I gave up on conquering the sub-dungeon boss room.

The door didn't open again, and I led my subordinates back to the cave. Since it was a good day, I gathered all the dungeon's subordinates in the center.

"Ahem, everyone pay attention!"

I climbed onto the bed and scanned the crowd.

Those recruited as subordinates, those summoned through magic stones, those born through hatching, and even my sons and daughters—all 41 people gathered in one place.

Though the dungeon owner didn't count toward capacity, the number 41 was slightly uncomfortable, but anyway it was much better than being one short.

"I gathered everyone here because our dungeon is finally rising to D-rank."

"Dad, I have a question."

Meri first raised her hand and stepped forward. Just like Meri who was most curious about the dungeon's system. If another subordinate had done so, I would've ignored them and continued speaking, but since it was Meri's question, I nodded with a benevolent smile.

"Yeah, what?"

"What changes when the dungeon rank changes?"

"Many things change."

The facilities we could build would increase immediately, and the dungeon's capacity would increase too. What we could do through that would become limitless.

"Specifically how?"

"You have to see with your own eyes to know. I don't know either. This is my first time becoming a dungeon owner."

"Your first time?"

"Yeah. Since it came to this, let me tell you why I'm growing the dungeon."

I spoke honestly. I explained the entire process of how I, who'd lived as a slave soldier of another dungeon, became a dungeon owner.

Of course, I kept secret the details of how I established relations with Eila. Actually I was going to tell them right away, but Eila seemed quite reluctant so I didn't say it.

"So my goal is this. 'Down with Forneus!' Revenge on the bitch who tried to kill me."

"You said Forneus is the rank 30 dungeon owner, right?"

"Andras was the rank 63 dungeon. If Master was there as a regular soldier, it must've been quite a powerful dungeon..."

"Ah, but I was a regular soldier there but my specs were executive-level or higher, you know?"

Since I caught the dungeon's named chieftain 1-on-1, I probably ranked within the top ten. Though I had no proper weapon, I gained the tattoo's power instead, so my personal strength back then and now would be about the same.

"But revenge is impossible by myself. If I'd been strong in the first place, I would've rebelled directly against Forneus. So I hope you'll help!"

I shamelessly raised my head and shouted.

"To be blunt, I'm going to devour all the Demon King's dungeons!"

"Whoa."

The stud hunters gaped in surprise. Surprisingly, the others seemed to have no particular reaction.

"B-but Master, aren't you a monster? Yet you're opposing the Demon King's army?"

"The Demon King's army is just bastards who entered as subordinates under Solomon's power anyway! Then we just need to become stronger than Solomon."

"But Dad is using Solomon's system? Then won't we also enter under Solomon someday?"

"Hehe, I have connections so don't worry."

Though I blatantly suggested rebellion to Estu, she rather encouraged my rebellion. I didn't know her intent, but at least it meant she'd turn a blind eye to however my actions flowed.

"So today we're greeting change together, everyone countdown!"

It was time. I raised my hands high.

"3!!"

No one followed along.

"2!!!!"

Still no one followed along. I awkwardly lowered my hands.

"Don't you know countdown?"

"No."

"...."

[Dungeon Rank Increase]

[E-rank -> D-rank]

[Expected Time: 00 minutes 00 seconds."]

Rumble rumble.

As my hollow cry echoed, the entire dungeon began shaking as if an earthquake hit.

"Kyaaaa!!"

Dust rose from the ceiling, and harpies screamed while raising their wings above their heads. I jumped off the bed.

"Everyone crouch down!!"

All subordinates lowered their bodies in awkward postures, and I ran to Lune and Eila, hugging them both and lowering my body.

Rumble rumble rumble!

The dungeon began to change. The shabby and worn walls and ceiling changed to neat forms as if remodeled.

"Master, look there...!"

Lune pointed at the summoning facility. A massive amount of purple mana burst from the mid-grade magic stone and spread throughout the dungeon.

"...It works like this?"

I was both amazed and grateful. And I stood up and straightened my back.

"Master, it's dangerous!"

"No, no. It's fine."

Though small tremors still continued, it wasn't as much as when the cave shook. I swept the floor with my hand, and the texture was much smoother and softer than before.

'Like it became an unpaved road.'

If before it was just a dirt path made of mud, now the entire dungeon had become a soft dirt path packed down over time. And a screen appeared before my eyes.

[Notice: The dungeon's rank has increased!]

[Dungeon Rank: E -> D]

[Rank Increase Reward: 2 Monster Summoning Scrolls, 5 Monster Enhancement Tickets, 5 Mid-grade Magic Stones.]

"Whoa, jackpot."

A wooden treasure chest appeared before my eyes. If before it was just a shabby supply box level, now it became a traditional design where mimics might even appear.

"Hmm... What's the principle?"

"If you're curious, get strong enough to meet Solomon later, Meri."

I took out the rewards for dungeon rank increase from the chest. Having held back the gacha I'd been wanting to do until today, I now had exactly 10 monster summoning scrolls.

"Plus 6 monster enhancement tickets..."

I looked around at my subordinates. Though the ghouls were still far off, some slimes (★) had already reached max level.

'Let's save them for now.'

Using them rashly might waste them. Thinking of the system's loopholes, there was definitely a main use for enhancement tickets at D-rank.

'Same for the 5 mid-grade magic stones.'

"Lime, gather all these for now."

Lime put the rewarded items into her body. She seemed conflicted when putting in the mid-grade magic stones, but naturally she didn't do anything crazy like eating magic stones without my permission.

"First, mission assignment!"

I divided subordinates to pair them up.

One named, one slime, one ghoul, one harpy. Where insufficient or overlapping, I inserted stud hunters, and divided the 41 subordinates into a total of 10 squads.

"From now on, explore how the dungeon changed. Check how things changed by visiting each assigned location! Especially Arthur, you go out right now and reassure the hunters!"

"Yes!"

With my order, all subordinates quickly scattered. I assigned each intelligent named one a location and ordered them to cross-verify by pairing 2 squads into 1 team.

Fortunately, everyone could understand that much. Three teams confirmed the dungeon's front area, and 2 teams confirmed the back area.

'Surely nothing changed much just because the rank went up.'

So hopefully there'd be no problems. I nervously examined the dungeon's changes from the middle of the cave.

"Whew, as expected nothing changed."

"A-amazing-ras."

Suddenly a voice came from the prisoner cell. Seeing the ras at the end, the Andras imprisoned in the cell was kneeling with sparkling eyes.

"This is my first time seeing a dungeon change like this-ras! I know well you beat my master-ras! Please take me as your subordinate-ras!"

"...Can you, not do the ras at the end?"

"This is a curse so I can't help it-ras..."

The Andras hung her head low. I was briefly tempted by the word curse and sensed there was something behind it.

"I'll hear about the curse later."

"Why, why-ras! I know what curse it is-ras!"

"No, I'll hear it after evolving you."

The Andras's eyes widened. As expected of a monster from another dungeon, she seemed to quickly realize what it meant for me to evolve her.

"I'll be loyal-ras. I'll even lay eggs if you want-ras."

"While sticking your body in the wall and shaking your hips again?"

"...."

The Andras was silent. Then she drowsily opened her eyes and twisted her body.

"I-if Master wants, I can do it anytime-ras."

"You, I definitely need to evolve you."

Primarily for my visual stability.

"But it's on hold for now. Capacity is full. Ah, but how did your dungeon increase capacity?"

"Our dungeon had no capacity-ras. Master had no thought of making a garden-ras."

"...."

I just hoped she'd get smarter after evolving. After promising the Andras I'd recruit her as a subordinate—later since capacity was exceeded now—I compiled the information from squad members returning one by one.

Lune said:

"The dungeon passage structure was the same! But bumpy places and floors were well-cleaned so it was much easier to walk."

Remodeling construction cost jackpot.

Arthur said:

"There were no major changes at the dungeon entrance either. The earthquake only occurred inside the dungeon, and outsiders didn't notice at all. Ah, the place where the entrance had collapsed, you know. That place changed. According to Mother Lily, it was restored as if time reversed."

Restoration cost jackpot.

Lime said:

"Lime says the ceiling ventilation duct is still there too. The vent side didn't have much change from when she made it either."

Even the system apparently couldn't touch Lime's shoddy construction. Or the vent itself was an external factor to the system.

Meri said:

"The dungeon back passage was well-cleaned too? Really, all the work we did cutting walls was pointless—the floor and walls were neatly packed. Even the slope going down to the river. If I knew this, I should've made the whole slope before the dungeon rank went up."

That was a bit regrettable. Currently exactly half done, so the other half would obviously become bumpy paths the slimes ate.

And finally, Eila said:

"I discovered stairs leading to the dungeon's underground."

"Wha...t...!"

I was genuinely shocked. Stairs going underground? I asked Eila once more and ran to that location with her. And I discovered stairs firmly positioned in the passage opposite where I'd installed the dimensional gate.

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"...."

How should I react to this? I gulped, and behind me subordinates frowned at the underground dungeon's existence.

"...What if something comes up?"

"That's why it's super creepy right now."

If Baal suddenly popped out from underground, we'd be annihilated. Of course that wouldn't happen, but still, you never know with life. Though I raised the dungeon rank myself, I was unsure whether down there was empty or overflowing with slimes.

"...Can't help it, Arthur! Bring ghouls and get logs. We need to block this first."

"You mean seal it?"

"Yeah. After doing what we need to do."

While I stood guard in front of the stairs descending to basement 1, other subordinates urgently brought logs. I stood logs up like pillars and arranged them horizontally, then thickly plastered slime dragon fluid in the gaps.

"Whew."

After work lasting nearly 30 minutes, we succeeded in sealing the passage. Though sweat poured, my mind was at ease.

"Master, was there really a need to seal it?"

"The kids might go in out of curiosity."

I pressed Line's head with my finger as she hid behind Lime. And with one hand I grabbed Meri's shoulder as she backed away.

"You two especially be careful. Got it?"

"Yes..."

Gureuk.

Both avoided eye contact with guilty faces. I pointed at the cave and led the monsters.

"Then everyone return to the cave. We need to have a party to commemorate the remodeling."

"What are you talking about?"

"What do you mean what. On such a happy day, we can't not do that."

I personally picked up a chunk of slime dragon fluid and pointed at the cave.

"Festival."

Let's put off all work until tomorrow.

"Today we empty the warehouse! Eat, drink, and die with slime dragon slime!"

"Uh, Master? If you eat that, your body..."

"That's right!"

I raised a chunk of slime and shouted.

"Get wet!!"

For myself who worked hard all day today.

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