First, second, and third floors have been successfully reordered!

  Rune of Holding was successfully used to stabilize the imminent collapse of floors outside of the dungeon’s direct Aether flow.

  Congratulations!

  Hidden floors or detached floors may now be created by the Core so long as enough Runes of Holding are present to accumulate the Aether needed to maintain the dungeon’s established level of Aether.

  Progress to Core Ascension:

  15%

  Valterra looked at the words uncomprehendingly. Yay… I succeeded?

  His instincts did not like the idea of a detached floor. With the words of the System came knowledge, and he knew, in a distant sort of way, that a detached floor had no number and was completely separate from his Aether flow. It existed outside of his dungeon, completely and utterly on its own, apart from the fact that he would need to claim the space first to create such a Floor.

  Despite the feelings his instincts gave him, his mind told him something different. He could have a whole floor outside of his main realm where he could experiment with creatures and create biomes for them that wouldn’t work within the house. Not only that, but he could build them wherever he expanded, which meant that he could create pocket domains to get more creatures for his numbered floors. More locations meant more opportunities for new Frameworks.

  Valterra kept himself from getting too excited. There had to be a catch, but even if there wasn’t, he imagined it would be hard to remain aware of multiple detached floors. Any he made would also be unable to help his main dungeon if it ever came under attack again, nor would the main dungeon be able to help them. They would be on their own.

  Hidden floors, on the other hand, were tantalizing. They were floors that were also outside the proper order, but also existed almost parallel to it. He could set up safe havens for his creatures to rest in before they went back out to delve deeper. They could also be hidden strongholds that could collapse upon any invaders from behind, drowning them in a swarm of reinforcements. The possibilities were endless.

  With effort, Valterra got his mind back on track. His floors had been recognized and were stable, and his creatures had already begun to battle it out once more. Attempting to climb higher to win the right to enter the house proper and delve deeper. Valterra was satisfied.

  It took all of five minutes before he was itching to do something more. There were so many things he both needed and wanted to do. His third and second floors weren’t done yet, and he needed to expand to find what he needed. Considering that was something he wanted to do anyway, and it was pretty clear what he should do next. It was time to expand.

  Even as he moved his attention to the borders of this territory, he was met by the returning forms of three mice, each with what looked like strings of woven grass tied around their waists. Each one looked haggard and weary, their Aether cores practically drained by their time outside his territory. Perking up as his presence homed in on them, they began squeaking rapidly. As he delved into their thoughts, he realized they had attempted to find the Fae invaders who had left.

  Valterra couldn’t help but feel a sudden surge of pride and gratitude. He would have to devise a suitable reward. Then the rest of their story came out. They had found something out in the yard. A large expanse of cultivated greenery full of dangers and Aether. One of them huffed a short breath before entering the outside world again, returning lugging the corpse of some bug. It plopped the thing down and looked up expectantly.

  Valterra couldn’t resist such a display of loyalty. The bug was a little thing with a pair of wings and a thicker rear end. It had vibrant red markings all along its long body, with its six legs evenly spaced out. Its head had been caved in by something, which caused him to look closer at the mice. The strings he had dismissed as primal clothing were, in fact, slings, weapons made for hurling rocks at a foe. My mice have become something formidable indeed, he thought as he began dissolving the creature they had brought him. He wasn’t disappointed by the ensuing System notification.

  New Framework acquired!

  Sparking Firebug (Rank F - Copper)

  A bug with a penchant for setting things on fire, this kind of insect is normally considered a pest by gardeners. Despite this, this insect is common in the Far North Reaches, where an affinity for fire is sometimes the difference between life and death. Many northern locals use Sparking Firebugs to help start their hearth fires.

  Stolen novel; please report.

  As the first dungeon to use such a creature as a dungeon monster, you will be able to create and modify its Path of Ascension freely.

  Praise the Uncles and Aunts! It was as if the world was conspiring to give him exactly what he needed in order to build a fire-themed floor. Valterra’s already full mind flared with ideas as he hungrily went over what the bug was capable of. Turns out it wasn’t much. The bug was only F Rank, after all. Still, when combined with everything else that was in the process of Ascending? There would be enough for a proper floor.

  He just needed to figure out what that weird fire was in the furnace room and go from there. He was getting off track. The Core turned his attention back to the three mice, only to find the other two with their own offerings. Oh. Valterra felt like crying, but he didn’t have tear ducts. These mice were the best!

  One of them held a seed of some kind, and the other stood by another corpse. He practically flooded them with his pride at their success. All three of them looked down bashfully as he consumed their gifts. It was so cute! Their gifts were simple but indicative of the wealth that lay out in the world. A world he meant to claim.

  New Frameworks acquired!

  Winterberry Holly (Rank F - Copper)

  Ascending from its mundane form, this plant embodies its name, with berries that are cold to the touch and with leaves slick with frost year-round. A common enough sight in the Far North Reaches, its berries are used for a variety of alchemical solutions, and its leaves are a common remedy for burns.

  As the first dungeon to use such a creature as a dungeon monster, you will be able to create and modify its Path of Ascension freely.

  Sylcyne Caterpillar (Rank F - Copper)

  A wonder of Aetheric Ascension, the Sylcyne Caterpillar embodies the fluctuating nature of the wild north forest that it calls home. Unlike most caterpillar Frameworks, this one can Ascend into either a moth or a butterfly depending on what it consumes during its larval stage. Its nature makes it a perfect catalyst for a wide range of future Ascensions with varying affinities.

  As the first dungeon to use such a creature as a dungeon monster, you will be able to create and modify its Path of Ascension freely.

  Fascinating! There was too much to unpack with just one glance, but the caterpillar in particular was incredible for only being F Rank. The holly wasn’t as exciting, but it would be useful, and who knows, perhaps it could be used in an ice-based floor. He had seen a lot of options for Frameworks after Ascending that were northern creatures. While he hadn’t lived here long, he was beginning to see the pattern.

  He was most likely within the Sylcyne Forest, or close by, and that forest was most likely within the Far North Reaches. All of which meant he would be seeing a lot more creatures and plants that had Ascended into forms suited for that environment. Valterra would have rubbed his hands together in glee if he had hands. The first step would be to find more Frameworks, and due to the actions of his loyal mice, he had a notion of where to expand to.

  Still, why go in one direction when you can go in all of them? After all, he had already claimed the house in its entirety. Now, he would claim the rest of the clearing. Once he had consolidated all of that, he could move on to the forest outside of it. He made sure to give the three mice a good metaphorical pat on the head before sending them to rest. He might need their help later.

  With a breath, his presence swept out from the house in a wave, taking new ground at a steady rate. Valterra was surprised to find that it didn’t seem as hard as it had before and was certainly less jarring an experience. His mind easily accepted the new territory, allowing him to eat up ground steadily. That easy acceptance let him focus on other sensations.

  One of which was the passage of time. At the rate he was spreading, it would take some time to claim everything. A couple of days, if his calculations were right. What really drew Valterra’s attention, however, were all the organisms he passed over. He had known that the world outside his dungeon contained life in abundance, but he was astonished by the sheer variety of creatures and plants that lived in the clearing.

  It was a shame that he couldn’t claim a lot of them. Most were mundane, and he remembered what his Uncle Trik had said about mundane creatures and the System. Most of them would never get a Framework since they didn’t usually have a chance to Ascend. He could change that by claiming some of them, but then the System would begin gifting the Framework to every member of that particular species, which would cause problems for Uncle Dorn.

  Still, he cataloged a few of the more interesting ones so that he could ask Uncle Dorn about them later. After all, if he could get permission, then everything would be okay. It took him around a day to find the place the mice had mentioned in their report. He couldn’t have missed it if he tried, since even when he claimed the area, he could sense nothing beyond a barrier of some kind. All he received was a hazy kind of feedback.

  That in and of itself was strange, but by the time he had claimed the whole area, he had found another such hazy boundary on the clear other side of the clearing. At which point, the System seemed to get involved.

  Multiple Locations of Power Located!

  The Garden (Rank D - Iron) - Unclaimed

  Enhanced by a seed of power, this plot of land is no longer an ordinary place. Now a natural source of Aether, this garden is home to multiple Ascended species of insects, plants, birds, and other such denizens. As an unclaimed place of power, it is a powerful boon to those who would claim it. Be warned, however. The denizens will not surrender their home without a fight.

  The Pond (Rank C - Steel) - Unclaimed

  Enhanced by a seed of power, this pond is no longer an ordinary spring. Now a natural source of Aether, this pond is home to multiple Ascended species of fish, waterfowl, plants, and other aquatic and semi-aquatic denizens. As an unclaimed place of power, it is a powerful boon to those who would claim it. Be warned, however. The denizens will not surrender their home without a fight.

  Well, that certainly changed some things.