After a few days of rest, we were back at the dungeon. During the school year, we wouldn't have been able to return on such short notice, but summer vacation meant we could manage overnight expeditions twice a week without any issues. Since our homework was already finished, we had plenty of time on our hands.
After changing, we did some warm-up exercises in our rented private room while going over the final details of today's plan.
"So, as scheduled, we're aiming to explore the floors below the 30th floor... right?" I asked.
"Yeah, that's the plan," Yuji replied. "But keep in mind it's our first time seeing those floors. Don't go overboard, okay?"
"I agree," Hiiragi-san added. "We have no idea what kind of monsters or traps to expect. It's better to be overly cautious—test the stone bridge before crossing, as they say."
"I get it. This trip is just for reconnaissance from the 30th floor onward... right?"
Exactly. The primary objective today was to scout everything past the 30th floor. Information on the monsters that appeared there did exist, but it was sparse. Since we hadn't confirmed anything with our own eyes yet, we didn't know how much the reality of the situation differed from the reports. It wasn't that I didn't trust the public information, but swallowing it whole without a hint of doubt was a dangerous way to operate.
For this trip, we would prioritize our safety while verifying the accuracy of the official data. Full-scale exploration and material gathering would have to wait until next time.
"Right. Basic details about monster and trap types are made public to keep explorers from getting themselves killed, but raw data like combat reports isn't disclosed," I noted.
"They probably aren't posting lies, but there’s always a chance the info has drifted away from the current reality," Hiiragi-san said with a contemplative sigh. "Even if the reporter doesn't mean to, nuances can get lost in translation. Misinformation is often born from the receiver interpreting things differently than the sender."
She was right. It was a common occurrence—someone jumping to conclusions and misunderstanding something even if the other person wasn't technically lying. In daily life, you could usually recover from a misunderstanding like that, but inside a dungeon, a mistake regarding a monster or a trap could be fatal. Reconnaissance was essential to avoid the worst-case scenario.
Once we finished our stretches and confirmed our route, we picked up our gear and left the room.
"Do you two have everything?" I asked.
"Yeah, I'm good," Yuji said.
"I'm fine too."
"Right. Shall we?"
With our equipment double-checked, we headed toward the entrance, where a long line of explorers had already formed.
After waiting for a fair while, we successfully made it inside. It was summer vacation, after all, and the sheer number of student explorers was high. With so many people around, we wouldn't be able to just sprint straight to the lower floors.
We moved through the dungeon at a brisk pace for a while until something caught my eye.
"They only just got smashed the other day, but new chairs and tables have already been installed."
In the distance, I saw brand-new furniture replacing the ones broken during the fight started by the student explorers earlier in the week. Bureaucracy usually moved at a snail's pace unless it was a national emergency, so seeing them respond this quickly showed just how much importance the government was placing on the dungeons.
"Since they're already back, does that mean those guys paid the repair costs?" Yuji wondered.
"Hmm, I doubt it," Hiiragi-san replied. "It’s only been a few days; they probably haven't even finished the estimate. They likely did the repairs first because other explorers were complaining. They're probably in the middle of billing those students right now."
Yuji and Hiiragi-san both looked impressed by the efficiency of the response as they surveyed the area. Actually, it was possible that furniture got broken here all the time. If the Association kept a stock of replacements on hand, that would explain the quick turnaround.
Wait, if that were the case, they probably had the invoice templates ready to go, too... Well, whatever.
"Um, I think we should get moving to the next floor. Ready?"
"Hm? Oh, sorry. You're right, let's pick up the pace," Yuji said.
"My apologies. If we keep stopping this early in the trip, the sun will go down before we know it."
Hiiragi-san... the sun doesn't really matter down here, I thought, but I kept it to myself. There was no point in wasting even more time with a sarcastic remark.
We wove through the crowds of resting explorers and pressed deeper into the dungeon. Up to the 7th floor, we still passed other parties in the corridors, but once we crossed the 10th floor, the traffic thinned out considerably. It seemed the rookie parties who had just started this summer were finding it difficult to make it this far. Fortunately, that allowed us to pick up our speed. At this rate, we’d be able to run through the floors without being spotted once we got a little deeper.
"Still a bit crowded, though..." I muttered.
"Yeah," Yuji agreed. "With your skills, we could probably avoid everyone, but taking a detour every time we're about to run into someone is a hassle. Let's keep moving and gradually increase our pace as the numbers drop."
We pushed lower and lower, and by the time we passed the 15th floor, the presence of other parties had faded enough that we could run without much concern.
It had taken about three hours to reach this point. As long as we kept an eye out for parties setting up base camps in the staircase plazas, we could probably reach the 29th floor in another hour.
"Alright, let's run the rest of the way. We spent more time than I wanted at the top."
"Agreed," Yuji said, checking his watch. "I'd like to reach the 30th floor before noon if possible."
I looked at Hiiragi-san, and she gave a silent nod of agreement.
Time to move.
"I'll take point, Hiiragi-san in the middle, Yuji in the back. Sound good?"
"No problem. I'm counting on you to spot the traps," Yuji said.
"That works for me."
"Then let's go."
We sprinted toward the depths, staying alert for any signs of other explorers. We brushed aside traps and any monsters unlucky enough to cross our path with a single blow, never breaking our stride.
However...
"Next is... the 23rd floor," I said.
"...Yeah," Yuji replied.
"...Right," Hiiragi-san added.
The memory of the unpleasant incident from a few days ago slowed our feet. We didn't stop, but it felt as though we were suddenly wading through thick mud. It had only been a few days; there was a high chance the same people were still camped out in the staircase plaza of the 23rd floor.
I really didn't want to see them. But we had to pass through if we wanted to go deeper. I let out a heavy sigh.
"..." "..." "..."
We all shared a moment of silence before putting on neutral, slightly tired expressions to hide our irritation. If we walked in looking like we were in a foul mood, it would only make any potential interaction worse. Keeping a calm face was just part of the social grease needed to navigate the dungeon smoothly.
"...I don't want to, but let's get this over with."
"Yeah. Let's go."
"I really don't want to, though..."
With heavy steps, we descended to the 23rd floor.
When we reached the plaza, the base camps of the two companies were indeed still there. There weren't any other camps around, so the University Student Party had apparently already moved on—though whether they went up or down, I couldn't say.
At least that was one less headache to deal with.
"...They don't seem to be paying much attention to us."
"You're right," Yuji whispered. "Does that mean the staff has already been rotated out?"
"Probably," Hiiragi-san replied. "Otherwise, the people from Hazama Shoji would have definitely said something by now. If they're ignoring us, they likely don't know who we are."
"That works for me. Let's slip through before they notice."
Despite our anxiety, the Corporate-type Parties didn't make a move. We were a little puzzled by the lack of reaction, but we decided not to question our good luck. We quickened our pace, heading for the passage leading to the next floor. After the last encounter, we were done with annoying negotiations. If we could avoid them entirely, we would.
We were just about to step into the corridor when a voice rose behind us.
"Wait, those three..."
Ignore them. Just ignore them.
We collectively decided the voice was a hallucination and walked even faster. I had a sinking feeling that if we turned around, we’d be sucked into another mess. We needed to get around the corner before they could shout any louder.
As we rounded the first bend in the corridor, a voice called out again. That was a close call; if we’d been any slower, we would have felt obligated to stop. Thinking back, the voice sounded a bit like Baba-san, the man who had caused all that trouble before... No, I was definitely just imagining things.
"Phew... we made it."
"Yeah. Though since they saw us, they might be waiting for us on the way back," Yuji warned.
"Ugh... how annoying," Hiiragi-san groaned.
I couldn't agree more. Honestly, out of the three groups from the other day, the Hazama Shoji lot were the worst. We'd had a bit of a spat with the university students, but we'd ended on okay terms, and Masai Foods had acted like adults by not being pushy with their scouting. Hazama Shoji, on the other hand... well, the less said the better.
Baba from Hazama Shoji left me with the impression of nothing but a walking jinx. I genuinely wondered if they were serious about scouting us with an attitude like his. They’d definitely picked the wrong man for the job.
"Well, the biggest hurdle is behind us for now. Let's keep moving."
"...Right. We'll worry about the rest later. Let's get ahead," Yuji said.
"Standing here complaining won't get us anywhere," Hiiragi-san added.
We kept moving before anyone could chase us down.
After about thirty minutes of running from the 23rd floor plaza, we finally arrived at the 29th floor. Since it hadn't been long since our last visit, the scenery was starting to feel familiar.
"Alright, we're here. Now what?" I asked.
"What do you mean? Are you asking if we're going to fight the ogre?" Yuji replied.
"Exactly. We could take it down like we usually do, but I was thinking we should try the crimson gem."
Until now, we’d had no intention of entering the 30th floor, so we hadn't bothered using the gem to unlock the door. But since today's goal was specifically to pass through, there was no reason not to try it. I wanted to see the effect with my own eyes at least once.
"True. We've never actually used one."
"We know what it does because of your skill, Daiki, but we haven't tested it. It's not a bad idea to see how it works," Hiiragi-san agreed.
After a quick discussion, we decided to use the crimson gem on the door's indentation.
I had sold the gem we got last time, but I pulled one from a previous run out of my Spatial Storage and pressed it into the slot. The door ground open as usual, revealing the dim hall beyond.
However...
"...It looks the same as always."
"No, look closer," Yuji said. "Usually the ogre is right in the center of the room. This time, it's nowhere to be seen."
"That must be the gem's effect," Hiiragi-san noted. "It lets us pass through the hall without a fight."
The space ahead was completely empty and silent. This was the power of the crimson gem.
Staying wary of traps, we crossed the silent hall toward the far end. There stood a massive, imposing door—the one blocking the path to the 30th floor.
"..." "..." "..."
"I'm opening it," I said.
I took a deep breath, braced myself, and pushed the door open. Beyond it, just as I’d expected, were stairs leading down. The path to the 30th floor was finally open.
Alright. This is where the main event starts.