Inter-Wall Noise
"Hrmm..."
I'd kinda expected the Isekai Survival Gallery's reaction, but it blew past even that. Posts were flooding in by the dozens, hundreds, right this second.
"Perfect timing too—right when the hype about slimes hitting their limit was building..."
A brand-new ticket dropping like a sledgehammer, smashing right through the shelter's dead-end situation. It opened up real possibilities.
Seeing the gallery turn into a festival again felt pretty damn good.
By the way, the dungeons I'd stayed up late grinding out totaled three.
The monsters I could deploy right now: seven types total.
<Slime> <City Rat> <Rock Lizard> <Wild Boar> <Mud Crab> <Giant Bat> <Giant Spider>
Excluding the existing Slime Hill, I'd added three more:
[Rock Lizard Swamp] [Mud Crab Desert] [Giant Spider Plains]
I could mix multiple monsters into one dungeon, but...
"Multiple types together would make hunting too tough...."
Simple logic. In battle, a mixed unit pulls off more tactics than a single-class group, making them trickier foes. Monsters would be the same.
Different strategies for each, and who knows what synergies might pop up if mixed. Better to minimize variables.
"Still, they're risking their lives to hunt..."
Unlike my artificial dungeons, the shelter's natural ones mixed monsters per floor, creating tough combos sometimes.
Though right now, with respawns getting farmed instantly, it didn't matter much.
Anyway, making it easy for explorers was key. No thanks to unexpected deaths in my dungeons.
So I'd set each dungeon to spawn just one monster type.
"And tweaked the environments to disadvantage them."
Take the Rock Lizard: native to 'dry rocky zones & canyons,' 'deserts & wastelands,' or 'abandoned mines & quarries.' Peak performance in dry, rocky spots.
So I made its dungeon a swamp.
I glanced at the monitor.
The feed from [Rock Lizard Swamp 1].
A croc-sized lizard—yep, a Rock Lizard—lumbered around. Caught an explorer mid-hunt.
"...Wait, that boomer again?"
*
"This is the new dungeon...!!"
The guy sinking ankle-deep in mud was none other than...
Isekai Survival Gallery's top commenter, Vera's Dad.
Vera's Dad had snagged my first-ever dungeon ticket and tasted paradise in Slime Hill. Ever since, he'd ditched shelter runs, F5-spamming the market for new drops.
His ticketing success rate? A perfect 100%.
Not a single miss. He'd grabbed one again and plunged into the Rock Lizard Swamp.
"I see."
Right on entry: a Rock Lizard. Swampy, but no thick grass—just tidal-flat vibes.
"Dungeon Master can even reshape the terrain!"
Wide-open sightlines screamed user-friendly design.
And the star: Rock Lizard.
Normally a camo-ambush nightmare on rocks, here? Useless.
Its back stuck out like a sore thumb.
But Vera's Dad stayed sharp. Explorer longevity rule one: never overreach. That's how he'd survived this long.
'Though over-caution left him slime-bound.'
Low layers were comfy back then—no push, no grind. Years later, resources dried up, and his caution—laziness?—bit him.
Too late to provide for his daughter properly. Shelter woes hit low-floor grinders hardest.
"But that's over today!"
Dungeon Master's gift: a fresh shot. For his family, he'd take the risk!
Resolve firm, he closed in. The lizard lunged—
'Slow...!!'
Step back, sword swing. Clean decapitation.
Pathetically easy.
"...Not like shelter Rock Lizards."
Not the monsters— the environment.
Evolved for dry-rock climbing, their feet slipped in humid muck. Mobility tanked.
Subjectively? Hunting difficulty here was...
'Less than half the shelter's.'
Realization hit: Rock Lizards = walking coin piles.
*
"Kya... that's the stuff."
Monitoring the interiors, monsters were nerfed as planned. Explorers were mowing them down.
Gallery agreed:
"Proud~"
Worth the late-night brainstorming.
Why those three monsters?
"They were the least nasty to eat."
Out of Luna's menu, the decent ones used Rock Lizard, Mud Crab, and Giant Spider.
Rock Lizard tail skewers: fatty, tender, nutty. Crispy outside, melt-in-your-mouth inside. Chicken-fish hybrid, bit fishy?
Mud Crab steam: muddy tang, but solid crab flavor. Safe.
Giant Spider leg skewers: surprisingly good. Shrimp-meets-chicken breast. Mild scent made it Luna's shop's best.
Plus, folks discard inedible parts during farms anyway. Prioritized tasty ones.
Eh, glad they're loving it...
But this was just the start. Scale up the dungeons, and maybe...
Lost in thought—then a guttural wail punched through the wall.
— Waaaaaah!!! Missed again!!!! Fuck!!!! Gimme tickets!! Tickets!!!!!! Tickets pleeeease!!!!!!!!!!!!
"...?"
'That voice...'
...The girl next door?