〈Floor: 1〉
"Come on, crew! Let's hurry up and beat this commission!"
Kaoru Tsukishima and Kōkaidan were running through a grassland, chasing a runaway rabbit.
〈Commission: Catch *Runaway Bunny.*〉
Kaoru leapt into the air, grabbed the rabbit with two hands, and held firm as it kicked in her arms.
"Bad rabbit! You're going back to your owner!"
Walking over to an elderly goblin in a robe, she handed the bunny over. "Here you are, madame! One rebellious bunny, safe and sound!"
The woman happily took her pet. "Thank you, darling! What would I ever do without you?"
〈Commission Complete. Relocating to *Next* Floor.〉
The scoreboard popped up just as the gate opened.
〈2nd Place: Kōkaidan. Points: 70.〉
"Hmm," Kaoru analyzed. "Not a bad start! But we can do better!"
〈Floor: 17〉
"Hurry the hell up. We've got a mountain to climb."
Kōichi Kamishiro and Eikaidan dragged a large house up a stone mountain. Kōichi sat on the roof, tossing a die in the air, while the division members tugged and groaned.
〈Commission: Return the *House* to its proper position.〉
"Sir…" one complained. "You could help, you know…"
Kōichi caught his dice, glaring at the hunter. "Did you just talk back to your leader?"
"N—-no, sir!"
The hunters quickly pulled faster, eventually reaching the top, where a tall stork was waiting.
"My thanks, travelers," the stork said. "I do have a habit of losing my house often. Some people find it odd."
"No more odd than a talking bird," Kōichi replied. "We're out."
〈Commission Complete. Relocating to *Next* Floor.〉
The gate opened.
〈4th Place: Eikaidan. Points: 50.〉
"So even Kaoru is beating us. I'm about to start rigging this shit. To hell with this."
He lazily walked through the gate.
〈Floor: 58〉
Mizuki Saionji and Seikaidan were inside a dojo, watching as a kappa in a karate outfit performed a flurry of martial arts moves.
"Now," he boasted. "Which of you can beat me?"
〈Commission: Defeat Sensei Kappa.〉
Mizuki stood up, as quiet and refined as ever. "I'll do it."
"Oh? You look young. You sure you want to do this?"
She nodded, taking her place. Sensei Kappa got into a fighting stance. "Okay. Don't say I didn't warn you!"
He threw a fist at her forehead, but she appeared to move in slow motion.
"Jugen-Sōunsha: Cursed Transmission."
Instantly, her body reacted, dodging as he swung again and again. After he tired himself out, she delivered a powerful kick to his face, sending him crashing into his weapon rack.
"Ow! Ow! My back! Okay, fine! You win! But I want my rematch!"
"I'll have to decline," she said, politely. "I'm in a bit of a hurry."
〈Commission Complete. Relocating to *Next* Floor.〉
The kappa stood up. "Wait! Can I at least get your number?"
Mizuki took her phone out and tossed it behind her, and the kappa caught it.
"That's…not what I meant."
Mizuki watched as the scoreboard appeared.
〈3rd Place: Seikaidan. Points: 60.〉
"Unsatisfactory. Come on, hunters."
She dove through the gate.
〈Floor: 164〉
"RAHHHH!"
All of Rekkaidan watched as Gakuto Miyama arm wrestled a giant orc inside a tavern, with neither giving an inch.
"You'll break," the orc taunted.
"Never!" Gakuto refused. "For my people!"
Gakuto headbutted the orc, causing him to lose his focus. The moment he did, Gakuto pinned his arm to the table.
"I win!"
"You cheated!"
"That's not what the dungeon says!"
〈Commission Complete. Relocating to *Next* Floor.〉
"Oh, come on!"
Gakuto stood up. "Now if you'll excuse us, we've got some colleagues to chase."
〈5th Place: Rekkaidan. Points: 40.〉
"40? Is it because I cheated?"
The orc pointed and laughed. "Haha! Have fun catching up now, loser!"
"Watch yourself!" Gakuto warned. "We might be fifth for now, but we're gonna come back like it's a new season!"
He ran headfirst into the gate.
Floor 341—-
〈7th Place: Sōkaidan. Points: 0.〉
A wave of ice cut through the UI.
"SEVENTH PLACE?"
The members of Sōkaidan watched as Yuka Natori stood in front of the scoreboard, ripples of ice emitting off her in waves. When she turned around, her eyes were as icy as frost.
"Get moving. This travesty will not stand."
"Ma'am, yes, ma'am!" the hunters replied.
Yuka took in her surroundings: a massive snowy mountain range, with fierce winds and a citadel at the top. A waypoint emitted from the citadel.
〈Waypoint: 700m〉
"I see," she thought. "So that's where the quest is."
Her eyes glowed light blue. "Jugen-Mahōshi: Shimotsuki Raisan no Washi."
A massive eagle of ice formed beneath her and her division's feet, carrying them upward toward the citadel. Once they were above it, the eagle disappeared, allowing them to land on the pathway to the entrance.
"If you see anything, attack," Yuka ordered. "Hesitate, and you forfeit your life."
The division followed close behind as Yuka stalked through the halls, frost coating the floor beneath her. Once they reached the end, a large door waited for them.
"This must be it."
Yuka casually pushed it open, and an old figure in a coat was standing in its Great Hall, the walls littered with weapons and banners.
"Greetings," the man welcomed. "Kaitansha?"
Yuka nodded. "Indeed. You are the client, I presume?"
"Yes. I've been waiting for ages. This Hall has been empty far too long."
"Speak your plight," Yuka ordered.
"A couple of weeks ago, my party went to explore the catacombs below. They never returned, but I hear whispers and voices every night I spend in this citadel. Would you mind checking it out for me?"
"We shall investigate," Yuka confirmed. "I expect the reward to be great."
"And that it will," the man assured. "My thanks."
Yuka turned around, heading for the exit. "Hunters. To me."
As quickly as they came, they exited to the front of the citadel, where a new waypoint emerged, directing them to the base of the mountain.
〈Waypoint: 1200m〉
"So that's where it is…" Yuka noted. "Easy enough."
Without warning, she jumped off the edge, leaving her subordinates stunned.
"Ma'am?" one called out.
A brilliant beam of light flashed, and the ice eagle soared next to them, with Yuka's commanding voice ringing out.
"Onward. The more we dawdle, the greater the score tilts away from us."
With her crew on the eagle's back, it swooped down, landing in front of the waypoint. What waited for them was a pair of steel doors, and a sign that read: "Home of the Dead."
〈Commission Accepted: *Explore* the Catacombs.〉
With a blast of frost, the doors shattered into pieces of ice, allowing Yuka and her hunters to advance.
"Eyes peeled."
The interior of the catacomb was dark, grim, and had skulls littered along the walls. It spanned multiple passageways.
〈Exploration Progress: 0%〉
"A progress meter," Yuka mused. "The best course of action is to split up. Samyaku kids! You're with me."
Three sandy-haired triplets, two boys and a girl, emerged from the pack, giving Yuka a curt bow.
"The rest of you, split up into teams of five and take a passage. If nothing arises, meet back here in half an hour."
At her command, they split up, each taking a different path. Yuka was left alone with the trio. She gave them one glance as she prepared to enter the last tunnel.
"Even though you are new, I will not coddle you," she assured. "Watch carefully, and don't slip up."
"Yes, ma'am!" they replied.
With that, they entered the tunnel.
Catacomb Tunnels—-
The trio, Baruto, Bakuō, and Shino, stuck close by Yuka as she scouted ahead. The ceiling above briefly glowed a few times.
"Miss Yuka," Bakuō worried. "What if there's ghosts down here?"
"Be serious," Shino scoffed. "Ghosts don't exist."
"They do! I read about them in this newspaper article!"
Shino nudged Baruto, who was seemingly oblivious to their conversation, digging in his ear. "Baruto, please tell him ghosts aren't real."
"Eh? Sure. Yeah."
Shino groaned, just as Yuka turned around to glare at them with a cold stare.
"…"
"Sorry, Miss Yuka!" the kids immediately apologized.
Yuka formed an eagle of ice in her hand, and just as the kids braced for impact, she threw it upward.
BOOM.
〈Enemy Defeated: +15〉
Bakuō looked up, confused. "W—what was that?"
"Your immature banter has drawn the attention of enemies," Yuka explained. "This will be your first lesson."
Skeleton-like entities dropped from the ceiling, brandishing swords and glaives.
〈Enemy: Skeleton Mirages of the Past. Enemy Effect: Unless *Core* is hit, all Skeletons will revive and grow in size.〉
"Core?" Shino questioned. "What's a core?"
"The thing you hit," Yuka explained.
A skeleton reached out in an attempt to grab her, but Yuka grabbed its arm without looking and slammed it into the ground, before crushing the skull with her heel.
〈Enemy Defeated: +1〉
"Don't just stand there! Attack!"
More skeletons dropped from above, swarming the triplets.
"Just like we practiced," Shino stated.
"R—right!" Bakuō agreed.
Baruto yawned. "Uh-huh."
A skeleton swung its sword at Shino, and she put her hand up, flicking her fingers.
"Jugen-Metsusha: Yubisaki Mekken!"
A vector shot out, erasing the skeleton.
〈Enemy Defeated: +1〉
"Do your thing, boys!"
Baruto ducked under a pair of spears from the skeletons near him, clasping his hands together and forming a large greatsword between them.
"Jugen-Tōshi: Retsudan Senmetsu no Sūken."
The force of the sword sent the skeletons stumbling back, and Baruto swung his sword in an arc, cleaving right through them.
〈Enemy Defeated: +2〉
Three skeletons backed Bakuō into a corner, who held up his hands. "Wait! Wait! I'm not ready!"
The skeletons began grabbing his face and arms.
"Seriously, Bakuō?" Shino groaned. "Tighten up!"
"Erm…Jugen-Henshōsha: Kōya Funnu no Jūgyū!"
His body shifted into that of a large, feral black bison, and with a grunt, he charged right through the skeletons, impaling them with his horns.
〈Enemy Defeated: +3〉
"Nice!" Shino cheered. "Miss Yuka, I think we're done here!"
An eagle swooped from Yuka's back, carrying dozens of skeletons away.
〈Enemy Defeated: +36〉
"No," Yuka corrected. "You're not."
〈Enemy Revived: +40〉
"Aww, man!" Shino complained. "I thought we did great."
"The core," Yuka reminded them. "Not every enemy can be beaten with force alone."
Baruto decapitated a skeleton, holding up its head.
"Is this the core?"
Shino knocked it out of his hands. "No, you dumbass! Stop picking up skulls!"
"Then you pick it up."
Shino slapped her forehead, just as another swarm of skeletons emerged from the walls, forcing Yuka to blast them.
"Arguing is only a hindrance to your mission," Yuka scolded. "You've been staring at the core all along, yet you fail to see it."
The kids paused, and Shino looked up. There was a large sac above them, squirting out skeletons.
"Not everything is a complex puzzle," Yuka continued. "As a hunter, you'll find even the most dangerous rooms hold the simplest answers."
"THAT'S the core?" Bakuō gasped.
The downed skeletons grew larger, their weapons doing the same. One grabbed at Yuka, who flipped over its head, freezing it solid.
"Hit it," she commanded.
Shino prepared to use her skill, but a skeleton jumped in front of the sac just as she did so, erasing itself in the process. More surrounded the sac.
"Are they…protecting their core?" Shino questioned.
"Maybe they don't wanna die?" Bakuō suggested.
"That's stupid," Baruto yawned. "Everything dies. Plus, they're already dead."
A skeleton gladiator grabbed Baruto, trapping him in between its arms. Baruto tilted his sword, stabbing the skeleton through the chest and causing it to collapse.
"See?" Baruto pointed out. "Bones and teeth."
It reformed behind him, and Shino erased it with a flick of her fingers. "Gosh, you really are stupid."
Yuka froze more skeletons as she watched the kids stare at the sac.
"If they're gonna protect that thing with their lives, maybe we should just use an overwhelming attack," Shino proposed. "Bakuō, me and Baruto are gonna jump on your back. Use those gym legs and slam into the ceiling. Then we can use our Jugen to hit it at once."
"Why do I have to be the one slamming into the ceiling?" Bakuō argued.
"Because you're a big ass boar, duh!"
"Bison!"
"Same thing!"
Bakuō squatted, aiming his horns straight at the sac. Sure enough, more skeletons popped out, forming a shield to block it.
"Hyah!"
He sprang upward, hitting the skeleton wall. Baruto spun his sword in an arc, cleaving them all in half. As soon as the path was clear, Shino aimed her fingers.
"3…2…1…Strike!"
Her skill hit the sac, causing it to shake, rupture, and finally disappear, along with all the remaining skeletons.
〈Enemy Defeated: +112〉
"Bang bang, bitches!" she bragged.
Bakuō landed on the ground, and his siblings hopped off. Once he shifted back to normal, they bowed before Yuka.
"Was that acceptable, Miss?" Shino asked.
"No," Yuka replied, coldly. "That was a mere appetizer."
〈Exploration Progress: 21%〉
"You'll need to be far more composed and aware of your surroundings," she warned. "While you were fighting, I've noticed something."
A shadow watched from behind her, before hurrying and disappearing.
"We're not in this place alone. Something's hunting."
——