The day after Luna joined the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky, the five of us—the Tenth Squad, Luna, and I—ventured into the thirtieth floor of the Great Labyrinth.
"—Log! Now!"
"Got it!"
A massive Magic Beast, resembling a giant boar, launched a thunderous charge at Carol.
Seeing the threat, Sophie barked an immediate order to Log.
""[Rock Wall]!!""
The two activated their magic simultaneously, and a pair of stone barriers erupted between Carol and the boar.
The boar’s charge was a terrifying display of brute force. It smashed through the first wall with ease, but the impact sapped its momentum, and the second wall held firm.
The beast ground to a halt.
"—Hah!"
Carol had already sprung into action before the boar even hit the second wall. With fluid, lightning-fast movements, she darted in low, her twin daggers flashing as she carved into the creature’s legs.
(Good. They’re handling this without any real danger.)
I watched the battle unfold, a quiet sense of satisfaction settling in my chest. We were currently in the Boss Area of the thirtieth floor of the Great Labyrinth of the South. The beast Sophie and the others were fighting was the floor boss.
"Carol is fast, yet her footwork is remarkably precise," Luna murmured from beside me. "And Log and Sophie… mastering Parallel Construction is impressive enough, but seeing them utilize Activation Standby as well? They truly are your disciples, Orun-san."
Magic only manifests once mana is infused into a completed spell formula. Because of this, a caster can technically choose the exact moment of activation. The interval between finishing the construction and infusing the mana is what we call Activation Standby.
While anyone can technically hold a spell, the technique is almost exclusively used by those who have mastered Parallel Construction. Without that skill, a caster must dedicate all their focus to maintaining the completed formula, leaving them unable to construct new spells or respond to shifting battlefield conditions.
Of course, maintaining a spell in standby is just as mentally taxing—if not more so—than the initial construction. Since it’s most efficient to fire a spell the moment it's finished, the opportunities to use standby aren't as frequent as one might think.
Still, it’s an invaluable skill. Being able to instinctively choose Activation Standby based on the enemy’s movements requires a high level of battlefield awareness.
In Sophie’s case, she had planned to use the technique beforehand, so it wasn't exactly a split-second decision. Even so, the fact that she could execute the strategy at all was more than enough for where she was in her training.
"My part in this is small," I replied. "This is the result of their own tireless effort."
"Hehe, I see. Then… once they achieve a reform of the heart—a shift in their consciousness—the day they become one of Tsutrail’s representative parties won't be far off."
As I suspected, Luna had seen through them. She had identified the one thing the Tenth Squad was fatally lacking.
But this was a realization they had to reach on their own. My words wouldn't be enough to change them.
"…I suppose so. The sooner the better, and now, while the sting of a major defeat is still fresh, is likely the best time."
"A major defeat?"
"Right, I forgot that information was suppressed. About a month ago, these three actually engaged in combat with Amunzaas."
"With Amunzaas!?" Luna’s eyes widened in genuine shock. "Why would rookies… and, if you'll forgive the bluntness, how are they even alive?"
Her reaction was only natural. To Senior Explorers, that organization was a nightmare made manifest. They hadn't been sighted in the Great Labyrinth of the South for a decade, but lately, they had begun to haunt these depths once more.
I personally felt the Guild should have gone public with the threat, but for some reason, they were keeping the matter under wraps. We had considered making an announcement through the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky, but given the severity of the situation, we feared a clan-level broadcast might spark unnecessary panic.
We’d tried to let the information leak as a rumor, but it hadn't gained much traction. Seeing that even an S-Rank like Luna was unaware, I wondered if people were simply dismissing it as a tall tale—or if someone was actively suppressing the news.
"It seems Amunzaas was targeting me. I managed to intervene just in time to save them, but if I’d been a moment later, they likely would have…"
"…I see. So that’s why they act the way they do," Luna mused, her expression turning pensive.
"Likely. But as I said, I can’t force this change on them."
"Understood. In that case, please leave it to me."
Luna looked at me with a mischievous, calculating glint in her eyes. I wondered what she had in mind.
Carol continued to weave in and out, using Hit and Away tactics to keep the boar’s hate focused on her, while Log circled into its blind spot to deliver heavy thrusts with his spear. Sophie provided constant pressure, raining down [Fire Arrows] and other spells from the periphery.
They weren't dealing massive, singular blows, but they were slowly and surely grinding the boss down.
"Both of you, get back! I’m going for Advanced Magic!"
At Sophie’s signal, Carol and Log disengaged and sprinted away from the beast.
"—[Fire Javelin]!!"
Once the path was clear, Sophie unleashed her spell. Three spears of concentrated flame materialized in the air and lanced down, piercing the boar’s hide.
"[Aero Cutter]!"
"…………[Thunder Shock]!"
The beast reeled from the impact of Sophie’s magic, and the other two immediately followed up with their own offensive spells.
Battered by the relentless barrage, the boar was slowing down. It stood no chance against the three of them now. Everything was proceeding exactly according to the strategy Sophie and the others had drafted.
With a desperate roar, the boar gathered its remaining strength and launched one final, suicidal charge at Carol.
"Log—!"
"I’m on it! —[Thunder Shock]!"
"Stay still!"
Log’s [Thunder Shock] numbed the boar’s limbs, and Sophie’s [Psychokinesis] pinned it to the spot, locking it in place.
"Just… stay down!"
While the beast struggled helplessly, Carol blurred around it, her daggers carving deep furrows into its flesh. Log and Sophie hammered it with magic in perfect synchronization with her movements.
Twenty minutes after entering the Boss Area, the massive floor boss let out a final breath and dissolved into a pile of Magic Stones.
"We won!!"
"Yeah! We did it!"
"Mm! I think we really showed what we can do!"
The three of them celebrated, their faces lit with the joy of victory. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. Their win had been statistically certain, but in the Labyrinth, there’s always that one-in-a-million disaster.
Finally, I could relax. Well, mostly.
"…Orun-san? Is something wrong?"
Luna’s voice was laced with concern. She had clearly sensed the tension I hadn't quite let go of.
During our last guided exploration, a Deep Floor Boss had appeared out of nowhere after we finished the floor boss. We had concluded it was due to the 'Door of Caprice' used by the Hero Party.
I still agreed with that conclusion. However, now that we knew the probability of someone being able to artificially trigger a Stampede was high, I couldn't simply dismiss that incident as a freak accident.
I scanned the room once more, and though I remained wary, there were no signs of anything abnormal.
"…………No, it’s nothing. Come on, let’s go join them."
I lowered my guard slightly and gave Luna a reassuring smile.
"—Ah, Master! We did it!"
Carol was the first to see us. She practically bounced over, her eyes shining as she looked up at me, clearly fishing for a head pat.
"I saw. Your coordination was excellent. Well done."
I obliged, ruffling her hair.
"Ehehe~"
She looked positively blissful. I moved on to Sophie and Log as they approached, giving them both an approving pat as well.
"You two did great as well. That was a near-perfect run. Good work."
"Th-thank you so much…" Sophie stammered, her face turning crimson as she looked down with a shy smile.
"We still have a long way to go," Log said, trying and failing to hide his pride. "If we want to get even a little closer to Master, we can’t afford to be satisfied with this."
"…………Right. Well, we can do the full debrief later. For now, let’s head to the thirty-first floor."
I gestured toward the path they had earned with their own strength.
"""Yes!!"""
After reaching the thirty-first floor and registering with the crystal, we teleported back to the entrance and returned to the Clan Headquarters.
"All right. Once again, congratulations on reaching the thirty-first floor. You are now officially Explorers of the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky. From here on out, your actions carry weight and responsibility. I trust you, but never forget that."
The three of them nodded solemnly.
"Now, let’s get into the review of today’s conquest. Luna, why don't you start? It was your first time seeing this party in action. What were your impressions?"
"Let’s see," Luna began, her voice calm. "My honest thought is that it’s a waste to call you rookies. Your individual skills, your conduct in the dungeon, and your coordination are all far beyond the level of a C-Rank party. I’d say you already have the ability to handle the Lower Floors—the A-Rank level."
The three of them beamed, clearly heartened by such high praise from an S-Rank Explorer. But Luna’s expression didn't soften. It grew even sharper.
"—Ordinarily, I would stop there. I’m hesitant to say such things to the group that just welcomed me in, but if we are to be true comrades, I believe I have to be honest. I have one question for you: what is this party’s ultimate goal?"
Log stepped forward to answer for the group. "Our individual dreams differ, but as a party, our goal is to conquer the Great Labyrinth of the South!"
Sophie and Carol nodded firmly. They were all on the same page.
"I see. Then I will speak plainly. Orun-san called your performance today nearly perfect. Are you really taking that at face value? Because from where I’m standing, you barely managed to avoid a failing grade. —Orun-san, aren't you being a bit too soft on your pupils?"
Luna turned her critique toward me.
(…I see. So this is what she meant by ‘leave it to me.’ I didn't ask her to join just to play the bad cop, though.)
I’d invited her because I believed her Seirei Magic was the missing piece the Tenth Squad needed to reach the next level. Right now, the gap in power between Luna and the students was immense. But I believed Sophie and the others had the potential to one day rival the First Unit.
Actually, maybe that was exactly why she was doing this. She was the veteran joining a group of juniors. Her position was delicate.
Perhaps this was her way of establishing her place. If they could accept her harsh, honest criticism and still call her a comrade, then the foundation of the party would be solid.
If they ended up resenting her, she was likely prepared to take on the ‘stick’ role while I remained the ‘carrot.’ Either way, she was prioritizing their growth over her own popularity. I could see the resolve in her eyes.
And if this went well, it would solve the one glaring issue holding the Tenth Squad back.
The fatal lack of a "spirit to surpass me."
Sophie and the others viewed me as an unreachable peak. To a rookie, an S-Rank is a godlike figure. Most wouldn't even dream of surpassing one while they were still in their training phase.
But that mindset won't get you to the bottom of the Labyrinth. After all, the current S-Rank Explorers—myself included—haven't been able to conquer the South. To do what we couldn't, you have to be better than us.
I decided to respect Luna’s gamble. Being ‘nice’ wasn't going to save their lives in the Deep Floors. This was the perfect moment to test their resolve.
"Is that so? I thought they did quite well. Their execution was flawless."
"Only if your standard is ‘good enough for the Lower Floors,’ right?"
"…I won't deny that."
"Exactly," Luna said, turning back to the three. "If your goal was just to reach the Lower Floors, I would give you a perfect score too. But if you’re aiming for the Deep Floors—for total conquest—you cannot afford to be satisfied with that performance."
Luna’s voice rang out, filling the room.
"—Do you truly have the will to surpass Orun-san?"
"That’s—"
"Is it ‘impossible’? I’ve seen how you look at him. I know you practically worship him. Even as a fellow S-Rank, I find Orun-san’s abilities terrifyingly impressive. It’s only natural that you see him that way."
The room fell into a heavy, uncomfortable silence.
"But you’re forgetting one thing," Luna continued. "Your goal—conquering the Great Labyrinth of the South—is something even Orun-san hasn't achieved."
The three of them flinched.
"If you aren't even trying to become better than the current Orun-san, then talk of conquering the Labyrinth is nothing but a pipe dream."
The silence that followed was thick. Luna had dragged the truth they’d been avoiding into the light.
(Now, how will they respond? Their answer here will determine how I mentor them from now on. Regardless of what they say, I’ll respect their will. That won't change.)
After a long moment, someone spoke.
"I—I...!"
Surprisingly, it was Sophie who broke the silence.
"—I thought surpassing Orun-san was impossible. After being saved so many times, after seeing how amazing he is… I just figured I could never match him…"
"............"
"But hearing you say that… it woke me up. I want to be someone who can help Orun-san when he’s in trouble. I can’t do that if I’m always just following in his footsteps. —So, I will surpass him! I have to, if I ever want to be able to stand by his side when it counts!"
"If we’re aiming for a place even Master hasn't reached, then we have to be better than he is now," Log added, his voice steadying. "I knew that logically, but I didn't understand it until now. I’m not just playing at being an explorer. I want to go back to my village and tell everyone who supported me that I became the best there is. —I will surpass you, Master!"
"Master, you told us once, didn't you?" Carol said with a grin. "You said a teacher is happiest when their student surpasses them, and you wanted to feel that too. I want to see you make that face. I want to see your biggest, proudest smile. So I’m gonna surpass you, too!"
The atmosphere in the room shifted. It was as if a fire had been lit behind their eyes. These kids had sworn to get stronger after their defeat by Amunzaas, but now, for the first time, they were seriously aiming for the top.
"Good," Luna said, a soft smile finally touching her lips. "Then let’s grow together. I’m not satisfied with where I am, either. I’m going to keep pushing until I overtake Orun-san myself."
She looked at me and winked.
(Thank you, Luna. You’ve changed them. They’re going to be monsters now. …And I can’t let them catch me.)
"I told you before," I said, a challenge in my voice. "Your actions carry responsibility. And I’m not going to let you pass me that easily."
I couldn't afford to mope about my loss to Oliver anymore. If I was going to be the ultimate wall for my disciples, I couldn't afford to stop moving forward for even a second.