Five days had passed since the First Unit reached the 93rd floor.
I’d been swamped during that time—working with the Exploration Support Department to compile reports for the guild, sitting through interviews, and entertaining every sponsor under the sun except for Old Man Eddington. While reaching a new floor is cause for celebration for any explorer, famous parties like the Hero Party or the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky are buried in tedious formalities afterward. It was, quite frankly, a massive pain.
Once things finally settled down, I decided it was time to resume training the Tenth Unit.
When I stepped into our usual room in the Exploration Management Department, I found all three of them already waiting for me.
"Good morning, you three."
"Ah, Master! Good morning! And once again, congratulations on reaching the 93rd floor!"
"Master, congrats!"
"C-congratulations!"
The moment they realized I was in the room, they showered me with praise. It felt much more sincere and rewarding than anything the sponsors or interviewers had said.
"Thank you. But next, it’s your turn. You’re at the end of the Upper Floors—the conquest of the 30th floor."
Over the past month, the Tenth Unit had cleared everything from the 1st to the 29th floor. I had accompanied them, of course, but I’d acted only as a silent observer, never lifting a finger or offering a word of advice. These three had grown significantly during that month. They were still diamonds in the rough, but I had no doubt they would continue to improve.
"Regarding that, Master... we actually have something we want to discuss with you," Log said.
"A consultation? What is it?"
"We want to attempt the 30th floor on our own. Just the three of us."
"...Just the three of you? Does that mean you don't want me to come along?"
"No! That’s not it at all!" Log hurried to explain. "Having you with us is incredibly reassuring. Just knowing you’re watching over us gives us the peace of mind to focus on the labyrinth. But I don't think we can keep relying on you forever. If we keep clearing the Great Labyrinth with you hovering over us, it won't feel like we’re truly conquering it ourselves..."
I wondered if they were feeling rushed, perhaps inspired by the First Unit’s recent success.
"I—I promise we aren't saying this out of overconfidence," Sophie added, following Log’s lead. "We’ve spent the last five days discussing how to handle the 30th floor. We saw the seniors fight the floor boss during last month’s Guided Exploration, so we know what to expect. We’ve objectively compared our current abilities against the magic beasts and the boss, and we’re certain we can clear it!"
It was rare for Sophie to be this assertive. She was clearly dead serious.
"I won't do anything reckless anymore! I won't ever do anything to make them stop smiling again!" Carol chimed in, her expression unusually grave. "I’ll cooperate with them properly. So, please!"
The Tenth Unit's coordination had certainly improved. Their individual skills were already at a level where they could survive in the Middle Floors. However, one concern remained: there were only three of them. A small party had a much harder time dealing with the unexpected.
That was my biggest worry, but looking at the determination in their eyes, I wondered if it was right to let my own anxiety stifle their growth.
Am I being overprotective?
"...Alright. I’ll give you permission to challenge the 30th floor alone."
At my words, their faces instantly lit up.
"Thank you—"
"However! You mentioned you’ve been discussing your strategy, right? I want to hear the details first. If your plan is fundamentally flawed, I’m revoking my permission."
"—Understood."
I listened as they laid out their plan. To be honest, I had underrated them. I’d expected their first attempt at independent strategy to be riddled with holes, but their plan was surprisingly sound.
From the route they intended to take to their specific countermeasures for the magic beasts on the 30th floor, they followed the basics I’d taught them while carefully accounting for the disadvantages of being a three-person party. Perhaps they benefited from the wealth of information available on the Upper Floors, but for rookies to draft this themselves, it was nearly a perfect score. Even if I were in their shoes, I would have come up with almost the exact same strategy.
"That’s the gist of it. Master... what do you think?"
"...Who came up with the foundation for this?"
"I—it was me," Sophie answered. She looked down, shrinking back as if she expected a lecture.
Do I really look that scary?
I softened my expression, stepped closer, and patted her head. "It’s impressive. I didn't think you’d put together such a solid plan. You should have more confidence in yourself."
Sophie’s face turned bright red, but she couldn't hide a blooming smile.
"Hey! No fair, Sophie! Master, I came up with parts of it too!" Carol pouted, practically radiating an aura that screamed pat me too!
"Yes, yes. You worked hard too, Carol." I gave her head a pat with a wry smile.
"Ehehe~"
After I finished with the girls, I turned to Log. He looked a bit left out, so I gave his head a few encouraging pats as well, which seemed to make him perfectly happy.
"The plan is fine. You’ve clearly done your research. I officially give you permission to challenge the 30th floor. Just remember—things never go exactly as scheduled in the labyrinth. Always expect the unexpected. Don't let your guard down."
"""Yes, Master!!!"""
With the 30th floor conquest scheduled for tomorrow, today was changed to a free day. Selma was currently away visiting sponsors in another territory, so the First Unit wouldn't be doing any exploring for a while anyway.
I was thinking about working on my Alteration magic, but... making those items for the kids takes priority. I’ll head to the Old Man's place and borrow his workshop.
"Um, Orun-san? Do you have a moment? There’s something I wanted to ask you."
I was just about to head out when Sophie called to me from behind.
"What’s on your mind?"
"Um... your Ability is [Mana Convergence], right?"
"...That’s right. I can gather ambient mana into a single point. Why do you ask?"
"How did you... how did you learn to use it?"
She seemed fascinated by the topic. Then again, an Ability provided a massive advantage; it was only natural for an explorer to be curious. The true nature of Abilities remained a mystery—no one knew for sure if they were innate or acquired. The prevailing theory was that they were innate and simply required a trigger to manifest.
Ever since I was a child, I had been able to perceive mana. For reasons I couldn't explain, I simply felt like I could influence it. When I finally tried, the sensation was different from the deliberate control used in Mana Infusion. It was more intuitive; I just understood that I could move mana wherever I wanted it to go.
"It’s hard to put into words," I explained. "But for a Special Ability User, there’s often a moment where you just feel like you can do something, even if there’s no logical reason for it. You try it, it works, and then you understand. Do you have a feeling like that, Sophie?"
"It’s not so much a feeling as it is a sense of wrongness... like, every now and then, I feel like I should be able to affect objects somehow. But when I try, nothing happens. It’s probably just my imagination..." she said with a self-deprecating smile.
"There’s still so much we don't understand about Abilities," I said, patting her head to encourage her. "It’s a power unique to you. In your case, you might just haven't grasped the right sensation yet. Don't ignore that gut feeling. Don't rush it, either. Just take your time and eventually, you'll find out what that 'wrongness' really is."
"T-thank you so much! I feel like the fog has cleared a bit...!"
Sophie gave me a radiant smile. Yeah, she really is cute, I thought. I could see why Selma doted on her so much.
The following day, I accompanied the Tenth Unit to the entrance of the Great Labyrinth.
"Here. These are for you. Consider them good luck charms."
I handed them the colored plate necklaces I’d finished yesterday. I’d matched the colors to their eyes: red for Sophie, green for Carol, and purple for Log. They were enchanted with a specific gimmick, though I prayed it would never actually be triggered.
"Wow! Master, thank you!"
They all seemed genuinely thrilled, which was a relief.
"You're very welcome. Now, go conquer that 30th floor. And make sure the three of you come back safely. I’ll be waiting for your report."
"""We’re off!!!"""
The three of them turned their backs to me and disappeared into the depths of the Great Labyrinth.