章節 11: Caution
The Architect watched closely, satisfied with how his creatures were handling the intruders.
However, he could feel the strain on his mana reserves.
The pit trap had already drained a portion of it, and the summoning of the Shade Stalker had left him with only 10 MP.
He knew he'd need to conserve what little mana remained for emergencies.
[Current Mana: 10 MP.]
He observed the adventurers' struggle through the dungeon's senses, calculating his next move.
The Elite Shade was pressing the warrior hard, each slash pushing him back, closer to the pit where his two comrades were still struggling to pull themselves free.
The Shade Stalker had already moved into position behind the rogue, who was too focused on helping his allies to notice the silent predator creeping up.
With a swift motion, the Shade Stalker lunged forward.
[Creature Ability: Silent Strike Activated. Damage: 45% HP lost to rogue.]
The rogue let out a cry of pain as the Shade Stalker's claws raked across his back.
He staggered forward, collapsing to one knee, his breath coming in ragged gasps.
"We're... getting slaughtered!" he muttered, clutching his side as blood seeped through his fingers.
The warrior, now fully aware of the danger, glanced over his shoulder to see both the rogue and the mage gravely injured.
His face twisted in frustration and fear.
"We need to retreat!" he called out, his voice desperate.
But it was already too late.
The Shade Stalker and Elite Shade pressed their advantage.
The warrior swung his sword one last time in a desperate attempt to fend off the shadowy guardian, but the Elite Shade anticipated the move.
With a swift strike, it knocked the sword from his hands, sending it clattering to the stone floor.
[Notification: Adventurer's HP reduced to 15%.]
As the adventurers crumbled under the pressure, the Architect stood by the core, calculating his next steps.
He knew the battle was as good as won, but there was more to this than simple survival.
Every move, every kill, would bring him closer to unlocking the full potential of the dungeon.
[Notification: Adventurer Mage killed. +25 MP absorbed.]
The Architect's mana surged slightly as the mage's body crumpled into the darkness.
He immediately focused on the other adventurers, knowing their defeat would yield even more resources.
The rogue, severely injured, made a last-ditch effort to escape.
He scrambled toward the dungeon's entrance, but the Shade Stalker was relentless, moving like a shadow as it closed in on him.
[Creature Ability: Shadow Meld Activated.]
The rogue felt a presence behind him, but when he turned, there was nothing but darkness.
A chill ran down his spine.
Before he could react, the Shade Stalker materialized in front of him, claws extended.
[Silent Strike. Critical Hit. Rogue HP reduced to 0%.]
The rogue's body fell lifelessly to the floor, leaving only the warrior standing.
The Elite Shade moved in for the final blow.
The warrior, battered and bleeding, stood defiantly, but he knew there was no escape.
The dungeon trembled slightly as the last adventurer fell.
[Notification: Adventurer Warrior killed. +50 MP absorbed.]
[Current Mana: 85 MP.]
The Architect let out a breath of relief.
The battle had been costly, but the victory was his
[Dungeon Status: ]
[Rank: D]
[Core Integrity: 80%]
[Mana Reserve: 85/500 MP]
[Guardian: Elite Shade (Active)]
[Creatures: Shade Stalker (Active)]
[Traps: Spiked Pit (Active), Poison Gas Chamber (Inactive)] [Expansion Potential: Locked (Insufficient Mana)]
The Architect reviewed the state of his dungeon.
The adventurers had been dealt with, but it had been a close fight.
The Elite Shade had performed admirably, and the Shade Stalker had proven itself as a valuable asset.
He would need more creatures like these to bolster the dungeon's defenses in the future.
But his thoughts kept returning to the southern room.
The Mana Surge he'd discovered was still an enigma, and the vortex had yet to reveal its full potential.
There was something more to it, something powerful, but he would need more mana and resources to unlock its secrets.
He turned toward the core, contemplating his next move.
The adventurers would not be the last to challenge his domain.
He needed to prepare, to evolve the dungeon further, but the question remained: how much time did he have before the next wave arrived?
[Notification: Next Adventurer Group Detected. Estimated Arrival: 18 hours.]
He smirked. It was enough time for now.
Seth stood at the southern edge of the dungeon, staring at the strange, glowing vortex of mana in the center of the newly opened room.
The surge had appeared without warning, and he couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning of something larger.
But what?
His mind raced through the possibilities.
The mana surge could be anything, an anomaly, an artifact buried deep within the dungeon, or even a natural reaction to the recent upgrades.
Whatever the cause, it wasn't going to be an instant discovery.
He would have to explore, test, and most importantly, use every bit of cunning to figure out what was happening.
For now, he needed to be cautious.
Returning to the core, Seth felt the tug of the dungeon's semi-sentience.
It pulsed gently in his mind, suggesting various ideas in the background, an echo of thoughts, subtle hints that aligned with his own.
The dungeon was learning him just as he was learning it.
But it wasn't going to think of him; it only presented the options.
[Dungeon Status:]
[Rank: D]
[Core Integrity: 80%]
[Mana Reserve: 85/500 MP]
[Guardian: Elite Shade (Active)]
[Creatures: Shade Stalker (Active)]
[Traps: Spiked Pit (Active), Poison Gas Chamber (Inactive)]
[Mana Surge Detected: Unknown Source]
Seth had considered diving straight into experimenting with the mana surge, but instinct told him to wait, to gather more information.
He couldn't afford to burn through his mana reserves recklessly.
The Elite Shade patrolled the dungeon's entrance, and the Shade Stalker had melted into the shadows of the newly expanded southern room.
He tapped into the dungeon's connection.
It responded, nudging him toward a potential upgrade, something about the core's capacity to regenerate mana.
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