Mark returned to his rigorous routine of meditation and training, standing on the threshold of C+ rank. His primary focus remained the development of HEEM. As the name implied, High Element Manipulation represented the pinnacle of elemental control. Mark was confident that if he continued to increase his mana capacity, he could thrive in the outside world relying on HEEM alone.
However, there were significant hurdles. HEEM (High Earth Element Manipulation) required an immense amount of mana to sustain. Its overwhelming effectiveness in the Catacombs was largely due to the environment—being surrounded by earth allowed Mark to simply bury his enemies under tons of collapsing soil. Moreover, his opponents there were brainless undead, lacking any tactical sense. Even the Lich didn't seem particularly intelligent, though to be fair, Mark had buried it alive the moment he sensed its rank, giving it no chance to act. Regardless, it showed no signs of higher intellect.
Furthermore, any monster or mage with Mana Sense would immediately detect the ground being saturated with mana, putting them on high alert. While HEEM was undeniably a powerful master-skill, for Mark, building his entire combat style around it was still premature—an expensive "luxury" he couldn't yet afford in a prolonged battle.
Upon reaching C+ rank, Mark felt ready to explore territory of the second floor—a place he had once suspected to be the Floor Boss's lair. As he traveled, he kept his combat restricted to Earth Armor, Air Dash, and Air Impact. He couldn't help but wonder how he appeared to the world outside: a figure entirely encased in jagged, earth-colored plating. Would they even recognize him as human, or would they mistake him for a Stone Golem or some new breed of monster?
Earth Armor was a testament to Mark's ingenuity. In the outside world, a mage with enough skill to maintain such a complex spell would likely be wealthy enough to purchase high-grade physical armor or enchanted protective amulets. To most, Earth Armor would seem like a "pointless luxury"—too much mental effort for something a piece of steel could do. But in the resource-depleted vacuum of the dungeon, it was Mark's only lifeline.
The new inhabitants were bizarre: a hive of Chimeric Insects with no discernible logic to their physiology. While their individual strength didn't pose a threat, Mark's heart sank as he mapped out their territory. They had constructed a massive, intricate Ant Nest deep beneath the surface. His face darkened; he knew that to get to the bottom of this mystery, he would have to re-enter the claustrophobic nightmare of the underground tunnels once again.
Mark spent the following weeks meticulously mapping the Ant nest. The primary obstacle wasn't the chimeras themselves—though their sheer numbers and venomous strikes were a constant headache—but the labyrinthine complexity of the nest. To conserve mana, Mark refrained from using HEEM unless absolutely necessary, often retreating to the Safe Zone to recover from the mental exhaustion of navigating the maze.
The rewards, once again, were underwhelming. The idea of consuming insect meat was revolting, especially since these hybrids were a grotesque mix of Orc parts and other unknown monsters. None looked alike, and none looked appetizing. Furthermore, the E-rank monster cores provided little incentive for a C+ rank mage. Haunted by the disappointment of the Catacombs, Mark tempered his expectations for a Floor Boss.
Finally, he reached the heart of the colony and discovered the source: the Chimeric Insect Queen.
Chimeric Insect Queen
Mana : C
Ki: None
Despite her C-rank mana core, the Queen appeared to be nothing more than a biological factory dedicated to reproduction. Mark realized that the chaotic variety of the chimeras was due to the Queen's diet; whatever creature she consumed directly influenced the traits of her offspring. Reaching her had required slaughtering millions of her children, yet the Queen herself was pathetic and defenseless. At the very least, Mark secured a C-rank monster core for his troubles.
Mark had lost track of time during his weeks in the Ant Nest, but he was certain at least a month and a half had passed. Seeking a change, he decided to venture into a sparse, heavily humid region—a place he had avoided due to the oppressive dampness and the relentless swarms of mosquitoes. Strangely, after a week of scouting, he found the monster population surprisingly low compared to other sectors of the second floor.
In the second week, the reason revealed itself by pure chance. Through his Earth Sense, Mark detected a massive, rhythmic dragging sound from a great distance. It was a gargantuan creature, moving with a heavy, ominous thrum. Initially, Mark hesitated to approach, but a gut instinct told him: This is the Floor Boss. Once he drew close enough for his sensory radius to trigger, the system's Appraisal confirmed his suspicion.
Six-Headed Hydra (Floor Boss)
Mana Rank: B+
Ki: None
Mark held his breath, remaining motionless until the titan drifted far out of range. Only then did he retreat to the Safe Zone, his chest heaving as he tried to calm his racing heart. The good news: he had finally found the Floor Boss. The bad news: it was a Hydra. Another bit of "good" news was that at B+ rank, this Hydra was likely young or weakened, as a fully matured Hydra would typically command a much higher rank.
Initially, Mark didn't rush. He committed himself to a grueling cycle of meditation and mana refinement, determined to push his rank from C+ to B-. After a long period of focused training, he finally achieved it. His Multi-Sense radius expanded to 60 meters. Mark believed that if he studied the Hydra and found its weak points, victory would be within reach. He donned his fresh set of clothes—the Safe Zone's quarterly gift that served as his only clock—and headed back to the second floor. It had been exactly one year and three months since he entered the dungeon.
Mark was genuinely confident. However, the dungeon—or perhaps reality itself—seemed to take a twisted pleasure in shattering his expectations. When Mark returned to the Hydra's territory and triggered the Appraisal...
Six-Headed Hydra ( Floor Boss)
Mana Rank: A-
Ki: None
Mark didn't flinch; his face remained as cold and immobile as stone. But anyone looking at that mask of calm would have sensed that something was fundamentally wrong. He walked back to the Safe Zone in eerie silence. Only after ensuring he was behind the absolute protection of the zone did he let out a roar that shook the walls: "WHAT THE FUUUUUCK!!!!!!??"