After confirming the amount of spare equipment and potions he carried, Guede left the safe area of Floor 13.
It wasn't long before two dogs—each about the size of a calf—came padding straight toward him.
Hellhounds.
The moment they spotted him, both beasts instinctively opened their jaws and began charging up fireball magic aimed right at Guede.
Guede, of course, wasn't about to let them.
With all four core stats exceeding 1500, he exploded into motion at a frightening speed—slipping past the incoming fireballs and, before one hellhound could retreat, lopping its head off.
Hard.
It was a clean kill, but the rebound shock from striking its cervical spine was far stronger than expected.
Monsters on this floor were way tougher than the ones on Floor 12—endurance, especially, was on a completely different level.
Fortunately, the gear he'd prepared this time was also higher quality. Otherwise, that single blow would've nicked or rolled his blade.
The second hellhound used the cavern's terrain to circle and harass him.
But once Guede understood that middle-floor monsters had undergone a sharp jump across the board, he adjusted his approach immediately.
He spent more stamina, surged forward even faster, closed the distance at once—and at the right moment drove his sword into the gap between ribs, piercing the hellhound's heart.
The instant it dissolved into a magic stone, Guede sensed movement popping up around him in rapid succession—one, two, three, four, five or more!
All hellhounds.
And they were already charging magic, preparing to bombard him from all sides.
Using his Observation Haki to read the terrain, Guede forced a breakthrough—charging straight at the hellhounds blocking the passage ahead.
He stabbed one through the throat, killing it on the spot, and shot through the corridor—
Only to find two more monsters waiting for him on the other side.
They were rabbit-like creatures, gray-and-white fur, a single horn on each head, standing upright on two legs and about half a man's height, each gripping a hand axe.
One, red-eyed and bloodthirsty, rushed Guede for close-quarters combat. The other hung back, hurling throwing axes.
Observation Haki traced the flight path perfectly. Guede parried the rabbit in front of him and knocked it back, then turned and caught the thrown axe midair—
—and with that same axe, smashed it down into the knocked-back rabbit's skull.
With a punch that sent its skullcap flying, Guede plunged right back into the fight.
…
After only an hour of fighting on Floor 13, Guede was already feeling fatigue creep in.
So this really was the middle floors—an utterly different watershed.
From Floors 1 to 12, monster strength increased steadily but not dramatically; most of the danger came from traits and mechanics changing.
With the huge advantage granted by Observation Haki, Guede had descended without ever feeling "stuck." He adapted quickly at every step.
But crossing into the middle floors was too large a leap. He could clearly feel that monster stats had skyrocketed—by over 50%.
No wonder this zone was rated Level 2.
If he were in a party, it would certainly be much easier.
But Guede's fighting style was built around grinding his stats—deliberately fighting for the sake of fighting—so he didn't mesh well with most parties, whose goal was exploration.
If there was a team that would suit him, it'd be something like the Loki Familia's Sword Princess squad.
But their level gap was too large, and he had no relationship with them—so he dropped the idea.
Besides, Guede genuinely preferred solo runs.
And under this kind of high-pressure environment, his stat growth was naturally significant.
—System: Displaying Stats Only.
Strength: SSS 1627
Endurance: SSS 1610
Agility: SSS 1581
Dexterity: SSS 1563
Magic: I 0
In just this short while, the combined increase across his four core stats was nearly 200 points.
If he kept grinding for another hour, he could bring them back into a more even balance.
But for now, he needed to rest.
After deciding that, Guede casually twisted the neck of the rabbit he had pinned from behind in a chokehold—snapping it cleanly.
He pocketed the magic stone it left behind, then deliberately destroyed several high-weight terrain features in the cavern—crystals and the like—creating a temporary zone where monsters wouldn't spawn.
In the Dungeon, environmental restoration takes priority over monster generation.
If terrain within a certain radius is excessively damaged, the Dungeon diverts its power to repairing the area—and only after the terrain is restored does it begin spawning monsters again.
…
"Not bad, you lot. We've already reached Floor 12! Just a few more floors down and we'll reach the trading point I promised my buddy. Hahahaha!"
A Level 2 adventurer—slightly overweight, unshaven—shook his throat as he laughed, sounding both booming and triumphant.
A grimoire wasn't something ordinary people on the surface could afford. Outside the great familias and the black market, no one had the money.
But if he sold it on the black market, he might get robbed. If he approached a great familia, they might seize it outright.
Luckily, he had a "close friend" from the Dark Faction—backed by real power, and rich enough to pay.
And people in the underworld valued "brotherhood," didn't they? The man had even offered one hundred million valis!
With that kind of money, he could live like a king for the rest of his life.
Use the grimoire himself?
Even if he awakened some incredible magic and got recruited by a major familia… how many years of effort would it take to earn a hundred million through magic?
Obviously, taking the cash was the only sane choice.
"Boss Stuped, we're all Level 1… once we reach the middle floors, we'll need you to carry us."
"Relax. I know you're weaker than me. But you'd better still give it everything you've got. If we arrive late, that means my money sits in someone else's hands longer!"
The Level 2's expression turned ugly.
The four Level 1s instantly broke out in cold sweat, forcing out flattering smiles.
"Y-Yeah, right! Of course we'll give it everything!"
"Good. Once we get the money, I'll pay you what we agreed. For now, rest up—Supporter! Bring the food over!"
"Yes, boss!"
From the back of the group, the male Pallum supporter—Lili in disguise—hurried forward, wearing the same ingratiating expression as she set down the pack.
Stuped didn't hesitate. He grabbed a sandwich and started eating.
That swaggering posture—like the world already belonged to him—reeking of contempt.
Classic nouveau-riche mentality.
While Stuped ate, two of the Level 1s stayed behind. The other two took the "supporter" (Lili) aside under the pretense of keeping watch—then, in a patch of white mist where they couldn't be overheard, they whispered:
"So? You put the drug in, right?"
"Yeah. And I'm sure Stuped ate it."
"Heh. Good. That slow-acting stuff—given a Level 2 body, it should kick in right as we reach Floor 18. He'll collapse."
"Then we kill him, take the grimoire, and go trade with someone else in Rivira ourselves. We split the money!"
"Th-That… is that really okay?"
"What's not okay?! Didn't you see? That idiot Stuped used to call us brothers, but the moment he smelled money he stopped even looking at us—started calling himself 'boss' and treating us like lackeys. He deserves what's coming!"
"But… how do we get back up afterward?"
"Moron. Once we have the money, are you scared we can't hire muscle?"
"Y-Yeah… that's true."
After that brief exchange, Lili glanced at the blank white fog behind her.
She couldn't see anyone—but Zanis was absolutely hiding in there.
The reason no monsters had attacked was probably because he'd used a concealment potion. For a grimoire, he was willing to spend.
As for this Level 2—Stuped—he was another idiot… to the point that he was about to be betrayed by his own teammates working together.
Right now, Lili had two drugs in hand:
One from Zanis… and one from these Level 1s.
But she hadn't used either of them.
Instead, she had used a third option—her own spare: a sleep-inducing drug—and she still held the antidote for it.
…Sigh.
A pack of fools—greedy, stupid, and yet somehow still viciously cunning.
If she had a choice, Lili truly didn't want to do this.
But being too weak meant she had no freedom.
…
-------
My : pat*eon*com/RuneA
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