164 THE NEW CORE
Yun-Yun didn't respond immediately.
Yun-Yun's voice carried a hint of disappointment as she explained, "There's a problem. The jade coffin isn't designed for this dungeon. It doesn't fit. Reconfiguring it to work here would require a team of the best mages and a very long time."
Leo's mind raced. He quickly opened his control panel and began studying the intricate magic codes of the realm and the jade coffin itself.
"What are you thinking?" Yun-Yun asked, watching his focus sharpen.
Leo's eyes lit up with realization. "Do you remember when this dungeon was ruled by Madam La Rosa? At the time, I didn't understand how it worked, but now it makes sense. Her scepter—the Rose Scepter—was the core of the dungeon."
Yun-Yun nodded slowly, piecing it together. "That's why this dungeon doesn't have a core anymore. You gave the Rose Scepter to Dassa."
"Exactly," Leo said, his voice tinged with regret. "I didn't realize the consequences back then."
"Neither did I," Yun-Yun admitted. "If I had, I would have asked you to keep the scepter."
But Leo wasn't one to give up easily. He immersed himself in the magic codes once more, analyzing their structure. A daring idea formed in his mind.
"Let me think."
He carefully replicated the magic codes of the Rose Scepter and integrated them into the realm. To his surprise, the realm's latent magic reacted.
"Here and here," Leo said, pointing to several spots in the chamber. "These are the magic nodes that connect the core to the dungeon."
Leo discovered nodes in the software of the realm that was ready to accept and attach other modules. He studies the nodes and compared them to his database of codes in this world.
Yun-Yun's eyes widened. "Are you saying we can attach a new core to the dungeon through these nodes?"
"I can try," Leo said with determination.
From his database he located the program of the Rose Scepter and focused on the portion that could connect seamlessly into this magic realm. Comparing those with the codes in the jade coffin- he found several matches.
He positioned the fragmented jade coffin at the central point of the chamber, aligning it's code with the dungeon's magic nodes. Carefully, he searched for the codes on the coffin fragments.
Through a painstaking process of trial and error, he managed to connect the jade's receptors to the dungeon's nodes by reprogramming its magic codes.
Suddenly, the shattered jade began to glow. The fragments reshaped themselves, merging and transforming until a magnificent jade throne stood in their place.
Leo stared at the throne in astonishment. "Why did the coffin turn into a throne?"
Yun-Yun studied the radiant artifact with a small smile. "The Great Emperor's tomb needed a coffin because he was dead. We're alive. A throne suits our dungeon far better."
Leo's curiosity deepened. "The core can think for itself?"
"Yes," Yun-Yun replied. "With a core, the dungeon gains a mind of its own."
Leo stepped back, marveling at the transformation. The jade throne pulsated with life, its presence filling the chamber with a sense of purpose and vitality. The dungeon was no longer incomplete; it had a mind now and it was ready to serve its new masters.
As the jade throne solidified, the dungeon began to shift. The throne's magic took root, merging with the dungeon's foundation.
"The jade throne is taking over the dungeon," Leo said, sensing its growing influence.
"Let it," Yun-Yun replied calmly. "As long as you can control it ultimately."
Leo summoned his control panel and inspected the throne's magic. "I studied the jade throne extensively," he said. "Its design had bottlenecks—flaws that limited its potential."
"Then fix them," Yun-Yun urged.
Leo worked swiftly, rewriting the magical codes of the jade throne, removing the blockages. As he unlocked the throne's hidden capabilities, the dungeon underwent a complete transformation.
The cold stone walls dissolved, replaced by thick, living willows. The willows wove together to form walls and hallways, creating a labyrinth of shifting greenery.
"This is the same labyrinth from the Great Emperor's dungeon," Leo noted, "but without the cold stone gargoyles and the protocol that forced everyone to kneel before the coffin."
The new labyrinth featured choke points—natural bottlenecks that could be fortified to enhance the dungeon's defenses.
"The mind of the dungeon designed a strong defensive mechanism- a labyrinth with choke points. We'll need guardians at each choke point to secure the labyrinth," Yun-Yun said.
"Where are we going to find suitable guardians?" Leo asked.
A thought struck him. He raised his hand, summoning a large, imposing spider. It was the Spider Queen, a creature he captured in the Sodom ruins using his Ward Ring.
"This spider is perfect," Yun-Yun said, inspecting it. "She can guard the middle choke point."
"What about the other two choke points?"
"The first choke point can be guarded by the Amara Clan. Our potion brewery and dungeon cells can be placed here. As for the final guardian, we'll acquire it in due time," she said confidently.
"There's something else," Leo said, "With the magic in this dungeon supporting me, we can augment our Dragon Rakshasa Body Transformation Sutra using the magic water from the Spider Queen's lair."
He quickly retrieved a portion of the glowing magic water, its radiant energy pulsing faintly in his hands.
"Let me handle it," Yun-Yun offered, stepping forward.
Her deep knowledge of magic and her ability to channel the dungeon's energy made her the perfect candidate for the task. With practiced ease, she began channeling the magic of the dungeon into their Body transformation magic.
The magic water fused with their Body Transformation Sutra, enhancing it to become impervious to physical harm.
"There's so much to do in this dungeon now," Yun-Yun admitted, her eyes gleaming with ambition as she surveyed their surroundings.
The potential of the place was vast, and her mind was already racing with plans to unlock its full power. With a newfound sense of purpose, Yun-Yun threw herself into her work.
As she tended to her wounds, she also began refining the willow labyrinth, its twisting paths and hidden traps becoming even more intricate under her careful adjustments.
She turned her attention to the jade throne, harnessing its latent energy to strengthen the dungeon's defenses and amplify its magic.
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