The confined hallway echoed with panicked breaths and the clash of steel against flesh.
Ethan, the swordsman, gritted his teeth, his blade flashing as he slashed through one of the slimes. The creature split apart, its gelatinous body quivering before it lost form, melting into the dungeon floor.
"Derrik, cover Mira! We need to break through!"
But Derrik, the scout, was struggling. The acidic residue from the slime's attack had burned into his leather armor, searing his skin underneath. His movements were sluggish, his hands trembling.
And Mira—she was already dying.
The goblin's dagger had done its work well. Blood dripped from her back, her face pale as she struggled to lift her trembling hands.
"H-Heal…" she whispered, trying to cast a spell, but her focus was slipping.
Oscar wouldn't give her the chance.
He pulsed his Dungeon Will, sending a mental command to his goblin.
"Finish her."
The goblin grinned, darting forward in a low crouch. Its dagger plunged deep into Mira's stomach.
Her eyes widened. A wet gasp escaped her lips.
"MIRA!" Ethan shouted, eyes blazing with fury.
The healer choked on blood. She slumped forward, her staff clattering to the stone floor.
Oscar felt the first true surge of mana absorption.
---
[Dungeon Growth Initiated]
First Adventurer Slain!
Mana Absorbed: +20
Dungeon Energy Increased.
Creatures Strengthened.
---
Oscar's core pulsed, absorbing the energy from her fading life.
It was intoxicating.
A realization struck him then. The more intruders that perished within his walls, the stronger he would become.
His dungeon didn't just require mana—it required blood.
And Mira was just the first.
---
The Desperate Struggle
Ethan's fury boiled over.
"You bastard!" he roared, his sword flashing in an arc as he lunged at the goblin.
Oscar saw the attack coming—but he wasn't worried.
The goblin might have been weaker, but he had the numbers advantage.
At Oscar's command, both slimes hurled themselves at Ethan. One latched onto his sword arm, slowing his swing. The other wrapped around his leg, forcing him to his knees.
"Damn—get off me!" he growled, struggling.
Derrik, still dazed, was attempting to retreat toward the dungeon entrance—but Oscar wouldn't allow it.
"Goblin. Intercept."
The goblin sprinted after the scout, its dagger gleaming.
Ethan's breathing was ragged. He knew they were doomed.
He shoved one slime away, but his sword arm was sluggish.
Mira was dead.
Derrik was moments from being cut down.
And he was trapped.
The dungeon was a tomb, and Oscar was the executioner.
"Damn it…" Ethan muttered, his voice shaking.
Then—he made a choice.
With a sudden roar, he swung his sword in a desperate arc—not at the goblin, not at the slimes… but at the cave ceiling.
CRACK!
The impact shook the dungeon walls.
Oscar's core trembled.
"What is he—?"
Then he realized—Ethan was collapsing the tunnel.
Chunks of rock began to fall.
"Derrik, RUN!" Ethan roared.
The scout, barely able to stand, bolted toward the exit just as the tunnel began to cave in.
The goblin barely had time to leap back before a massive boulder crashed down, sealing off the corridor.
---
[Warning! Dungeon Structure Compromised.]
Main Entrance Blocked.
Expansion Required to Repair.
Surviving Adventurers Escaped.
---
Oscar's fury was immediate.
They got away.
Not all of them—Mira was dead, and her mana had been claimed—but Ethan and Derrik had survived.
And worse?
Now they knew he existed.
---
The Dungeon Evolves
Oscar analyzed the damage. The cave-in had blocked the main corridor, but his core was safe. The mana crystal chamber was still hidden, and his monsters had survived.
But the dungeon was no longer secret.
Ethan and Derrik had escaped, which meant they would warn others.
Adventurers would return. Stronger, more prepared.
Oscar needed to evolve.
---
[Dungeon Upgrade Menu Available:]
Expand Dungeon (Unlock new floors, improve layout).
Summon Stronger Creatures (More powerful monsters).
Create Traps (Increase dungeon lethality).
---
He had absorbed 20 mana from Mira's death, giving him more options.
Oscar didn't hesitate.
First, traps.
---
[Trap Selection:]
Poison Darts (10 Mana): Shoots poison-coated darts at intruders.
Hidden Spike Pit (15 Mana): A concealed pitfall that impales victims.
Binding Chains (20 Mana): Enchanted chains that immobilize enemies.
---
He chose Hidden Spike Pit.
---
[Trap Created! 15 Mana consumed.]
Remaining Mana: 5
---
A deep pit formed in the dungeon's new hallway, concealed by a thin layer of stone. Any unwary adventurer would fall straight into the sharpened spikes below.
Next time, they wouldn't get away so easily.
---
[Next Steps:]
1. Expand the Dungeon. More rooms, more defenses.
2. Summon more creatures. A single goblin wasn't enough.
3. Prepare for the next wave of adventurers.
The dungeon had claimed its first kill.
But Oscar wasn't done.
He was just getting started.