Chapter 49: Dead Weight

After clearing the dungeon, we were introduced to a supposedly delicious restaurant in the dungeon town, where we enjoyed dinner with Ren and the others.

However, when they said “delicious,” it was only in comparison to the rest of this world’s cuisine—meaning it was just barely acceptable in taste.

The next day, we stayed overnight in the dungeon town and woke up for our second day of dungeon exploration.

Unlike yesterday, we wouldn’t have Ren and the others guiding us this time—we had to clear the dungeon on our own.

I was feeling pretty anxious… but with Sheila here, I felt like we could manage.

“Good morning, Sheila. I imagine today will be a lot more demanding on you, but please take care of us.”

“Likewise, let’s make safety our top priority.”

After exchanging greetings, we headed into the dungeon.

Our objectives were to gather magic crystals and collect drop items to earn currency in this world.

With a “value your life” mindset, we stepped into the dungeon.

Our formation had Mash on the right and Lime on the left.

Sheila led at the front, while I stayed in the middle, protected by the others.

Compared to yesterday, our flanks felt less secure, but I trusted them to watch my back.

Following Sheila’s lead, we progressed through the dungeon. She handled most of the monsters herself.

Only when multiple enemies appeared did Lime and Mash step in, ensuring we never fought while outnumbered.

Thanks to that, we hadn’t struggled even once so far.

Lime, in particular, performed far beyond expectations—this dimly lit dungeon perfectly suited his combat style of blending into the surroundings.

Even when facing an enemy directly, he would quickly circle around to their blind spot and take them down in an instant.

Unlike in our practice battles, where he had to hold back, Lime was now going for the kill, fully unleashing his potential.

The way he could swallow enemies whole was especially terrifying.

Even against creatures larger than himself, he had no trouble consuming them—so far, nothing had been able to stop him.

“I was a little worried, but this is going just as smoothly as yesterday.”

“Lime’s unexpected strength is a huge advantage. Mash is doing well, too. We should be able to reach the tenth floor without any issues… I can’t afford to fall behind, either.”

Seeing Lime’s exceptional performance, Sheila’s competitive spirit flared, and she flashed a battle-hungry smile.

I wanted to contribute, too… but I knew that the more I tried to help, the more I’d just get in the way.

The worst thing you can be in a group is a motivated incompetent.

Reminding myself of that, I focused on reaching the tenth floor.

Although our pace was slower than yesterday, we made it to the tenth floor without a single injury.

Sheila and Lime, pushing each other to perform even better, continued to dominate the monsters.

As Sheila got more into it, Mash gradually shifted to walking beside me, leaving the two of us to observe Sheila and Lime from behind.

Even in practice battles, Lime had shown glimpses of his strength, but this dungeon exploration proved once and for all that the idea of slimes being weak didn’t apply to him at all.

“Whew, we’ve arrived at the tenth floor. Sato, what should we do about the Minotaur?”

“Let’s avoid it. Lime has been surprisingly strong, but I don’t think he’d pair well against a Minotaur. I’d rather not take unnecessary risks.”

“Understood. In that case, let’s head back. Monster Rooms often appear suddenly on the way back, so we’ll need to be careful.”

Sheila’s casual remark was probably meant as a reminder to stay alert…

But as if answering the flag she had just raised, we soon discovered a freshly formed Monster Room on the ninth floor, even though we had just passed through there.

Unlike in roguelike games, where you only realize you’ve entered a Monster Room once you step inside, this one was visible from a distance.

We could clearly see the room was packed with monsters before even getting close.

That was the only silver lining.

Unfortunately, we had no way forward except through that room.

“Sato, this is a problem. There’s no way around it.”

“I don’t understand how this even works… We just came through here a moment ago.”

“Apparently, the dungeon’s magic energy can rapidly generate large numbers of monsters… But setting aside the theory behind it, what should we do? The safest option is to wait for other adventurers to come and clear it.”

“You mean leaving it to someone else? …Sheila, do you think we can defeat the monsters in there?”

“Yes. With Lime and Mash, I believe we can.”

“…Then let’s do it ourselves.”

Sheila’s suggestion—to wait for others—was the safest course of action.

But if we sat back and watched while other adventurers got overwhelmed, I knew I would regret it forever.

I wasn’t the kind of person who should be making decisions about fighting, considering I couldn’t contribute in battle.

Still, I didn’t want to choose an option that would leave me with regrets.

Resolving myself, I quickly devised a plan and approached the monster-filled floor.

The room was swarming with low-level monsters like Fang Deer, Goblins, and Vampire Bats.

None of them were particularly strong, but their sheer numbers made them dangerous.

To clear them quickly and safely, we had Sheila draw their attention with flashy movements while Lime, staying hidden, silently picked them off one by one.

Mash supported Sheila, and I stayed back to avoid interfering.

Against mindless monsters, our simple strategy worked perfectly.

As Lime steadily reduced their numbers from behind, Sheila and Mash rampaged from the front.

In no time, the cluster of monsters dwindled.

The battle ended far more smoothly than expected—we had successfully cleared the Monster Room.

“Sheila, Lime, and Mash—you were all amazing! Truly incredible!”

“You gave excellent instructions, Sato. Now, let’s stay focused and get out of here.”

After that, nothing unexpected happened, and we safely escaped the dungeon.

For a brief moment, I felt a sense of understanding between me and Mash.

But seeing his combat performance in the Monster Room, I was reminded once again—

I was the only dead weight in this party.

A twinge of guilt weighed on me, but more than anything, I was relieved we had cleared the dungeon without issue.

I decided I would do everything I could to support them in this winter’s dungeon season.

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