After getting a good night's rest, Ryu had a quick meal in the inn, before preparing to return back to the Dungeon again. Leaving the building, Ryu's pondering about his next plan while making his way toward the Dungeon.

"Hmm, I think I already tackled the 1st floor. Should I dash into the 2nd floor..."

Although he's still at level 6, Ryu got a hunch that he won't grow that fast if he stays on that floor. Because of that, he slowly nods his head.

"Yeah, as I thought, it's better for me to go to the 2nd floor."

Eventually, he arrived at the Dungeon entrance. Because the one who guards the place changed only every week. The man that attends the area still the same person as yesterday.

"Hey, big guy, did you already verify this card originality with Mr. Rogue?" Ryu said while showing off his license against the man. In response to this, the man began to rub his head with its hand.

"Ah, you're the kid from before. Yes, I have already confirmed it."

After saying that, he continued to bow his head slightly.

"Sorry for doubting you yesterday."

"It's okay, it's understandable."

Accepting the apology, Ryu gives out his card to the man.

"Here, please check it."

Taking it, the man proceeds to do the standard procedure. After confirming the authenticity of the object, Ryu quickly enters the place.

Arrived at the interior, Ryu quickly grabs his self-drawn map. He then rapidly dashes forward to the last drawn location. Because of the storage space is limited. He only intended to take down a single ladybug to take its wings as a shield and avoiding the rest.

He still strikes down the Green Worm he encounters to take out their horn. Before long, he finally finds the stairs leading to the 2nd floor.

"From here and on, I must proceed carefully."

Climbing the 2nd floor, Ryu's instantly greeted by two ladybugs waiting for him at the end of the staircase.

"As I thought, the monster is still the same, what's make it different was their quantity."

"But, wait, doesn't that mean I still can't loot them!?"

Struck with a realization, Ryu can only leak out a small sigh.

"It can be helped, for now, my priority is getting stronger."

"Let's try to deal with this thing!"

Ryu's still tried to use the same trick that he used on the first floor for the ladybug. He provokes them first by poking into them slightly.

Aggravated by this act, the ladybug takes a flight while being followed by the other, rushing to its enemies. Ryu swiftly dodges and ignore the first one, his target is the ladybug who's in behind. The reason was simple, if he targets the former one, he has to worry about a backup attack coming from the later one.

Still using the same technique as always. Ryu beautifully struck the dagger to the ladybug body and slashing them with full power, killing it in a single stroke. Seeing this scene, the remaining one becomes so wary of its opponent.

Ryu wants to finish the fight ASAP, but even after waiting for some time. The bug in front of him still not flapping its wings. In fact, it's doesn't move an inch at all!

"Hmm, this is troublesome. How should I deal with this guy?"

Ryu stares at the frozen ladybug for quite a time.

"Ah, I have an idea!"

In the sequence of that, Ryu's body suddenly starts to shaking, staggering around left and right, followed by a dry scream before his body kissed up the ground powerlessly.

Surprised by the event that occurs before it, the ladybug presently moves forward and backs, confused about what action it should do. Before long, it's decided to fly to Ryu's body to check its predator state. When the distance is about 5-feet away, Ryu suddenly gets up, grabbing his dagger and performing a Fatal Strike to the approaching bug.

Shocked and can't react in time, the ladybug just getting skewered by the dagger smoothly while letting out an eery shriek. Doing this, Ryu starts to wipe off his bloodied weapon against the moss of the wall.

"Damn, I'm so good at acting."

"But... It's kind of tiring if I must do this thing every time I confront them."

Ryu massages his temple spontaneously when imagining the previous act.

"I should find another way to deal with this problem."

With that, Ryu began to think about the alternative method while exploring the new floor down.

"Hmm, should I try to perform a Quick Slash for each one of them."

"But, I think my stats are still not sufficient to executes that feat."

Still pondering an adequate move to knock out those pair of ladybugs in a quick way. He suddenly encounters another creature, the Green Worm.

"Hmm? I guess for their kind, I'll only encounter them more, but they still travel alone."

"Well, if it's still alone, that's great! Just thinking about those two Worms banding together makes me shudders."

Quickly finishing his preparation, he swiftly charges to his target, repeating the same move that he usually uses to take down the Green Worm. Not too long after that, once more, he encounters the red pairs.

"Let's try that move, hope my stats are enough."

This time, Ryu tried to put into action his strategy. After he's done provoking the monsters, he quickly grabs his dagger and performs a Quick Slash to the first bug.

"I'm not finished yet!"

He's planning to use the technique consecutively. But, sure enough, he's failed to make the second Quick Slash to land a hit on its target.

"As I thought, My agility is still not enough."

The lack of his power causing Ryu to clicks his tongue quite loudly.

"This is bad, It's become cautious of me."

"Surely those bugs will not attack me carelessly again."

Just as Ryu thinks like this. Suddenly, the bugs become more coordinated. The pairs are now moving on top of each other, covering the weakness of its companion.

"What the fuck! That's cheating!"

"Damn, they're moving pretty fast too!"

Appearing to not be able to find the openings, Ryu decided to avoid their attack first. But, when he's moving sideways to dodge the pairs attack. Suddenly, the ladybug who flies in low changed it's flying direction. Not prepared by this abrupt change. Ryu can only evade this attack half-assedly, and thus the attack successfully grazed his thigh, making it bleed.

"Urgh! How can they become so well-coordinated like that."

Taking a distance from the bugs, Ryu holds his dagger firmly.

"I must create an opening..."

"It will be all or nothing!"

Ryu's taking his stance with the dagger, waiting for his opponent to make a move. Before long, the pair of bugs commenced the flies again using the same strategy as earlier.

"Now, let's try if I can break your shitty formation or not!"

After saying that, Ryu's instantly dashes forward at the direction of his enemies. When he's close enough, he jumps through the small gap between the upper and lower ladybugs. In there, he kicks strongly the wings of the ladybug that flies low, causing its body to bump into the ground. Because of this, the gap between the bugs widens, making it possible for Ryu to perform a Fatal Strike toward the one who's still flying.

Landing successfully from the jumps, Ryu instantly supports his left leg with his hand.

"Fuck, its wings are too tough."

"My leg become quite numb now."

"But... With that, one is down!"

Looking at the remaining ladybug, finally, Ryu gives a smile.

"Good, the survivor was the one I land a quick slash earlier."

"It should weaken considerably, considering its body also gets slammed to the ground with its stomach wounds."

When the shaking in his leg stopped completely, Ryu readied his dagger once more.

"Well, better to finish this soon." Ryu quickly charges toward the ladybug, who's still down in the ground. Because the ladybug is already weakened. Ryu can kick its body upward to make its underpart shows, and he swiftly makes another Quick Slash toward the body.

Confirming that the enemies had died, Ryu continued to takes out a healing potion that he bought in a magic shop from his hip pouches.

"Huft, I didn't expect to get hurt this soon."

"This is bad, I only bring 5 healing potions with me."

Opening the lid of the bottle, he proceeds to gulps the potion down. Because of this, the graze on his thigh started to recover and closed slowly.

"Huft, that was refreshing, I hope my potions are enough for a week."

After that, Ryu keeps doing his experiments for the quickest way to eliminate those ladybugs. Now and then, he encounters some Worms, taking and dismantles them easily.

"Hmm? I found the stairs leading to the 3rd floor."

"Should I go... Nah, It will be courting for death for now."

Shaking his head, Ryu takes out his map, draws the position of the stairs, noting its location, saving it for the next time when he got more powerful.

"I'm getting tired already, better to find that savepoint."

With that, Ryu continues to wander around the 2nd floor, searching for the savepoint. Because of his current fatigue, Ryu's avoiding unnecessary fights and only take down the Green Worm for its material. After a while, he finally sees the save point being guarded by the ladybug pairs.

"Hmm, it's here. I should've able to take it down with my remaining energies."

"Let's do this!"

The battle between Ryu and the bugs didn't end that smoothly. Ryu's successfully beats the pair. But, because of his sluggish movements, he ended up being wounded quite a lot. In the end, he's forced to take another potion.

"Huft, Let's open this savepoint already!"

Wiping the sweat off from his head, Ryu then presses the walls, when it's pressed, some parts of the wall began to gets absorbed and transformed into a portal that leads to the savepoint. Calmly entering them, Ryu's transported to the small room, which resembles a cave.

"I guess it's the same room as the other dungeon savepoints."

"I'm so thirsty..."

Ryu quietly takes out his water bottle from the hip pouch and instantly swallows them down.

"Fuahhh, that's refreshing!"

"Now, the time has finally come..."

Taking another thing out from his storage magic, there he sees, a slice of raw ladybug meat. When he sees the food, his throat unconsciously gulping down.

"Let's wash this thing in the pond first..."

Sitting near the pond, Ryu carefully separates the blood from its meat, he places the cleaned meat on his thigh later.

"Now, for the seasoning..."

Grabbing a salt from his hip pouch, he proceeds to take a pinch of it and sprinkle it on top of the meat.

"Next, I supposed to cook them, but... I didn't have the Disk to buy firewoods and fire scrolls before..."

"That's why I got no other choices..."

After a loud gulping sound, Ryu finally resolves himself to eat the raw meat.

"Well, it's not my first time, so I guess it's fine."

He starts to munches the meat slowly, analyzing its taste.

"Hmm..."

"This is quite tolerable compared to the other monster meat."

"I'm sure the taste will be quite nice if it's cooked through."

"Let's make the firewood and fire scroll the top prioritizes next time."

Noting that deep inside his mind, he then continues to finish his meal. Later, after he's done, He grabs his empty bottle and takes the pond water for a drink.

"Fuah, dungeon water is the best!"

Somehow, while there's no food, the water inside the dungeon savepoint was really pristine compared to the ordinary water. Following that, Ryu actually wants to take a rest instantly, but sleeping after eating is bad for his physical growth.

"Let's do a light exercise first."

Ryu's silently training for a while to make his move perfect. After he makes some sweat, only then he finally takes a rest. Ryu takes off his clothes and put them on the ground. He uses the moderate-sized hip pouch he brings to be used as a pillow.

"Huft, what a tiring day."

Laying down on the ground, he consciously reviewing the post-battle.

"Kind of pathetic that this amount of difficulty already can make me so tired like this."

"I can't waste my second chance like this, I must get stronger faster... To protect everyone..."

He finally can get a rest after enforcing his determination to become stronger faster.