The return from the labyrinth should have been triumphant. The students had proven themselves capable, gained valuable experience, and returned with rare materials and treasures.
Instead, the atmosphere felt strained.
Kura noticed it immediately. Daisuke had stopped even pretending to be civil. He didn't speak to Kura, didn't acknowledge his existence. When Shirayuki talked to Kura in the courtyard or at meals, Daisuke would find an excuse to leave.
But he watched. Always watched.
The Azantium crystal Kura had found became his obsession. Master Galhard had been thrilled, immediately setting him to work learning how to incorporate it into weapon crafting. It was delicate work—Azantium was magically reactive and required precise transmutation to integrate with steel properly.
Kura spent hours in the workshop, trying different approaches. And slowly, finally, something clicked.
On his seventh attempt, he successfully forged a dagger with Azantium-enhanced channels for magical energy. The blade glowed faintly blue, conducting mana with exceptional efficiency. It wasn't perfect—a master smith could have done better—but it was his first real achievement.
And he felt it.
That strange sensation of something inside him shifting. A notification appeared in his vision:
Level Up! Level 1 → Level 2
Kura stared at the glowing text, barely believing it. Level 2. Finally. His stats had increased from 10 to 15 across the board. He'd gained a new skill: Advanced Transmutation.
"Congratulations, boy," Master Galhard said, grinning. "Told you there was more than one way to grow stronger."
For the first time since being summoned, Kura felt genuine hope.
* * *
The announcement came two days later: a second expedition to the Great Orcus Labyrinth, this time to explore floors five through ten.
The students who'd proven themselves on the first expedition were automatically selected. Additional combat students were added to the roster. And, because he'd successfully leveled up through crafting and had proven useful for resource gathering, Kura was included again.
Daisuke's name was on the list too—his level 6 status made him a solid addition.
The night before departure, Kura was packing supplies in his room when someone knocked.
He opened the door to find Shirayuki.
"Tomohiro-kun, I'm sorry to bother you so late," she said. "But I wanted to give you this before we leave tomorrow."
She held out a small charm—a simple wooden pendant carved with protective runes.
"It's blessed," she explained. "For safety. I made one for everyone in the expedition, but..." She seemed almost shy. "I wanted to give yours to you personally. To make sure you'd wear it."
"Thank you." Kura took the charm, feeling its slight warmth. "I'll wear it."
Shirayuki smiled, and in the lamplight, she looked almost ethereal. "Good. I..." She hesitated. "I want you to come back safely. Promise me you'll be careful?"
"I promise."
"Even if you're in the back, even if you're not fighting—dungeons are dangerous. Anything can happen. So please, don't take risks. Don't try to be brave."
There was something in her voice—genuine fear, genuine concern. For him specifically.
"I'll be careful," Kura said. "I promise."
She reached out and squeezed his hand briefly. "Thank you." Then she was gone, disappearing down the corridor.
Kura stood in his doorway, charm in hand, trying to process the interaction.
Down the hall, a door closed. Daisuke's door.
Had he been watching? Had he seen Shirayuki visit Kura's room?
Kura felt a chill that had nothing to do with the evening air.
* * *
The expedition departed at dawn. Twenty students, twelve guild adventurers, four kingdom knights. The largest group yet, prepared for deeper exploration.
Mira led them again, this time with reinforcements—Darius, a massive warrior with a two-handed sword, and several other veteran dungeon explorers.
"Floors five through ten are a significant step up in difficulty," Mira briefed them at the labyrinth entrance. "The monsters hit harder. The traps are deadly. The environment becomes actively hostile. Stay alert, stay together, and don't get cocky."
They descended.
Floors five and six were manageable—tougher monsters, more dangerous encounters, but nothing the enlarged group couldn't handle. Sakurai's team had grown even stronger, now operating with practiced efficiency.
Daisuke fought with controlled aggression, his Berserker abilities making him a valuable asset. He'd hit level 7 during a particularly intense battle with a pack of dire wolves.
But Kura noticed the way Daisuke kept glancing at him during rest periods. The way his grip on his weapon tightened whenever Shirayuki approached Kura to check on him.
Something was building.
By the time they reached floor eight, exhaustion was setting in. They'd been in the labyrinth for two days, fighting constantly. Mira decided to make camp in a large chamber that appeared to be safe—high ceilings, single entrance, no obvious monster spawns.
"We'll rest here tonight," she announced. "Tomorrow we'll explore floor nine, then head back up. This has been a successful expedition, but let's not push our luck."
As the camp was being set up, Kura wandered toward the far end of the chamber. His Ore Appraisal had pinged on something interesting—a vein of rare crystal embedded in the wall.
He was examining it when he felt someone behind him.
Daisuke stood there, his expression unreadable in the dim light.
"Find something valuable?" he asked.
"Just some crystal. Nothing important."
"Of course you did. You have a talent for finding things." Daisuke moved closer. "Rare materials. Hidden value. Things other people miss."
Something in his tone made Kura tense.
"Daisuke, what—"
"Do you know what I think about during every fight?" Daisuke cut him off. "While I'm bleeding and taking hits and pushing myself to the limit? I think about how you're standing in the back, safe, doing nothing. And somehow, that's enough for her to care about you."
"This isn't about—"
"It's always been about her!" Daisuke's voice rose, then dropped to a harsh whisper. "Since the first day. Since the summoning. She's the only thing that matters in this whole goddamn world, and she wastes her time worrying about someone who doesn't deserve it."
"I never asked for her attention."
"No, you just stumble through life being useless and somehow that's enough." Daisuke's hands were shaking. "Do you know how hard I've worked? How much I've sacrificed? I'm level 7 now. I can fight. I can protect people. I could protect her. And what can you do?"
Kura took a step back, but the wall was behind him.
"I could do it right now," Daisuke said quietly. "One push. You trip, fall, hit your head on these rocks. An accident in a dangerous dungeon. No one would question it."
Fear spiked through Kura's chest. "You're not serious."
"Aren't I?" Daisuke leaned in close. "What's your life worth compared to what I could give her? What's one useless crafter compared to someone who can actually make a difference?"
For a long moment, they stood there. Kura could see the struggle in Daisuke's eyes—rage and justification warring with something that might have been conscience.
Then Daisuke stepped back.
"Lucky for you, I'm not a murderer." He turned away. "Yet."
He walked back toward the camp, leaving Kura pressed against the cold stone wall, his heart hammering.
That wasn't a threat.
That was a promise.
Kura stood there in the darkness, Shirayuki's protective charm warm against his chest, and realized with crystal clarity:
Daisuke was going to kill him.
Not might. Would.
The only question was when.