After understanding my basic skills, my attention focused on that rune-shaped icon that wouldn't stop blinking. The numbers kept increasing slowly: twelve, fifteen, nineteen...
I touched the icon and the screen changed completely. A new interface unfolded before me, this time divided into two large categories that glowed with a faint golden radiance.
[SYSTEM SHOP]
[Monsters] | [Objects]
Good, let's start with the basics.
Bringing my shadow finger, I pressed the first option.
The screen rearranged itself, showing hundreds of floating thumbnails. Each represented a different creature, from the simplest to some whose silhouette radiated a power I could feel even through the interface.
At the top, a small text indicated: [Filters: Rank • Type • Price • Element]
But what really interested me were the prices.
I slid my finger down and the first monsters appeared with their respective costs.
---
The cheapest were... well, trash.
Goblins for 50 points. They were small, weak, and cowardly. The description clearly stated: "Dies easily." Useful for simple traps or as early warning, but in combat... they wouldn't last at all.
Slimes cost only 30 points. The most basic creature in the world. They moved slowly and only knew how to absorb things. The description was brutally honest: "Can be useful for cleaning, but in combat... well, it's a slime."
I let out a small laugh as I read. The system didn't mince words.
Skeleton Warriors were worth 120 points. Better than goblins, undoubtedly. They felt no pain, wielded rusty swords and broken shields. They could serve as a basic defense line.
Giant Bats cost 80 points. Useful as aerial scouts in enclosed spaces, thanks to their echolocation. But in combat, just annoying bites.
Nothing impressive, really.
---
I kept scrolling and found more interesting creatures.
Orcs cost 350 points. Physically stronger than an average human, resilient and loyal. They wielded axes or maces. Described as "ideal for front lines." These could actually serve.
Skeleton Archers were worth 280 points. Basic precision with short bows, capable of shooting from elevated positions. Fragile, but annoying at range.
Dark Wolves caught my attention. 400 points. Fast, stealthy, attacked in packs. The description mentioned that their eyes gleamed in darkness, which could betray their position... or intimidate invaders. I liked that duality.
Small Gargoyles cost 500 points. They could remain motionless pretending to be statues, had improved physical resistance, and wings for short glides. Versatile.
I looked at the upper corner of the screen, where a counter slowly marked: 27 Dungeon Points available.
—I still have a long way to go —I sighed.
I kept exploring, knowing I needed to know all my options before deciding.
---
Then came the monsters that already hurt to look at.
Minotaur: 3,500 points. Beast with superhuman strength. Could charge and destroy enemy formations. Its roar caused fear in weaker creatures. But it required wide hallways to move efficiently.
Harpy: 2,800 points. Fast flyer, attacked from the air with sharp claws. Its song could confuse invaders for brief seconds. Fragile if reached.
Rock Golem: 5,000 points. Extremely high defense. Slow, but absorbed damage like no other. Could block entire hallways. Immune to bleeding and poison.
Undead Mage: 4,200 points. Launched basic magical projectiles and could curse invaders. Fragile body, needed protection. Limited mana.
My eyes widened —metaphorically, of course— at seeing the prices. Jumping from hundreds to thousands of points was a huge leap.
But what came next left me speechless.
---
Young Black Dragon: 150,000 points.
I floated in silence, processing the number.
Acid breath. Scales resistant to basic magic. Superior intelligence. Could understand complex orders and lead other creatures. Its presence increased allied monsters' morale. Eight-meter wingspan.
Lesser Demon: 120,000 points. Summoner of infernal flames. High magic resistance. Could teleport short distances. Its presence corrupted the environment, slowly weakening invaders.
Alpha Werewolf: 95,000 points. Bestial speed and strength. Moderate regeneration. Could infect invaders with a curse that accumulated after multiple bites.
Hill Giant: 180,000 points. Colossal size. Blows that collapsed walls. Could throw rocks from a distance. Required ceilings at least 15 meters high.
My smoky form trembled.
ONE HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND POINTS?
My distorted voice echoed in the cave.
And that's just a YOUNG dragon?!
I looked at my counter: 31 Points.
I sighed deeply, trying to calm myself. It's okay, it's okay. This is a progression game. Nobody starts with a dragon. First you have to build foundations, then grow, then...
But I couldn't help imagining a black dragon guarding the last floor of my dungeon. The image was imposing.
—Someday —I promised myself.
---
The following prices were just numbers that hurt.
Adult Red Dragon: 850,000 points.
Greater Demon: 720,000.
Storm Giant: 950,000.
Five-Headed Hydra: 1,200,000 points. Regenerated two heads for each one cut off. Multiple venomous breath. Impossible to face in close combat without specific preparation.
And then, the higher ranks.
Ancient Golden Dragon: 5,000,000.
Phoenix: 4,500,000.
Royal Chimera: 3,800,000.
Lich: 6,000,000. Immortal as long as its phylactery existed. Higher-level magic. Could create undead unlimitedly.
Beyond that, prices became astronomical. Tens of millions. Hundreds of millions. Numbers that hurt to look at.
I closed the monster section before falling into existential depression.
—One step at a time —I repeated to myself—. First survive, then rule the world.
---
I quickly checked the objects section, though without so much detail.
There was everything. Basic furniture at ridiculous prices: beds for 15 points, tables for 20. Materials like magic crystal or iron ore. Weapons and armor: iron swords for 80 points, leather armor for 120.
Magic objects: healing potions for 40 points, illusion scrolls, magic traps.
Even decoration: decorative stalagmites for 5 points, phosphorescent glows for walls, ambient sound to set the dungeon's mood.
The best part was that, unlike monsters, many objects were affordable. With just a few days of passive generation, I could start building something decent.
---
What I assumed were hours passed as I explored. The point counter had reached 47.
Finally, I closed the interface and floated in silence, processing everything.
Alright, let's analyze.
My current territory covers about fifty or sixty meters around. The cave where I am occupies half of that. I generate points slowly, transforming mana from the environment. So far, about ten or fifteen per hour.
Problems: zero defenses. Hunters or other Dungeon Masters could appear at any moment. My rank is the lowest possible.
Options: buy cheap monsters now —with 47 points I could buy a couple of slimes or a goblin. But they'd be so weak they wouldn't stop anything.
Buy objects: basic traps or materials, but without monsters to operate them, limited usefulness.
Or wait and save for something useful. An orc costs 350 points, a dark wolf 400. At my current rate, that would be about thirty to forty hours of waiting.
I stopped in the middle of the cave.
The smartest option is to wait.
I didn't like it. I hate waiting. But rushing to buy the first thing I see would be stupid. A goblin won't stop a hunter. A slime even less.
I need a plan.
First, design the first floor of my dungeon. I can't just put monsters in an empty cave. I need hallways, traps, ambushes.
Second, choose a main monster that adapts to the design. If I make narrow hallways, a minotaur won't work. If I go for magic, I'll need an undead mage and protection for him.
Third, consider expansion. This first floor will only be the beginning.
But all that requires points. Lots of points.
I looked at the counter: 51.
I sighed.
Fine. First, study every detail of the shop to be clear about what to buy when the time comes. Then, mentally design my first floor. And in the meantime, wait.
I leaned against the rocky wall, my smoky form adapting to the irregular surface.
I was never very patient, but I have no other choice.
The cave's silence enveloped me as the points kept slowly increasing in the corner of my vision.
53... 54... 55...
And I waited, planning, dreaming of the day when my dungeon would be strong enough that those 150,000-point dragons wouldn't be just a distant dream.