A week later, the appraisal notice for the skinning knife reached Hiiragi-san. The value was 1,675,000 yen. It was a staggering amount, and I'll never forget the sight of Hiiragi-san looking genuinely torn over whether or not to sell it right then and there. In the end, she shook off the temptation and kept the knife.
"I’m all for collecting monster meat, Hiiragi-san, but the cooler bags are about at their limit."
"He’s right," Yuji added. "This should be enough for today, shouldn't it?"
"I suppose so. Let’s wrap things up."
I felt a wave of relief at her cooperation.
Now that we were encountering monsters in groups, the amount of meat we gathered was on a completely different scale compared to the floors above the 3rd. To hide the existence of my Spatial Storage when we turned in our hauls, we carried cooler bags as a cover, but they filled up in no time. The 35-liter bags Yuji and I carried were bulging with meat, each weighing perhaps twenty to thirty kilograms.
I stowed the heavy cooler bags into my Spatial Storage, and we made for the exit. As we walked, a heavy topic dominated our conversation, our expressions turning grim.
"So... I think it’s about time we head down to the lower floors. What do you guys think?"
"The lower floors, huh..."
"I know we have to go eventually," Hiiragi-san said, "but after seeing that... it’s hard not to hesitate."
"Yeah, that."
In terms of raw ability, we had grown accustomed to group combat, so that wasn't the issue. The reason for our hesitation was exactly what Hiiragi-san alluded to: the state of the explorers returning from the depths.
Some were pale and reeked of the sour scent of repeated vomiting. Some stared silently into the void with hollow, unfocused eyes. Others wore dry, forced smiles or looks of cold detachment. Witnessing the varied yet universally unsettling states of those returning from the lower floors made us stall.
"Daiki, humanoid monsters start appearing from the 7th floor onwards, right?"
"Yeah. It was on the simplified distribution map at the Association office. I’m certain of it."
"...Goblins, right?"
"Probably."
Our spirits plummeted.
Goblins—humanoid monsters about 120 to 130 centimeters tall. While often depicted as weaklings in games and manga, they were considered formidable foes in reality. Unlike beast-type monsters, they were known to use tools and weapons like clubs to attack humans.
The thought of a humanoid creature carrying a weapon and attacking with explicit murderous intent was daunting. It was said that even explorers experienced in hunting beasts often faltered and suffered injuries during their first encounter with them.
"But if we want orc meat, we have no choice but to go down," Hiiragi-san noted.
"I know."
"If we’re going to keep being explorers, we have to face this eventually," Yuji said. "We can't avoid humanoids forever."
He was right. Avoidance wasn't a long-term strategy. Beyond goblins, there were orcs, ogres, and kobolds. The list went on.
"True. Alright, there’s no point in moping about it. Next time we dive, we're aiming for the 7th floor... is that okay?"
"Works for me," Yuji replied. "But we should probably split it into three separate trips at first. The initial psychological shock is going to be rough."
"I agree," Hiiragi-san said. "I think one of us should handle a goblin while the other two stand guard, then we should leave immediately. Thinking back to the first time we killed a monster..."
"Let’s decide the specifics once we've actually taken one down."
Remembering our first kills against hound dogs and horn rabbits, I found Hiiragi-san’s suggestion sensible. I didn't have a shred of confidence that I could remain composed after cutting down something that looked human.
The last thing I wanted was for all three of us to suffer a mental breakdown at the same time and get ambushed while our guard was down. It had been a stroke of luck that Hiiragi-san hadn't killed her first monster until we were safely on the 1st floor during our first expedition.
"Right. We won't know how much of a shock it is until we're actually standing over a goblin corpse."
"Yeah. If it’s not as bad as we fear, I’d rather get it over with in a single day to save on the commute."
"Fair enough."
Since we were already somewhat used to the sensation of cutting through flesh and the sight of blood, maybe the impact wouldn't be as severe as the very first time. If we could handle it, spending three weeks on a single floor just for the sake of caution would be a hassle.
With the plan settled, we picked up the pace and exited the dungeon.
For the record, the meat we brought back appraised for nearly 100,000 yen, which certainly helped pad our wallets.
After taking the shortest path through the first six floors, we came to a halt before the stairs leading to the 7th.
Down there, the goblins—the humanoids—were waiting. The thought made it hard to take that first step. Seeing my friends hesitating just as I was, I steeled my resolve.
"Let’s go."
"Yeah."
"Right."
Their voices were stiff, but I took a breath and stepped onto the stairs.
At the bottom, we encountered an explorer team that had arrived before us. After a brief nod of greeting, we began our exploration of the 7th floor. I used Appraisal Analysis to spot and avoid wire traps while we moved with extreme caution. Suddenly, Hiiragi-san spoke up.
"...I sense something. Be careful."
"A goblin?"
"I’m not sure yet. But the movement speed is much slower than a beast-type."
"Which means..."
"A high probability of a goblin," Yuji said, drawing his kodachi and taking a two-handed stance. I pulled the hot-sauce Water Shooter from my back and began pressurizing the tank.
"Hiiragi-san, direction?"
"Diagonal right... probably just around the corner of that passage up ahead."
She pointed her light toward the right side of a T-junction.
"An ambush?"
"Maybe. Hiiragi-san, distance?"
"Still quite a bit of room. But like I said, it’s closing in."
"A random encounter, then."
We exchanged nods and gripped our weapons, pressing ourselves against the wall before the junction. I pulled a telescopic mirror from my pack and extended it just above floor level to peek around the corner.
"Yuji, light."
"Got it."
Yuji activated a chemical light and tossed it deep into the right passage while staying hidden. The bright green glow spun through the darkness, illuminating the path. I watched through the mirror, confirming the identity of the presence Hiiragi-san had detected.
There it was. A small frame with hairless green skin, a wooden club, and a crude loincloth.
"...Goblin."
"You’re sure?"
"Yeah. It matches the textbook description, and Appraisal Analysis confirmed it."
"Understood. Weapons?"
"Just the club from what I can see. No projectiles, so the risk of range is low. Though it could still have a magic skill."
We had been extra cautious with the mirror, but it appeared to be a standard goblin. No bow, no magic.
"Hiiragi-san, any signs of others?"
"...That's the only presence I feel nearby."
"Good."
Stowing the mirror, I stepped out into the corridor and pointed my light toward the creature.
It noticed us immediately. Letting out a guttural shriek, it raised its club and charged. Its face was contorted with a ghoulish intensity, and its bloodshot eyes burned with clear murderous intent.
I leveled the Water Shooter and squeezed the trigger the moment it entered range. The crimson liquid hit the goblin square in the face. It tumbled forward, its momentum sending it skidding across the floor. Its club flew through the air, but we dodged it with ease.
Like every other monster we’d faced, the goblin began writhing in agony, clutching its burning face. It thrashed and shrieked, slamming its head against the stone floor in a desperate attempt to stop the pain. Eventually, its movements grew sluggish until it went silent, having presumably passed out.
"So it is effective on goblins."
"That thing is seriously cruel," Yuji remarked, looking impressed yet slightly disturbed by the Water Shooter's power. It had been remarkably effective against almost everything so far. Slimes were the only exception, as their viscous bodies just absorbed the sauce.
"Well, the goblin is neutralized. Who’s delivering the blow?"
"...I’ll do it."
"You, Hiiragi-san?"
"Is that a problem? Do you have an issue with me doing it?"
"No, not at all..."
Hiiragi-san leveled her spear and approached the fallen creature. She placed the tip against the goblin’s throat and took a deep breath before thrusting downward. The spear sank through the neck with terrifying ease. A small spray of blood erupted as the body gave one final, violent convulsion before going still.
Closing her eyes, she took several deep breaths. She silently withdrew her spear and flicked the blood off the blade.
"Hiiragi-san, you okay?"
"Yes. I prepared myself for this. It’s not as bad as I feared. I’m fine."
"...If you're sure."
"Thank you for worrying, but I really am okay."
She was pale, but she didn't look like she was going to be sick. She seemed to be focusing on cleaning her spear to steady her nerves. I didn't have the heart to ask her if she wanted to use the skinning knife on it.
"What about you, Yuji? Want to head back for now?"
"That’s probably the smart move. If we push it, we’ll just end up making a mistake."
"Wait, I’m okay," Hiiragi-san interjected. "Let’s keep going."
"Hiiragi-san?"
Yuji and I had been ready to call it a day, but she stopped us. Her color was returning, and her eyes had a sharp, intense gleam.
"My adrenaline is up, so I’m a little wired, but I’m not suffering from some massive shock."
"..."
"Besides, I feel new presences nearby."
"!?"
"They just appeared. Most likely a respawn."
Yuji and I immediately gripped our weapons and checked our surroundings.
"That way. There are three of them. They’re heading straight for us; they’ve definitely noticed us."
She pointed down the left passage of the T-junction. I adjusted my zoom light to illuminate the far end of the corridor. Sure enough, I saw silhouettes approaching.
"They're too close to run, and they've already locked onto us. We have to fight."
"Looks like it. Yuji."
"Yeah. No way around it."
"Then let's take the initiative."
I pulled a pepper ball from my bag and hurled it at the group. It burst in their path, filling the air with irritating dust. We watched them stumble and crouch, then we charged.
Up close, they were definitely goblins. All three of them.
"Hiiragi-san! Support!"
"On it! Air Blow!"
Her wind magic swept the lingering pepper dust away from the path. With the obstruction cleared, Yuji and I closed the distance before the goblins could recover. I picked the one on the far right and swung Shiranui in a clean arc at its neck. The blade bit deep, severing the head in a single stroke. A fountain of blood erupted as the head went flying. Simultaneously, Yuji dashed between the other two, his dual kodachi flashing as he took both their heads with a twin strike.
In an instant, three headless corpses were left behind, spraying blood onto the walls.
"..."
"..."
"Are you two alright?"
It was a gruesome sight.
Yuji and I looked at each other in silence, then let out long, shaky breaths. Hiiragi-san peered into our faces with concern, and we managed only weak, wry smiles in return.
"Let’s go home."
"Yeah... let’s."
After collecting the drop items, we beat a hasty retreat from the 7th floor. Cutting down humanoids took a far greater mental toll than I had anticipated. Seeing those corpses made the state of the returning explorers perfectly understandable.
As proof of our rattled nerves, we were caught off guard by a pack of red boars on the 5th floor. I failed to dodge a charge and ended up with a minor injury—just a bruise, but an injury nonetheless. It was clear evidence that the psychological shock had scattered our focus.
Safety first. Never push your luck. We carved that lesson into our hearts once more as we left the dungeon behind.