2.29.

A week had passed since they entered the dungeon. Having acquired sufficient gray orc ears, five iron golem core reactors, and four of the five blind basalik fangs, things were looking bright for team hero. Left was one more basilisk and the A-rank crazy shrew's proof. However, the exhaustion of having to fight the annoying monsters that were of C-rank and B-rank in repetition were taking a toll on them.

Even Sequencee, a veteran explorer in his own right, was feeling the brunt of having to use his magic for basically ever. He couldn't recover his mana fast enough to keep using his sure-kill spells. Hence, Sequencee was relegated to supporting. The main DPS was left to Risa and Linzy, with the former doing most of the work.

Since Risa had this rejuvenation effect whenever she leveled up, her physical fatigue remained tolerable. For everyone else, it was a struggle just to walk. On that note, no one was not in the midst of a mental breakdown.

"Shrew, shrew~ where are you~ come to mama~"

Risa had been chanting her demonic song since yesterday. They had decided to stop camping around to find monsters and instead head to the termination point while praying for the arrival of a basilisk and baby shrew.

They made marks to visit the places in the midst of the path towards the goal where they last found the shrews.

The red necklace glowed. Sequencee gripped it in his hands.

["Sequencee, how are you doing?"]

Schwii had completed her examination two days ago. From the narration of things, she was likely going to get good marks for this semester. Sequencee began to regret joining the heroes.

"Tired."

[".. Please do your best. Only one basilisk and one shrew left right?"]

"Yeah.. thanks Schwii."

["The best I can do here is tell you not to give up. Anything you want when you come back home? I'll try to prepare it for you, or maybe I'll ask Iona if it's related to food."

["Is that Sequencee?"] Lilian's voice resounded in the background.

["Good luck man,"] Ro's voice was distant, his wish was sincere.

["You can do it, fighting! We're going to work now. Tell the hero and princess good luck too!"] Lilian cheered.

"Thank you.."

'Just the motivation I need haa..'

Resolving the conversation, Sequencee looked at rest. Everyone looked like zombies.

"Shrew, mama misses you~"

Except Risa.

"Risa," Sequencee called out.

"Yeash?"

"I got a topic for conversation. Can I ask what your gift points are?"

"Oh, that. Mine is the number of monsters I kill. The stronger the monster, the more points I get."

"I see.. about mine, it's killing people."

"Killing people? Legit? How many people have you killed so far?"

"A lot."

Perhaps because of fatigue, the response was lukewarm.

"Wow. That's harsh."

"How about you, Evelyn?" Sequencee asked.

"Me? Mine is the number of relationship points I acquire. I receive points from making people like me."

"I see.."

"Do monsters count as people?" Shiro interjected.

"Monsters? Of course, not," Evelyn said.

"Sometimes yes, most of the time no. People, demons, or some intelligent monster give souls. Those that don't have sentience don't give anything," Sequencee said.

"Sentience means?"

"Having intelligence or consciousness."

"Hm.."

"Then I should invite you to become the royal executioner someday. Wouldn't that be nice–" Evelyn said with a scary smile.

"Maybe.." Sequencee was too tired to retort.

"Ahh!! Baby, baby trails!!" Risa yelled, quickly pouncing to the ground.

Small fresh dirt tracks on the dry earth, a bait towards its lair. The traces led to an opening in the wall.

"Big brother, what's down there?"

"It's.. not on the map?"

"Good. Let's go find my son!" Risa guffawed. Sequencee shook his head and redirected the light beads to illuminate the stairway down. Ominous cold air poured out from the deepest dark. The small dirt prints on the stairs were likely made by the shrew.

"Hold on, are you sure we should just go without knowing what this is?" Evelyn's question held everyone up.

"My son is waiting for me.. alright. Just kidding. It's not on the map?"

"No. It's not," Shiro passed Risa the paper and pointed to where they were.

"That's odd. Did we get lost?"

"I don't think so. We just passed the landmark earlier, right?"

"Is this a new entrance then?"

"Though I'm aware that dungeons do grow from time to time.. I'm not certain if it's a normal situation for this one at the academy. I suggest we report it to the instructors once we're out," Evelyn said.

"You're right. Better safe than sorry."

"Hm?"

Shiro reached into his pocket and took out the gray dungeon key.

"It's.. reacting to something."

"What?"

He spun around with the key pointing in various directions until he stopped where the resonance was greatest– towards the depths of the stairway opening.

"It's telling us to go in."

"Shiro. I think we should let the instructors know about it before we go on any further." Sequencee said. As mentioned in Miss Willy's class, any abnormalities should be reported before making any moves to secure the new site.

"Right.. in that case.. we'll continue to the termination point then," Shiro sighed.

"How about the shrew?" Risa complained.

"I guess we have to find another one–" Sequencee said– just to be cut short by her words.

"If we don't at least get the attention of this shrew, I don't think we'll ever find another shrew again."

'Good point.'

Everyone reconsidered their plans.

"How about this. I'll let Schwii know about this new opening, she'll tell the instructors. That way we'll have some security in case anything happens. We'll go in an aggro the shrew then come right out," Sequencee suggested.

"One vote," Risa raised her hands.

"I suppose it would be most efficient.." Evelyn raised her hands reluctantly.

"No need to say here, the answer is obvious. Linzy too." Shiro said.

The beastkin merely nodded obediently to his words.

"This is an opening at quadrant J4," Risa said.

Sequencee contacted Schwii.

"Schwii, Sequencee here. Can you help report a new entrance at quadrant J4 of the trainee dungeon."

["Pardon?"]

"We found an unmapped area at quadrant J4."

["Okay. Who should I tell it to?"]

"Any instructor. Miss Judy or Sir Grian."

["Understood. So what do you plan to do with it? There's no way you would be contacting me right now if you didn't think of going, right?"]

"There's a shrew down there, we plan to aggro it and get right out."

["Mn.. then be careful. I'll tell Miss Judy about it. Hold on yeah."]

"Alright."

["Call if there are any emergencies. I'll send Iona right over."]

"Thanks."

"So? We have a demon backing us up now so no worries right?" Risa said.

"Yeah. Let's find the shrew," Sequencee tucked the necklace back under his shirt.

Shiro examined the key, his brows knitted. He gazed down at the seemingly endless flight of stairs downward.

===

["Sequencee, tell everyone to get out of there."]

"Hm?"

["Sir Grian said to leave. It's too dangerous."]

"Okay.."

It had been a full ten minute descent. They were just about to reach the end when Schwii said as such.

"No. We're going to aggro it first. We need to meet its eyes once and then we'll leave," Risa said in a whisper, "Just tell her that we'll listen as planned. We're going to get out of here as soon as we find that crazy monster."

"Okay.. Schwii. We'll turn back."

["Promise."]

"Promise."

'We'll turn back eventually so it is still a promise.. maybe.'

Arriving at the stair's end, a cavern-like expanse opened up before them. White streaks of light leaked from unusual openings above, illuminating the solemn bridge forward. A gigantic pool of glowing water far below the vast space between two ridges. Sparkling gems embedded into the wall surface, hundreds of stalactites dripping with water.

Far out towards the opposite end of the ledge was a colossal gate at least a hundred people tall, fifty people in width. It was both magnificent and daunting– foreboding of something unsettling.

"This is.. likely a part of the Black Ravine.." Evelyn assessed.

"Oh my god.. this really is isekai.." Risa mumbled.

"M-Master.." Linzy stuck close to Shiro, grasping tightly to his sleeve.

"The key.. unlocks that gate," Shiro spoke slowly. He could feel the key reacting to the gate beyond the bridge. Trembling, it was urging him to advance.

"Wut?! Looky-look! Shrreeww!! Mama Risa is here, mama Risa is here my baby shrew! YOo-hoo!!" Risa waved and yelled.

Slap in the middle of the lonely bridge was this abominable small brown creature.

– The crazy shrew.

It looked Risa's way and ran towards the grandiose gate in retreat.

"Okay. It noticed us. Mission accomplished, let's go back–"

"Wait," Shiro's voice halted her in her steps.

"Shiro. No," Sequencee warned sternly.

"We'll lose this chance if we don't."

"What do you mean?"

"If you're not going I am. Something is beyond there. I need to find out."

"Shiro. I'm warning you," Sequencee was preparing magic.

If there is one thing Sequencee knew about dungeon exploration, it was that you should never, ever try a new region unprepared. Shiro was acting just like his late mom right now. And whenever she did things without prioritizing safety, typically ended in disaster.

Shiro gently pried off Linzy's hand from his sleeve.

"M-Master?"

"I'm sorry."

He took a step forward.

And another.

And another.

Another.

He finally reached the beginning of the bridge. He turned around. The rest of his party members stood there stiffly. He tightened his grip around the key in hand.

'I have to.'

"I'm going guys," he said.

Turning his back against them, he advanced.

Step.

By step.

He got closer to the gate.

The key's trembling began to intensify, only to further confirm the need to push on.

He pulled out his sword, preparing to use [Passive Trait: Emergency Reserves] should the shrew try to attack him.

"You're so stubborn."

But it was a needless worry.