After moving to a corner of the athletic grounds where we wouldn't disturb the students busy with their club activities, we immediately set about checking Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san’s current motor skills.
Naturally, this was only after ensuring they had done a thorough warm-up.
"Alright, let's start with a short-distance sprint. How about a 50-meter dash to clock your times?"
"Yes!" they replied in unison.
"As for the course, let's see..."
I remembered the course we had set up during PE class once before; it was roughly from that spot over there to the other one. Since I didn't have a measuring tape, the distance would be based purely on my intuition... but since this was just meant to be a rough benchmark, a bit of guesswork was fine.
"For now, let's say from that tree to that pole over there."
"Yeah, that looks like it's about fifty meters. We don't need an exact distance as long as we can get a general idea of their speed," Yuji agreed.
"True. We aren't looking for official records today. We just need to confirm their current athletic ability," Mika added.
With the three of us being so casual about it, Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san looked a bit uneasy. It made sense—they were clearly fired up to show their seniors what they could do, only to be met with our relaxed, laid-back banter.
"Is it really okay to be that approximate?"
"It should be fine. It's not like you're entering a track meet."
What an explorer needed in a dungeon wasn't a record measured on a perfectly maintained track; it was the kind of raw power one found in an emergency. Abilities that could only be displayed under controlled environments or strict rules were nothing more than a reference point compared to the split-second decisions and movements required in the depths.
Still, it was a necessary benchmark.
"I see."
"Exactly. So, let's get the clocking done. We have other things we want to check, too."
"Yes!"
With that, we began the measurements.
I acted as the starter, while Yuji stood at the finish line to time them with his smartphone.
"We'll do it one at a time. Tatebayashi-san first."
"Yes!"
Tatebayashi-san gave a spirited shout and stepped up to the starting line with a slightly nervous gait.
Once I confirmed she was ready, I glanced toward Yuji at the goal and waved my hand side-to-side to signal we were set. And then...
"Okay, here we go. On your marks, get set... Go!"
As I gave the signal, I swung down my right arm, which had been raised toward the sky.
Tatebayashi-san kicked off and sprinted toward the finish line with impressive momentum.
"...Goal!"
Immediately after she crossed the line, Yuji's voice rang out.
As Tatebayashi-san slowed down and panted for breath, Yuji walked over and spoke to her while showing her the time on his phone.
"Looks like you're in the high eight-second range?"
"I thought so," Mika noted. "She's not exceptionally fast, but she's certainly not slow. It feels a bit faster than the average for girls during the physical fitness tests we had before we became explorers last year. This year's results aren't a great baseline because so many of the girls are already active explorers."
"I see. As long as she's above average, there shouldn't be any issues."
If she could maintain an above-average pace, Tatebayashi-san's running ability wouldn't be a problem.
She walked back to us and shared her exact time.
"8.57 seconds... That's a pretty decent time, isn't it?"
"Yes. It's a little faster than the last time I checked."
"That's good to hear."
Tatebayashi-san sounded genuinely happy that her time had improved, even if only by a fraction. Seeing the results of your training manifest in such a visible way was always rewarding.
"Alright, Hino-san, you're up next."
"Yes!"
Having watched Tatebayashi-san's sprint, Hino-san stepped up to the line with a determined look that said she wasn't about to be outdone.
I used the same procedure, signaling Yuji and slowly raising my arm.
"Okay, Hino-san. On your marks, get set... Go!"
The moment my arm swung down and I gave the shout, Hino-san shot forward.
She accelerated smoothly, crossing the finish line in a shorter, faster burst than Tatebayashi-san.
"Whoa, Hino-san is fast. She's got way more speed."
"Yeah. Eight seconds... no, was that the seven-second range? She's pushing close to a boy's average."
Hino-san's athletic ability was higher than I had anticipated. It might have been the fruit of her training with Mika and the others, but with that kind of mobility, she'd have no trouble making a getaway in an emergency.
"How was it!?"
"Honestly, you were faster than I expected. Were you always good at sprinting?"
"Yes! I wasn't in any sports clubs, but I've always enjoyed being active!"
"I see."
Hino-san apparently didn't have a background in any specific sport, but she fell into the category of people naturally gifted at athletics. Her 50-meter dash time was 7.83 seconds—a very strong result that far exceeded the average for girls.
Yuji, who had walked back with her after finishing the measurements, was also nodding in approval.
"I'm glad to see both of you have no issues with your speed. Your running forms were clean, too. With form like that, you should be able to run without a hitch even when weighted down by gear and weapons."
"Ah, that’s an important point," I said. "With that kind of stability, you aren't likely to lose your balance and trip."
Running while carrying heavy, awkward equipment meant your center of gravity was constantly shifting. For someone who struggled with balance, the mere act of holding their gear could send them tumbling. If you were to show such a pathetic lack of grace in a dungeon, you were practically asking to be injured.
"True enough. Now then, let's move on to the next set of tests."
"Right. Tatebayashi-san, Hino-san, are you ready for the next one?"
"Yes!"
"Great. Let's keep this momentum going."
Our initial worries smoothed over by their strong performance, we began knocking out the rest of the planned items.
50-meter dash, grip strength, side-steps, forward flexion, back extension, standing long jump, ball throw, and finally a 3-kilometer endurance run. We had Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san perform every standard event of a school fitness test.
The measurements were rough, but both their records were consistently above average. It was clear that the training they had been doing with Mika and the others was paying off, despite how little time had passed.
"Good job. Thanks to this, I have a solid grasp of your current physical limits."
"Thank... you," the two replied, still catching their breath.
Since we had saved the endurance run for last, they hadn't quite recovered their energy yet.
"Fundamentally, there are no issues, but if possible, I'd like you to work on your stamina and endurance a bit more. In the life of an explorer, skills and levels are important, but in the end, stamina is the most vital asset. No matter how great your technique is, it doesn't matter if your movements get sluggish or you collapse from exhaustion."
"Daiki's right," Yuji added. "Most of the reasons explorers get hurt in dungeons boil down to a loss of concentration or poor judgment caused by running out of steam. Having the endurance to not tire easily, and the recovery power to bounce back quickly, is mandatory. Especially in a dungeon where the constant tension drains you every second you're inside."
"That's right," Mika agreed. "Especially for beginners who've just started, simply walking around the dungeon while staying alert is more taxing than actually fighting monsters. Your nerves are so on edge that you don't even notice you're tired, but your stamina is being chipped away regardless. By the time you realize it... well, it can be too late."
The three of us hammered home just how crucial stamina was for an explorer. Mika and Saori-chan, who were listening nearby, nodded in solemn agreement before speaking up themselves.
"It’s true. Just like Onii-chan said, that first trip to the dungeon was incredibly exhausting," Mika said.
"It really was," Saori-chan recalled. "Fighting the monsters for the first time was scary, but I didn't feel 'tired' at the time. Yet the moment we left the dungeon, this massive wave of fatigue hit me all at once."
"I know, right? As soon as I got to the locker room and took off my gear, I felt so dizzy. My legs just gave out and I had to sit there for ages. I was so confused because I hadn't felt tired at all while we were inside."
"Exactly. I remember being so surprised when we were told that it was mental exhaustion from being too alert, which had been piling up without us knowing."
Mika and Saori-chan wore pensive expressions, reflecting on how they had stepped into the dungeon back then with such a lack of stamina. Listening to their experiences, Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san looked increasingly anxious, realizing the weight of their own current shortcomings.
"If you level up, your physical stats—including stamina—will definitely go up, but it takes time before you can really feel the difference," I explained. "Until then, you have to explore and fight using nothing but your raw, natural body."
"You hear stories all the time about newcomer explorers who only listen to the 'level up' part and fail because they think they'll be fine," Yuji warned.
"They get injured and retire before they ever feel the benefits... it's a common story," Mika added.
"The very beginning is always the hardest part."
"I wonder how many dives it took before we actually felt the effects of leveling up?"
Since all five active explorers were in complete agreement, the aspiring explorers only had one response they could give.
"We'll do our best to keep up the training!"
"It might be tedious and boring, but if you keep at it every day, you'll definitely see results. Keep going."
Though they looked a bit discouraged, the two girls promised to stick with their training. Their basic athletic skills weren't the problem; it was just a matter of putting in the time to build their endurance.
At the same time, we would also be starting combat drills to prepare them for actual monsters.
"Well then, shall we all train together?"
We spent our days training as a club in the corner of the athletic grounds after school. Time passed until the day arrived for our second formal meeting with Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san’s parents.
The venue was the same rental conference room we had used previously.
"Alright, everyone's here. Let's head over."
After meeting up in the clubroom after school, we set off as a group to ensure we were on time. Along the way, I checked in with Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san about their parents.
"How are your parents doing? I know they said they'd turn down the consulting offer, but did they seem dissatisfied? I was worried that asking for a sudden meeting might have been a nuisance."
"I don't think so," Tatebayashi-san replied. "Even this morning when I was leaving, my father and mother told me to give their best regards to all of you."
"Same here," Hino-san added. "They said they were sorry for causing trouble with such a strange proposal."
"I see. That's a relief..."
I let out a small breath of air. Even though we were the ones who requested the meeting, I had been worried that I had been too forward. I'd spent several nights wondering if I should have checked their schedules better before making the request. Even if it was necessary, it was a high-pressure thing for a student to ask of adults.
"Besides, I've been telling them about everything Mika-chan and the seniors have been teaching us, and they're very grateful," Tatebayashi-san said. "They said they felt bad for burdening you with their request, but they're so happy you're being so thorough with us."
"Well, when our juniors are working so hard for their dreams, it's only natural that we'd want to help," I said.
"Thanks to that, it’s only been a few days, but I already feel like we're growing."
It was growth in the sense of combat skills—learning how to handle a weapon against a monster. They were still green, but they were starting to swing with some intent. It was growth, certainly, but they were still a long way off from a passing grade.
"Ah, that's the building."
As we chatted, we arrived at our destination. It was the same building with the rental rooms we had visited a week ago.
Well, we're here now. No sense in hesitating. Time to go in.