Dungeon Master (Karma System)

”We choose the Cyclops.”

The Orc Chief nodded and then sat back down. ”Bring out the Cyclops!” He bellowed.

On the far side of the arena, a large gate opened. Large pounding footsteps sounded in the arena.

A bald, one eyed being exited the gate. Standing almost 4 meters tall with a club in its hand, the creature looked around the arena, before focusing on the adventures. It let out a mighty roar and charged while raising the club over its head.

”Move.” Rod yelled as the group of 5 scattered.

Dirk let an arrow loose, aiming for the creature’s single eye. A large hand blocked the arrow which did little to penetrate its thick skin.

Rod ran forward, he jumped onto a waist high boulder and the leapt into the air with his axe overhead. With a grunt that bellied the might behind the blow he brought has axe towards the cyclop’s chest.

*Bang*

He was backhanded by the giant creature and sent tumbling away.

”Oww.” Several orcs let out groans when the mighty creature slapped away the axe master.

Cindy and Harbin Titters charged at the beast from different directions while Lana unleashed Ice bolts in succession.

The sword and saber hacked towards the creature’s knees. They managed to draw green blood from the cyclops, but it stayed standing on its thick and sturdy legs.

With a roar, it smashed its club down.

*Boom*

The ground cracked as Cindy barely dodged the club that was thicker than a tree trunk. When the floor shattered, small chips of stone shot in every direction. The saber master wasn’t spared and was cut and bruised in several places.

The large creature slowed slightly as a layer of frost covered its large form. Lana switched to Ice Spark hoping to paralyze it for a moment. With her third sending of the combo spell, she saw the flash signifying that it had triggered. But the cyclops was just too large. It didn’t stop at all and only slowed further for a moment before it tried to step on Lord Titters again.

Rod struggled to his feet. The backhanded slap had taken away over half his health. He grabbed his axe and moved in to help his father and sister who were scrambling to dodge kicks and swings of the club.

As he arrived, Lord Titters missed his dodge and was kicked hard into a nearby pillar, shattering it in the process.

It reeled back its head and roared in triumph. The roar quickly turned into one of anger as an arrow entered its mouth.

The large jaws closed and snapped the arrow shaft. Its angry gaze turned to the archer who was scurrying towards a large boulder to hide behind.

Golden light began to gather in the single eye of the cyclops. Before Dirk could make it to cover a beam of intense heat landed on him.

[Dirk has been defeated.]

Rod had no time to think as he ducked under the swing of the large club and ran further away. He didn’t see the cyclops reel back and swing again, this time releasing the club in its hand. The massive wooden log slammed into the Axe Master’s back.

[Rod Titters has been defeated.]

Lana kept up her attacks, but it wasn’t doing much good. The creature had a large amount of health and was practically a boss monster. She had yet to focus on large damage spells and could only slowly chip away.

When the creature picked up a stone and hurled it at her, she couldn’t move out of the way fast enough.

[Lana Winters has been defeated.]

Cindy and Lord Titters knew they wouldn’t be able to defeat this creature on the first try but continued to poke and prod while trying to learn more about it. A few minutes later they had both died.

The group of 5 woke in the hospital.

”That is going to be tough.” Rod said while the other agreed.

”At least there are only 3 different options for the first encounter.” Cindy said. ”We will learn more about them and then develop a plan.”

”I wouldn’t be so sure about that.” Lana said. ”The beast master said that they had 3 different creatures in the pens today. It could be part of the dungeon, or it could be literal. Maybe Mr. Clarkson has a bunch of different creatures and picks 3 different ones every day.”

Dirk nodded. ”I wouldn’t put it past him.”

Rod shrugged. ”No use thinking about it when we will find out tomorrow. That is if you all want to try again tomorrow?”

”Sure.”

”You can count me in.”

”Let’s do it.”

Lord Titters spoke. ”From the options provided it sounds like the first encounter will be against a single large creature. Fey Nights was good practice against quick opponents in groups, but to pass this first encounter a new type of training will be needed.”

The others agreed as they left the hospital room. Walking out onto the village square several adventures began to clap for them.

”Not bad.” Said a young woman.

”Who knew cyclops could shoot beams from their eye?” Said an older man.

”You managed to chip down 10% of the things health.” Called out another.

”Taking on a cyclops sounds like a feat of endurance. Slow and steady, one wrong move and you are done.”

Even though they didn’t do particularly well, the other adventurers offered encouraging words.

They knew that if they were in the same situation as the 5 who went first, they probably wouldn’t have done any better.

”Can I have your attention!”

The people in the street quieted down and looked towards the sky where the voice had come from.

15 meters above, Max Clarkson stood on a floating piece of earth.

”In celebration of the first run through the second level a new attraction is being added to the village.”

Max waved his hand towards the south end of the street. The ground rumbled as a stone arena began to take shape in the open area.

”The Orc Arena is now open. For a small fee you can face any encounter you have experienced before. You can also challenge your fellow adventurers if you wish. The arena will be open all hours and is open to the public. Even if you aren’t participating you can use this to study those creatures who continue to get the best of you.”

With that, Max departed as the crowd began to move towards the arena.

It was an exact replica of the arena in the second level. Large stone benches surrounded the arena in stadium seating. As the people clamored in, 2 braves adventurers decided to give it a try and dueled with each other.

The winner was surprised to see that he earned a few dungeon coins.

Rod and the others left when a group of 5 decided to take on the level 15 Redcaps. They planned to rewatch the footage of their fight and start brainstorming ideas on how to take down a larger opponent.

///

Max met Anna back at the manor. ”Is the arena now open?” She asked.

”Yep, open and already has customers.”

”Good, I think they will like it and it will help lower our upkeep cost.”

Max nodded. It made sense. A fair amount of adventurers were stuck on the bosses of the first level. 2 times a day they would kill their way to the bosses to give them a try.

All the dead fey on their way to the boss cost Max DP. Since it was an instance, they weren’t really dying, and since he had purchased monster souls instead of monsters the cost of their deaths was very small. But with Anna’s idea for an arena, now those deaths would be cut back as people went directly to the arena to practice against the bosses and the dead fey they would normally have to pass through weren’t going to cost him anything.

Copying the arena from the second level was such a small thing, but it would save him money and make the adventurers happy. Once Anna suggested it, Max put the idea into motion immediately. He only had to wait for somebody to enter the second level for the first time. Thankfully, Rod, Lana, and their group didn’t wait too long.

Anna sat beside Max on the balcony of the manor that overlooked the village below. ”You know they will now be expecting an addition to the village every time a new level is started.”

Max nodded. ”That isn’t a big deal. I still have some time to think about it.”

”Good.” She then gave him a kiss on the cheek. ”I am feeling like a bath today. Want to join?”

Max was up and moving before Anna had even stood up from her seat. She let out a laugh when she returned inside and heard the water in the bathroom already running.