After Mika and Saori-chan each finished a solo battle against a minotaur, we fought a few more skirmishes along the way as we moved to the staircase plaza of the 21st floor.
Now that they were accustomed to fighting minotaurs, they should be able to handle multiple enemies soon.
"Alright, we've arrived."
"Yeah... there aren't many people here," Mika noted, glancing around.
"You're right. I think it's quite a bit emptier than the floor above," Saori-chan added.
As they said, the 21st-floor staircase plaza was only sparsely populated. There were fewer parties resting here than in the plaza on the 20th floor.
Most likely, the 20th floor acted as a bottleneck for parties struggling with minotaur tactics, while the 21st floor was mostly a throughway for those who had grown used to fighting them in groups. Once you reached that level of comfort, floors with higher spawn rates offered much better efficiency for collecting drop items.
"Well then, shall we stop here for lunch as planned? We've been in the dungeon for quite a while now. In fact, we're a bit behind schedule."
Between the wait to enter, the congested traveling queue, the warm-up skirmishes, and the experimental battles against the minotaurs... it had certainly eaten up a lot of time.
"...That spot over by the wall is open. Let's spread the sheet and sit down."
"It's far enough from the passage leading deeper in, so it should be fine, don't you think?"
"Indeed. It's nice to have some distance from the other explorers."
"Yeah."
"Okay."
After a quick scan of our surroundings, we moved to the empty space along the wall, spread out the leisure sheet we had brought, and sat down. This was our first long break since entering the dungeon today.
The weight hadn't been a huge burden, but just taking off our backpacks provided a wonderful sense of relief.
"Good job so far. How are you two feeling? Are you used to the minotaurs now?"
"Yeah. I think I've reached a point where I can stay calm and handle them without getting nervous," Mika replied.
"I'm at a level where I can pull through without panicking or getting hurt," Saori-chan said.
Having faced nearly ten minotaurs before reaching this point, both Mika and Saori-chan were now dealing with them with practiced ease. Since they both possessed solid fundamental skills, this was the natural result once they overcame their initial hesitation.
"I see. I'm glad to hear that. However, from here on, they'll start appearing in groups, so don't you dare let your guard down. I'm sure you already know this, but being able to win one-on-one doesn't mean you can coast through group combat. It's a completely different animal. When things are going smoothly, that's exactly when you need to stay sharp."
"Yeah, of course. They weren't minotaurs, but we've fought groups of monsters plenty of times before. I'm a little anxious because their behavioral patterns are different, but I'll just stay calm and handle them without being careless."
"I'm also a bit worried about how they'll act when they coordinate, but they're enemies I can beat on my own. No matter what they do, as long as I maintain my composure, I know I can manage."
Mika and Saori-chan met my warning with serious expressions, promising to stay vigilant. I had been slightly concerned they might get overconfident, but they seemed fine.
"Alright then. Let's eat. They say you can't fight on an empty stomach, after all."
"Yeah!"
"Okay!"
With the discussion over, everyone pulled their prepared lunches from their backpacks.
Well, for the most part, it was just onigiri with various fillings. Considering the portability and the lack of trash to carry back, they were the easiest option for a day exploration.
"Yeah, it's the usual flavor—neither particularly good nor bad."
"I suppose so. Unless you specifically go for seasonal specials or something experimental, you usually end up with the same standard lineup."
"True. Sometimes I feel like trying something different, but in the end, I always come back to the classics," Hiiragi-san remarked.
"Exactly. The unique ones are fine for a change of pace, but you really want that stable, familiar taste."
"You only need the experimental fillings once in a blue moon."
Salmon, pickled plum, mustard greens, tuna mayo, spicy cod roe, bonito flakes, kelp... everyone had a lineup of reliable staples. Of course, the convenience store had been stocked with seasonal products and onigiri featuring dungeon food, but the one that had been selling out the fastest was the classic salmon.
Since we were spending our time in the extraordinary environment of a dungeon, it made sense to want a taste of everyday life for our meals.
"Mm, that was good. Thank you for the food."
"Thank you for the food," we all repeated in unison.
Because the food was so easy to eat, we finished in less than ten minutes. After chatting for a while to let our stomachs settle, we began preparing to set off again.
"Well, I think it's time to go. Are you two alright? If it's still hard to move, we can rest a bit longer."
"No, I'm fine now."
"I'm okay too."
Since they hadn't eaten until they were stuffed, they were ready for combat. Given the location, we had only eaten until we were seventy or eighty percent full so that we could move immediately. A short rest after the meal was enough to get us back into gear.
"Then let's do a final equipment check and head out. Make sure you haven't forgotten anything."
"Got it."
"Yes."
After stowing our things back in our backpacks and double-checking the fit of each other's gear, our preparations were complete.
"Alright, let's move!"
With that, our dungeon exploration entered its second half.
The latter part of the day proceeded smoothly. During the first battle, they struggled a bit with multiple minotaurs, but both Mika and Saori-chan adjusted quickly and handled them with speed.
Once they found their rhythm, they began hunting minotaurs with mechanical efficiency, staying alert while treating the battles like routine work.
"Alright, finished!"
"Over here too!"
As soon as they confirmed the defeated minotaurs had begun their particleization, Mika and Saori-chan quickly went around with their skinning knives.
Even when three minotaurs appeared at once, they were handled without any dangerous moments. They were becoming quite skilled.
"Ah!" they both cried out.
Then, during their dozen-or-so-eth battle on the 21st floor—after having defeated nearly thirty minotaurs—it finally dropped.
"It's marbled minotaur meat!"
At the sight of the rare drop, Mika and Saori-chan's faces lit up with pure joy. The three of us also widened our eyes in surprise.
"Oh, wow, you got it already? If your luck is bad, you might not see one even after fifty or sixty kills..."
"I figured it would show up eventually since we're hunting this many, but still."
"You're lucky. At this rate, you might even get another one before the day is over."
With slightly trembling hands, Mika and Saori-chan placed the marbled minotaur meat into a plastic bag and tucked it into the cooler bag. Part of the excitement was how delicious the marbled meat was, but it was also worth about ten times as much as regular minotaur meat.
While it didn't compare to magic items or skill scrolls in price, it was a jackpot for explorers who specialized in dungeon food. Generally, when explorers who weren't part of a corporate-type group found it, they'd take it home to eat rather than selling it.
"Yes! We got marbled minotaur meat!"
"I really didn't think we'd see this today!"
After collecting the rest of the regular meat drops, Mika and Saori-chan were practically buzzing with excitement, unable to hide their delight.
Well, I couldn't blame them; they both knew how good it tasted. Getting it with their own hands was bound to be a thrill.
"Congratulations, you two. You found a real rarity."
"Yeah! Thanks, Onii-chan!"
"Yes, I never dreamed we'd get it this early!"
While everyone knew minotaurs dropped meat, it was also common knowledge that the high-value marbled version had a very low drop rate. Even using a skinning knife to ensure a guaranteed food drop, you usually only found one for every fifty or sixty kills—and if you were unlucky, it could take over a hundred. That was why it fetched such a high price.
Finding one after only thirty kills was an incredible stroke of luck.
"Now, now, calm down. It's a rare drop, sure, but it's still easier to find than magic items or skill scrolls. If you just keep at it, they'll eventually show up."
"Racking up those numbers is the most annoying part, Onii-chan! You guys can probably grind efficiently on floors where a ton of minotaurs appear at once, but we can't go that deep yet!"
"Exactly. Honestly, I had half-given up on getting any during today's exploration."
When I pointed out that it was just a matter of numbers, Mika and Saori-chan gave me exasperated looks.
Ah, right. Lately, I'd been taking out minotaurs in a single hit whenever we encountered them, so my perspective was probably skewed. As they said, if you went a few floors deeper, there were areas where you'd face around ten minotaurs at once. If you really wanted the marbled meat, you could almost guarantee a drop by fighting a few rounds there.
"Sorry, my mistake. My senses are a bit warped. You're right, grinding numbers on these floors is hard work."
"Yeah! But wow... if we get stronger and can dive to those lower floors, we'll be able to get this marbled meat easily..."
"You're right... once we're stronger..."
Hmm? I noticed Mika and Saori-chan's eyes were practically glued to the cooler bag, the corners of their mouths twitching. Their gazes were growing sharper, turning into the eyes of focused hunters.
"Alright, Saori-chan, let's keep going!"
"You're right, Mika-chan! Let's find the next minotaur quickly!"
"..."
They were certainly honest about their appetites. Well, we've all been there.
Mika and Saori-chan marched eagerly deeper into the dungeon in search of their next marb—minotaur. Hey, wait! Don't leave us behind!
The two of them continued to methodically fight minotaur after minotaur, racking up a significant amount of meat. I had been a little worried when their hunger temporarily took over their decision-making, but their combat had become entirely routine now. As long as they only faced three or four at a time, they were perfectly stable.
I did have to wonder, though, why they looked so disappointed every time regular minotaur meat dropped.
"Haa, regular minotaur meat again..."
"Yeah... marbled minotaur meat really is hard to find."
They let out heavy sighs of regret as they collected the drops. Since Mika and Saori-chan's cooler bags were already full, the latest hauls were being stored in Hiiragi-san's bag.
Eventually, the alarm I had set beforehand went off, signaling the end of today's exploration.
"Alarm's gone off. That's it for today."
"Ehh..."
"We have to test how you handle the trip back while fully loaded, and the paths are going to be crowded, right? I know you want to keep going, but we're done. Start getting ready to head back!"
"...Fine."
Mika and Saori-chan reluctantly began packing up. They looked genuinely disappointed.
"What a shame. We only got three pieces of marbled minotaur meat in the end. I really wanted one more..."
"You're right. If we had one more, we could have split them evenly among everyone..."
They both looked regretful and a little apologetic as they muttered to themselves. It was true that one more drop would have meant a souvenir for every member of the group, ourselves included.
"Hey, don't worry about it. We were just here to supervise today. Besides, we didn't really do anything."
"..."
Being told not to worry seemed to only make them worry more. I decided to offer a tiny sliver of hope, even if the odds were slim.
"...Besides, you never know. We might get a drop from a minotaur we run into on the way back."
"...Yeah, maybe."
"...I suppose that's possible."
Since it was such a low-probability idea, their reactions were lukewarm at best.
Despite the lingering regrets, we finished our preparations and began the long trek back toward the surface.