Three orcs stood before the Trio, wearing provocative expressions and casting appraising glazes at the three youngsters, who gripped their weapons with tense faces. It was a scene where the balance of power was blindingly obvious.
Before the action could commence, the play shifted to a strategy meeting between the Trio.
“Good grief... to think we’d have to fight these things even outside a dungeon.”
“I want to tell you not to complain, but I agree. We were only supposed to be helping with evacuation guidance. Honestly.”
“It can’t be helped. If we don’t take these guys out here or hold them back until reinforcements arrive, it’ll be a disaster if they reach the town.”
The Trio vented their grievances with pained expressions, yet they stilled their breathing and adjusted their grips, stoking their fighting spirit. Their earlier anxiety gradually gave way to looks of grim determination.
“Right. I guess we just have to do it... So, what’s the plan?”
“Plan? Can’t we just go with the usual? It’s safer to do what we normally do rather than trying to change things up now.”
“The usual... isolating them one by one to take them down. But we’re not inside a dungeon, so we can’t use narrow passages to restrict their movements. Out here in the ‘outside world,’ they might just circle around us and ruin our attempt to split them up.”
Just as the girl playing the explorer role said, unless you were on the field-type levels beyond the 30th floor, you were usually dealing with a labyrinth structure where narrow passages acted as a natural constraint. This didn't just limit the explorers; it also restricted the monsters. Especially when facing large-bodied monsters like minotaurs or orcs, clever positioning allowed a party to isolate them from the pack. Because of this, many parties utilized a strategy of individual defeat—taking them out one by one—when facing heavy opponents. As long as the party’s coordination was solid, they could relatively safely manage simultaneous encounters with multiple monsters.
However, outside the dungeon, there were no road-width restrictions. If they grew complacent and assumed it would be business as usual, they could easily find themselves surrounded if their support and positioning weren't perfect.
“I know. Basically, I’ll handle the one we isolate. You two handle the stalling and support.”
“Stalling is fine, but are you okay on your own?”
“Well, I should be fine one-on-one. As long as nothing else interferes, that is.”
It seemed that boy explorer was the ace and the most skilled member of the party. If he could defeat an orc one-on-one, he could probably call himself a decent mid-level explorer.
“Well, we’ll do our best on our end too. But since the environment is different from usual, don’t expect us to hold them for very long.”
“She’s right. We’ll hold them as long as we can, but since their movement isn't restricted out here, keep the possibility of them circling around you in mind.”
“Got it. Well then, looks like they’re at the limit of their patience over there. Let’s get to work.”
With the strategy decided, the battle against the orcs finally began.
An up-tempo track began to play as BGM for the battle scene, and both sides moved simultaneously.
First, the three students and the three orcs clashed head-on. Moving with the speed expected of explorers, they closed a gap of several meters in less than a second. They landed light blows on the nearest orcs and immediately backed away to create distance. It appeared those initial attacks were for aggro generation. As proof, each orc focused its intent to attack on the specific person who had struck it.
“Good, looks like drawing the aggro worked. Okay, following the plan, I’ll finish this one first. Stall the others!”
“Understood! I’ll hold them as long as I can, so make it quick!”
“Leave the support to me!”
Having successfully drawn the monsters’ attention, the three began the task of splitting the orcs up as planned. Because they had widened the distance between each other when backing away, the paths of the orcs chasing them were staggered. By skillfully leading them, the separation went smoothly.
Two students and two orcs retreated into the wings of the stage, leaving the boy and a single orc on stage to begin their duel.
“Now then, I don’t have much time to spare, so I’m going all out from the start!”
The duel between the boy and the orc was an intense exchange that made the audience forget it was a play. A club was swung with brute force; a sword was swung sharply while the boy evaded. The club and sword moved so fast that the sound of them cutting through the air echoed loudly enough to compete with the BGM.
Since they were prop swords, there was no sound of clashing steel, but the stage combat was incredibly powerful. Occasional screams—or perhaps gasps of admiration—echoed from the audience. In particular, the people who looked like the guardians of the students on stage let out bewildered groans of astonishment.
“Dammit, as I thought, doing this alone is tough...”
The boy’s sword strikes found their mark, but he couldn't seem to find an opening for a decisive blow. It had devolved into a war of attrition, with him stacking minor hits to whittle the monster down.
Finally, just as he managed to slip through the orc’s attacks and stack enough damage to slow its movements, the long-awaited opening appeared. It was a support attack from his comrade.
“Now!”
The boy aimed for the moment the orc’s movements faltered and unleashed his finishing move. After slightly bending his knees to build power, he released it all at once, lunging with a sharp thrust aimed straight at the orc’s neck. Well, he couldn't actually hit the actor, so the blade just swept past the actor’s neck.
However, due to the intensity of the stage combat up to that point, some of the audience members seemed to perceive the fiction as reality. Several loud screams rang out from people who mistakenly believed he had actually pierced the neck.
“Phew, we managed somehow.”
“Hey! If you’re done, hurry up and help us over here!”
“—! Ah, I’m coming!”
Just as he was breathing a sigh of relief, a voice called out for help. I could understand letting your guard down after winning a hard-fought battle, but losing focus even for a moment while the combat itself wasn't over was a bad habit.
The boy then hurried off into the wings to support his comrades.
With the boy rushing to help, the three-versus-two battle ended in victory for the Trio after a struggle. The two actors playing orcs lay collapsed on stage while the Trio stood there catching their ragged breath. It was a sight that clearly demonstrated the victory had been anything but easy.
Once the three had finished catching their breath, four Security Personnel appeared from the wings. Their armor was broken in places, and red stains seeped through their clothes here and there.
“Hey, looks like you three are safe.”
“No, no! Forget about us, are you guys okay?! You look terrible! What about your injuries?!”
“We used the recovery potions we were issued to heal the wounds, so we’re fine. As for the armor... well, I’ll probably get a earful when I ask for replacements.”
“Eh...”
The Security Personnel Leader spoke in a light, nonchalant tone, but small screams and groans leaked from the audience at the sight of them. From an explorer’s perspective, the state of the Security Personnel was within an acceptable range for having struggled against monsters.
After all, they weren't carrying any wounded with tragic expressions, and none of them were unable to walk.
“More importantly, you really saved us. Thanks to you being here, we were able to get through this. If you hadn't been here, even if we had managed to defeat the monsters, someone might have been killed.”
“No, we’re just glad we could be of help. Besides, it would have been a disaster if the monsters were left to run wild. As explorers, we couldn't just stand by.”
“I’m glad to hear you say that. If only the reinforcements had arrived, we could have had you focus on evacuation guidance...”
“There’s no use wishing for what we don't have. Besides, those reinforcements should be arriving any minute now, right? A fair amount of time has passed since the battle started...”
While they were rejoicing in each other's safety and the success of the monster cull, just as both sides were beginning to relax with the relief that reinforcements were coming, it happened.
The wall surrounding the entrance gate—likely made of Styrofoam—was blown outward from within, leaving a massive, jagged hole.
“W-What?! What happened?!”
“The wall?!”
Startled by the sudden turn of events, the Security Personnel and the Trio wore expressions of shock as they stared at the gaping hole.
Then, from within the dust-swirling breach, it revealed itself.
“...A big bear.”
With a twitching face, the Security Personnel Leader muttered the name of the monster. He looked utterly stunned by the appearance of such a powerhouse.
“Are you kidding me? Even those things are coming out...?”
“This is bad... it’ll be hard for just us to even hold that thing back.”
“It’s impossible... not that thing.”
Knowing the true nature of the monster from its imposing presence and the name the leader had uttered, the Trio turned pale. Their faces drained of blood as they trembled and stepped back. Even if they were student explorers reaching the level of mid-levelers, it was only natural for them to shrink back when faced with a monster that advanced-level explorers usually handled.
But as if it didn't care about the circumstances of its opponents, the big bear let out a menacing Roar, seemingly recognizing the seven of them as enemies.
“Dammit, looks like it has no intention of letting us go. We have to pin it down somehow! Reinforcements will be here soon; once they arrive, we should be able to crush it with numbers. We have to buy time no matter what!”
Seeing the terrified Trio, the Security Personnel Leader steeled his resolve and confronted the big bear. Resigned to simply buying time until reinforcements arrived, he began issuing orders to his Team Members.
Once he finished giving instructions, the leader called out to the Trio.
“You three, stay back. I’m sorry, but if you try to run now, there’s a chance its hostility will shift toward you.”
“Y-Yes, sir.”
“...If the worst should happen before reinforcements arrive, don't worry about us and run. If you head toward those buildings over there, you should be able to get protection from other Security Personnel.”
In this context, "the worst" meant the Security Personnel being wiped out. The Trio understood what the leader meant, their faces tightening with a mixture of apology and frustration.
When faced with an unbeatable foe, you shouldn't show useless stubbornness; you must understand your own lack of power and act accordingly. It was easy to say, but actually executing that was no simple feat. However, if asked whether such a situation could never happen in a dungeon, the only answer was that it was a very real possibility.
“...Yes.”
When encountering such a scene, how many student explorers would actually be able to take the honest course of action? It was fine to show courage or spirit, as long as you didn't misjudge your opponent. After all, the price for misjudging was life itself—not something that could be easily replaced.
And so the play moved into its climax as the stage combat between the big bear and the Security Personnel began.
“Gugh!”
“Waaah!”
“Pant, pant!”
“...!”
The big bear scattered the Security Personnel as they attacked in coordination, dealing massive damage with a single swing of its arm. By the nature of their job—dealing with monsters and troubles caused by explorers—the personnel assigned to security were individuals of considerable skill. The big bear was a monster that could deal such damage to those security officers with just one swipe.
And since the Security Personnel had taken a heavy blow from a single swing, the probability of the "worst-case scenario" occurring was extremely high.
“““...”””
Watching the Security Personnel being taken down, the Trio edged backward, their faces contorted with frustration and shame at the fact that they were helpless.
But that was a mistake. After glancing at the fallen Security Personnel, the big bear set its sights on the retreating Trio and began to move. It started with a slow stride but gradually picked up speed, closing the distance in an instant...
“Sorry to keep you waiting. Are you all safe?”
Before the big bear could attack the Trio, its head was severed. The one who defeated the monster was a man wearing armor adorned with the white letters "POLICE" and a symbolic crest, indicating he was a Police Officer. It seemed the long-awaited reinforcements had finally arrived.
“Thank you for your cooperation in preventing the monsters from spreading. We’ll take it from here.”
“Eh? Uh, excuse me...”
“I’m going inside the building to exterminate the remaining monsters, but a relief squad will be here shortly. Please wait here for a little longer while keeping an eye on the injured.”
“Y-Yes!”
“Then, excuse me.”
After a brief exchange, the man who had defeated the big bear charged into the building where the entrance gate was located. Afterward, the Trio was protected by the arriving relief squad along with the injured Security Personnel. They vanished into the wings, and the stage lights dimmed into a blackout.
After a few seconds of darkness, the lights came back up to reveal a set designed to look like a cafe, where the Trio sat with gloomy faces.
“In the end, were we actually of any help?”
“We must have been. We did take down those orcs, after all.”
“I suppose. But when that big bear appeared, we were nothing but dead weight.”
“““...”””
Recalling the event, the Trio wore expressions of utter powerlessness.
They had felt helpful, only to end up being baggage. They had been doing well lately and had even ranked up, but this incident had doused their confidence with cold water.
“And here I thought we’d gotten strong...”
“I guess ‘thinking so’ was all it ever was.”
“There’s always someone better, huh?”
The three let out dry laughs and knocked back the water in their glasses.
“If we’ve learned that there’s always someone better, then all we can do is keep training hard without getting complacent.”
“Yeah. If we’re going to keep being explorers, that is.”
“Right. At the very least, I want to be able to run away the next time we run into something like that big bear.”
The atmosphere was one of forced cheer, but as the Trio reaffirmed their resolve to continue as explorers, the curtain began to fall, and the play came to an end. As the curtain hit the floor and the gymnasium lights came on dimly, scattered applause started from the audience. I offered a few claps as well.
My impression after seeing the whole thing was that it was a play designed for awareness—combining action that utilized explorer physical abilities with the message that "life is precious."
I suppose the moral of the play was: prioritize your life over your vanity.