The Rise of the Winter Wolf - Book 5 - Chapter 1 - The Beta (Patreon)

                                                              Wolf

“So how many times are we going to be thrown somewhere relatively unknown against our will seemingly at random?” Sapphire asks me as I sit on the floor next to her in the middle of a very dark dungeon corridor. One with miasma slipping through the tiny cracks between the stone blocks making up its structure, and the sounds of groaning coming from down the hall. Or more particularly, sounds of groaning coming from the zombies – yes, more zombies, just like the twentieth floor theme of the dungeon – coming down the corridor before getting frozen by the massive amounts of ice element I’ve flooded the area, freezing everything in the corridor.

Although for some reason, my ice element doesn’t want to plug up the parts of the walls leaking the miasma entirely. So it’s still flooding out rather slowly.

“I’ve lost count,” I answer Sapphire before falling down onto my back, simply lying down on the frozen floor. “But it’s not anymore enjoyable than it was the first time it happened.”

As if responding to our melodramatic complaints, a notification appears in front of my vision. One simply floating there and not on my interface.

Beta Administrator Dungeon Notification

This notification, along with the next several, are being sent to every single void creature in existence. And thanks to the intervention of The Reaper, it will also be sent to every single creature attached to the System.

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The newest set of competitors for the Beta Administrator Dungeon has been chosen!

Every single player will now be granted temporary access to the Beta Administrator Dungeon menu during the remainder of the Initialization.

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“That looks a lot like the first notification that appeared in the Beta Administrator Dungeon,” I mutter to myself before glancing over at the zombies who are surprisingly getting closer and closer to us as the ice element begins to run out within the corridor.

Interesting.

Out of curiosity, I identify the zombies. Just to find a rather glaring surprise.

“These zombies are level 2203,” I mutter while staring blankly at them.

They’re about twenty levels above me. How the hell is that starting at around the same level or slightly higher leveled than me?!

Although they still can’t break my ice. Assuming they don’t have a fire ability user that is.

Another notification appears replacing the first one.

Beta Administrator Dungeon Notification

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The Beta Administrator Dungeon is a dungeon located in a separate dimension created by The Reaper so as to make the competition completely fair for all participants.

The only influence a player may have over the competition is through sponsorships.

Each competitor may have up to three sponsors on every fiftieth floor, with each of them only being able to give one item or skill.

The spots for sponsorship will be based on whoever manages to win the auction for each spot.

Any attempts at interference outside of the sponsorships will be punished by revoking the perpetrator’s rights as a player, thereby designating them as a monster and removing their access rights to the status menu.

Furthermore, The Reaper himself will grant one Positive Chest during each sponsorship.

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The dungeon will span one thousand floors. However, this particular dungeon run is beginning on the 201st floor, leaving the first 200 floors nonexistent.

Each floor of the dungeon – excluding every one hundredth floor – will have several dozen mini bosses roaming around the floor or protecting their own lairs, one of which must be defeated to spawn a floor exit, along with a few secret exits that are spread around the floors.

Every tenth floor will have several boss monsters, one of which must be killed to spawn the floor’s exit, while every one-hundredth floor will have a centurion boss guarding each of the five exits.

The competitors will all be spread out throughout the first floor of the dungeon and left to their own devices upon the commencement of the Administrator Dungeon Run.

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I frown as I read the notification. Most of this isn’t much different from the Administrator Dungeon, except for whatever that Positive Chest is supposed to be. But it’ll probably be explained later on.

Out of nowhere, the notification seems to glitch out before disappearing. Then another one appears in its place.

Beta Administrator Dungeon Notification

Interference with the preset process has been detected by the System’s creator, The Reaper.

Preset notifications will continue playing for every being outside of the Beta Dungeon, while a custom made set will play for the sole beta tester inside of the dungeon.

Oh?

“I wonder if he heard my complaints?” I mutter to myself, making Sapphire giggle as she watches. But right before the next notification appears for me to read, I wave my hand to create two large walls of ice blocking us off of the zombies after my ice element seems to be having trouble keeping them all back. Although I can’t help but do a double take at the large pile of frozen zombie corpses that the other zombies are simply climbing over. “Just how many are there?”

Beta Administrator Dungeon Notification

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Changes made to the loot boxes:

Common chests are removed from the Beta Dungeon.

Skills are removed from loot boxes. Instead, they will be replaced with knowledge crystals giving you knowledge on how to use an ability that you have the capacity to do.

Positive Chests have been added to the dungeon. These chests will give out Tier 8 or above items.

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Changes made to the monsters:

All monsters begin on a floor with their average level being at least ten levels above the beta tester.

All Mini Bosses begin on a floor with their average level being at least thirty levels above the beta tester.

All Bosses begin on a floor with their average level being at least fifty levels above the beta tester.

All Centurion Bosses begin on a floor with their average level being at least one hundred levels above the beta tester.

All Event Bosses begin on a floor with their average level being determined purely by random draw, with the options being ten levels below the beta tester’s level, ten levels above the beta tester’s level, thirty levels above the beta tester’s level, fifty levels above the beta tester’s level, one hundred levels above the beta tester’s level, and one hundred and fifty levels above the beta tester’s level.

All monsters may attack other monsters regardless of the beta tester’s presence on the floor.

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Expanded System Stores will no longer spawn on floors naturally.

Beta testers will now be forced to use the portable expanded system store feature of the System to use one.

The beta tester will now have their own private area floating above the conjunction square during every conjunction.

The beta tester will now have undisclosed information about every monster they run into inside of the dungeon simply by using the ‘Beta Dictionary’ feature that will now appear on their status.

It takes me a little bit to read every last change, but most of them are rather brutal and make me almost want to go back to the Administrator Dungeon.

Almost.

After all, I wouldn’t be able to save Alexis if I did. Not to mention that it’s likely not possible.

There are a couple of nice changes though. Like the beta dictionary thing, and the removal of skills and common chests. Because who knows how many common chests I’ve opened over the years.

I glance at the zombies that are banging on the wall of ice next to me and Sapphire before focusing once more on the final notification that appears in front of me and Sapphire. Or as it turns out, not a notification.

System Message

I have been informed by The Reaper to tell you about the changes to the rewards for the Beta Dungeon.

As he promised, you will be able to bring your friend back to life if you clear the dungeon. But that’s not all. You will also be given three Tier 10 items by The Reaper, the origin being left unspecified.

Furthermore, The Reaper will offer you one favor that you may have paid whenever you wish.

This favor is not infallible, however, and there are limits to it.

One thing that you may wish for through this favor, if you desire it, is to be blessed by the void progenitor, turning you into a void harbinger.

Any possible further changes will be mentioned at a later date.

This has been the System speaking directly to you.

Stay safe, don’t die, and please, by all that’s tasty in the universe, don’t make my favor go to waste.

I can’t help but blink in confusion at the message.

Uh… what?

Those rewards look really nice, but there’s a lot to unpack in that message.

Also, what’s with the ‘by all that’s tasty in the universe’ thing?

I glance at Sapphire, who I find looking at me with confusion on her face before I ask, “Can the System even taste?”

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Throwback notification to the beginning of the story :)

Albeit with a tiny change to the name of the notification.

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