Chapter 3 - Dungeon Balak (3)

　　Riel’s expression was grave, her tone sober as she conveyed the severity of Balak’s situation.

　　"First and foremost, Master Taehyun, your dungeon, Balak, is fundamentally flawed. It is the worst kind of dungeon."

　　"The worst kind…?"

　　Taehyun’s brief moment of comfort from the meal vanished, and he leaned forward, bracing himself.

　　"Yes. No matter how I examine it, there isn’t a single redeeming quality. This is a very serious problem."

　　"Isn’t that just because it’s newly assigned?"

　　"I am not referring to the dungeon’s rank," she clarified, her voice firm. "My assessment is based purely on the standards for a newly assigned dungeon."

　　"I-is that so?"

　　Riel’s definitive statement sent a wave of anxiety through him. He’d just been handed the monumental task of becoming the Demon King, and it seemed his starting point was a hopeless one.

　　"First, the internal structure. Here in Balak, the rooms are laid out in a single, straight line from the entrance directly to your chamber, where the Crystal Sphere is located. For Raiders, it is a laughably easy route."

　　"…So they don’t have to worry about getting lost. They can just charge straight ahead."

　　"Precisely. A dungeon’s layout is randomly determined upon assignment, and you, Master Taehyun, have been exceptionally unlucky. Second is the Crystal Sphere’s mana value. This value is determined by the Dungeon Master’s latent potential, and Balak’s sphere is set to the absolute lowest value. To put it bluntly, your potential is considered the worst."

　　Taehyun hadn’t anticipated a flaw tied to his own abilities. The successive blows of her assessment left his mind reeling.

　　"…What is the sphere’s mana used for?"

　　"It is used for structural modifications, the installation of mana-based traps and facilities, and to influence the morale and buffs of your troops. Finally, it is the power source for a Dungeon Master’s unique skills."

　　"So it’s extremely important."

　　"Indeed. But that is not all. Third, the dungeon’s location is abysmal. Being deep within the Valley of Silence is problematic enough, but the more pressing issue is that the surrounding area is teeming with monsters and other hostile creatures."

　　"So?"

　　"So, you must subjugate all nearby habitats and encampments. Only then can Raiders approach Balak more easily."

　　"W-wait a minute," Taehyun interrupted. "Isn’t it better if the Raiders don’t come?"

　　Raiders. Groups that sought to conquer dungeons. If they never found him, he could live in peace, his life not under constant threat. But that, he was about to learn, was a foolish hope.

　　"Huh," Riel sighed, a flicker of impatience in her eyes. "Master Taehyun! If Raiders do not come, not only will you fail to achieve your final objective, but Dungeon Balak will never develop. Dungeons grow by devouring Raiders—using their spoils, Zen, and captured enslaved people as the foundation for advancement. While there are other methods like invasion and plunder, your primary source of income will always be the Raiders."

　　As Riel explained, a dungeon could not be sustained without a steady stream of challengers. His life was forfeit if he was conquered even once, but every investment he made had to yield a return—preferably a much larger one. Raiders and Dungeon Masters were locked in an eternal, predatory cycle. For Taehyun, this revelation was a shock.

　　"For now, these are the most critical issues," she concluded. "There are many others, but I will address them as we develop the dungeon."

　　"…I can’t treat this like a normal game," Taehyun murmured, the weight of it all pressing down on him. "This place is a battlefield. Can I really do this?"

　　"You must overcome it all, Master Taehyun," Riel stated, her voice devoid of sympathy. "All I can do is offer counsel and identify problems. While I will handle domestic and administrative tasks, the ultimate responsibility rests with you, the Dungeon Master."

　　She finished her explanation with a subtle look of disappointment at his faltering resolve.

　　[B-rank Named Supporter Riel of Healing is disappointed by the Dungeon Master’s weakening resolve.]

　　[Loyalty has decreased by 2.]

　　[Favorability has decreased by 1.]

　　Even the system message popping up did little to shake the gloom from Taehyun’s face. This was pure, primal fear. Anyone in his situation would be terrified, would show weakness. He was no exception, and in the end, he couldn’t even meet her gaze.

　　"For now, please get a good night’s sleep. We will begin in earnest tomorrow," she said, her tone softening slightly. "Food and supplies for the Dungeon Master are provided infinitely, so do not worry. I will handle all household tasks like meals, laundry, and cleaning, so you may rest. I shall now return to my own room. Supporters have private quarters as well."

　　With that, Riel departed, leaving Taehyun alone in the silent room. He sat there for a long time, gnawing on his fingernails, before finally collapsing onto the bed.

* * *

　　[System Directive]

　　[2. Purchase a soldier summon card of any kind from the Shop and summon soldiers.]

　　[Warning: Failure to summon within one hour will result in the destruction of the Crystal Sphere. The destruction of the Crystal Sphere will result in the death of the Dungeon Master.]

　　"Hmph. Another one-hour time limit."

　　Having survived his first day as a Dungeon Master, Taehyun scowled at the second tutorial quest that greeted him upon waking. It was a depressing way to start the morning. He quickly showered in the surprisingly modern bathroom and changed into a fresh set of clothes from the wardrobe.

　　"All these clothes, and they’re all just… normal," he muttered, examining the simple, Western-style tunic that displayed no system information.

　　Just then, a red number appeared over his private room icon.

　　[Master Taehyun. Are you awake?]

　　It was Riel, her timing impeccable. Instead of granting her entry, Taehyun simply left the room himself.

　　"Oh? Master Taehyun, why did you come out so soon? I was just about to prepare your breakfast."

　　"A tutorial quest popped up," he explained. "This time, it’s telling me to summon something called a soldier within an hour."

　　"Oh, that is no problem," she replied smoothly. "Do you see the coin-shaped icons below? The very first one is the shop for military units. You can purchase a soldier summon card there. The Zen you received for clearing the first quest yesterday should be sufficient."

　　"Got it."

　　Back in the main cavern of Balak, Taehyun opened the military shop window. It was filled with countless items and equipment, all with names written in plain white text. Just like in a game, items were clearly color-coded by rarity. He focused his search on the card-shaped items.

　　Lowest-grade Goblin Summon, Lowest-grade Orc Summon, Lowest-grade Wild Dog Summon… It seems most of the standard fantasy monsters are here.

　　The familiar names were a strange comfort, proof that he was in a world with rules he could, perhaps, understand. His eyes then fell on two special tabs at the top of the shop interface.

　　"Riel, what are these buttons?"

　　"Those are the Random Shop and the Blind Shop," she explained. "In the Random Shop, the items for sale are reset with a new, random selection each day. The Blind Shop sells items with their names and information hidden, showing only their shape."

　　"Oh, I see. So in the Random Shop, you might get lucky and find a rare item, and the Blind Shop is a gamble where you only find out what you bought after you pay."

　　"Precisely. Items or materials not sold in the shop can be acquired from traveling merchants. They can be summoned or may visit the dungeon during special events, but I will explain that in more detail later."

　　"Okay."

　　The Random Shop and the Blind Shop. Each had its own risks and rewards. Feeling more and more like he was playing a high-stakes game, Taehyun browsed the summon cards.

　　Since this is my first time, it’s probably best to play it safe and buy a standard summon card.

　　Drawing on years of gaming experience, he opted for a reliable choice. He may have gotten lucky summoning a B-rank Named Supporter, but he knew better than to rely on luck alone.

　　[You have purchased the Lowest-grade Goblin Soldier Summon Card for 100 Zen.]

　　He bought the Goblin Summon Card. Just as he had with Riel, he activated the card from his inventory, and a summoning circle blazed to life on the floor.

　　[You have used the Lowest-grade Goblin Soldier Summon Card.]

　　[A summoning circle is being generated.]

　　[The summoning circle has appeared near the Crystal Sphere, stabilizing its mana.]

　　Once again, the Crystal Sphere lent its power to the summoning. A moment later, five small, green-skinned creatures materialized within the circle.

　　[Success!]

　　[Five D-rank soldiers, ‘Lowest-grade Goblins,’ have been summoned.]

　　The summoned D-rank Goblins let out their characteristic, guttural cries and dropped to one knee before Taehyun, a clear pledge of fealty to their new master. Seeing the grotesque creatures in the flesh was strangely fascinating.

　　"So these guys are my soldiers now. Let’s see."

　　Though they were the weakest monsters imaginable, he felt a thrill at having his first subordinates. He immediately pulled up their information.

　　[Lowest-Grade Goblin]

　　[Rank: D]

　　[Level: 1]

　　[Class: None]

　　[Title: None]

　　[Affiliation: Balak]

　　[Loyalty: 50]

　　[Favorability: 10]

　　[Obedience: 50]

　　[Skills: None]

　　[Special Abilities: None]

　　[Strength: 1] [Endurance: 1] [Agility: 2] [Stamina: 1]

　　[Mana: 1] [Divinity: 1] [Affinity: 1] [Luck: 1]

　　Their stats are terrible, just as I expected.

　　It was a status window befitting the lowest of the low. As he finished reviewing their information, his gaze shifted to the new system message that had appeared.

　　[System Directive]

　　[You have cleared the second tutorial quest.]

　　[Reward: 20 Experience Points.]

　　[Reward: Random Familiar Summon Card.]

　　This time, the reward wasn’t Zen, but something new: a Familiar.

　　"It seems you’ve completed the second tutorial quest as well," Riel observed from his side.

　　"Yeah. But a A Familiar Summon Card instead of Zen?" Taehyun noted.

　　"Yes," Riel confirmed. "Familiars are beings that can share their vision with you, Master. They are essential for managing the dungeon and exploring the outside."

　　"In that case, I’ll summon it right away."

　　He activated the newly acquired card.

　　[Success!]

　　[A D-rank Familiar, ‘Blue Eye’, has been summoned.]

　　It was the lowest possible grade for a random card, but Taehyun was satisfied nonetheless as he watched the creature materialize above the summoning circle.

　　"Kkyu" it chirped.

　　True to its name, Blue Eye was a creature the size of a soccer ball, its form dominated by a single, large blue iris. It flapped the tiny wings on its sides and fluttered over to land on Taehyun’s shoulder, nuzzling against his cheek. He let it settle there and pulled up its information.

　　Not much to see, he thought. Just a support unit, as expected.

　　Having summoned the familiar, Taehyun turned his attention back to the problems Riel had identified.

　　"First, I need to survey the entire dungeon," he said. "We have to start addressing the issues you pointed out."

　　"I agree with inspecting the interior, Master," Riel replied. "However, the problems I mentioned yesterday cannot be fixed overnight. For now, it would be more beneficial to proceed with the tutorial quests and learn what it means to be a Dungeon Master."

　　"I’d like to, but Raiders or monsters from the outside could invade at any moment," he argued.

　　"You needn’t worry about that," Riel assured him. "As a new candidate for Demon King, you have a one-month protection period. During that time, no one can invade, and you won’t be discovered by the Raiders. It’s a grace period for new Dungeon Masters, a chance to prepare before you’re thrown to the wolves."

　　Taehyun let out a breath of relief.

　　"Ohh, so there’s a feature like that. And you mentioned a new candidate for Demon King… I did hear that I’d have to compete with other Dungeon Masters. So it was true."

　　"Yes. Besides yourself, there are the Dungeon Masters who were here long before, as well as new ones who arrived around the same time as you. There are thousands, rather, tens of thousands of new candidates."

　　"…Damn it," he muttered. "So on top of fighting off Raiders, I have to worry about them, too? My head is already spinning."

　　"For now, I suggest you eat first," Riel said gently. "It won’t be too late to tour the dungeon and move on to the next tutorial quest after your meal."

　　Taehyun nodded in agreement. She was right. There was no need to rush. He had a mountain of tasks ahead, but he had a month to prepare.

　　And so, Taehyun’s life as a Dungeon Master truly began.

* * *