«Where am I...?»
That is the question Jimbo asks himself upon waking. His memories are jumbled; he remembers winning the Kardax 10,000 championship and then catching a whiff of burning plastic.
Smoke. Fire. Asphyxiation. Sleep. Death.
He is dead.
He also remembers a light at the end of a tunnel, but that vision fades into the background when he realizes his situation. His story as KingJ, the best Kard10k player, is over. But strangely, he doesn't feel sad; it's as if something inside him is telling him, encouraging him, that not everything is finished.
«A second chance...?»
Jimbo looks around. He floats in an ethereal, nebulous blue space. He tries to stretch his hands but lacks limbs. In fact, he lacks everything. However, the blue mist surrounding him swirls and molds to his movements, or rather, to his intentions.
«It's as if this space surrounding me were me, or a part of me.»
Lines of light emerge from the mist, merging to form a circle containing strange runes and a symbol resembling a crystal, from which branches extend upward like those of a tree.
The image is confusing, and Jimbo begins to grow impatient.
«I don't understand any of this!»
In response to his complaints, the circle adapts. The runes and the symbol scatter, turning into numbers and letters.
-Jimbo the Dungeon Core LV 1
-Ether: 0/100
-External Connection: None.
Tip 1: Perform a call and formalize a link to connect with the outside. Tip 2: Create an avatar to connect with the outside.
If Jimbo had eyebrows, he would raise them upon recognizing the nature of the message. It is the universal language of video games. It feels so familiar and reassuring that, for a few moments, he tries to bring his hands to his head to take off a VR headset—an action that obviously leads nowhere.
«I still have a lot of questions, but at least now I can understand what they're throwing in my face. Finally, a little mercy for me.»
The line that reads External Connection blinks repeatedly, an indication that it is an urgent element or should be resolved soon. When Jimbo focuses on the tips, two new circles appear below the first, more compact, each with its own option and description.
-Skill: Dungeon Core's Call.
Requirement: None.
Cost: 20 Ether.
Description: Sends out waves of magical energy to attract aligned beings.
Warning: May also attract dangerous or unaligned beings possessing high magical sensitivity.
-Skill: Build Avatar No. 1.
Requirement: LV 5.
Cost: 500 Ether.
Description: Builds an avatar from scratch.
Warning: If the avatar dies, the Dungeon Core will lose 5 levels and will also lose this skill.
«It's like a management game!»
At first, it was confusing since the options were presented from the perspective of the Dungeon rather than the adventurer. But like any experienced gamer, Jim quickly grasped the concept. Though he also gritted his metaphorical teeth, dissatisfied with how unfair it all was.
«What do you mean it also attracts unaligned beings?! And how can they offer me an option I can't even choose?! I'm LV 1, damn it! This isn't properly balanced!»
Although perhaps he is getting ahead of himself. Everything is presented as video game options because that's what he handles best and finds easiest. It is a translation of arcane language into pixel language, but that doesn't change the arcane origin of what is happening.
«I need to be careful and think my actions through smartly. I can't die again! Nothing guarantees I'll get a third chance.»
However, having such limited options continues to annoy him.
«At least tell me how to level up.»
The blue mist distorts to show new messages.
Tip: Spend your total Ether to level up.
«And how do I get Ether? I don't think I can do much locked in this blue space. If only I had reincarnated into something with legs.»
Tip: Dungeon Cores are formed of crystallized Ether. They naturally generate Ether that can be used by the Dungeon Core itself.
«Great! And how much can I generate? 100? 200? 1,000 per hour?»
Tip: Dungeon Cores generate an amount of Ether every hour equal to their level.
«Does that mean I generate 1 Ether per hour?! That little?»
Jimbo is left slack-jawed by such sheer unproductivity. It means he would need 20 hours of doing nothing just to start sending out magic waves, and leveling up would require more than four days. The blue mist's lack of response confirms Jim's suspicions.
...
The blue crystal continues to spin and glow, but after a couple of minutes and overcoming the initial surprise, nothing happens, and King Marc faces the sorcerer looking for answers. Arrax, seeing that the core is stable, shoots a fierce glare at his closest disciple.
"You!"
"M-Me?" The hooded girl points a finger at herself, her pale face dominated by nerves.
"Bring the specimen! Quickly!"
The disciple nods and steps out of her magic circle. The aquamarine glow of the ritual schematic loses some strength missing a mage, but it continues to shine. The girl returns to the core room a minute later, pushing a heavy cage with wheels on the corners. She unfastens the bolts and opens the bars. The disciple repeatedly bangs on the back of the cage until the prisoner finally pokes her head out.
At first glance, one might mistake her for a little girl, but the incongruities quickly reveal themselves. Her skin is reddish, and a pair of broken horns rise from her pink bangs. Her arms and legs are marked by scars from cruel experiments, and the misery of her rags is magnified when compared to the luxurious garments of the king's children. The creature casts a hollow stare at everyone. Two lumps protrude from her rags—they are two dark, membranous wings cut in half.
"An imp, Arrax? Really? Are you plotting what I think you are?" Hilda asks with a furrowed brow.
"Would you prefer I use people for my experiments? Obviously, I needed to use non-humans for this!" Arrax replies in an annoyed tone.
"Explain yourself, Arrax. Do not test my patience," the king decrees, not understanding where the situation is heading.
"I will explain it to you, Your Majesty," Hilda interrupts, drawing on her knowledge as a soldier and adventurer. "Dungeon cores, despite their infamy, are very defenseless beings. They need the help of creatures to expand their presence in our world and protect themselves. The adventurer's guild gave a name to these beings connected to the Dungeon Cores... Bosses and sub-bosses."
"It displeases me to admit it, but the captain is right," Arrax says with a bitter smile. "Though I would add that the intelligence of dungeon cores remains in doubt; most likely, they are idiots, and the creatures that find them simply utilize their power. We need this deplorable creature to formalize a link with the core so it can begin to obey and help us."
"And won't it be a problem handing that responsibility over to a filthy imp?" asks the king.
"This imp is very well trained," Arrax assures, glancing sideways at the small demon, who trembles and lowers her gaze. "We amputated her wings, her horns, and her claws. If necessary, I am sure our brave captain could eradicate her in a single strike."
"Perhaps I should eradicate you, your madness, your core, and your cruelty," Hilda threatens.
"Do not tell me you feel empathy for these demonic beings."
"No, I only feel an intense repulsion toward you, dark mage."
"Ha! The feeling is mutual, gorilla woman."
The king still does not look pleased. A layer of sweat drips down Arrax's forehead.
"If you prefer, Your Majesty, I can instruct one of my disciples to make the contract."
The disciples swallow hard upon hearing such words. None are sure what might happen when linking with the experimental core. Some fear the whole thing might explode.
"And why don't you do it, Arrax?" Hilda says.
The sorcerer jolts and nearly falls out of the ritual circle.
"I need to focus on directing the ritual. I cannot do everything!" he says, pointing a hand at Hilda. "Why don't you offer to make the connection, Captain?"
"I would... If His Majesty ordered me to."
"Arrax, Hilda, you are invaluable subjects to me," King Marc interrupts. "I cannot risk something going wrong and losing you in these difficult times. Let the imp handle it. But at the slightest sign of suspicion... Kill her."
Arrax and Hilda nod.