Once we confirmed it was Genya-san and Muroi-san, our gazes sharpened with caution. We remained on high alert, imagining the worst—like a scenario in a dungeon where an acquaintance suddenly turns hostile and launches an ambush.
Sensing our suspicion, Genya-san and his companion stopped at a distance safely outside the effective range of our paintball guns. He raised both hands slightly as he spoke.
"Good morning, everyone. You’re looking more spirited than I expected. Don't worry—we've only come to talk, so you can lower your guard."
"..."
In the face of Genya-san’s pleasant greeting, we continued to scan the area, wary of hidden snipers. We didn't have enough mental bandwidth to take him at his word.
We couldn't rule out the possibility that this was a distraction, an opening for an attack.
"...Hmph. It seems you have the prudence not to welcome even an acquaintance without caution."
"...Thank you."
Genya-san didn't look displeased by our refusal to relax; on the contrary, he wore a look of mild satisfaction.
...Which only made me more suspicious.
"But truly, I've only come to talk this time. It’s starting to get a bit tiring to keep my hands up, so is it all right if I approach?"
"...Please, go ahead."
Yuji hesitated for a moment before inviting Genya-san and Muroi-san to sit. "Sit" was a generous term, as we only had a sheet spread out on the bare ground.
Nevertheless, Genya-san and Muroi-san sat down without a word of complaint.
"..."
Seeing them sit without a single suspicious movement, I felt it would be rude for only the three of us to remain standing. While keeping a sharp eye on our surroundings, we took our seats on the remaining space of the sheet.
"..."
Everyone was seated, but since no one spoke, a heavy silence hung over us for a while.
Eventually, Genya-san broke the silence with a soft sigh.
"...Fine, I suppose it can't be helped. You can stay as you are, but I’d like you to listen to what I have to say. Agreed?"
"...Yes."
"I suppose learning how to switch your mindset is a task for the future. Maintaining your guard so you don't show an opening—that's a fine attitude. But you see, it’s difficult for a human to maintain concentration indefinitely. In all things, balance is key. If you force yourself to stay focused for too long and then lose it at the critical moment, it’s all for nothing."
We felt a pang of awkwardness at Genya-san’s advice and looked away. We understood his point, but our nerves were so frayed that we couldn't just "switch off."
Genya-san caught our reaction and gave a wry smile, his expression suggesting he still considered us quite green.
After asking for his permission, we stood up, thoroughly checked the perimeter one last time, and then took a deep breath to force ourselves to relax. Even then, we kept a baseline of vigilance—specifically, watching Genya-san and Muroi-san's hands.
Once he saw we were ready to listen, Genya-san began.
"Now then... are we ready?"
"...Yes."
"Then, let us get to the main point. The reason I came to see you so early is that I wanted to catch you while the medicine is wearing off and your cognitive functions have returned to some degree."
Hearing that, we straightened our posture. If he wanted to talk while our thoughts were clear, then this wasn't just a social visit.
It was just after 5:30 AM. Having finished breakfast, the effects of the drug had almost entirely faded. We were just about to take our next dose, so he had arrived at the perfect time.
"First, I want to hear your reflections on the training so far."
"Reflections? But only the first day is over."
"Yes, and that is exactly why I want to hear what you felt in the moment."
"..."
"Anything is fine. Tell me what’s on your mind."
Unsure of his intent, we glanced at each other, perplexed.
Usually, you review training after the whole ordeal is over. It felt strange for the person in charge of the program to come out and ask for feedback so early in the process.
"Well, then..."
Realizing that silence wouldn't help, I spoke up, my eyes darting around as I gathered my thoughts.
"It’s partly because of the medicine, I’m sure, but since my mind wasn't working properly, I fell for a very simple lure."
"...A lure?"
"Because the same ambush scenario was repeated, I assumed—without any evidence—that the next one would be the same. As a result, I completely missed the hidden enemy and couldn't defend myself."
"Did you not feel any sense of wrongness or anxiety about the repetition?"
"At the time, the medicine had dulled my thoughts so much that the idea of being 'led' never even occurred to me."
"I see... Anyone else?"
Genya-san turned his gaze toward Yuji and Hiiragi-san.
"The food, I think," Yuji said hesitantly.
"Hmm? What about the food?" Genya-san tilted his head, looking puzzled.
"Since we knew this was overnight training, we should have brought our own supplies. Because our thinking was impaired, once we started doubting the food you provided, we couldn't stop. We became so paranoid that the meals—which should have been a brief respite—became a massive psychological burden."
"Ah, I see. For the record, I didn't do anything to the food... You were overthinking it."
"I suspected as much... but I couldn't brush the doubt aside."
"Is that so..."
Genya-san looked almost apologetic. It wasn't his fault, really... but I felt a bit bad for him.
Then, with a somewhat awkward expression, Genya-san turned to the last of us, Hiiragi-san.
"For me... this training highlighted how vulnerable we are with such a small party."
"Ho... and why is that?"
"Up until now, the three of us have managed just fine in the dungeons. Based on that experience, for day trips, three people are enough to handle monster combat. However..."
"However?"
"I’ve realized that three people aren't enough if we're planning to stay in a dungeon overnight. Combat and traps are fine, but the need for a night watch makes it impossible to get enough rest. We might manage for a day or two, but on a long-term expedition, the lack of sleep would eventually destroy us."
Yuji and I nodded in firm agreement. Because of the nature of our "Drawer Dungeon," we didn't want to just add random members, but we definitely needed a solution. Maybe we’d get used to it, but for now, it felt like one night was our limit if we wanted to stay sharp.
The deeper you go into a dungeon, the more dangerous the monsters and traps become. The last thing you want is to face increasing danger while suffering from sleep deprivation.
After listening to our impressions, Genya-san closed his eyes and thought for a moment, then spoke with a satisfied nod.
"It seems you have gained quite a lot for a single day's work."
"Gained... you say?"
"Realizing your own shortcomings is vital. If you cannot recognize where you are lacking, you cannot hope to improve."
We couldn't argue with that. Recognizing the problem was the first step toward finding a solution.
"That's true. Until now, we’d never really pushed ourselves to the point where our thinking was this impaired. This training has taught us exactly what happens to our judgment when we’re pushed to that limit."
"I never realized that fatigue could sabotage every single action to this degree."
"And I’ve realized how difficult it is to create a safe environment to rest when your mind isn't working right."
Now that the ice was broken, we began to pour out our frustrations and realizations.
Genya-san listened with a wry smile.
"Well, it's a waste of time to try and 'think' your way out of it when your brain is already fried. You won't come up with anything good, and even if you do, it'll likely be skewed or wrong, leading to disaster."
"...Genya-san, how should we handle a situation like that?"
"Ideally? Don't let it happen in the first place. Don't set impossible schedules, take short naps whenever you eat, and increase your party size so you can rotate watches."
...That made sense. The most important thing was to avoid the state of total exhaustion entirely.
But...
"But those are all preventative measures, right? What do we do if we’re already in that state?"
"In that case, find a way to rest immediately. Even five or ten minutes of sleep can change everything. Or... you discard the need to think entirely."
"Discard the need to think...?"
I frowned. That sounded contradictory. Wasn't the point of a nap to recover your thinking power? So why would we discard it?
"To be precise, you stop trying to make judgments with a dull mind and instead surrender yourself to intuition—the kind born from a vast store of experience."
"Relying on intuition..."
"Well, that method requires a massive amount of experience to pull off, so it’s likely not something you can do just yet."
"..."
We looked at each other, still not quite grasping the concept.
Genya-san rubbed his chin, searching for a better explanation.
"Perhaps that was too abstract. Think of it like this: an exhausted salaryman on a late-night train. He’s fast asleep, but the moment the train approaches his stop, he snaps wide awake and gets off. That isn’t a calculated decision—it’s a reflex born of years of experience, an intuitive sense that his station is coming up."
As we visualized the scene, we all slapped our palms in realization. We’d all seen people do that. It was a perfect example of intuitive action based on habit. But wait... we were supposed to do that in a dungeon? No way. That sounded impossible. Unless... was this training...?
A chill ran down my spine. I looked at Genya-san, and there it was: a knowing smile.
"I see you've caught on. This training isn't just about learning how to camp in enemy territory. It's about gaining the experience of being attacked while exhausted. If you accumulate enough variety in your experiences now, you'll be able to react instinctively even when your mind is clouded during the main event."
"..."
The smile on Genya-san's face made me feel like someone had dropped a block of ice down my shirt.
"Therefore, the training begins in earnest now. Last night was just a warm-up—a few harassment attacks to let you get the feel of it. From today onward, my men will be coming at you without holding back."
"Wait, in earnest...?"
"So yesterday was just...?"
"What? Seriously?"
"They will be attacking in every way imaginable, so I expect you to do your best to survive. The experience you gain here will be invaluable in the dungeons."
"..."
Genya-san stood up. Muroi-san gave us a final look of deep pity and a polite bow before following him toward the mountain path.
Without stopping, Genya-san called back over his shoulder.
"Oh, by the way... I told them to start the assault shortly after we leave the Summit Plaza. You’d better take your medicine and get ready to move. Good luck."
Without another word, they disappeared down the trail toward the foot of the mountain.
The "main event" was starting now? You’ve got to be kidding. Shuddering at his final warning, we scrambled to take our next dose of the medicine and pack our gear.
The hellish core of the training had begun.
Two days later, the three of us stood in front of the prefab hut at the base of the mountain, our clothes stained crimson from head to toe with paint.