We descended the stairs one step at a time, checking our footing with tense concentration before finally stepping onto the 40th floor. As we reached the staircase plaza, the first sight to greet us was an uneven mountain path covered in ankle-high grass and waist-deep thickets, all surrounded by a dense forest where moss-covered trees towered toward the ceiling.
A forest, huh... it brings back memories of Genya-san’s training.
"A forest... Genya-san and the others aren't hiding somewhere, are they?"
"There’s no way... or at least, I’d like to say that, but I can see why you’d worry, Daiki."
"Me too. I half-expect someone to jump out from behind a tree or a bush at any moment."
We stared at the woods spreading out before us, wearing bitter expressions and letting out heavy sighs. Whenever it came to fighting in a forest, we couldn't help but recall our training with Genya-san. I doubted we’d face enemies specialized in anti-personnel combat who used every trick in the book like they did, but with the poor visibility and unstable footing, we would have to be more on guard than ever.
I shook my head to clear away the stray thoughts and focused on the forest again.
"...For now, it looks like our trick of using drone reconnaissance to find the stairs won't work here."
"Yeah, the trees grow almost all the way to the ceiling, so finding the stairs from above would be nearly impossible. Besides, with visibility this bad, there's no way we could fly one without crashing it."
Videos of drones flying at high speeds through trees were common on video sites, but beginners like us certainly didn't have that kind of skill. We might manage if we flew them at a snail's pace, but at such low altitudes, the drones would be vulnerable to monster attacks, and a single mistake while trying to dodge could lead to a crash. It was much better to just walk through the woods and search on foot.
"True. Still, searching on foot is going to take a lot of time..."
"It can't be helped. Honestly, we’ve just been spoiled by how smoothly that shortcut let us move until now."
"You're right. Back on the 30th floor, it took quite a while when we were searching for the stairs the normal way."
Thanks to drone reconnaissance, we had been able to traverse the previous floors in record time via the shortest distances, but from here on out, we had to do the legwork.
Sigh, our exploration speed is going to plummet.
"Well, no point in complaining. Let's keep a steady pace while we look for any other shortcuts we might be able to use."
"I doubt we'll find another trick so easily, but you're right. The easier we can make this, the better."
"Shortening the time is one thing, but it also reduces the risk of getting injured in a fight."
Like Yuji and Hiiragi-san said, it was best to avoid risks whenever possible. Especially now that we had dived as deep as the 40th floor; there was no telling what kind of impact even a minor injury could have. If someone suffered a serious wound in a place where help couldn't reach, it would be a massive psychological blow even if we could treat it immediately.
In our case specifically, we hadn't suffered any real injuries so far, so we didn't even know how we’d handle it.
"Right. So the plan is to search steadily and carefully... I guess?"
"That's the one. Well then, let's get moving. Standing around here is just wasting time."
"Yes, let's go."
And so, we stepped into the forest of the 40th floor. Unlike the grassland zone from before, the canopy here meant we had to stay constantly alert for ambushes from above.
After five minutes of trekking through the woods, we still hadn't encountered any monsters. We scanned the area with narrowed eyes, looking for the stairs. My plan was to walk in a straight line until we hit the far wall, but because the scenery was so repetitive, my sense of direction was starting to blur.
Are we even walking straight?
"The scenery is so identical that I'm worried we'll get lost. Should we start marking the trees?"
"Should we try carving the bark? It's the classic way to avoid getting lost... though in stories, that's usually the part where you find your own marks and realize you've been walking in circles."
"Hirose-kun, that wouldn't help us at all."
"Hahaha, it was a joke. But seriously, if we can't maintain a straight line, we're going to lose a lot of time. And it’s not like compasses work in the dungeon..."
Yuji scratched the back of his head with a wry smile, looking up as he pondered. As he said, compasses—the standard tool for navigation—were useless inside the dungeon. The needle that should point north would never settle, spinning aimlessly instead. Maybe the dungeon emitted some kind of strange electromagnetic waves?
Whatever the reason, compasses were a no-go. Still, up until the 40th floor, we’d either just memorized the path or had such good visibility that I hadn't really felt the need for one.
"Hmm, a landmark... Should I try climbing a tree?"
"To look around? The trees reach almost to the ceiling, so I doubt you'd see much."
"True. And it’s not like we can unspool a line of string behind us... it would just get in the way."
"Maybe as a guide once we actually find the stairs, but at this stage..."
"Hmm..."
The thought of just cutting down the trees to make a road crossed my mind, but then I remembered the grass on the 30th floor. It had grown back to its original length in just a few hours; we’d likely have to clear the trees every single time. Besides, unlike grass, the commotion of felling trees would probably draw every monster in the area to us.
If we were swarmed while in the middle of cutting wood, we’d likely take unnecessary injuries. We didn't even know what kind of monsters lived here yet, and we had zero experience fighting in a forest environment. If we were going to take such a drastic approach, it would have to be after we’d done at least some basic preparation.
"You two, I think it’s best if we just explore the 40th floor the old-fashioned way for now. If we're going to try any shortcuts, we need to get used to this terrain first..."
"You’re right. We’ve had it easy for so long that I think I was getting impatient. Even if it takes time, we should move forward reliably and earn some experience points..."
"...Yeah. If we're going to try and save time, it’s probably better to wait until the next floor."
Yuji and I, both feeling a bit rushed, nodded at Hiiragi-san’s sensible suggestion. It was better to conduct a thorough, standard exploration than to mess around with half-baked shortcuts.
Besides...
"It’s also getting close to the time when we should start looking for a place to set up our base camp for the night. Investigating this floor thoroughly isn't a bad idea."
"...Ah, you're right. It is about that time."
"Now that you mention it, yes. We've made much better progress than planned, so it's a good time to pick a spot to camp."
We had already achieved our original goal of reaching the 40th floor. Normally, we would have camped on a shallower floor and reached this point tomorrow. Everything from here on was essentially a bonus. Since our policy was not to overextend, the priority now shifted from making progress to ensuring we rested well and returned safely.
With that in mind, spending time to scout the 40th floor as a potential campsite was a logical choice.
"Let's look around while we search for the stairs. We need to scout this place regardless of whether we actually camp here or not."
"Yeah. For starters, I won't be able to sleep unless I know what kind of monsters are lurking around."
"And we need to check if there's anything like that long grass we found earlier. It would be a disaster if we did something reckless without checking the environment."
"Good point."
As Hiiragi-san pointed out, there was definitely a risk there. It was safest to prohibit magic and stick to physical weapons until our investigation was complete. It would be a nightmare if we used Fire Magic and ended up incinerating the entire forest.
As we walked, exchanging opinions and complaints, we carefully observed the surrounding flora.
About ten minutes into our scout, I sensed something ahead. We came to a halt. A small monster emerged from a thicket in our path. It was about thirty centimeters long with brownish-red fur, baring sharp fangs as it let out a low hiss.
Is that... a weasel?
"It's kind of tiny..."
"Yeah. A squirrel? Or a weasel?"
"...It’s actually a little cute."
Since most monsters we’d encountered were relatively large, this small creature caught us off guard. Even Hiiragi-san seemed a bit charmed by its adorable appearance.
But for it to come right at us from the front... shouldn't small monsters like this rely on ambushes?
"Whew... Okay, it doesn't matter what it looks like. If it’s an enemy, we kill it. Right, guys?"
"Yeah... yeah, you're right."
"Y-yes, of course."
Still feeling a bit shaken, we readied our weapons and watched its movements. Meanwhile, I checked its status with Appraisal Analysis.
The result was...
"...It’s a speed-specialized enemy, so be careful."
"Speed-spec? So it’s going to try and scramble our formation..."
"In a forest like this, that small size and high speed could be a real pain."
Despite its cute looks, it was going to be a troublesome foe. I didn't know exactly how fast it was, but in a place with so many obstacles, it would be a difficult target to hit. It would have been easier if it were the size of our usual enemies.
As we stayed on guard, the weasel monster let out a tiny screech and blurred into motion.
"Here it comes!"
At Yuji’s sharp warning, the weasel began circling us clockwise at incredible speed. It moved through the forest with agility, darting behind trees and bushes to trick our eyes into losing sight of it for a split second.
However, its speed wasn't enough to fool us just yet.
"Yuji, Hiiragi-san..."
"I've got it. I can see it."
"Me too. But it's trickier than I expected."
"Yeah. This thing might be a problem if we don't finish it in one hit."
If we just wounded a speed specialist, it might run away and become a persistent nuisance. I didn't know if it was smart enough to retreat and wait for an opening, but if it turned cautious, it would take a frustrating amount of time to track down and kill.
An enemy that keeps its distance and nips at your heels is the worst.
"If it comes from the front, I'll take it."
"I've got the right."
"Then I'll watch the left."
"Perfect."
As the weasel circled us, looking for an opening, we formed a triangle, standing back-to-back to cover every angle. This way, we could respond instantly.
Sensing that we had countered its circling maneuver, the weasel monster must have decided to commit. It lunged in for the kill.
"I've got this!"
The weasel attacked from my rear, aiming for the gap exactly between Yuji and Hiiragi-san. It was an impressive move, picking the spot where their attack ranges overlapped to strike.
Unfortunately for the monster... that movement was still well within Yuji’s reaction speed.
"Chii! Chii-chii!"
"Hah!"
"Gyu!?"
Yuji lightning-fast flipped his kodachi into a reverse grip and swung it in line with the weasel's low-angle trajectory. The blade caught the monster right between its nose and mouth, cleanly bisecting its head horizontally and sending it flying.
Now, that was an impressive display of skill... but because the weasel had been leaping between Yuji and Hiiragi-san, the bisected corpse went flying right over my back.
"Whoa!?"
I ducked instinctively as the two halves of the weasel sailed past me. But dodging the body wasn't enough. As the severed corpse flew overhead, the blood gushing from the wounds rained down on me.
Oh, come on! It’s lukewarm and disgusting!