On the morning of Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san’s dungeon debut, Mika and I left the house carrying bags filled with our usual sets of exploration gear.
Our primary objective today was to explore the 1st floor, but we couldn't afford to slack off. To impress upon the two newcomers that they must never let their guard down under any circumstances, every one of us was participating in full equipment, stocked with a standard supply of consumables.
"The main event is finally here."
"Yeah... Do you think Asami-chan and Suzune-chan will be okay?"
Walking beside me, Mika asked with a slightly anxious expression.
I shook my head slightly, my face reflecting a complex mix of emotions as I gave a brief answer.
"I don't know. We won't know for sure until we actually see them in action. Based on their training, I’m confident they can handle killing monsters without a problem, but..."
"Right... I still remember that sensation even now."
Mika stared intently at her right hand, held in front of her chest, as if recalling the time she had killed her first monster in a dungeon.
"The same goes for me. I don't feel that way anymore when I look back on it, but for a long time afterward, I’d get this indescribable feeling every time I remembered it. You might get used to it, but you never really forget it."
"...Yeah."
I was accustomed to killing monsters now, but before I reached that point, it had been a heavy burden. Because the three of us were together, we were able to discuss our shared worries and overcome them; had I gone into the dungeon alone, I might have broken under the weight of my own thoughts.
Actually, that might be exactly why the government encouraged—or rather, mandated—party exploration. If they wanted to increase the number of explorers, they had to consider how to minimize the number of people who dropped out due to psychological burnout.
"Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san will probably struggle after today's exploration is over. When that happens, please just listen to them vent. You don't have to force yourself to comfort or cheer them up; just let them talk. If they can just spit out everything bottled up inside, they'll eventually be able to think about what comes next with a level head."
"You're right. After experiencing today, the decision of whether to continue as explorers is something they have to decide for themselves."
If I wanted to, I could probably persuade them to continue while listening to their complaints. However, if they didn't decide to stick with it of their own volition, they might force themselves to endure until the stress shattered their mental balance. Considering the consequences for them and those around them, forcing them was the worst possible move.
Come to think of it, I recalled seeing a section about counseling services for explorers on the Association's website...
"Yeah. Well, even if we worry this much, they might both be perfectly fine once it’s over. It would be putting the cart before the horse if we wore ourselves out mentally by overthinking it. We’ll just have to see the results and handle it then."
"Mm, you're right. For our own sakes, I’ll just believe they’ll be fine for now."
That was the best approach. Eventually, we’d be able to joke about how worried we had been.
Exchanging wry smiles, Mika and I quickened our pace toward the station.
When we arrived, Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san were already waiting, their faces tight with nerves. As soon as they noticed us, they waved their hands vigorously to get our attention.
"Morning. I didn't expect you two to be the first ones here."
"Good morning, Asami-chan, Suzune-chan."
" "Good morning!" "
Mika and I greeted them with small waves, and the two girls returned the greeting with slight, tense smiles.
"I just couldn't wait, thinking about finally making my dungeon debut, so I left home a little early," Tatebayashi-san explained.
"Me too! I left early because I was so excited, but I was shocked to see Asami-chan was already here waiting!"
It seemed both of them had been looking forward to today’s exploration with every fiber of their being. They were like elementary schoolers on the day of a field trip.
"Heh, is that so? How long have you been waiting, Asami-chan?"
"About thirty minutes, I think?"
"I've been here for twenty! I thought I was really early, but I couldn't believe Asami-chan was already at the spot."
Mika and I had arrived about ten minutes before the meeting time to ensure we weren't late, which meant those two had been waiting for over half an hour. The dungeon wasn't going to run away; they really could have taken it a bit easier.
"Ah, all three of you are here already!"
Turning toward the voice, I saw Saori-chan walking toward us with a surprised expression.
"Morning, Saori-chan. Mika and I just got here ourselves."
"Good morning. If you two just got here, does that mean Asami-chan and the others were here even earlier?"
"Seems that way. They’re all fired up talking about it right now, so why don't you go join them?"
"I will. Well then—morning, everyone!"
After the brief greeting, Saori-chan went to join the conversation with Mika and the others. I didn't mind the wait, but...
"I wonder if Yuji isn't here yet..."
Watching the girls chat animatedly next to me, I felt a slight sense of alienation and killed time by checking messages on my phone. I really wished the guys would hurry up.
"Yo, Daiki. Morning."
"Morning, Kokonoe-kun."
"Ah, Hiiragi-san, Yuji. Morning. It’s rare to see you two arriving together."
As I was fiddling with my phone, Yuji and Hiiragi-san arrived five minutes before the scheduled meeting time. I greeted them with a small smile.
"We ran into each other on the way. Still, looks like we're the last ones to arrive."
"Well, it's still before the meeting time, so it's fine. More importantly, shall we call out to those four over there?"
"Yeah."
I called out to Mika and the others, who were still so engrossed in their conversation that they hadn't noticed the new arrivals.
"Hey, you four! Yuji and Hiiragi-san are here. Wrap up the chat; we're moving to the ticket gate."
" " " "Eh? Ah! G-Good morning!" " " "
"Yeah, morning."
"Morning, everyone. From the looks of it, you all seem to be in good spirits."
Mika and the other three greeted them in a bit of a panic. They had been so distracted by their conversation that their situational awareness had dropped to zero. That was fine here at the station, but I’d have to make sure they didn't focus too much on one thing inside the dungeon, or they’d end up hurt.
"Now that everyone’s here, let's head to the station near the dungeon."
"Right."
"Yes."
"Mm."
" " " Yes! " " "
Now that everyone was assembled, we picked up our luggage and headed for the ticket gate. Since it was Sunday, we saw several other passengers with large bags that marked them as explorers. While it wasn't quite the morning rush, these bulky bags could be a real nuisance in a crowded train. Fortunately, our car had a fair number of empty seats, so we huddled in a group near some vacant spots in the corner to stay out of the way.
After a dozen or so minutes on the train, we arrived at the station closest to the local dungeon.
"We’re here. There's a shuttle bus from here to the dungeon, but... well, look for yourselves."
" "Whoa." "
A massive line of people stretched across the bus rotary, all waiting for the next shuttle. Even if thirty or forty people could board at once, it looked like we’d be waiting for two or three turns before we could get on.
As Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san stared at the queue with pained expressions, I decided to offer a bit of veteran advice.
"By the way, once your level is high enough, it’s actually faster to just run to the dungeon than to wait for the bus. If you don't want to get tired before exploring, the bus is fine, but when you factor in the stress of waiting and the stress of being packed in like sardines... I'd recommend running once you've gained enough levels. By the time you finish the entry procedures, you'll have recovered the stamina you spent on the run anyway."
" "I... I see." "
At a light jogging pace, the recovery wouldn't take long, and the "jogging" pace of a leveled-up explorer was roughly equivalent to a motor scooter. For an explorer, running was the most convenient and cost-effective method of travel.
"For student explorers without a license, coming by bicycle is usually the best bet. There’s a large parking lot, and unless it’s the middle of summer vacation, you can almost always find a spot. Most importantly, it saves on transportation costs."
In reality, one of the first financial hurdles a novice explorer faced was the cost of travel. Once you reached a certain level, you could cover long distances on foot without spending a dime, but at a low level, doing so would drain your stamina before you even started exploring. That led to a counterproductive cycle of increased spending on consumables or medical fees.
It was a common story for beginners to find that the meager income they earned from a grueling day in the dungeon was almost entirely swallowed by round-trip fares. Especially since the appraisal values for drop items from the surface floors had dropped, it wasn't unusual to hear beginners venting and sighing over their empty wallets.
"Are transportation costs really that significant?"
"You probably think it's trivial now, but you'll feel it after a few dives. Unless you're lucky enough to snag a rare drop, the income from the 1st and 2nd floors is incredibly meager right now. It might actually leave you speechless."
"He's right, Asami-chan. The first time we turned in our loot without any rare items, I actually blurted out, 'Wait, is that it?' out loud. Plus, since Saori-chan and I were in a party, we had to split that tiny amount in half."
"That was a real shock. We spent all day walking around, only ran into a few monsters, and some of them didn't even leave drop items. We submitted what we had with low expectations, but even then, it was like... 'Is this really all we get?'"
" "..." "
As Mika and Saori-chan recounted the grim reality of their early days, Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san stood there, stunned into silence. It was a harsh truth, but one they needed to hear.
"But listen. If you get impatient and try to fight monsters beyond your ability while your level and experience are still low, you might win, but you'll almost certainly get injured. Injuries mean medical bills, and if your armor or weapons break, you have to pay for repairs or replacements."
"And that’s how the fragile budget of a beginner collapses, forcing some to quit entirely," Yuji added. "The first rule of dungeon exploration is to be cautious and never rush."
"Yes. Once your level rises and you can reach the deeper floors, the money gets much better. The key is to keep going steadily and safely at the start," Hiiragi-san finished.
" "...Yes." "
The conversation had taken a depressing turn toward the financial woes of beginner explorers, but we couldn't stand there forever. We took our places at the back of the long line and waited for the shuttle.
"We finally made it on the third bus."
"Daiki, don't just stand there getting sentimental, get on. People are waiting behind us."
After a fifteen-minute wait, we finally boarded. The interior of the shuttle bus had been modified for explorers, with most of the seats removed to create wide, open spaces for large bags. It was another sign of how much the dungeon industry had matured. I recalled the old days of using standard city buses, where we had to struggle to find a place for our gear without bothering the other passengers.
After a short ride, we finally arrived at our destination.
"So this is the facility for the dungeon entrance..."
"It’s not quite what I imagined..."
"It doesn't look very 'dungeon-y' from the outside, but it’s very convenient because everything you need is consolidated here," I explained.
The building covering the entrance was a modern structure, lacking the fantasy aesthetic most people associated with the word "dungeon." It had likely been built with a focus on speed and utility.
"Alright, you two, stop staring at the architecture and let's go handle the registration. It’s Sunday, so the intake counter is going to be packed. We need to move."
" "Ah, yes!" "
Following the crowd of other explorers, we stepped into the facility.
Finally, the real work was about to begin.