Sera - A Dungeon Revival LitRPG

There was no describing the feeling of being unmade and remade all at once. Sera felt each vertebra in her spine twist and arch. The essence of her being, the fibers that composed her body, knitted together thread by thread. Her limbs were reconstructed next, tentative and quivering, reaching out to a world they couldn't touch or see just yet.

Gradually, Sera felt herself becoming whole once again. Until she was awoken by a piercing light that strained her eyes. Where in the world am I?

She blinked a few times as she glanced around the area. The elder dryad found herself in a small room. Rows of human skulls were fitted into niches carved into the walls while four blue-fire torches hung from them, casting a soft glow over the limestone floor.

A large glowing sphere hovered in the middle of the room, almost as wide as a wild boar. Its surface shimmered with unnaturally bright runes. The sphere itself continuously rippled as if liquid, always reshaping and rearranging itself without any inputs.

But before Sera realized it, her legs were already moving towards the sphere. However, as she got closer to the strange object, a visceral repulsion surged through her. It was as if the very core of her being recoiled in instinctive horror from the object.

The sickening feeling burrowed deep into her stomach. She figured that the sphere had to be one of the so-called artificial cores that the Prince mentioned before. Which meant that it must be destroyed.

She brought her right hand to the sharper end of her antlers. The edge bit into the flesh of her palm, causing thick, black sap to well up from the wound. Holding her injured palm forward, Sera fixed a glare on the sphere.

Bark-like tendrils erupted from the wound on her hand. They were extensions of her will, reaching for the sphere with a destructive hunger. The tendrils snaked through the air and coiled around the object tightly.

Cracks spread like lightning marks across its surface, until the sphere shattered into countless pieces that scattered across the stone floor. Sera's tendrils receded into her hand rapidly. The wound from which they had emerged sealed itself, leaving not even the slightest trace.

Driven by instinct, the elder dryad moved towards the pile of debris that was the sphere's remains. She stood before it and extended her hand, then closed her eyes and drew a deep breath. As she focused, the room responded with a deep rumble that vibrated through the stones and air.

It grew louder and louder, until silence returned all at once. When she opened her eyes, Sera saw a sapling that barely reached halfway up her calves. Even in this small form, she could still recognize the Spirit Tree's earlier life state. Its leaves were the same vibrant silver that seemed to capture the essence of life itself, contrasting sharply against its pitch-black body.

After giving a solemn bow, Sera turned her back against the sapling and closed her eyes. She waited patiently, until she felt the familiar sensation of roots burrowing themselves into her flesh.

Despite this, she didn't feel any pain. The roots felt much smaller and more delicate than what the tree used to have.

[System reboot completed]

[Limited functions restored]

[Accessing dungeon system]

[Analyzing user]

Name: Sera

Species: Elder Dryad

Access Privilege: Administrator

Level: 300

Magic: 300 (Rating: S)

Magic Resistance: 300 (Rating: S)

Physical Defense: 100 (Rating: D)

Strength: 50 (Rating: E)

Speed: 150 (Rating: C)

Vitality: 300 (Rating: S)

Overall Challenge Rating: S

Warning: User's powers have been restricted

Sera's brows furrowed, her eyes narrowing as she observed the floating words hovering before her eyes. Her lips parted slightly, caught between a frown and a question. This is quite odd, the system states that my powers have been restricted, yet, my stats all appear to be untouched and I'm still at the maximum possible level. In which case, maybe this restriction is affecting some other part of me.

[Administrator access detected]

[Displaying advanced diagnostics]

Current user's capabilities are constrained by system parameters. Limitations will be re-evaluated for potential removal upon enhancement of system strength.

The system has identified the following capabilities as hazardous:

Spring Path: Locked

Summer Path: Locked

Autumn Path: Locked

Winter Path: Locked

For some reason, Sera couldn't remember anything about the paths that the system mentioned. It's as if a fog is clouding my mind, perhaps the Spirit Tree doesn't want me to know about these paths just yet.

While it was a pity that she wasn't at full strength, Sera knew that she should still be strong enough to manage any threats to the Spirit Tree for the foreseeable future. But at least for now, it seemed that if the tree were to grow, then she'd also be able to tap into more of her true strength.

[Displaying dungeon status]

Core Rank: 1

Core Experience: 0

Dungeon Boss: Sera

Number of Floors: 1

Mana: 100/100

Monsters: 1

The Spirit Tree's status didn't appear out of line either considering the system reset. Unfortunately for her, she couldn't sense the presence of any mortals nearby, meaning she wouldn't be able to feed the tree for some time.

One thing that did bother her more than the lack of prey, however, was the fact that the Spirit Tree only registered one floor and one monster. Sera wasn't familiar with artificial cores, but even she knew that there was no possible way that the large core she destroyed earlier was made for a dungeon with only a single floor.

But for now, there was just one last thing to check.

[Displaying Monster Unlock Options]

1. Unlock 1 random F-tier monster (Cost: 100 Core Experience)

It was good to see that the System could still produce monsters. Though, her options were about as limited as she expected.

Sera mentally commanded the roots fused to her back to recede. And as they left her spine and flesh, she walked towards a set of large stone doors at the opposite end of the room.

She stood before the doors, each etched with intricate iconography. There were depictions of humans slaying various mythical beasts, dragons, hydras, and other creatures of legend. The imagery was carved with such detail that they almost seemed to move in the flickering light from the torches. Though she had no love for humans, Sera didn't mind admiring their craftsmanship where it was warranted.

Regardless, she needed to get out. Sera almost raised a hand to command roots to assault the stone doors. Yet, she suddenly stopped herself as she remembered something important. There are no roots for me to use here.

Resorting to a more direct approach, Sera spat out a seed into her right hand. She then knelt down and placed the seed just beneath the stone doors, gently nudging it into a small crevice where the stone touched the ground.

After taking a few steps back, she snapped her fingers. The seed she planted erupted into life, sprouting a network of silver-thorned vines that surged with unnatural vigor. In seconds, the vines had infiltrated even the smallest gaps in the door, causing the stone to crack under the immense pressure.

The stone doors crumbled from the inside out. Pieces of it fell away, leaving a gaping maw in their wake.

With another snap of her fingers, the vines decomposed until there was barely any trace of their existence. Sera brushed away clouds of dust with her hands as she walked through.

When she emerged on the other side, Sera glanced up and saw a sunless, drab, gray sky greeting her. Countless shriveled-up dead trees covered the landscape; it was surprising that not a single one of them had fallen onto the ashy, dry soil.

Approaching one of the trees, she extended a hand to touch its bark. Unsurprisingly, it immediately withered under her touch. And when Sera tried to infuse her magic into the tree, instead it dissolved to dust, leaving her fingers streaked with gray. This place was once a wild dungeon, the humans must have replaced the core with an artificial one only recently.

She closed her eyes, her hand lingering in the air where the tree had once stood. She bowed her head as a profound sadness washed over her. Just how many dungeons have been lost before my arrival?

When she glanced back at the entrance to the Spirit Tree's chamber, Sera tried her best to make sense of it all. There has to be a reason for why the Spirit Tree chose to send me out only in the very last possible moment.

Sera raised a hand to her antlers, feeling their smooth, curved texture as she channeled her magic through them. The antlers crackled with energy, the bone becoming brittle under her touch. She broke off a piece, then another, and then a third as the shards of antler clattered in her palm.

She gathered these pieces in her hand, crushing them into fine powder while infusing them with her magic. The crushed antler dust swirled in her hand, until they reformed and took the shape of small, black seeds.

The elder dryad scattered these seeds in front of the entrance and across the area surrounding the Spirit Tree's chamber. While her antlers regenerated, the seeds sprouted into thick, twisting roots that wove themselves into a dense protective canopy. This should be enough to stave away any potential threats for the foreseeable future.

Closing her eyes, Sera focused and attuned herself to the environment. She extended her senses outward, feeling the cool earth beneath her feet, the sounds of the wind through the leaves, and the distant echo of water rippling. She reached deeper, her awareness stretching far beyond. There is something powerful nearby.

Soon, she felt a faint hum of energy in the distance, a large source of magic pulsing like a heartbeat. She opened her eyes, her focus sharpening on the direction of the magical resonance.

Her movements became almost trance-like as she walked by following her instincts, each step deliberate and unhurried. Sera's path led her to a lake, its surface smooth and glass-like.

She knelt at the edge, her fingers trailing through the water. The lakebed was soft, a mixture of silt and decaying leaves that swirled around her touch. She sensed a shift in the currents, a ripple that disturbed the stillness. Something was moving beneath the surface. It's a creature, one that can also sense magic.

Instinctively, Sera withdrew her hand and stepped away from the water's edge, her gaze scanning the lake with renewed caution. She pricked her hand on the sharp end of her antlers, causing thick, black sap to leak from the wound. Then, she spat out a few silvery seeds into her right hand and clenched it tight, readying herself for what was to come.

Suddenly, the earth beneath Sera's feet trembled so violently that it nearly sent her sprawling. She fought for balance, her legs tensing as she regained her footing. Her gaze snapped to the lake, where she saw how the water rapidly churned about.

Bubbles rapidly surged to the surface, bursting and sending hot steam spiraling upwards. The air filled with a misty haze, blurring the line between water and sky.

The lake's surface erupted as a figure shrouded in a mantle of orange light launched into the air with explosive force, sending towering waves hurtling towards the shore. Sera spun around just as a thunderous thud resonated from behind her, the ground vibrating beneath her feet. The sheer power of the eruption sent gusts of wind whipping across the lake, flattening the dead trees at the water's edge.

It was a creature of monumental proportions. The beast's skin was a deep, almost charcoal gray with an ashy texture. While its fur was composed of bright orange flames that crackled and writhed with each of the beast's thunderous breaths.

The beast's head was unmistakably canine, with a long, pointed muzzle and a set of sharp, glistening fangs that jutted from its maw. And every time the beast exhaled, it sent a burst of searing heat into the air.

When the creature opened its maw, it unleashed a blood-curdling screech that tore at the air. Then, the beast charged, its massive body moving with astonishing speed.

Sera pointed her wounded hand forward, channeling her strength to summon black tendrils that surged towards the beast. Despite its massive size, the creature managed to dodge, causing her tendrils to slam against the ground and miss their target entirely.

In the midst of the beast's advance, Sera threw the silvery seeds she had clenched so tightly. The seeds transformed mid-flight, blossoming into several silver-thorned vines. They entwined themselves around the beast's legs and its broad, heaving torso. The sudden restraint caught the beast off guard, its momentum turning against it as the vines pulled tight.

The beast stumbled and fell. The impact of its colossal form hitting the ground sent a small shockwave through the area.

But as the beast struggled against the vines, Sera noticed a single molten tear drip from the creature's eye. It was a sight that left her questioning whether the tear was a result of the pain from her vines, or if it was caused by something else entirely.

Yet, Sera wasn't given much time to think as the beast's intense heat melted the thorns. With a loud snap of its jaws, the beast broke free from the vines and charged at Sera again.

This time, Sera waited for the beast to come close. Just as its jaws were about to close on her, she summoned tendrils from her left hand that lifted her body off the ground to move out of the way.

Unfortunately, the beast's speed exceeded her expectations. Just as her tendrils propelled her upward, the creature's jaws snapped shut, severing her left arm at the elbow. A sharp, tearing pain exploded through her senses. Black sap spattered in the beast's wake as it retreated with a victorious snarl, plunging back into the water with a massive splash.

Sera winced as she hit the ground. But, as she pushed herself back up, it was not the pain that drew a curse from her lips, but the annoyance at her miscalculation, the sting of her pride hurt her far more than any physical injury. That was pathetic, I need to be more focused in the future.

Still, she swiftly thought of how losing her arm could still be an opportunity. When the beast re-emerged from the water, she pointed the stump of what was once her left arm at it. Countless more tendrils grew out of the wound and struck the monster mid-air, slamming it back into the lake with a force that sent ripples sprawling.

She then touched the stump with her free hand, causing the tendrils that emerged from it to rapidly decay, allowing her to detach herself from the tendrils and run. The beast is returning soon, I can feel it.

While she ran away, her left arm regenerated. New tendrils emerged from the stump, they thickened and intertwined, mimicking the form and function of muscles, layering over each other until they formed a perfect replica of her lost limb. Gradually, these fibers softened and refined their appearance as a new layer of pale skin formed over them, restoring her arm to its pristine, original state.

Behind Sera, the sound of a loud splash heralded the beast's return. As she turned to see the creature, Sera noticed how it looked almost sad. Molten tears carved paths down its scorched cheeks. Yet, this did nothing to stop the monster from releasing a torrent of flame towards her with a wrathful cry.

With the flames roaring towards her, Sera stood firm, not flinching as the flames engulfed her. The heat turned the ground beneath her feet to smoldering ash, but she remained unburnt, her gaze steady on the beast as it roared in frustration.

Sera calmly placed a hand on the ground. Her magic flowed from her palm into the ground beneath with a focus that was as unbreakable as it was tranquil.

Around the beast, several large flower buds emerged from the ground and blossomed rapidly into full bloom. In its confusion, the beast tried biting off one of the flower petals at first, but quickly spat it out as it turned into a silvery powder.

All of the nearby flowers emanated silver dust that clouded the air, quickly thickening into a shimmering haze. The beast's movements became slower, more unstable. Even as it approached Sera, it no longer ran; instead, it wobbled from side to side, its strength visibly diminishing with each step.

Finally, the creature fell to the ground and collapsed in a heap. The silver dust had taken its toll.

Sera snapped her fingers, and the blossoms that had subdued the beast now rapidly faded into silver dust that was scattered through the air. She cautiously approached the fallen beast, alert for any sign of it getting back up.

Yet, as she drew closer, a deep snoring reached her ears. The creature was fast asleep, oblivious to the world around it.

The elder dryad knew exactly what the creature was. How the mighty have fallen, to think that the primal beasts of old would now be used as glorified guard dogs.

The beast's form shrunk quickly, its massive bulk gradually diminishing as its orange flames extinguished. The transformation was marked by a series of grotesque, crunching sounds as its bones realigned and muscles reformed. In a matter of seconds, the beast was gone.

A beastkin man now lay in its place, his body curled up in a fetal position. He wore a tattered brown tunic that barely clung to his frame, along with similarly disheveled pants, while his shaggy red hair cascaded around his shoulders.

Were it not for the pair of wolf ears and furry tail that was curled beside him, he would have looked not too different from a human, albeit one with coarse gray skin. A beastkin shifter, he could potentially be useful, I could always use more pawns to help with matters in and out of the dungeon.

Sera closed her eyes and extended her senses, feeling the faint pulse of life within the beastkin. She opened her eyes and spat a seed onto the ground beside him.

The seed quickly sprouted, unfurling into roots that snaked around the beastkin's limbs, binding his arms and legs to the ground. A small precaution, just in case.

Kneeling beside him, Sera examined the beastkin closely. His body bore numerous injuries, but she could tell that most of the wounds weren't caused by her attacks. The burns and deep gashes on his skin seemed more consistent with the strain of his transformation rather than the physical damage inflicted during their confrontation. His breathing was shallow, and his muscles occasionally twitched involuntarily.

Placing her hands gently on his chest, Sera channeled her healing magic into him. A soft green light emanated from her palms, bathing his body in a soothing glow. Gradually, the worst of his wounds closed as the charred flesh knitted itself back together.