Despite being deep within a dungeon, Reiji Saiki found himself in the surreal position of basking in the morning sun in the middle of a forest, staring down at the Ogre’s corpse.
Blood continued to spray from its severed neck and right shoulder. If he stored it in his Misty Ring now, he’d likely end up drenched in gore himself, so he decided to wait until the fountain subsided.
"Getting a workout in first thing in the morning is exhausting. Set, let’s take a breather until the bleeding stops."
The gryphon gave a soft "Guruuu" and nodded in agreement, lying down on a patch of grass a safe distance from the spreading pool of blood. Reiji leaned his weight against its leonine side and let out a long sigh.
"Here."
He pulled a pear-like fruit from his Misty Ring and offered it to Set. The gryphon purred happily as it took the fruit into its beak. Watching with a faint smile, Reiji pulled out a piece for himself and bit in.
Even in this relaxed state, Set’s senses remained sharp. Suddenly, it turned its head toward the forest. Reiji momentarily reached for the Death Scythe he’d laid on the ground, but he relaxed his grip once he realized Set was looking toward their campsite. Set seemed to reach the same conclusion, turning its attention away. Soon after, the sound of voices and rustling grass drifted toward them.
"Vel, are you sure this is the right way?"
"Yeah, yeah. With this much blood in the air, there’s no mistaking it."
"The scent of blood, hmph. It’s entirely possible they’ve been killed."
"Hey, Kyuste! That’s going too far."
"I’ll say. This is Rei and Set we’re talking about. If they were up against a dragon, maybe, but I can’t see them losing to the monsters around here."
"...Hmph!"
"Kyuste, you should understand Rei’s capabilities well enough by now. Fix that condescending attitude. He might not care, but it’s unpleasant to witness."
"But, Lady Elena!"
As they argued, the group emerged from the brush. It was indeed the Daughter of Duke Kerebel and her companions.
"Whoa, take a look at that. No wonder the smell is so thick," Vel said, his voice a mix of shock and exasperation as he looked at the Ogre still bleeding onto the grass.
Beside him, Ara and Kyuste were also unable to mask their astonishment. Elena alone remained composed, scanning the area until she spotted Reiji and Set resting nearby.
"Rei, Set. I am glad you are safe. I was startled to hear you had rushed out so suddenly, but it seems you’ve escaped without injury."
Hearing her voice, the other three noticed the pair. Reiji stood up with a wry smile and walked over to them.
"Was this Ogre the enemy you sensed?"
"Yes. It was massive—I could hear its footsteps and feel the ground shaking from quite a distance. I realized our campsite would become a battleground if I didn’t intercept it, so I went out to meet it."
"...I see. While I have some things I could say, your judgment was sound. You and Set managed to slay it without a scratch, after all."
Elena turned her gaze to the Ogre, the flow of its blood finally slowing to a trickle.
"So, were you waiting for it to drain?"
"Something like that. If I put it in my Item Box, time stops, so usually it’s not a problem... but I decapitated it and cut off its arm. I didn’t want to get soaked in blood by storing it while it was still spraying."
"Understood. I’m just glad you’re unharmed. Still, to encounter an Ogre of this size... this dungeon truly is something."
Reiji looked at her, curious. This was his first Ogre, so he had no frame of reference for their average size.
"Is it really that large?"
"Yes. It is easily one... no, two sizes larger than any specimen I’ve seen."
"Does that mean it’s a Rare Species?"
"No, it looks like a standard Ogre. It simply grew much larger than its peers. Look, the bleeding has stopped. Store it quickly. We need to explore B4F and find the stairs to B5F. We’ll eat breakfast and then resume the search. It’s going to be another long day, so I’m counting on you."
Although she had been awake for less than twenty minutes, Elena showed no signs of grogginess or disarray. She patted Reiji on the shoulder with a smile. She didn't act much like a Duke’s Daughter in that moment, but to Reiji, she seemed every bit the Princess General.
"Rei, Lord Elena is right. The bleeding is done, so you should put it away. This much blood might attract other monsters."
"Right. Let’s pack this up, eat, and find those stairs."
Reiji nodded at Vel’s suggestion. He stored the severed head and arm first, then the massive body. When the five-meter-tall creature vanished into the Misty Ring, the clearing suddenly felt much larger.
"Let’s head back to the campsite," Elena said. "It’s a bit early, but as Rei suggested, we shall have our breakfast."
They walked back to their temporary home.
"Oh, the embers are still hot. Lucky us," Vel remarked, tossing some dry wood into the pit. As the fire crackled back to life, Elena looked at Reiji. "Rei, if you would do the honors."
"On it."
Reiji pulled out enough hot-dog-style savory breads for everyone, along with the large pot of stew they’d had the night before. Set purred and rubbed its head against Reiji, drawn by the smell.
"I know, I know. I’ve got yours right here."
He produced several large lumps of Orc meat that he and Elk, the leader of the Axe of the Thunder God, had processed into manageable sizes. He skewered them on branches and set them over the fire to roast. To Reiji and the others, those "manageable sizes" were massive chunks of meat.
"Now then, I apologize to Set, but we shall start without it," Elena said. It was a simple breakfast, but for a dungeon expedition, it was lavish.
While eating his own hot dog and stew, Reiji pulled a bottle of sauce from the Misty Ring. He brushed it over the Orc meat as it reached a perfect roast, holding it over the flames again to let the aroma bloom before setting the meat on a large leaf.
"Guruuu!"
Set immediately dug in. The savory scent of charred sauce filled the air, whetting everyone's appetite. Ara kept stealing glances at the gryphon’s meal until she finally couldn't resist.
"L-Lord Rei. If it wouldn't be a bother, I would like to try some of that meat as well..."
"Ara, you too? Then can you count me in?" Vel chimed in.
"Hmm. I think I shall join them," Elena added.
Faced with the group’s requests, Reiji couldn't say no. He cut human-sized portions of Orc meat, skewered them, brushed on the sauce, and roasted them over the fire.
"Man, that smells incredible. We’d never get to eat something like this back at the barracks," Vel said.
"Well, it's not exactly the kind of high-class fare you'd find at a noble's table," Reiji replied with a wry smile as he handed out the quick-cooking skewers.
He looked over at Kyuste. "Kyuste, what about you? I can make a share for you if you're eating."
"I don't want it."
Kyuste refused flatly, stuffed the rest of his hot dog into his mouth, washed it down with a gulp of stew, and retreated into the tree hollow where his gear was stashed.
"Honestly... sorry about that, Rei. After you went to the trouble," Elena said, shaking her head while she enjoyed her meat.
Reiji gave a wry smile. "I'm used to it. I'm just surprised he didn't complain about you eating Orc meat, Lord Elena."
"Oh, true. Usually, he'd be going on about how a Duke’s Daughter shouldn't be eating monster meat," Vel added.
"Vel has a point, but remember the war," Elena countered. "There were times when the supply lines were cut, and we had to eat whatever monsters we could find."
Ara nodded, still savoring her skewer. "Right. The Bestia Empire hit our supply units. Though I don't remember it being anywhere near this good."
"Monster meat generally tastes better the higher its rank or magic power content," Reiji explained. "If it tasted that bad, it was probably Rank F or G. Though some low-rank monsters, like Poison Toad legs, are actually delicious."
"Rei is right. I believe what we ate back then was Rank F or G at best," Elena noted.
The Orc skewers vanished in no time. Beside them, Set finished its second block of meat and purred in satisfaction. A peaceful atmosphere settled over the camp as Reiji boiled water and brewed a simple tea to enjoy after the meal.
"...Alright. Breakfast is done, so let's get moving. I'd like to clear this floor and reach B5F today if we can."
"The adventurers we met on the floor above mentioned that B5F is full of undead," Vel noted.
"None of us can use the fire magic needed to deal with them effectively, but fortunately, we have you now," Elena said, smiling. Reiji nodded modestly.
"Our party’s lack of fire magic has always been a weakness," Vel said with a sigh. "Even though I can use magic, mine is limited."
"You use magic, Vel? Oh, I remember seeing something at the mansion..."
Vel took a sip of his tea and chuckled. "It’s only the basics. I learned it because it was necessary for support work, like disarming traps."
"Must be nice. I'm the only one here who can't use magic at all. It's a bit lonely," Ara complained. She took a sip of her tea and frowned. "Lord Rei... honestly, this tea is terrible."
Correction: her dissatisfaction wasn't just about magic—the tea was the culprit. As someone who often acted as Elena's maid, Ara was clearly unimpressed with the haphazard way Reiji had brewed it. Elena, however, was a veteran of the field and drank it without a word of complaint.
"The real concern is that troop of Water Monkeys from yesterday," Elena said, her eyes drifting toward a small mound of corpses nearby. "I hope they’ve given up, but..."
The pile consisted mostly of Goblins, with some lizards, Giant Bats, Soldier Ants, and Horned Rabbits mixed in, along with several Water Monkeys.
"The ones that attacked last night were probably scouts," Ara said. "I cut one down myself."
"Agreed. That means the pack hasn't lost interest. They likely sent the scouts to look for an opening while we slept."
"That boss was huge for a Water Monkey," Vel added. "It might have been a Rare Species."
Elena drained the last of her tea and stood up. "Alright, let's get ready to move. If you're washing dishes, stay alert—monsters love the water's edge."
Following her lead, the party began their final preparations. Their second day in the dungeon had officially begun.