Chapter 221: Planning
Actually, Souta wasn't going to clear the dungeons alone. He was with his beast companion, Yuko.
"So, our group is going to clear low-level dungeons?" Ginvi stated as he glanced at Souta with a frown on his face.
"Yes, after we clear all the low-level dungeons, we will clear the mid-level dungeons." Souta nodded and explained.
"Sou-captain, based on your words... after we clear the mid-level dungeons, we will clear the high-level dungeons next," Lumilia said as she understood what Souta was trying to do.
"Yes, we still need to go back to the Ladro Institute, so we will clear the dungeons as fast as possible." Souta nodded and didn't deny the fact that they had to clear the high-level dungeon.
Everyone was stunned when Souta acknowledged the fact that they had to clear a high-level dungeon. They knew the danger of the high-level dungeons. A third evolution monster was living in a high-level dungeon.
A high-level dungeon had different danger levels. Yellow danger level was a high-level dungeon that houses at least 1 third evolution monster. This was the least dangerous of all high-level dungeons in the world.
Next was the orange danger level. This dungeon houses three to five third evolution monsters. To clear this dungeon, people need at least five parties consisting of B-rank adventurers.
The third danger level of high-level dungeons was the "red" danger level. It was one of the most dangerous dungeons that low-ranking adventurers knew. This level of dungeons houses at least 10 third evolution dungeons. There were some cases where this level of dungeons housed 15 third evolution monsters. In this case, people need 2-3 A-rank adventurers to clear this dungeon.
If they didn't want any casualties, they had to form a group of A-rank adventurers.
The information above the level of a red-danger dungeon wasn't accessible to C-rank adventurers. Information about the fourth evolution monster would terrify the masses, so the countries hid this information.
The dungeon of Eternal Light was just an orange danger level dungeon. Souta knew that even with the combined power of Dark Oculus and Lanny Corp, they wouldn't be able to clear it. He was just going to go to the secret room and get the other [Soul Blood Earring].
Once he got the [Soul Blood Earring], then this expedition would be completed. He would gain the power to go toe-to-toe with a third evolution monster if he combined the power of a piece of universal grade equipment [Soul Blood Earring] with the class Battle Mage. With this, he doesn't need to rely on the monster potion.
"You're insane, captain. Do you think we have the power to clear a high-level dungeon?" Ginvi said while sweeping his eyes across everyone in the room. He didn't think that they could clear a high-level dungeon with a group of C-rank adventurers.
"You're wrong at that. We even fought a third evolution monster before. We also survive a situation where the power of the third evolution is nothing," Souta said to Ginvi confidently. He was right; the members of the Dark Oculus survived several dangerous situations. The incident in the Desolate Woods where the commandments appeared was one of those.
Even a fifth evolution monster would be easily killed by one of the commandments of God's Will.
Souta wasn't exaggerating it. All of these were matters of fact. None of these were lies. Even the battle in Gripin City was much more dangerous than a high-level dungeon. Gregory, the head of the Vidrato family, could easily kill a normal third evolution monster with just his base strength. If Gregory equipped his high-grade armor and weapons, then Souta wouldn't be able to win that battle.
The latest incident was in the Ibish village. The danger of that incident was extremely high.
"Just follow my orders and don't ask anything," Souta said to them confidently. He was sure that if nothing went wrong, they would be able to complete it without any problems.
He then proceeded to explain the rest of his plan to the people in the room. Souta asked them if they were confident in their strength, and they answered him that they were good. So he divided the Dark Oculus into two, and that's the same for the Lanny group. It was to increase the efficiency of clearing low-level dungeons.
All of them have the power of a C-rank adventurer, so Souta was confident that they could clear low-level dungeons. In fact, he even wanted them to solo low-level dungeons alone, but he stopped himself from doing so. It was to avoid accidents.
They would only group together when they were clearing mid-level dungeons. And once they were going to the high-level dungeon, they would move as one.
Ginvi looked at the members of Dark Oculus with doubt on his face. Some of the members of Dark Oculus were low-ranking, so it's only natural that he doubted their strength.
He raised his hand and brushed his green mohawk. He was about to say something when Jagret patted him on his shoulder.
"Don't. We don't need to trouble ourselves. Also, they will become our comrades when we go to the high-level dungeon." Jagret said while shaking his head.
Ginvi looked at the rest of Lanny's group and saw that they agreed to Jagret. He turned around and clicked his tongue.
"Tsk!"
"Wait, I need you to do something," Souta said to the Lanny group.
Jagret turned to Souta with a confused expression. He thought that their meeting was complete and they could go back to their room.
"Register yourselves in the Adventurers Guild as part of the Dark Oculus group. I needed you to do that first." Souta said to Jagret. He then saw everyone's confused expression. It seems that they couldn't understand why they needed to join his party when all of them were members of Lanny Corp.
"It's better that way. You're my subordinate, so you have to join the Dark Oculus." Souta simply said these words to them. He wanted them to join the Dark Oculus so that he could earn skill points and free attribute points when they completed a quest and cleared dungeons.
All of this arrangement was to maximize the benefit that he would receive from his party, the Dark Oculus. He will receive the rewards from the system each time his subordinates complete a quest. He already had a plan to expand the Dark Oculus group. He wanted to get as many skill points as possible before he evolved into a third evolution monster.
If he were a human or demi, Souta could continue like this, but he is a monster. Is there a country here on the Giza continent that could tolerate a monster forming a large group in their territory? The answer was obviously no.
If it's on another continent, then it's possible. The other continents have different cultures. Some powerful monsters were treated as gods, and some were treated as demons. Well, it all depends on the culture and history.
With Souta saying those words, the Lanny Corp couldn't reject his proposal. They don't have a choice but to join Dark Oculus.
He dismissed everyone, and they went back to their rooms except for Lumilia and Cluster. Souta had something to give to Lumilia.
Lumilia cast a long side glance at Souta before she asked, "Will it work?"
"Hmm... You mean my plan?" Souta turned his head toward her.
Lumilia nodded at him, and she looked at Cluster, who was looking outside through the window.
"Cluster will stay here. She doesn't need to go with us to clear dungeons." Souta paused for a moment before he added, "If everything works out, then we will reap a lot of benefits from this expedition. We could increase our strength vastly through the things that we will get in the dungeons."
Lumilia nodded her head when she heard that it could increase her strength. She wanted to increase her strength badly, as she wanted to fight beside Souta. It was her goal to get stronger. She wanted to help the one who helped her.
They would get a lot of things in dungeons, be it skill books, money, or equipment. Sometimes they could get rare materials or mana fruits.
Souta put his hand in his pocket and took out a piece of yellow paper. "Here, take it." He said this while stretching out his hand towards Lumilia.
Lumilia received the yellow paper and looked at it. "Transmission talisman?"
"Yes, it's a transmission talisman. It would be troublesome if I couldn't contact you." Souta said as he lay down on the bed. Just like what happened before, he couldn't tell them the shortcut towards the Eternal Empire. Luckily, they met Princess Alea, or else they would fail the quest.
He just looked at the ceiling. After a few minutes, he turned his head, as he didn't hear any words from Lumilia. He saw that she was looking at the talisman in a daze.
"Oi! What's wrong, Lumilia?"
His voice snapped Lumilia out of her thoughts. "Huh?" She looked around and saw Souta and Cluster.
"Is there something wrong?" Souta asked her as he slightly tilted his head. He doesn't know what's on her mind.
Lumilia lowered her head, and a tinge of redness appeared in her cheeks. She grabbed Cluster's wrist and hurriedly left the room.
"Let's go, Cluster!"
"W-Wait!"
Souta just looked at their backs with a dumbfounded expression. He didn't understand what happened for her to leave like that.
He smiled after a while and shook his head. He checked his system and thought that it was the right time to promote his class.