“Is that really going to work?”
“You’re doubting me? The great Rastix Zelbebanin? Do you not know who you are speaking to?”
“Aye? Just an alchemist hired by th’ lord ‘night?”
A dwarf tried to hide his grin while speaking to the smaller gnome before him. As they talked, the stocky man casually inserted his pinky into his ear, digging around as if to show just how little he cared for the gnome’s babbling. The two stood before a strange machine that looked like it belonged in a distillery. A massive metallic funnel sat at the top, leading into a chamber that resembled a barrel. Along the sides, runic symbols were etched into the metal, surrounded by various dials and knobs.
“Master Wayland, do you see this? How can these dwarves be so rude!”
Rastix turned toward Roland, who stood not far from the contraption, busy attaching cables to it. The gnome hurried over to complain, but Roland’s expression remained hidden behind his helmet and visor. If it had been visible, it would have looked thoroughly annoyed.
‘He’s really grown a big head ever since he helped create that adhesive for the prosthetics…’
Roland exhaled sharply, shaking his head as he continued his work. Rastix had been insufferable lately, but at least his contributions were valuable. With a final adjustment, Roland secured the last set of cables and flipped a switch embedded in the machine’s base. A low buzz filled the air as the device roared to life. The runes along its frame flickered before settling into a steady, radiant glow.
“My, how wonderful. What is this invention called?”
“It’s a mana siphoning device.”
He responded to the feminine voice that had asked the question, only for a deeper, more concerned voice to follow.
“Lady Curtana, please be careful.”
“Oh, Sir Durendal, I’m fine. Stop worrying about every little detail.”
“But…”
Standing near the mana siphoning machine were Robert and Lucille. While Robert was a Tier 3 class holder, he had spent more time training his new skills rather than leveling up to gain more power. Lucille, on the other hand, was still a Tier 2 Rune Mage. The only reason she was here was because Roland sought a second opinion from another mage, one who had also spent years conducting research at the institute. They were using their alter egos, Durendal and Curtana, their faces concealed beneath helmets.
A few days had passed since the discovery, and he had already sent multiple golems to scout the area. They encountered no opposition, only a vast network of tunnels and empty space filled with floating bubbles of light. It was a mesmerizing spectacle, but he was not here to sightsee. Instead, he made the best of the situation by creating a device to gather the excess mana.
There were two main reasons for this. One was to gain more resources, and the other was an attempt to curb the area's mana pollution. As things stood, anyone without mana regulatory skills or a Tier 3 class would not last long here. After just a few hours, they would begin feeling exhausted and drowsy, eventually collapsing with a fever.
“I’m fine, really. Oh, the mana… it’s getting sucked in!”
Robert knew he was underleveled for this area and was filled with worry. Even though Roland had assured him there was no danger with him around, his older brother remained concerned for his beloved. She, on the other hand, sensed no danger and was completely absorbed in the sights around her. Throughout the entire walk, she had been looking at everything as if she were a ten-year-old in a candy store.
The chamber around them was thick with mana, the air shimmering with rolling mist made of raw magical energy. The siphoning device was now active, and the swirling currents of mana were being drawn toward the funnel. The top began to vibrate, and soon the mana was being pulled inside at a rapid pace.
“See? It works perfectly!”
Rastix puffed out his chest, grinning at the doubting dwarves. One of the miners folded his arms and asked,
“Aye, but what exactly is it doin’?”
Rastix started grinning and answered in a haughty tone, as if trying to express his superiority to a simpleton.
“It’s filtering the raw mana particles from the air and condensing them into a more stable liquid form. The process ensures that none of it is wasted. I am also certain that we will eventually be able to crystallize this liquid mana, making it much more potent!”
As if to confirm his words, a series of pipes beneath the barrel-like chamber hissed, and a thick, glowing blue liquid began to flow through them. The liquid traveled through a coiled glass tube, slowly dripping into a reinforced container. Each drop glowed with magical brilliance, perfectly showcasing the machine’s capabilities.
“Do you see this? Are you not impressed?”
Rastix held up one of the canisters, the mana liquid sloshing inside and radiating a soft glow. The container was semi-transparent, allowing observers to ensure the mana inside remained stable. Mana, in its natural state, was usually benign—a blank slate waiting for orders. However, in the wrong hands, it could generate immense energy or even cause powerful explosions.
The dwarves watched with wide eyes as the first vial filled up. One of them grabbed it out of the gnome’s hands to examine it. The mana liquid within swirled slightly, as though alive.
“Well, I’ll be damned… That’s pure, refined mana.”
“You uncultured brute, give that back!”
The other dwarves watched Rastix flailing his hands around and burst into laughter. Roland observed the exchange in silence before shooting the dwarven men a single stare. Instantly, the canister was returned to Rastix, who resumed posturing.
While Roland did not appreciate the gnome’s arrogant behavior, he did not care as long as he did his job well. The device was crafted through a combination of alchemy and runesmithing. It was only thanks to a special membrane Rastix had created that the mana could be condensed into a liquid. Roland could provide a siphon spell to gather the mana bubbles, but only through an alchemical process could it be transformed into a stable liquid form.
Once the mana was captured, it went through several refining processes that, in some way, bound its magical molecules together. It was a fascinating transformation that opened his eyes to more truths about mana. However, he was not only here to collect raw resources; he was here to uncover the true nature of this place.
“Lady Curtana, what do you think?”
Finally, he posed the question to Lucille. He had brought her here to confirm some of his theories.
“Ah… yes, Sir Wayland, this place is truly intriguing. As for your thesis, I believe it might be correct… I don’t think this place is part of the dungeon. It feels like an entirely separate entity…”
This was exactly what he had feared, and he was unsure of the best course of action. At first, he had assumed they had stumbled into an unfinished section of the same dungeon—an expanding area still forming, which would have been within his expectations. However, this place was simply too vast.
His golems were speeding off in all directions, trailing long cords behind them, yet the sheer scale of the area was staggering. It stretched for several kilometers underground, branching out in countless directions. At this point, they were far beyond Albrook’s borders, edging closer to the city where he had first arrived after his failed teleportation attempt from the Institute.
“Are you certain?”
“No, best if we take a few samples and examine them back at the workshop.”
Curtana said while picking up a few loose rocks from the ground. Roland nodded and was quick to turn to Rastix and the dwarves he was arguing with.
“Take a few rock samples from this part and compare them to the formations inside both of the dungeons and, remember, seal them tightly to prevent any contamination.”
If this was the same dungeon, then the rock composition should have been identical. While he could analyze the mana patterns within the stone, his results were conflicting. When he shielded himself from the surrounding mana static and measured the wavelength, comparing it to the data in his records, the difference became clear.
However, any rocks brought into the dungeon somehow had their mana wavelength overwritten to match the dungeon’s signature, something he had never seen before. Various theories swirled in his mind, but he could not be certain of anything.
In this world of swords, magic, crafting, and dungeons, these mysterious places were considered a natural part of the environment. Many had questioned their origins, yet no one had ever found a definitive answer. In the end, scholars and adventurers alike could not agree on a single theory.
Some believed that dungeons were born from the planet itself, natural phenomena that emerged due to the planet’s mana flow. Others theorized that dungeons were akin to living creatures, consuming the bodies of adventurers and evolving over time. Then there were those who believed they were divine creations, placed by the gods as a means for people to gain levels more quickly and survive the many powerful beings that roamed these dangerous lands.
Even if one of those theories was true, no one had ever documented the actual creation of a dungeon. Roland wondered if this tunnel filled with mana was somehow related to dungeon formation or if it was something else entirely. Perhaps it was a third dungeon or even the super dungeon spreading its tendrils across the island. If that were the case, they had a serious problem.
‘All these tunnels might run through the entire island.’
For a moment, he froze, a foreboding feeling washing over him. His gaze shifted toward one of the tunnels leading in the direction of Albrook, then to another heading the opposite way. Without hesitation, he turned and moved swiftly to escape the heavy mana pollution. His brother and Lucille immediately noticed something was wrong and hurried after him.
“Sir Wayland, is something wrong?”
“Give me a moment.”
He did not answer directly. Instead, he activated his runic magic, projecting a holographic image of Albrook and its surrounding areas along with Aldbourne, the city where he had last encountered Vico. His golems had not mapped much of the underground yet, but the tunnels seemed to follow distinct paths. One clearly led toward Albrook while another stretched toward Aldbourne.
“These tunnels. Are they deliberately expanding toward populated settlements?”
“Oh… now that you mention it, it does seem that way.”
Lucille was impressed by the mapping technology and how precisely Roland could overlay their location onto it. The holographic projection made it alarmingly clear. The magically expanding tunnels were not spreading randomly. They had a purpose, and he had a sinking feeling that that purpose was nothing good.
Once he saw this, things started clicking in his mind. It all began to make sense, why this place was so strange and why the culling games were said to start sooner than expected. All the mana swirling around was all the proof he needed, and perhaps he had underestimated the challenge they were about to face.
“We will need more siphoning units. This would be too much, even for us.”
“Too much?”
Robert asked, but Roland didn’t respond. He simply nodded before stepping forward and raising his voice so that everyone could hear him.
“Everyone, we are changing our plans. Rastix, you will return to your workshop and focus on creating as many parts for the siphoning devices as you can.”
Roland’s voice cut through the thick, mana-saturated air. The urgency in his tone silenced the bickering dwarves, and even Rastix, ever prideful of his inventions, nodded without complaint.
“Of course, but how many do you need?”
Roland looked at the dense magic fog around them and wondered if it wasn’t already too late. Perhaps it would be better to focus on placing sentries and more golem turrets here before the process began. For now, though, the tunnels still hadn’t fully formed, so they had some time to lower the mana density and make things easier for themselves.
“As many as you can. We might even have to commission the alchemical guild to help you.”
“Those morons?”
Roland didn’t reply, not wanting to argue. Instead, he continued issuing orders to secure the area before returning to the proper dungeon. This was all the information he needed. Now, he just had to prepare everything before it was too late.
*****
“Are you sure? All of that was forming under our nose? Does father know…”
With the help of the teleportation gate, he made his way back up and quickly visited Arthur, who was inside his study. Roland nodded as he stood before Arthur, his armored form still carrying traces of the dense mana fog that had clung to him. He had moved quickly, ensuring the information reached Arthur as soon as possible. The young noble's brow furrowed as he processed the implications of what Roland had just told him.
“I’m not going to pretend that I understood what you just said, but in short… we have a problem?”
“A very big one. I’m not sure how far this has spread across the whole island or if the process can even be stopped…”
“Of course this would happen the moment I get involved…”
Artur let out a sigh and placed a few documents he was holding onto his desk.He rubbed his temples as he thought through the potential consequences.
“Does anyone else know?”
“Not yet. I came straight to you.”
Roland replied, and Arthur nodded.
“Then we have some time, we will have to reorganise our plans…”
Roland stood there while Arthur continued to murmur to himself. While this piece of information wasn’t great, it didn’t mean they were out of options. They now knew where the attack would be coming from and could prepare accordingly. However, the big question still remained.
“Should I report this to my father? Will he even hear me out…”
Arthur was considering telling his father, but that brought several problems to their door. If they revealed what they were doing inside the dungeon, it could be over for them. Hiding all the turrets they had assembled, along with the boss chamber they were farming, would be nearly impossible.
“Probably not unless we show our hand… That’s… unfortunate…”
“That it is.”
Roland nodded again. He didn’t like it, but for the time being, they couldn’t afford to reveal their underground operation. They were avoiding being taxed by the Ducal house, and for that, they could lose their lives.
“If I may?”
While the two were contemplating their next move, Mary, who had been listening to everything, spoke up.
“Go ahead.”
Arthur nodded and urged her to speak, clearly wanting some advice.
“Thank you, Lord Arthur. How about I use my unit to spread some rumors?”
“Propaganda? Hm…”
He thought for a moment and nodded. Spreading rumors about the issue while withholding critical information wasn’t the best solution, but it could be enough to get some people to seek shelter. They would continue reinforcing Albrook as they had before, but now with a more focused plan.
“Make sure everyone knows that Albrook’s gates are open to anyone needing help. This means we might have to prepare more shelters… Good, there should be enough time…”
Arthur's fingers tapped rhythmically against the polished wood of his desk as he muttered over the situation. Roland remained silent, considering what he should tackle first. Mary, having made her suggestion, stood with her hands clasped in front of her, awaiting further orders. After a moment, Arthur exhaled sharply and leaned forward.
“Alright. We move forward with the rumor campaign. Mary, make sure the information is subtle. We don’t want to cause a panic.”
Mary nodded.
“Understood, my lord. I will see to it immediately.”
Arthur then turned to Roland.
“As for you… keep me informed. If you need anything, just ask.”
Before saying anything, Arthur simply smiled, knowing better than to question Roland’s decisions. After discussing the matter a bit further, the two men parted. Once outside the office and mansion, Roland bumped into his brother and Lucille. The two had returned with him and didn’t have much to do. An idea appeared in his head, and he quickly approached them.
“Lady Curtana.”
“Yes, Sir Wayland?”
“How are you with controlling golems…”
“Um…”
“She was the top of her class…”
Before Lucille could answer, Robert leaned in and whispered into Roland’s ear, boasting of her achievements as if they were his own.
“Good… Congratulations, Lady Curtana. From today, you will be the commander of Albrook’s first fully automated golem battalion.”
Roland proclaimed his decision, and after a long pause, only two words escaped Lucille’s mouth.
“Uh… what?”
217