinings will be lost.

Initially, the Dungeon Master can turn one person into Dungeon Bound.

At every level in every path, in the mortal realm, the Dungeon Bound slots increase by one.

There is no level limit, as long as the target is in the mortal realm and has enough loyalty toward the Dungeon Master.

Dungeon Bound Organization: At every seven levels in any path, the dungeon master gains a slot to bind an organization (tribe, family, sect, village, etc) as long as all members have enough loyalty towards the dungeon master. Rest rules are the same as normal dungeon bounds.

Dungeon Space:

Infinite sub-dimension.

Can only be used for non-living things.

Time is still inside.

Drake was too shocked to read the description after reading the words Beyond Supreme. Moreso because, after concentrating on those words, he got a strange response from his observation ability.

[Anomaly Detected. No information available.]

That's it, just these words. Every time he used his ability he got the same answer.

According to his supreme rank ability Observation, the supreme rank was the highest. So, from where did this beyond supreme rank crawl out?

And his talent had no answer about this new level. Truly an anomaly.

'Forget thinking about things I don't know. I will find out later. For now, let's see what this beyond-supreme rank talent offers.'

The first ability was straightforward. He could create a dungeon, and create one sub-dungeon at every seven levels.

He knew that there were at least 10 levels in the mortal realm in any path. More levels were possible.

There were hushed whispers in the forum about some ancient martial arts families with deep inheritance converting their martial arts in-game to top-level martial skills from level 10 to 12.

A level 10 martial art didn't mean it could only be used at level 10, rather it could be used from level 1-10. Practicing level 1 with level 10 martial arts is much better than with level 1 martial arts. The former gave strength greater than the latter.

That proved that the mortal realm had at least 12 levels.

The talent description used the words "every seven levels" instead of "the seventh level". The former would mean that levels contain more than one multiple of seven. The latter would mean only the seventh level.

Since the former words were used, then at least 14 levels existed.

That means, he could create 2 (level 1, level 8) * 4 (four paths) = 8 sub-dungeons.

There were dungeons in the game but not many. And those dungeons were used by both players and NPCs alike. Many players were frustrated that they had to compete both with fellow players and local NPCs to get a turn at the dungeon.

The NPCs rarely destroy the dungeons, as they were a source of many rare materials and treasures.

Only dungeons that proved too deadly that would kill every challenger were considered to be destroyed. Even then almost no one wanted to destroy a dungeon.

The second and third abilities told the importance of DP. He could tell even with all the sources mentioned to earn DP, it would be a scarce resource just because it would be used everywhere.

The 100 times experience requirement was a bummer but he could understand the importance of it. Otherwise, the dungeon master could directly become the strongest at light speed.

Since the dungeon shop sold everything, he was sure that it would also sell training skills, just he had come up with whatever price it would ask.

For the fourth ability, the spending DP to solidify the level part would be a huge DP burner. Again, he understood its importance, as without it the dungeon master could earn DP, purchase monsters, earn DP, rinse, and repeat. This would snowball and he would end up with an invincible army.

He understood, but that wouldn't save him from future heart pains for squandering DP like that.

The fifth and sixth abilities were his favorite. NPCs would die if killed. This could help him create a group of loyal subordinates that couldn't be truly killed.

He knew the importance of loyalty in this case, if some superpowers in the game world found his ability, he would become public enemy number one.

Even with many slots it would be a major bottleneck to find individuals with high enough loyalty.

He didn't understand how the system would determine the loyalty of players.

'Maybe the players didn't need loyalty.'

For the last ability, the organization was what those lord players made.

Anyone whether players or NPCs could create an organization of any type like a tribe, family, village, sect, pirates, guilds, etc. The idea was the same: create an organization, become a lord, and recruit subordinates.

Exclusive organizations like Family allowed very few outsiders to be part of their family, most members consisted of direct and indirect family members.

It was so famous because of the various benefits and buffs it provides and those would increase with the increase in organization level.

The dungeon-bounds' death penalty was even less than the players. If players were killed they would lose their experience in current refining along with sometimes some of their free EP, though that's random, they could lose it or not lose it, and even if they did it was a very small variable percentage. But if no experience in current refining, they would directly lose the previous refining, every time they were killed till they were level 0.

To level up, players needed to do refinings for each level. Those practicing the body path need to do body refinings. Those on the aura path need to do meridian refinings. No information was available for mind and soul paths.

The refinings needed per level were in Fibonacci numbers. 1 refining for the first level, 1 for the second, 2 for the third, 3 for the fourth, 5 for the fifth, 8 for the sixth, and so on.

Experience required for refining once was calculated as level squared multiplied by 1000. The experience required for all refinings for a given level was the same.

For example, level four required three refinings. So per refining 4 * 4 * 1000 = 16000 experience was needed for a total of 48000 experience to level up.

Other than levels 1 and 2, each level had multiple refinings. So, players would increase their strength with every single refining.

The last ability was the cherry on top. An infinite sub-dimension was more than enough for him to store his things.

Drake knew the dungeon master talent was the best way for him to reach the top of the game. He had to use it properly.

After Drake was done reading the talent description, the system showed a new message.

[Please select a starting martial arts skill]

[Basic Sword Skill]

[Basic Spear Skill]

[Basic First Skill]

[Basic Movement Skill]

[Basic Shield Skill]

[Double Fist]

[Rapid Kick]

.

.

.

There was a long list of skills. Drake randomly checked a few with his observation ability and found all were of mortal rank level 1.

Name: Basic Sword Skill

Type: Martial Art

Rank: Mortal

Grade: Low

Level: 1

Name: Basic Movement Skill

Type: Martial Art

Rank: Mortal

Grade: Low

Level: 1

Name: Rapid Kick

Type: Martial Art

Rank: Mortal

Grade: Low

Level: 1

They were all very weak. He decided to get a better one later when he had enough DP.

"Basic Sword Skill", he told the system his answer.

[Skill selection complete]

'Since the character creation is done, let me check my status screen.'

But before the status screen appeared, the system started the countdown.

[Starting the game in …]

[5]

[4]

[3]

[2]

[1]

[0]

Suddenly his surroundings blanked and he lost consciousness.

—

Drake opened his eyes. He found himself lying on a bed. The bedroom looked both familiar and unfamiliar.

He got up and looked around the room and realized, 'Isn't my room in the dream world!'.

'Did he fall asleep in the capsule? But that should not be possible. It had enough safeguards against that.'

He was looking around the room while thinking about his situation.

'No, even if I fall asleep I should not see this dream, as I saw it today. This should happen next week.'

'Why today?'

Drake was baffled about his current situation. He should have come here a week later, not then.

He completed the character creation process. He was sure of that.

He watched his face in a small mirror hanging on the wall. It showed the 20-year-old face that he saw many times in his dreams.

He was certain that that was his room in the dream world.

'Did I die again and reincarnate in this world? But how did I die suddenly?'

'Ok, let me think again. I went inside the capsule and started the game.'

'I completed the character creation phase.'

'The game countdown started and before I could check my status screen-'

Name: Drake Smith

Path: Body

Realm: Mortal

Level: 0 (0/1) (0/10000)

DP: 10000

Talent: Identification (supreme), Dungeon Master (beyond supreme)

'...'

'...'

'...'

Drake was speechless. His brain shut down for a few seconds. He could not believe what he was seeing.

That was his status screen. That means he was in the game and was not dreaming.

"Drake, are you alright? I heard some movements.", came a voice from outside the door. It sounded like the owner of the voice was coming towards the room.

He had heard this voice too many times to identify the owner of the voice.

'But how could that be pos-'

Drake was still in denial when someone opened the door.

"Drake, you are up?" the owner of the voice asked, sounding pleasantly surprised.

Drake turned towards the owner of the voice, and his eyes widened seeing the person standing at the door.

"Angela?!"

He felt a sharp sting in his brain and fell unconscious.

"DRAKE!!"