I can't really tell how much time has passed since I'm in a void that doesn't change with the passing of time but if I had to estimate it's been about 15 days since I got dragged into this situation against my will.
Over this timeframe we conversed about my past world and how creative they had gotten despite being 'mortal'. Yeah, mortal. We came up with the hypothesis that my world was one in the juvenile stages or just couldn't obtain enough cosmic energy or something to become more like this Realm.
Honestly, I'm not even sure I'm in the same dimension anymore but the Core reassured me I am or it wouldn't have been able to scoop up my soul. So from my past world's understanding, there are countless galaxies so the chance something like this exists could be possible I suppose, not that it matters since I can't do anything with this hypothesis anyways.
Additionally I decided to give a name to the core to make conversing easier, I chose Jarvis. And the core was ecstatic about the name being the same as a certain AI from a certain popular movie he got to watch when reviewing my memories. I guess he also forgot that it was the name of my dog as well. Hopefully he will be just as loyal hahaha.
"Are we about set to start this reincarnation thingy?" I ask Jarvis
"Well I'm just about done integrating into your soul, give me another hour and we should be set." He responds
"Hey, what's going to happen to this massive dungeon now that you're going to be gone? I ask
"Ahh, I already had that figured out thousands of years ago. I set up subcores throughout the entirety of the labyrinth with a main core to take over managing my core once we leave. The Dungeon should operate normally but with more diversity since there will be more independent cores managing many locations. This main core only being a relay to keep them all connected, in check, and to manage the bottom most floors that have the highest tiered spawns. They shouldn't be able to gain sentience since I split them up though"
"Hmmm makes sense, hey can you prepare anything for us for later since you're still in control. We won't be able to get to it immediately but I'd hate to leave free resources lying around if possible."
"Actually, now that you mention it, yeah. Give me a moment, Ill create a subspace and put a tenth of the accumulated wealth that could help whatever being we become later on. I have to leave the rest of the dungeon won't function correctly and the Realm will take action."
"Sick!"
"Huh? How are you sick, you're a soul?"
"It's a figure of speech… It means cool or awesome."
"Then this is indeed 'sick'"
A few hours passed our initial deadline but I wasn't about to complain, I'll get a bunch of free loot later for a few hours of twiddling my metaphorical thumbs.
"Haaa.. It's finally done, unfortunately though. Due to the size of the cache I created I had to tie it to the main core to hide it from the Realm and so the space doesn't collapse in on itself destroying it all. Meaning we will have to make it back down here to get this. Though it will definitely be worth it when its time. I also created a mini cache with 1/10,000 linked to all the sub-cores."
"Fantastic! Let's get started then"
"Alright, brace yourself"
"Brace for wh-" I attempted to say before a torrent of mana converged onto my soul. And as it sounds its not pleasant in the least. "Ahhhhhhhhhh!!" I start to scream. The torrent of mana becoming ever larger as all ambient mana within the entire dungeon gathers towards the core at the bottom most layer. Then its over… Well to be more specific, my soul couldn't handle the strain and I black out. Thankfully Jarvis takes over shielding my soul from anything to damaging.
---
On the surface of the continent chaos starts to ensue, due to the torrent of mana gathering at the core the entirety of Asteria is on the highest alert level possible. Guilds and kingdoms rallying their forces, mages and sages attempting to divine what the hell is going on with the expansive dungeon they have been at eternal war with since time immemorial.
Some assume the dungeon is on the verge of collapse, others guess an entity is advancing into the divine ranks. A few even assume the dungeon is preparing a flood like none ever recorded in history.
A/N: A Flood is the same as a dungeon break, meaning a large number of monsters/beasts break out of the confines of the dungeon and advance to the surface.
However, they were all wrong. Just as quickly as the convergence of mana began, it ended. 2 hours, just two hours of common sense shattering mana absorption later and my soul gets catapulted into my new body…