DMS Chapter 116

Flinx spent the next two weeks delving into the lowest floor of the Dungeon of Mara without pause. By the end of that period, he had reached Level 9 in his wizard class—a milestone that brought with it access to some of the most formidable spells available to him.

His efforts yielded substantial rewards. Over the course of those two weeks, he accumulated 714 low-level mana stones, 420 medium-level mana stones, and 210 high-level mana stones from three daily dungeon runs. After taxes were deducted, he stored the remainder in the fourth tab of his mana stone inventory.

He also recovered eight items during his delves. None were worth keeping. Most were either novelty objects or equipment with only minor enchantments—simple enhancements to attack or defense. After selling them and paying the required taxes, he earned a total of 1,000 gold coins.

His experience bar now reads: Wizard Level 9, 1% remaining.

On the day he reached this level, Flinx chose to enter the 50th floor only once. He intended to use the time not for efficiency, but for preparation—reviewing and selecting the spells now available to him.

Reaching Level 9 significantly increased both the potency of his magic and the number of spell slots at his disposal. Without hesitation, he reviewed the available ninth-level spells and selected ten: Invulnerability, Mass Polymorph, Meteor Swarm, Power Word: Kill, Prismatic Wall, Ravenous Void, Shapechange, Time Ravage, Time Stop, and Wish.

Among them, Wish stood above the rest in raw capability—and in risk. From his understanding, its side effects could leave the caster severely weakened. That was not a condition Flinx could afford while maintaining his relentless dungeon schedule. He resolved to use the spell only when absolutely necessary.

The total cost for acquiring all ten spells came to 550 low-level mana stones.

With his new spell slots unlocked, Flinx dismissed his existing elementals and summoned stronger replacements. By binding them through Planar Binding within ninth-level spell slots, he not only increased their strength but extended their duration to one year and one day.

Inside the dungeon, he began testing his newly acquired spells. He even cast Wish once, deliberately choosing to replicate an eighth-level spell to minimize the risk. The result confirmed his expectations—the side effects were minor and faded within a few hours.

He also evaluated the strength of four wind elementals bound at the ninth level. Their power was undeniable. In truth, they alone could have cleared the 50th floor. However, Flinx’s preferred method—overwhelming enemies with sustained magical assault—remained faster and more efficient.

After several hours of testing, fatigue began to set in. He ordered the elementals to continue clearing the floor while he followed from above, maintaining flight as he shifted his focus to another task: expanding his spell collection.

Through his system interface, he reviewed the first-level spells. Out of 52 total, he had already acquired 12, leaving 40 remaining. At a cost of three low-level mana stones per spell, he spent 120 stones to complete the set.

He then moved on to second-level spells. Of the 72 available, he had previously purchased 11. The remaining 61 cost six low-level mana stones each, totaling 366 stones. He purchased them all without hesitation.

After these transactions, his reserves remained substantial: 4,291 low-level mana stones, 1,022 medium-level mana stones, and 514 high-level mana stones.

Given his remaining resources, Flinx decided to complete his third-level spell collection as well—though he resolved to stop there until he had replenished his supply. Of the 62 third-level spells, he still lacked 33. At ten low-level mana stones each, the total cost came to 330 stones.

With that, he concluded his purchases.

He returned his attention to the dungeon, eliminating monsters with practiced efficiency while allowing his elementals to deal with any that remained. When he reached the final boss, he ended the encounter instantly with Power Word: Kill.

The entire delve lasted eight hours—longer than usual due to his testing and spell management.

Before leaving, he instructed his wind elementals to conceal themselves, then exited the dungeon floor. Guild staff noted the unusual deviation from his typical three runs per day, but such behavior was not unprecedented. When questioned, Flinx simply cited fatigue.

Rather than returning directly to the tower, he made his way to Olivia’s shop. Upon arrival, he went straight to the second floor and, as previously arranged, purchased a full restock of soaps, candles, and loofahs.

His system indicated that his remaining funds had dropped to 1,525 dollars. To compensate, he converted 100 low-level mana stones, increasing his balance to 10,525 dollars.

After assisting Olivia and one of her salesgirls in organizing the new stock, Flinx chose not to linger. He returned early to the tower.

The children were not present. He assumed they were outside, playing in the streets with others their age. He did not object. For the first time, they were free from the constant worry of survival. They could afford, at last, to simply be children.

While in his room at the tower, Flinx began planning his next series of delves. The routine would remain unchanged: three runs per day on the final floor of the Dungeon of Mara. However, reaching Level 9 had introduced a significant drawback. Each completion of the 50th floor now granted only 1% experience. At that rate, even with three daily runs, he would gain a mere 3% per day.

It was clear that once he reached Level 10, he would need to seek out a more challenging dungeon.

The reason was obvious. The 50th floor had become trivial. With only a few spells, he could eliminate entire waves of monsters with ease. In fact, he no longer needed to participate directly. His summons alone were capable of clearing the floor. Based on his earlier tests, relying entirely on his four wind elementals would extend each run by only an hour—an acceptable trade-off, if efficiency were not his priority.

Fatigue eventually set in, and Flinx chose to rest. He drew a long, hot bath and allowed himself time to recover. Once finished, he went down to the first floor to wait for the others.

While waiting, he decided to watch a film—preferably one he had not seen before. Though his system allowed him to view films alone without acquiring physical copies, he found little appeal in solitary viewing. He preferred the shared experience. Watching alongside others, particularly those unfamiliar with such media, gave the experience a sense of novelty. The four children, along with Olivia and her brothers, approached each film without the cynicism or predictability he had grown used to on Earth. Their reactions made even simple stories engaging.

After some consideration, he selected the animated film The Wild Robot. With the use of his third-level Tongue spell, language would not be a barrier.

Before long, the others returned. Christopher brought freshly prepared food from his training under a professional chef, allowing them to dine immediately. Once the meal was finished, Flinx informed them of his plan. When everyone had gathered, he cast Tongue and began the film.

The experience was unexpectedly grounding. The film itself was enjoyable, but more than that, the simple act of sharing a meal and watching together eased the tension that had quietly accumulated within him. Moments like these gave him something he rarely acknowledged—a sense of normalcy.

There had been a time when he questioned his decision to take in the four orphans, along with Olivia and her two brothers. He had assumed they would be a distraction, an obstacle to his progress. In reality, the opposite had proven true. Their presence did not hinder him; it steadied him.

Surrounded by them, Flinx remained focused—not just on power, but on retaining the clarity of mind required to use it.