In spite of the path that Clyde's party is tacking on the fifth floor, or perhaps even because of it, I'm more now that I won't finish the sixth floor before they reach it. They're already level 24 after all, with a few being close to level 25. Something that hasn't happened since the second floor. I suspect however that as each floors room's size grows the problem is only going to get worse. Having rooms that aren't larger than the ones on the previous floor just feels wrong in a way I can't quite describe. The few rooms I have like that are bad enough, yet still tolerable.

  For now, all I can do is get started on the next rooms. The ground is the same as before with the rolling hills. In the center of the room, I leave a nice hole 15 meters deep. Soon enough this whole is filled with water. At the bottom of this new pond, I place a chest similar to the one in the previous room. One key difference being this chest also contains a random piece of tin rank gear enchanted to resist water magic. It's deep enough that it will take some effort to bring it to shore if they want to claim it. Though, that will not be so easy. You see this will be where I plan to place the mini boss.

  The problem is that while this pond is larger in terms of volume than the rooms on my second floor, it's also very small compared to some of the truly nasty underwater mobs I could get. It's a good thing then that I already had the mini boss picked out. This mini boss will be a four-meter-long shark with obsidian scales. I also gave it the ability fly by creating a bubble of water around itself. In case delvers try to cheese the fight by staying on the shore. At the same time, I made it so that my mini boss will not engage the party unless they enter the pond or attack first. Meaning delvers could skip this fight all together.

  I suspect most of them will try for the treasure though. Either for the treasure itself or for the simple thrill of the fight. I also create two level 28 griffons with the wind blade skill just because I don't want this room to be completely devoid of mobs if they choose to skip the mini boss.

  All together this room took very little time at all to finish. It was so fast in fact that I'm nowhere near having enough mana for the next room yet. Fortunately, word of my official rank being increased to obsidian rank seems to have gotten out because I'm getting more new delvers at around level 19 meaning the fourth floor is seeing a lot more use lately. In fact, there are times when the two instances aren't enough. Especially with the regulars now mostly around level 15 despite not delving as often as some of the more dedicated parties. While it's still not the fifth floor it's leagues above the first two floors.

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  If only Clyde's party was delving today, I could have a party on every floor. Every floor except the sixth floor that is, although I suspect that will happen soon enough. While I always hoped that my dungeon would someday be this busy it is nice to finally be able to witness it. The fact that soldiers are also coming here to train from time to time also doesn't hurt. Despite all this it still takes a few days to save up the rest of the mana needed for the next room.

  The next room is going to be another treasure room. It's going to be off to the side of the main path and while not hidden like the previous treasure room on the other path the room itself is so large that the entrance to the treasure room might still be missed. The room itself will have a lightly wooded area near the entrance with level 28 wood golems. It should be level 29 but there weren't that many level 28 opponents in the previous room, and I figured jumping right to level 29 for no real reason would be a bit cruel. After the wooded area however, there will be a clearing with level 29 griffons each of whom have the wind blade skill. After all that comes the chest near the back of the room guarded by four level 30 dire wolves.

  Inside the chest I place five random pieces of tin rank gear, each with a random enchantment. I also place five gold pieces as well as two each of health and mana potions. I was tempted to add potent health potions instead of the regular health potions but ultimately decided to wait until the next floor before I start giving those out. I made the gear random to encourage them to return for the chest multiple times. Not that I think I really needed to but this way they're incentivized to come back for it again and again.

  After a bit waiting, I'm just about to place down the next room when I feel Clyde's party enter the first floor. I'm tempted to ask where they've been two weeks. Before I can though Clyde speaks up. "It seems that your presence has been noticed by the other nations. Unfortunately, this means that they now consider Ulgai worth conquering. As per guild law they have vowed not to interfere with your development. However, it also means that I as the official owner of this dungeon must remain neutral. Normally this would mean the opposing army just skips right past us. The desert however complicates things. Plus, I suspect conquering this town specifically might be their true goal all along."

  I'm a little put off by Clyde saying he owns me, but let it slide given that like he said most dungeons aren't capable of rational thought until at least the 16th floor. Clyde soon continues, "fortunately they consider us so weak that they're more concerned with fighting amongst themselves over who gets to conquer Ulgai. King Ulgai the 23rd has decided to use this time to send his soldiers to train in the dungeon."

  The way he described it this will mean that my fifth and sixth floor will soon see a lot more use. It seems like I'll need to move on to the seventh as soon as possible. Not that I was taking my time as it is.