Volume 2 Chapter 14 Progressing the Conquest
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
We resumed our exploration of the eleventh floor the very next morning, despite the accident on day one. At our current level, Orcs and Lizards aren’t much of a threat. Orcs were a double win: their meat was a delicacy that fetched a premium, and their hides could be processed into solid leather armor. They were lucrative in every sense of the word. By providing the meat to our inn, we even managed to offset our lodging and meal expenses.
Lizards were equally profitable, as their fangs and hides sold well. Their skin isn’t brittle like a shell; it was flexible and elastic, making it perfect for the joints of full-plate armor or as an under-layer for heavy gear. While the hide was popular, the meat was a different story. It wasn’t in high demand, and we didn’t exactly go out of our way to eat it ourselves.
The Raging Wind (Gale) party returned to the front about a week after their rescue, just in time for our first scheduled date. While they didn’t owe me a cash reward, the cost of replacing their lost equipment had drained their savings. They mentioned they were hunting aggressively to make it back, though they were being much more cautious about traps this time around.
As the weeks passed, leveling up became a slog. The twelfth floor had a higher recommended level, the monsters were significantly stronger, and the traps were far more vicious than anything we had seen in the first ten floors. Because of this, we moved with extreme caution. It took us six weeks to clear the eleventh floor, bringing us into mid-February. While the Orc and Lizard hunts were profitable, our levels had finally climbed enough for us to move our operations to the twelfth floor.
The twelfth floor was home to Mummies and Bears. Mummies were the first undead we had encountered since the Skeletons, but they were on a whole different level of lethality. They utilized poison and Dark Magic; without a specific counter-plan, things could go south fast. Their Dark Magic can blind us or deal direct damage. (I should note that Dark Magic here doesn’t carry curse effects-those are a separate skill set used by the Ghouls we’ll encounter later.)
Bears didn’t have flashy gimmicks, but their raw strength was massive. Like the Boars, their strikes carried an “Impact Attribute¹,” but they didn’t need a running start to trigger it. This meant that closing the distance didn’t make us any safer. They were total meatheads, though, so magic tended to eat them alive.
To prepare for the Mummies, I had acquired Light and Dark Magic before we even set foot on the eleventh floor. Undead were pathetic when faced with Light Magic. When I hit them with a “Light Ball,” they hissed and sizzled away into nothing. It was a shock to witness for the first time. The spell didn’t do much against anything else, making it a niche tool-though I wondered if I could combine it with a loud noise to create a makeshift flashbang.
I took Dark Magic specifically to build a resistance to it, picking up Light Magic Resistance while I was at it. I spent a lot of time “flashing” in my room at the inn to build that tolerance. I probably looked incredibly suspicious if any of that light leaked under the door.
Financially, Mummies were a waste of time. They either disintegrated from the magic or were simply too rotten to sell. Like Skeletons, you might get a bit of alchemical material from the skull, but you couldn’t eat them, and the payout was miserable. At least the experience points were decent. Bears, however, were a gold mine. We sold the fur, meat, claws, paws, and organs. Their gallbladders can be used as-is for medicine or refined into high-grade drugs. Now that was a rewarding hunt.
I imagined a brawn-only party would struggle here. While the Raging Wind trio wasn’t stupid, they lacked Dark Magic Resistance, which would make things difficult. Ines can track monsters with Wind Magic, Juliet has her sense of smell, and Sylvie’s spirits aren’t affected by darkness, but not being able to see still spiked the danger level. I decided I should gift them some countermeasure items before they reached this floor. I considered using our date time to help them grind the resistance, but it takes normal people an eternity to learn.
While mulling this over during our twelfth-floor sweeps, I ran into Alberto’s party, “Alphabet”-the group that had mentored the other Hero party. Alberto was a Pugilist, Berta a Spearman, Karina a Priest, and her brother Dennis a Swordsman. Thanks to Karina’s presence, they seemed to be holding their own.
”Yo, Daisuke! You guys made it here already?” Alberto called out. “Making record time, huh?”
”Hello. Have you been on this floor long?” I asked.
”We haven’t been here that long, but I reckon it’ll take us a year to clear it,” Alberto replied.
”I see.”
”Thinking about staring at these mopey Mummy faces for a whole year makes me want to quit,” Berta-san said. “You guys will probably clear it in a month. Must be nice.”
”Are you not a fan of the undead, Berta-san?” I asked.
”I don’t think anyone is a fan,” Berta replied.
”Fair point,” I said.
At this level, most people only gained two or three levels a year. Spending a full year grinding through undead sounded soul-crushing.
”Karina-san, hello. No injuries, I hope?” I asked.
”None,” Karina said. “We’re being very careful, and the guys do a great job protecting me.”
”Kenta-bro is so nice!” Dennis added.
Kenta-kun seemed to be tight with them; they ate together sometimes. Dennis had really taken a liking to him. Meanwhile, Makoto, Takuya, and Kazuya were off to the side, talking only to each other. (Come on, guys, try taking an interest in other people.)
”You’re friends with the Heroes, right?” Alberto asked. “Must be tough, having to take down a Demon King.”
”They live in a completely different world than us,” Berta added.
”Elves and other long-lived races are strong, sure, but I hear those Heroes are on another level,” Alberto said.
Long-lived races like Elves and Dwarves had many powerhouses. They needed double the experience to level up, so their growth rate was slow, but their long lifespans eventually made them top-tier. Most retired to their villages or became smiths eventually, but some hit Level 80. Level 80 was the benchmark for a Hero to kill a Demon King, but you rarely saw long-lived races in a Hero Party. Most people who kept adventuring that long were either anti-social battle maniacs, too proud to take orders, or too set in their ways to work in a team. In short: they were bad at party play.
And even those high-level vets would struggle. A Demon King’s base stats were absurdly high; without a Hero’s “Monster Slayer” skills, it was a losing battle. Mind you, even with those stats, a Demon King was still weaker than a Dragon. Dragons were “absolute-no-go” zones. You didn’t even build near their territory. I planned on staying far away from them myself.
”I know some of the Hero Party, but we aren’t that close,” I said. “I didn’t even know the Hero personally before we came to this world.”
”Is that right?” Alberto asked. “I figured you were all best friends.”
”We’re from the same hometown, sure, but it’s a city of tens of millions,” I explained. “Most people there are total strangers.”
”Wait, tens of millions!?” Alberto shouted.
”Daaamn,” Dennis said. “Your world is wild.”
Most of the Hero Party were problem children anyway. I didn’t want to say too much and get flagged by the State or the Seven Pillar Religion, so I steered the conversation away. This city had maybe a few hundred thousand people; the scale of modern Japan blew their minds.
”If you guys are here, those kids we trained should be showing up soon, too,” Alberto said.
”Probably,” I replied. “I see them occasionally; we’re progressing at about the same pace.”
”That Rei girl… she felt older than me, somehow,” Alberto noted. “But hey, ask a woman her age and you’re a dead man.”
”Ahaha…” I laughed.
Good call. Alberto was blissfully unaware of the death glare Berta was giving him. He was a good guy, though-the kind of senior who treats his juniors to a night on the town.
”Stop talking nonsense,” Berta said. “Let’s get moving.”
”Right, right,” Alberto said. “See ya later!”
”Yeah, take care, Alberto,” I called back.
* * *
The twelfth floor wrapped up in a month, just as I’d predicted. It was now late March. The days were sunny, but the mornings and evenings still bit. There was no “cherry blossom” warmth yet; it felt more like early spring in Northern Japan.
The dates with the Raging Wind trio were still ongoing. We were coming up on the tenth one. I wasn’t sure if I should be happy that a third of the “contract” was over or worried that more than half was left. Because of our schedules, we usually did mornings through lunch on our off-days. Since I usually have lunch with Mercedes, we did a dinner date for the third one. Seeing the three of them dressed up for a fancy dinner… I was speechless. Every date was fun, but that was something else. We had stuck to the city during winter, but I felt it was time to head outside. A picnic in a spring meadow sounded perfect.
My relationship with them hadn’t shifted much; we were basically just good friends. Because I had that “leverage” over them, I’ve been holding back. I wanted to wait until we were on equal footing before I try to take things further.
* * *
The thirteenth floor introduced Tortoises and Treants. The Tortoises were massive land turtles that use Earth Magic. Most importantly: they were hard. Ridiculously hard. They even had “Hardening” skills on top of their natural shells. If things look bad, they just tucked their heads in and waited you out. Treants were tree monsters that used Wood Magic, but their “HP Drain” was the real killer. If you got tangled in their roots, avoiding the drain was almost impossible.
I prepped with Weakening Magic for the turtles and Wood Magic/Restraint Resistance for the trees. You could take down a Tortoise by tanking its VIT with weakening spells or using Wind Magic. The former saved MP and kept the materials in better condition. If I was in a rush, I could use “Maten²” to buff my weapon and try to take the head off before they hardened. If I pulled it off, the shell stayed pristine-definitely worth the effort.
Treants were easy if you had Fire Magic and kept your distance. Their VIT was low. I actually let myself get caught by one-after clearing the area to make sure it was safe-just to grind my “HP Drain Resistance” without spending skill points. Safety first, of course.
Tortoise shells sold for a fortune. The meat was a delicacy too, but the shell was the real prize-perfect for top-tier shields or armor. Treants were good for lumber, but they were highly sought after for making staves. Another good payday.
I also picked up “Strengthening Magic” while I was at it. I probably should have grabbed it sooner, but I hadn’t really needed it. Unlike my “Super Strength” or “Haste” skills which only buffed me, I can cast these on others. The duration was short, but they stacked with my self-buffs.
* * *
The thirteenth floor took about five weeks. It was late April now, and finally getting warm. I really wanted to take the girls on a date outside the capital. My relationship with them still hadn’t made a “big” leap, but meeting every week was clearly building a bond.
We moved floors based on the average level of the party members besides me. They had just hit Level 40. I was at 57. The gap was widening faster than I had expected.
The fourteenth floor was home to Jack Frosts and Ghouls. Jack Frosts had a freezing Water Magic attack that rooted you and drained health. It was a death trap if you didn’t have Freezing Resistance. Ghouls, as I mentioned, had “Curse” attacks, along with poison, paralysis, and Dark Magic. The Curse attack tanked your stats. One wasn’t a problem, but if a pack of them stacked it on you, you were done.
I picked up Freezing and Curse Resistance. Jack Frosts were pathetic against Fire; they go down easy. Ghouls were tougher but melted under Light Magic since they were undead. Physical attacks worked too, since their VIT was low.
The fourteenth floor was a “poverty” floor. You needed a ton of resistances to survive, but nothing sold. Jack Frost ice sold to collectors, but it wasn’t worth the carrying capacity. It was an unpopular floor because it was high-effort and low-reward. We spent most of our time back on the thirteenth floor farming gold instead.
We were looking to upgrade from “Demon Iron” to “Glitter Iron³” gear soon. We were about to start hitting Rank-B monsters, and Demon Iron was starting to feel flimsy. Glitter Iron held way more Mana and actually shimmers when you channel magic through it. It’s expensive as hell, so we needed the cash.
Once everyone hit Level 42, we decided to stop stalling and move to the fifteenth floor. This was a massive milestone for adventurers-the floor of the Golems. The seasons had turned. It was now the end of May.
—
Summary:
Daisuke’s party progresses rapidly from the 11th to the 14th floor over several months. They grind for experience and gold, preparing for the challenging 15th floor. Relationships with the ‘Raging Wind’ party continue to develop through regular dates.
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Trivia:
- The 14th floor is considered a ‘poverty floor’ because drops don’t cover the cost of resistances.
- Dragons are considered far stronger than Demon Kings and are absolute ‘no-go’ zones.
- Long-lived races like Elves have slower growth rates but higher level caps (around Level 80).
- Glitter Iron is the next tier of equipment material above Demon Iron.
- Mummies are the first undead since the early skeleton floors
—
Character Insight:
Daisuke shows a mix of pragmatic calculation and genuine empathy. He holds back on the ‘Raging Wind’ girls because he feels the power imbalance makes a move unethical, showing a desire for a genuine, equal connection.
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Behind the Scenes:
The ‘digest’ format is a common web novel tool to skip repetitive grinding while showing power scaling.
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TL Notes:
Notes:
• Juliet – Beast‑kin adventurer, 150 cm tall, blue bob hair, cat ears and tail, large chest, light armor, dual‑wielder with Idaten skill wielding a two‑handed sword. Member of Gale and Raging Wind parties, excellent sense of smell for scouting; gear often shatters after an Orc fight. Prickly tsundere who avoids lewd talk, sensitive palate (nekojita), short‑tempered Twin Winds instructor who insults the protagonist and snaps at Daisuke’s teasing about her age and rank.
• Sylvie – Elf, 140 cm tall, petite and loli-like with long wavy blonde hair, wearing frilly robes, she is a spirit-magic specialist and member of the Gale Party, serving as Daisuke’s instructor and the group’s highest-leveled adventurer. Though youthful in appearance, she radiates a terrifying aura when her age is questioned, exuding refined maturity. She excels in spirit magic for scouting and trap detection, relying on MP potions in combat, but struggles physically due to her slender build. The most tolerant of the trio regarding adult topics, she balances innocence with seasoned wisdom, despite lower MP endurance than her level suggests.
• Ines – 170 cm tall, long green hair, voluptuous build; wears heavy armor but prefers feminine, college‑girl style. D‑Rank, Level 21+ magic swordsman who fuses wind magic with swift swordplay, accelerates with gusts. Cool‑headed yet shy, pouting when teased; dignified leader of Twin Winds and Leemans mentor, safety‑first and light‑drinker. Member of Raging Wind and Gale (烈風), feels a professional debt to Daisuke, and though a skilled knight, remains innocent and naive.
• Alberto – Blue‑haired beastman, leader of adventurer party ‘Alphabet’ and former pugilist mentor to the Hero party, instructs the Working Women Party and is a married regular at the local brothel, often treating rookies to meals and entertainment. Friendly and a bit loud.
• Dennis – A Swordsman in ‘Alphabet’ and Karina’s younger brother. Friendly with Daisuke’s party member, Kenta.
• Karina – A Priest in ‘Alphabet’ and Dennis’s older sister. Provides essential support for her party in high-difficulty strata.
• Berta – A Spearman and member of ‘Alphabet’. Alberto’s partner. Has a low tolerance for his nonsense and a dislike for undead.
• Kenta – Black‑haired magic swordsman Kenta‑kun, ice‑coated blade, member of the “Three Idiots.” Reincarnated, serves Salarymans & Leemans, fights beside Daisuke (Lv20+), looks drained after red‑light clash, hesitates to kill, watches the hero’s hidden strength, and fits into Daisuke’s party, bonding with other adventurers.
• Kazuya – Scrawny, low‑key summoner in Daisuke’s party and rear‑guard of the Leemans, one of the “Three Idiots”. Freckles vanished after leveling. He grades his ~20+ Summoning Magic in his room, picturing a dancer‑like woman and a weak slime to aid combat. Speaks with a junior‑slacker cadence, has a 2‑D little brother, and leans on summoned entities.
• Makoto – Short, once‑chubby Earth‑summoned Leeman blacksmith (Lv20+), now slimmer with clear skin after leveling, speaks stiff samurai‑style “sogashi”. High STR/VIT, tanks goblins, never kills humans, dreams of mastering the forge under a mentor, frequents the workshop, awes at an elegant elven girl—his elven enthusiasm legendary. Party member, friend and apprentice blacksmith, open lolicon who says “cuteness is justice”, called Makoto‑san by Milliam, vanguard/tank with hammer and heavy armor, high endurance.
• Takuya – A black‑garbed, masked ninja, once cast out by the Hero’s party, now mid‑guard of the Salarymen and a Leemans member in Daisuke’s crew. He speaks in faux‑samurai tone, stresses stealth and pragmatic combat, trains at level 20+, and as a member of the ‘Three Idiots’ delivers vital‑point strikes while on watch. Ninja class, all‑male party, with a yandere preference.
• Rei – A 155 cm, standard‑built member of the Leemans party, she sports twin‑tails, thick chest armor and a bright, high‑energy aura. Former corporate employee and hobbyist cosplayer, she’s known for comedy routines and wields the unique “Rainbow Raiment” skill that brightens allies and makes her stand out in the magic‑clad class.
• Mercedes – Brown semi-long hair, a white frilled one-piece replacing thick chest armor, she is the shrewd, overworked Home Secretary (Naimukyou) of the Maultasche Kingdom, mother of Patrizia, and a high-ranking noblewoman overseeing domestic affairs, security, and the Investigation Bureau—yet remains a high-spirited Royal Knight who meditates, teaches shield techniques, leads parties, despises goblins and orcs, views dungeons as divine trials, wields elite combat and destruction magic, and deeply understands guild mechanics; she proudly calls herself an “Elegant and Fair Knight” and was once mentioned as a previous date interest.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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