Welcome Valterra Unok’Davaas!

  What function of the System would you like to use?

  Helpdesk

  Observe Boons (New Additions)

  Observe Titles (New Additions)

  Frameworks Available

  Core Ascension Progress

  The Core looked at the options in front of him with anticipation. It wasn’t as if he couldn’t have pulled up the options instinctively, but to have them all listed in front of him made him wonder if there was something special about it. Forcing back his curiosity over the other options for now, Valterra chose the Observe Boons option. Upon his mental request, the System unfolded into lines that rolled across his Awareness.

  Boon: Child of the Gods

  Formerly a favored sapient being, you have now transcended your former Spark nature. You are now more akin to a deity than a mortal. To reflect this, the gods have decided to adopt you rather than smite you.

  Boon effect:

  At each stage of Ascension you reach, you will be able to choose a new Framework from among a list. The Rank of the Framework will be determined by the stage of Ascension as well as any excess growth that you achieve. Divine servants of the gods that are offered as Frameworks become yours alone and can be modified even without the deity’s personal direction.

  You are now able to create your own Frameworks, either from an existing Framework or from scratch, using Divine Potential. The gods will help you with this by providing insights into Framework shaping. The number of core Ascensions limits the Rank of created Frameworks.

  Current number of core Ascensions: 2

  Maximum Rank allowed for created Frameworks: Rank D - Iron

  Boon: Guardian’s Blessing

  A Working crafted by two Divine Beings as the sign of their matrimony & union, this Boon has been granted to Valterra Unok’Davaas in perpetuity and cannot be rescinded.

  Boon Effect:

  A new Unique-Divine Variant of Framework is now yours and is called Guardian. Any Framework may be reconfigured to have this Variance for a cost of Divine Aether. Choosing to create a creature with this Variance costs Divine Potential and will increase its current power and increase its Pool of Ascension in the future. Once selected, this Variance cannot be rescinded.

  As a result of this boon, Named individuals will now bear this Variance at no extra cost. Creatures with this Variance are imprinted upon your Spark, allowing you to draw their Sparks to yours, as your Divine Potential was used as the catalyst. Using their Spark and memories, they may be brought back for the amount of Aether it would take to form new bodies.

  Be aware. Death is a harrowing experience, and multiple deaths in rapid succession may cause a deterioration of the Spark subjected to it. If a Spark deteriorates too much, it will be unable to be brought back and may instead serve as a catalyst for a monster to spawn.

  That…was a lot. First of all, he could now create D Rank creatures with his Helpdesk via his Child of the Gods Boon. Second, Guardian’s Blessing was all he could want and more. He had just wanted a slight boost to a single creature and maybe a way to empower them more easily. His uncle had instead granted him an entirely different way of Naming things. The fact that his Boon was pretty much the equivalent of a marriage proposal from Krat’Imos to Ish’Matar was slightly heavy to bear.

  Despite wanting to use his newest Boon right away, Valterra figured that it would be prudent to look through the rest of the System’s functions while he had it in his mind. He brought the menu up in his mind and looked over the options. He dismissed the Helpdesk since he had already seen what that entailed, and he didn’t think it had changed much since the last time. He chose the Observe Titles option because it included new additions, similar to the Boons option above it.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  Title: Transcendent Tiny Dungeon - Divine

  As the tiniest dungeon in existence, you have been granted this title. As the tiniest divinity in existence, this title has been upgraded to Divine Rank instead of the Core being given a separate title.

  Title effects:

  Aether costs to claim territory are significantly reduced. Territory claimed by the dungeon may be transformed into a divine domain by spending Divine Potential. Uses of Authority within a divine domain cost no Aether.

  Divine domains may be named by the Core with a further cost of Divine Potential depending on the size of the domain. The meaning of the name given determines the name's effects. The High Council will provide guidance on this.

  Aether costs to summon creatures from Frameworks you obtain that are larger than “tiny” are reduced by 90%. Frameworks of creatures you receive will be reconstructed automatically to fit a 1/24 ratio. Exceptions have been made (see below). Names may now be given to creatures with a cost of Divine Potential. Depending on the Rank of the creature and the meaning of the name, the cost in Aether may change.

  Exceptions: Any creature whose size is tiny and below is exempt from this title. Plants, fungi, and other such growing things are exempt as long as they are created from a seed or base form. Aether may be used to accelerate growth as normal. Tiny Frameworks that Ascend through combat or Aetheric saturation are exempt from the 1/24 ratio of automatic size reconstruction. The new unlocked Framework will not be exempt if summoned separately.

  Title: Full System Administrator

  Title effect: A title granted to rare individuals. This title grants the bearer access to the System’s underlying controls, enabling the issuance of patches to its underlying divine code and updates with the creator’s permission. This title can only be revoked by the creator of the System himself. Due to the Authority granted by this title, any other system-granted titles, boons, frameworks, and other system-granted functions cannot be revoked by anyone other than the creator of the System.

  System Note: The creator has removed the above functions that state he can revoke this title. This title is now permanent. Forceful removal via immense expenditure of Divine Potential is still possible.

  Valterra’s gaze homed in on the last title, taking in the truth of what Krat’Imos had said. It was one thing to be told, but another to see it in writing. He really was free. He reread the final System note before coming to a conclusion. It was up to him to keep it that way. If forceful removal of his title could happen by those with more Divine Potential than himself, then he just needed to get to the same level, or at least become powerful enough that the cost would be too prohibitive.

  Still, it was helpful to look over everything he had at his disposal. He had forgotten that he could Name his floors and create divine domains. Now, he had even more ideas of what to do before more invaders showed up at his door. His father’s gift of Potential would be well spent by the time he was done. But first, there was one more thing he was curious about. He brought up the Core Ascension Progress, but rather than choose it, he asked the System for a description of what it meant.

  Description: Core Ascension denotes the stage when a core is ready for advancement. Every dungeon core is unique, however, and this progress bar was created primarily based on a hypothetical percentage based on a positive scale. The rate shown is based on the number of achievements the dungeon core has accomplished, such as the number of floors, the ecosystems present within those floors, and the total amount of Aether being generated by said floors.

  Other achievements can be gained to bolster the percentage, but the ones listed above are the standard identifiers. Natural dungeons Ascended without this System in place, and many failed to do so due to faulty foundations. That being said, dungeon cores have been known to Ascend prematurely due to wild fluctuations in Aether. While the foundation is essential, it essentially becomes irrelevant at higher stages. All that is needed is the accumulation of Aether within the core and the Ability to keep it stable while Ascending.

  Valterra looked at the words, stunned. He hadn’t known precisely what he would find, but this was beyond his expectations. Ascension was possible simply by accumulating enough Aether to do so. By the context, he assumed that when he had done so before, it was easy because the System did everything for him. It was a safe automated process that worked because it never activated without the dungeon core having the proper foundation. In that sense, it was a genius innovation, but it was also the most likely reason behind why he was forced to Ascend right after reaching the last few percentages.

  Still, I don’t have to wait until then anymore. I’m an Administrator. The System can tell me immediately once I’m at the stage where accumulating Aether will make the difference. It wouldn’t take me long at all. System!? What percentage is needed before I can begin gathering Aether to Ascend?

  Due to the core’s recent endeavors, 50% of the standard progression bar is needed before Aether Accumulation is possible as a method of Ascension. Warning! The lower the percentage, the less Aether and foundation the System has on hand to help guide the core through the Ascension process.

  The point was clear. If he attempted to Ascend before the 100% mark, he would be doing so by his own effort and without handholding. The risk would be massive. Then again, the greater the percentage he had over fifty, the more help the System could provide. Let’s shoot for seventy-five. That seems like a good number. That way, he would receive some help while also getting practice in doing things the natural way.

  He sent a thank you to Krat’Imos and Lady Ish’Matar before turning to his Dungeon proper. He had waited long enough, and his creatures had too. He had done his due diligence, looking through everything, and now it was time to utilize his newest boon. There was one creature in particular that he felt had waited for far too long. His gaze turned to the long, serpentine form curled around his pillar and moved in.