After finishing our warm-up, we joined the traveling queue to descend to the next floor. While following the shortest path results in occasional delays, it was still the fastest way down with the least amount of physical exhaustion.
Of course, we could have cut our travel time by running through routes where no traveling queue had formed. However, when you factored in the probability of monster encounters, the need to avoid or disarm traps, and the overall drain on stamina and mental energy, only high-level explorers who were truly intimately familiar with the dungeon found any real merit in doing so.
"The crowds really thin out once you get down this far, don't they?"
"They do. There aren't any newcomers or casual weekend explorers here. Everyone seems to know exactly what they're doing as they move forward."
"True. Looking around... I'd say most of these are corporate-type parties, right?"
"They're wearing the same emblems on their gear, so that's a safe bet."
As the traveling queue picked up speed, we maintained a brisk walk. I listened to Mika and Saori-chan's chatter while keeping an eye on our surroundings. Since many of these parties wore matching emblems on their armor, they were likely corporate-type explorer parties. Or perhaps...
"I heard that even student parties have started making team emblems to wear among themselves lately. Apparently, it helps build a sense of solidarity or something," I mentioned.
"Oh, I've heard that too," Yuji added. "Supposedly, as long as you have a computer and a printer, they're easy to make. They put them together to commemorate forming their team."
"I've also heard that wearing a team emblem makes it easier for corporate scouts to spot you," Hiiragi-san chimed in. "Word is that kids who want to be headhunted or are looking for name recognition are all doing it."
It was a well-known fact that student parties who performed exceptionally well in the dungeon were often scouted by dungeon-related companies with lucrative offers. For a company looking to expand its dungeon business, securing explorers who could become immediate assets was a top priority. One method of securing such talent was "early-bird" scouting—identifying and recruiting promising student parties that were already producing results.
However, actually scouting a student party was easier said than done. The work took place deep inside a dungeon, a danger zone teeming with monsters and traps. A recruiter from a human resources department couldn't exactly stroll into the field to observe and judge their performance.
"If you want to observe active explorers for recruitment, the scout has to be a capable explorer themselves just to reach the floors where the targets are working," Hiiragi-san continued. "And the odds of a professional recruiter being a high-level explorer are... well, quite low."
"Pretty slim, I'd say," I agreed. "In most cases, they probably have active explorers from their own company keep an eye out for noteworthy student parties. Then, the scout takes over to investigate their background and track record."
"Which is exactly why they want some kind of identifying marker," Hiiragi-san said. "They need a way to ensure that the scout and the company explorer are talking about the same people so no identification errors occur."
She was right. For example, if an explorer reported that a student party consisting of five boys and girls around their second year of high school looked promising, the scout might accidentally approach a completely different party with a similar composition. While that level of miscommunication might be rare, missing out on a top prospect because of a minor mistake would be a disaster for any company.
If these high-achieving student parties wore team emblems, the company explorers could simply relay the team's name and emblem to the scouts, drastically reducing the risk of errors.
"Wearing a team emblem makes you stand out more than other student parties," I noted. "And for the companies, a student party wearing an emblem is a strong indicator that they’re actually interested in being scouted. Investigating a group involves time, money, and effort—it’s a waste of resources to do all that work only to find out the party has zero interest in going pro."
"True. Until recently, it felt like they were approaching anyone who was even slightly competent, but lately, they seem to be taking their time to observe," I added. "Maybe it's because the explorers they hired through general recruitment have matured. They don't feel as desperate to snatch up active parties for immediate use anymore."
"They've likely accumulated enough training know-how to raise a standard level of explorer on their own," Hiiragi-san mused. "While high-value items are still attractive, a corporation truly values a system that can reliably secure a steady supply of in-demand items. Client companies are hesitant to sign contracts with a business that can't guarantee a stable delivery schedule."
A business partner that said, "We can't guarantee volume, but we'll get you something rare every once in a while," wasn't trustworthy. If a client needed a specific quantity of an item, failing to provide it was a deal-breaker. You couldn't just say, "The occasional bonus is great, so forgive us," and expect to be taken seriously.
On the contrary, a company that consistently supplied exactly what was ordered was much more reliable, even if they didn't produce high-value rarities. If a client needed something rare, they would simply go to a specialist for it.
"So, wearing a team emblem to signal that you're open for scouting is actually a very effective tool," Saori-chan said. "If the scouting success rate goes from one in ten to one in five, the effort required is halved."
"Yeah. Though I'm sure there are plenty of groups who wear them just for fun, so it's not a guarantee they want to turn pro. But if emblems become a trend, that crowd will only grow."
"Probably. Dungeon exploration is fundamentally a team sport, and these kinds of trends tend to explode overnight once they get a little traction."
Since it was difficult to differentiate yourself from other teams through standard gear, emblems were likely to catch on as a way to add a personal touch. Given the nature of the dungeon, choosing armor or equipment based on looks while ignoring practicality was a death sentence. As a result, everyone eventually ended up wearing very similar, combat-proven gear.
Items that allowed you to customize your appearance without sacrificing utility were bound to be popular, especially among students who wanted to stand out from the crowd.
"Huh, so that's how the companies see it," Mika said, sounding intrigued. "In that case, why don't you guys wear one, Onii-chan?"
"Because we have no desire to be scouted. We've actually been approached directly a few times, but we turned them all down."
"Wait, you guys have been scouted?" Saori-chan asked, her eyes wide. "Directly?"
"We have. But like I said, we weren't interested."
The three of us shared a look, reflecting on how tedious it had been to turn down persistent adults who were aggressively pitching the perks of their companies.
The terms they offered were decent, but fortunately, we had enough financial stability that we didn't need the money. More importantly, we were hiding secrets that would be a major problem if they were ever exposed by a corporate background check.
"Anyway, for now, you two should focus on building your actual skills as explorers rather than worrying about scouts. If you try to take on monsters that outclass you or push too far for 'just one more floor,' you're going to get hurt."
"Yeah, I know. I definitely don't want to get injured," Mika said seriously.
"We need to explore in a way that matches our actual strength, right?" Saori-chan added.
"Exactly. It's a common story—people want to get scouted, so they do something reckless to show off, and it ends in disaster. It's fine to have pride in your work, but don't let vanity push you into doing something your level can't handle."
This had become a frequent occurrence ever since the supply of drop items increased and buyout prices fell. Explorer parties struggling with daily expenses would dream of a sudden reversal of fortune, putting on an act to impress scouts and then getting injured trying to sustain the lie.
"We understand."
"We'll be careful."
Mika and Saori-chan had managed to move past the difficult beginner phase while things were still relatively stable, but we would need to keep a close eye on Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san as they started their own journeys. There was a real chance those two might feel pressured and do something reckless.
Even with the difference in levels, they were all explorers now. It was only natural for them to compare themselves to us. If they started feeling like their training was a burden to their friends, it would only be a matter of time before they tried to overextend themselves.
"Well, we've made good time. We should be at the target floor soon."
We had been moving at a brisk pace along the shortest path for a while now; our destination was just ahead.
Now the real work began. I was looking forward to seeing how well Mika and Saori-chan could handle themselves.
We arrived safely at the 20th floor. It had taken less than a fifth of the time it took to reach the 15th floor, which made it painfully clear just how congested the upper levels were. Once you got below the 15th floor, most people were no longer beginners; they were either solid mid-level explorers or higher.
Even with monster encounters and traps along the way, it was only natural that the travel speed would be much higher than on the upper floors.
"We got here faster than I thought. I honestly expected it to take longer."
"Yeah. Even with our warm-up, we're ahead of the schedule I thought we might fall behind on," Saori-chan said, looking surprised.
For mid-level explorers who spent most of their time below the 15th floor, the real challenge was simply getting past the congestion of the surface floors. Since there was only one shortest path, it was bound to get crowded, but I really wished the Dungeon Association would set up a priority lane for high-speed travel. I was sure the dungeon-related companies had been pestering them about it, given that travel speed was directly tied to their profits.
"Alright, you two. Let's take a quick break and discuss our plan for the rest of the day."
"Okay."
"Right."
The 20th floor was much quieter. A few other parties were scattered around the staircase plaza, taking their own breaks. We found a spot a comfortable distance from the main passage leading deeper into the dungeon and sat down to hydrate and talk.
I had given Mika and Saori-chan full authority over our actions today, so I didn't intend to give them direct orders. However, it was important to make sure we were all on the same page regarding our general policy to avoid any misunderstandings later.
"We're ahead of schedule, so how do you want to handle it? Do you want to use the extra time to hunt more minotaurs?"
Mika thought for a moment. "...No, I think we should stick to the original duration and just move everything up. We knew the travel time would vary, but instead of just pushing ourselves for more kills today, I think we should focus on setting a baseline. We need to know exactly how much we can accomplish within a set timeframe. What do you think, Saori-chan?"
"I agree. I'd love to increase our earnings, but establishing a standard for what we can do in a fixed amount of time will make it much easier to plan future trips. Focusing on creating a baseline for our future activities is going to be more valuable in the long run than a small boost in profit today."
I was impressed. When asked how to use their extra time, they chose consistency over greed. They wanted to create a reference point for their future planning. Knowing how much loot you could gather in a specific window of time was essential for logistics.
It helped answer questions like: How many supplies do we need per trip? How long does it take to fill our packs to capacity? How much work is required to cover our costs and turn a profit? If you just went in blindly every time, one minor accident could cause your entire operation to fall apart.
"That's a very mature perspective. Having a solid baseline will definitely make your future planning more effective."
"I think it's a great idea," I said. "A planned approach is always safer than a blind one."
"It's a very sensible choice for your future growth," Hiiragi-san added, looking pleased.
We all felt a sense of pride in their decision. If they were still thinking like rookies, they probably would have jumped at the chance to stay in the field longer.
But they weren't rookies anymore. They were looking at the big picture. I wondered if having Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san looking up to them as mentors had accelerated their growth.
"Well, if we're all in agreement, shall we head out once we're done resting?"
"Yeah, let's do it."
With the plan solidified, we prepared to move. We were going to stick to the scheduled duration and focus on quality and data-gathering.
Time to see what they could do.
Having even one reliable reference point makes a world of difference in the quality of a plan, after all.