Reincarnated as a random race, of course I got goblin.

Chapter 130 - Spatial Awakening

"This is quite the nostalgic view..."

Shadow mutters within my mind as I carefully reposition myself in order to create the next junction. 

"It's funny how one's past experiences affect ones perception of the impossible." 

What she's commenting on is the way the world looks when we're fully immersed in the earth, using a combination of Ethereal Phase and Hover to essentially no-clip through the ground, saving important time in the process. 

It... it does look a lot like no-clipping in a game would, and if it wasn't for the very real discomfort it was causing, I'd start questioning the reality of the World. I'm not meant to be seeing it like this. 

I asked one of the Draugr what it looked like to them when they were using Ethereal Phase, but it seems that they're completely blind once fully immersed, with only an innate sense of direction and the location of the closest surface. 

"I suspect our closeness with Magic bends the rules. It does compose all matter, and it would seem it is eager to please?" 

Seems like it. My ability to edit the System as well seems to stem from this in addition to me being an Otherworlder without the instinct to refrain from doing so. Perhaps the ongoing crisis also has something to do with it.

The World itself desires to exist. This threat to its existence would make it more willing to bend the rules to achieve its goal of continued being.

I lose myself in the task at hand, and before I know it I'm done with the guidance runes for this section. Each rune forms a node, and if one was to trace a line between all the nodes of the same kind, You'd be able to see the rough outline of a labyrinth.

"That's Life dealt with..." I slink out of the wall I was embedded in and flop onto the cavern floor. The runes placed down dictate the borders of the section, as well as a collection of runes that instruct the Dungeon Heart in matters of Boss behaviour. 

My intention is to hide the Heart Chamber, but for the Dungeon to be successfully culled, the Boss has to be able to leave the chamber and roam the Labyrinth itself. The basic design of the Heart Chamber has been set up in such a way that the Heart is hidden above a false ceiling.

I hope that by hiding the Heart in such a way that any attempts to destroy the Heart would be much harder. 

Lastly, there's a set of runes forming an energy conduit leading towards the central chamber, as well as leading into where the Plant section will be. If seen from above, the Labyrinth will end up looking like a large pizza with different toppings on each slice. 

The boundary runes should also help pen in the monsters that will inhabit the Labyrinth. At the moment, I'm having the Undead help herd my desired Life-section inhabitants towards me. By having the correct monsters already present at the creation of the Heart, the easier it is to get the correct theme. 

The other Elements are easy enough to pick monsters for, but how do you select for something as all-present as Life? I mean, with the exception of Undead, every monster counts as having an affinity to the Life Element. Even Undead are technically alive if you think about it.

'Byup~ byup~'

The oddly charming sounds of something bouncing along the tunnel catches my attention, and I fight through my desire to keep laying in a pile on the floor, getting up into a somewhat attentive posture. 

'Byup~ buop~'

The bouncing stops, as if hesitating. I see a pearly orb peeking from behind a curve in the tunnel. 

*Crème Truffle
A Rare Celluloid monster Evolved from a Slime that has been exposed to a lot of Life Element, usually as a result of eating Life Crystals or plants with medicinal properties. Notoriously shy, these slimes will only ever run if confronted. 
Stories abound about Hunters being injured or ill and being saved by a passing Crème Truffle before it happily bounces away, seemingly pleased to have been of use. 
Despite their peaceful disposition, a cornered Crème Truffle can dish out debilitating strikes with their pseudopods, a move normally reserved for cracking open Milkfruit- its favoured food. Additionally, the signature Skill of the Slimes, Thick Mucous, has become transformed into Toxic Coating, which can be used as a potent pain relief in minute doses, but incorrectly dosed is lethally efficient at paralyzing the entire body, including breathing and heartbeat.
It's therefore that hunting Crème Truffles is banned in most nations, but the core of one might occasionally appear on the black market. Its sole use is in equipment for healers.*
*Rank: 3 Stars*

*Milkfruit
A hardy plant that thrives even in underground caverns. What one might mistake as the fruit of the plant is actually part of its root structure. Excess nutrients are stored in hollow growths as a fatty liquid not unlike mammaloid monster milk in both looks and taste, giving it it's name. The challenge lies in accessing this liquid, for the growths are incredibly hard to get open without completely crushing the fruit and spilling the 'milk' everywhere. 
Crème Truffles cherish this fruit, and are more easily found where the Milkfruit abounds.*

Well, it's better than nothing, though I suspect a Dungeon comprised solely of enemies that run from you would be rather difficult to clear... 

As if on cue, a second monster peeks from behind the corner. I can sense more of its kind behind it, but this one seems to be the leader. Despite being a monster, it has a serene-looking humanoid face, but a closer look reveals a split down the middle, and each half occasionally misaligns, as if they're floating or being held by something. 

Finding nothing to worry about, or perhaps urged by the undead behind them, the mystery monster moves towards me, showing its entire body. Despite having three sets of feathered wings, the creature moves without beating them at all, suggesting the use of Hover. 

The leader is the size of a beach-ball, its followers quite a bit smaller, the size of basketballs. Viewed from behind one can see a insectoid abdomen, curled up as to mimic the rough shape of a human head. 

*False Cherub
An Uncommon Insectoid most often found in Dungeons, though it also appears in places where Hunters rest in the wilds. Their appearance, at first glance, is non-threatening. Due to this, and the fact they wield Life Spells with startling efficacy for an Insectoid, they're often employed as Companion Monsters by many Churches that don't have access to a Humanoid Healer. 
However, their true nature is that of a clever parasite. Once night falls, or complete darkness envelops it, it drops its façade as a benevolent monster and reveals its true goal: Having healthy prey to drink from. 
Although they feed from any sleeping monster they come across, their favourite meal is that of Humanoid blood. In preparation for this, they will cast Life Magic such as Recover and Heal to ensure there are no impurities in the blood of their chosen target. 
Should one find a Humanoid with blood it finds most delicious, it will follow and aid this Humanoid regardless of what the victim may think of the matter. Indeed, many a Companion False Cherub started their career as Church Healers just this way. 
Although it's frowned upon to kill False Cherubs, their wings and front limbs are popular fashion statements among Ayvin nobility.*
*Rank: 3 Stars*

Now this is more like it. Since the Life section will be less dangerous, I foresee that any challengers would want to rest in it, making it the prefect hunting ground for the False Cherub. It'll take some time to gather other species, but this is a good start at least.

I pick myself off the floor in order to get on with the next section of the Labyrinth. There's precious little time, after all.