The Slime Doesn't Die from Mana Transfer

Chapter 56 : Dungeon Exploration

The Adventurer’s Guild hall in Flemont was a roar of voices.

As the only official organization in this gathering place, the guild was packed from dawn. Armor and weapons clashed with dull clangs as adventurers chatted loudly about rewards, hearty laughter and playful banter overlapping in waves.

A few youths in leather armor pointed and argued at the commission board.

In the corner, a man with his head wrapped in bandages hunched over his mug, his complaints lost in the din.

Lines stretched before the counters.

Receptionists spoke in a rapid rhythm: stamping, checking goods, handing over coins, distributing request slips.

The air was a blend of sweat, leather, and faint ale.

Adventurers stood or sat, their weapons leaning against tables, chairs, even walls. The commission board was plastered with notices, new and old, edges curling. The whole hall was wrapped in an endless tide of noise.

Rozelite, wrapped in a loose black cloak, stood quietly at the back of the line, hood shadowing almost her entire face.

Compared to the cold quiet of Ato City’s guild, Flemont was another world. Though it lay in the north as well, its distance from the border, coupled with its underground labyrinth, had drawn people here despite its barren land.

When her turn came, the receptionist gave a professional smile.

“Hello, how can I help you today?”

“Registration.”

Rozelite lowered her voice and placed five copper coins on the counter.

“Of course. Please fill out this form.”

The form was slid across. It was no different from the one in Ato City. Registration was simple, and the five-copper fee was affordable to most. No need for ID checks either.

There was no level restriction for entering labyrinths.

Even an E-rank adventurer could freely challenge the most difficult dungeon.

But if one wanted to sell dungeon loot for usable coin—whether to merchants or to the guild—an official ID was necessary. Without it, buyers could slash prices under the excuse of “unverified origin.”

Rozelite took the pen and began to write.

Halfway through, she froze.

Rozelite…

That name wasn’t usable anymore.

After a pause, she continued, finishing the form and handing it back.

The receptionist glanced over it and nodded.

“Miss Rose, please wait a moment.”

The process was as simple as before.

Soon, a brand-new Adventurer’s Card was placed before her. The large E rank was impossible to miss.

Rozelite’s mood sank a little.

People never cherished what they already had. Only once it was gone did regret weigh down the heart. One could easily dismiss what wasn’t yet theirs—but once won, who wanted to lose it? She’d struggled bitterly to reach D-rank, and now she had to start over.

It was only a short-lived disappointment.

So what? Just starting over again.

Nothing to be afraid of.

“Excuse me, where can I find information on nearby dungeons?”

Rozelite asked.

“The guild notice board has brief summaries of the local dungeons,” the receptionist replied with the same smile.

“If you’d like more detailed intel, it’s just two copper coins.”

“Two copper… that’s pretty cheap.”

“Yes. At first the price was higher, since gathering and verifying information cost dearly. But once the guild recovered its costs, and with info brokers deliberately inflating prices and tricking rookies, the higher-ups decided to charge only a minimal printing fee.”

Rozelite touched her nearly empty pouch. Her face scrunched—yet another step closer to begging on the streets.

But recalling Russell’s repeated lectures on the importance of information, she gritted her teeth.

“Then… please, I’ll take one.”

…

…

Lunchtime.

Rozelite bought a cheap boxed meal and carried the Dungeon Strategy Handbook she’d bought back to the inn.

Russell poked his eyestalk from her collar, looking at the book as though about to cry.

Finally.

The newbie guide at last.

Russell had always believed: anyone who could blind-run a dungeon on first try without guides was either a true hardcore god-tier gamer—or had a master from the Celestial Soul Sect. Never again would they live off moss and slime secretions in the labyrinth!

“By the way,” Rozelite said between bites of food, flipping the pages, “Mr. Slime, why did we come here first, instead of heading to the next town?”

“Because of the monster detection devices,” Russell explained.

“Back in Ato City, being caught by one is what blew our cover. That’s why we need a way around them.”

“A way around? What do you mean?”

Rozelite asked.

“I’ve got two ideas.”

Russell raised two tentacles.

“One: figure out how the device works, then somehow acquire a counter-skill.”

“Two: keep leveling up 【Symbiosis】. Since it already bypasses dungeon detection, if it gets strong enough, maybe it’ll bypass those devices too.”

“The first idea sounds simple, but those machines can’t be accessed. And even if we did, who knows if we’d understand it? Too difficult.”

“That’s why our first stop is here.”

Rozelite nodded in realization.

“So, we need to clear labyrinths here to raise 【Symbiosis】?”

“Exactly. So when we pick our dungeon, that’s the priority.”

Russell turned the page with a tentacle.

The handbook was a true beginner’s guide.

It had entries on more than ten dungeons already partly explored, from D-rank with only low-level monsters, up to S-rank death-traps. Each included varying amounts of detail: environment, recommended party setups, items to prepare, even rough maps and monster types.

“Ah, Mr. Slime!”

Rozelite’s eyes lit up.

“This dungeon looks promising!”

Russell followed her gaze.

【Swamp Labyrinth】

【Difficulty: C】

【Environment: damp, cold, mildly toxic】

【Monsters: Poison Dart Frogs, Hydras, Slimes, Marsh Hounds…】