Chapter 74 - Monke Gains More Monsters

Dungeon Resident Income

Day 1: 3,969 DP, 1,936 EXP

DP: 11,199

It's been a day since I had the monkeys go find some more monsters for my Dungeon. None of them have returned yet, which made me worry for a bit, but I thought for a second what type of monsters in this area would give them a run for their money.

None, that's what.

I doubt a bunch of goblins would be able to fight against a squad of chimps and gorillas armed to the bone with superior equipment than rusty daggers and flimsy blades. The same could be said for the orcs, who would most likely die with a good blow to the head from the gorillas' weapons.

So here I am, doing nothing as I wait for the primates to return from the task I gave them. However, doing nothing is an exaggeration. I'm actually smithing some more equipment for the incoming monsters, as well as grinding my [Blacksmith] skill.

It's hard to increase now, even with working 24/7 (trust me, I tried) on the forge, but that's not to say it is impossible to grind. I will max this skill, even if it takes me a decade. I want to make a real Ruyi Jingu Bang, dammit.

Placing that dream on the backburner, I focused on smithing these weapons and armor for now, since I really want to grind, as well as equip the new monsters with the items in case a sudden attack ensues right after their integration.

If there is one thing I learned about how the world works, it is to expect the unexpected.

Like that damned demon betraying me by using the dwarf as a distraction instead of a scapegoat, which totally blindsided me by the way, and using that orb-thingy I forgot the name of, on me for unknown reasons…

I sighed, my hand palming my face as I tried to get my emotions under control.

'Breathe, that demon will get his… Just be patient…' I rubbed my temples, then lowered my hand, the limb reaching for the hammer sitting pretty on the anvil. 'Focus on the metal, let the flow take you in.'

Forcefully encasing myself in a trance as I work, I briefly forget the rage inducing memory of that damned demon's smile as he looked down on me.

[]

[]

[]

"Papa… Primates back…" I heard Domino enter through the door, her tiny footsteps barely audible through the crackling fire and the sounds of metal against metal.

"Just a sec'." I said as I hammered the blade one last time, before using the tongs to grab it and dunk it in a bucket of cold water next to me to let it cool. Once I was done with the process called quenching, I laid the blade back on the anvil to give it a good look over.

Sharp, straight, and firm. A blade that would do good for a wielder. Grabbing the handle, I gave it a few test swings to see if it really was what it looked like. It was good enough – in my eyes, at least – and ready to be used by a monster in case of an emergency.

"So, Domino, what did you want to tell me?" I asked her as I approached the little girl. She gave me an emotionless tilt of her head, and ran up to me with her tiny footsteps as the audio background. She gave me a big hug, ignoring my fur that smelt like ash, fire, and the sweat coming from my palms and feet.

No matter how strong I am, I also get tired, although not that quickly thanks to my stats, but the fact of the matter is, I also get tired if I overwork myself.

"Papa… Go take a bath…" She said, her voice muffled through my fur as she kept on pushing her face against my fur.

"… Sure, after you let go of me and I tend to the returning primates." I patted her head and she hesitantly let go of my body. For a kid that's very toxic to other people, she is very clingy to me.

Meh, it's probably just her personality, and maybe I'm the only one who gives her happiness or peace.

"Tell you what, want to come with me to greet the primates?" Domino looked at me with anxiousness in her eyes. A few moments later, she nodded her head, her love for me overshadowing her fear of the non-controlled monsters and humans roaming about my Dungeon. "Alright, come here."

I raised her up by her armpits and gently placed her on my back. She quickly laid bellyflop on my back, her hands grabbing the silver fur on my back so as not to fall down while I walk.

I chuckled, feeling a little ticklish about her grabbing me. "Hold on tight, I think I want to run instead of walk."

Domino wasn't able to voice her protest as I went at full speed, her silent pleas falling on deaf ears as I sped through the Dungeon Core room.

Being cooped up in that workshop for hours on end just might end up giving me claustrophobia. I also wanted to let off some steam from working all day, and if playing online games – I really want to play them now – wasn't an option, then a run would probably do me good right now, hence the run with Domino silently screaming on my back for release.

Quickly generating a passageway leading to the entrance, I entered the hastily constructed passageway and got a good view of how a passage was created in an instant. Various moving rocks, stones, and the ground were spinning in my vision, each of them moving to grant me passage as I continued to speed up.

It was then that I saw some stairs being created. I slowly reduced my speed, and upon reaching the stairs, rushed up, using all four limbs to their maximum potential, scaling the stairs without any effort whatsoever.

Domino was still on my back, tears now falling down her face as she held on for dear life to my fur to prevent herself from falling off.

Once I reached the top of the stairs, I slowed down, until I stopped just at the end of the tunnel. Domino, was looking at me with enraged eyes. However, I could see a tiny hint of a smirk on her lips, if the slight tug upwards was to be believed.

"Papa… Cruel…" She said it in her normal, toneless voice, but I was sure, she was angry. It was so worth it though. She is sometimes too emotionless, never showing a hint of any kind of emotion on her face. Sure, her actions portray her as an emotional person when it comes to the safety of her Papa – which is me – but I don't like to see her emotionless with every other person she comes in contact with.

'She needs friends too…' I recalled the time I spent friendless back on Earth. Yep, it wasn't anywhere near a decent time.

"Aw, don't worry, Domino. You'll love it when I take you once more through the Jionni express." I said while miming the tugging of a cord to imitate a conductor making a train whistle.

Domino shivered slightly, but I could tell it wasn't out of fear, but of excitement. She went back to complete silence as she once again bellyflopped on my back.

Looking at the entrance, I saw a group of primates – no Gong, however – bringing more than 20 monsters with them.

"Boss, we back!" The lead gorilla, named Gund, saluted me as my figure approached.

"Good, is this all of them."

"Yes, only them. Hard to find." Gund said as he looked behind him to see the monsters he brought. I took a good look at them too, a smirk gracing my lips.

'Well then… This is interesting…'