Underworld Monsters of the Fourth Layer

"This environment is really not bad!"

Luo Ao's mental power swept across the entire layer. He was immensely satisfied with the environment of this new layer. He would not even need to spend Primordial Points to alter the terrain and environment of the Fourth Layer; as it was, the Fourth Layer already counted as hell for ordinary adventurers.

The dense poisonous miasma that covered the entire layer, coupled with the bottomless rotting swamps, made exploring the Fourth Layer an enormous challenge unless one could fly through the air.

But how could ordinary adventurers possibly afford flying items?

All Luo Ao needed to do was create some new monsters suited to the Fourth Layer, and this place would become an adventurer's nightmare.

"Still, I can add just a little creative touch and give all those adventurers a surprise."

Of course, although Luo Ao was very satisfied with the Fourth Layer's environment, he still planned to carefully fine-tune it after creating the monsters.

"Let me see what good materials the Fourth Layer has for creating monsters."

Filled with anticipation, Luo Ao extended his mental power deep into the Fourth Layer to search for the materials he needed. The first thing he discovered was the giant tree he was currently standing in. The entire tree contained a vast amount of magic power, and its roots stretched deep into every region of the Fourth Layer, constantly absorbing all kinds of nutrients and magic power.

It could be said that the entire Fourth Layer was nourishing this giant tree, which stood several hundred meters tall. It was the overlord of this layer.

Aside from this giant tree, Luo Ao also found skeletons sunk deep within the sludge. Their slender bones resembled those of snakes, and in the areas where these bones had piled up, the sludge had changed in nature due to the unusual environment.

It contained a great amount of toxins and magic power, making it another decent material.

Beyond those, Luo Ao discovered that the aerial roots hanging from the canopy were also quite useful—or rather, the barbs on those aerial roots were. They could secrete paralyzing toxins and suck blood, wrapping around prey while releasing large amounts of paralytic poison and robbing it of the ability to resist.

Luo Ao suspected that the skeletons at the bottom of the swamp, piled into patches of white bones, were the remains of prey the giant tree had once devoured.

"Let's try it first."

With a thought, a dark red barb brimming with magic power and as thick as a thumb appeared, along with a ball of liquid condensed from miasma. After thinking for a moment, he added a pile of highly poisonous mushrooms as well.

His talent activated, and Primordial Power flowed in. Under the force of both, the three materials fused and twisted together. A monster emerged, with four pairs of purple-black insect wings, a bloated and plump abdomen, and a nearly five-centimeter-long dark red stinger growing beneath it. It was nearly the size of an adult's palm and buzzed as it flew.

[Name: Purple Poison Giant Mosquito]

[Level: lv3]

[Skills: Disease Transmission lv3, Bloodlust Growth lv2, High-Speed Flight lv2, Heat Sensing lv1, Complete Metamorphosis lv1]

[Description: A Bloodlust monster possessing Complete Metamorphosis. It can undergo Rapid Reproduction and development by sucking blood. Its four pairs of insect wings grant it High-Speed Flight, while the venomous stinger on its tail can inject large amounts of paralyzing toxins and various pathogens into prey, weakening them and turning them into blood packs and breeding grounds for the next generation.]

Having spent 0.05 units of Primordial Power, Luo Ao created this brand-new monster before him. With the experience of creating monsters last time, he was far more proficient now and had even learned to select suitable materials based on the monster he wanted to create.

The Purple Poison Giant Mosquito before him was the first monster Luo Ao had created for the Fourth Layer.

After learning that mosquitoes did not exist in this world, Luo Ao had resolved to make up for that regret in this other world. He even intended to develop different kinds of mosquitoes for every layer in the future.

This was his way of paying tribute to the researchers before his transmigration who had worked hard to fill the void left by the absence of mosquitoes in winter.

"Go. Reproduction diligently and expand your population."

Luo Ao looked expectantly at the giant mosquito circling before him. With a thought, he transferred several hundred Goblins from the upper layers to the Fourth Layer, using them as breeding grounds for the Purple Poison Giant Mosquito's Reproduction of the next generation.

Moreover, the next generation of Purple Poison Giant Mosquitoes could inherit some of the traits of their breeding grounds, making themselves even stronger.

Goblins were strongest in their Reproduction ability. With Goblin traits absorbed and several hundred Goblins serving as breeding grounds, Luo Ao believed that Purple Poison Giant Mosquitoes would soon fill the entire Fourth Layer.

"Next, I need to create several monsters to deal with most adventurers."

Considering that he could not completely crush adventurers' desire to explore the dungeon, and that he did not have much Primordial Power left after leveling up, the monsters Luo Ao planned to create next would all prioritize affordability.

One portion of sludge containing highly poisonous magic power, plus three portions of toxin-filled miasma.

As his talent activated, the light of monster creation shone once again. Several seconds later, a monster appeared that reeked of stench and looked like a puddle of sludge.

[Name: Sludge Monster]

[Level: lv2]

[Skills: Rotting Body lv2, Asexual Splitting lv1, Environmental Pollution lv1]

[Description: A monster composed entirely of highly poisonous, rotting sludge. It loves rotten, toxic environments and excels at dragging prey trapped in swamps into its body to devour and break down. Once mature, it can split and reproduce on its own to expand its population. Its rotting body can pollute normal environments, transforming water sources and land into rotting swamps.]

"Though in another environment, it would only deserve to sit at the same table as Goblins and Slimes, it's quite suitable for the Fourth Layer."

Luo Ao was fairly satisfied with this new monster. After spending five points of Primordial Power to create fifty of them, he tossed them into different areas of the Fourth Layer. In any case, with the Sludge Monster's ability to split on its own, they would soon become widespread.

Next, Luo Ao used the skeletons piled at the bottom of the swamp sludge to create Swamp Venom Pythons and Skeleton Giant Crocodiles, filling the gaps in the Fourth Layer's monster races.

"Now, all that's missing is a small boss capable of guarding the Fourth Layer."

Luo Ao turned his gaze toward the giant tree at the center of the Fourth Layer. According to the knowledge in his mind, every ten floors of a dungeon had a layer overlord, while every five floors had a layer chief—a so-called small boss.

Although this was only the Fourth Layer, there was no rule saying a layer chief had to appear only on the Fifth Layer.

Other dungeons had no self-awareness and acted according to instinct. But he, Luo Ao, was a self-aware dungeon. If he still acted according to instinct, would not that self-awareness be wasted?

Besides, creating a layer chief one level early would let those naive adventurers witness the dungeon's malice.

"Come on!"

Luo Ao focused his mind and extracted part of the giant tree's heartwood hidden within its body. Then he plucked a large handful of branches and leaves before finally using up the Magic Spring that had re-condensed in the Second Layer over the past few days.

"Monster Creation!"