I embarked on exploring the second floor with Abe-san, where our path was obstructed by an array of boulders. Navigating through required us to carefully weave around these towering obstacles, some even taller than my own height. Not only did they hinder our progress, but they also provided potential cover or escape routes from any monsters we might encounter.
Pausing for a moment, Haruto placed his hand upon one of the boulders, running his fingers over its rough surface as he pondered. He mulled over the information Asuka-senpai had imparted before we departed from camp. These creatures on the second floor had bodies entirely comprised of stone, reminiscent of golems, each with a mana-infused stone embedded in their chests. However, the true purpose of these stones remained a mystery to us all, given that the dungeon had only recently emerged on the surface, leaving much yet to be discovered.
To Haruto, the days, barely half a month before the end of summer vacation, seemed fleeting. His perception of time stood apart from others'. It had been precisely 21 days since the dungeon arose from the immense chasm, spanning 30 meters in width. Nestled within it was a grand gate with double doors, embellished with peculiar inscriptions. The remaining days of summer vacation provided ample opportunity for dedicated players (gamers) to advance their levels and enhance their abilities.
Players (gamers) with production-related professions quickly flourished. Leveraging their formidable production skills, they crafted items and equipment overnight, then sold them in bulk. Within a matter of days, they could produce thousands of armors and weapons, albeit of modest quality. Nevertheless, these goods sufficed for adventurers seeking to hunt monsters and generate income. In contrast, Hiroshi and his team possessed top-tier equipment. Crafting such high-quality gear required two days for just a single piece of armor.
In the subsequent days, players (gamers) continued to grind their levels and finally mustered the courage to enter the dungeon after clearing the monsters on the surface. The moment they laid their eyes on the gate—the entrance to the dungeon—chills swept through their bodies, causing goosebumps to rise on their skin. It was their first time experiencing fear, and hesitation was clearly visible on their faces. Despite this, driven by their curiosity to explore the dungeon, they opened the gates and ventured inside.
A few days later, the doors of the dungeon opened once more. Behind them stood the players (gamers) who had now become full-fledged adventurers. Their numbers had diminished, evident from the wounds and missing parts of their bodies. It was clear that the missing adventurers were either dead or awaiting reinforcements to rescue them.
The adventurers proceeded to the new establishment, now called the collection office. There, they submitted reports detailing the dungeon's mechanisms, which were then sold to those planning to explore the dungeon in the future. However, the adventurers who initially explored the dungeon began disappearing one by one. It seemed as though they didn't want to be found, as their apartments and houses lay empty. Whether they sought to conceal themselves or were secretly training to strengthen their skills remained unknown.
The reports about them were forwarded to the headquarters of the collection office. However, even after several days, no response was received from the headquarters, and the issue concerning the disappearance of the initial adventurers was completely disregarded.
"We should head back, Yoshikawa-kun," Hinata suggested, his hands tucked behind him as he surveyed their surroundings.
"Indeed. Let's return... We haven't encountered any monsters yet. I wonder where they're hiding. If we could pinpoint their location, we could set up an ambush and easily defeat them," Haruto remarked with a sigh, shaking his head as he glanced back at Hinata.
"Yoshikawa-kun... Do you think we can clear the 2nd floor today? The first floor was manageable but exhausting. Everyone else is resting at the camp set up by Ai-senpai and the others. It's just you and me scouting the floor... Sometimes, I envy the students! It seems so unfair..." Hinata lamented.
Haruto heard Hinata's grumblings but didn't respond, instead, he continued moving in the direction of the camp, a safe area established by the seniors. Hinata followed closely behind, trailing after him. Haruto understood the reason they were tasked with scouting this floor: his job as a thief gave him a high chance of escaping when facing danger. However, his combat abilities were weak due to his low stats, so Hinata was assigned as his bodyguard to protect him in case he couldn't escape on his own.
Haruto's stats remained unchecked after the battle on the first floor of the dungeon. Improving required defeating numerous monsters, but Haruto hadn't engaged in many fights inside. This lack of combat experience led Haruka and others to believe he hadn't progressed much. Haruka was somewhat concerned for him, hence pairing him with Hinata. She wished to prevent her students from sustaining injuries, having witnessed many casualties due to untreated wounds. If only Haruka had examined his stats, she would have been shocked and somewhat relieved. Shocked by the high numbers, yet relieved as they ensured his safety. However, such elevated stats would also pose challenges. Haruka would have been uncertain about how to proceed in such a scenario.
Mio and Ichika were content with Haruka-sensei's arrangements, knowing Haruto's true strength. They didn't voice any objections when Haruto went out with Hinata to scout ahead. Keisuke and Fuji, on the other hand, were indifferent toward Haruto. They merely instructed Hinata to take care of himself and protect Haruto. In their eyes, Hinata was powerful, just a level lower than them, and they believed in the strong protecting the weak. Keisuke's focus on his ideal led him to overlook Haruto as an individual, considering him weak and in need of protection from the strong.
Ichika could sense Keisuke's thoughts and chuckled quietly, feeling a touch of sympathy for him. Curious about Ichika's laughter, Mio asked, "What's amusing, Ichika?" Ichika replied, "Oh, it's nothing... I just found it funny to watch Keisuke advising Hinata! We've both seen Yoshikawa-san's strength, haven't we? I wonder what Keisuke's reaction will be when he discovers Yoshikawa-san's true abilities... Just the thought of it makes me laugh. Hehe!" Mio stared at her friend, her eyes widening. She hadn't expected Ichika to be already lost in daydreams about future events.
"Now that you mention it... Yoshikawa-san is truly formidable! How did he attain such strength, I wonder? Perhaps he ventured into the dungeon before us or possesses a unique skill. Regardless, I'm just grateful that he's so strong! It puts my mind at ease," Mio remarked, her smile reflecting her relief. Knowing Haruto's true strength alleviated her concerns, but now Mio felt determined to bolster her own abilities so she could stand by his side. She made a firm decision to increase her level and acquire advanced healing skills.
"Ha... indeed?" Ichika, grasping her friend's thoughts, chimed in, "Let's strengthen ourselves together, Mio!"
"Yes, we'll grow stronger together!"
Observing their friendly interaction were both students and members of Asuka's team. The girls emitted delighted "Kyaaa! Kyaaaa!" sounds, while the boys chuckled with quirky expressions, many of them clenching their fists in determination to grow stronger within the dungeon, hoping to impress the girls. Unbeknownst to everyone, among the chuckling boys lurked one with hidden, sinister desires veiled behind his smile.
"It's going to be a while before we reach the camp..." Haruto remarked lazily.
"After scouting the area, all we found was sandy terrain and boulders blocking our path. We wasted two hours and found nothing! It's frustrating...!" Hinata, walking alongside Haruto, spoke with a twitching face, struggling to maintain his cool facade in front of Haruto. To Haruto, Hinata seemed like someone desperately clinging to a certain image, unwilling to shatter the perception others had of him. Haruto's suspicions about Hinata were already firmly established: from his soft, moist lips to his feminine voice and fragrance, delicate hands, slender frame, and smooth, elongated legs—everything about Hinata screamed "Girl!"
For now, however, Haruto chose to ignore it; dangers lurked everywhere in the dungeon, and ignorance would only pave the way for an easy demise.
"Hmm... It's alright. We'll make it to the camp in time and rest afterward," Haruto assured Hinata with a composed tone.
Yoshikawa-kun, do you not find the monsters frightening? The thought of dying is terrifying... Who knows, they might opt to abduct us instead of killing. And if I were ever caught by one of them, I doubt I could maintain my composure..." Hinata's voice quivered with fear, and Haruto could discern it clearly. Halting his steps, Haruto turned to meet Hinata's gaze. Despite the smile on Hinata's face, it was evident to Haruto that it was insincere; he could sense the underlying emotions. Despite his embarrassment and inexperience in such situations, Haruto extended his hand.
"I'm not sure if I possess enough strength... But even with what I have... I'll stand guard against anyone who seeks to harm you... or intends to separate you from your friends. You have my word on that!" Hinata felt his heart pounding intensely; it was the first time someone had spoken such bold words to him, especially coming from a boy. Despite living carefree since childhood and receiving confessions from both boys and girls, this feeling was entirely novel. With determination, he took a step forward and accepted Haruto's outstretched hand.
"Yoshikawa-kun, I never pegged you for someone interested in boys...! But hey, I don't mind considering it," Hinata teased, flashing a playful smile at Haruto, who now wore a thoroughly flabbergasted expression.
"N-No, no, no... Th-That's not what I meant! I-I just wanted to help as a classmate...! The idea of proposing or anything like that never even crossed my mind!! And we're b-both guys, it's not like I could develop feelings for a guy!" Haruto's previous lazy demeanor vanished as he hastily tried to clarify the situation.
"I know, I was just joking... hahaha!"
"You! ...Anyway, let's get going... The camp is just ahead, we'll reach it after a short walk."
"Okay!"
With an annoyed huff, Haruto picked up his pace and started running ahead. Hinata trailed behind him, licking his lips as he observed Haruto intently, his eyes hinting at trouble ahead. After walking for a while longer, they finally reached the camp and were greeted by everyone.
.............
PS:
I'm trying to build the characters slowly so please be patient.
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