Dungeon And Slave: The Lustful and Violent Slave Harem of the Guard and Students Chosen as Testers for the Succubus Dungeon

Chapter 91: 9th Floor Exploration Begins and Growth Limits

Tester Life – Day 37 – Morning – 9th Floor – Yagumo Sanada

“Danna-sama, six enemies approaching from the front.”

“Got it. Saizou, enemies are coming. Any traps?”

“Gyui!”

At Sheena’s warning, I check with Saizou, who’s scouting ahead. He turns, places a hand on his chest, and bows, confirming no traps.

“Sayaka, Rock, prepare for a back attack.”

With traps clear, I glance back, issuing orders to Sayaka and her guard, Rock.

“Yes!”

“Wan!”

“Sheena, let’s go.”

“Yes, Danna-sama.”

Slightly exasperated by Rock’s forced high-pitched cute bark, I charge toward the goblin group with Sheena.

Six goblins total.

Five sword-wielding goblins and one wizard.

Sheena, rapier in hand, strides calmly toward them.

Goblin swords swing at her, but she dodges gracefully, countering with rapier thrusts to throats and hearts.

I follow diagonally behind, slashing goblins trying to flank her or distracted by her with my machete.

A fireball appears above the Goblin Wizard at the rear.

As it’s launched, blood sprays from the wizard’s neck.

Saizou’s work.

But the fireball hurtles straight at me and Sheena.

We dodge it easily, finishing off the remaining goblins.

“Sayaka-sama! Six from the rear!”

While skewering a goblin, Sheena shouts, alerting Sayaka to new enemies.

“Okay! ‘Ice Arrow’!”

Rock, wary of fireballs, raises his shield rearward. Sayaka summons an ice arrow above her head.

As the goblin group appears, she fires the arrow, piercing a Goblin Archer’s chest.

Rock holds his shield steady, bracing for the advancing goblins.

Sheena and I, done with the front, return, and we all take out the remaining goblins.

“This formation definitely saves mana.”

As Saizou collects magic stones, I speak to Sheena, watching him.

“Indeed. You and I as vanguards speed up annihilation. Saizou does excellent work too.”

“Yeah. Rock as a tank is stable, but slow. Your aggressive front-lining expands our tactics.”

When we reached the 9th Floor, Sheena wanted to take the lead. Trying her and me as vanguards worked perfectly.

Already swift, Sheena’s movements became even faster after regaining her ego.

Apparently, beastmen have “Beast Aura,” converting mana into physical strength.

Circulating it fully enhances them like Physical Enhancement magic.

Without her ego, she used it unconsciously, wasting much. Now, with her ego back, she uses it efficiently, she said.

A quick spar showed that, despite both being C-rank, I could barely keep up with her speed using Physical Enhancement. At D+, I wouldn’t have.

Beastmen can’t use magic, but their base physical abilities are high, plus they can enhance with Beast Aura.

What happens when she goes vanguard?

E-rank goblin attacks are child’s play—she dodges effortlessly and counters.

Thus, the attack-type evasion tank was born.

She draws enemies, dodging and countering. I flank with heavy strikes. Naturally, enemy rearguards like archers or wizards target us—think aggro in games.

But Saizou, slipping through, ambushes them.

With wizards, like now, they might cast just in time, but archers get taken out before firing.

Slow spells like fireballs are easily dodged, so no issue.

Even if we fail to draw aggro and Sayaka’s targeted, Rock protects her. I once tested a fireball on Rock without Sayaka behind—he blocked it perfectly with his greatshield.

For back attacks like this, Rock shields while Sayaka snipes archers or wizards with Ice Arrow.

Before, we relied on Water Wall to stall until I reached them. Now, Rock guards, and Sayaka’s Ice Arrow lets her strike first.

This style means I don’t need Fire Bullet, and Sayaka skips triple-mana Water Wall for a single Ice Arrow.

I only use magic during rushes, and even then, one shot suffices.

“Thanks to your ego returning, combat’s this easy.”

“It’s because of your love, Danna-sama. Rest assured, I’ll protect you and Sayaka-sama.”

“That’s a bit emasculating. I’ll get stronger so you won’t say that—watch me.”

I’m outmatched physically now, but I’ll rank up and surpass her soon.

“Hehe, yes. That’s the man I love.”

Sheena blushes, entwines her arm with mine, and rests her head on my shoulder.

What a change.

Her face hasn’t shifted dramatically, but blushing and expressive emotions are new.

Arm-linking too. Yesterday’s Sheena would just stand close, sometimes leaning in, but never initiated like this.

From leaving My Room to reaching the 9th Floor, she kept her arm linked.

The testers in the Transfer Room glaring with bloodshot eyes were amusing, so it’s fine.

“To do that, we need to hit the next floor fast. Stronger monsters mean faster growth.”

“Yes, your mana growth rate is exceptional, so you’ll likely surpass human growth limits. Normally, killing hundreds of E-rank goblins wouldn’t make you C-rank.”

“Oh, that species-specific growth limit you mentioned this morning.”

In Sheena’s world, each species had a mana cap.

Beastmen were lowest, with C-rank as their limit.

Humans were next, capped at C+.

But with large populations, rare individuals reached B or higher.

Beastmen inherited potential through blood, concentrated in royalty or nobility.

Humans, besides blood, had mutation-like cases producing A-rank potential, often becoming heroes.

How do you know potential? Those with it absorb more “soul”—experience—from defeated monsters than others.

Faster rank-ups mean potential.

Normally, killing lower-rank monsters doesn’t easily rank you up. But those with potential gain, say, 5 or 10 experience instead of 1 from weaker foes, ranking up with enough kills.

There’s a limit, though. Above C-rank, required experience skyrockets, so E-rank kills won’t cut it anymore, Sheena said.

I’ll focus on ranking up Sayaka, Rock, and others until D-rank or higher monsters appear.

Oh, Sayaka’s got some potential too, though not as much as me. Yuki’s group does too, surprising Sheena.

Come to think of it, the guide succubus Remia said Earth humans grow mana fast.

I’m apparently three heads above the rest.

In a dream, Freyja said something about me growing like a human hero. Vague memory, though.

Laugh if you want for trusting a dream, but I know it’s not just a dream. It’s too vivid.

So, I’ve got at least A-rank potential?

Don’t get cocky. I’ll aim for B or B+. That’s enough to bed Lili and Freyja.

Pondering this, I take the magic stones from Saizou and resume exploration.