While representatives from various factions were conversing in the meeting room.
Among those challenging the dungeon, the ones who had cleared the first room gathered to form a raid team.
Of course, calling them a raid team was a bit of a stretch....
"I will!!! I will definitely clear it!!"
"Death is so fleeting...."
"The dream of striking it rich!!"
They had barely broken through the first room, only to get utterly wiped out in the second.
Furious heroes, their companions, and assorted others had banded together on a whim.
But as they kept banging their heads against the Land of Madness, they grew steadily stronger.
They were the type to coolly acknowledge their own weaknesses and shortcomings!
That mindset led them to decide it was better to select the four most suitable members for breaching the narrow paths of the Land of Madness, rather than sticking to fixed parties.
They began forming teams in a more fluid, pragmatic way.
One such raid team was assembled. They agreed to meet at an inn that evening.
Soon after, as the appointed time approached, the inn's door opened and a young man entered.
The young man approached the man at a secluded table in the corner.
"Um... are you Sekran?"
"Oh~ Hero Lowell! You've arrived."
"Hahaha... sorry I'm late."
Lowell, the rising hero making a name for himself lately in Raiter.
And Sekran, an upper-rank adventurer who skipped Sky Island expeditions to chase big scores in the dungeon.
The two men, with completely different temperaments, chatted while waiting for the other team members.
"I heard the rumors—Hero Lowell, you still don't have any companions? Is that true?"
"Not yet. That's why I've been going in with other senior heroes each time."
"Ah, so that's how you cleared the first room so often? But winter's approaching, and without companions, if the church suddenly issues a mobilization order...."
"That's my worry too. I might end up fighting alone in the 'dimensional rift.' Still, I won't rush into recruiting."
"You're right—companions for battling those monsters need careful selection. Hm? There's one of the people we're waiting for."
"Is that the famous adventurer Sekran recommended?"
"...Infamous, more like. Hey~ Eric! Over here!"
"Cedric, you're here? And that's—"
"I'm Lowell."
One of their teammates was none other than Eric, who couldn't stand not knowing something.
Right now, Eric was bored because Sky Island lacked the content he craved—unlike the other adventurers with eyes sparkling in excitement.
He remembered finding a riddle in the first room.
Thinking there might be a similar one in the second, he kept diving into the Land of Madness.
Before he knew it, he had become one of the top clearers of the first room in the city.
And since he was originally an excellent scout.
He took on map-making duties in the second room.
"Eric, now that we have a hero, please don't troll in the second room this time."
"..."
"Oh, no?"
"So that's why Eric has such a bad reputation.... Still, I heard your skills are top-notch, so I'll trust you."
"You can trust me for the first room."
"And the second?"
"..."
"Come on, say something!"
As Lowell watched Sekran and Eric bicker with a broad smile.
The door slowly opened again, as if someone else was entering the inn.
Soon, an elf woman with a poor complexion scanned the room and approached Lowell's group.
"Um, excuse me.... Are you...?"
"Aresa! You've arrived."
"Hm? You're the elf Sekran mentioned?"
"Here we are~"
"Please take care of me. I'm Aresa."
With severe dark circles and a huddled posture, the elf woman Aresa completed the team.
Now that everyone was assembled, they began final checks before entering the dungeon.
"Anyone who hasn't been a week since dying in the dungeon?"
"Mine's over."
"Same as Eric."
"M-me too."
The city had passed a law banning dungeon entry for a week after death.
The reason? Mental illness, obviously!
Thanks to the Celestial Church's tireless dedication, they discovered that repeated deaths within a week caused severe mental damage regardless of race. Now, one death meant a mandatory week off.
But what if you sneak in?
You respawn at the church after dying in the dungeon.
The church tracks everyone—who, when—so you'd get caught for sure!
"Alright, seems like we're all set. So, who's the leader...?"
"""The hero should do it."""
"M-me?"
"Who else? I'm just a regular adventurer. Hand it to Eric here, and the team'll implode in the Iron Labyrinth? And Aresa...."""
"""..."""
The three stared at Aresa, whose face turned ghastly, her stomach churning.
Thus, in a classic case of captain-passing like in info-age college group projects, Lowell got stuck with it.
He swallowed his sorrow, rallied the group, and entered the dungeon.
******************
Lowell's party entered the Land of Madness. After two failures, their coordination was improving—they fulfilled their roles and pressed forward.
"Magic bullet ahead!! Watch for arrow chain traps after!"
"G-golem behind!"
"This is a total shitshow!!"
"Sekran! Quit complaining and take out the golem fast! More traps will trigger!"
They had tackled the Land of Madness so many times that they had memorized the trap chain patterns.
They reached the midpoint of the first room smoothly.
But Aresa seemed to have trauma here—her face turned blue, she hyperventilated, and her body trembled.
"Huff...! Huff...!"
"Aresa! You okay?"
"F-fine... Hero."
"I've heard elves fainting in dungeons lately—this must be why. Maybe we should head back—"
"Eric, you know once we're this far, it's death or bust. Better push forward fast. Aresa? Can you at least cast a shield spell?"
"Th-that much... huff... I can. Sorry."
"We got here quick thanks to you, so don't beat yourself up."
"Uh...? Damn!! Magic bullet ahead! Everyone, forward now!"
One teammate was faltering.
But they had tons of experience with companions getting ejected mid-dungeon.
They doubled up on duties and advanced.
Still, with one slacking, gaps in defense were inevitable.
Piiing!
Puk!
"Urk?!"
"Eric! You good?!"
"N-not critical! Keep going! Almost there!"
Eric was injured, Aresa in panic, but the rest powered through somehow.
Plus, they met another raid team ahead, finally reaching the Iron Labyrinth.
"Senior! Thanks for the help!"
"No biggie. But Lowell, your team..."
"They'll be fine. Look."
"Fucking hate these arrows. Ughhh!"
"Hold still, man."
"Hoo... hoo... hoo...."
With Sekran's help, Eric pulled the arrow from his shoulder and got first aid.
Aresa's color returned once past her trauma spot.
The labyrinth entrance lacked armor golems if you arrived on time.
They could recover here before moving.
"If I could sell this arrow, how much you think it'd fetch?"
"Sekran... always about the money."
"You're one to talk? Sigh... turns to dust again."
The arrows from traps were enchanted with high-level magic.
Mages lined up to study them.
But they vanished after a time, impossible to take out.
Thus, massive bounties on them.
Sekran lamented not grabbing one right there.
"Alright, Eric looks mostly healed.... Aresa? You good?"
"...Y-yes, better. Sorry for the trouble earlier."
"Just do well from now on~ Hero! We're ready."
"Perfect timing! Senior's team was about to head out."
"Oh!! What luck!"
Super lucky—they synced with another team. The heroes introduced their members.
"But two mages?"
"Hahaha... easier to show than tell."
The mages grinned at the senior hero, then stripped off their tops.
Their bodies!!
"M-muscles?!"
"Better than mine?"
"I heard some mages work out. You guys?"
""Yes! I am!!""
That's right!! They weren't ordinary mages!
Power Mages!
Repeated stamina shows in the Land of Madness.
They discovered the joy of building muscle.
Once they got serious about training.
These power mages rivaled warriors in close combat—perfect hexagon talents among dungeon divers.
With these sturdy mages and a larger group.
They never timed out on armor golems.
They reached the labyrinth's end smoothly.
However....
"What's that?"
"O-oohhh!!"
"Hey!! Eric!"
Instead of the giant door to the third room.
A phrase beloved by curiosity-driven Eric was inscribed.
"Hm...?"
"E-Eric! What's it say?!"
"Looks like that phrase from Sky Island?"
"So not a riddle, just info?"
"Very likely."
"Safe enough to check.... Simple~ Touch the square spots on the wall from 5 to 10 people?"
"And more people makes it harder...."
"Heroes, what do we do?"
"No info on this phrase—we're surely the first here post-reopening. So...."
"We have to figure it out."
No prior intel meant high death risk ahead. Aresa paled.
But this far in, death or nothing.
The eight at the labyrinth's end steeled themselves and touched the wall.