As I was rubbing my swollen face, Orai explained the Dungeon Management System that this world followed.
Apparently, I was reincarnated in order to take control of a new dungeon, hence the name 'Dungeon Master'. I was surprised to hear that I wasn't the only dungeon master on the continent, which was called Orune. In fact, there were hundreds of dungeon masters on Orune, mostly consisting of the original dungeon masters that have been here for millennia. There has recently been a dungeon shortage in Orune so the God Of War decided to summon more dungeon masters. The new dungeon masters were people who were summoned from different worlds like myself. It sounded like the probability of them being from earth was either slim or borderline impossible.
"So are we good guys or the bad guys?", I asked.
"It's up to you! Since the God Of War is in charge of the Dungeons, he allowed the summoned dungeons to choose their own path. 'It makes it more exciting that way' is what he usually says", Orai said.
"How will I meet the other dungeon masters in Orune? Can I leave the Dungeon?", I asked.
"There is a dimension similar to D1 that's exclusively for meeting other dungeon masters as well as everything associated with the Dungeon System. It's called the Dungeon Dimension, better known by the abbreviation D.D. or D2. D2 is a dimensional city built exclusively for Dungeon Masters and Gods, where you can do many things. However, the primary reason to venture there is to gather knowledge and supplies", Orai said.
"Interesting...so this is like a Dungeon Building game, right?", I asked.
"No! This is more serious than that! If you get challenged to a dungeon battle and lose, the penalties are harsh! If you get your core destroyed, we will both die! Real Death!", Orai said.
She listed out the penalties for losing a Dungeon battle one-by-one:
1. Death. The victor of the battle can decide to kill you for all the points that you are worth. They can then proceed to take your dungeon core and fuse it together with their own, making their core stronger.
2. Join their Dungeon. The victor can demand that you join their dungeon for good! You get to keep your core but you are forever enslaved to the victor. It's only if the victor decides to let you go that you are able to restart your dungeon.
3. Having Your Core Destroyed. The victor can separate you from your core and kill the core. You will be stripped of your dungeon master powers and live the rest of your shortened lifespan on Orune. This is seen as the most brutal option available for dungeon masters who are close to their cores. It's almost the same as dying to the dungeon masters.
4. Dungeon Takeover. The victor gains full control over you and the dungeon. Any DP that you earn is sent straight to the victor and maintenance of the dungeon is decided by the victor. It's possible that they leave you for dead or buff you in order to keep you alive. This can be seen as the most humane option in the right circumstances.
"Do you understand now? You may be slightly perverted but you seem like a bright person. I have high hopes for you!", Orai smiled.
"I think I got most of the information. What is DP though?", I asked.
"They are called Dungeon Points! You earn 100 DP/day and it is used to purchase items and mobs to build out your dungeon! You can earn DP by killing, absorbing, or having enemies in the dungeon. You can also earn points by having friendlies in the dungeon. These are the main ways to gain more DP points in Orune! Your Dungeon level[DL] is how strong your dungeon is while DM is how strong the Dungeon Master is! As of right now, we are level 1 but we will eventually make it up to 1,000! I know it in my core!", Orai said smiling.
As I continued to listen to Orai and her explanations, I became interested in an idea. I didn't know if it was possible but I was always known as a person with ambition.
I mean, who says I can't become an OP Dungeon?