The Crafter's Defense: A Dungeon Core Novel (Dungeon Crafting Book 2) Jonathan Brooks (large ebook reader TXT) 📖

time – as well as Mana and Raw Materials – creating some constructs to stay near her during that time.  It wasn’t much, compared to what she had in some of her defensive rooms, but she thought it would be enough.

Two dozen Singing Blademasters were set up in a loose sphere around her Core, far enough away that they weren’t a danger to her – but hopefully well within her perception during the upgrade.  Sandra instructed them to move slowly in random directions, only making sure not to run into each other in the process and had them spin and “sing” at different times.  She was hoping that if they were random enough, it would give her something to focus on and try to anticipate – rather than concentrate on her trapped consciousness.  Winxa also volunteered to keep her company again, so with all of those things, she figured she was as prepared as she was going to get.

Before she initiated the upgrade, Sandra put up another super-intense, Fire-fueled trap in front of the large entrance tunnel leading into her Home from where she had multiple Iron-plated Behemoths waiting to defend her.  While a potential attack from the Elves wasn’t supposed to come for another week and a half – at least – it didn’t hurt to be careful.  When everything was as ready as it was going to get, she waited for her Mana to fill up again and started the upgrade.

Her perception faded again, shrinking down to just a small area that comprised only about a third of the way to the edges of her large Home room.  Fortunately, her Singing Blademasters were well within that area, so her temporary confinement was provided with strangely satisfying entertainment.  The constructs were moving slowly in a random direction, while staying in a loose sphere around her a little more than 10 feet away; every once in a while, one of the Blademasters would start spinning and let out its high-pitched whine, which changed in tone when it moved in a different direction.  It only lasted between 10 and 15 seconds, but it was enough to distract her.

Winxa made a game of it. “Let’s see…I think it’ll be that one right there,” she would say, pointing at a particular construct.  The Dungeon Fairy was trying to guess which one would be next to “sing” and encouraged Sandra to play along.  After seeing how much fun her friend was having, she joined in.

Very rarely would either the Dungeon Fairy or Core be correct in their guess, but when they were it was a cause for celebration.  Well, at least Winxa spun and danced around in the air when she got one correct; Sandra couldn’t do anything or even communicate which ones she chose, so her own celebrations were in her mind.  Regardless, the game passed the time and before she knew it, Sandra’s Core Size upgrade was complete.

Core Size Upgrade Stage complete!

11/11 Completed

Your Core has grown!

Current Size: 19

Mana Capacity increased!

Raw Material Capacity increased!

New Constructs option!

Core Selection Menu

Dungeon Classification:

Constructs

Core Size:

19

Available Mana:

16/15646

Ambient Mana Absorption:

10/hour

Available Raw Material (RM):

6500/41608

Convert Raw Material to Mana?

6500 RM -- > 260 Mana

Current Dungeon Monsters:

14576

Constructs Creation Options:

17

Monster Seed Schematics:

133 (3)

Current Traps:

31

Trap Construction Options:

All

Core-specific Skills:

5

Current Visitors:

1

Rather than be disappointed that she didn’t receive another Core-specific skill like the last upgrade, she was happy that she got another Construct that she could make and that her maximum Mana had increased.  She was waiting to finish off the rest of her rooms with traps when she acquired more Mana, and now she thought that 15,000 Mana would be more than enough to make them effective – and hopefully deadly toward anyone meaning her harm.

“So, what did you end up with?  I got seven correct!” Winxa asked, breaking Sandra from her thoughts.  The Dungeon Core was confused for a few moments before she figured out what the Fairy was talking about: guessing which Blademaster would “sing” next.

I only ended up with six – nice job!  Thanks for keeping me company again; if you don’t mind me asking, how long was it this time?

“You’re welcome – it was actually kind of fun.  And it was just a few hours over two days that you were under; if I remember correctly, the time you’ll be out only increases by a little bit by the time you hit Core Size 20, which I’m sure you’re very glad to know,” Winxa responded.

That was good news, though this last upgrade hadn’t been as excruciating as the one before it.  Sandra figured she would need to do something similar in the future to entertain herself – and Winxa, if she was there – to make the time go by quicker.  That seemed to be the key; if she could distract her mind and make her forget about her – albeit, temporary – helplessness and loneliness, then everything would be fine.

She was just about to check out her new Construct Option, but – as seemed usual by then – something else caught her attention.

Chapter 12

What is this I’m feeling along the edges of my Area of Influence, Winxa?

“Uh…could you be more specific?  I don’t understand,” the Dungeon Fairy replied with confusion and maybe even a little alarm in her voice.

When I concentrate on the underground extremities of where I can reach now with my expanded Area of Influence, I can feel a slight resistance in certain areas.  I can push through it quite easily, but I’ve never felt that before.

Winxa seemed as though she might have an idea when she asked, “Where exactly do you feel these ‘resistances’?”

Sandra roamed all around her perimeter and tried to isolate where she was feeling them.  The closest one was to