Ank

[“Welcome!”], the message popped before my sister and I, framed by a green screen.

A new day, and once we were closer to the [Glyptodons]’ nest this time, our mission started soon: as soon as the sun rose, my sister and went after the damage sponges again.

Respectively, my sister and I started at the [level: 23], and dealing 30% more damage with a spear, and able to summon, then, [Tiger Rattlesnake], a somewhat stronger sneak; but by the end of the day, and after 6 more monster’s killed, we had gained another level, and Hunah raised her proficiency with daggers to 10%, and I unlocked [Summon: Shield], both choices made so we could fight better within confined spaces (she really wanted a short sword, but it ended up these ones were too hard to craft in the middle of a jungle, she had to make do with a broken bone from a monkey we hunted for our lunch).

And, yes, we entered the cave, this is why these new skills.

This time we didn’t fainted waited for 24 more hours before trying to explore the hole, rationalizing that, if those things were summoned, maybe it was our wait last time that condemned us.

And, yes, that’s why the message.

[“…To the Megabivore Dungeon!”]

“Oh~, so this is what Taffy meant with ‘first dive’, hu?”, I commented, my tone really not showing how much I wanted to scream at that woman.

Dungeons.

Everyone knew about them: after [Dragons] and [Gods], [Dungeons] were probably the only beings capable of creating pocket dimensions. And they, still, were not as feared as [Dragons], or revered as [Gods].

They were somewhat mysterious, for no [God] claimed their creation (and, sure as hell, they didn’t come from a weird couple like [Halves], like my sister and I), and the system that ruled the entire universe somewhat similarly, didn’t work the same way for them, for instead of [Levels], they were rewarded with floors, and the ability to create and manipulate things inside their “bodies” (the pocket dimensions).

And, even with all of this, they were sapient individuals, not much different from anyone else, if a little crazy. And, as individuals, each dungeon worked a little differently, with unique rules and/or objectives; some formed contracts with other people and became cities, palaces and castles, some went rogue and continuously spit their monsters in the “above” world, and, supposedly, there was even one [Dungeon] who had innumerable floors filled to the brim with nothing but popcorn.

The only thing in common was that they needed an accessible entrance and exit, and that they showed their unique specifications at the entrance:

[Name: Megabivore Dungeon

Race: Dungeon

Floors: 3

Type: Nature

Difficulty: 6/100]

“Well, that explains a lot”, I pointed, scratching the back of my head.

“…Does it?”

“Well, yeah? You know, those monsters we were killing until now, they had that ‘D – Collector’ in their names, right? The ‘D’ stands for ‘Dungeon’, and the ‘Collector’ part is because they were responsible for ‘feed’ the Dungeon, bring in new shit so it can gain EXP. Usually, people bring everything the [Dungeon] needs, but considering there’s nothing around here, this one may have been forced to employ some of its monsters to collect stuff. It’s common knowledge”, I shrugged.

“No, it isn’t, monster nerd.”

It definitely was common knowledge; like how the collector monsters didn’t leave anything behind after death to not encourage people to kill them, or how [Dungeon] monsters were stronger than their outside version; but I didn’t have the energy to debate with Hunah then.

“So? How do we get out?”, my sister asked.

“…God question”, I replied, and silence fell between us.

Where we stood, there was nothing but a dirt hall, all the light coming in from the frame of a single wooden door before us. At our backs, a solid earth wall.

Then, “pop!”, a new message from the [Dungeon]:

[“You need to complete all the floors to get out.”]

“Oh. Well, we would love to, you see, but…”, I exchanged a glance with Hunah. Suddenly, from a quick reward after killing half a dozen monsters, that walk became a full [Dungeon] dive… and this sounded really tiresome.

“Look at us, man, all we have is a bone knife and the clothes we’re wearing. There’s no way we can complete a [Dungeon]”, Hunah added, waving her one weapon.

p“And you: look at me, ‘man’, I’m stuck in the middle of no-fuking-where, and still have only 3 floors because no one comes here. There’s no way I’m going to let the first two people com enter this place just walk away.”]

“W- Wow”, I let out. No sound came from the floating green box, but I could feel the frustration through the text alone very well.

[“I- I mean… Sorry! Please, don’t hate me! I’m a nice [Dungeon], I promise! Just give this adventure a try, it’ll be fun, I promise!”], the text flashed fast before my sister and I. And I felt a little bad, I had to say.

“Yeah, I’m sure you’re cool”, I forced a smile and lifted my hands in a surrender signal. “But, when you’re literally locking us here, it’s kinda…”

[“What? Chuuu- Piii- Tchuuu- Oh, no! There’s so much interference, I can’t hear you at all!”]

“Is this ‘interference’ even a real thing?”, Hunah whispered.

“It… shouldn’t be?”, I replied.

Completely ignoring us, the [Dungeon] concluded:

[“Anyway, take this as a little of skinship! As if we’re just getting to know each other a bit more – because we are! Good luck completing my challenges, let’s talk a lot, and become friends so you can stay here forever!”]

After the green screen disappeared, my sister asked:

“So, Mr. Common Sense-”

“No, this is not normal, and we may be a little fucked right now”, I interrupted her.