Chapter 9

Zest started with a long, straight path from the entrance.

The walls, which might seem odd to describe as rocky, were rough and uneven.

However, the color was unique. It was a sooty red with occasional black stones embedded in it.

Walking side by side, about five people could fit.

The ceiling was about three meters high.

As the two continued walking side by side, the view eventually opened up.

Suddenly, a gentle hot wind blew.

Instinctively, they shielded their faces with their arms.

When they opened their eyes again, Kousuke was speechless.

While he knew that, as an underground labyrinth, the structure would lead downward from the entrance, their position allowed them to see the surroundings.

The labyrinth stretched for at least a few kilometers, with no end in sight.

There were paths, or rather, large rocks and fissures in the ground that served as paths.

The overall color was a mix of red and black.

There were areas where what looked like magma was flowing.

It was truly fantastical, more like a dungeon.

It brought back childhood memories.

To be able to experience a dungeon exploration in real life, not just through a screen, was exhilarating.

He wanted to boast to his younger self.

"You look like a kid, Kuro."

"Yeah, there's a risk of death, so we need to stay focused."

"No, I wasn't warning you. I'm happy."

"Happy?"

"Maybe you haven't noticed, but you're becoming more gentle, Kuro?"

"......Maybe."

He was somewhat aware of it.

Mostly, it was due to finding Towa's blessing.

It freed him from his constraints.

But that wasn't the only reason.

"Thanks to Shiro."

"Me?"

He squeezed her hand slightly.

"You've really taken care of me a lot."

"It sounds like you won't need my help anymore?"

"No, that's not it. I mean, let's continue to work together."

"I'll think about it if you give me a hug."

Kousuke pulled her closer and hugged her.

It was hot in Zest, so she was sweating slightly.

Her breasts pressed against Kousuke's chest, changing shape.

"O-Oh, you've become quite honest, haven't you?"

Her slightly red face was due to the heat or embarrassment.

"K-Kuro? It's okay. I got it. Let's start exploring the labyrinth."

Her reaction was so cute that Kousuke tightened his arms around her.

"No, no, Kuro. This isn't because I'm embarrassed—there's a monster!"

Kousuke immediately released her and stood protectively in front of her.

It was there, within arm's reach.

A black, roughly two times larger than a human head, fur ball.

It had two pairs of arms and legs, and most of its body was taken up by a single eye.

The mouth below it was stretched in a wide, almost splitting arc.

"Kiki-ki!"

It lunged, but Kousuke's eyes caught it in slow motion.

It was so slow.

"Out of the way."

Kousuke decided that a punch would be faster than casting a spell or drawing a sword and swung his fist.

Impact.

The monster flew away with a sensation like hitting a volleyball, hit the wall, and burst.

Right. This isn't a game, so the monsters he killed left corpses.

"......Did I get any experience points?"

Shiro, who had been staring with her mouth open, let out a dry laugh and said,

"Well, I think you did. But in this world, experience points aren't set for each monster; they represent the player's growth in response to events."

"Killing as many weak monsters as I want won't give me much experience?"

He had been a bit skeptical, but now it made sense.

For example, getting five experience points for killing a slime is a system that only works in games.

In reality, no matter how many ants a person steps on, they won't grow as a person or become stronger.

In this world, experience points are the value of experiences recognized as necessary for growth.

Just to be sure, he checked, and one had been added.

Since this was the first time he had killed a monster, it wasn't considered worthless.

"Usually, monsters don't appear this close to the entrance. Maybe no one has explored here in a while."

"How many floors are there in total?"

"Eleven. It's good to proceed, but let's clean up first. Regular troops can handle Marmors, but stronger ones will be tougher."

Marmor was the name of the fur ball.

"Since we're stationed here, just leave it to us."

"By the way, the closer to the entrance a monster is, the higher the reward."

That made sense.

The reason for setting rewards on monsters was to prevent them from reaching the surface.

With the Glass—apparently, the Direct Glass Device—recording the visuals, it was easy to prove where and what you had defeated.

"You don't need to worry about money right now."

When Kousuke hesitated, she narrowed her eyes as if scolding him.

"Oh, how much did you borrow from me again?"

Kousuke immediately surrendered.

"Alright. I'll follow your instructions, guide."

Experiencing a tutorial before the thrilling adventure wasn't bad.