Chapter 4: Cat 4

With the first floor’s construction well underway, it was my time to turn to the 0th floor.

The café.

A dungeon and a café, I think the combination makes a lot of sense, really. An adventure always has a beginning and end, and those typically happen in some dull tavern—not a proper place for cats.

Plus, those taverns tended to be far away and had poor integration with the dungeon business ecosystem. Poor service, really.

But a café right outside the dungeon? A Cat Café?

I smelled potential. And the poop the kittens had left.

I grimaced, peering at the pebbles in the woods. Do I have to get litterboxes for them? Wait, don’t I need a litter—no—toilet for myself?

A serious issue.

A serious issue that could wait—I hadn’t eaten once in this world yet. Maybe the dungeon could just absorb it all? Would we get mana circulating back into our system?

I shook my head. Focus. Café.

Right, potential. I could imagine the scene. Tired from their grueling journey here, a party of weary travelers stops by the café to recharge, exchange information, and plan. Throw three adorable kittens in, and their emotional scars would heal too.

And if they were to plot something malicious against the dungeon… Well, we would be listening.

Then, after challenging the dungeon, they would return fattened with loot and even more exhausted. Naturally, we could exchange the loot for kitten time and tea at a proper rate. Get the loot flowing back in.

Were the other cores doing similar things? They must be—Fluffles implied that there was a coverup of sorts going on.

Well, plans or not, first one has to build.

I surveyed the area outside. It was well past midday, creeping towards evening, but the summer sun still shone happily. The hill was rather tall—it had to be for a box dungeon to fit in there—but the ground right outside was actually pretty flat. A small clearing of sorts, extending 20 meters away from the dungeon, ending in a tree line.

How far did our dungeon extend, anyway? Could I leave?

It was a quick few steps to the end of the clearing, where walking into the trees—I felt a shift. The air somehow grew more faded, and dull and I felt a bit tired.

[You have exited UNNAMED dungeon. Dungeon Abilities Disabled.]

Hmm, interesting, so I was not actually locked in there. I doubt Fluffles is either, then, as he is just a projection from that gem. I should probably visit town at some point.

Did we have a town?

Probably. There was always a town, wasn't there?

But first—

I chose a suitably frail-looking tree, one just two meters or so in height, and attacked it. Wait, no scratching, kicks!

Holding back my scratching-tree instincts I snapped the sapling in half by bending it against my leg, then picked off the freed wooden stick.

I walked back a few steps, back inside the clearing, and my Dungeon Abilities came back. I dropped the sapling on the ground, and sent an absorb command—it didn’t seem automatic out here.

[Wood absorbed! 9 more branches needed for material unlock.]

Damn, actual work. Well, there was nothing more to it, so I headed back to the woods, snapping off more branches.

[You have unlocked material: Wood!]

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I wiped the sweat off my brow, then considered the placement. Being too close to the dungeon entrance may have been suspicious, so maybe the very edge was the right spot. Just by the tree line.

Let’s try this thing out.

I had 3 mana left, so I probably couldn’t start off too ambitious. Maybe just a few chairs and a patio deck for a starter?

I visualized a simple-three legged wooden stool in my mind, then pointed out with my hand.

[Create Wood].

Mana coalesced out, like clay into a mold, and gradually solidified into a simple chair. Pushing a little more, I made another beside it.

[Current Mana: 2]

2 chairs per point of mana… I could work with that. I picked one up for examination and peered at the curious construction. The wood grain was smooth and firm, but also all one piece as if carved out of a giant trunk.

Are these suspicious? Surely there’s other wood magic out there and these aren’t that strange? It was probably fine.

How many people did an adventuring party have anyway? Healer, tank, mage, sword-dude… 4? Isn’t that the usual bit?

I never really played video games…

It should be fine.

Nodding, I created two more chairs, leaving me with one point of mana. Should I try for more? Make a platform, or a table, or something?

Too risky probably. It might be wise to have at least one point of mana at hand…

Should I have saved up more?

Sensing my nervousness, three kittens bounded into my legs, butting their heads at me reassuringly. Mews filled my ears. I relaxed.

This was probably fine—after all… I looked towards the cavern’s entrance.

I had my briefcase. As long as I had that…

I picked up the kittens, hugging them against my bosom. The silky fur and gentle paws… and even the little playful bites—it sent me to heaven with a big smile.

“As long as I have you three—I’m sure everything will be fine.”

My tail was wagging along happily, straightened—then froze. My ears twitched, hearing rustling from the woods. Footsteps.

In a panic, I dropped the cats and ran to fetch my briefcase. I got to it in a flash, then took cover behind a mound of earth. I saw the approaching figures, four men, each armored and armed to the teeth, grim faces laced with scars.

I heard a panicked voice inside my head. “What the hell have you done, fool?” Fluffles yelled telepathically. He could do that? Well, his concerns were pretty understandable.

“Don’t worry, I’ll handle this,” I sent back to him, finding that mental switch needed for communication.

[Dungeon breach Initiated! Enemies Detected: 4! Average enemy level: 12!]

 

Dungeon Stats: