Once our custom-made beds were finally ready, we set out on our dungeon exploration in earnest. Terrain-generation type dungeons were vast; even when aiming for the stairs via the shortest route, traveling took a considerable amount of time. Between gathering materials and hunting monsters for drops, it took us seven days just to reach the tenth floor. From this point on, C-rank monsters began to appear more frequently. That said, C-rank monsters probably existed as rare spawns on the earlier floors too, much like the Golden Slime on the first floor.
Our goal was the fifteenth floor. By the time we reached that depth, almost every monster encountered would be C-rank. That would be perfect for collecting the magic stones needed for Status Enhancement Potions.
But first, we had to navigate the tenth floor. The entire floor was a dense forest, making it a nightmare to explore. Because it was a terrain-generation type, there were fewer mechanical traps compared to the labyrinth-style floors. Instead, there were "natural" obstacles—if you could even call them that—hidden within the environment. Forest terrain was especially treacherous; plants that released poison spores upon contact and mushrooms that caused painful inflammation grew stealthily in the shadows. They were far more dangerous than any amateur trap.
"No good. My [Trap Disarming] skill can’t detect these," I muttered. "I can't disarm them, either. It’s too risky to touch them blindly."
Frustratingly, these environmental hazards seemed to be categorized differently from standard traps, rendering my [Trap Disarming] skill useless.
"Don't worry! I'll take care of this part!"
Fortunately, Spira was an expert when it came to forest terrain. As a spirit with the tree attribute, she seemed to have a vague grasp of everything happening within the woods. She could also use her ice attribute to freeze dangerous flora, neutralizing them temporarily. It seemed best to leave the scouting duties for this floor to her.
"Ah, wait! If you breathe in the pollen from that flower, you’ll fall fast asleep."
"Wait, really? That one?"
It was difficult to tell things apart when everything in sight was a plant. I honestly didn't know where to look. I was truly grateful Spira was with us. While I might have been able to learn a terrain-identification skill at the Guild, trekking all the way back to the first floor just for that would have been a massive ordeal. I really should have researched the available lectures more thoroughly. I’d grown too overconfident after getting used to the dungeon.
『Oh, ants!』
After following Spira’s lead through the forest for a while, we finally had our first encounter. They were massive ant monsters—Soldier Ants. The Big Ants that appeared on the second floor were only about the size of a puppy and looked like normal ants, but these were different. Soldier Ants had three pairs of legs, but one pair had developed into hands capable of wielding weapons. I wasn't sure if they counted as humanoids, but they possessed a high level of intelligence and were formidable when they coordinated in groups. Their threat level was C-rank, but since that rating was based on their strength as a swarm rather than as individuals, their magic stones might not be the best materials for Status Enhancement Potions.
Regardless, we had a fight on our hands. Three Soldier Ants emerged from between the trees. They were massive, standing about as tall as Lowell. These creatures were known to call for reinforcements, so if we dithered, the situation would quickly spiral out of control. We needed to end this fast.
"Okay, here I go!"
Lately, our battles usually began with Halfa taking the initiative.
"Wah!!!"
Halfa let out a thunderous shout. She wasn't just screaming for the sake of it, of course; the shout itself was the attack. She was using the [Shock Voice] she had learned from the skill book. It was an attack magic that fired an invisible shockwave in a straight line... though the power was, as usual, completely absurd. The moment the shockwave hit, the targeted Soldier Ant’s head burst apart. Dungeon monsters vanished when they died, which was a mercy; if this had happened outside, the scene would have been stomach-turningly gruesome.
Furthermore, the shockwave didn't dissipate upon impact. It continued through the target, striking enemies up to ten meters away. It was highly directional, meaning the width was narrow, but since the effect lasted as long as she was shouting, she could sweep her head from side to side to clear out a fan-shaped area.
I had worried the trees might obstruct the wave and reduce its power, but that wasn't an issue at all. The trees were pulverized right along with the monsters. In an instant, the three Soldier Ants and the surrounding foliage were wiped from existence. To treat C-rank monsters like mere nuisances... isn't she a bit too strong?
"Halfa, is your mana okay?"
"I'm still fine... but maybe we should rest soon."
"Right. It’s a bit early, but let’s start setting up camp here."
"Okay!"
As powerful as it was, the mana consumption was evidently quite high. She had used it repeatedly on the ninth floor as well, so she was likely nearing her limit. She probably had enough left for a few more shots, but it was better to call it a day early. We couldn't afford to be drained if an emergency cropped up.
In a stroke of luck—sort of—Halfa’s Shock Voice had mowed down enough trees to create a decent clearing. The trees on this floor were unique; once destroyed, they vanished just like the monsters. It was a shame we couldn't use them for lumber, but the fact that they disappeared along with their roots made it much easier to find a flat spot to settle. They would likely respawn eventually, but we would be fine for a single night. Probably.
Even though I called it "camping," we had the Magic House, so our stay would be perfectly comfortable. However, even the Magic House had its flaws. If the exterior took an impact while it was deployed, the interior would be violently shaken. I shuddered to imagine what would happen if the house were completely destroyed while we were inside. Because of that, a lookout was mandatory. Since we couldn't see what was happening outside from within the house, the sentry had to stand guard outdoors. It would have been easier with more people, but for four people and one animal, the rotation was a bit of a burden.
Fortunately, I did have a plan for that.