Unaware of what was happening on the surface, Takatsuki continued his journey alone, his speed decreasing the further he descended.
Takatsuki had completely given up on using the Fire Demon character card. Although the abilities of fire and enhanced physique were very useful and powerful, their versatility couldn't compare to Koby's A-rank card.
While character cards would bring some physical enhancements to ensure the abilities on the card could be used, they would never reach the level of the character themselves.
The Fire Demon Lord's own strength and physique were terrifying, but the Dragon Body only gave Takatsuki that exaggerated vitality. However, with the Dog Talisman, he didn't need such immense vitality.
On the other hand, the Haki and Six Powers system were extremely practical in terms of overall combat effectiveness.
Takatsuki simply switched his constantly active character card to the A-rank Koby, also striving to master Haki and Six Powers of the same level on his own as soon as possible, so he wouldn't need to rely on the character card's power.
On the 39th floor's safe level, Takatsuki contacted the others for the last time, sending his gains from the journey to the surface through [Close at Hand Yet Worlds Apart]." Hearing that Hestia was in charge of selling the materials, he guessed how she was doing it.
"Don't let Hestia sell these materials anymore."
As soon as Takatsuki said this, Hestia let out a displeased sound, "Eh—why not?"
"Hah, Lady Hestia, don't you understand yet?"
Seeing Takatsuki's gaze, Hestia turned her head away, her two fingers pressed together, and said somewhat guiltily, "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Lady Hestia, your divine friends are helping us like this out of past friendship. If you continue like this, there will be problems."
After saying that, Takatsuki said no more, but looked at Mei, "Mei, although it's a bit troublesome, please take care of selling these things. If possible, buy some gifts and visit Hestia's divine friends."
Takatsuki's words were clear enough, and everyone understood how Hestia was selling at high prices. The reason this matter was entrusted to Mei was because, among those present, Mei was the most suitable for handling such interpersonal relationships.
Kiana's personality was unreliable, Fu Hua was not good at interpersonal relationships, and Bronya... forget it, she was expressionless and a bit venomous. Even if Takatsuki cured her, this little flaw couldn't be changed.
However, what Takatsuki didn't expect was that Bronya actually volunteered this time.
"Let Bronya help Sister Mei. Project Bunny 19C has already entered the Dungeon materials data into the database and can analyze the appropriate price for each item."
After the handling method for the last batch of materials transported to the surface was decided, Takatsuki began a new day of adventure.
Unfortunately, when he arrived at the 37th floor yesterday, he didn't encounter the 37th floor boss. He estimated it had probably been subjugated by the Loki Familia.
He just didn't know which floor they were on now.
In the current Dungeon, only monsters could basically be seen. To meet other adventurers, one could only wait until they encountered the Loki Familia on their expedition.
Wielding his longsword wrapped in Haki, he cut down a monster. Takatsuki dispatched the Shadowkhan to collect all the dropped materials and magic stones from the surroundings, then put them into his backpack.
The Shadowkhan was completely cannon fodder now. If they encountered slow monsters, it was fine, but if they encountered fast monsters, they couldn't even run.
They could only be used as support.
"The materials needed for the 48th floor have been collected. Next is the 49th floor... No, are there no materials needed for the 49th floor? Then let's go directly to the 50th floor."
Opening the list and taking a look, Takatsuki walked in the direction reported by the Shadowkhan. The Shadowkhan could lurk in shadows. Although they couldn't enter shadows when collecting materials or moving with items, making them vulnerable to monster attacks, they were invincible for scouting.
In the Dungeon without a map, Takatsuki relied on the Shadowkhan to scout ahead, allowing him to travel quickly.
By the 30th Floor, he was already in a situation where he could only cover a few floors a day.
The 40th Floor was even worse; it took him an entire day to go from the 47th to the 48th Floor.
Although, that was partly because he was grinding monsters to collect materials.
After spending more than a week, he finally arrived at the 49th Floor.
If this record were heard by others, their eyes would probably pop out, as such a feat, not accomplished by an entire Familia acting together but by a single person, could perhaps only be achieved by Orario's current strongest adventurer, Ottar.
But what about Takatsuki? He was merely an LV1.
"There aren't many quests on the 49th Floor. I'll continue to tinker with my puppet."
During this time, whenever Takatsuki had free time, he would take out his puppet core and ponder how to modify it.
Upon reaching the 40th Floor, it was beyond the service range of "phone calls," so Takatsuki had plenty of time to research while traveling.
Although he hadn't researched much in all this time, his Puppeteer job level inexplicably increased.
The system only displayed levels and not proficiency, so Takatsuki didn't know the reason for the upgrade, but the puppet was indeed more agile than before.
At least it could speak.
However, overall, it was still an unintelligent puppet with no judgment, capable only of following simple commands or pre-set action logic, even inferior to the ninja soldiers of the Shadowkhan.
But Takatsuki, by combining it with his Stand ability, added a very interesting little ability: the ability to communicate telepathically with a certain ninja soldier.
This was achieved by using White Snake's ability to create two command discs, then connecting them with Love Train's ability, resulting in this miraculous effect.
"General, a large number of monsters have been discovered ahead."
Although it was the puppet Takatsuki created that was speaking, it was actually the ninja soldier kneeling beside him who was speaking.
Ninja soldiers couldn't speak, but they could communicate with each other just by looking into each other's eyes, but Takatsuki couldn't do that.
So he cleverly used this method.
The puppet itself had no consciousness and would only execute simple commands. For example, just now, the ninja soldier asked it to relay a message, as ninja soldiers could communicate through eye contact, which Takatsuki couldn't do.
"Understood."
Changing direction, Takatsuki continued to advance towards the lower levels.
After the ninja soldiers' continuous "sacrificial" scouting and monster luring, Takatsuki finally crossed the 49th Floor and reached the 50th Floor.
As soon as he arrived at the 50th Floor, Takatsuki saw the spacious and bright underground environment, along with a not-so-dense forest.
Seeing this familiar scene, Takatsuki knew that the 50th Floor was also a safe floor.
Although it should be a safe floor, it doesn't mean there are absolutely no monsters. In reality, safe floors are also monster resting grounds; they won't attack adventurers on safe floors. However, Takatsuki wasn't very trusting of this strange ecology, so even on a safe floor, he dispatched ninja soldiers to scout the surroundings.
Meanwhile, on the 50th Floor, one of Orario's largest Familias had also set up camp.
For expeditionary forces, safe floors are more meaningful than for a lone wolf like Takatsuki.
Because even if it wasn't a safe floor, Takatsuki only needed to find a place with few monsters to hide and rest, making it difficult for monsters to find him, and he also had ninja soldiers on guard.
But large groups find it difficult to hide their tracks in non-safe areas.