After hearing my daughter's concerns about what the future might hold, I spent some time pondering whether such a scenario was truly possible. Eventually, I reached a conclusion: it was.
As someone who had once wrestled with university entrance exams myself, I knew from experience that physical stamina and concentration were direct contributors to academic success. If becoming an explorer and raising one's level could bolster those traits in a short time—and to a degree far beyond that of an ordinary person—then the academic gap between a student explorer and a non-explorer would become insurmountable.
"I see... It certainly isn't outside the realm of possibility."
"Yeah. Actually, my concerns turned into a certainty during the recent qualification exam. Mika-chan and her friends might have started studying a little earlier than we did, but I didn't expect the results to be so different. Suzune-chan and I felt like we barely scraped by, but Mika-chan and the others looked like they had plenty of room to spare."
"Isn't that just because they started studying ahead of you? There wasn't much time between your decision to take the qualification exam and the main event. If they had even a month's head start, a gap like that is only natural, don't you think?"
"You'd think so, right? That's what I thought too, so I asked Mika-chan what their study routine was like. But since they also have to balance explorer practice and real-world experience, their total study time for the qualification exam was actually shorter than mine and Suzune-chan's."
According to what my daughter had heard, her friends only spent about an hour a day studying for the exam. However, they spent that hour in a state of absolute, unwavering focus without taking a single break.
In any normal context, maintaining that level of intensity for a full hour was simply impossible.
"Can you really do that just by becoming an explorer?"
"Apparently. Mika-chan said she does it with the same mindset she uses when fighting monsters in the dungeon. If you lose focus while fighting a monster, you get hurt, so she naturally learned how to stay concentrated for long periods. She also mentioned that because she's always alert for ambushes while walking through the dungeon, she developed a way to think about other things while keeping her focus sharp."
"I see... Those aren't just skills you pick up; they’re survival skills you’d be in deep trouble without."
It was common for skills born of necessity to prove useful in other fields. However, for such advanced cognitive abilities to be mastered in such a short time... Ah, I understood now. The constant threat to their lives posed by monsters had forced their abilities to evolve at an exponential rate.
"Yeah. Mika-chan said it's just a skill you naturally acquire if you're diving into dungeons. She told me that once you're no longer a newcomer, anyone can do it with enough practice."
"Anyone can do it with practice, huh? So, it's considered a standard skill for anyone who has been an explorer for a while."
"Probably, from what I've heard."
A skill accessible to anyone who became an explorer—that was a staggering thought. With the number of student explorers on the rise, it was safe to assume many students were already acquiring it. While it might be too late for the current third-years, the first and second-year students had more than enough time to master it before their university exams.
And by the time they mastered that level of focus, their levels would have risen, granting them physical strength and stamina far beyond that of an ordinary human.
"I see. We’re heading toward an era where you won't even be able to stand on the starting line of the entrance exam race unless you've already met the prerequisite of becoming an explorer."
"Yeah. The current third and second-years might be okay, but for our generation, the word is already getting out that being an explorer is an academic advantage. It might not be long before people say it's impossible to get into a good school unless you’ve been training as an explorer since your first or second year."
I had heard rumors that schools were struggling to cope with the surge of student explorers and were considering regulations. But once this realization took hold in the general public, no school would be able to enforce any meaningful restrictions.
If a school did ban the practice and their advancement rate dropped as a result, it would be a death sentence for the institution. For private preparatory schools in particular, a high acceptance rate into prestigious universities was their primary selling point and the core of their business. If they were outperformed by general schools that permitted student explorers, applicants would vanish, enrollment would collapse, and the school would eventually face closure.
"So, it’s just the way the world is going now," I remarked.
A look of resignation crossed my face as I turned a weary gaze toward the sky, which was beginning to glow with the deep reds of sunset.
As a parent, I wanted to tell my daughter that dungeons were too dangerous and that she should stop. I had heard countless stories of explorers who had been forced into retirement after suffering horrific injuries at the hands of monsters. Even though I’d been told that recovery potions could heal most wounds, my honest feeling was that I didn't want my daughter to experience that kind of pain.
"Looking at the future, you're lucky to have reliable senior explorers who can guide you into the profession. It's much safer to have solid instructors than to be a newcomer fumbling around in the dark. I was a bit frantic earlier and made some unreasonable requests, so I really should apologize and ask them properly. Asami, if you see them at school tomorrow, tell them I'm sorry for being so pushy. Tell them that while I appreciate them considering it, they should feel free to say no if it's too much trouble."
"Um, okay. I'll explain everything tomorrow."
"I’m counting on you. I’ll consult with Hino-san's parents on our end and decide how to proceed."
I didn't know if Suzune-chan's parents were aware of this academic gap yet, but we had to share information and coordinate our response. This wasn't a simple matter of being for or against them becoming explorers anymore; it was a choice that would directly dictate their future paths.
Since I had already made the mistake of asking for something as complex as consulting, I had to ensure our stance was unified. It would be a nightmare for the girls' Seniors if the parents kept changing their minds every time they spoke.
Later, word came back through my daughter that her Seniors had declined the request for consulting. Since I had only asked out of a sudden whim while in the midst of shock and confusion, the refusal was well within my expectations. In fact, I felt a sense of relief that they had turned me down so clearly.
Even if they were my daughter's Seniors as explorers, they were still minors. It wasn't the kind of thing I should have been asking of high school students. I felt truly sorry for burdening them with such a heavy request.
"Asami, I won't nag you about becoming an explorer anymore. But even with their guidance and protection, don't you dare overdo it. Stories of explorers getting maimed because of a single moment of carelessness are a dime a dozen."
"I know, Dad. Mika-chan and the Seniors have been really strict about that too. They said no matter how much you train, a split second of distraction can lead to a fatal wound, so you have to stay focused the entire time you're in the dungeon. They also mentioned there's a technique to maintain a light level of vigilance and concentration so you don't wear yourself out, and they're going to teach us the basics during our training."
When my daughter casually mentioned they would be teaching her such an advanced technique—something that sounded difficult even for a veteran—a basic question suddenly occurred to me.
"...Wait. This might be a bit late to ask, but your Seniors are just regular high school students who happen to be explorers, right?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah, they should be. I've never heard anything about them being part of a dungeon enterprise or being scouted."
"Is that right? But looking back on it, that appeal demonstration they did at the sports festival... it didn't seem like something a regular high school explorer could do. Speed is one thing—I’ve seen high-level explorers on TV move like that—but that demonstration required the skill of a master martial artist. I’ve heard that in stage combat, if you mess up the timing of a block by even a fraction, you get hurt. To pull that off at that speed... I find it hard to believe they're just 'regular student explorers.'"
"Well... Mika-chan and the others used to do bouts like that during after-school practice with the Seniors. I just figured that once you raise your level enough, you can move like that."
No, no, that was a stretch. I had never seen movements like that on any TV program or at any dungeon-related event. The only thing comparable would be watching a sword fight from a period drama played at double speed. There was no way a typical high school explorer was capable of that.
"I don't know much about the reality of explorers, so perhaps that's just how it is, but..."
"If you're worried, should I ask the Seniors about it tomorrow? I'd like to know what kind of level they are too, if I'm going to be training under them."
"I suppose so. Given that they have experience teaching their younger sisters, I imagine they're at least mid-level explorers. They aren't professionals, so I doubt they're top-tier, but they must be at the very top of the student explorer rankings. That would at least explain the demonstration."
It would be like a student athlete competing at the top of the Inter-High. If they were at that level, it would make sense for them to be capable of things ordinary student explorers weren't.
"Got it. I'll ask them about that, too."
"Yes, please. I really should have confirmed that during our meeting, but it slipped my mind."
The following day, my daughter returned home with a solemn, slightly pale expression and shared what she had learned from her Seniors.
According to them, they were likely top-tier as student explorers, and even when including corporate explorers, they ranked among the upper class. I had anticipated they might be top-tier among students, but what did it mean to be ranked that high even among professionals who did this for a living?
"Wait, are they serious? They weren't just teasing you?"
"...I don't think so. Remember when we all went to that barbecue? The Seniors brought some meat as a gift, and it turns out it was actually dungeon food they’d hunted themselves. It was a super rare drop item that a normal student explorer would have to be incredibly lucky to find, but the Seniors said they just kept hunting monsters until they got the jackpot."
"I remember you saying meat can be a drop item. They kept hunting until it dropped?"
"They said they stopped counting after they passed a hundred kills. Also, the meat was delicious."
My head started to throb. Hunting over a hundred monsters just to get some good meat... and having the power to do so without breaking a sweat.
"Are those monsters the kind that Mika-chan and the others could easily defeat?"
"Probably not. When I asked Mika-chan and Suzune-chan, they said the two of them working together might—just might—be able to take down one without getting hurt."
"And they were killing those things like they were rerolling a gacha?"
Their strength wasn't just impressive; it was absurd. If that was the case, then their claim to be top-tier explorers, even among professionals, made perfect sense.
I had thought my daughter would be safe being taught by school Seniors, but somehow, it had turned into my daughter becoming a disciple of world-class professionals. How did this happen?
"I knew the Seniors were amazing, but I didn't realize they were that kind of explorer."
"Yeah... me neither."
Good grief. That meant I had essentially asked top-tier professionals to provide pro bono consulting for a couple of amateurs. No wonder they had looked so grim when I asked; if they were in that kind of position, they couldn't just accept a job under such informal conditions. If word got out, it could cause all sorts of problems with other professionals who would wonder why the top guys were working for a box of sweets.
"Maybe I should talk to Hino-san and then apologize to them one more time for the consulting request?"
"I think you should probably leave it alone, Dad. The Seniors seemed pretty worn out by the whole consulting talk. It's better not to bring it up again."
"Right, you're probably right. In that case, Asami, I'll prepare a box of sweets for you to take to them. Just tell them it's a gift for everyone working hard at practice so they don't feel like they have to be overly formal about it."
"Um, okay. We're meeting up outside of school soon, so I'll take it then."
Stunned by the true nature of my daughter's Seniors, I decided to convince myself that if she was being taught by top-tier explorers, her safety was guaranteed.
If I didn't frame it that way, I wouldn't be able to stay sane.
After all, that marbled minotaur meat was just the result of them grinding through the drop item gacha in search of a good dinner.