The difficulty of a Soulslike Dungeon.
It's the kind of thing you simply can't understand unless you've lived through it. If you haven't truly experienced it, there's simply no way to understand just how difficult exploration really is.
Of course, even for Ron, who had long since adapted to this level of difficulty, heading into the Mid Floors was still an unknown challenge.
There were three days left until the Dungeon Expedition.
As for why he didn't choose to split into two teams, the reason was simple—this was something they would have to face sooner or later; it was only a matter of time.
Better to take advantage of the fact that the environment hadn't deteriorated too severely yet, and let Daphne and Cassandra adapt under relatively safe conditions and at a lower cost.
After all, they couldn't form a familia,
only to run the whole "Solo Leveling" routine inside a Soulslike Dungeon.
Since they had to face the Soulslike environment head-on, then as an old Souls veteran, what Ron could do was to adapt in advance to the complex monster ecosystem of the new floors.
At the very least, during a "Monster Party" event, he'd be able to respond quickly and coordinate.
"Then…"
"Let's set off."
Fully aware that the Dungeon was definitely going to pull some disgusting bullshit next, no matter how nasty it got, Ron still had to take a taste himself—get a feel for it. After handing off the remaining preparations to Daphne, he chose to travel light and set out once more.
His objective was clear—reach the Mid Floors, conduct a basic reconnaissance of monster information and their actual strength.
Thanks to his over-the-top stats, moving alone was by far the fastest option. Ignoring ordinary monsters, a round trip to the Mid Floors wouldn't take much time.
Without notifying the others, he headed alone to Babel Tower in the center of the city.
As for the adventurers along the way—those who approached with goodwill, simply wanting to greet him or get familiar—Ron had long since grown used to dealing with them. After handling that, he entered the Dungeon.
Ordinary Goblins, Imps…
These monsters had no hunting value whatsoever. Even if they stood in his way, he had no desire to draw his weapon—he simply passed through at speed.
Killing them might be effortless, but the Adventurers Guild required that after killing a monster, its magic stone had to be collected. For Ron, that was just a waste of time.
"…"
The benefit of his previous slow-paced exploration style was that Ron had already become intimately familiar with the pathways of each floor and how to quickly reach new ones.
Very soon, he once again arrived at Floor 12. Thanks to the extinction mechanism of special monsters, the native Dungeon monsters were completely unable to stop his advance.
Standing before the stairway leading to the Mid Floors, even without having begun exploration, just gazing at that deep, pitch-black passage, Ron could already feel—the Dungeon's almost tangible malice.
As if it were saying: Didn't manage to kill you in the Upper Floors? Then let's see how you handle the Mid Floors.
"This is the place."
According to Daphne, the monster ecosystem of the Mid Floors was vastly different from the Upper Floors. Low-level creatures like Goblins or Dungeon Lizards simply didn't appear.
The most troublesome ones… were probably the creatures known as "Hellhounds." Though technically dogs, they were the size of calves, and more importantly, they were pack creatures.
Many parties stepping into the first death zone for the first time were wiped out by them.
As for another type of monster—Almiraj—it was a rabbit-like goblin creature with a horn on its head, walking on two legs, and possessing considerable combat strength.
"It's hard to imagine… what a Soulslike Dungeon would turn them into."
The Dungeon's malice was enough that even at his current level, Ron could feel the pressure. At the very least, in terms of raw strength, they were probably on par with the Black Minotaur.
Of course, it might manifest in other aspects as well?
But Ron had no reason to stop. After killing the ancient dragon Lansseax, he had obtained various ancient dragon incantations.
What their actual effects were… he could only truly understand through real combat.
As he advanced toward the first death zone—Floor 13—Ron took out the special equipment he had obtained after leveling up his Tarnished character save.
A "Sacred Seal."
Compared to the complex Shinobi Prosthetic,
this piece of equipment had a much simpler appearance. It used cracked stone as its base, embedded with pale golden scales, and was fashioned into a pendant forged from mithril.
"Why does this feel… like a Gravel Stone Seal?"
With preparations complete, Ron decisively advanced into the unexplored floor. However, upon reaching the first death zone, the scenery didn't change all that much.
It was still a cave passage.
But compared to the Upper Floors, it was noticeably wider. If one had to describe it—it was like a single-lane road becoming a double-lane.
The walls were still faintly illuminated by the dungeon's natural glow.
The same level of illumination only made the darkness of the current floor feel even deeper—at the very least, the visual pressure was stronger.
There was no way to guess what kind of monsters were waiting ahead!
"…"
You must always remain cautious of anything "Soulslike."
Especially when exploring the Dungeon alone—this was even more important. After spending 5 Soul Shards to preemptively exchange for an extra use of "Revival," Ron began exploring this brand-new floor.
However, he hadn't gone far when faint footsteps echoed from the distance ahead. Listening carefully, one could tell from the rhythm—it was definitely a monster.
At the very least, adventurers didn't move with such hurried steps…
Just as he braced himself, preparing for battle,
what appeared in the distance ahead was a monster he could never possibly forget.
This creature had a body far larger than a normal adult.
Its shape resembled a theropod dinosaur, with extremely developed hind legs contrasting sharply with its atrophied forelimbs. But the most unforgettable feature—was that grotesquely oversized dog head.
Its crimson eyes were filled with killing intent, its sharp teeth looked capable of tearing apart any living being, and the drool hanging from its jaws emitted a foul stench.
A "Giant Dog."
A T-Rex Dog.
Back in Elden Ring, relying on its aggression far surpassing even dragons and its extreme adaptability, the Giant Dog could outcompete every creature—including flying dragons.
With sheer numbers, it became the uncrowned king of Caelid.
Compared to other creatures that looked like piles of inhuman elements, this Giant Dog had all its body parts in the "right" places—
yet through their utterly mismatched combination, it formed an unsettling, grotesque appearance that assaulted the senses.
If this were in a game—
Ron would say it looked bizarrely appetizing.
But encountering it personally in the Dungeon only made his skin crawl.
Just a normal Elden Ring Giant Dog?
He didn't believe this damn Dungeon would be that kind. After hybridization, there would definitely be some unexpected tricks waiting for him.
"…"
Fun fact—
Giant Dogs were pack creatures.
Looking ahead, at those crimson eyes hidden in the darkness, Ron's previously calm state of mind gradually grew heavy.
Close-quarters combat with this kind of monster?
That would probably feel like being torn apart by a pack of hyenas.
He looked at the Gravel Stone Seal in his palm. Since he had come lightly equipped and hadn't brought Great Fortune, there was only one option left.
At this point—he could only start casting incantations.
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