"An Illusion mana-infused lion as a guardian?" Elian asked again to confirm what she had heard.

Thrum was sitting in her office, extremely uncomfortable under not her gaze but that of High Guild Master Averance. She was sitting behind him, and he couldn't see her, but he felt her gaze upon him. He was doing his best to remain composed as his instincts told him that a powerful opponent was behind and unsettled him. Guild Master Albrot was sitting to his left but still within his eyeline. He was giving his report of the floor before Assessor Searider gave his. While doing so, he hoped it would be over soon.

"That is right. Ice and then Fire-infused lions in the first two caverns. The floor boss was in the third." Thrum repeated the information about the floor to them. "We beat it, but it was quite the handful."

"Starting with the first lions, go through all your impressions of the monsters," Albrot instructed him.

Thrum sighed internally but began to provide the requested information.

"The frost in the first cavern was the first hint that we were facing elemental-based monsters. I decided to use a wide-range but weak fireball blast to have them reveal themselves." As he spoke, the others nodded in agreement with his actions. "When they revealed themselves, they came in fast, as expected. They had some form of charge skills that allowed them to jump great distances, trying to take down my frontline fighters."

"Sounds like a [Leap] skill or something very similar." Averance butted in with.

"The lion's colouration and overall aspect reinforced the assumption that they were an elemental-based monster. The ability to launch breath attacks was the final confirmation." He took a moment before continuing. "The group work together well, distracting the fighters while one tries to flank and hit my team's support elements."

"Lions can work together in groups when needed. Only when females are added and they become a pride can males not function as a group anymore." Averance added once more from the back.

"Was it the same for the next cavern?" Elian asked.

Thrum was thankful she had asked that question, allowing him to stay focused on her. "Yes, but this time it was the fire-infused lions. They attacked and fought in an almost identical pattern."

"Now to the floor, boss." Averance pressed, wanting to hear about this new floor boss in the dungeon.

Thrum briefly paused to think about what he was about to say.

"It was waiting for us. There was a large rock near the entrance to the cavern that we had come through, and it was hiding behind it. When it attacked, it used a combination of illusion magic and speed to get close to the distance quickly. We were not expecting it to come from that side so quickly, and my fighters were out of position, allowing it to hit me in the other support elements straightaway."

"What abilities or spells did it use?" Elian asked.

"Blinding and confusion spells mostly. It had one that I had never seen before, which created a similar effect to a mirage effect, making it look like there were several of them. This allowed it to avoid many strikes from the fighters as they got in close and did not know which one was real."

The other three in the room did not interrupt and listened intently to his words, showing great interest in what he said.

"It was a similar size to the other lions but far stronger, faster and tougher. Its ability to dodge attacks was also far greater."

"Did it demonstrate any other abilities?" Elian asked.

"No. Those illusion abilities were enough to allow it to get close and start to injure my party. It demonstrated a much higher degree of intelligence, making it more dangerous than its natural abilities or magic."

This put a contemplative silence in the room as everyone reflected on his words.

"How would you rate this floor?" Albrot asked.

"Low gold. It is about equal to the floor above in terms of danger, just a different type." Thrum said with confidence as he had been thinking about this.

"Thank you, Captain Thrum. We will let you return to your team and reward you for clearing the floor." Elian nodded her thanks and indicated the door. Thrum didn't need to be told twice and quickly shuffled out, closing the door behind him.

They waited several minutes to make sure that he was gone.

"Averance, did you need to unsettle him so much?" Albrot snapped at her.

"What do you mean? He looked fine and composed to me." Elian asked in a confused tone at the other two.

"You have not had a lot of experience dealing with the Dwarven. Sitting behind them when you are higher along your Path than they are naturally unsettles them." Albrot explained.

"He was in no danger. I like sitting here anyway." Averance was flippant in her dismissal of his concerns.

Elian could see another argument building and sought to head it off. "This marks the first floor that there has not been a massive increase in the threat level."

"True. That is not a good sign." Averance responded.

If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

"Why. Is this another sign that the dungeon is learning and becoming more controlled in his creations on each new floor?" She asked.

"If it were any other dungeon, I would say yes. But this one… This one, I think, is building to something." Averance narrowed her eyes, looking into the distance as she spoke. "All of its requests show a pattern. But I do not know what that pattern leads to."

"You think whatever it is planning will be on the next floor?" Albrot asked with a note of concern in his voice now.

"Most likely. Dungeons are very decimal. The 10th floor marks a major point in its existence, and normally, they do something spectacular for it and every 10th level after."

"Usually, they increase the danger level, don't they?" Elian said, grasping what her superior was indicating.

"Yes. On every 10th floor, they raise the threat level to the next tier. This dungeon has been doing it on every floor until now. To me, that is a bad sign." Averance was still looking into the middle distance, not focusing on them.

That statement left the other two in a worried silence.

## ## ## ## ##

I was happy with the new floor.

The Dwarfs had tested themselves against it, and it proved to be as effective as I wanted. The Guardian demonstrated its intelligence by ambushing them as soon as they entered the cavern. It ignored the fighters and went after the team's support members. It realised that they were the easier targets and went for them.

I should have thought of that myself, as it was quite a good idea.

"I will need to think about doing that more often. Crippling the support early on in the fight could be the means to win nearly all of them."

This got me thinking about the next floor. I knew it was far too early, but I opened up the only designs I had created. Things are slowly coming together. I was limited in the resources I could use for experimentation now, but…

I was almost giddy. It was coming together.

Now I had to wait.

Again.

## ## ## ## ##

Trixis stood in the back of a warehouse.

The owner had allowed them to use it for the meetings. The space was much bigger than the last one they occupied, allowing the twelve people to have more room to spread out a bit more. This was not the most significant gathering she had hosted, but it was among the most devout of the regulars.

Devout.

Amazingly, she could think of them like this now. But she felt it, and so did they… the change. It started slowly initially, with her expressing her views to a few people she knew privately. Then they told other people, and a few came to hear her words. From there, it grew.

Her message was simple. The Dungeon in the Shadows was more than just your typical dungeon. It had chosen to do something that none other had as far as she knew. It had freed a slave and returned them to the world. In doing so, it had broken a divine contract that had held her in bondage.

According to everyone she knew before it happened, such a thing was impossible without the direct interference of a divine being. To her, this meant that the dungeon was divine, as no other could do it.

This was the first part of her message.

Many asked her if the dungeon was a God, what did it want?

She pondered this for a long time, as it was a fair and valid question that needed to be answered.

She had thought about it for many long nights and days, becoming more stressed than she was, wondering if she was following the fool's Path. Then, one day, she had a revelation as she looked over the palisade at the dungeon's surface building, watching the adventurers come and go.

What they wanted was what all dungeons in some way wanted. For those who are not foolish enough to die within them to become stronger.

In this, the dungeon was not kind, but it was fair. If you are smart, strong, and wise, you will prosper in terms of both wealth and steps along your Path. This extended to those who did not enter the dungeon but prospered from those who did. You will thrive by applying the same logic of not overextending and knowing your limitations.

This became the second part of her message.

Then came those who asked the question: Is that not cruel and unfair?

She found the answer very quickly. Yes, it was. But no more than the rest of your life, as the dungeon allowed you to grow and did not hide the dangers from you. All walked into it, knowing that death was a possibility, but if you were smart and strong, you could prosper like no other in this place.

She realised that it would also apply to the rest of her life. Life was unfair. Life was cruel. But life also hid many dangers from you until it was too late. When you thought you were safe, you could be ambushed. But it was also true that you could find great beauty when you thought you were in danger.

These three parts became the whole message.

She did not preach of a divine being who looked over them and would take them to a heavenly place when they died. She preached of a God who gave them the truth and the freedom to forge their destinies if they were willing.

They struggle. Yes.

Would it be hard and unfair? Yes.

Would they be free to live their lives as they desired? Yes.

This meant that no position or role in life was set. You have the power to change it if you are willing to make the sacrifices and struggle for it. What she was preaching was similar to what the clergy dedicated to Astraus shouted from the temples. However, the significant difference in her eyes was that the dungeon would not help you; it would show you the way, but it expected you to find the power within yourself to rise. The followers of Astraus wanted you to pray to her and call upon her power to aid you in your times of need. The Dungeon in the Shadows showed you how to stand on your own two feet.

Most turned away from her message, some in disgust, while others found it humorous; however, most feared what she was offering. True freedom was the power to stand on your own when the time came, ultimately. The dungeon had freed her and then sent her out into the world to discover this.

Was she as powerful as others? No.

But she was not beholden to any and could chart any course she desired.

To her, that was freedom. It was also the freedom of those in bondage or in a position where they were trapped through circumstance. The ability to wake up in the morning and say what I should do that day? Or wake up and pursue the goal that they have decided to make their focus.

That is what she was preaching and what her God offered.

It's not an easy life. But it will indeed be yours.

Looking around the room, she saw the belief in the twelve before her. They came from all walks of life and followed different Paths to Ascension. But they had heard her words and realised that they were the ones who truly controlled their destinies.

As her teachings spread, they began to be incorporated into their way of life and led to changes. More and more were striking out or challenging authorities they had no respect for, seeking to walk their Path or change to a new one they knew was the one they truly desired.

She did not preach anarchy, revolution, or decry the gods. Her message was something more: Know that you are the source of your power and rise.

Most heard it and turned away. But some did not.

They were few, but they were slowly growing. The changes within her were brought about by her Path change, with yet more to come. Within her soul, she felt the belief burning brightly. It was something she had never experienced before: conviction and certainty. But not arrogance, as a dungeon taught that was the way to death. No, a wise soul travelling this Path must know their limits and seek to overcome them.

To be free, you must struggle and constantly move forward.

She turned to her assembled flock and began her sermon.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.