The last thing Tobi Adeyemi remembered from Earth was the familiar smell of rain-soaked red soil and the loud voice of his mother shouting from the kitchen.
"Tobi! If you fail this course again, I will personally send you back to the village to farm cassava!"
He had laughed, spooning another mound of iyan and egusi into his mouth while balancing his phone on his knee. Second-year Mechanical Engineering at the University of Ibadan. Mid-semester exams in three days. He had exactly forty-seven minutes of study time left before his body betrayed him and demanded sleep.
That was the plan.
Instead, he stood up too fast, felt the world tilt, and his foot caught the edge of the old plastic chair his father refused to throw away. The next second he was tumbling down the short flight of stairs outside their boys' quarters, phone flying, head cracking against the concrete.
Oya, see me see trouble.
That was his last coherent thought.
No bright light. No voice of God. No "You have died" screen.
Just darkness, the distant sound of his mother screaming his name, and then… nothing.
When consciousness returned, it came with the worst headache of two lifetimes and the distinct feeling of being buried alive.
Tobi opened his eyes.
He was lying on cold stone inside a dimly lit cave. Bioluminescent moss glowed faintly on the walls, casting soft blue light across jagged rocks. The air smelled of wet earth and something metallic.
He sat up slowly, patting himself down. Same height. Same dark skin. Same University of Ibadan hoodie that had seen better days. His hands looked normal. His legs—
"Wait… I'm not dead-dead?" he muttered, voice echoing strangely.
A soft, sleepy feminine voice suddenly spoke directly inside his head.
"You are very dead. Stop moving so much… you're making my head hurt."
Tobi froze.
"Hello? Who's that? Where are you?"
"I'm right here. Inside your soul. Or you're inside mine. Semantics. Just… be quiet for five more years. I'm trying to sleep."
Tobi looked around wildly. "This is not funny, abeg. If this is one of those cultist things, tell them I have nothing. My father is a teacher!"
A sigh echoed in his mind, followed by a small translucent window that appeared in front of his eyes like a game HUD.
System Notice
Contractor: Tobi Adeyemi
Title: Apostle of Nyx, the Eternal Slumberer
Dungeon Core Rank: F- (Pathetic)
Current Dungeon Size: 47m² (Single Room + Tiny Tunnel)
Mana Reserves: 12/500
Apostle Skills:
Perfect Copy & Upgrade (Unique) – You may perfectly copy any skill, spell, or ability you witness once, then upgrade it beyond its original limits.
Apostle's Authority – You may freely modify dungeon structure, creatures, and functions using available mana.
Nyx's Message: Please stop shouting. I'm begging you.
Tobi stared at the floating blue box for a long moment.
Then he started laughing. Hard.
"Ah! Ah!! So this is how it is? I died falling from ordinary stairs and now I'm in a game? Chai. Na wa o. The ancestors really have favorites."
He stood up, brushing dust off his jeans. "Alright, Nyx. Show yourself. Let's talk business."
A small glowing orb the size of a football materialized in front of him, pulsing with soft lavender light. Inside the orb, a tiny girl with long silver hair and sleepy half-lidded eyes floated cross-legged. She looked no older than sixteen and extremely done with life.
"This is as 'myself' as you're getting. I'm a Dungeon Core. We don't have physical bodies unless we spend stupid amounts of mana. Which we don't have."
Tobi circled the orb, grinning. "You're cute sha. Like a sleepy anime character. But why do you sound so tired?"
"Because I am tired. I've been alive for four hundred years and all I've done is hide in this mountain so bigger dungeons don't eat me. I just want to sleep and slowly accumulate mana. That was the plan until some over-energetic human soul got slammed into me by the World System."
Tobi's grin widened. "Lucky you. Because this over-energetic human is about to change your life."
Nyx's orb dimmed slightly. "I already regret this."
For the next hour, Tobi explored his new home.
It was… disappointing.
The "dungeon" was literally one medium-sized cave with a single narrow tunnel leading outside. No traps. No monsters. Just some weak glowing mushrooms and a few pathetic slimes the size of oranges that jiggled away when he approached.
He poked one with a stick.
It made a sad blorp sound.
Skill Witnessed: Slime Body (F-rank)
Copy available.
Tobi's eyes sparkled. "Oh? Free skill?"
He selected copy.
A warm feeling spread through his body. Suddenly he could feel his insides become slightly… squishy? He focused, and the skill upgraded automatically.
Skill Upgraded: Slime Body → Adaptive Slime Constitution (B-rank)
Your body gains high elasticity and minor regeneration. You can now survive blunt force trauma much better. Side effect: You will never get food poisoning again.
Tobi flexed his arm. "Nice. Free insurance."
Nyx's voice was horrified. "You just wasted mana copying a slime skill? Those things are everywhere!"
"Relax, madam. This is called market research."
He walked to the tunnel entrance and peeked outside.
Bright sunlight filtered through dense forest. Massive trees with leaves the size of umbrellas. In the distance, he could see what looked like a medieval-style road with actual horse-drawn carts. A group of three people in leather armor were walking toward the mountain.
Adventurers.
Tobi's Naija senses immediately went into hustle mode.
"Nyx, how much mana do we have again?"
"11/500 now. You used one point showing off."
"Perfect. We're going into business."
"We're going to die."
Tobi spent the next several hours planning like a man who had just discovered capitalism in a fantasy world.
First, he used his Apostle's Authority to reshape the dungeon entrance. He widened the tunnel slightly and created a fake "Welcome" sign made of stone that read in Common Script (somehow he could read it now):
"Nyx's Mystical Cave – Treasure Inside. Enter at Own Risk."
Nyx was appalled. "You're literally advertising that we're weak! Are you insane?"
"Psychology, my dear Core. People love thinking they can get something for free. First rule of hustle."
He then created three basic stone golems using most of their remaining mana. They were slow and ugly, but they could swing clubs.
Golem Creation Cost: 8 mana each
Remaining Mana: 2/500
Tobi named them Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.
"Why those names?" Nyx asked, genuinely confused.
"Because life is hard, and these boys will be working every day."
He positioned them near the entrance as "security."
Then he sat down cross-legged in the middle of the cave, thinking.
"Nyx, give me the full status on what dungeons normally do in this world."
The Core sighed but complied. A much larger blue window appeared.
Dungeon Common Knowledge (World System):
Dungeons produce mana crystals, rare materials, and artifacts.
Stronger dungeons attract stronger adventurers who clear floors and leave behind loot when they die.
Conquered dungeons are absorbed by the victor.
Most new dungeons are destroyed within the first year.
Famous dungeons become tourist attractions, trading hubs, or nation-level powers.
Tobi's eyes were practically glowing. "So basically… we're sitting on undeveloped real estate with infinite passive income potential."
"If we don't die first."
He clapped his hands. "Plan A is simple. We start small. Bait weak adventurers. Copy their skills. Upgrade the dungeon slowly. Build an empire. Make Nyx the strongest Dungeon Core on the continent. Retire rich. Maybe open a proper restaurant serving real jollof rice."
Nyx's orb spun slowly. "You… have disturbingly big dreams for someone who died falling down stairs."
"Na who no get dream dey suffer."
The first group of adventurers arrived two hours later.
There were three of them. All bronze-rank.
A tall swordsman with a chipped blade.
A short archer girl with messy brown hair.
A nervous mage holding a wooden staff.
They stopped at the entrance, reading Tobi's sign.
"Looks fresh," the swordsman said. "Probably a newborn dungeon. Easy crystals."
The archer nocked an arrow. "Stay alert. Even weak dungeons can be tricky."
Tobi hid behind a rock formation he had quickly raised, watching them with excitement. Nyx was panicking in his head.
"They're going to kill my golems in ten seconds! We're finished!"
"Relax. Watch and learn."
The adventurers entered.
Monday the golem stepped forward and swung its stone club.
The swordsman parried easily and sliced the golem in half with one clean cut.
Skill Witnessed: Basic Sword Slash (E-rank)
Copy available.
Tobi grinned and copied it instantly.
Skill Upgraded: Basic Sword Slash → Nigerian Efficiency Slash (A-rank)
Your slashes now carry 300% more force when you shout motivational phrases. Cooldown reduced by speaking in your mother tongue.
He almost laughed out loud.
Tuesday and Wednesday lasted slightly longer but were also destroyed quickly. The adventurers were laughing now, relaxed.
"See? Told you it was pathetic," the mage said, collecting the small mana crystals that dropped from the broken golems.
They moved deeper into the cave.
Tobi stepped out from behind the rock, dusting his hands.
"Welcome, customers! How was the service?"
All three adventurers spun around, weapons raised.
The swordsman narrowed his eyes. "A human? Are you a dungeon explorer too?"
Tobi smiled brightly, the kind of smile that usually preceded him collecting money from friends.
"Not exactly. I'm the Apostle of this dungeon. And I'd like to make you a business proposal."
The archer girl kept her arrow pointed at his face. "You're with the dungeon? Then you're our enemy."
"Harsh. Very harsh. But hear me out first." Tobi raised both hands peacefully. "You came here for crystals, right? I can give you better ones. Higher quality. In exchange, I just need you to use a few skills in front of me. Think of it as… content creation."
The mage blinked. "What?"
Nyx screamed in his head. "You're going to get us killed!"
Tobi ignored her and kept talking.
"Look, I'm new here. You're new here. We can help each other. I'll even throw in a healing mushroom for free if you let me watch you fight properly."
The swordsman laughed. "He's crazy. Just kill him."
As the swordsman lunged forward with the same Basic Sword Slash from earlier, Tobi activated his newly upgraded version.
"Nigeria go better!" he shouted in English, then followed up with rapid Yoruba, "Oluwa, ma je ki won ba mi se!"
His hand moved in a blur. The force of the slash was completely different now. The swordsman's blade was knocked away and he stumbled backward, eyes wide.
"What the—?!"
Tobi didn't stop. He copied the archer's next move when she fired an arrow, then upgraded it.
Skill Upgraded: Power Shot → Explosive Naija Arrow (A-rank)
Arrows now explode on impact with the force of a small pepper spray grenade mixed with pure frustration.
He didn't have a bow, but the knowledge flooded into him anyway.
The three adventurers suddenly looked much more serious.
The mage began chanting.
Tobi's smile never faded. "Good. Show me more. I'm learning fast."
The fight lasted twelve minutes.
Not because Tobi was overwhelmingly strong yet — he wasn't — but because every time they used a new skill, he copied and immediately upgraded it, turning the battle chaotic and hilarious.
By the end, the swordsman had a broken sword, the archer had run out of arrows, and the mage was sitting on the ground in disbelief after Tobi reflected a weakened Fireball using an upgraded version of Slime Body (now called Adaptive Slime Reflection).
Tobi stood over them, breathing hard but still grinning.
"See? Wasn't that fun? Now, as promised…"
He used the last bit of dungeon mana to create three slightly better mana crystals from the golem remains and tossed them over.
"Take these as apology for the rough welcome. Come back next week. We'll have better traps. Better loot. And I'll pay you properly for testing my new security features."
The swordsman stared at him like he was insane. "You're… recruiting us?"
"Call it a partnership. Word of mouth is powerful. Tell your friends this dungeon is different. Special. Run by a guy who understands business."
The archer girl — who had been mostly quiet — suddenly blushed a little when Tobi winked at her while handing over an extra crystal.
"Her name is Lila," Nyx whispered in his head, sounding exhausted. "And I can already tell you're going to cause problems."
The adventurers eventually left, confused but richer than when they arrived.
Tobi sat down heavily on the cave floor as the System window updated.
Mana Reserves: 87/500 (+75 from the small battle and deaths)
New Dungeon Reputation: "Weird but Generous"
New Title Acquired: Smooth-Talking Apostle
Nyx's orb floated down to eye level, looking completely drained.
"…You're actually dangerous."
Tobi laughed, lying back on the cool stone. "This is just the beginning, Nyx. We're going to build something legendary. People will come from all over the continent to challenge the great Dungeon of Nyx. And we'll be ready."
He closed his eyes, still smiling.
"By the way… what do girls in this world like? Asking for a friend."
"I'm going back to sleep. Wake me up when we're about to die."
Tobi chuckled. "Fair enough. Sweet dreams, madam Core."
Outside, the sun was setting over the forest. Somewhere in the distance, the three adventurers were already arguing about whether to tell their guild about the crazy human running the new dungeon.
Tobi Adeyemi, formerly of Ibadan, now Apostle of Nyx, stretched his arms behind his head.
"New world. New rules. Same hustle."
He couldn't wait for tomorrow.