Expect the unexpected

A week has passed since the conversation with Asme. Many things happened in the dungeon of damnation during this time but from the beginning,

The third floor of the dungeon has changed the most. It has been divided into three parts: the Farm, the Home of the Condemned Wolves, and the Homestead for The Dead Gnu. 1

A few days ago, Ramiel went hunting with a pack of wolves. They were lucky to encounter a group with two cubs. The former hunter saw an opportunity and took it. After killing the other ten members of the pack, The Dead Gnu's cubs became an easy target.

All Ramiel had to do was take advantage of their natural fear of predators. The Condemned Wolves exerted pressure and led The Dead Gnu to the dungeon.

Once properly trained, they would become deadly mounts. The thought of heavy cavalry brought a smile to Ramiel's face. The man could already imagine his enemies' cries and pleas for mercy. There was just one small problem. Ramiel had no units that could serve as riders. Goblins were not suitable. They were better suited to riding wolves.

Asife from that, The Dead Gnu are cheap to maintain. They only need water and fresh grass to live. Gnu cubs were like a sale at the supermarket, two for one.

Avi is responsible for raising them. Ramiel doesn't know and doesn't want to know. Babysitting children isn't his fable. From time to time, he just checked how the fairy was doing. Her progress wasn't the fastest, but it was within the norm.

Avi seemed satisfied with the task assigned to her. With a wide smile, she spent time in the creature's enclosure. The little fairy was perfect as a nanny and teacher.

The vegetable and fruit farm occupied the least space on the second floor. Since the dungeon had been improved, the rabbit cave had become home to cultivated vegetables.

Ramiel, using residual knowledge from Earth, transformed a piece of fertile land into arable soil. The process was a real ordeal, working without proper tools, it was tiring and inefficient.

Most of the work was done by skeletons, but the former hunter still often looked there. He couldn't allow food to go to waste. He might have an excess of it, but such a state wouldn't last forever.

He would have suffered a considerable deficit if it weren't for the skeletons feeding on the dungeon's mana.

Ramiel placed the farmland next to The Dead Gnu's homestead. This helped him gather fertilizer for the fields.

The man grew simple vegetables and fruits on the farm, such as carrots, parsley, potatoes, and tomatoes. He couldn't afford anything else because suitable seeds were scarce.

The Condemned Wolves occupied the largest part of the third floor. The monsters needed a large area to burn off excess energy. They were very impetuous.

Ramiel planned to move them to another floor in the future, but for now, he didn't have that option.

Another blessing turned out to be a small cave that Ramiel called the Armory. Along with the next level of the dungeon, new weapons appeared in it. Several overgrown rats guarded it, but Rascal quickly killed them.

Ramiel found a pair of short swords among the new merchandise that matched his level. They only required light refurbishing and sharpening. The armory also benefited other residents of the dungeon. Caera finally got a bow and a quiver with arrows. The woman was extremely happy. At last, she could show what she was good at.

However, the greatest treasure in the cave wasn't the weapon, but a simple chisel for engraving magical formations and runes on the weapon.

Ramiel wasn't omniscient like some heroes knowledgeable in blacksmithing, alchemy, enchantment and god knows what. But on magical formations and runes to strengthen weapons, he knew like few others. He devoted a large part of his life to studying this field.

With the Chisel, he was able to increase the effectiveness of weapons by 15%. It wasn't suitable for complex operations, so 15% was quite a high number.

In contrast, the man had no clue about enchanting armor.

He had tried it many times in the past, but it always ended with a loud explosion and the destruction of the material. After thousands of failed attempts, he finally gave up. There were specialists on Earth, and he could always pay them to enchant the armor.

At this point, Ramiel focused on engraving the appropriate runes on the blade of the swords. The process was extremely delicate and sensitive to various variables. Even the slightest disturbance in mana flow from a great weapon could make a twisted scrap.

Magic formations and runes could be enhanced additionally with raw materials. For example, adding the Flower of Living Magma to a fire formation would cause the blade's temperature to rise significantly.2

Unfortunately, except for Frost Breath Lilies, Ramiel didn't have any rare materials. Of course, there was Mandragora in storage, but Ramiel considered it a waste. There is also fruit from the Night Ripper Forest, but it is unsuitable for enchanting. Not all materials and resources are compatible.

An hour later, the former hunter breathed a sigh of relief. Along with his last breath, he had modestly finished his latest masterpiece.

The man armed a pair of swords with runes to improve sharpness and increase weight. Using the Frost Breath Lily, he created a magical formation that would freeze opponents upon contact. This process wasn't instantaneous but took time. At first, with each successive wound, the victim's movements became slower and slower until, eventually, the area around the wounds would freeze, destroying the tissue.

Ramiel looked proudly at the work. The weapon's blade was shrouded in a light, pale blue glow, making one shiver. The runes on the weapon glowed with a dark blue light, looking ominous.

Caera crept up to Ramiel. The woman had been watching Ramiel's actions for a long time.

" Um... Master, could you do the same with my bow ? " - The elfess asked insecurely, her hands nervously clasping the bow.

Ramiel looked at her weapon. It was an ordinary longbow used by some hunters to hunt in the woods. The back of the bow was worn, and the griffins screamed to the sky for vengeance. The former hunter couldn't do much, but there's always something. In the worst case, the bow will break.

" Show it to me. I'll try to improve it, but I won't promise anything. "

The man set to work without waiting for an answer. Half an hour later, Ramiel finally finished. He added simple runes to improve the material's flexibility and durability.

Caera could now shoot further distances without worrying about damaging her equipment.

" There you go, finished. You can now tighten the string more, but still, don't overdo it. Its condition is terrible, I have improved the durability, but this is the only thing I can do. "

With a wide smile on her lips, the woman thanked Ramiel. But it looked like their little interaction would last longer. Caera stood still, nervously playing with her hair.

" Um... Master ? " - The elfess muttered while searching the floor with eyes.

" What is it ? " - The former hunter answered carelessly, searching the space ring... Perhaps if he had focused on the interlocutor, he would have noticed the nervous rubbing of fingers.

" Would you perhaps have some free time for me later ? " - Saying this, the woman blushed, and her ears fluttered in embarrassment.

Ramiel didn't notice this, his attention entirely focused on the throwing knives. He wanted to improve their penetration and reduce the air resistance. 

" Mhm, if I forgot, remind me of myself. I'm a little busy right now. " - The former hunter muttered while selecting the right set of runes and magic formations in his mind.

" Thank you, master. If you allow me to, I will leave now. "

" Mhm. " - Ramiel muttered, and Caera walked away excitedly towards Asme. Soon, the women sat by the fire, starting their daily gossip session.

~~~~~~

After a few hours, a team of goblin skeletons showed up at the dungeon. Living pieces of bone, they were different from their peers. Their limbs were thicker, and in hands, they held bone axes.

Ramiel was curious about the skeletons' new appearance. Wanting information, he called Rascal with his subordinates.

In a flash, four well-built monsters were kneeling before the man. During the past week, all the goblins, as Avi calls, had advanced another level. Their changes were less visible than Rascal's, but a slight improvement still occurred.

" Rascal, explain what happened to the skeletons. " - Ramiel wasn't trying to be nice. At this point, he shows his authority as the undisputed ruler of the dungeon. His voice was capable of freezing the hottest volcano, and his gaze extinguished the will to live.

Goosebumps ran down the goblins' spines. Their master is usually kind and sincere, but it's best to stay out of his way when he gets serious.

" Master, skeletons chop wood. Glow, make a beehive of moult, and become like this. Rascal get scared and bring to the Master. " - Rascal meekly bowed his head, fearing a reprimand, but such didn't come.

Instead of shouting, Ramiel waved hand to summon one of the five skeletons. Moments later, he saw a transparent interface.

| Status | 

| Name |

| Race Skeleton Lumberjack |

| Direction of Evolution Lumberjack |

| Age ? |

| Strength 15 |

| Stamina Infinite |

| Vitality 5 |

| Agility 8 |

| Defense 5 |

| Mana 10 |

| Enriched mana 0 | 

| Intelligence 7 |

Ramiel's pupils suddenly dilated, experiencing a daze.

' Avi immediately take the talented skeletons from the farm. ' - He gasped violently. There was no time to lose.

Together with the newly summoned skeletons, the number of those with exceptional evolutionary paths increased to four. The new crew member didn't disappoint the man. The diameter of his radius was about nine and a half centimeters, and the radius, in color and texture, resembled freshly cut grass floating in a thick liquid.

' I am sleeping... can I do it later? ' Avi's lazy voice resounded in Ramiel's head.

Hearing the fairy's insolent reply, the vein in his forehead popped out. No one could throw him off balance like she did.

' Avi, this isn't a request, but an order from the dungeon master. ' - Ramiel had to act like a racial asshole from time to time to control the little nemesis. Otherwise, Avi would become unmanageable.

' Ygh... I'll take revenge for that. '

Avi reluctantly rose from the pile of grass. A distinctive crackling sound emanated from her bones. Immediately, a broad smile appeared on the little fairy's face.

" Hmpf, how dare he talk to me like that! Let's see what he does when he meets a new species or plant! - Avi shouted, venting her anger on a pile of walking bones. Poor skeletons, they were forced to listen to their superior's complaining.

When Avi arrived on the scene, Ramiel calmed down. Fortunately, his precious skeletons didn't manage to turn into farmers. The chance of getting a gifted skeleton was 1: 100,000. He wouldn't tolerate such a waste.

" From today, the three of you... " - Ramiel wanted to finish, but his gaze was caught by the newest skeleton, or more precisely, a beam of light coming out of its back.

Evolution again? But why, what do I have this time. The man's rethinking was interrupted by an offended fairy. Ramiel's commands intrigued her, but he had interrupted her afternoon nap! Avi deserved at least an explanation. She will talk about potential compensation later.

" May I know what is so important that it needs to be interrupted, my sleep? "

Ramiel raised an eyebrow, hearing the fairy's combative attitude.

 " I'm the master of this dungeon. Do I need a reason to give you a job? " - His answer was sharp. Avi's breath was taken away for a few humble seconds.

" ... You are terrible! Anyone would kill for a charming fairy like me, but you are just #&;@&×&÷*@*@ ."

 Ramiel didn't understand the last part. Avi's face turned red under the influence of emotion, and triggers in the fairy language came out of her mouth.

It reminded the former hunter of the squeak of a rubber chicken. Disappointed, he shook his head and gestured to a group of skeleton woodcutters.

Avi interrupted her outburst. Then, her attention focused on the skeletons.

" What ?!! What have you done to them? " - The fairy couldn't hide her shock. Ramiel didn't use the evolution skill, so how did it happen?

" Other than giving the order to harvest the wood, I didn't do anything to them. Apparently, our skeletons aren't just cannon meat. " - Ramiel explains calmly and indifferently this time.

" But this defies all logic. Even if they fought day and night, such rapid evolution is impossible. " - Avi tried to find a solution, but nothing came to mind.

" I have a theory, but I still have to check it. According to her, skeletons are like a white sheet of paper. It's only up to us what we fill it with. I don't know if it makes any sense, but it's better than nothing. "

Avi rubbed her head perplexedly, considering the bond's words.

" So that's why you told me to bring them... " - The fairy was dumbfounded; she shouldn't explode in anger. Even if Ramiel had no reason, he was the dungeon master. It is her duty to support and serve him.

" Bravo, now move over. " A sly smile dawned on the former hunter's face. " It's time to go bankrupt! "

" What ?!!! Again? I don't allow! We will become poor again. " - Avi tried to stop Ramiel, but the disproportion in size was overwhelming. She was left only to accept the future of the bankruptcy.

Ramiel, disregarding the protests and headed towards the new skeleton. A bony monster it stared at the man with empty eye sockets.

When the former hunter got close to it, the monster made a quiet cackling sound. It was its way of greeting the master.

" Don't let me down. " - Ramiel muttered, placing his hand on the skeleton's skull. Among several evolutionary paths, he chose the most distinguished from the rest.

Soon, the light around the skeleton disappeared. The evolution process took up to an hour! During this time, Ramiel's mana reserves were depleted twice.

" All 40 cores... 40 cores... Again, we have nothing. " - Desperate Avi sobbed at the former hunter head.

" If that's all it is, it's not so bad. A few hunts and we will bounce back from the bottom. " - Ramiel replied, panting heavily. He was far too optimistic, as he was about to find out.

" These aren't just cores! Everything but the food is gone from the storage! " - The fairy groaned in despair.

" You're joking, right? All the herbs, lotions, and medicines that Felix made are gone? "The former hunter wasn't easily frightened. He had seen many horrors and abominations, but now he turned pale as a wall. All the blood drained from his face. Avi's silence made everything worse.

Ramiel sighed and rubbed his temples, throbbing from nerves. Then he glared at the culprit of all the commotion.

The skeleton retained its dark graphite color, and the bone structure remained unchanged. The only thing that distinguished it from the rest of its fellows was the dark green flames hovering in place of its eye sockets. At first glance, it hadn't undergone any significant metamorphosis. Only bits of tendon and muscle appeared from time to time.

" From today, you are called Darwin " - The man fired without thinking, a little angry, at the sight of the status window.

| Status |

| Name Darwin |

| Race Skeleton Alchemist |

| Direction of Evolution Alchemist |

| Age? |

| Strength 12 |

| Stamina Infinity |

| Vitality 12 |

| Agility 5 |

| Defense 6 |

| Mana 19 |

| Enriched mana 0 | 

| Intelligence 25 |

Avi, unable to stand the silence any longer, flew up to Darwin. Ramiel didn't give names for nothing, this skeleton must be something special. Curiosity gnawed at her from within.

After a moment, the fairy's surprised scream could be heard throughout the dungeon. Her pupils dilated, and her mouth was wide open in shock. Ramiel's happiness terrified her.