Eric POV

  "I'd say that was a pretty successful trip wouldn't you?"

  Amy asks that while holding up the evidence of our success. It's not much but it's also everything. It means that we got far enough to find something new. That also implies that there is yet more to find. I for one can't wait to return to the dungeon. The rabbits themselves didn't go as far as I had hoped. Mainly due to none of us having a butchering skill. Sure we can still learn to butcher but it's not the same as having an actual skill for it. At least that's my understanding of it anyway. I mean I can still swim despite not having the swimming skill even though I remember seeing it in the list.

  It would be nice if the world got some kind of magical mcguffin to help us learn how best to use the system. Reality however is often disappointing. I guess we'll just have to figure it out as we go. Part of me is already wondering how many skills I'll have by the time I'm level 10. As for the rabbits we barely got enough for one meal a piece despite us basically each having a whole rabbit. I'm almost positive we wasted a lot of meat though. Fortunately, Amy does have a few levels in tanning so at least the skin can be properly used.

  Beyond that I need to make a trip to the store to try and get what I can for these berries before they go bad. As I make my way towards main street It almost looks like I've gone back in time with the exception of a few places that still have gas for their generators. It's already well into winter so most of the shops keep their doors closed. It doesn't normally get too cold around here so most people should survive the winter even without central heat. Then again most people have never had to deal with even mild cold for more than a few minutes.

  This time around I'm mainly after seeds. The dungeon is nice but I'd be a fool to rely on it completely. By buying them now I'm hoping to get some fairly cheep. Taking advantage of the fact that most people don't have much hope for the distant future of several months from now. That and the fact that even now most people are to lazy to grow their own food. The plans is for our little base to eventually be self sustaining. Huh! What do you know? I guess being raised by a doomsday prepper had some advantages after all. To think I ran clear across the country to get away because I thought he was just a crazy old man. Even lied about my age so I could rent an apartment.

  While buying seeds the shops owner tells me that those in charge are talking about postponing the upcoming election until this crises is resolved. Naturally a lot of people are upset about that. I don't normally pay attention to such things being to young to vote but the tone of his voice says it might be a good idea to stay away for a while. At my level I doubt anyone could hurt me in a fair fight but I'm guessing more than a few people around town are packing heat. I may be strong but I'm still reluctant to test my luck against firearms. So perhaps it would be a good idea to make myself scarce for a few weeks.

  Honestly though I'm surprised a revolt hasn't happened sooner. It has been months since we've received news from outside the town. Even the news broadcasts are playing on a loop now. Soon enough I suspect that most of the remaining tv stations will stop broadcasting all together. Yet, there are still those who think things will eventually go back to normal if they just wait long enough. The rest, from the sound of it, have already started to question why they should still listen to the officials.

  This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

  As I'm finishing up my shopping I can't help but notice that I'm being watched. I try to ignore them but it seems obvious that I've become the talk of the town. I guess I really should have know better. This isn't exactly the first time I've brought berries to exchange for other things. It's weird too because they won't approach me and just ask but they're also not very subtle about what they want to know. Eventually a few of the kids ask me where I got all the berries from. I'd rather keep the existence of the dungeon a secret for as long as I can. So, I just said that I found them out in the woods. The grow ups know it's a lie but they're to polite to call me out on it.

  I wanted to get a birthday cake for Amy but flour is a bit hard to come by these days. The rest of the ingredients I can get but It seems nobody in this entire town both knows how and is willing to make flour. Not that they have the grain to make it with anyway. I'm sure I could still find some if I searched hard enough but with everyone eyeing me I can't help but think it's time I head back to base. Fortunately nobody is desperate enough to try robbing me in broad daylight … yet.

  Dungeon POV

  With my first two floors set I decide to start work on my third floor. The question is what should the third floors template be. I have a few interesting options to choose from Including the new one I just got. I go over the options a few times while trying to decide.

  Third floor template options

  Mystical cave

  Underground mining camp

  Enchanted Forest

  Lost Town

  Desert

  The enchanted forest is tempting but I literally just did a forest theme. Lost town seems promising but I think I'll save that one for later. The desert on the other hand Is a bit tricky. While there is no rule that says I have to make a desert floor I feel like the other options are going to get old after a while. Plus the longer I put it off the larger the desert will end up being. Eventually I settle on Underground mining camp for the third floor's template. Once my choice is made I fill the earth under the second floor give way as the third floor slowly expands. The total volume the floor takes up is 30m x 30m x 30m but do to spatial magic that I still don't fully understand the floor itself is 3km x 3km x 3 km.

  Since the third floor is an underground area it means that there is actually a lot of floor space to work with. So much so in fact that I don't think 24 spawners is going to be enough. Not that I ever actually confirmed that the spawner count doubles with each floor. In the middle of this sprawling network of tunnels is a camp with temporary housing, shops, smelters, and a blacksmith. How anyone is meant to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning using open flames this deep inside a cave is beyond me but I'm not gonna question it.

  As for the spawners and nodes there are a few very interesting choices. For spawners we have a few classics plus one or two that I wouldn't have thought of.

  Spawners

  Spider

  Bat

  Slime

  Scorpion

  Goblin

  I mean a goblin spawner does kind of make sense if I'm a dungeon. I guess I just assumed it would be more of a surface type monster. Same with the slimes. Though after dealing with the puddle slimes on the second floor delvers should know how to handle them. I just need to decide how to distribute these spawners. As for the nodes there are the predictable choices but there is also two that feel like they came out of left field.

  Nodes

  Copper

  Iron

  Lumber

  Vole

  Malachite

  The lumber node I sort of get I mean this is supposed to be a mine so you would need lumber to build supports I guess. Yes, I'm grasping at straws here but seriously why lumber. Although lumber as confusing as it is I can understand way more than a vole node. I mean voles are useless, It would take a small army of the little critters just to feed one person and they don't produce enough fur to make farming them for their skin even worth it. Truly a pointless node as far as I can see. Malachite at least can be used in enchantments. Voles on the other hand make me want to throw up my non-existent hands in frustration. You couldn't have given me cave bunnies? At least cave bunnies would have been useful!