A few moments later...

 

Isao was left massaging his temples. "I know they're still monsters at the end of the day, but..." He paused, gazing at the destruction left in the wake of the battle. "Do they really have to be so bestial in a battle?"

 

All of the dungeon master's apostles fought without regard for technique, let alone strategy, and it frustrated Isao to no end. Except for Ava, most of them were synthesized monsters, so their lack of combat experience was understandable. But even Ava, who was a DP-bought monster, fought like a feral beast.

 

As had been said before, the monsters bought with DP had higher intelligence than the others. Moreover, they were also implanted with specific combat skills and instincts. This made them more adaptable and efficient in battle, but mostly—in the case of those on the cheaper side—their intelligence was spotty in some areas outside of battle.

 

'Did the synthesis I did to Ava make her more aggressive?' Isao wondered, questioning his own choices. He couldn't help but feel responsible for the chaos that unfolded before him.

 

But it wasn't just their wild rampage that caused Isao's head to ache. He could understand that Gravadian and Sayako originally looked like characters from a horror movie. So when they reverted back to their monster forms, Isao was quite calm. Not really.

 

'Though, if possible, I wanted to forget everything I saw,' Isao thought to himself, remembering the chills he felt when he saw the cringe-worthy and grotesque scenes earlier. Like the squirming mass of tentacles or the swarm of bloodthirsty insects that devoured monsters in seconds.

 

However, to his dismay, all of his Dungeon Apostles shifted into their monstrous forms as well, which he didn't know they had. Even the tame ones that he thought were harmless transformed into horrifying creatures.

 

And the finishing blow to his already fragile state of mind: They had the gall to think that the rampage they had done was worthy of any praise. Some of his Dungeon Apostles even boasted about their spoils of war, displaying severed limbs and gruesome trophies as if they were proud of their merciless slaughter.

 

"Is that so?" he evasively responded, trying his best to tamp down on his rising anger. He smiled; however, his smile did not reach his eyes.

 

"Uh-oh," Joanne, his childhood friend and the only one who knew him well enough to see through his facade, thought to herself. She could sense the storm brewing within him—an impending doom that threatened to unleash a hell they had never witnessed before.

 

Isao has a relatively high threshold for patience and is typically meek and reserved. And when provoked, his anger had three stages: a mask of fury, a mask of insanity, and emotionlessness.

 

He was in the first stage now, his smile masking the rage that simmered beneath the surface.  Along with his raging anger, the mana in his surroundings seemed to grow heavy and oppressive, crackling with an ominous energy.

 

In fact, the moment Isao's anger reached its peak, it was as though the gravity in the area intensified, causing objects to tremble and the air to thicken. The atmosphere became suffocating, as if the very weight of his fury was pressing down on everyone present. 

 

Furthermore, breathing became increasingly difficult as the air became thick with a suffocating aura. The intensity of Isao's anger seemed to permeate every inch of the space, leaving those around him feeling a sense of impending doom.

 

"Oi. You really thought your unsightly rampage was deserving of praise?" he scoffed. Isao's voice dripped with disdain, his eyes narrowing as he looked down at them. No one dared to meet his gaze; their own eyes were filled with fear and trepidation.

 

"Are you stupid? Do you truly believe that you'd survive on the battlefield with such reckless behavior?" Isao's words were laced with a chilling certainty, as if he had already witnessed their demise in his mind. The weight of his question hung heavy in the air, leaving them speechless and questioning their own foolishness.

 

"As far as I remember, I told you to read some works of fiction—so it wouldn't be a bore—to understand the importance of technique and tactics in warfare," Isao continued, his voice dripping with disappointment.

 

"Hmph. It matters not. If this is the level of incompetence and disregard for strategy that you possess, then we only have one recourse," Isao declared sternly, his eyes narrowing. 

 

Then his already wide smile grew even wider in malicious satisfaction. "Learn it with your body." They were unable to even whisper in protest at their Dungeon Master's words, let alone move a muscle. 

 

"Oi, you lazy lot! Stand up and prepare yourselves for training immediately!" Isao bellowed, his voice echoing through the dungeon. The Dungeon Apostles scrambled to their feet, fear replaced by a sense of urgency as they knew they had no choice but to obey their currently furious Dungeon Master.

 

"Good! As I'm sure you're aware, I have not much experience and talent in battle. However, I'm quite sure I could hand your asses to you on a silver platter if I wanted to if all you'd do is rampage like mindless beasts."

 

"Well, since you didn't heed my words of wisdom, I'll etch this lesson into your minds through a more... hands-on approach," the Dungeon Master declared, a wicked grin spreading across his face. "Don't worry though; I won't use all of my skills."

 

Without even activating his Dragonization skill, only augmenting his body slightly with Blood Magic, the Dungeon Master effortlessly beaten them up in a matter of minutes. Isao's only weapon was his cheap tricks and cunning strategy, which he used to exploit his Dungeon Apostles' weaknesses and leave them helpless.

 

'Uuuh... I got angry.' Dungeon Master Isao lamented as he watched his Dungeon Apostles lying defeated on the ground. 'They deserved it, though.'

 

His anger toward them was justifiable, considering he was only thinking of their own good. 'We're not heroes—well, Joanne is—and we couldn't just rely on brute strength to defeat our enemies.' Isao believed in using his intellect and resourcefulness to outsmart his opponents, even if it meant resorting to cheap tricks.

 

'Besides, only a cunning and deceptive mind, good strategy and tactics, and finally a sufficiently trained body can ensure victory in battles against formidable foes,' Isao thought to himself. He knew that relying solely on physical strength would only lead to defeat in the long run.

 

"Now do you understand my point?" Isao asked his Apostles, who were tangled and hanging from his Drake Iron Wires, their faces contorted in shame. Isao's Apostles remained silent, their expressions confirming their understanding of his point.

 

"If so, then good. Release." With a flick of his wrist, Isao released the tension on the Drake Iron Wires, causing his Apostles to drop to the ground. As they picked themselves up, Isao continued, "Remember, battles are won not just with brute force but with strategy and adaptability. Train your minds as much as you train your bodies."

 

"However..." His smile grew wider as he spoke, his eyes gleaming with a malicious glint. "Don't forget that you still had punishment awaiting you for failing my expectations."

 

Holding up a bunch of thin metallic bands from his pocket, he displayed them to everyone. "These will be your training tools," he declared. "These are Gravity Bands." 

 

His body had grown accustomed to the previous weight sets after training for a few days. Due to his bulky training weights, Isao became frustrated. He was worried that instead of strengthening him, the weights might impede his movement and hinder his progress.

 

And that's where his brilliant idea came in. With synthesis, Isao had created a set of weights that would absorb excess mana from the user and grow heavier as the user's strength increased. They looked just like thin metallic bands, but with the gravity magic infused within them, they had the ability to adapt to the user's growing strength.

 

'Heh. Synthesis is seriously useful.' Isao thought to himself as he admired his creation. With this ability, even though he knew jackshit about gravity magic or alchemy, he could create devices without having to rely on someone else's expertise.

 

"Wear this." Dungeon Master Isao threw sets of five bracelets to his Dungeon Apostles, instructing them to put them on 24/7. "If anyone dared to take them off, they would face severe consequences," he warned with a menacing grin.

 

"Now run!" Isao commanded, his voice echoing through the dungeon walls. The Dungeon Apostles, now equipped with thin bands of metal, started making laps on the training grounds.

 

Peeling his gaze off the Apostles, Isao turned his attention to his childhood friend and also the Hero, Joanne. "And here I thought you'd throw them to a den of wolves. You really are a softie."

 

"Oh, don't worry, I'll actually throw them into something much worse than a den of wolves soon enough," Isao replied with a mischievous grin. "But first, I'll raise their stats with training before letting them level up fighting against mobs."

 

"This is a game-like world, and yet you train as though things such as stats and level-ups don't exist. Isn't it easier to just focus on the game mechanics rather than going through all this training?" Joanne asked, a hint of confusion in her voice. "They can't even transition from being NPCs to PCs, let alone from Game Mode to Life Mode."

 

Isao sighed and shook his head. "You don't understand, Joanne. The God of Games who created this game-like otherworld isn't so kind. You know that light novel I showed you back then, where they got reincarnated in a similar game-like world filled with skills with hidden landmines and red flags? Well, this world is just like that. This world is unforgiving to the slothful and rewarding to the hardworking."

 

"And in the near future, we would be facing individuals with cheat-like abilities due to the game systems they received or chose. These individuals will pose a significant challenge to us, as their cheat-like abilities give them an unfair advantage. We must be prepared to strategize and find ways to overcome their powers if we want to survive in this game-like world."

 

"As always, you're too overcautious," said Joanne, rolling her eyes. "Sure, there may be some individuals with cheat-like abilities, but that doesn't mean we can't find our own unique strengths and strategies to succeed."

 

"Haah, and as always, you're too optimistic," replied Isao with a sigh. "Anyway, let's start your training." He sat with crossed legs on the training grounds, motioning for Joanne to join him. "Our most important stat is our mana. Even the most muscle-brained warrior in this world uses mana unconsciously in some way or another. It's what allows us to use skills and magic spells."

 

"So how do we train our mana?" Joanne asked, eager to learn. Isao smiled and began his explanation. "Visualization is a key aspect of mana training. By picturing the energy flowing through your body, you can enhance its control and manipulation."

 

"Your training regimen is just like the ones in your light novels, isn't it?" Joanne asked with a hint of amusement. Isao chuckled and replied, "Well, you could say that. The concept of visualization is often depicted in those novels, but, hey, it worked for me, so what's the harm?"

 

"Then you don't need to explain it to me. I'm familiar with the idea of visualization from being forced to read those novels too," Joanne said, rolling her eyes playfully. "But I never thought it could actually have practical applications in real life."

 

"As they say, sometimes reality is stranger than fiction," Isao replied with a grin. "Regardless, go ahead and give it a try."

 

Joanne nodded and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to center herself. She visualized her whole body's systems and tried to locate the source of her mana. She focused on the feeling of energy flowing through her, picturing it as a vibrant, glowing light within her core.

 

"!" Isao's eyes suddenly widened in surprise. 'Fucking hell, she effortlessly tapped into her mana!' As far as he could observe, Joanne had no difficulty manipulating her mana and seemed to have a natural affinity for it. Her expression didn't betray any strain or effort as she effortlessly channeled the energy within her.

 

'What can I say? Heroes really are something else,' Isao thought to himself, impressed by Joanne's innate abilities. When he tried it for himself a few days ago, he felt terrible pain and could only endure it due to his Devour skill. 

 

'And yet even this isn't enough.' Isao knew and feared the enemies that his dungeon would eventually face in the future. That's why he got easily mad when his Dungeon Apostles failed to meet his expectations.

 

As much as possible, he would train them to the point that blood would be shed and bones would be broken. It was cruel; yes, he knew that. But if being too kind to them resulted in their demise when they faced their real enemies, Isao believed it was a necessary sacrifice.

 

When he saw Joanne die and he couldn't even do a thing to save her, Isao's anger and frustration reached their peak. Even now, his resentment toward himself and the demon that took Joanne's life burns within him. That's why he kept himself busy with training and upping the defenses of the dungeon, determined to never let another innocent life be lost under his watch.

 

If someone made a mistake and triggered his wrath—which his Dungeon Apostles unknowingly did—Isao's fury would be unleashed without mercy. He vowed to protect his loved ones and seek vengeance against those who caused harm, channeling his anger into a relentless pursuit of strength.

 

'I'll never forgive him, I swear.' 

 

***

 

And starting that day, Isao began his rigorous training regimen, pushing himself and the other denizens of the dungeon to their limits. He knew that in order to fulfill his vow, he needed to become stronger than ever before. Isao's determination and dedication were unmatched as he honed his skills and strategized for the battles that lay ahead.

 

Before the sun even rose, Isao would ensure that none of the dungeon's denizens were left sleeping in their beds. Everyone would be roused from their slumber and forced to participate in intense training sessions. Isao's relentless pursuit of strength created an atmosphere of unwavering discipline within the dungeon, leaving no room for complacency or weakness.

 

Even if one sustained injuries during training, with his Blood Magic and the Recovery Units from the medical facility, Isao was able to heal them quickly and efficiently. He believed that pushing his comrades to their limits would only make them stronger, preparing them for the challenges that lay ahead in this treacherous world. Isao's dedication to their growth and well-being was unmatched, earning him the respect and loyalty of those under his command.

 

When the sun finally rose over the horizon, a quick breakfast followed before everyone studied, starting with the most recent to the oldest strategies and tactics employed in war and battles and analyzing their strengths and weaknesses. They left no stone unturned, as even the most ridiculous and unconventional ideas from fictional stories were considered and evaluated for potential application in their own battles.

 

Lunch was a brief break from the intense studying, then training resumed in the afternoon. All gathered together to practice various combat techniques, one-on-one, one-to-many, and many-to-one, and they even simulated large-scale battles. Each member of the group had their own unique set of skills and abilities, which they honed through countless hours of practice and repetition. They pushed themselves to the limit, constantly seeking ways to improve and overcome their weaknesses. The training sessions were grueling, but they knew that only through hard work and dedication could they become a formidable force against their enemies.

 

Finally, at night, everyone would have their much-deserved rest and recharge their bodies and minds for the next day's challenges. But even during their sleep or while taking a bath, they would not be allowed to remove the Gravity Band that increases in weight as their strength increases. As the Dungeon Master Isao explained, wearing the Gravity Band at all times would help them adapt to the increased weight and build their endurance and strength. It was a crucial part of their training, ensuring that they were constantly pushing their limits and growing stronger with each passing day.

 

However, while all of the denizens of the dungeon rested at night, only Dungeon Master Isao continued to train throughout the darkness. It's not that he didn't need sleep. It's just that his cowardly self kept on having nightmares of his subordinates dying in battle, and he couldn't bear the thought of being unprepared.

 

Now that his Astral Projection and Parallel Processing skills have leveled up—he can't see the numbers, though—he can now have three simultaneous projections of himself. One rests with his physical body; another continues to formulate battle strategies; and the last uses a body made with Blood Manipulation to practice combat techniques and refine his skills. With this improved skill, he can maximize his training time and ensure that he is always ready for any battle that may come his way.

 

***

 

Meanwhile, on Floor 5 of Isao's Dungeon. Evacuation Area.

 

"I am the Daughter of God!" The voice echoed through the evacuation area, commanding attention from the weary survivors. People turned to see an old woman, her eyes gleaming with delusion, convinced of the bullshit she was spewing. She continued, her voice growing louder and more fervent, as she proclaimed herself the savior of mankind and the only one capable of leading them to salvation.

 

The evacuees knew her well, since even before the Philippines got transported to another world, she had been a fixture in the area, preaching her divine mission to anyone who would listen. She would utter nonsense like she had died and come back as a chosen vessel, blessed with supernatural powers.

 

Another crap she would often spout was her ability to communicate with higher beings and receive divine guidance. Despite the skepticism and eye-rolls from many, there were still a few who believed in her, clinging to the hope that she might actually be their salvation in this chaotic new reality.

 

Why? Because she was the adoptive mother of this very dungeon's Dungeon Master, who had died and revived countless times as he fought against the monster horde that attacked the country. Even now that they are in another world, the evacuees in this dungeon have the modern amenities they were accustomed to, thanks to the Dungeon Master. He provided them everything, from electricity and running water to food and shelter.

 

However, many knew that the Dungeon Master had always been deemed useless by the very same adoptive mother who had raised him. He was taught discipline with violence and was constantly belittled for his lack of talent and clumsiness. Due to his low income when he was still working in an internet cafe, his mother often criticized him for not being able to provide for her.

 

And now, as the Dungeon Master tirelessly worked to ensure the safety and well-being of the evacuees, his efforts began to gain recognition from others in the community. Although he never showed his face in public—and well, everybody knew that he was a shut-in—his reputation as a selfless(?) and dedicated caretaker(?) spread like wildfire. People praised his unwavering commitment and admired his ability to navigate the complex logistics of managing a large group of displaced individuals.

 

So, of course, unscrupulous individuals, namely his own adoptive mother and her Murkhata cult, tried to exploit his reputation and use it for their own gain. And it wasn't just them; there were others who saw an opportunity to manipulate him and take advantage of his selflessness.

 

There were three organized criminal syndicates in the area where Isao lived before. In First Tree Village, the Rich Family was known for their involvement in illegal activities such as drug trafficking and money laundering. In Second Tree Village, Alpha Kids were notorious for their extortion and racketeering schemes, preying on the vulnerable residents of the community. Lastly, in the Riverside area, the River Rats gang operated, specializing in theft and burglary.

 

All of these criminal syndicates had a strong hold on their respective territories, though they stayed under radar ever since the Duterte administration implemented strict law enforcement measures. However, in this new world, where no one knew what happened due to the monster horde's attack, the criminal syndicates saw an opportunity to regain their power and influence.

 

They are seeking the endless resources provided by this dungeon created by Dungeon Master Isao. Since they are already inside the dungeon as evacuees, they plan to take the evacuees hostage and use them as leverage to gain control over the dungeon's resources. Unbeknownst to them, the Dungeon Master's intelligence division is closely monitoring every move these criminals make, even when they relieve themselves or grab a snack.

 

***

 

Day 7

 

Floor 6. At night, at the Command Center's large screens, Dungeon Master Isao was watching the live feed of the criminals' every move. In his hands were chocolate-coated popcorn and a cup of hot coffee, which can't be considered coffee anymore due to the amount of cream and sugar he had added. 

 

Pake mo? Or why do you care? in English. He would sarcastically shoot back if someone asked so much as why he bothered to have coffee if he was just going to drown it in cream and sugar. Please be mindful that everyone has their own preferences when it comes to coffee. Some people enjoy it strong and black, while others prefer it sweet and creamy. Isao's choice of adding cream and sugar to his coffee is simply a matter of personal taste. 

 

He took a sip, savoring the sweet and creamy concoction as he watched the high-quality video footage of the criminals' meeting. Isao couldn't help but chuckle to himself, finding amusement in the criminals' obliviousness to being under constant surveillance. The combination of the delectable snack and the captivating footage made for a surprisingly enjoyable evening for the Dungeon Master. 

 

"Yo, Joanne! Hey, hey. Remember what you said before: We should still give them the benefit of the doubt until we have solid proof. It's important to maintain a balanced perspective and not let fear cloud our judgment." Doing air quotes and flashing a mischievous grin, the Dungeon Master playfully imitated Joanne's voice.

 

"Okay, I'm sorry. Are you happy now?" Joanne sighed, rolling her eyes playfully. "Fine, I'll admit it. You were right this time," she said with a chuckle. "But don't get too comfortable, because next time, I'll be the one saying, 'I told you so'." 

 

A few moments later, "So what are you going to do now?" Joanne asked, raising an eyebrow curiously. Isao shrugged. "Something my weeb senses would approve of," he replied with a mischievous smile.

 

He stood up, and the next moment he was gone, using the dungeon's placement system to transport himself to a new location. The place he arrived at was somewhere on Floor 6, where he told his Dungeon Apostles to gather.

 

He's no longer wearing shut-in clothes, but instead, he's dressed in a sleek black outfit that exudes confidence. He brushed back his hair, changing his messy appearance into a more polished look. And the vibe he now gives off is that of a villainous mastermind, with an air of cunning and calculated deception. The meek and cowardly Isao had once again donned a new mask, hiding his true nature behind a facade of power and control. 

 

"Shall we pay a visit to the scoundrels who dare challenge our authority?" Isao sneered, his voice dripping with contempt.