After finishing our registration at the reception desk, we split up in front of the changing rooms to get ready. Since we were only heading in for a day exploration, we didn't have any bivouac equipment to lug around; the lack of camouflage luggage meant we were traveling light. Thanks to the benefits of leveling up, heavy loads weren't exactly a problem for me anymore, but camouflage gear was always bulky and tended to get in the way.
Yuji and I finished changing quickly and took seats in the waiting area to wait for Hiiragi-san and the girls.
"There seem to be fewer students compared to summer vacation, don't you think?" Yuji asked.
"Yeah," I replied. "Now that school’s back in session, people can't come as often as they did over the break. It was bound to happen."
As we killed time by people-watching, I noticed the age distribution of dungeon users had shifted since the summer. While there were still student explorers like us, we no longer made up half the crowd. Instead, the area was packed with adults—professionals who looked like corporate explorers. It felt like things were simply returning to the pre-summer status quo.
"They've really grown in number lately, haven't they?" Yuji remarked.
"What has?" I asked.
"The corporate explorers. Look, you can see the same company logos on a lot of people's gear."
"Oh? You're right. Now that you mention it, those company logos are becoming a lot more common."
On the equipment of the adult explorers walking past us, company logos signifying corporate affiliation were displayed alongside the Dungeon Association's marks. I’d say about half of the adults within sight were sporting them. They moved in groups of several people wearing the same emblem; their numbers had been steadily increasing since around April. Before long, excluding the student explorers, the ratio of independents to the corporate faction might actually flip.
I suppose it makes sense. Exploring as part of a company is much safer than doing it as a private business, even if the individual's cut of the profit is lower.
"Looking at this, it makes me feel like dungeon exploration is eventually going to be dominated by corporate activity," Yuji mused.
"Well, the dungeon is pretty tough to handle as an individual."
Just as Yuji said, there were certainly aspects that were difficult for a solo explorer. The reality of that hit home especially during long-term expeditions that required a dungeon stay. The deeper the floor, the greater the burden. Securing safety, rest, medical treatment, and a reliable supply chain... we managed it through our own little shortcuts, but it was an immense hurdle for the average independent.
"Exactly," I agreed. "Companies can field multiple ten-man teams and rotate them with plenty of breathing room. And with drop item prices falling—or stabilizing, rather—you have to hit the lower floors to make a real profit these days."
"For student explorers like us, pocket money levels of profit are fine," Yuji said, "but when it's a career, you have to make enough to sustain the company and your life, or you'll go bankrupt."
With the increase in explorers and the subsequent rise in the supply of drop items, purchase prices had been dropping. An amount that used to fetch tens of thousands of yen might only bring in ten thousand or less now. To maintain their margins, explorers had no choice but to push into lower floors where rarer items dropped. Generally speaking, the deeper the floor, the higher the payout.
However, that simultaneously meant longer expeditions and fighting higher-level monsters, which wasn't something independents could adapt to overnight. If they pushed too hard without preparation, the price they'd pay would be high.
"In that case, I wonder if in a few years it'll become the norm to learn the basics as a student and then just get a job at a dungeon enterprise after graduation?" Yuji asked.
"Unless your skills are exceptionally outstanding, that’ll probably be the natural flow of things."
"So, you work hard on extracurriculars to build up your resume for job hunting... Exploring will just become another career path, no different than it was before dungeons appeared. The sense of specialness will be gone."
"Well, that’s just a sign that the explorer profession has been accepted by society."
We spent the next few minutes musing about the future of the industry, mostly just to pass the time. Five minutes later, Hiiragi-san and the girls emerged from the locker rooms.
We joined the usual long queue for the Entrance Gate. With fewer students around, the wait looked shorter than usual, though it still looked like it would take about fifteen minutes.
"We're aiming for the 10th floor today to match Mika and Saori's level," I said, checking in with the girls. "How have you been doing with the goblins? Getting used to them?"
"Y-Yeah. I guess so," Mika said hesitantly.
"Since it's just the two of us, we’ve only fought small groups," Saori added. "I'm still a little nervous about what to do if a whole swarm shows up."
I had given them permission to dive to the 10th floor after the Obon holidays, but I’d told them to stick to the 7th floor until they were comfortable with goblins. They’d been diligently hunting groups of five or so, but hadn't faced a true mob of a dozen or more yet. I occasionally heard stories about people who got used to small groups and carelessly went down a floor, only to encounter a massive swarm and suffer serious injuries before help could arrive.
"In that case," I suggested, "let's make experiencing a fight against a large swarm our goal for today."
"Should we head for that 8th-floor trap room we hit way back when?" Yuji suggested. "It's after the summer break, so with any luck, it might be empty."
"Right," Hiiragi-san agreed. "That might offer a better chance of a fight than just wandering around aimlessly."
Monster room traps were considered dangerous for newcomers, but mid-tier explorers used them intentionally to rack up kills for drop items. There were often parties waiting in line since the traps took time to reset, but if we were lucky, it was a more efficient way to find a fight than wandering the halls for hours.
"A monster trap room... You mean that place where a ton of them come out at once?" Mika asked, her smile looking a bit forced. "Is that really okay for us to jump into?"
"Fighting dozens of monsters all at once is a bit..." Saori trailed off.
"Haha, don't worry," I said, seeing them start to edge away. "We're not going to throw you in immediately. We'll check how much you can handle first."
"Yeah, even we aren't that reckless," Yuji added. "I've heard about your progress from Daiki, but we want to see it for ourselves first."
"Consider it a warm-up," Hiiragi-san said. "The trap room is just a goal to work toward."
The two girls let out synchronized sighs of relief. I might have teased them a bit too much, but it seemed to break the tension. Eventually, our turn came. I scanned my card, gave a quick nod to the staff-san at the gate, and we stepped inside.
The main event had begun.
We moved with the flow of other explorers. Even with fewer students, the line was constant. It took us an hour just to reach the staircase plaza on the 5th floor.
"Man, it takes forever just to walk through these upper floors," I grumbled.
"Yeah," Yuji agreed. "This bottleneck is the worst. Further down, you can actually move at a decent pace because there's nobody around."
Hiiragi-san sighed at our griping. "Don't get so worked up. There are way more people up here, so what do you expect? Just be patient."
"Right, right. Anyway... Mika, Saori-chan!" I called out, snapping myself back into focus.
"Y-Yes?"
"We'll warm up on this floor and then head for the 8th. You ready?"
"Always!" Mika chirped, her confidence returning. "I'm in the dungeon, so I'm ready for anything!"
"Me too," Saori said. "Monsters can jump you even in a crowd, so we've been on high alert since we walked through the gate."
Good. They had the jōzai senjō mindset down. I glanced at Yuji and Hiiragi-san, and they both nodded.
"Alright, let's go."
"Don't let your guard down, you two," Yuji warned.
"We'll stay back as support," Hiiragi-san added. "We're leaving the combat to you."
"Got it!" they replied in unison.
The girls took the lead, and we followed behind. We left the pathfinding to them, intending to stay out of the way unless something attacked us from the rear or the sides. We veered off the main travel route and began exploring the 5th floor in earnest.
"First, we'll find a monster to see how you're feeling today," I said.
"If we can find one," Mika countered. "They don't seem to be showing up."
"We probably have to go a bit deeper to get away from the other parties," Saori noted.
Even after summer, the 5th floor was busy. Since combat priority goes to whoever spots the monster first, it’s often hard to find a fight when multiple parties are in the same area. The standard move is to find a secluded spot where no one else is around.
Or so I thought.
"...There's one," I muttered.
"...There it is," Mika said.
"...It's here," Saori whispered.
Barely five minutes and two hundred meters after leaving the main path, we stumbled upon our first monster: a red boar.
Huh. Was it always this easy to find monsters in the upper floors? Well, I wasn't going to complain. I guess today was just a lucky day. If this luck held out, maybe the trap room would be empty too... though that might be pushing it.
Still, when you're on a roll, everything just seems to go your way.