Architect And Explorer

Des had thought hard about it.

Despite being incredibly stronger than he used to be—with all aspects of himself improved to increase his chances of survival—he was still very weak.

This wasn't due to any fault of his. After all, he had given his all in training, and he even endured every single experiment that Eve performed on him.

All of it was so he could become stronger.

At the moment, she no longer had any need or interest to experiment with him, so even if he was willing to put up with the intense pain, he couldn't get any more powerful than he was.

Yes, he could train his base physical prowess and improve his mastery over his Horror Aspects, but he would always be lacking. One way or the other, he was bound to fall short, and in a deathtrap like this place… that meant death.

He had to find a way… a way to make his chances even higher.

After racking his brain for a long time, and finally experiencing his first proper confrontation with a Horror, he figured it out—what he had been lacking all this time.

"I need knowledge."

In battle, that important element made all the difference.

No matter how strong an enemy was, or how impossible a situation was, or the limitation of the one stuck in such circumstances… with the right dose of information, salvation was possible.

There was only one problem, though.

Des lacked that information; whether about the Dungeon he was stuck in, or the Horrors that crawled around every corner.

Everything he knew was what Eve told him, and even then, it was insufficient.

At some point, he would have to investigate on his own. 

But to do that, he needed more.

More than he currently had in his possession.

'Training is an assured way to get strong, but there's only so much I can do. Besides, it takes time to get strong. Eve spent over twenty years here, so if I'm to hope to reach her level—even with my Horror Aspects—I'll need at least half of that.'

He didn't want to remain a burden for that long.

That meant, other than training his physical body to grow stronger, he had to seek other means to supplement his strength.

And he figured out the perfect way to do that.

"Why do you wish to become an Architect?" Eve asked him, her demeanor now completely serious as she gave him her most piercing gaze.

When it came to matters like this, she never messed around.

"Why…?" He mumbled, refusing to back down as he fixed his gaze on her despite the growing tension.

The reason why was simple—it was the best way to solve his current problem.

"If I can learn to analyze and build like you, then I can create things like Flash Bombs, weapons, and a bunch of other stuff myself." 

At the moment, only Eve could do all of those things. She had exclusive access to the technical skills required to develop the tools that they both used. 

For example, the cloak that helped against air resistance and applied null gravity upon activation—which allowed for a smooth landing, no matter the height a person fell from, if timed perfectly—was one of her creations.

Due to the passive null-gravity effect it had on itself, the items that were placed within its pockets hardly weighed anything. That was what made it the most optimal wear for both Eve and himself. 

It had no demerits whatsoever, and it served as a versatile pouch that could hold important items.

The only real problem was its limited space.

Still, such important wear, as well as the other tools that could be stored within it, made fighting Horrors and overall Exploration a lot easier. There were things that Items—particularly Enchanted Items—could do that couldn't be done otherwise.

Flash Bombs, for example.

The Spark Explosives, or the Lightning Pulse Generator, or the Sonic Wave Activator… and so on… all of them served their purposes and could not be done by either Eve or Des.

None of them were Mages, and with only his Horror Aspect to keep him going, he had no miscellaneous skills that could help him in rather unique circumstances.

Ultimately, he needed to be an Architect for that fact.

"You know… being an Architect is a lot more than that." Eve narrowed her eye as she said that, her tone growing deeper.

"I know."

Des had already thought about this much too.

Creating stuff like Enchanted Items was merely the by-product of being an Architect, just as slaying Horrors was a consequence of being a Dungeon Explorer.

The true core of being an Architect was research—deep, deep research.

"You'll have to study components to their most fundamental level. Constant observation of every single thing around you is mandatory, and the continuous elevation of understanding remains a routine." Her voice was calm, but there was an underlying passion within every word she uttered.

"...."

"Do you understand, Des? The only reason I can build tools for survival, or weapons for combat, is because I understand the components required to build them. I know all about the ores or any of the other raw materials. I also know of the assembling process, the purification stage, and every other intricate detail involved in constructing whatever I make."

Even the most basic task of Water Purification was only possible due to the knowledge of everything surrounding the final product.

"The modification of your body was a risky venture, but I was able to succeed because I studied extensively for it—long before you arrived here. Nothing about the process is ever simply conjured up from anywhere. It takes a lot of time—diligent research and full devotion to the job." By the time Eve was done, she was nearly out of breath.

She hadn't missed a beat until she was able to hammer her point across to Des.

"After listening to all of this, are you still willing to walk down that path?"

From what he was hearing, the process of becoming an Architect was even more difficult than the training he had to endure until now. Not only was it something that required an absurd level of cognitive ability, but the level of constant dedication required was unreal.

If he chose this road, then he would have to walk it for the rest of his life.

The choice seemed incredibly scary, but Des had already made up his mind a long time ago.

"I am."

Once again, Eve pressed.

"Are you sure, Des? I am first and foremost an Architect, so believe me when I say I take it very seriously. Any training you've experienced until this point will be incomparable to what I'll put you through if you choose this."

Not only would he have to endure an even harsher version of Eve, but he would also need to continue training so his physical abilities didn't dwindle in the slightest.

Such hard work wasn't something anyone should manage; even someone like Des.

Yet…

"I'm sure, Eve." 

… Des was resolved not to back down from this as well.

There was only one way to really survive in this hardcore Dungeon, and that was by becoming the best version of himself.

Architect and Explorer—he wanted it all.

"Bring it on!"

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[A/N]

Thanks for reading!

I will really try my best to write more chapters, since I know I've been really slacking with uploads.

Needless to say, the real journey begins now.