When I left the inn, it was still dark outside. Fortunately, the horizon was just beginning to bleed into a pale, watery light, allowing me to navigate the cobblestone streets without a lantern, though the deep shadows made the footing a bit treacherous. I decided against purchasing new provisions this morning; I still had a decent portion of the dry rations and the expensive water bottle from yesterday, which should be more than enough to see me through the fifth floor.

  I stepped out of the inn but did not head directly toward the city’s western gates. Instead, I ducked into a narrow, quiet alleyway adjacent to the building. I paused, leaning against the cold stone of the wall, and looked around to ensure I was truly alone. I didn't necessarily have to be this cautious—adventurers in Targashar were known to use teleportation magic once they reached a certain level—but as a "Villager" with a hidden system, I preferred to keep my movements private.

  “Warp!” I whispered.

  As I had confirmed during my test yesterday, the spell functioned perfectly outside the dungeon walls. A shimmering, vertical tear appeared in the air, and I stepped through. The morning air of the city was instantly replaced by the stagnant, mineral-scented atmosphere of the labyrinth. I was standing at the entrance of the fifth floor.

  I didn't want to waste a single minute. I pulled out the map I had purchased from the guild, oriented myself, and identified the shortest possible route toward the boss chamber. With a clear path in mind, I adjusted the straps on my iron shield, gripped my steel sword, and set off toward the first major intersection.

  I expected to encounter something new—perhaps a different species of insect or a more advanced humanoid. However, the first monster that emerged from the shadows was a surprise for all the wrong reasons.

  ***

  Race: Gray Slime

  Sex: None

  Status: Normal

  Level 5

  ***

  It was a gray slime. It looked identical to the creatures I had dispatched by the dozen on the very first floor, with the sole exception that this one was Level 5.

  Is the dungeon already repeating itself? I wondered. I had only cleared four floors, yet here I was facing the same enemy from the entrance. Regardless of my disappointment, the objective remained unchanged. I had to defeat whatever was in my path to reach the higher floors. I lunged forward, timed my strike as the slime hopped, and split its core in a single, fluid motion.

  As the body dissolved, I reached down to collect the loot. It dropped exactly fifteen copper Obscura coins. While it was slightly faster than the Level 1 versions, it was still just a slime—far easier to manage than the centipedes, mosquitoes, or goblins I had faced recently.

  I paused for a moment to do the math. A Level 3 horned mosquito only dropped six coins, yet this Level 5 slime was worth fifteen. The economic scaling was clear: the floor number determined the base value of the monsters, making even the simplest enemies on the fifth floor more profitable than the more complex ones on the floors above.

  I had briefly considered the strategy of "boss farming"—repeatedly killing a floor boss for a guaranteed silver coin. If I could defeat the fourth-floor boss ten times a day, I’d earn a steady ten silver. It was a safe, reliable income. However, that strategy paled in comparison to the potential of the higher floors. If I could slay 100 slimes on this floor, I’d earn 1,500 copper—fifteen silver—with significantly less risk than facing a boss ten times. The further I pushed, the more every single strike of my sword was worth.

  I continued my advance, encountering another gray slime at the next turn. I dispatched it just as easily and kept moving. I was nearly certain now that the fifth floor was simply a higher-leveled echo of the first, a prospect that made me feel a bit let down. I had hoped for more diversity.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  But the dungeon had one more surprise for me. As I turned a corner, my high Sense stat screamed a warning. I jerked my shield up just in time to catch a high-speed projectile that had lunged from the ceiling. I redirected the force to the side, sending the attacker skittering across the floor.

  ***

  Race: Horned Mosquito

  Sex: None

  Status: Normal

  Level 5

  ***

  A horned mosquito. I realized then that my assumption about this floor being a slime-only zone was completely wrong. This was the first floor I had encountered that featured multiple species of monsters simultaneously.

  As I moved further into the floor, the pattern became clear. The fifth floor was a "Special Floor" that combined all the monsters from the previous levels: slimes, centipedes, mosquitoes, and goblins. They were all Level 5, and they each brought their unique combat styles to the mix. The slimes were easy but required a core hit; the centipedes were armored tanks; the mosquitoes were lightning-fast glass cannons; and the goblins used weapons and rudimentary tactics.

  Every regular monster on this floor dropped fifteen copper coins, regardless of their species. This made the mosquitoes and slimes the most "profitable" in terms of time, as they were the easiest to kill despite their level.

  I moved with purpose, slaughtering my way through the corridors. Thanks to the map, my progress was much faster than it had been on the fourth floor, even though the layout was noticeably larger. I noticed that the floors were expanding in a gradual, concentric fashion; I wondered if the hundredth floor would be the size of a small kingdom.

  By the time I reached the final corridor leading to the boss room, I had killed a total of thirty monsters: a mix of all four types. My pouch was heavy with an additional 450 copper coins.

  I also observed other raiders on this floor. The atmosphere was different here. I didn't see any lone individuals; everyone was moving in parties of at least three or four people. They were taking the diversity of the floor seriously, maintaining tight formations to guard against the mosquitoes' sudden charges or a goblin's flank. Since they had all fought these monsters on the previous floors, no one seemed to be struggling, but their pace was much slower and more cautious than mine.

  I was glad I had invested in the map. It allowed me to bypass several dead ends that other parties were currently stuck in. As I approached the boss chamber, I saw a shimmer in the air near the doors—a passage created by the 'Dungeon Walk' skill.

  They're farming the boss, I realized. There were more people doing it here than on the previous floors. My heart sank as I saw the line. Nine different groups were already waiting in front of the massive, glowing boss doors, chatting and checking their equipment.

  I took my place as the tenth group in line. The group directly in front of me consisted of three people. They noticed me standing alone and immediately began to whisper among themselves, though their "whispers" were perfectly audible to my enhanced senses.

  “Look at this idiot,” a man with short, grayish-black hair and a lackey-like appearance sneered, gesturing toward me. “He thinks he can take down a fifth-floor boss on his own.”

  “It’s none of our business,” the man beside him replied. He was taller, with a well-groomed physique and pale blonde hair that hung to his shoulders. He didn't even look back at me, his voice dripping with an arrogant indifference. “He can do whatever he wants.”

  “Yeah, but isn't he just full of himself?” the grayish-haired man persisted, clearly trying to get a rise out of his leader.

  “So what if he is?” the blonde man snapped, his tone turning oppressive.

  “I—I just mean, if he thinks he can do it alone, he’s basically looking down on us,” the lackey stammered. “We’re challenging the boss as a trio, after all.”

  “I told you before we entered, don't make a fuss,” the blonde man said, his voice cold. “We aren't like these cowards who need a small army and a mountain of gear just to face a floor boss. If he wants to be monster food, let him.”

  The grayish-haired man began to tremble and offered a rushed apology. The third member of their party, a girl with brown hair, didn't say a word. She looked timid, almost frightened, and I wondered how someone with her demeanor had ended up with two such arrogant "douchebags."

  I stood there, maintaining a neutral expression. Do they really think I can't hear them? I wondered. They accused me of being arrogant, yet they were the ones looking down on everyone else in line. They were a small group themselves, and their equipment didn't look particularly high-tier.

  I didn't care what they thought. If the boss proved to be a sudden difficulty spike, I could always reallocate my experience points into my combat stats in an instant. But for now, I was determined to see if I could clear this "Special Floor" with my current setup.

  The only real problem was the wait. Each party was taking a considerable amount of time inside the chamber. Even with their larger numbers, they weren't clearing the boss any faster than I had on the previous floors. I leaned against the stone wall, settled into a patient stance, and began to wait for my turn.

  [Edited]