I was once again by myself, well... Also with Lila perched in her usual spot, watching me intently. She was quiet, waiting for my decision on how we would proceed.

  There wasn’t much to think about; my mind was already made up. I’d known my next step since last night. I was going to push forward, by build my army further.

  Without wasting any time, pulling at the mana reserves within me. I began the summoning process. One by one, the slimes appeared, their gelatinous forms materializing in front of me with soft plops.

  When I’d finished, six new soldiers stood alongside my four existing ones. Ten slimes in total.

  Summoning them had drained nearly all of my mana that I managed to recoup during my rest, leaving me with just enough for one more crucial step. I commanded the new recruits to shapeshift, their bodies rippling and shifting as they formed into their new roles. Each of the six new slimes hands gripping greatswords that materialized from their body's.

  The four older slimes, already in their Ranger form, remained equipped with their crossbows.

  I took a step back, surveying the group with a small grin. My army wasn’t massive yet, but it was beginning to take shape. The combination of close-range and long-range capabilities gave me proper flexibility.

  “Not bad,” I muttered, crossing my arms as the slimes bounced slightly in acknowledgment.

  Lila peeked out from her perch, her tiny hands gripping the edge of my pouch. “Ten of them now? The more of them there is the safer I feel. But what's the plan now?"

  “We keep moving. But not like before. No more splitting my slimes into small groups to hunt. From now on, we advance as a team.”

  “It’s too risky having them separate. Losing any of them now, right after summoning them, would slow down the process of building my army. And I can’t afford that.”

  Lila nodded slowly, sensing the seriousness in my tone. “So, what’s the new approach?”

  “We’ll move together, slowly grinding through the floor as one unit. I’ll use the Vanguard slimes with the greatswords to form a circle around me, guarding my blind spots and taking the brunt of any attacks. The Rangers with the crossbows will form a diamond formation around me, providing cover fire and assisting the Vanguard slimes in taking down anything that comes near.”

  I motioned for the slimes to get into position, and they responded instantly. The Vanguards took their places around me, their greatswords gleaming faintly as they stood ready. The Rangers moved into a diamond pattern, their crossbows raised and aimed outward. It was a perfect setup for my current numbers, balancing offense and defense while keeping me protected.

  “This formation will let us advance safely,” I continued. “We’ll grind through the day, resting when necessary, and I’ll use the mana I recover each night to summon more slimes. Rinse and repeat until I hit level 10. Once I've reached my goal, we’ll move on to the 4th floor.”

  Lila smiled faintly. “Let’s do it!”

  __________________________

  For two days, we moved as one, grinding through the floor with relentless efficiency. The Vanguards guarded me, stepping in to absorb hits and confront enemies head-on. The Rangers provided cover fire, their crossbows striking down threats before they could get too close.

  The spiders on this floor were no match for our combined strength. Their numbers dwindled quickly as my slimes worked in perfect sync.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  The experience points flowed steadily. Each spider defeated brought me closer to my goal. Resting at night allowed my mana to recover, and I used every drop to summon more slimes. The process repeated—grind, rest, summon.

  By the end of the first day, I’d gained a full level, bringing me to level 9. My stats increased accordingly: +2 Mental and +1 Physical. That night, I summoned seven new slimes, each one joining the ranks of my growing army.

  On the second day, the cycle continued. With more slimes at my disposal, our grinding speed increased, and by nightfall, I had reached level 10. My stats increased again: +2 Mental and +1 Physical. Another ten slimes were summoned, bringing the total count to 27.

  I’d grown stronger. The new Mental stats gave me a noticeable boost in mana reserves.

  My army was growing splendidly.

  I stood in the center of my formation, surveying my growing army with pride. Twenty-seven slimes stood ready, each one perfectly aligned to its designated role.

  The Vanguards, now numbering twelve. They were the front-line attackers.

  Behind them, the ten Rangers. They were the second layer of my formation, ready to provide long-range support and pick off threats before they could close the distance.

  But it was the remaining five slimes that completed the setup. These weren’t Vanguards or Rangers. I’d shapeshifted them into something different—tanks. Each one held a round shield in their gelatinous hands, their purpose clear: to be the team’s true aggro-drawers, taking hits and holding enemy attention while the rest of the formation dealt damage.

  The placement of the tanks was deliberate. Each one stood in a strategic position within the formation, creating a protective barrier.

  Five tanks. Twelve Vanguards. Ten Rangers.

  It was a simple setup, but it was effective.

  Lila, perched on the edge of her pouch, gave me a satisfied nod. “You’re ready, Leon. It’s time for the 4th floor.”

  I nodded in agreement.

  Using Lila’s Pathfinder ability, it wasn’t hard to find our way to the portal leading to the next floor. Without hesitation, we entered the portal as a group, holding onto each other to ensure no one got separated.

  The sensation of stepping through the portal was disorienting but brief, and as the light faded, the world around us shifted into focus.

  We found ourselves standing inside what appeared to be a massive castle. The floors were covered in luxurious red carpets that stretched down a long corridor. The walls were adorned with overly fancy paintings and murals.

  Fancy chandeliers hung from the ceilings. Statues of beast-like creatures perched ominously on the ceilings and pillars.

  The place was beautiful—undeniably so. But this was dungeon end.

  The grandeur of the castle was marred by a sense of dread, as if this was the home of some evil lord, rather then a righteous king.

  A notification popped into view as we took our first steps into the room:

  The moment I entered, I knew exactly where I was. I’d been here before in previous gameplay, and memories of this place flooded back instantly. Compared to the first three floors, the 4th floor was a significant shift in tone and challenge.

  Unlike the previous floors, which were dominated by a single species of enemy, this floor had two distinct types of monsters inhabiting it. As one climbed the dungeon, it wasn’t uncommon to encounter multiple species on the same floor.

  As I recalled the dangers of the 4th floor, Lila’s sharp voice broke through my thoughts.

  “L-Leon!” she said aloud. “Look above! Something’s flying… Is that a bat? W-with a massive eyeball?”

  I looked up sharply, following her gaze. Sure enough, something was gliding silently through the air above us. Its leathery wings beat softly, and its grotesquely oversized, singular eye stared down at us, unblinking.

  The moment I saw it, I knew what was about to happen.

  “That’s right,” I muttered. “The first monster inhabiting this floor... the Eyebat.”