“My original plan was simple. I was going to cut off just a piece of the core. Miki’s head… or rather, her mind and will. I had even convinced her it was her idea. Using the power of the souls we had absorbed; I’d expel all of you and lobotomize her. Except, Miki’s dungeon wouldn’t be destroyed. She’d be reformed into my puppet. Then, I would be able to use her as I wanted.” The scientist explained before his expression turned slightly ugly. “I would have succeeded if you didn’t suddenly try to be a hero.”
“You don’t want the dungeon to evolve either.” I hypothesized. “If the dungeon is stronger, you won’t be able to control it as cleanly.”
“Leave it to another dungeon master to understand my woes.” He shrugged in the insolent way I remembered. “Once I have Miki under my control, then I will take over Dioshin using her body as my puppet. Consuming a few million more of those wretched animalkin, and evolving together, I’ll become unstoppable!”
That was the final piece of the story, the part that didn’t make sense to me. Miki’s curse would have been an extension of her will. No matter how angry or desperate she was, she’d still have some sense. Yet, her suicidal plan, while altruistic, wasn’t exactly clever. The answer was simple. Miki didn’t have complete control of herself.
This is why she didn’t kill the foxkin when she left the dungeon. At the time, she was still forming her dungeon. At the time, she was still in control. Even once the dungeon was formed, that didn’t mean she’d go crazy. There were plenty of dungeons, like Matty’s Dungeon and Gram’s Dungeon, who had their own logic and weren’t nearly so destructive. The reason behind all of this had been her first act, to absorb the dungeon lore of the laboratory.
I had been right from the get-go. She was being imprisoned by the head scientist all along. He was the one putting her in chains. What I hadn’t realized is that he was continuing to deceive her. From the moment she walked into that laboratory until now, she had been tricked into thinking she was doing the right thing. A copy of the scientist I had killed had been created, took over my clone, and immediately started leading her down a dark path where she couldn’t see the light. Perhaps this was why my alleged clone was an animalkin and didn’t even really look like me.
I glanced at Miki, and her dull eyes that seemed to see nothing made more sense. Her mental psyche was shaken when it was suggested I was still alive, but rather than her being able to use that to break from her emotional turmoil, this guy had used it to cement his power. Now, we were the only thing standing in his way.
“So, you understand now…” He grinned. “I am Master!”
“Master…” I raised an eyebrow, feeling a strange sensation deep inside me. “You’re Miki’s master?”
“I am…” he responded, lifting his sword. “Now, leave this dungeon!”
“Miki… only has one master.”
I shook my head, clarity forming in my mind. “I am Miki’s master. I have always been her master. I will always be her master. Her body and her soul are mine. If Miki is a dungeon, then the solution is clear! I am her dungeon master!”
I slammed my sword down into the ground with a force of power that erupted outward. A portal ripped open behind me.
“Wh-what’s happening?” Elaya’s voice cried out from beyond the portal.
“I’m going to war.” I announced.
“Again!?” She cried out. “How about a warning next time? Assemble the troops!”
“That won’t be necessary.” I grinned, lifting my hand. “Don’t worry… I’ll take care of things this time!”
Alysia let out a cry as she turned into light and then flew toward me. My dungeon was connected to theirs now. I was no longer bound by their rules.
{You are a rival dungeon master. You have declared war on this dungeon. Defeat the dungeon master to claim the dungeon as your own.}
“I plan to,” I growled as I lunged forward, the power of my dungeon behind me.