As soon as I thought about moving forward with the "tutorial," a new panel appeared. This one had four tabs at the top; three were grayed out, and the only one was blue. Therefore, the only accessible one was the third tab, named Missions.
[Tutorial Mission 1: Complete the initial stages of the system.
• Conditions: Unlock the Shop, Management, and Personal Information tabs.
• Rewards: 100 MasP, 1 monster summoning ticket, 5 experience]
As I said, this was the only tab available in the interface, but I only needed to think that the Personal Information tab, which was grayed out, was unlocked, turning blue like the Missions tab.
This was basically where my status was located, with two sub-tabs on the left side, named Avatar and Monsters/Loot. Oh, what a surprise, they were locked and grayed out, although my status showed this anyway.
[Name: Kaio
Race: Dungeon (child)
Level: 0
MasP: 0
EnBP: 0
Floors: 0
Total area of influence: 6 m² (1.5 x 2.0 m)
Exp: 0/350]
'...Okay, I think I recognize some things here, but a quick explanation wouldn't hurt, sir or madam, system, please?'
[Understood, the elements that the user Kaio recognizes correspond to the user's basic stats in their base form as a dungeon core. Race, level, and experience are exactly what the user assumes them to be. With time and experience gained, the user will grow and change the type of dungeon they are.]
'Okay, so far I'm following along, nothing out of the ordinary, but can you answer the questions I really want to know? Without wanting to sound too demanding?'
[Understood, MasP (DP) refers to dungeon points, which would be the equivalent of the monetary system the user would use. This is acquired by converting EnBP (EP) or missions. The second refers to raw energy points, or simply energy points.]
'..... Okay, I understood the first one as money, but can you elaborate on the second?'
[EnBP refers to the points acquired by absorbing raw energy from various sources. Currently, the raw energy sources the user has access to for conversion are limited to solar energy and the absorption of vital energy, generating 1 EnBP per hour of direção sunlight absorption.]
[Essentially, this element is responsible for generating both passive income and passive experience, although the conversion of EnBP to experience is only 0.01 per hour.]
'A terrible conversion rate and earning potential, even if passive, seem to be high. But I think from a long-term perspective (a very long-term one), it's always better to have passive income when you don't have customer (prey) movement.'
[Indeed.]
'But why would this EnBP also generate experience? From what I understand, in general this element would be equivalent to a dungeon, what Mana would be to living beings, right?'
[That's a valid analogy but not entirely correct.]
'Can you explain a little?'
[The user's authority isn't high enough for a complete answer, would you prefer an incomplete one?]
From what you've seen of me so far, you should already have an idea of what I'm going to choose, right?
'Yes, please.'
[Understood, the mana the user refers to as MP is a source of energy generated by manipulating a small surplus of soul energy, along with environmental energy and, in some rare cases, spiritual energy. Although they are similar (mana and spiritual energy), they have differences.]
[It's possible that mana can be recovered autonomously, on its own, with little or no external dependence to do so, although external factors can accelerate or slow down the process. While EnBP is totally dependent on external factors, such as the use of solar energy, with the use of this specific source resulting in 1 EnBP per hour, which can then be converted into 0.5 MaP or 0.01 exp.]
'Okay, I understood well. And I reiterate what I said, the conversion is terrible and the passive gain isn't much better either.'
[Both can be improved over time.]
'Good to know. But just a comment/question, how could this explanation have been incomplete?! I may not be the smartest, but it seems quite complete in my understanding.'
[The system tried to keep the understanding of the element itself as complete as possible, but a detailed explanation would also involve a view of how the soul works.This is an explanation that the user doesn't yet have enough Authority, or capacity, to understand.]
Why I feel like this Authority (that isn't accessible to me to see) is going to be a pain in the ass, oh yeah, another little thing.
'System, why isn't there an Authority element in the status?'
[This element is defined by the system itself, based on the user's growth and how well they are performing their role.]
'And what exactly would that role be?'
[User's current authority is insufficient for explanation]
'See? Didn't I tell you? It only took me speaking (or perhaps thinking) about the problem for it to appear. Wouldn't there be any way for me to know how much Authority I have, and thus have an idea of what I could know?'
[Yes, this is a function that can be unlocked when the user fulfills certain conditions.]
'And I imagine my current authority isn't sufficient to know at what level it would be "unlocked," right?'
[That's a correct conclusion.]
[Does the user have any further questions or would they like to continue with the explanations of the other system statuses and functions?]
'You're right, get off track, you can continue from where you left off.'
[Understood, the Area of Influence corresponds to the terrain in which the user can observe and interfere, and it is also possible to exert this influence in a limited area outside the dungeon itself, with the terrain being equivalent to the current area of the core in a radius equal to the equivalent of the immediate area of the core.]
'Aham, aham, I didn't understand anything.'
[...]
[The current immediate area of influence is 1.5 by 2.0 meters, making a total area of 3 m², which corresponds to the entire area of this stone room. The total area of influence is then increased by another 3 m² in a circle from the previous 3 m², totaling 6 m².]
'Math has never been my strong suit, so let's leave it at that and you can explain it to me again when you need to, okay?'
[...]
Why do I feel an intense look of irritation, resignation, and a little pity, it's just my imagination, right?. Right?!
'Okay, I understand that the area of influence is important, but what does 'area of influence' itself mean?'
[The area of influence refers to areas inside and, to a limited degree, outside the dungeon over which the user has the right to interfere in any way. Including the forced transport of individuals both into and out of the dungeon.]
[The user can also interfere with the immediate area's weather, while in the total area you can forcibly transport individuals, although this consumes a huge amount of EnBP.]
Yeah, that's definitely very important. I'd better try my best to remember the math lessons I had as a child so I always have an idea of how far I can interfere and how.
'Understood, system. Now, what are those two icons on the left of the information interface?'
I reminded the system that the status interface wasn't the only interface presented; there were two more tabs: Avatar and Monsters/Loot. Both were grayed out.
[Understood, the Avatar, as the name suggests, is a physical body that the user can create once several conditions are met.]
[Monsters/Loot correspond to the areas where the user can distribute the loot acquired when monsters are eliminated. The user also has a count of the number of monsters they possessed on each floor, as well as their type.]
'Understood, but now the question is: how do I get monsters?. My first thought was to buy them from the Shop, but it was still grayed out, so I'm not very sure.'
[The user is correct, monsters are mainly acquired through purchases in the shop, as are traps, loot, environments usable on each floor, and even exclusive items that the dungeon core can use to improve itself. Although it is also possible to acquire all these items through quests, along with MaP and EnBP.]
'That's great, but how am I going to unlock the shop to be able to use it...?'
I barely finished thinking about how to open the shop and it was unlocked, leaving only the Management tab still grayed out.
'...Okay, as I said, I'm not a genius, but even I realized that this "tutorial quest" is completely unnecessary; I just have to think hard on the tab and it's unlocked. Why not unlock them all at once when the interface opened?'
[If this had been done, there would have been a risk of the user not using the system correctly, which would have caused a waste of time and resources.]
'And that would be so bad? It's not like I'm going to die from taking a little time, well, I wouldn't die again.'
[Incorrect, the time the user can stay in this location is limited. If a certain time is exceeded, this location will be buried, destroying the dungeon's core and consequently eliminating the user's very existence.]
'....….....'
'WHAT?! WHY DIDN'T YOU WARN ME ABOUT THIS BEFORE?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!'
[The user did not request any information about this.]
'DON'T COME AT ME WITH TECHNICAL TALK NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!'
Okay, Kaio, breathe, take a deep breath, inhale and exhale, inhale (even if you don't have a nose or lungs) calmly. You're not dead (again) yet, you still have time.
'Okay, I've calmed down. How much time do I have exactly before this little room collapses?'
[Based on the time since the user woke up, the time spent explaining so far, and the time to finish explaining, at least 210 hours, 33 minutes, and 18 seconds.]
Ugh, that made me break out in a cold sweat and almost gave me a heart attack (although I don't have a heart in this form). Okay, assuming my math isn't wrong, that's a little over 8 days, which is definitely enough time to finish the tutorial.
Aside from that little heart attack, I can now continue with the "itinerary". So I turned my attention to the system interface, now on the 4th tab, the Shop. Just like in Personal Information, it also had sub-tabs on the left: Monsters, Loot, Traps, Environments, Specials, Items, and Skills.
In this one, I didn't even need the system to know that this is where you buy monsters for the dungeon. The same for Traps, Loot would be the items they would drop after they were defeated. And environments would be the type of dungeon floor, which could be a cave, forest, a tomb, etc., but I'm not very sure about the other three, system, a little help here please.
[Understood, the user's assumption is correct regarding the 3 primary elements; these are essential for the functioning of any dungeon. The other 3 are a peculiarity of the user. The term "Specials" refers to unique loot that no monster would normally drop, such as abilities that the challenger can acquire after eliminating the monster.]
Hmm, so "specials" would be surprise rewards with a low chance of being obtained, the kind that you would usually only get after defeating an elite or rare monster, but applied to all monsters with a slightly higher chance of appearing on elite monsters.
At least that's how I understood it.
[Correct, Items would be items that the user would use in the dungeon itself or on the user, as additional components, these components having some specific function or just an aesthetic effect.]
[Skills would be abilities that the user could buy from the shop and apply to themselves or to the dungeon monsters, even though most of them already have their own abilities. And they may even acquire them over time, or (like dungeon challengers) after experiencing very dangerous situations.]
Interesting, so my monsters would also have experience and improve just like me and my future challengers, instead of being something like drones that only follow orders. That's a little different, but I can still handle it.
Now the only one missing is the second tab called Management, just like all the others, as soon as I focused a little more on this tab it was unlocked. Okay, system explanation please.
[Understood, the Management tab, as the name suggests, is where the user will designate the areas where the monsters will roam, where the traps and chests will be located, as well as the type of terrain and collection nodes that each floor will have. It is also here that the user will designate the location of safe zones and additional breeding zones, and finally, it is here where the user will determine the promotion or extraction of energy collected from the monsters.]
'Huh, wait, what does that mean?'
My monsters being able to adapt and learn skills is a good thing, as it allows them to win more often and give me more energy and experience.
But can I take their experience directly and transform it into energy?!
Then, what happens to all the effort they put into reaching that level?
Is everything always reset? Would they have to keep relearning skills and getting weaker?
Wouldn't that make things a bit unbalanced?
[No, monsters can learn new skills over time and with practice, and improve their physical capabilities by leveling up like challengers. However, unlike them, monsters have defined minimum and maximum levels for each floor, being 1-10 on the first floor, meaning that a monster cannot reach level 11 on the first floor, but the additional experience it receives can be used to promote it.]
[Its level would be reset, but it would become much stronger than other monsters at a certain point and could be evolved.]
[The user can also choose to consume the monsters' experience directly, making them weaker and at a more acceptable level for novice challengers. The higher the level of the monster whose experience is consumed, the greater the amount of EnBP.]
[This provides a more active way to obtain MaP than passively waiting for absorption by sunlight when there are no challengers.] Since even when the monsters prey on each other, the user would still receive EnBP.]
I still have a few questions, but I can leave them aside for now, since all the tabs have been unlocked. In other words, my first mission is complete!!
And right as I finished that thought, the missions tab spontaneously opened with this message:
[Tutorial Mission 1: Completed
Received: 100 MasP, 1 monster summoning ticket, 5 experience.]