Half a day had passed since D. Wasp successfully took control of the caterpilr. Since it wasn’t a dungeon-born creature, Ordis doubted it had any magic or notable abilities. Its stats were likely much lower than his summoned minions, making it less useful in combat. Watching it move, he noticed how stiff and unnatural its motions were—either the caterpilr was still resisting, or the parasite hadn’t fully adapted to its new host.
"Yeah... I don’t think this little guy is going to be much help right now," Ordis muttered, his excitement fading as he observed the sluggish creature.
It wasn’t surprising, but he couldn’t help feeling a bit disappointed. He had imagined something more dramatic—maybe a parasite-infested caterpilr that could move with terrifying speed or release toxic fluids. But instead, all he got was a wobbly, barely functional bug.
Thinking back to fantasy stories, he remembered caterpilrs often had special traits, like spitting sticky silk to trap enemies. Unfortunately, real-life caterpilrs weren’t that convenient. This one was just... a slow, possessed worm.
"Well... this is a little disappointing," Ordis muttered, still feeling underwhelmed by the caterpilr’s ckluster performance. His attention soon shifted to D. Wasp, though, and his mood lifted. In just half a day, the wasp had already reached level 3—a rate of growth that he could only describe as astonishing. Seeing this, his next course of action became obvious.
"I guess it's time to hunt for a real powerhouse to add to my minions, huh?" Ordis mused, accessing his system to search for the perfect target. His mind immediately settled on one creature in particur.
Spiders.
As someone who had spent his previous life enjoying anime, manga, and web novels, Ordis knew that spiders were practically a staple in dungeon stories. They were cssic monsters—versatile, dangerous, and often the first real challenge adventurers faced. Not to mention, there were plenty of famous isekai series featuring spider protagonists. Just thinking about it made him excited.
"Man… the idea of a spider evolving into an Arachne is exactly the kind of thing an isekai fan like me would love to see… Guhehehe..." Ordis chuckled to himself, already picturing a powerful, humanoid spider minion under his command. If things went well, this hunt might just be the start of something incredible.
"Oops, I shouldn't let my imagination run wild," Ordis muttered, shaking off his excitement. He focused back on his system, scanning through the avaible information.
"Hm... looks like there are several types of spiders in this pce. But damn… this one has a leg span of about 30 cm!" Just the thought of it made him pause. "If I were still human, I'd be running for my life right now. But as a dungeon… this thing looks awesome. I want it."
However, a hint of hesitation crept into his thoughts. The spider looked powerful—maybe too powerful for his current minions. As much as he wanted to recruit it, he couldn’t ignore the risk. His minions weren’t infinite; he had to cultivate them, level them up, and spend mana to summon repcements. Losing them carelessly would be a huge setback. He had been so focused on strengthening them that he hadn't truly tested their capabilities against stronger enemies yet.
His past human instincts told him the bigger animal meant more dangerous they were. But was that really the case? Ordis realized that despite all his pnning, he hadn’t once relied on the system for direct battle assessments. Maybe it was time to change that.
"System," he called out, bringing up the details of the spider he had set his sights on. "Can D. Mosquito and the others even handle something like this?"
[Based on current stats: D. Mosquito's speed exceeding 20 grants exceptional agility, allowing it to evade most threats with ease. D. Wasp, with a speed surpassing 10, possesses sufficient mobility for rapid maneuvers. Risk assessment: minimal for both in open areas, but caution advised in confined spaces or against web-based entrapment abilities.]
"Is that so?" Ordis nodded as he processed the information. From what the system reported, his two flying minions were simply too fast for a spider of this size to catch. Their agility alone gave them a major advantage, making this hunt far less risky than he initially feared.
Thinking about it, he realized something. "If level one minions start off at the same level as ordinary insects, then by leveling up and ranking up, they should already be far beyond their natural counterparts. Especially if they're of the same species." His muttering carried a sense of newfound confidence. Not only had he underestimated their physical growth, but he also hadn't factored in their magical abilities. If his minions' skills and spells were taken into account, their combat potential was even greater than he'd thought.
"Hm… What about D. Ant?" he asked, shifting his focus. While his flying minions had clear advantages, his ground troops were another story.
[Not recommended to let D. Ant engage the spider in direct combat. While D. Ant possesses strong mandibles and teamwork potential, its speed and agility are far inferior. The spider’s natural ability to weave silk, ambush prey, and its venomous bite pose a significant threat. D. Ant cks sufficient mobility to evade such attacks from big opponent,]
"Hm, I wonder what would happen if I fused my D. Ants and ranked them up to Common." Ordis mused, a new idea forming in his mind. If he combined his two D. Ants, he could strengthen his forces significantly. To set up the perfect opportunity, he pnned to use the P. Caterpilr as bait while summoning a new D. Mosquito as a decoy. With this strategy in pce, he could maximize his minions' efficiency and minimize danger to his beloved minion.
"Yeah, this sounds like a solid pn." Ordis nodded to himself, deciding to go through with the fusion. As soon as he combined the two D. Ants, the resulting minion instantly shot up to level 10 and ranked up to Common. Just like with D. Mosquito’s evolution, the increase in status was nearly double, but what stood out the most was the drastic size boost. Unlike the mosquito, whose growth was retively moderate, the D. Ant’s body expanded significantly, reaching a full 5 cm in length.
"Whoa... This is insane. Almost a tenfold increase in size!" Ordis marveled, watching his newly evolved D. Ant. It was no longer just an ordinary insect—this was a miniature monster in term Ant size, a true soldier among his minions. If he wasn’t so focused on his upcoming spider hunt, he would have spent hours simply observing its behavior and testing its newfound strength.
Regardless, one thing was clear—this D. Ant had evolved into something far beyond its former self. Its stats were remarkable, its size intimidating, and Ordis couldn't wait to see how it would perform in real combat.
Dungeon Ant – Level 10Name: Dungeon AntLevel: 10 Rank: CommonMana Cost: 2 Mana Reserve per summon (Lv1)Lifespan: 72 hours (unless sustained by the dungeon)
Attributes:
Strength: 18
Speed: 12
Defense: 20
Magic: 12
Intelligence: 10
Abilities:
Enhanced Mandibles (Passive): Strong, serrated mandibles capable of cutting through tough materials.
Coordinated Assault (Passive): Gains a 10% attack boost when fighting alongside other ants.
Burrow (Active): Can quickly dig tunnels or hide underground for ambushes and evasion.
Exoskeleton Reinforcement (Passive): Natural armor reduces physical damage taken by 15%.
Pheromone Link (Active): Temporarily enhances communication and coordination with other ants within a 5-meter radius.
With his pn set in motion, Ordis quickly summoned a fresh D. Mosquito and sent it to the first floor. The new minion buzzed to life, its tiny wings vibrating at an incredible speed. While individually weak, its role as a distraction was crucial. If the spider focused on swatting it away, even for a second, that would be enough for his stronger minions to strike.
"Alright, everything's in pce. Now, let's see how well this pn pys out," Ordis muttered, excitement bubbling inside him. This would be his biggest battle yet—a true test of strategy, coordination, and the strength of his evolving minions.
If they succeeded, not only would he gain a powerful new minion, but he’d also confirm something important—his dungeon, especially the first floor, had truly become his minions' pyground, a pce where they could grow, hunt, and dominate.
