After searching for a while I finally find what I'm looking for. It's fairly cheap as well. Cheap being a relative term as it does still cost 5000 world energy. So, about the same as the largest room I currently use. This skill allows me to extend my awareness into the dimension I'm attached to. The catch is that I can only extend my awareness not my influence. Also, and I'm not sure why this is important, but the skill warns that it only allows me to extend my awareness into the dimension my entrance is attached to. The warning is a little concerning. It was basically the same as the general description yet somehow way more ominous.
I should probably look into that at some point. For now, I chose to continue building. Mainly because none of the skill I can afford in a relatively reasonable time frame have anything to do with things outside my pocket dimension. Which is the only other place I can think to extend my awareness.
So, after saving up enough world energy I go ahead and buy the skill. I then spend the next month extending my awareness a little at a time until I can once again see the sky. I can also see around me as well the same as looking through my entrance. After admiring the view for a day or so I go ahead and extend upwards a few more times as futureproofing against further development by Clyde. It's a surreal experience. Because I went straight up, when I bring my consciousness to the highest point it feels like I'm standing on top of a flagpole or something similar. I can look around, but I don't have room to do anything else really. Still, it's enough for my dungeon rule to mimic the day night cycle as well as the night sky itself which is all I really wanted.
Now that that's done, I can finally get back to building the fourth floor. Just as soon as my mana builds up enough that is. Why do I get the feeling this is going to be a never-ending issue no matter how big I get. Then again, I am two whole floors ahead of any delver. Though maybe not for long. Clyde's party just entered the first floor again for the first time in a while. I'm guessing that they went to have their party registered as a stone rank party which according to a previous conversation I had with Clyde officially makes me a stone rank dungeon. This is just a guess though based on the fact that Chandra apparently reached level 10 during their last delve.
It seems like having an entire party registered as stone rank is a lot more involved than just registering a single person. I'll have to ask Clyde about it later. It did seem to take a lot longer though. Right now, I can't wait to see if they make it to the third floor. I've got a good feeling about their chances. I'm pretty sure they were just waiting on Chandra to reach level 10.
Eventually they make it to the second-floor boss room. It would seem Cole and Darrel even managed to reach level 12 along the way.
Clyde POV
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This is it. Part of me want to put it off a little more I can feel that I'm close to level 12 after all. I can't keep putting it off forever though. Fighting level 10 mobs is already starting to have diminishing returns as far as helping us gain levels. Mainly because we no longer need to try as hard. So, after a final check of our equipment and overall status we enter the boss room ready for anything.
At least I thought we were. As soon as we entered the boss chamber I was hit with this overwhelming feeling of dread. Like somehow, I just knew. This is it. This is where I die. Looking around I can see that I'm not the only one who suddenly has the urge to run away. Just then the boss attacks. A massive Dire Wolf bigger than any wolf I've ever seen by far. I should fight back but I'm so scared t's all I can do to not run away in terror. I mean look at it, that thing is massive.
Wait, what am I saying? Sure, it's big but it's not that big. Although, I mean just look at it. NO! THINK ABOUT IT! I mentally scream at myself trying to push past the fear. we fought rooms full of level 10 enemies. A single level 15 enemy shouldn't be that scary. This has to be some kind of skill related to fear. I try to think back to my academy days. What did my instructor say I should do when this happened. I have to do something. I'm the leader after all. Everyone is counting on me.
Wait that's it. When this happens, I should focus on my role within the party. It's going to be tricky to fight while focusing elsewhere but it's the only way. "Focus on your role" I shout to the others as I lunge at the dire wolf who clearly was not expecting anyone to go on the offensive. My sword makes contact with the dire wolf's shoulder creating a deep gash which instantly begins to gush blood. I receive a paw to my chest sending me flying a few meters to the side for my effort. Fortunately, it seems my words and actions had the desired effect on the rest of the party.
Trying not to actively focus on the fight goes against everything we know about fighting. It's really the only way to get through it without succumbing to the fear though. Lily rushes to me immediately while Cole to his credit steps between me and the giant dire wolf. I try to get back to my feet, but the pain is intense. That swipe from the wolf must have been a more solid hit than I originally thought. All I can do now is hope that Lily can heal me enough to get back in the fight.
Darrel for his part is busy using his water vines to try and slow the wolf down. He doesn't seem to be able to pin it down completely like he did with the other wolves. I'm guessing it has to do with the size of the dire wolf, but fear probably plays a factor as well. Still thanks to his efforts Cole is able to stay between it and me which I'm grateful for. Meanwhile Chandra is launching one throwing knife after another. She isn't able to hit any vital spots, but each hit causes it to bleed a little more. Eventually she runs out of throwing knives though.
After what feels like an eternity Lily says that she's doe as much as she can. As I try once again to get to my feet the pain is still there but at least I can move now. I'm definitely going to be sore tomorrow. Taking advantage of the fact that it can't face in two directions at once I sneak around behind the dire wolf while Cole and Darrel are keeping its attention. Taking my time I wait for the perfect opening. When I finally see my opportunity, I lunge forward with a horizontal slash cutting through part of the dire wolf's left hind leg and severely impacting its mobility. The dire wolf howls in pain and tries to turn and attack me. This in turn provides an opening for Cole who slices at the other hind leg completely crippling it.
At this point it's only a matter of time before its defeated. After the fight we spend a long time resting while we debate about whether we should attempt the third floor. I'm still sore from that hit I took but the injury isn't life threatening. Seeing as nobody else seems to be injured at all we opt to continue on to the third floor after collecting the high-quality dire wolf leather that dropped. If the third floor is anything like the second, the next mob we face should be much closer to our current level.