111 Inheritance Dungeon
Trevon entered the door. Everything was dark. He moved a bit further and suddenly everything turned bright.
[Gah! My eyes!] Trevon used his hand to block the blinding light. It took some time before Trevon could see the surrounding.
"Where is it?" Trevon felt surprised by the change of view. They were in a damp mine, then here they were at a grassland before a deep forest. A small path started from their position toward the forest.
This was the first time Trevon entered an inheritance dungeon. He saw bright blue skies and warm from the sun above him. "We are not in the Goldcave, right?" He sniffed around, even the smell was the smell of grassland. He squatted and felt the grass. [They are real!]
While cultivation families and sects often dominated access to inheritance dungeons. They also didn't force their descendants to enter because of the danger involved. Since he was not required, Trevon always opted not to enter any dungeon before.
"It is the lobby of an inheritance dungeon, Brother Trevon. A dungeon is a small world connected to our world." Ainsley the first one who answered. He looked around while his hand prepared on his sword.
"TWO HUMANS?!!!" A shout welcomed them. The voice was deep and loud.
[ACH!!!] Trevon wanted to pee. He had heard from the Rabbink that it was a dwarf inheritance dungeon. The human was the one who drove the dwarf out of their kingdom. [Is that a dwarf?]
Trevon felt half regretted coming with Ainsley. [He is a child of God. They would come danger and adventure on their journey. Gah!] He couldn't believe he decided to enter a dungeon.
"Yes. We are human. Who are you, Esteemed Senior?" Ainsley courteously spoke.
"Human…" The voice seemed to think. "Human no problem. I guardian to a will. No rule against human." The voice answered.
[Huff…] Trevon felt better. [Since I have come this far. I should get one or two supreme treasures. Hehehe.]
"Two humans can try. Your bones no old than one hundred years. Stronger than Peak Rank 2 can't enter."
"What are the rules?" Ainsley seemed to have entered a dungeon. Trevon knew from the book in the library that before one entered a dungeon, one could ask the rules.
"First, danger here. Wild demon beasts and dangers here stop the weak. All inheritances here no penalty."
"Second, each challenge alone. No help others."
"Third, one hundred spirit stones each trial."
"Read monolith more rules."
[They are like in the book. Their sentences are strange.] Trevon thought. He had read about the inheritance dungeon.
"Yes, he is. The spirit is still inexperienced." Master Rabbink said. "A smarted and older dungeon will have a better understanding of various languages."
[Spirit?]
"Yes, some people called them, Dungeon Master. Others called them Dungeon Core or Dungeon Spirit. They are the ones who controlled the dungeon, maintained it until the inheritor appeared, and repaired the tests if someone broke it. They also ensured the rule being followed. A dungeon master's life goal is to help to find a correct successor based on the predecessors' requirements. Inside a dungeon, even a God couldn't kill them. A God could only dismiss them and replaced them with another soul."
[Soul?]
"Yes. As a God, the Universe Core is the place where a soul created and reincarnated. One of the souls will be picked to operate the dungeon. Becoming a dungeon master is the chance for a soul to collect a good karma. After a soul completed managing a dungeon, that soul would have a high chance to reborn as an immortal or even a divine creature in the next life."
[Hm…] Trevon found out something from Master Rabbink. [Isn't this a secret?]
"About the dungeon master? Not really. Everyone would think you are crazy if you say that. Gwahahaha."
"Brother Trevon, we should study the monolith for this dungeon before we enter the dungeon." Ainsley told Trevon.
"Ah, Yes! I can't wait to check the monolith. Hahaha." Trevon acted like he had some experience.
He followed Ainsley walked toward the forest. Both young masters were walking with their highest caution. However, they didn't meet any demon beast. After they walked for five minutes, they found a small pedestal with a huge dark gray stone with some ancient words on it.
"These are ancient dwarf's words." Ainsley explained. "The words are taught in Goldcave academy, but they aren't this difficult."
"HEY! Do you have any translator here?" Trevon called the dungeon master.
"Universal human word one spirit stone." The bass dungeon master's voice could be heard again.
Universal human word was the word for universal human language. It was the common language spoken by people everywhere, even outside Heavenly Phoenix. The magical word could connect people from various cultures without a need to translate. Some even said the magical language, even used by other species.
[Hey! He answered me.] Trevon smiled. "Isn't that too expensive? You should give free booklet to people so your dungeon could be more popular."
"…"
"Ten gold coins! I will buy two." Trevon tried to bargain. It was his strategy to negotiate with those merchants.
"…"
"Fine. You are a hard bargainer. Eleven gold coins for two! I have increased my offer by ten percent."
"…"
"Are you deaf?"
"…"
"Fifteen gold coins for two!" Trevon didn't like to be cheated.
"…"
"Gah! Do you know who am I?" Trevon pointed to the insignia on his robe. "The number one young master in Bluestar, Trevon McArthur." He spoke his family name with more intonation.
"…"
"Hey! Don't tell me you haven't heard about McArthur family?"
"…"
"Let me tell you! My family is the greatest family on the continent!"
"…"
"Are you serious? Did you just threaten a dungeon master?" Master Rabbink couldn't believe Trevon used his family name to pressure a dungeon master.
[You are right! Even God can't kill a dungeon master.] Trevon quickly changed his tone. "My family will help you promote your dungeon to the entire continents. You wouldn't make a loss after you gave the discount to me. Every talented warrior would visit your dungeon. Isn't that cool? You will be the most popular dungeon. You will appear in the song of every bard."
"…"
"No discount?"
"…"
"Erm… Brother Trevon, you can't negotiate with a dungeon master. They are always following their rules. I will pay for this." Ainsley said.
"No. No need. Let me pay for this!" Trevon rejected Ainsley's offer. He was the number one young master in Bluestar. His pride didn't allow someone to pay for him.
"Fine. Here is your spirit coin. Where do I put it?" Trevon took a spirit stone. However, it disappeared after he took it out from his storage ring.
"It's gone!!!" Trevon shouted. He jumped backward.
"Is this your first time in a dungeon, Brother Trevon?" Ainsley felt surprised by Trevon's reaction.
"Eh? No… Hahaha. I just forget about this. Hahahaha." Trevon took his fan and fanned himself.
Master Rabbink wanted to cry seeing its apprentice Gods.
Another monolith appeared. It was similar to the old monolith, but its color was brighter.
Trevon could read this new monolith.
[Eberk Rockminer Inheritance Dungeon.]
[I am a Peak Rank 3 Knight from Goldcave Dwarf Kingdom. The Gigantes War between dwarves and humans brought our small dwarf kingdom into destruction. I am no longer in this world, but the God told that my inheritance will be useful for the next generation. Other than me, several powerful warriors also left their inheritances. I hope you could obtain something from this trial.]
[1. Any species accepted.]
[2. Bone Age Maximum 100 Years Old.]
[3. Cultivation Minimum Primary Rank 1 and Maximum Peak Rank 2.]
[4. You can only take the test by yourself.]
[5. No penalty for the loser.]
[6. No time limits.]
[7. No limit on equipment and external items.]
[8. You can only obtain one inheritance.]
[9. It cost 100 Spirit Stones per trial.]
[10. Dungeon Master could make future rules. His rules are absolute below God's laws.]
Trevon read those messages on the monolith.
"I see…" He learned about the rules. They were common rules compared to the what was written in the library books. A more advanced dungeon would have longer rules.
"Brother Trevon, I will go to try my luck. This dungeon didn't seem would give danger to either of us. If there is a penalty, I won't dare to compete with Brother Trevon."
"Ah, yes!" Trevon felt the rules were reasonable.
Ainsley then solemnly said to Trevon. "I will go first, Brother Trevon. May Aurmoth, the Fire God blessed you!" He gave a fist and palm salute to Trevon.
"Eh? Yes…" Trevon replied with the same salute.
Ainsley stayed silent and focused on his sword before entering toward the forest in front of him leaving Trevon alone. Before he left, he placed a pouch of spirit stones near the monolith. It disappeared soon.
Of course, Trevon wasn't alone. Nana was on his shoulder and the Rabbink was floating around him.
"Can I bring my contracted demon beast?" Trevon asked.
"Yes. Human can. Demon beast can not inherit. Demon can." The deep dungeon voice was heard again.
[9. No limit on bringing contracted demon beasts.]
Trevon saw a new rule added on the monolith. [He can add a rule?] Trevon could read that.
"Yes. This dungeon master is young, so he would learn from the challengers. He is talkative and kind." Master Rabbink said.
"Hey! What is your name?"
"…"
"How long have you been here?"
"…"
"Can you guarantee there are no dangerous traps?"
"…"
"What is the best inheritance?"
"…"
"Can you respond to me?"
"…"
[He isn't that talkative.] Trevon talked to the Rabbink.
"You asked stupid questions." Master Rabbink said.
"A dungeon master was above a common mortal creature. They could be considered as an immortal. Most wouldn't speak unless necessary." Master Rabbink told Trevon.
[Oh!]
"While there is no fully safe dungeon, this dungeon is made for a Middle Rank 1 warrior. You should be fine here. This Rabbink can't help you to complete a dungeon at all."
[No worries.] Trevon felt more confident with Master Rabbink's words. He knew the Rabbink wouldn't lie about his safety based on the contract.
[What is this dungeon difficulty?] Trevon wanted to ask.
"Erm… Fine, you can know that. This Dungeon is between Lv 11 to Lv 30." Master Rabbink counted thing with its materialized hand.
[What? I want to quit.] Trevon felt afraid. Lv 30 was higher than he was.
"How do I quit this?"
"Back! Find portal! Back entrance!" The deep voice of the dungeon master was heard.
Trevon turned his body.
"Well, you can always escape if you want. Don't you want the girls to know that you discovered and conquered a dungeon? Don't you want the inheritance? Don't you want to become stronger?" Master Rabbink baited Trevon.
Trevon stopped in his walk back. [Yes. I could brag this to those girls.]
"Unless you meet a crazy dungeon master. The test will be based on your bone age. An inheritance dungeon will not give too higher difficulty compared to the inheritances' value."
Trevon turned his body. [What about this dungeon master?]
"I have said before. He is still naive and kind."
"…" Trevon returned to the monolith again.
"Hey! On the second thought, I want to challenge the inheritance!" Trevon shouted to the Dungeon Master.
He looked towards the monolith and reading the rules again. After problems with the contract, he didn't want that there were small hidden clauses in the monolith.
[This is fine.] He had used his spiritual sense to check.
"Yes. Let's go!" Master Rabbink wanted to see the inheritance dungeon's design. Not every dungeon master had Master Rabbink's help to design and made their dungeon. The Rabbink only helped the dungeon master in the Redwood Forest Meteorite Site.
The young master quickly put the monolith to his universe. While he couldn't bring it using storage ring. He had the universe. As long as he touched a non-living thing, he could bring it.
"…"
"What? Did you take the monolith?" Master Rabbink felt surprised. It followed the young master to his universe.
"I want to check whether I could use my Core Management skill in the dungeon. Besides, I have purchased it, right? This is a good treasure as a souvenir. I am sure the ladies would like to see it."
Master Rabbink couldn't deny that Trevon had purchased it. The Dungeon Master must have slept for long and hadn't many visitors before. Therefore, it had to ask Trevon for some core energies before it could summon a monolith with rules.
Trevon returned back to the monolith. This time he made another portal. [This work!] He thought.
Trevon wanted to walk toward the forest.
"Wait! You have to pay in the monolith to take the test." Master Rabbink said. "Every monolith is a mark of a test."
"Ah!" Trevon put a pouch of spirit stones on the monolith similar to Ainsley.
Trevon walked deeper into the forest following the small path. He could feel the damp forest with a serenity on it while the insects sang their orchestra. The smells also real, the wet ground, added with fresh air. While he hadn't seen any big animals, Trevon could see the lush green of the forest with the high canopy of the tree covered the light.
[This forest looked real.] He thought.
"Yes. They are real. The sun above is also real, but it is a small one."
"Huh?"
"The dungeon master was like a miniature God. Basically, they borrowed the creation function of the Universe Core. This was why they asked for some money to repair things after the test. A more difficult a dungeon has a higher the trial cost. They have to summon powerful demon beasts to protect and some treasures for luring some cultivators. They had their initial money from the God. Basically, a dungeon master was helping the God to keep some important inheritances continued to the next generation."
Trevon saw the forest around him.
[A new species of Tree detected.]
[Gigantes Hardwood Tree is added to Summon Plant.]
[A new species of Bush detected.]
[Gigantes Berry Bush is added to Summon Plant.]
[A new species of Tree detected.]
[Gigantes Sour Mango Tree is added to Summon Plant.]
[A new species of Tree detected.]
[Gigantes Green Ash Tree is added to Summon Plant.]
"Wow! This is an easy way to increase my collections. Hehehe."
"…" Master Rabbink couldn't believe that Treasure Snatcher Trevon even snatched from a young dungeon master.
[What? You want to praise this young master for being smarter?] Trevon took his fan and acted cool.
Trevon went deeper from the monolith. He wandered in the forest while taking several more trees and other plants for his universe. All the plants were something that came from Gigantes area.
"Where is the first test?" Trevon asked again. He followed the path, but he didn't find anything.
"…" The dungeon master felt Trevon was unique. Since the young man could disappear from his territory. However, as a dungeon master, he didn't feel to communicate with a human. He continued to watch Trevon.
"This is part of the test, Kid." Master Rabbink said. "If you have the destiny, you will find the door to the next challenge. There are several doors here."
"This is just finding, right?" Trevon took his Blazing Talisman.
"Gah! Don't tell me you plan to destroy this forest!"
"Since this is part of the test, it is fair, right? Hehehe." Trevon pored some spiritual energy to the talismans.
"Stop!" Finally, the Dungeon Master couldn't stand Trevon. "Destroy the forest, boss appear."
"No… No… I am only joking. You have to put that on the rule." Trevon had heard about the dungeon's boss. It was a powerful opponent, which often became the reason one died in a dungeon.
Trevon continued his search for the first test. At the same time, the young Dungeon Master wrote a new rule on its monolith.
[10. You can't destroy the forest in the lobby area.]
