The Crafter's Dominion: A Dungeon Core Novel (Dungeon Crafting Book 5) by Jonathan Brooks (best english books to read TXT) 📗

longer afford to create a Mobile Fortification – or an Expanded Mobile Fortification, as it was called now – because she didn’t have enough maximum Mana.  A quick look outside of each dungeon entrance showed that the surge in Dungeon Monsters down below was mirrored on a lesser level up above, but so far her people were doing a good job containing the outbreaks.  If the Beasts and Slimes broke out, though, the Mobile Fortifications guarding the village were on their own, as the Dungeon Core couldn’t replace them.  All of them still had access to the constructs or Wyvines that she had supplied for their defense over the last few weeks, so they weren’t too hard-pressed, at least; however, if Sandra didn’t fight back the hordes of enemies striving to reach her Core, she might be forced to call them back.

I will not let them win!  All who oppose me must die!

Over the last day, she hadn’t been sure whether it was her own mind saying these things, or something else, but it really didn’t matter; the anger and rage was so entrenched in her psyche that she wholly agreed with these sentiments.  Now the challenge was to enact those ideas, though with the increased cost of her Dungeon Monsters, that might be a bit tricky—

No!  Now, they are more powerful and I will crush them!

The brief moment of clarity earlier seemed to give her a little more perspective on her state of mind, so Sandra could instantly tell that she would never say or think something like that.  Regardless of what – or – who was actually saying that in her mind, she had to admit that it had a point; she wasn’t sure how much more powerful these new constructs were compared to their predecessors, but the jump in deadliness from the original constructs to Advancement Level 1 was quite significant.  The revenge-fueled Dungeon Core could only assume that these were the same.

Core Selection Menu

Dungeon Classification:

Constructs (Adv. Level 2)

Core Size:

23

Available Mana:

38199/38199

Available Raw Material (RM):

75650/86279

Constructs Creation Options:

19

Advancement Creation Options:

8

Taking a quick look at what she had available, Sandra saw that she was full of Mana; during her period of inactivity, it seemed as though her army of Hyper Automatons and Articulated Clockwork Golems had continued to scavenge materials outside; she had set such material up to be automatically absorbed as soon as it crossed into her dungeon.  Unfortunately, their activity around the battlefield was also responsible for gathering up the Mana released by the deaths of so many Orcs. Normally, this was a good thing, but at some point she had completely filled up, meaning that any overflow was lost to her – but not to the other Cores.  I bet this is why they are suddenly overwhelming me.

The only good thing about her Advancement selections, now that she had a chance to look back on them through slightly clearer vision, was that the Monster Seeds required to produce each of her constructs now cost 45% less Mana and Raw Materials.

Monster Seed Origination (Old)

Name:

Raw Material Cost (15% Reduction):

Mana Cost (30% Reduction):

Min. Mana:

Max. Mana:

Tiny Faceted Sapphire Sphere

10200

2450

3500

8500

Small Faceted Sapphire Sphere

20400

4900

3500

17000

Average Faceted Sapphire Sphere

81600

19600

3500

68000

Large Faceted Sapphire Sphere

163200

39200

3500

136000

Monster Seed Origination (New)

Name:

Raw Material Cost (45% Reduction):

Mana Cost (45% Reduction):

Min. Mana:

Max. Mana:

Tiny Faceted Sapphire Sphere

6600

1925

3500

8500

Small Faceted Sapphire Sphere

13200

3850

3500

17000

Average Faceted Sapphire Sphere

52800

15400

3500

68000

Large Faceted Sapphire Sphere

105600

30800

3500

136000

For instance, the Faceted Sapphires that she used for many of her larger constructs and Advancement Monsters were significantly less expensive; for most of them that required a Small Faceted Sapphire Sphere, the Mana cost difference between the new Advanced Level 2 Dungeon Monsters and the Monster Seed was nearly equal to what it cost before, with the additional benefit of it being cheaper RM-wise.  This meant that there was less of an impact on the total Mana she needed to spend to create them, while receiving a superior Monster in return.  For the new Titanium Ape Savage, Platinum-banded Wyrm, and Titanium-Plated Behemoth, however, the Mana cost difference was significantly more.

All of that information she determined in a matter of seconds, because she was hyper-focused on finding a solution to the attacking Monsters without having to close off the tunnels. While it was always a possibility, and while it would give her some time to regroup if it was needed, closing off the tunnels was a last-resort option, because it would set back her revenge. The mere thought of that made her internal ranting and raving increase in intensity, as if any setbacks to the annihilation of the other Dungeon Cores were anathema to her mind.

To alleviate some of her fury, she worked up a plan for each tunnel, leaning heavily on the belief that her constructs would be much more powerful now – even the weaker ones.  By utilizing the Mana she currently had available, as well as the last of the Elemental Orb stockpile she had amassed early in the attack the day before, Sandra started creating more constructs.  The Raw Materials just weren’t coming in from outside fast enough for what she needed, unfortunately, so she was forced to cannibalize some of the crafting station components she had throughout her dungeon; she nearly used the rest of the condensed sphere she was keeping in reserve, but decided to keep it until absolutely necessary.  An unfocused part of her mind was screaming at her to stop, but she ignored it in favor of doing everything she possibly could in defense of the connecting tunnels.

Starting with the Beasts, Sandra created a dozen Sonic Blademasters, the upgraded version of the Roaring Blademaster.  The physical differences