With their Explorer Cards safely issued and the path to the dungeon finally open, Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san were practicing after school with absolute determination. Whether it was running, weight training, practice swings, or mock battles, their overflowing spirit was plain to see.
Well, because of that, they were putting in too much unnecessary strength, causing their forms to crumble during practice swings and their enthusiasm to backfire during mock battles. I had tried to tell them to maintain their composure, but they were like elementary schoolers the night before a field trip—talking to them was a waste of breath.
"All right, you two, this is the last practice before tomorrow's dungeon exploration. Is your protective gear and everything else ready?"
"Yes! Everything we picked out based on Mika-chan’s advice has arrived at my house!"
"We managed to find some like-new secondhand items in better condition than I expected for a low price!"
"I see, that's good."
The fact that they could get high-quality, like-new protective gear at this time of year likely meant it was being sold off by the summer break debut group—rookies who had already dropped out. It was all well and good to enter a dungeon because it was trendy, but I suppose combat with monsters just didn't suit them. I just hoped they hadn't retired due to a major injury.
Still, since the armor was in such good condition, there was little chance the previous owners had suffered anything serious. Since the equipment itself was solid, the least we could do was put it to good use.
"But you haven't done any mock battles while wearing them yet, right?"
"Ah, yes. They only arrived a few days ago, so we haven't tried a mock battle in our armor yet."
"I've tried mine on and made some fine adjustments, but I haven't done a mock battle either."
It seemed the armor they had purchased had only arrived recently, so it hadn't been field-tested. They probably thought it would be better to unveil it during the main event, but realistically speaking...
"In other words, if we leave it like this, your first time fighting in armor will be a total trial by fire. That’s dangerous. You need to check how it feels to move in it beforehand."
"Ah, you're right, aren't you?"
"I wanted to make a surprise appearance in my full gear, but considering safety, a prior check is necessary, isn't it?"
It was unfortunate, but since their parents had asked me to look after them, I couldn't afford to neglect safety measures. I understood the sentiment, but they would have to give up on the surprise.
"Exactly. So, for today’s training, we’ll do a light mock battle to check your movements while fully equipped. Fortunately, today is Saturday and school ends early, so let's head home, grab our gear, and regroup. Where should we meet?"
"Isn't the school fine, as usual? Even if it's Saturday, we can just explain that we're using the facilities for club activities."
"True. Besides, on a Saturday, the students who are explorers will probably have headed home early, so the grounds should be emptier than usual. 'Full equipment' means using the actual weapons you'll use tomorrow, so the fewer people around to see, the better."
It was true that if we were practicing with equipment intended for real combat, a spacious place with few bystanders would be safer. Well, even though I say "actual weapons" for this exploration, they were just simple trial weapons to gauge whether they could actually kill monsters. They were just iron pipes from a home center with anti-slip tape wrapped around the grips. Even so, they were more than enough for a novice to beat a first-floor monster to death.
"Right. So, you two head home to get your things and then regroup back at school. You can't exactly bring exploration gear to school in the morning."
"Can't we bring them to the clubroom first thing in the morning as 'club equipment'?"
"I understand the sentiment, but technically, our club is a cultural one with no direct relation to dungeon activities. It might be a special exception during the school festival, but normally it's a bit much. It would be a hassle if someone accused us of bringing in items unrelated to classes or the club, so it's safer to avoid that. It's better to bring them in after school under the guise of them being necessary for our activities."
If there were coin lockers near the school, they could store them there when arriving, but unfortunately, there were none nearby. The closest ones were at the station or the shopping mall, which were quite far from the girls' school route. In other words, as tedious as it might be, going home was the fastest way.
"I... see. Understood. I'll have everything ready before I leave home in the morning."
"It's a hassle, but please."
"Yes!"
And so, it was decided that we would hold a light mock battle in full gear at the school. This trip was just a trial run to see their aptitude, but since they would be facing monsters, there was a non-zero chance of injury if they were careless. There was no harm in being thorough with safety.
Morning classes ended without incident. While Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san went home to retrieve their gear, the five of us waited in the clubroom, eating the lunches we had brought. Since the school cafeteria is closed on Saturdays, we just had bread, onigiri, and bento boxes.
"Hey, Onii-chan, do you think Asami-chan and Suzune-chan will be okay?"
"Hmm? What do you mean?"
Mika stopped mid-bite and looked at me with an anxious expression.
"I mean about tomorrow's exploration. They're both fired up and acting like everything's fine, but sometimes they have these worried looks, or they stare off into the distance. Right, Saori-chan?"
"Yeah. It's only occasionally—just brief moments during class. I don't know if they're aware of it themselves, but I think they're anxious because the day is finally here."
"When we were practicing together after school, they didn't seem like that at all..."
"Of course not. There's no time to feel down when you're doing that level of intense practice," Saori-chan replied, nodding firmly.
I reflected on that. Despite the lack of time, I might have pushed them too hard. It seemed I had made a blunder regarding their mental care. Physical fatigue aside, they had been practicing with such energy that I had assumed they were fine.
"I see. Come to think of it, we haven't really given them a proper break since we started."
"Now that you mention it, you're right. We wanted them to reach the minimum basic level as quickly as possible, so we might have misjudged the timing for a day off."
"It was a mistake to think it was fine just because it was only a few hours after school," Hiiragi-san added.
The three of us who led the training for Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san looked back at the schedule and realized we had messed up. We had taken some time for everyone to go shopping after they finished their qualification exam, but that wasn't exactly a proper way to recharge. Winter vacation was coming up soon, so maybe after tomorrow's exploration, we should reduce the practice hours and take everyone out for some fun.
"Yeah, let's take a break from practice for a while after tomorrow is done."
"That would be for the best. They'll probably be brooding for a while from the shock of killing a monster anyway, so they wouldn't be able to focus on training either way."
"That first time... the sensation is pretty heavy until you get used to it."
"That's a feeling I still don't really want to remember," Hiiragi-san murmured.
"If you're going to continue as an explorer, you have to get used to it, but it's never exactly pleasant," Mika added.
Remembering the first time we each killed a monster in a dungeon, we all let out small sighs, our faces tightening as if we’d tasted something bitter. Even though we were prepared for it, everyone had been shaken when it came to delivering the finishing blow. Even if they had the aptitude, both Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san might be affected by it for a few days.
"We should definitely prioritize mental care after the exploration."
"Right. It's tough at first, so we have to make sure they don't bottle it up. Whether it's eating something delicious or going out to play, they need a distraction."
When you're mentally strained, your thoughts tend to spiral toward the negative. Just being there to listen to what's bothering them can make a world of difference. It only takes a small gesture to pull them out of a slump and help their mindset move in a positive direction.
"Well, anyway... thanks for telling me, Mika. It's hard to see their daily state when we're in different grades. I'm glad I found out before it was too late."
"No, I was waiting until after their exam was over, but I really should have said something sooner."
We all let out a collective sigh, reminded once again that communication and observation were vital.
After lunch, while we were resting and chatting, the door to the clubroom opened, and Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san returned lugging their large bags.
Sorry to keep you waiting!
"Good work. You were fast. Did you eat lunch?"
"Yes! My mother had it ready, so I ate quickly!"
"Same at my house!"
"I see. Then let's take a short break before we start. Tomorrow is the main event, so today is just about getting a feel for your movements in the equipment."
It would be bad if we overdid it today and the fatigue carried over. We would just have them experience the basics: the limited range of motion from the armor and the impact of the pack on their center of gravity. They needed to experience these things before the real deal. However, even if it was "light," it was still a mock battle, so they had to stay focused to avoid injury.
Once we had all changed, we did our warm-up exercises in the corner of the grounds and prepared to begin. The five of us were in our usual training wear, but Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san were in full equipment, assuming tomorrow's dungeon exploration.
"All right, we're going to do a mock battle assuming tomorrow's conditions. Are you two ready?"
Yes!
"Then I'll be Tatebayashi-san's opponent, and Yuji, I'll leave Hino-san to you."
"Leave it to me."
The remaining three, including Hiiragi-san, acted as observers, tasked with judging the good and bad points they noticed. Sometimes bystanders see things that those in the heat of battle miss. Once the three moved away, Yuji and I increased the distance between each other.
"Well then, we're going to start. Ready?"
We're ready.
"First of all, neither Yuji nor I will attack. Just come at us with everything you've got while checking how you move in that gear. Once I judge that you've gotten used to it, I'll give a signal, and we'll start counterattacking a little."
We had to start by letting them adjust to the armor. Tatebayashi-san threw out a question with a slightly anxious expression.
"Understood. But is it really okay? These are iron pipes, you know? You'll get hurt if they hit you."
"It's fine, it's fine. Even if you happen to hit us, it won't be much of a problem for Yuji or me. Besides, if we seriously try to dodge, you two won't be able to land a hit right now anyway. Do you have the confidence to hit us?"
"...I don't."
At their current speed, both Yuji and I could easily block or dodge. The fear that they might hurt us was a pointless worry at this stage.
"Then it's fine. Go ahead and come at us with everything you've got."
...Yes!
"Then let's begin. You good, Yuji?"
"Yeah, anytime."
"Then... ready... begin!"
I looked at each of them in turn, then clapped my hands in a sharp kashiwade in front of my chest to signal the start.
"Hah!"
"Ei!"
Simultaneously with the sound of the clap, Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san closed the distance instantly, swinging their iron pipes toward our heads with all their might. Likely a result of their daily training, it was a splendid attack without any hesitation. Though, I assume that a strike aimed squarely at the head is a result of their trust in our ability to evade, right?
Thank you very much.
After about ten minutes of mock battles, the two of them were gasping for breath, but they had made remarkable progress. At first, they had struggled with the limited mobility and the shifting weight, but after a while, they were able to move as they always did, even in full gear. There were still issues to fix, but at this rate, they wouldn't suffer any major injuries in the dungeon tomorrow.
"Good work. How was it? What are your thoughts on actually fighting in your gear?"
"It was much harder to move in than I thought. I can see why you recommended experiencing it at least once beforehand."
"I didn't think it would be this difficult just because the weight on my back shifted. If I had done this for the first time tomorrow, I might have been hit by a monster's attack."
Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san let out sighs of relief, realizing that this rehearsal had been the right call. They were probably disappointed they couldn't do a surprise reveal, but they were convinced it was necessary.
Now that they've experienced the difficulty of moving in full equipment, it seems like tomorrow's dungeon exploration will work out. Let's call it a day, and tomorrow, we'll do our best with safety as our top priority.