Dungeon Crawler Carl, #1
Dungeon Crawler Carl
by Matt Dinniman
Contents
Chapter 23
Overview
Carl and Donut leave the eldercare camp and begin preparing for the coming fight by hiding signs to protect the vulnerable survivors, then grinding nearby monsters for experience. Their battles against rats and troglodytes sharpen their teamwork and reveal Donut’s underused physical strength. The chapter shifts the story from rescue planning into active preparation, ending as they enter a new boss room despite losing Carl’s usual bombing advantage.
Summary
After leaving the eldercare survivors, Carl admits to Donut that he does not yet know how to kill the borough boss guarding the stairs. Carl argues that Brandon’s group must train because time is running out and searching for another staircase is too risky.
Carl begins spraying over the signs that point toward the encampment. Remembering that Imani reached level 10 partly because she was forced to kill people, Carl fears another desperate or predatory group might find the frail residents and murder them for experience. Donut worries that good people might miss the camp, but Carl decides the area is more likely to hold threats than rescuers.
As Carl and Donut move north, Carl alters or defaces more signs and they kill numerous larger level-three rats. Carl follows Brandon’s directions to the place where the elderly residents first died, hoping to salvage clothes or shoes, but the corpses have been reduced to bones and shredded cloth. The sight deepens Carl’s disgust and renews his hatred for Frank Q and Maggie My for stripping Rebecca W.’s body.
Carl and Donut enter a new quadrant and fight troglodyte pygmies, small venomous lizard-men. Donut’s improved Magic Missile easily destroys one, while Carl crushes another with his chain-covered fist. They spend the next hour grinding through level-two pygmies, larger level-three bashers, and level-four virtuosos with poison tongue attacks, steadily improving their teamwork.
During a pause, Carl notices Donut’s immense strength when she swats a severed troglodyte head hard enough to crack stone. Carl urges Donut to practice using her claws, but Donut resists because she considers claw fighting inelegant and dirty.
After hours of grinding, Carl and Donut find a troglodyte boss room. Because the layout prevents Carl from safely bombing it from a distance, they judge the fight dangerous but necessary practice before challenging the stair guardian. Carl smokes one of his last cigarettes, and the pair step through the automatic glass doors of a 24-hour fitness-themed boss room.
Who Appears
- CarlProtects the eldercare camp, leads monster grinding, and enters a risky boss room.
- DonutFights beside Carl with stronger Magic Missile attacks while resisting claw-based combat.
- BrandonOffscreen guide whose warnings and directions shape Carl and Donut’s route.
- ImaniMentioned as proof that killing people can rapidly raise a crawler’s level.