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

30500/49930

Convert Raw Material to Mana?

30500 RM -- > 1220 Mana

Current Dungeon Monsters:

14735

Constructs Creation Options:

17

Advancement Creation Options:

1

Monster Seed Schematics:

148 (6)

Current Traps:

36

Trap Construction Options:

All

Core-specific Skills:

5

Current Visitors:

4

Under the Advancement Creation Options, Sandra found a new menu that listed the Goblin Worker that looked almost identical to her construct-based one.  Just like the notification had told her, the new Monster was only 50 Mana, so Sandra quickly created an Average Copper Orb to act as a Monster Seed, and then selected the Goblin Worker…

To say she was underwhelmed would be an understatement.

Chapter 36

“I’ve always hated the look – and, of course, smell – of those things; they just seemed like some sort of reject of the other races, like they were a…a…mistake, or something.  I know that seems cruel, but then again, you don’t have a nose,” Winxa said, pinching up her nose at the sight of the disgusting creature on the ground underneath her Core – even though she had to be at least 50 feet away.

The appearance of a Goblin Worker didn’t inspire much confidence that it could do much of anything.  Although it was indeed about the size of a Gnome, that was where the similarities ended.  It had a sickly-green complexion, warts and boils all over its body, a hunched-over back, and it almost appeared starved and desiccated – even though she knew from a prior conversation with her Dungeon Fairy that Dungeon Monsters didn’t really have to eat…or sleep…or any of the other normal requirements that “living” creatures needed.  Its stick-like arms appeared barely able to lift themselves let alone anything else, and she could easily see almost every bone in its chest and along its spine.  It was wearing a dirty loincloth stained with…something she didn’t want to contemplate – and that was it; the Goblin Worker was otherwise naked.

She was very glad that she couldn’t smell anything, because she could almost see waves of putrid stench emanating from off of the Worker, and she had to agree with Winxa – it was disgusting and a bit vile.  However, if it worked for her purposes (i.e. crafting and enchanting), then she didn’t care overly much what it looked – or smelled – like.

Sandra took down the flame trap she had protecting her Home entrances and sent the Goblin Worker to her small Dragon Glass forge in the next room.  A quick look showed Violet still up in the Enchantment Repository working on adding some small enchantments to various RRPs, so she didn’t want to bother her quite yet.  As soon as she discovered whether or not her Goblin would be an effective crafter/enchanter, she would see about working the Gnome to get some awesome enchanting done.

Taking a Steel bar and turning it into a simple knife was the first test of her Goblin, and after Sandra created the material she “entered” the body and mind of the new Dungeon Monster for the first time.  The sensations she felt while controlling the Worker was almost euphoric; she could feel the cool air of the room on its skin, taste the slightly metallic tinge from the forge in that same air, and smell the slightly burnt odor lingering in the room.  Her constructs didn’t experience those same sensations, so to have normal senses again felt incredible.  She hadn’t felt so alive since…well…when she was Human, actually.

Of course, along with those sensations, she could also smell herself – or at least the body she was controlling.  The horrid stench coming off of the Goblin made her choke and dry heave, before she was forced to exit its awareness to escape the smell.  As soon as she left it, the muted sensations of her Core existence crashed back into her immediately, and all sense of smell was eliminated.  She was equal parts disappointed and glad about her “normal” existence; on the one hand, she relished the sensations that only a flesh-and-blood being could experience – on the other, she was happy she didn’t have to live with the smell of flesh-and-blood monsters.

She couldn’t imagine having Goblins with their putrid-smelling forms as her only Dungeon Monsters, and she was doubly glad she hadn’t chosen them for her original Classification.  She imagined that, over time, she might get used to the smell, but it wasn’t something that she was able to do at that time. For now, she was able to pull back her control of the Goblin Worker just enough to direct its precise movements the way she wanted to, though it wasn’t quite the same as physically doing it herself.  That made it a bit disappointing, as that was why she enjoyed the freedom of crafting as a Dungeon Core; it was something she couldn’t do while she was Human – and it felt like she wasn’t really crafting anything herself.  Instead it was as if she was just…watching…like she had been forced to do for years when she was a merchant.

Nevertheless, the Goblin’s agile fingers – despite the fragile and weak-looking body of the Worker – were able to manipulate the blacksmithing tools perfectly, better even than her Ironclad Apes.  It was easily able to place the bar inside the Dragon Glass forge to heat up and while it did, Sandra had it practice swinging a hammer, which it was able to do – but without much force or strength behind it.  That made sense based on its appearance, but it was also a bit disheartening; it really was as weak as it looked, which didn’t bode well for the blacksmithing trade – but perhaps it would do better in other areas.

That it wasn’t cut out for blacksmithing was patently obvious when she directed it to retrieve the now-heated metal from the forge.  As soon as it approached the super-heated Dragon Glass forge – which was extremely hot