Dungeon Maker: from level 1 Noob to level 100 God

The world around Aiden was a blur of bright light, frantic voices, and confusion. One moment, he was sitting in his high school classroom, bored out of his mind. The next, he and his entire class had been whisked away to a grand, unfamiliar world.

"Welcome to the Land of Astrith!" boomed a voice as Aiden blinked the daze from his eyes. A man dressed in resplendent white armor, holding a staff radiating divine light, stood before them, his face shining like the sun. His very presence seemed to command reverence and awe.

"I am the Representative of God," the man declared. "You have been chosen to serve in the war against the Demon King. Each of you will receive a class blessed by the gods themselves. Form a line, and you shall receive your calling."

The students scrambled into position, excitement and fear warring on their faces. Some whispered to each other, speculating about the amazing powers they might receive. Aiden stood at the back, as usual, not really eager to get caught up in the crowd.

"Figures I'd be last," he muttered under his breath, watching as each of his classmates stepped forward, touched the glowing orb held by the Representative, and received their class.

"Warrior!"

"Archer!"

"Elemental Mage!"

"Holy Paladin!"

Each announcement was met with gasps of awe and jealousy, and each student was teleported away, leaving Aiden alone in the vast, ornate chamber. The Representative's voice continued, echoing in the distance until the final student received their class. Then, with a flash of divine light, the Representative vanished.

Aiden blinked, standing there awkwardly. The orb of light was gone. The entire room was silent, empty. Not even the divine glow of the representative remained.

"H-Hello?" Aiden called out, his voice echoing back at him.

There was no answer. He had been... forgotten.

A sigh of frustration escaped his lips as he glanced around the now empty room. "Well, this sucks."

Suddenly, a small, bright glow appeared in the corner of his vision. Aiden turned, eyes widening as a figure appeared from the shadows. It wasn't the Representative this time—it was someone else. A tall man, clad in simple yet regal clothing, his long silver hair cascading down his back like a river of light. His eyes gleamed with an ancient wisdom and weariness, as though he had seen countless worlds rise and fall.

"You're still here?" the man asked, raising an eyebrow.

Aiden scratched his head, feeling awkward. "Uh... yeah. I guess I missed the memo."

The man sighed, muttering something under his breath. "Of course, the Representative never waits... Fine."

With a wave of his hand, the man conjured a small, shimmering book, its cover blank save for the words Dungeon Maker scrawled in faint letters.

"This is your class," he said, tossing the book toward Aiden, who caught it clumsily. "The gods were running out of options, so... this is what you get."

Aiden stared at the book. "Dungeon Maker? What does that even mean?"

The man shrugged. "Good luck." With that, he vanished, just as abruptly as the first.

Before Aiden could even process what had happened, the world around him warped again. A swirling vortex of colors enveloped him, and he was sucked into the unknown.

---

Aiden landed hard on a patch of dirt. He groaned, rubbing his sore back as he pushed himself to his feet, only to find himself standing in the middle of an unfamiliar forest. The towering trees stretched high into the sky, their thick branches swaying in a wind he couldn't feel.

"Where the hell am I now?" he muttered.

As if in response to his question, a system window appeared before his eyes.

|—————————————————|

|. System window |

|. |

| Con.gratulations! You have been |

|assigned the class: Dungeon Maker. |

| Your journey begins now. You are |

|tasked with creating and managing |

|your own dungeon. | |. |

|Check your core for more information. |

|————————————————— |

Aiden blinked. "A dungeon maker? What does that even mean?"

As if hearing his confusion, another window appeared.

|————————————————— |

|. System window |

|. |

| You have received your Dungeon Core:| [ Wood Tier]. |

| Dungeon Points (DP) are earned by |attracting adventurers to your dungeon. |

| Popularity increases DP and unlocks |

new features. Good luck. |

|—————————————————|

He stared at the glowing text for a few moments before it faded away. "Wait, wait, wait! What am I supposed to do now? How am I supposed to make a dungeon?"

The only response was the wind rustling through the trees.

Sighing, Aiden picked up the small, glowing orb that had appeared in front of him. It pulsed faintly in his hand—a strange warmth emanating from it.

Dungeon Core, huh?

He wasn't sure how to use it, but something deep inside told him this was his key to survival. Without it, he had nothing.

Taking a deep breath, Aiden clutched the core tightly and started walking through the dense forest, unsure of where his new life as a Dungeon Maker would lead him.

The forest around Aiden was darkening. The last rays of the sun were slipping behind the horizon, casting long, eerie shadows across the dense undergrowth. His stomach growled, and a deep chill crept into the air. He had no idea how long he had been walking, but the weight of exhaustion was starting to settle into his bones.

I need shelter.

Aiden scanned his surroundings, his eyes settling on a small, shadowed opening in the side of a nearby hill—a cave. It was nothing special, just a hole in the earth surrounded by overgrown foliage, but it looked deep enough to keep him safe for the night.

"Better than nothing," he muttered.

He hurried toward the cave, ducking inside just as the sky turned a deep, inky blue. The inside was cold and damp, the air smelling faintly of moss and wet stone. It wasn't exactly home, but it would do for now.

As he sat down to rest against the cave wall, a soft chime echoed in his ears. A familiar system window appeared before him.

|——————————————————|

|. System window |

|. |

| Would you like to start your dungeon |

here? |

| Location: Cave – Medium Potential |

| This location provides basic defense |

and access to underground tunnels. |

| Confirm creation of your first dungeon? |

|——————————————————|

Aiden blinked. "Wait, I can just… make a dungeon right here?" He glanced around the cave again. It wasn't much, but it did have potential. Hidden, out of sight, and with plenty of room to expand underground, it could be a solid starting point.

He looked back at the glowing window in front of him and hesitated. "I guess this is it. The first step…" He reached out and tapped the 'Confirm' button on the screen.

The cave suddenly felt different, as though the air around him was shifting. The ground rumbled beneath his feet, and faint blue lights began to shimmer in the stone walls, forming glowing patterns that pulsed softly like veins of energy. The cave was no longer just a hole in the earth; it was now his Dungeon.

A new system window popped up.

|——————————————————|

|. System window |

|. |

| Congratulations! Your first dungeon has |been established. |

| Dungeon Core: [Wood Tier]. |

| Current Dungeon Level: 1 |

| Available DP (Dungeon Points): 0. |

| Goal: Build your dungeon, attract | |adventurers, and grow your core! |

|——————————————————|

Aiden's heart raced. "Okay… Now what?"

Another window appeared, as if answering his question.

|——————————————————|

|. System window |

|. |

| Tip: Use Dungeon Points to expand your |dungeon. |

| Place traps, monsters, and rooms to | challenge adventurers. The more |

successful your dungeon, the more |

DP you will earn! |

| Current available traps: Basic Pitfall |

Trap, Wooden Spike Trap |

| Current available monsters: Goblin |

|(Level 1) |

|——————————————————|

Aiden raised an eyebrow, trying to absorb the information. "So, I can set traps and summon monsters?"

He looked down at the core in his hand, which now glowed with a soft, steady light. His mind raced with ideas. He knew that if he wanted to survive in this world, he would have to make this dungeon work. But the thought of actually setting traps and sending monsters to fight adventurers was overwhelming.

His stomach growled again, pulling him out of his thoughts. "I guess the first thing I need is food," he muttered.

Standing up, Aiden glanced outside the cave entrance. The night was in full swing, and the forest had become even more foreboding. Creatures howled in the distance, and the shadows seemed to dance in the darkness.

"Maybe I should hold off on exploring until morning," he decided, retreating back into the safety of the cave. For now, the dungeon core was safe, and he had a lot to think about.

Before he could settle down, another system window appeared, its text glowing softly in the dim light of the cave.

|———————————————————|

|. System window |

|. |

| Quest unlocked: First Creation |

| Objective: Place at least 1 trap and |summon 1 monster to guard your dungeon. |

| Reward: 100 DP. |

|———————————————————|

Aiden scratched his head. "A quest? This is getting more and more like a game…"

With nothing else to do, he decided to check out his options. Reaching into the air, he activated the system menu and began scrolling through the available traps. The Basic Pitfall Trap seemed like a good start—simple, but effective.

"Let's put this near the entrance," he said, selecting the trap and placing it just inside the mouth of the cave. The ground shifted, and a hidden pit appeared, covered by a thin layer of dirt and leaves.

Next, Aiden turned to the monster menu. The only option was a Level 1 Goblin, which didn't sound too impressive, but it was better than nothing. With a tap on the menu, a small, hunched figure appeared in the cave. Its green skin gleamed in the dim light, and its yellow eyes blinked as it looked up at Aiden expectantly.

"You're supposed to defend this place?" Aiden asked, incredulous. The goblin scratched its head, grunted, and sat down in a corner, clearly not understanding much.

"Great," Aiden sighed. "I've got a pitfall and a lazy goblin. I'm really off to a strong start here."

But as he finished setting the basics, a new system window appeared.

|————————————————|

|. System window |

|. |

| Quest completed: First Creation |

| Reward: 100 DP added to your core.|

|————————————————|

Aiden couldn't help but grin. "At least something's going right."

Sitting down again, Aiden stared at the glowing dungeon core in his hand. This world was strange and dangerous, but if he played his cards right, he could make something out of this dungeon. He didn't know where it would lead, but the path had already begun.