In the open space before the dungeon entrance—an area that served as a staging ground—adventurers were busy recruiting for pickup parties. Rei’s attention was drawn to one group in particular: a cluster of about twenty people wearing equipment with conspicuously similar designs. He voiced his curiosity aloud, but the answer didn't come from his companion, Elena. Instead, a voice he didn't recognize answered him.
Rei turned toward the sound and found a human male in his late teens, likely a few years older than Rei himself. He wore leather armor designed for mobility and carried a sheathed sword at his waist—the quintessential look of a typical warrior.
"The Holy Light Religion?" Rei repeated.
His question was directed more at the group of twenty than the man’s identity. It struck him as odd that despite their large numbers, they made no move to enter the dungeon.
(A religion, huh? This is the first one I’ve seen in this world... I’d really rather not get involved with them if I can help it.)
Rei muttered the thought inwardly.
Back in Japan, Rei had lived a life typical of his countrymen when it came to spirituality. He visited shrines for the first prayer of the New Year, threw parties at Christmas, and held funerals at Buddhist temples. He had never been particularly religious, yet whenever he saw the news, it was filled with stories of religious wars, conflicts, and terrorism. Even within Japan, it wasn't rare for suspicious new cults to cause high-profile incidents. With that cultural background, religion was synonymous with "trouble" in his mind.
The young warrior, oblivious to Rei’s internal monologue, continued his explanation.
"It’s a faith that isn’t very well-known in the Kingdom of Mireana yet. It only started making a name for itself here in Exil recently. Apparently, their general headquarters is located somewhere far away from the kingdom. As for what they’re actually doing here... well, simply put, they’re mercenaries."
"Mercenaries?" Rei asked, surprised by the choice of words.
"Yeah. They hire themselves out, but the catch is they demand thirty percent of the day’s total income as a fee. And it’s per person. Whether your group has five, ten, or fifteen people, if you hire one person from the Holy Light Religion, they take thirty percent of the gross. It’s practically a rip-off."
"...I see. So that’s why there are still so many adventurers looking for pickup parties despite them being available."
"Exactly. Losing thirty percent of your take is a bitter pill to swallow. Unless they’re truly desperate, almost nobody hires them."
The warrior seemed to find the group’s presence as irritating as anyone else. He glanced at the twenty-strong cluster, snorted with disdain, and looked away.
"I appreciate the info on the Holy Light Religion," Rei said. "But I assume that wasn't the only reason you approached me?"
"Right. I was wondering if you’d like to form a pickup party with me. What do you say? From the look of it, it’s your first time diving into this place, isn't it? If so—"
Rei cut him off with a shake of his head before he could finish.
"I appreciate the offer, but while we aren't from Exil, we have plenty of experience with dungeons. Besides, we’re already set for the vanguard."
Between Rei’s Death Scythe and flame magic, he was capable of handling both close-range and long-range combat. Elena was the same, proficient with her whip-sword and wind magic. Even Seto, while primarily a melee fighter who utilized its gryphon strength, could use long-range attacks like Wind Arrow and Water Ball. As for Iero, while he lacked combat power, his abilities as a familiar were invaluable for scouting and other logistical tasks.
In terms of combat balance, their party was already composed of versatile all-rounders. Their biggest weakness was the lack of a thief to detect and disarm traps, but they had decided to deal with that hurdle later.
"I see... I figured if I was with you guys, we’d make some serious progress. Oh well, if it’s no, it’s no. Let me know if you change your mind later."
The man shrugged lightly and walked away. Rei watched him go, feeling a flicker of surprise. He had expected the man to be more persistent, hoping to ride their coattails. The fact that he had left so easily after a single rejection was an unexpected relief.
"Rei, wasn't that a bit harsh?" Elena asked.
"...I assumed he was just another guy trying to use us. I might have been a bit too suspicious. If I see him again, I’ll apologize."
"Yes, that would be wise. More importantly, regarding the matter of a thief... based on your expression, I take it the Holy Light Religion is out of the question?"
"Yeah. Sorry, but I really don't want to get involved with religious groups. Even if we aren't hurting for money, losing thirty percent to them is a bit much."
Rei turned his back on the gathering cultists and looked around the plaza.
Because the warrior had approached him so openly and Rei had turned him down without an incident, others who were recruiting for pickup parties were now watching him. The atmosphere suggested they were weighing whether to try their luck and approach him as well.
"Elena, let's just get into the dungeon," Rei said, speaking loudly enough for those around them to hear. "We’re just doing a test run on the upper floors today, so we should be fine on our own."
It was a deliberate deterrent against any further recruitment attempts. Elena caught on immediately and nodded with a small smile.
"True. That would be for the best. There are things we’ll only understand once we’ve actually fought inside."
For Elena, this dungeon exploration was partially a private trip with Rei. Unless absolutely necessary, she had no desire to let any outsiders join their party.
The onlookers slumped their shoulders in disappointment and turned their attention elsewhere. There were a few reckless souls who considered trying to force their way into the group, but one look at the gryphon made them reconsider the gap in their respective standings. They wisely backed down.
Leaving the crowd behind, the two humans and two familiars descended the stairs leading to B1F of the dungeon.
For an adventurer of any real skill, this floor was a mere formality—a place for beginners that one would pass through in a matter of days at most. The observers at the entrance assumed that even if Rei’s group was just "scouting," they would likely conquer the entirety of B1F before the day was out.
"...This doesn't look much different from the last dungeon," Rei muttered after they had spent about ten minutes inside.
The walls glowed with a faint, ambient light, and the passages were wide enough for Seto to fight without restriction. The enemies they encountered were low-rank monsters like Goblins and Poison Toads. Even the way Slimes—the dungeon's cleaner—dissolved the carcasses was exactly the same as the dungeon they had explored for the Altar of Inheritance.
"Guruuuu."
Seto offered Rei a severed leg of a Poison Toad it had bitten off. Rei accepted it and stored it in the Misty Ring before using a stripping knife to extract the tongue and poison sac. Once finished, he stored the materials, the magic stones, and the proof of subjugation parts away.
"It is only B1F, so that is to be expected," Elena noted. "I suspect the shallowest levels of most dungeons are quite similar. Though, to be fair, I only know this dungeon and the one containing the Altar of Inheritance."
She flicked the goblin blood from her whip-sword with a sharp snap before sheathing it.
"Kyu kyu!"
"Now, Iero. That is filthy. You must not touch it," Elena scolded.
Iero had been flying through the air but had swooped down, curiously approaching a goblin whose abdomen had been sliced open, spilling its entrails across the floor.
Rei watched the scene with a small smile. Once he was satisfied that the harvesting was done, he took his Death Scythe in hand and continued deeper into the dungeon.
"Certainly, if this is all we’re facing, we won't need a thief on this floor. In fact, we haven't seen another soul since we entered."
"Now that you mention it, you’re right. I would have expected at least a few fledgling adventurers challenging the dungeon for the first time."
As they conversed and walked, they eventually reached a fork in the road.
"Which way?" Rei asked.
"...Hold on a moment."
Elena reached into the pouch at her waist and pulled out a sheet of paper. It was the dungeon map they had bought at the guild the previous day. Maps were sold one floor at a time, and they had bought the first five just in case.
Though they didn't strictly need them given their strength, their difficult experience navigating the Altar of Inheritance dungeon without a map had made them cautious.
While Elena studied the map, Rei and Seto kept watch on their front and rear, respectively. Iero perched on Elena’s shoulder, peering at the paper alongside his master.
"If we go right, we’ll pass several rooms and eventually find the stairs. The left path is a dead end, but it leads to a very large room where monsters are known to gather."
"I see. It’s essentially a combat training ground for beginners. A place to get used to the dungeon."
"Likely so... What shall we do? The enemies on this floor are mere fodder, hardly worth our time. Shall we head straight for the next floor?"
Rei considered Elena’s suggestion for a few seconds before making a decision.
"Yeah. It’s probably better to see what B2F looks like. Let's go right."
Even though Elena technically held the higher social rank, Rei was the one taking the lead, and Elena accepted his direction without complaint. She knew his capabilities well and trusted his instincts as an experienced adventurer. She wouldn't rely on him blindly, of course—she was always ready to speak up if she saw a mistake—but for now, she was content to follow.
"Very well, to the right it is. According to the map, there are several small rooms lined up regularly along the passage. Monsters often nest in them, so it warns adventurers to be careful not to be swarmed if they are hunting for materials... Since that doesn't concern us, we’ll head directly for the stairs."
"Right. Even if we wanted materials, Goblins and Poison Toads aren't worth much. The magic stones from B1F monsters barely sell for anything."
Elena nodded in agreement. On her shoulder, Iero mimicked the gesture, whether he understood the economics or not.
The group continued through the dungeon, cutting down the occasional low-rank monster without breaking their stride. Initially, they had harvested every material and magic stone, but they soon realized that Goblins were a waste of time. The effort wasn't worth the pittance they would receive. Eventually, they stopped harvesting anything but the right ear—the proof of subjugation part—leaving the rest of the carcasses behind.
They figured either a lucky beginner would find the remains and harvest them, or the Slimes would eventually tidy them up.
It took about an hour of steady walking. Thanks to the map, they avoided unnecessary detours and reached the stairs to the floor below with ease.
"Was it really supposed to be this simple?" Elena asked, looking somewhat exasperated.
"Well, it is B1F. It's meant for beginners, after all," Rei replied as he looked toward the descent. "Shall we?"
"Yes, let's."
They shared a brief exchange and started down the stairs. The first thing that caught their eye at the bottom was a magic circle etched into the floor right next to the landing.
Rei knew what it was from his research. It was a link for the transfer devices located near the dungeon entrance.
As they watched the circle with interest, the runes began to glow faintly. A moment later, a young girl materialized in the center of the light.