Ririka-san, Genya-san, and Morito-san sat in a row before us. Across from them, we were seated in order: Hiiragi-san on the right, then Yuji, and finally myself.
After we had all settled in, Morito-san bowed his head low, his voice trembling with emotion as he began to speak.
"Hirose-kun, Kokonoe-kun, Hiiragi-san... thank you! Truly, thank you! Thanks to the medicine you gave us, I was able to heal my daughter's injuries!"
Morito-san’s sob-choked voice echoed through the great hall.
Watching him weep and bow his head for his daughter’s sake, I was reminded of how I had initially hesitated to part with the recovery potion. Even if I’d had my reasons, the memory made a tightening sensation seize my chest. I wasn't the only one; both Yuji and Hiiragi-san looked pained, their expressions clouded with guilt.
As if to drive the feeling home, Genya-san also bowed deeply.
"I also wish to offer my thanks. And I must apologize for doubting the authenticity of the recovery potion you so generously provided. I am truly sorry."
The guilt intensified, and I felt my face twitching.
Finally, the one who had actually used the recovery potion to heal her wounds, Ririka Fujiki, offered her own thanks.
"Everyone, thank you so very much for giving up such a precious high-grade recovery potion for my sake. Because of your kindness, I was able to regain the arm and eye I had lost."
Large tears welled in the corners of Ririka-san’s bloodshot eyes, which were still red from crying.
"Again, thank you. Thank you truly."
She bowed deeply toward us as well. And so, we found ourselves facing the sight of three people bowing their heads low in profound gratitude.
...What am I supposed to do here?
Unsure of how to respond to the Fujiki family, I instinctively glanced at Yuji. It seemed Hiiragi-san felt the same way, as our eyes met over Yuji’s shoulder.
Finding himself the center of our attention, Yuji glanced at our faces and let out a small sigh. Then, his expression sharpened as he addressed the Fujiki family.
"Everyone, please raise your heads. We have received your gratitude."
"But..."
"We provided the recovery potion as payment for the training we’re about to receive. Since it was a fair trade, there’s no need for you to bow more than necessary. Besides... it’s hard to talk with your heads down like that."
"...You’re right."
Using the lighthearted joke Yuji tacked onto the end as a cue, the Fujiki family finally looked up.
After a servant prepared fresh tea for us, we continued our conversation, though a lingering sense of awkwardness remained.
The first to speak was Ririka-san, who had stopped crying and regained her composure.
"Um... may I ask something? It might be late for this, but were you really sure about giving us that high-grade recovery potion? I used to be an explorer myself, so I understand its value. An item precious enough to regrow limbs... wouldn't it have been better to keep it hidden away as a trump card for your own emergencies?"
"Well, I suppose that’s the logical way to look at it..."
"Yes. To dive into a dungeon as an explorer is to spend your life fighting monsters. In that process, the risk of suffering a heavy injury like mine is never low. That’s why, when I heard yesterday that explorers were willing to part with a high-grade recovery potion, I couldn't help but wonder why."
Ririka-san’s question was perfectly valid.
Most explorers would never let go of a high-quality recovery potion. Even mid-grade recovery potions were rare enough that they hardly ever appeared on the market because explorers hoarded them.
When non-explorers talked about buying recovery potions on the market, they were almost always referring to low-grade recovery potions.
"I heard from my grandfather that the condition for the trade was him training you, but..."
"You think the price doesn't match the reward?"
"Yes. If you’re explorers capable of defeating an area boss, reaching the middle floors, and obtaining a high-grade recovery potion on your own, I wouldn't think you’d need to go to such lengths just to receive training at a dojo..."
It was a fair point. If you were strong enough to beat an area boss, you’d think you’d be beyond the point of needing basic dojo lessons.
However...
"I don't see it that way," Yuji said. "If we're going to continue as explorers, I believe there’s training worth receiving even at the cost of a high-grade recovery potion."
"...Is that so?"
"Yes. Especially since my grandfather told me that if we wanted to fix what we’re lacking, we needed to learn from the Fujikis."
"..."
Yuji answered Ririka-san’s question, but she still looked unconvinced. Genya-san, who had been silently listening to their exchange, realized the conversation was going in circles and spoke up.
"Ririka, that’s enough. You’re putting him on the spot."
"Grandfather... I understand."
Admonished by Genya-san, Ririka-san reluctantly backed down.
"Forgive her."
"No, it's fine. Ririka-san's question was only natural, so please don't worry about it."
"I see... Well then, shall we discuss the training? Since you’ve provided the high-grade recovery potion as promised, we will do everything in our power for you."
"Please do."
"Please do," Hiiragi-san and I added, hurriedly bowing along with Yuji.
"I look forward to it. Now, as for the training, I assume the regimen Juzo mentioned is acceptable?"
"...Yes."
After a split-second of hesitation at Genya-san’s question, Yuji nodded.
"Understood... Morito, get that ready."
"By that, do you mean... the one for recruit training?"
"Yes. We’ll start with that."
"I see... Very well."
At Genya-san's instruction, Morito-san stood up with a solemn expression and left the great hall to fetch the items.
"Genya-san. What is 'that'?"
"A few props you’ll be using for your training. Our own students use them as well, so they aren't anything too strange."
"Grandfather, are you going to use those for their training? Are we not going to do kata or sparring in the dojo?"
"No. It seems Juzo has already drilled the basics into them. The training he requested from me focuses on practical methods for handling ambushes."
As Genya-san explained to Ririka-san, what we were here to learn was how to deal with surprise attacks—methods for Presence Detection and handling traps that didn't rely on skills.
A few minutes later, Morito-san returned carrying several cases.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
"It wasn't long. Good work, Morito."
Morito-san placed several hard cases of various sizes in front of us.
"Go ahead, check the contents."
Prompted by Genya-san, we opened the lids. The small case I opened contained a black, gleaming handgun.
Wait, a handgun!?
"Is this... a model gun? Or an airsoft gun?"
"Strictly speaking, it’s a laser gun—an infrared gun. Instead of firing BBs like an airsoft gun, it emits infrared light. The biggest difference is that the 'bullets' can reach over a hundred meters."
"Wait, a hundred meters!?"
"Yes. Of course, they only travel that far; actually hitting anything is up to the user."
"Heh..."
Oh, so it was a toy. Given the nature of this family, I’d been worried for a second that a real weapon was about to come out.
But how were we supposed to use this for training?
As I wondered, Hiiragi-san, who had opened a medium-sized case, spoke up as she lifted its contents.
"Is this... also for the training?"
She pulled out a black vest with wristbands and a small case attached by various wires.
"Yes. That is the heart of your training. You will be wearing those."
"We wear these...?"
Hiiragi-san turned the black vest over in her hands.
"The vest is designed to sense the infrared light from the laser guns. Normally, it just makes a sound when hit... but those have been modified to deliver an electric shock."
"Electricity!? You mean these are like stun guns!?"
Hiiragi-san yelped and nearly dropped the vest in surprise.
"Of course, they aren't as powerful as self-defense weapons. It’s more like the electric shocks you see as penalty games on variety shows."
"Oh... I see..."
Hearing that, Hiiragi-san seemed to calm down a bit.
Still, electric shocks... we were actually going to wear those?
"As for the training itself, you’ll put on those vests and head into the private mountain our family owns."
"The mountain...?"
"Yes. It’s not a massive mountain, and there aren't any dangerous animals like bears. However, the vegetation is extremely thick, making the whole forest dim and visibility poor. That’s usually a drawback, but for training, it’s a benefit."
So... we were doing a survival game in the mountains?
"For the training, our students will be hiding in the mountain with laser guns to ambush you. You will be required to escort a target along a designated route to the exit. If your vest is hit, you’ll get a shock. Furthermore, if the target is hit, you’ll all receive a shock."
Are you serious...? I felt my face start to twitch.
Seeing our expressions change, Morito-san opened the remaining case and pulled out a shield.
"While you're moving through the mountain, you are forbidden from chasing or counterattacking, even if you find an attacker. Instead, you must use this shield to block. Like the vests, this shield senses infrared light; if it gets hit, a light will turn on. If the shield’s light is on, the attacker’s strike is considered failed, and they will stop attacking."
"...So we just have to evade or block attacks while moving through the mountain?"
"Yes. We’ll start with a few enemies lying in wait to teach you how to handle them. You’ll need to maintain constant vigilance, detect the hidden enemies, and protect your target. If you manage to overcome that, we’ll increase the number of attackers and start setting traps."
This was some seriously high-intensity, practical training.
Detecting hidden presence, predicting ambushes, withstanding attacks, and protecting a target while navigating a mountain...
Beyond just Presence Detection, we wouldn't survive this without perfect coordination. Juzo-san was right; to fix our weaknesses, we needed Genya-san’s training.
"It’s too late to start in the mountains today, so we’ll begin tomorrow."
"Yes, sir."
"But before that, why don't we give it a test run?"
"...A test run of what?"
There was an ominous edge to Genya-san’s suggestion. I had a feeling I knew where this was going.
"The intensity of the shock. I’ve heard that an explorer’s physical abilities improve with their level. It’s possible your electric resistance has increased to the point where the vest’s default setting won't even tickle. If that's the case, it won't work as training, so we’ll need to adjust it. We should check that now."
We instinctively looked at each other, our faces twitching at the prospect of the "penalty game."
Yuji swallowed hard, then spoke with a look of grim resolve.
"Understood. Let's try it."
"Then let's do it before you change your minds."
We attached the corded wristbands from the vest to our arms. Genya-san opened the control box on the vest and flipped the power switch.
"Ready? Here we go."
Holding the pistol-shaped laser gun, Genya-san gave us a final nod and pointed the muzzle at the vest. Once we nodded back, he pulled the trigger.
In the next instant—
"!? Gwah! Ow!"
A sharp pain shot through my arm, and a cry of agony escaped my lips. The initial jolt was momentary, but my forearm was left throbbing with numbness.
As we rubbed our jolted limbs, I heard Genya-san and Morito-san murmuring in admiration.
"Hmm. They clearly felt that. It seems we won't need to adjust the power."
"Yeah. Their reaction was a bit milder than Ririka’s, but it should be fine without adjustments."
"Agreed. Any more power than that would probably be dangerous."
Wait just a minute. You said "test run," but was the base setting already high enough to make us writhe!?
As if to confirm my suspicions, Ririka-san looked at us with eyes full of respect.
"You guys are amazing! When we used those, the shock was so bad we couldn't even stand up afterward. I guess people who can get high-grade recovery potions on their own really are built differently..."
If a shock was powerful enough to leave a decent explorer unable to stand...
"We’ll start tomorrow as planned then. I’ll send a car to Juzo’s place to pick you up. Use that to get to the training site."
"Ah, um... you don't have to go that far. If you just tell us the location, we can get there ourselves."
"Nonsense. You are benefactors to our house. Please, allow us to handle the transportation."
Genya-san bowed his head slightly.
Given how much they were doing for us, it was impossible to refuse.
"In that case... thank you. We'll be in your care," Yuji said, bowing back.
Man... is this training really going to be okay?
This was mountain escort training with the added "bonus" of electric shocks—all on uneven terrain with thick cover and terrible visibility. It was going to be a long day.