Chapter 15

  Ethan’s core pulsed steadily as he reviewed the combat logs. His first real encounter with the Adventurers’ Guild had been tense, but he’d managed to come out of it without making an irreversible mistake. The adventurers now knew he wasn’t just a mindless dungeon, and more importantly, they knew he wasn’t an easy target.

  But this was only the beginning.

  “They’re going to send someone stronger next time,” Chip mused, his tone contemplative. “You made them back off, but they’ll want a closer look. You’re a mystery, and people hate mysteries. They’ll throw resources at this until they figure you out.”

  Ethan had already considered that. The question wasn’t if the Guild would return—it was when and with who. Gareck’s team had been led by a Silver-ranked adventurer, but if the Guild deemed him significant enough, the next one would be even more dangerous.

  “How strong are Gold-ranked adventurers compared to Gareck?” Ethan asked.

  Chip gave a low whistle. “Oh, they’re a different breed. Gareck was seasoned, but Gold-ranked adventurers? They’re the kind of people who make a name for themselves. A single one could cut through an entire platoon of regular soldiers. They have experience, high-tier abilities, and usually some nasty enchanted gear. If the Guild’s sending one, it means they’re taking you very seriously.”

  Ethan processed that. It was exactly what he wanted to avoid—drawing too much attention. He had been hoping to fly under the radar, build up his forces, and secure his dungeon before the real threats arrived. But now, time was no longer a luxury.

  “I need stronger constructs,” he muttered.

  Chip chuckled. “You think?”

  Ethan ignored him, already analyzing potential improvements. His Combat Striders had performed well, but against a Gold-ranked adventurer, they wouldn’t be enough. The same went for his Scavenger Golems—they were effective, but he needed specialized variants for different roles. And then there was the most ambitious project of all—the Basic Engineer Golem.

  If he could perfect it, it would be a game changer. The Engineer Golem wasn’t meant for combat, but if it could repair and maintain his forces mid-battle… or better yet, construct reinforcements on the fly, then he’d gain something no dungeon had ever possessed. True autonomy.

  He turned his focus to the prototype resting in the corner of his core chamber. The first Engineer Golem he had attempted had been a failure. It was too inefficient, burning through mana faster than it could function. The internal systems required precise coordination that he had yet to perfect.

  But that was before.

  Now, he had more experience, a better understanding of constructs, and most importantly, a refined mana battery system.

  “It’s time for another attempt,” he decided.

  With a command, mana surged through the chamber, and the blueprint for the Basic Engineer Golem materialized before him. It was smaller than his Combat Striders, humanoid in shape, with delicate multi-jointed hands designed for precise manipulation. Its internal core was structured differently—less about raw power and more about efficiency. If done right, it wouldn’t just be an assistant; it would be the key to expanding his dungeon without being limited by his own mob cap.

  Chip let out an amused hum. “Ambitious. I like it. But you’re gonna need to fine-tune it—last time, it burned out in under five minutes.”

  Ethan was already refining the design. Better mana channels, a reinforced frame for durability, and a more efficient core structure. The challenge wasn’t just making it work—it was making it sustainable.

  At the same time, he turned his focus to his existing combat units. Combat Strider Mark II. He needed something heavier, faster, and with better offensive capabilities. Maybe additional armor plating, modular weapon attachments…

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  And for the Scavenger Golems? He could develop a scouting variant—something with improved sensors and better evasive capabilities. If he could detect threats earlier, he wouldn’t always have to fight them head-on.

  The next encounter with the Guild would happen sooner or later.

  This time, Ethan intended to be ready.

  ____

  Hours passed in focused creation. Ethan channeled his energy into refining the Basic Engineer Golem, carefully layering its internal structure. The biggest issue had been mana flow—his last attempt had suffered from inefficient routing, causing power surges that overheated its delicate mechanisms.

  This time, he wove the mana pathways with redundancy loops, ensuring that if one section became overloaded, another would take over. He also reinforced its frame with lightweight alloy plating, maintaining durability without sacrificing mobility. Unlike his Combat Striders, which relied on brute force, the Engineer Golem needed precision.

  As he neared completion, Chip whistled. “Huh. You’re really making this work.”

  Ethan didn’t respond, too focused on the final integration. The mana battery slot was the last component—he had refined the design to make the golem capable of swapping depleted batteries for fresh ones on its own. If it worked, it wouldn’t just maintain itself; it could swap out batteries for other constructs as well.

  He finalized the sequence, and with a pulse of energy, the first fully functional Basic Engineer Golem came to life.

  It stood, far more stable than its predecessors. Its multi-jointed hands flexed, testing movement. Its head, a smooth oval with a single glowing eye, swiveled as it scanned its surroundings. Then, to Ethan’s silent command, it took its first steps.

  Unlike his previous failed attempts, this one didn’t stagger. It moved smoothly, assessing its environment. Ethan directed it toward a damaged Scavenger Golem—one that had suffered during the battle with Gareck’s team. The Engineer Golem analyzed the damage, then efficiently began repairs. Its delicate fingers moved with mechanical precision, detaching broken parts and replacing them with new materials Ethan had set aside.

  It worked.

  “It’s actually doing it,” Chip murmured, sounding impressed for once.

  Ethan watched in satisfaction. This was huge. His Engineer Golems would allow for sustained combat, field repairs, and eventually, even independent construction.

  But he wasn’t done.

  Now that the Basic Engineer Golem was operational, he turned his focus to his Combat Strider Mark II.

  His first design had been effective, but against a Gold-ranked adventurer? It needed more.

  He adjusted its framework, increasing joint flexibility for better movement. The plating was reinforced, but more importantly, he installed a modular weapon slot—an adaptive mechanism that would allow him to equip different tools or weapons as needed. The claws were sharpened further, coated with a metallic mana-reactive alloy, allowing for better armor penetration.

  The result? A far deadlier version of the Combat Strider.

  And for his Scavenger Golems, he created a Scout Variant—lighter, faster, equipped with a more advanced scanning system. Instead of engaging enemies, they would focus on early detection, mapping out intruders before they even entered the deeper parts of the dungeon.

  As Ethan finalized his upgrades, the familiar ping of system notifications rang in his mind.

  [New Blueprint Unlocked: Basic Engineer Golem]

  [Basic Engineer Golem Added to Dungeon Catalogue]

  [Blueprint Upgrade: Combat Strider Mark II]

  [Combat Strider Mark II Added to Dungeon Catalogue]

  [Blueprint Variant Unlocked: Scout Scavenger Golem]

  [Scout Scavenger Golem Added to Dungeon Catalogue]

  Chip snickered. "Took long enough. You were starting to make so many changes I thought the system might just crash trying to keep up."

  Ethan ignored him, focusing on the details provided. The Basic Engineer Golem now had a repair directive, allowing it to autonomously assess and fix other constructs so long as materials were available. More importantly, it could swap mana batteries, something even his most advanced constructs had lacked until now.

  The Combat Strider Mark II had received a direct combat upgrade—improved agility, reinforced armor plating, and modular weapon slots. Ethan experimented with potential attachments in his mind. A retractable blade? A mana discharge system? The possibilities were endless.

  And the Scout Scavenger Golem was a necessary adaptation. His dungeon was growing, and he couldn’t afford to be caught off guard again. This variant was smaller, faster, and focused entirely on reconnaissance—detecting threats long before they reached his core.

  This was progress.

  But Ethan wasn’t naive. He had seen the strength of that Silver-ranked adventurer firsthand. The next challenger wouldn’t be just a scout—it would be a Gold-ranked adventurer sent to assess and, if necessary, neutralize him.

  And this time, Ethan wouldn’t just be defending.

  He would be preparing.