Chapter 69 Dungeon Master (Part ④)
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Is this… right?” Kanata says, slotting Faris’s core into the altar. He waits.
The altar flickers, glowing brightly at its center.
Strange noises echo—garbled static at first, then clearer sounds. “Pi… pi… ga… Ma… Mas…“
”…M… Mas… Master… can you hear me?” a voice finally says.
”Faris?” Kanata asks. “That you?”
”Yup, it’s your Faris!” the voice chirps. “So happy to see you again!”
”Me too,” Kanata says. “But what’s going on here?”
”Your cute Faris-chan will explain everything!” Faris says cheerfully. “But first, let’s move somewhere comfier, okay?”
Before Kanata can respond, light surrounds him, and he’s teleported.
The altar, still holding Faris’s core, remains in front of him. “This… the core room?” he asks.
”Exactly!” Faris says. “You can relax here, Master. Take a seat!”
A sofa and table rise from the floor.
Exhausted, Kanata slumps onto the sofa. “So, where do we start?” Faris says, buzzing with excitement.
Faris begins with themselves—the Intelligence Sword. They’re the final test model of their kind, packed with every experimental feature imaginable. The main one?
A swappable core system. The central slot holds the primary intelligence core, managing others. Normally, it’s just a smart sword, but swapping side cores changes its abilities. Only cores equal to the main one can be used, and without its control, the sword could go haywire due to a boost effect that removes core limits.
Faris explains they told Kanata to swap the core to unleash their power deliberately.
A rogue Dungeon Core like Faris could be dangerously unpredictable, forcing the guardian to attack at full force. But there was a risk—Kanata might not have controlled the surge, or Faris’s consciousness could’ve collapsed.
”You idiot!” Kanata shouts.
”Sorry!” Faris says. “If I’d told you, you wouldn’t have done it, right? We were out of time!”
”Of course!” Kanata snaps. “I’d never sacrifice you! We’d find another way!”
”Aw… am I loved?” Faris teases.
”Nope,” Kanata says flatly.
”Come on, be honest!” Faris whines. “Say you love me!”
”You’re annoying,” Kanata grumbles, smacking the altar. It only hurts his hand.
Faris keeps talking. The other slots in their hilt can hold attribute stones or Magic Stones for extra effects.
A fire attribute stone turns Faris into a flame sword, or a magic crystal with Wing Cutter lets them use that spell. The sword’s designed to adapt to any situation, but it was shelved because the right cores were hard to find.
Faris also shares about ancient civilization’s magic tools. Many resemble modern Earth appliances, familiar to Kanata, but Intelligence Items scream fantasy.
Kanata’s most intrigued by homunculus [T/N: Artificial lifeform]. Originally made as dexterous golems, they evolved into sentient beings with emotions after fusing with Intelligence Cores. By the civilization’s end, when Faris awoke, homunculi came in types—servants, guards, spies, and more.
”So, Intelligence Cores were easy to make?” Kanata asks.
”Kinda,” Faris says. “They’re like super weak versions of us Dungeon Cores, with toddler-level smarts. Easy enough to mass-produce.”
Faris explains that higher intelligence was rare, with most cores stuck at a three-year-old’s level.
But with time—ten years of patient nurturing—they could reach human-like smarts and emotions. Cores needed a magic tool to grow, and homunculi were the best fit, leading to a boom in sentient homunculi.
”That’s cool,” Kanata says, picturing homunculus maids helping with El’s dream of building an ideal nation. We’re short on hands for that. Then reality hits. “Wait, we need to get out! Taking control here means an exit, right?”
”Calm down, Master,” Faris says. “I’ve been working on it since you slotted me in.”
Faris reveals the Faris with Kanata was a fake core—a sub-body with the main core’s consciousness copied over. Syncing the sub-body’s data with the main system takes time, rewriting old commands and clearing outdated junk.
”I’ve got control now,” Faris says, “but I need to overwrite the master authority and rebuild the system. So… will you be my Master?”
”Obviously,” Kanata says. “What do I do?”
Faris has kept him sane in this Dungeon. No way I’m letting go of an ancient civilization treasure like them, he thinks.
More than that, he’s accepted Faris as his partner. No one else gets that spot.
”Put your hand on the altar,” Faris says.
Kanata does, and the altar’s lights flicker wildly.
”…Authenticating Human Kunugi Kanata as Master… Optimizing, rebuilding… Rebuild and reboot will take time. Activating support unit.“
The lights pulse, and a small core appears in Kanata’s hand. Instinctively, he slots it into Faris’s main hole.
”Phew,” Faris says. “Nice to meet you again, Master.”
”Yeah, you too,” Kanata says. “But what’s your status now?”
”Well, my main body’s optimizing to sync with you, Master,” Faris says. “It’ll take about a week. Can’t leave you alone that long, so I’m here as a support unit. I’m limited, but I can at least keep you company.”
”A week stuck here?” Kanata says.
”Problem?” Faris asks.
”I’m starving,” Kanata mutters.
”Oh, right!” Faris says. “Living things need food. I’ll start the generation unit for emergency rations.”
”Thanks,” Kanata says. Food’s sorted. The tension he’s been holding snaps, and he collapses onto the floor.
* * *
”Master… wake up…” a faint voice calls.
Huh? Kanata cracks his eyes open. A cute girl stands before him. “Master, please wake up…”
”Morning… kiss?” Kanata mumbles, half-asleep.
”Okay…” the girl says, leaning over him.
Her lips meet his, and Kanata stirs, returning the kiss. Her tongue slips into his mouth, bold and eager.
Their kisses deepen, passionate and heated. Kanata tugs at her clothes, and she pulls at his. Soon, they’re bare, wrapped in each other’s arms.
Her soft curves press against his chest. “Master… more…” she whispers, her voice sweet and needy.
Kanata kisses her again, their tongues entwining. She leans into him, pressing herself closer.
His hands explore her, teasing her sensitive spots. She gasps, her breaths shaky with excitement.
”Feels… so good…” she murmurs as his touch intensifies, her voice trembling.
Kanata pauses, sensing her on the edge. “Want me to keep going?” he whispers in her ear.
She nods frantically, blushing. “Please… make me feel good, Master…” she says, her voice thick with anticipation.
Kanata shifts her position, guiding her gently.
Their closeness intensifies, her warmth enveloping him. “Master… it’s so deep…” she moans, gripping the sheets, lost in the moment.
The rhythm builds, their movements syncing. Sounds of their connection echo in the room.
”It’s… amazing…” she gasps, tears of joy in her eyes. “I’ve never felt this before!”
Her intensity pulls him over the edge, and they collapse together, breathless.
”Master… you’re still ready?” she says, her eyes sparkling with expectation. “One more time?”
Kanata rolls her onto her back, leaning over her. Her eager gaze meets his, and they start again.
”Who… are you?” Kanata asks, holding her close from behind. “What’s going on?”
”Master, really? Asking now?” she teases, squirming. “Oh… not like that… it’s too much…”
”Answer me!” Kanata says, his hands still roaming.
”I’m… Faris!” she gasps. “I revived a bio-unit [T/N: Biological automaton] to take care of you…”
She explains, leaning into him.
To serve Kanata and handle tasks, she activated a stored bio-unit in the Main Room, transferring her consciousness into it. Now, Faris can multitask as both Dungeon Core and bio-unit.
”Also, I can do this!” Faris says, transforming into a sword in Kanata’s arms.
”Whoa!” Kanata jumps back, narrowly avoiding the blade. That was close—almost lost my Excalibur!
”How’s that?” Faris says, her voice chipper despite her rugged sword form. “Your cute partner, right?”
Kanata stares, deflated. The girl I was just with… is this sword? “Change back,” he says.
The sword vanishes, and the girl reappears—petite, about 140 cm, with long, wavy blonde hair, aqua-green eyes, and delicate lips.
A youthful beauty, but… a sword? Who’d believe that?
”Master, what’s wrong?” Faris asks.
”Nothing,” Kanata says, interrupted by a loud growl from his stomach.
”Food time!” Faris says, darting out of the room with a grin.
Kanata finishes eating, finally relaxed.
”So, what’s the situation?” he asks Faris. She’d said escaping would take a week.
”With your bio-data, I linked your Dungeon to this one,” Faris says. “It’s done now.”
Apparently, linking to Kanata’s Dungeon and setting up a Teleportation Array [T/N: Magical transport system] was faster than rebuilding this one. Faris tried waking him to explain, but he… got carried away.
Now, the link’s complete, and with the array set, he can leave anytime. But—
”Master, sorry, we’ve got company,” Faris says, heading out.
Moments later, her voice cries through the system. “Master, help!”
What’s happening? Before Kanata can process, another voice booms. “Kanata! I know you’re in there! Get out here now!”
It’s El.
And she sounds furious. I don’t wanna face her… Kanata thinks, trudging toward the door with a heavy heart.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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