With the items we’d received from Juzo-san in hand, we piled into a large wagon-style taxi we’d summoned to the front of Yuji’s house and headed for the Dungeon Association. Ordinarily, we would have taken the train, but given the nature of our luggage today, a taxi was the only sensible choice. Explaining weapons to the police during a random stop would be a massive headache, especially since the ownership hadn't been officially transferred to Mika and Saori yet.
Even if the fare was a bit steep, it was a small price to pay to avoid that kind of trouble.
"…Hm?"
During the ride, the phone in my pocket vibrated repeatedly. I’d forgotten to take it off silent mode after school. I pulled it out and saw that I’d received an email.
"It’s from my mother," I said, checking the message.
"Mom?" Mika asked.
"Yeah. Apparently, the packages we ordered have arrived."
As I relayed the news to Mika, I checked the clock at the top of the screen. It was 14:05. It looked like they’d arrived during the very first delivery window I’d requested.
"Really!?"
"Yeah. She said the boxes were heavy, so she left them in the corner of the entryway for us."
Mika’s eyes sparkled at the news, and Saori-chan beamed with a wide smile. We’d ordered a significant amount of gear this time around. Since I’d ordered supplies for two people at once, it made sense that they’d be too heavy for my mother to move by herself.
"Yes! If we finish the registration today, we can head to the dungeon tomorrow!"
"You’re right, Mika-chan!"
The two girls cheered, slapping their hands together in a high five. I understood their excitement, but the high-pitched shouting in such a cramped car was a bit much.
"You two, I know you’re happy, but try to keep it down in the car, okay?" I said, offering a light reprimand.
I’d just made eye contact with the driver in the rearview mirror, and he looked more than a little annoyed. I had to say something, at least for appearances.
"Oh, sorry…"
"Our apologies…"
The two of them sheepishly looked away, mumbling their regrets.
"I mean, it’s not like you did anything wrong, really… but anyway, Saori-chan."
"Yes?"
"Could you stop by our house on the way back today to check the gear? I want to make sure everything fits."
"Understood. I’ll stop by before I head home."
I’d checked their sizes before ordering, but clothes and shoes were the kind of things you never really knew about until you tried them on. For the rest of the ride to the Dungeon Association, the only sound in the taxi was Mika’s voice as she excitedly walked Saori-chan through the details of the gear we’d ordered.
The waiting room wasn't nearly as crowded as I’d seen it in the past. The fact that the five of us could easily find a block of seats was proof enough. The girls had already submitted their paperwork and were now just waiting for their licenses to be issued.
Eventually, a three-digit number lit up on the electronic display near the counter, followed by an announcement from a female staff member.
"Numbers 84 and 85. Your documents are ready. Please come to the issuance window."
"Ah, that’s us! I’ll be right back!"
"Wait for me, Mika-chan! Excuse us for a moment, everyone!"
"Go on," I said with a wave.
Mika practically jogged to the window, with Saori-chan scurrying along behind her. The licenses weren't going to run away; there was no need to rush that much. We watched them go, noting their obvious excitement.
"I guess Mika-chan and Saori are officially joining the explorer ranks now," Yuji remarked.
"Indeed," Hiiragi-san agreed.
"Yeah."
We watched from a distance as the two girls stood at the counter, listening to the staff member's explanation with uncharacteristically serious expressions. It felt a bit sentimental.
Ever since the dungeons first appeared, Mika had been vocal about wanting to dive into them. I’d tried to talk her out of it by feeding her raw, grim information about the reality of the profession, but she’d never wavered. And now, despite all my efforts, she was finally becoming an explorer.
"Sigh…"
"What’s wrong, Daiki? Are you having second thoughts about their debut this late in the game?" Yuji asked.
"No, it’s not that. It’s just…"
It wasn't regret, but I couldn't help but feel a certain weight in my chest. My little sister—and a girl who was practically like a sister—were stepping into a dangerous world.
Granted, they’d both received training from Juzo-san. Even if it was just the basics, they should be able to handle surface floor monsters and traps as long as they kept their heads. But the problem was that monsters and traps weren't the only dangers inside a dungeon.
I shook my head and scanned the waiting room. Since it was June and midterms had just wrapped up, the place was full of young people who looked like high school freshmen, their faces bright with curiosity and a sense of adventure.
"I was just thinking that everyone here will be starting out at the same time as Mika and Saori."
I knew it was cynical, but Mika and Saori were far better off than any of the other rookies in this room. They’d had weapon training from Juzo-san, and they had access to the best equipment and lessons derived from our personal experience. On top of that, they had the full support of our team—one that was likely among the top-tier private explorer parties in the country. To any other rookie, this was a level of support they could only dream of.
And yet…
"I doubt even half the people in this room will make it as explorers in the long run," I muttered.
"That’s…"
Most rookies didn't have a perfect backup system. They challenged dungeons by trial and error, relying on whatever information they could find online. What happened then? They’d struggle even on the surface floors, racking up injuries both minor and severe. Their income would suffer, too; drop items from the surface floors had low exchange rates these days, meaning their expenses would likely exceed their earnings.
Some might put out an instruction request to hire senior explorers for power leveling, but the fees for that were notoriously high. It wasn't something a struggling rookie could usually afford. In fact, the request boards at Association Branch Offices always had power leveling requests posted, but hiring someone for the surface floors cost at least several hundred thousand yen. A cash-strapped newcomer simply couldn't pay that.
"If they just fail and quit the explorer profession normally, that’s one thing… but there will always be those who stray from the straight and narrow path."
"…"
The path that led to the kind of "human disasters" that had targeted people like Miyano-san and Ririka-san.
When people are suffering and see others succeeding, it’s natural to feel a spark of envy or jealousy. Most people can recognize those feelings and keep them in check, but some don't. They let it fester into a grudge, leading to irrational and violent acts. From the perspective of someone like that, Mika and Saori would be prime targets.
"You’re right, Daiki. To those kinds of people, Mika-chan and Saori-chan might look like very easy marks," Yuji said solemnly.
"I agree," Hiiragi-san added.
We all fell silent, imagining Mika and Saori being targeted by fallen explorers or having a train of monsters dumped on them. With our strength, we could easily protect them, but the potential toll on their mental state was a serious concern. Having someone direct genuine malice or killing intent toward you wasn't something you dealt with in normal daily life.
As we were all lost in thought, we heard the sound of approaching footsteps.
"Sorry to keep you waiting! Look, Onii-chan! My Explorer Card!"
It was Mika, proudly brandishing her new card with a wide grin.
"Oh, nice. Congratulations, Mika. You’re officially an explorer now."
"Congratulations," the others chimed in.
"Hehe! Thanks!" Mika chirped, her cheeks flushed with excitement.
A minute or two later, Saori-chan returned to us as well, holding her card and her permit.
"I’m back."
"Welcome back, Saori-chan. Looks like yours went through without any issues, too."
"Yes, here it is…" she said, showing them to us.
"Then you’re officially an explorer now, too. Congratulations."
"Thank you very much!"
With the registration complete, I called out to the two of them as they started buzzing about wanting to visit the Official Shop.
"You two, I know you want to hit the shop, but let’s head to the Weapon Registration Desk first. We need to get your weapons on the books."
"Good point," Yuji added. "It’s not a good idea to walk around with weapons that haven't had their ownership updated."
"I agree," Hiiragi-san said. "It should be fine inside the building, but it’s best to get it sorted as soon as possible."
Our eyes turned to the four wooden boxes, bound with Sanada-himo cord, that we’d been carrying. We’d managed to avoid a police stop in the taxi, but carrying unregistered weapons was always a risk. It was better to get the paperwork out of the way now.
"Oh, right. Yeah, we should definitely do that first."
"You’re right. We should finish the registration before we get distracted by shopping."
The two girls, who had been a bit flighty after getting their cards, regained their focus and agreed with my suggestion.
"Alright, let’s go."
"Okay!"
"Yes!"
Mika and Saori-chan tucked their permits into clear files and put them in their bags, while their Explorer Cards went into their uniform inner pockets. Yuji and I picked up the boxes containing their weapons, and we headed to the upper floor.
After completing the weapon registration without a hitch, we finally made our way to the Official Shop on the third floor. Just as before, the massive floor was packed with a wide variety of goods.
"Whoa! Look at all this stuff!"
"It’s amazing! Look, Mika-chan! They even have tents over there!"
"No way!"
The girls darted around the shop with infectious energy, browsing everything in sight. We followed along, curious to see how the inventory had changed since our last visit.
"Is it just me, or has the camping and outdoor gear section expanded?" I asked.
"Definitely," Yuji noted. "They’ve got a much better selection of preserved foods, sleeping bags, and portable stoves now."
"Look at this," Hiiragi-san said, pointing to a shelf. "Motion-sensor alarm systems."
The fact that these things were in high demand meant more explorers were staying overnight in the dungeons. As people pushed deeper, the commute back to the surface became longer. Unless you were an outlier like us, a day trip to the 20th floor or beyond was nearly impossible for most private explorers. Naturally, the deeper they went, the more they needed to be able to camp inside.
"A lot has changed in six months," I remarked.
"Yeah," Yuji agreed. "At first, everything felt like it was for total beginners. But as the conquest of the dungeon progresses, it’s starting to look more like a specialized shop."
He was right. The cheap, low-quality consumer goods from the early days were being replaced by professional-grade specialty gear. The shop was clearly evolving to meet the needs of its customers.
After browsing for a while, we met up with the girls and picked up a few items: card cases for their Explorer Cards and shoulder bags for carrying their weapons.
"Alright, that should be everything we needed to do at the Association, right?" I asked, looking at the group for final confirmation. We couldn't afford any mistakes if we were going to the dungeon tomorrow.
"We should be good," Yuji said.
"Yes. All the necessary procedures are complete," Hiiragi-san confirmed.
"Yep!" Mika cheered.
"I’ve already been registered as a member of your party, too, so we’re all set," Saori-chan added.
Everything seemed to be in order.
"Then let’s head home so we can check out the gear that was delivered."
"Yes!"
"Let’s go!"
Yuji and Hiiragi-san nodded, while the girls gave enthusiastic replies.
We took the train and walked the rest of the way. We’d used a taxi earlier because of the unregistered weapons, but now that the ownership was updated and the boxes were wrapped in paper from the Official Shop, they just looked like normal purchases.
Still, the wrapping paper was covered in Dungeon Association logos, which made me slightly paranoid that it might attract its own kind of unwanted attention from the police.