The First Lich Lord

With the battle over, I took the surviving zombies to the top of the ziggurat. I could sense there were no more invaders in my dungeon, which seemed odd, but I decided to take advantage. I now had more forces than ever before, turning their strength into my own strength.

I walked up to the forge and decided to wait for Maxwell and Raven to make their way back before I made any big changes. That being said, I could still focus on repairing, modifying, and restoring my fallen monsters. But before that, I pulled up my character sheet to confirm something. fre(e)novelkiss.com

Character Soul Level: 101

Name: Ezekiel Verniac

Race: Human Lich

Unspent Stat Points: 5

Spent Stat Point: 500

5 Stat Points per level

Health: 1528(1910)

Health Regeneration: 54.49(68.11)/sec

Death Energy: 2286

Death Energy Regeneration: 57.7/sec

Mana: 1680(2100)

Mana Regeneration: 50.2(62.8)/sec

Carrying lbs.: 2064(2580)

Stats:

Intelligence: 184 [multiplier: 1.311] [40 from gear]

Spirit: 134 [multiplier: 1.23]

Vitality: 119[multiplier: 1.15]

Resilience: 116 [multiplier: 1.15]

Death Core: 193 (needs refinement)

Agility: 115[multiplier: 1.1]

Dexterity: 89 [multiplier: 1.21]

Experience: 1102 of 101503

As you know, when being of any kind normally reaches level 100, they were unable to progress to the next level without major struggles unless they went through something called soul compression. I hadnt gone through the process, though the note next to my death core was interesting.

The soul compression process was where the multipliers came from, and each time you reached level 100, if you had increased your base stats beyond 100, you got a multiplier that would modify any additional stats you gained. That modifier started at a plus ten percent and increased for every point above 100 by a thousandth of a percent. For example, my intelligence score of 110 would have given me a multiplier of eleven percent. These values did not count in equipment modifiers.

Once the next step of soul compression at level 100 was passed, the new multipliers you gained were based off the non-compressed stats and were added to your old multiplier score. As Id approached that milestone, I focused on getting as many of my stats past a score of 100 through intensive stat point trainingwhile possible, it takes time and a lot of effort.

Once players had discovered the multipliers, it became the meta-build to get every stat, regardless if it was your primary or not, over a score of 100, at least for the hard-core gamers, and it became more important to prioritize your build. This was typically only done for the first soul compression, because so far very few outside of the Immortals reached the second soul compression.

I, however, was in a slightly different position than most. For everyone who comes to this world, the trait remembrance of the soul preserves the multipliers. I hadnt been certain exactly how it would work, simply hoping my compressed stats would be added to my multiplier. I had feared the new multiplier would replace my older one.

As it turned out neither was true. My multiplier stayed the same though I did have a new score for non-compressed stats starting at zero once again. If youre quick with math, you will realize that having this multiplier permanently affecting my early on stats gives me a very strong advantage. However, the price people pay for that advantage isnt worth it. I have seen other nave players trying to copy what Id endured, only to end up with either their minds broken beyond recovery, or dead.

I focused on the note next to my death core and a system message appeared.

While your body has advanced through the power of soul compression, your death core remains unrefined and raw. This normally would have been completed during a soul compression process where your death core wouldve been refined. Due to your unique situation, this process has not been completed. Until it is, all future gains toward the level of your death core will be deferred, and using death energy will be far more difficult than usual due to the difference in density of power.

That would have to be something I talked with either Vito or Damien about. They would know way to fix that, and it would be a very high priority since I had become very reliant on the access to the potent energy. I turned my attention away from my character sheet and to the forge where I accessed my dungeon interface and began to restore my floors, monsters, and traps.

By then, Maxwell and Raven joined me. The time it took for Maxwell to travel back gave Raven the time for the dungeon to respawn her. I gave them both hugs.

You have skin now, Maxwell said.

I do? I pulled off one of my gauntlets, and sure enough my hand was covered in skin. It wasnt healthy-looking skin, appearing more like the skin of a man whod been dead a thousand years, but sure enough it was skin. Underneath was still the taught black muscles and tendons, but the ancient yellowy color of the skin hid it completely.

Im not sure if it makes you look any better, Maxwell said. But you definitely have skin. And something approaching eyeballs, theyre more like orbs of solidified purple stuff.

Its definitely a change, Raven agreed hesitantly. Not sure its an improvement, but if it restores itself over time like your muscles did, it will definitely change.

I thought you didnt really care? I asked, a little surprised by her tone.

She shrugged. Well, I dont know. Am I not allowed to develop tastes?

There was a bit of awkward silence.

Anyways, moving on, lets go up top. I want to see whats going on outside the ziggurat, and Im going to do something that I think will be really cool to see from that perspective.

I noticed Michael had reopened the access to the micilium floor and a few of the mushroom people were out working on the dungeon.

From the dungeon access at the forge, I had reworked the top floors, moving the traps around so the horde of zombies could move freely. The necromancer had grown in power immensely by creating so many undead. He was now classified as a boss for my dungeon.

Reaching the top, I found the entrance much the way it had been before. Theyd clearly tried to destroy the fountain spewing forth the black liquid. Even with the restorative powers of the dungeon, they managed to do some real permanent damage. But what they didnt know is that even destroying the fountain would not stop the flow. They would have to destroy the forge itself.

I stepped out of the entrance of the cave and looked out. The camp made by the inquisitors was spread out across a large landmass. I felt a pit open up inside of me, having hoped itd been abandoned and that theyd sent everyone in. That was not the case. Not only were there people in the camp, but from this vantage, I could see a train of wagons heading toward it.

Why are they so invested in killing me? I asked.

I have no idea. This does seem like a bit much. Maxwell shook his head. There must be something were missing.

Well, if they want this ziggurat that bad, we might as well make it more difficult for them, I said, turning back to the fountain.

Whats this mystery youre keeping from us? Raven asked.

Max, you know what an instanced dungeon is, right? I asked.

A huge smile split Maxwells face. No way, really?

Whats an instanced dungeon? Raven asked.

Theyre something that I dont know how to explain in a terminology that would make sense, and truthfully, I dont fully grasp how they can exist, I said. But essentially, for every party that enters the dungeon, they will have their own private version of the dungeon to explore. There wont be any other groups around, and each of these instances can take place at the same time. There is a limit to the number, but it helps prevent things like what happened with the invasion. Though those are still possible under the right circumstances.

How will it affect the people like Michael and you and me? Raven asked. Will we have multiple versions of ourselves? I dont like the sound of that.

Im not a hundred percent certain, I said. No one has ever done this before, but I doubt it will be something like that. Regardless, its a risk we have to take. It comes with a lot of benefits.

Okay Raven said quietly. I trust you.

I accessed the prompt from the fountain and selected the flashing option.

Do you wish to upgrade your dungeon to an instanced minor regional dungeon? This comes with several benefits, including higher resource generation, expansion abilities, and greater protections for those within.

Y/N

For an additional cost of dungeon energy, this process can also fully restore the structure of your dungeon. This will affect the world outside of the dungeon to a greater degree and allow you to venture out from the dungeons influence within a limited area.

Would you like to purchase this addition?

Y/N

The total cost of the two upgrades was nearly 200,000 dungeon energy, which Id made sure to reserve enough to purchase. The secondary upgrade cost just as much as the main one, but I had a suspicion that it might be even more important. Selecting Yes for both options, I stepped away from the fountain.

A moment later, a pulse of energy emitted from the dungeon, far greater and more powerful than the first time it changed from a lair into a dungeon. Not much had changed physically about the insides, most of it had already been repaired. But I felt a sense of power and knew something was off, it took me a moment to understand why that strange feeling was different. It was some kind of temporal effect. I doubted I wouldve noticed it without my precognition already giving me a greater sense of time.

My attention was drawn away from that strange feeling as I noticed things around me beginning to change. The debris, plant life, mud, dirt and everything in the cave and covering the ziggurat began to dissolve, consumed by the dungeon.

I stepped out to the front to get a better viewit wasnt only happening at the top, but across the entire structure that was above the marsh. As the covering was removed, gray stone was revealed. It was broken in many places, the stairs leading up to the top of the ziggurat completely destroyed. As I watched, everything began to repair and change. freewebnov(e)l.com

The stone, worn down by ages, once again had sharp corners. The stairs crumbled and destroyed rebuilt themselves all while the stone darkened. Behind me, a pergola was constructed. The pillars supporting the roof were made of the same crystal found on the forge floor.

The stone was nearly black, and in different places specs of purple eldritch material could be seen. When one appeared near me in the stone at my feet, I bent and look; pure quartz filled with eldritch power.

Soon the ziggurat loomed above the marsh, a splendorous construction of death and eldritch power. The entire ziggurat seemed to pulse, and a flood of dark fluid exploded from the fountain. Raven leapt to the top of the pergola, and I grabbed Maxwell and followed her. That much death would probably kill them, though Raven mightve been immune since she was part of the dungeon.

From that slightly higher vantage, we saw the water flooding out on all sides, into the ocean as well as out into the marsh. The death biome that surrounded the marsh exploded in growth like some kind of dark druid had worked his magic.

Already the blood marsh had been fully converted into a death marsh, but the potency was only strong directly around my dungeon. That had spread. The camp was consumed in the wave, and pack animals and humans alike tried to flee. A few of them raised barriers that saved them, but the rest were consumed.

The wave spread out far enough that I was no longer able to tell where it ended. I gained a sense however that wherever this biome spread, I could follow. This particular death biome wasnt only death either, the eldritch power contained within served to further amplify the power. Thinking like a player, this region had just gone from a level 30 to 60 region to likely something pushing level 100, and it would no doubt continue to grow in strength as the ziggurat grew in power.

A prompt appeared before me, and I read over it along with the new description of the dungeon.

Transformation complete

Reliquary of the Damned

Dungeon type: Instanced minor regional dungeon

Once the ruins of a long dead civilization, this forgotten place was claimed by a powerful Lich. Through his power this place rapidly advanced from a humble lair to the dungeon you now see before you. Lost and profane knowledge is stored deep within. Some of the knowledge is so terrible, even the Lich refuses to let it leave his grasp and affect the world outside. Buried deep below is a forge where a smith forges weapons of terrible and great power.

Current number of available instances: 10 of 10

There was another section of problems that pertained to me and had several things I needed to address. As Maxwell and Raven spread out atop the large pergola, I continued to read.

You are the master of this dungeon. As such, you have many different options. With it being an instanced dungeon, and since you are self-aware, there will be a simulacrum of you that will fight in most of the instances. This will be true for all self-aware members of your dungeon, including players who have bound themselves to your dungeon. The simulacrums will retain all of their abilities and powers, but will also be slightly weaker. All self-aware members of the dungeon will be considered hidden bosses or creatures. You will receive no memory of the fights your simulacrums participate in.

In very rare instances, or in the case of invasions, you yourself will fight. If you are slain, you will be respawned up to once per week.

Creatures slain in instanced versions of the dungeon will be restored at the individual level per the instances.

Currently you are considered the main boss of the dungeon. However, if you wish to change this, you may do so at the forge. Note: if you wish to leave the dungeon you must provide a suitable replacement for you that can operate the forge since it is an integral part of this dungeon.

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