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Chapter 3 - Chapter 3: Light Mapping

Kaera tilted her head slightly, observing the edge of the chamber where the stone wall merged with the natural darkness of the cave. She looked at me once more, searching for some signal from my side. She seemed to wonder why I had stopped.

I gestured for her to move forward.

Her body moved somewhat awkwardly at first, but each step grew steadier. The core's light illuminated only a few meters around her before the darkness swallowed everything. When she crossed the boundary of the chamber, a three-dimensional map began forming on the interface.

The lines and curves of the terrain were drawn quickly, as if an invisible hand were tracing the walls and floor with light. I could clearly see the cubic shape of the main chamber and, beyond it, a natural corridor that sloped slightly to the right.

"So that's how the map is generated…" I murmured.

Only what Kaera saw was projected, as if it were a live transmission. If she looked away, the map froze, showing only the last thing she had observed. It was useful, though inefficient: it didn't update in real time unless she looked at an area again. If I could summon small monsters and leave them in different places, it would be like having active cameras all the time.

The corridor opened into a wider cavern, with several paths descending into the depths and one that, according to the relief, should lead outside. Kaera moved cautiously, relying on the night vision typical of kobolds.

Suddenly, she stopped. Her head turned slowly toward a shadow beside a large rock. On the map appeared the still silhouette of a creature: a giant rat, nearly half a meter long.

"Well… time to see your strength."

I watched as her body tensed. The rat sniffed the air, still unaware of her presence. Kaera lowered her center of gravity, one hand touching the ground, ready to spring. A single sharp movement, a flash, and the creature realized too late. Kaera lunged at it with surprising speed, sinking her claws into the animal's side.

The map flickered for an instant, the lines of light trembled as the rat's body convulsed, and then everything went still.

I smiled. A little, but it was a start.

"Good work, Kaera."

She couldn't hear me, but it was comforting to say it.

Kaera bent over the rodent's body, examining it with curiosity. Then she grabbed it by the neck and began dragging it back to the chamber. On the three-dimensional map, I could see her moving slowly, the animal's body leaving a faint line behind, marking her path.

When she crossed the threshold of the main chamber, she threw the corpse before me with a dull thud.

"Excellent," I said, extending my hand toward it.

A stream of blue light flowed from the core to the rat's body. In seconds, its flesh began to decompose, evaporating into a dark mist that was absorbed by the core.

[Giant Rat Corpse, Level 2. Absorption will grant 1 DE.]

[Do you want the dungeon core to absorb the corpse?]

"No."

Kaera watched me in silence. Her golden eyes followed the motion of my hand, glowing with curiosity. She didn't seem afraid, only naturally obedient, with a hint of instinct.

I pointed to the floor, and she sat cross-legged, like a soldier awaiting orders.

Silence filled the room. Only the faint hum of the core lingered in the air.

"We need more food," I thought. "And more bodies."

I gestured for her to go explore again. She stood and disappeared once more into the darkness.

Meanwhile, I began skinning the giant rat with a small knife I had found among my clothes. Honestly, it had been a long time since I'd done something like this, and only ever with chickens, so it would take me some time.

I kept watching the map as I held the rat and cut off its head to drain the blood. The map expanded again as Kaera advanced. The lines of the terrain curved, showing the irregularity of the rocks and small cracks.

Kaera lifted her head, sniffing something different. A faint breeze stirred her hair, the exit wasn't far. From my view of the map, I could make out a dim opening where the light from outside filtered weakly in, a bluish-gray glow.

At a fork, three new small figures appeared. From their size and shape, they were more rats, perhaps an entire nest.

It surprised me that my descendant had reached the dungeon's core with her wounds without being devoured by one of them first.

I ignored that thought and continued preparing the corpse before me.

The skin was thicker than I expected, stretched tight over compact muscles. I used the knife to open from the abdomen to the neck, separating the flesh carefully to avoid wasting anything useful.

The smell was strong but bearable. Fat gathered in thin layers, and beneath it, the reddish meat looked suitable for cooking. I set aside the bones, claws, and fangs hard, perhaps useful later for crafting something rudimentary.

I didn't bother cleaning the blood off the floor, I'd just summon a slime later to do it. I piled the cleanest chunks on a flat stone near the fire, leaving the rest to convert into dungeon energy later. I wasn't sure if the core could accept the leftovers, but it was worth a try.

Kaera approached silently, making no sound. On the map, I could see the movements of the giant rats, one chewing something, another moving nervously, and the third sleeping carelessly. Kaera chose the perfect moment.

She leaped at the one that was chewing, sinking her claws into its neck. She twisted her body, dodged the jump of the second, and kicked it against the wall. The third woke up in confusion, but when it saw its companions dead, it immediately decided to flee without looking back.

The map's relief expanded, showing a narrow passage connecting to another chamber. Kaera reached the fleeing rat before it could escape, slamming her claws into its back and smashing its head against the ground several times until she was sure it was dead.

It's surprising how easily she adapts to combat, but that's to be expected from a monster born specifically to kill intruders who enter the dungeon.

She was breathing heavily, her body covered in dried blood stains, her movements firmer than before. She took the bodies one by one and began dragging them back. I watched her slowly advance on the map, carrying the weight without complaint or hesitation.

When she arrived, I leaned toward her.

"Good job." I extended my hand and stroked her head and ears.

Kaera tilted her head, her tail wagging behind her, showing her joy at being praised even if she didn't understand my words.

I gathered two of the three giant rat corpses, choosing the most damaged ones.

[Two Giant Rat Corpses, Level 1. Absorption will grant 2 DE.]

I used both as a sacrifice and kept the third for Kaera and me to eat later. The rats disintegrated into dark mist, their remains dissolving into the air until they were swallowed by the core's light. The humming intensified for a moment, then stabilized.

[+2 DE gained]

"Perpetual flame," I murmured over a smooth stone, using a small amount of fire magic. The embers came to life, generating a weak but steady flame. The metallic scent of the meat mixed with the cave's damp air.

Maintaining the fire would consume mana constantly, but in this cave there was no wood, and I didn't want to send Kaera outside before summoning a low-cost creature to explore first. Besides, my current mana reserve was high enough that I didn't need to worry about it.

Now that I think about it, I don't have to worry about water either. I can use very low-level magic to create enough for both me and Kaera.

As the fire crackled, I checked the map again. The dungeon was still small, a chamber connected to several natural tunnels.

It would be best to expand it in a way that couldn't be seen from outside, so I could take advantage of unsuspecting adventurers who wandered in. I also had to be careful, if anyone saw me near a dungeon core, they'd likely try to destroy it… and kill me in the process.

It was like building a kingdom from scratch, only underground.

Kaera sat by the fire, watching the flames, drawn by the smell of cooking meat. In her expression there was something more than instinct a spark of understanding. I wondered how fast her learning ability would grow.

"Later, you'll go out again," I said. "But for now, rest."

She nodded slowly, understanding my intent, coiled her tail around her legs, and sat down. The fire reflected golden flickers in her eyes.

I stayed watching the dungeon core. If every creature I summoned could develop intelligence, I could build more than just a defense perhaps a civilization within the dungeon. Most low- and mid-level dungeons followed the same pattern: monsters wandering specific areas, surviving as they could. But maybe Kaera's intelligence was different because she was a kobold.

The meat began to cook on the hot stone, releasing a strong, earthy aroma. Kaera looked up, expectant.

I offered her a small piece and tasted another. It was tough and rather plain from the lack of salt, but at least it was edible.

When we had eaten about a third of the giant rat, I gestured for her to come closer.

"Relax a little," I said. "This will be your reward for the good work. I'll make you feel really good." It was time to teach her the pleasures of being a woman.

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