I finally stood at the threshold of the eighth floor. The physical environment remained stubbornly consistent—the same dark stone corridors, the same pulsing, pale green veins of light—but the atmosphere felt heavier, charged with a new level of latent threat. I had learned by now that the dungeon was not a random collection of terrors; it followed a discernable, almost algorithmic logic. If I could categorize the monsters I had faced from the first floor through the seventh, a clear pattern of "characteristic rotation" emerged.
The slimes of the first floor were basic endurance tests that required precision to hit their cores. The centipedes of the second floor introduced physical armor and the need for armor penetration. The mosquitoes on the third floor shifted the focus entirely to speed and reflexes, while the goblins on the fourth floor brought intelligence and weapon-based tactics into the mix. When I hit the sixth and seventh floors, the cycle seemingly reset but with higher complexity: the nimble wolves were the "agile slimes," and the earth turtles were the "armored centipedes."
Following this logic, I was justified in expecting the eighth floor to be another high-speed encounter—a deadlier evolution of the horned mosquitoes. My analytical mind, perhaps influenced by the structured patterns I once used to plot out complex systems or stories, warned me that I was likely right. I had hoped to be wrong, as speed-based monsters were the most physically taxing to handle, but the first shadow that detached itself from the corridor walls confirmed my suspicions.
The monster of the eighth floor was another insectoid, but it bore none of the fragile grace of the mosquitoes. It was a mantis, standing roughly one-and-a-half meters tall, perched on two powerful rear legs. Its front appendages were not mere limbs but biological scythes—jagged, emerald-green blades that it held half-raised in a perpetual state of readiness.
Unlike the mosquitoes, which relied on erratic, momentum-defying flight, these creatures were ground-bound and somewhat slow in their movement. However, their offensive speed was terrifying. They attacked in disciplined, rapid-fire bursts that felt like pre-programmed combo chains. I watched the first one I encountered carefully, my shield raised and my heart rate steady.
***
Race: Long Scythe
Sex: None
Status: Normal
Level 8
***
The name was appropriate. A scythe is, after all, just a specialized blade, and these creatures used theirs with a precision that would make a veteran harvester jealous. I stayed defensive at first, gauging the reach and rhythm of the "Long Scythe." It lunged, its blades whistling through the air in a quintet combo: right, left, right, left, and a final, heavy overhead strike from the right.
I caught the strikes on my shield, noting that while the speed was high, the raw impact didn't have much weight behind it. The creature's body was light, built for velocity rather than crushing force. After the fifth strike, the mantis paused for a fraction of a second, its mandibles clicking as it reset its posture. It was the "cool-down" period I had been looking for.
I didn't waste the opening. I performed a shield charge, putting my shoulder into the iron and slamming it into the mantis’s thorax to throw it off balance. As it staggered, I delivered a quick, precise stab into the side of its head. The steel blade slid through the chitinous armor with ease, and the monster collapsed, dissolving into the dark vapor of the floor.
As it vanished, thirty-six copper Obscura coins clattered to the stone. I paused to do the math: Floor 7: 28 copper and Floor 8: 36 copper (an increase of 8).
The sequence was holding: the increase in coin drops matched the floor number, 28 copper coins from before and 8 from this floor equal to 36 copper coins. While a few copper coins had once seemed like a pittance, gaining nearly forty per kill meant that every encounter was now covering a significant portion of my daily overhead. However, the eighth floor had a nasty surprise in store: the monsters were no longer roaming solo.
As I pushed deeper into the floor, following the shortest route indicated on my map, the difficulty spike became apparent. I encountered a total of fifty Long Scythes on my way to the boss room. Most of them were hanging around in pairs, coordinating their attacks to prevent me from exploiting the cool-down periods. When I tried to corner one, the second would lash out at my flank, forcing me to break my focus and reset my guard.
The trip was physically draining. My high stats allowed me to endure, but I couldn't avoid every strike. Several times, the mantises managed to slip a blade past my shield or find a gap in my leather protectors. None of the wounds were lethal, but my health bar began to dip into the yellow.
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I put my new Monk job to the test, utilizing the Healing Touch skill five times during the trek. The golden glow from my palm soothed the stinging cuts on my arms and legs, knitting the flesh back together and preventing any lasting damage. I also used one of the mid-level HP medicines I had purchased from Naska to maintain a steady recovery rate.
However, the constant skill usage began to take its toll on my mana reserves. I remembered the splitting headache from the serpent fight and decided to be proactive. I consumed one of my MP recovery medicines the moment I felt the first hint of mental strain. I needed to keep my mind sharp and my skills available for the boss.
As I moved, I noticed fewer and fewer other raiders. It seemed the evening was approaching, and most parties were heading back to the surface to secure their earnings and rest. I passed one group of four who were methodically carving their way through a pair of mantises; they looked exhausted but were moving with a synchronized teamwork that made my solo struggle look clumsy in comparison.
I really need that companion, I thought, my shoulder throbbing despite the healing. Raiding alone from this floor onward is a disadvantage I can no longer ignore.
I reached the boss room just as the final amber light of the setting sun would have been hitting the city gates above. A single group of four was ahead of me, and they entered the chamber almost as soon as I arrived. I sat against the cold wall, my stomach beginning to rumble with a sharp hunger. I realized that if I planned to tackle the deeper floors, I would eventually have to spend nights within the dungeon itself. The floors were becoming too large to clear in a single daylight shift.
Five minutes later, the glow on the doors began to dim. The party had finished their business. I stood up, checked the edge of my sword, and pushed through the heavy doors as they reset.
The silhouette that formed in the center of the room was exactly what I had anticipated: a mantis. But this "Long Scythe" stood two meters tall and possessed a terrifyingly graceful posture. Its eyes were not the dull gray of its underlings but a vibrant, vicious pale red.
***
Race: Long Scythe
Sex: None
Status: Normal
Level 8 Floor Boss
***
The Boss fought with the same basic logic as the regular mantises, but its combo was extended to seven strikes instead of five. It moved with a fluid, terrifying speed, its blades a blur of green steel. What made it truly dangerous, however, was the lack of an obvious opening. After its seven-attack combo, it didn't stand motionless; instead, it entered a "frenzy" state, swinging its scythes in random, unpredictable arcs for several seconds.
I played it safe, using my shield to absorb the primary combo and waiting for the random swings. I realized that during its "clumsy" phase, it was vulnerable if I could deflect one of its erratic strikes with enough force. I waited for a horizontal swipe, met it with a powerful shield bash that redirected the blade into the floor, and used the resulting imbalance to lunge.
My sword bit deep into its neck on the second hit. The Boss shuddered, its red eyes flickering, and then it dissolved.
A shower of coins erupted from the vapor. I knelt to gather the loot: three silver and sixty copper Obscura. I performed a quick mental audit of my current funds. Between the fifty regular kills, the boss drop, and my existing stash, my purse was becoming a heavyweight of its own.
***
Current Funds
Targonia Gold Coins: 15
Targonia Silver Coins: 52
Obscura Silver Coins: 52
Obscura Copper Coins: 20
***
I had more than enough to meet my goals. I quickly stepped onto the ninth floor to register my progress and then used Warp to return to the quiet alleyway behind the inn.
The city was already dark, the streetlamps casting long, flickering shadows against the stone walls. I was ravenous. I practically sprinted into the inn and ordered my dinner. Stephen brought a hearty, if unrefined, meal of boiled potatoes, carrots, and vegetables. It was seasoned with simple herbs, but in my state of exhaustion, it tasted like a feast.
I retreated to my room, and as if he were reading my mind, Stephen arrived with the hot water and towel just as I was unbuckling my armor. I spent a long time cleaning myself, the warm water washing away the grime and the residual stress of the eighth floor.
Finally, I collapsed onto the bed, but I forced my eyes to stay open long enough to check my job levels. The results were staggering.
***
Equipped Jobs:
Swordsman Level 24
Warrior Level 18
Dungeon Raider Level 18
Monk Level 13
Hunter Level 27
***
My Swordsman job had jumped by six levels, and my Hunter job was nearly at thirty. Thanks to my 49x experience multiplier and the density of the higher-floor monsters, I was progressing ten times faster than any normal villager or soldier. I was no longer just a newcomer; I was becoming something else entirely.
I closed the Player Window, a feeling of profound satisfaction washing over me. Tomorrow will be the day. I had the gold, I had the strength, and I had a clear goal: I was going to get a companion. With that thought, I finally let my eyes close and descended into a deep, dreamless sleep.
[Edited]
