Ren closed his journal, carefully considering his next move. The journey to the Southern Dungeon wasn't something he could undertake without thorough preparation.
The monsters inhabiting that place weren't weaklings. Giant lizards with steel-like scales and massive spiders with exoskeletons strong enough to withstand normal attacks. If he wanted to break through their defenses, he would need a weapon far more powerful than what he had before.
"Alright, I need something that can punch through stone-hard flesh."
Ren immediately began listing the equipment he needed.
A new weapon with a higher caliber – His handgun and assault rifle might not be enough. He needed something with higher firepower, something that could obliterate a monster's natural defenses in one or two shots.
Special ammunition – If normal bullets weren't enough, he'd have to craft high-explosive rounds or use stronger materials than steel.
Protective gear – Even though he relied more on strategy than close combat, he couldn't ignore defense. He needed to upgrade his armor, at least something that could protect him from sudden attacks or venomous bites.
Food and water supplies – The journey would take at least two days to reach the dungeon, not counting the time needed to explore and mine the materials he required. He had to bring enough provisions to avoid returning to the city too soon.
Mining tools – Since his goal was to extract rare minerals, he needed the right tools to harvest and transport the materials without damaging them.
Once he confirmed everything he needed, Ren got to work.
Inside his small workshop, he began crafting something new—a weapon far superior to what he had used before.
He took a high-quality steel block he had purchased from a blacksmith in the city, then used Material Transmutation to refine the smaller components that couldn't be crafted manually. Every mechanism had to be precisely engineered, ensuring flawless performance.
After hours of non-stop work, the weapon finally took its full form.
"Alright... I present to you—the first-ever Anti-Materiel Rifle in this world."
A long, high-caliber rifle, powerful enough to punch through thick steel plates. With this, monsters with hardened defenses were no longer a problem.
Ren smirked. "Now, let's see how effective this is in the field."
With almost everything ready, his journey to the Southern Dungeon was about to begin.
Deep within the Southern Dungeon...
The sound of ragged breathing and hurried footsteps echoed through the dark, damp stone corridors.
A short-haired female adventurer, covered in blood, ran with everything she had, her body trembling from exhaustion and pain.
Her eyes were filled with terror as she pushed herself forward, but the pain in her legs was getting worse.
She stumbled, her foot catching on a sharp rock hidden in the darkness, sending her crashing to the ground.
"Ugh...!" she groaned, her hands scraping against the cold, rough floor. But she couldn't stop now. She had to get out. She had to warn the guild before it was too late.
It wasn't supposed to be here.
"Why... why is there a Basilisk in this dungeon...?!" she muttered in a trembling voice, her eyes widening as the memory of the terrifying creature resurfaced in her mind.
A legendary monster known as the King of Serpents—a massive creature with armor-like scales, deadly venomous fangs, and a paralyzing gaze that could freeze its prey in an instant.
A creature like that should never exist in a mid-level dungeon.
Out of eight people in her party, she was the only survivor.
Tears threatened to fall from her pained and frightened eyes, but she clenched her teeth and dragged herself forward.
Even though blood was still flowing from her wounded leg, she had to keep moving.
"I... I have to... warn the others..."
But before she could fully stand up, a low rumbling echoed through the darkness.
It wasn't from a normal monster.
Holding her breath, she slowly turned her head—
And saw a pair of glowing red eyes emerge from the shadows.
At the entrance to the Southern Dungeon...
Ren finally arrived at the cave's entrance, known as the Southern Dungeon.
Before him lay a massive chasm, leading into utter darkness. A cold breeze flowed from within, carrying the scent of damp stone and earthy minerals.
He adjusted the weapon on his back—a 10-kilogram anti-materiel rifle and a 3-kilogram sidearm hanging from his waist. The weight wasn't a problem for his trained body, but it was still impractical.
"I wish I had some kind of item box or spatial storage... but I'll have to make do."
Ren sighed, recalling how in other isekai stories, protagonists always seemed to conveniently receive some kind of magical inventory system.
Of course, this world didn't grant him such luxuries.
Naturally, he didn't carry all his gear on foot the entire way. He had rented a horse from the city, leaving it tied not far from the dungeon entrance. The horse would wait there, ready to be used for a quick escape if necessary.
Ren stared into the dark corridor ahead.
"Alright... Let's see what's waiting inside."
With his rifle ready, he stepped forward into the Southern Dungeon.
The further he walked, the more the light from the outside world faded, replaced by the suffocating darkness of the cavern's depths.
The air grew colder and eerily silent, the only sound being his own footsteps echoing along the rough stone walls.
Anticipating this, Ren flipped a small switch on the side of his helmet, activating a built-in headlamp he had crafted beforehand.
A bright white light cut through the darkness, illuminating the rocky path ahead.
"Hmm, working perfectly," he murmured, his eyes scanning every inch of his surroundings, making sure nothing lurked in the shadows.
As he navigated the cave, Ren didn't act carelessly.
He knew that getting lost in a dungeon could mean death, so he took extra precautions to prevent it.
Using thin, handmade paper, far more practical than thick parchment, he began sketching a map of the dungeon.
Every turn, every open chamber, every dead end—he marked them all carefully.
(There's no automatic navigation system in this world, so I'll have to rely on old-school methods.)
Suddenly, his ears caught a faint sound in the distance—
The sound of something heavy scraping against stone.
Ren immediately stopped, holding his breath and lowering his stance.
His eyes narrowed as he aimed his headlamp toward the source of the noise.
From the darkness ahead, something began to move.