Somnium had five dungeons—three for five-member teams and two for ten-member teams. The three five-member dungeons ranged from Lv.15 to Lv.20, Lv.25 to Lv.30, and Lv.30 to Lv.35. Meanwhile, the two ten-member dungeons covered Lv.15 to Lv.25 and Lv.20 to Lv.30.
The average player level was around 14 to 17, so even clearing the lowest-level five- and ten-member dungeons was a struggle right now. However, equipment farming was in full swing. The forums were filled with discussions about how the level ranges were manageable, but the intelligence of the dungeon monster NPCs made clearing them a serious challenge.
Near the massive statue in the town square, five wooden boards were placed—one for each dungeon—listing the top five teams along with their completion times. Only the lowest five member dungeon had completed entries, others were still unconquered. This was a common feature in most small towns where Nexus Kin players had gathered after their Escape mission. Even in Stonebinder cities, where dungeons were numerous, there was a board near every dungeon.
The first thing Kai did once they all passed through Somnium's gates was rent a room. Rooms in inns cost between five to seven copper per day—not for living, but for storing items players didn't want to risk losing upon death, they could also safely skip the night inside. While dungeons didn't have the penalty of dropping an entire inventory upon death, they were still located outside the town, making it impractical to go dungeon diving with a full inventory. The cost was high, but the storage space was large enough for five people to share conveniently, so most groups purchased one for ease of access. Additionally, by renting a room, Kai ensured that DarkSmile would be taken care of free of charge, preventing the guy from being stolen while he was in the dungeon.
After leaving Mimi and his mother to explore the town, Kai sorted through the loot they had dumped on him. Once that was done, he took them straight to the lowest five-member dungeon—Beast Hollow, for levels 15 to 20. He was already level 19 and needed just one more level to gain his third extra SP. With that, he might be able to acquire an extra skill. However, since he already had enough skills to handle low-level monsters, he figured it would be better to save the points for later.
The area outside the dungeon cave, located a few kilometers from Somnium, was crowded with players of all kinds. Some were shouting for party members, others were selling dungeon loot, and some were just standing around. PKers lurked in the vicinity, as expected in such places, but seeing Kai's high level—and the fact that he was in a group of three rather than a lone player—no one dared to mess with them.
He only needed two more members, so he activated a floating text above his head, displaying his recruitment message. It was a feature he had used frequently in his last timeline. Seeing him do this, others began searching for ways to do the same instead of shouting.
As he scanned the crowd, Kai kept an eye on the nearby players approaching them. Many recognized him from the forum post about how to get a horse. Most of the players who had arrived on horseback there were either guild leaders from other games or highly successful PKers. Various groups and communities had also formed on the VR landing planets, pooling their resources to progress faster.
Mimi and his mother stood on either side of him, arms crossed, looking like henchmen guarding their gang boss. Mimi was level 17, while his mother was still level 16. Kai placed a hand on each of their shoulders, signaling them to relax. They were staring down the approaching players so intensely that it seemed as if they were there to rob everyone.
The two of them had barely interacted with other players aside from their encounters in the starting villages, where they had fought for survival. In the wild, they had met some travelers, but since Kai hadn't trusted them enough to journey together, those encounters usually ended with the other party turning into red particles.
To them, every unknown player was an enemy.
Even though Kai's party had two pretty women, no one was willing to join them.
At last, a couple approached, also looking to team up. Kai wasn't expecting long-term party members, but since they were level 15 and 16, they should have enough skills to be competent and not be complete noobs.
After accepting them into the party, Mimi and his mother eyed the newcomers suspiciously but still greeted them.
With the five-member team now complete, Kai immediately led them into Beast Hollow—the simplest of Somnium's five dungeons. The monsters inside were similar to the ones found in the wild, making it more of an introduction to dungeon mechanics than a fully-fledged challenge. Instead of traditional monsters, it featured wild beasts.
Beast Hollow was divided into three sections: the Hollow entrance, home to low-tier creatures; the mid-section, which had mid-tier beasts; and the inner hollow, where a few high-tier beasts lurked, followed by the dungeon boss.
The low-tier beasts consisted of feral fangrats, giant, rabid rodents with razor-sharp teeth and pack-hunting instincts; shadow howlers, small, dark-furred wolves that phased in and out of shadows, striking from blind spots; and horned grizzlings, bear-like creatures with small, curved horns that were territorial and highly aggressive.
In the mid-tier section, there were stonehide boars, hulking, armored creatures that charged with the force of a battering ram; razorwing rocs, giant predatory birds with bladed feathers that they fired like arrows; and thornfang panthers, stealthy, nocturnal cats with extendable, thorn-covered fangs.
The highest-tier section had creatures that could rival even elite monsters. A chimera tyrant, a massive three-headed beast—a lion, a dragon, and a serpent—with chaotic elemental breath; and an eldertusk mammoth, an ancient war-elephant covered in enchanted, rock-like armor.
And then, there was the boss—the Hollow King. A primordial beast that embodied the dungeon's power, shifting between different monstrous forms at will.