Dungeons appear day and night.

Some are cleared, while others fail and result in rescue requests being issued.

As a result, it’s not uncommon to fulfill multiple rescue requests in a row, but this time, it seems the situation was different.

“Students who went to clear the dungeon have gone missing after submitting a rescue request, all five of them. Following that, the students who went to rescue them also went missing.”

Rescue operators are not assigned immediately.

In most cases, you have to rely on information from the field to make judgments.

“Rescue efforts have already failed twice, and the Aepis board has designated this as a B-rank dungeon. Therefore, we have requested the assistance of Mizuhi Teru, a B-rank explorer.”

“That makes sense. By the way, can I take the core from my academy?”

“Permission has been granted. Even if the rescuers are alive, the ownership of the core will be yours.”

“I understand. That said, Kei, would you accompany me a little longer?”

“Of course. Let’s buy some good meat, not half-price.”

I’ve been eating nothing but bean sprouts.

If necessary, I have one of my strategies, ‘Sorciera… What exactly is she?’ ready.

“Heh, you’re reliable. Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

Meat! Meat! Meat!

A fun fact about dungeons:

Dungeons are categorized into three types.

1. Dungeons that mimic environments suitable for the habitation of living organisms.
2. Dungeons that focus on machinery and scientific technology.
3. Dungeons based on myths and legends.

Dungeons always take inspiration from something when they appear in this world.

There are various reasons for this, but that’s not important right now.

By the way, troublesome dungeons are often those based on myths and legends.

In that sense, this one was probably better than most.

“—A machine-based dungeon?”

“Looks like it.”

We had arrived at the dungeon where the rescue request had come from.

We were on high alert for an attack as soon as we entered, but nothing happened.

At first glance, it seemed like a section of a hospital with white corridors.

“The formation is the usual. But if we can’t resolve it right away, we may need to retreat immediately.”

“Understood.”

We proceeded cautiously deeper into the dungeon.

A drone camera followed us from behind.

The operator seemed to be filming in order to gather information about the dungeon’s nature.

Hey, are you watching?

“Are you bothered by the camera?”

“It’s unsettling to be watched.”

“Haha, yeah, I suppose. Well, soon we won’t have time to worry about things like that.”

Though joking, Mizuhi-senpai’s expression was serious.

I’m glad I didn’t make a peace sign for the camera.

As we continued, we didn’t encounter any monsters and soon reached the innermost room where the rescue signal had originated.

“…It’s in here.”

“It looks like an operating room.”

A plate indicating “Operating Room” was nailed to the door.

However, it certainly wasn’t actually an operating room.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

Mizuhi-senpai kicked open the door.

At the same time, I drew my dagger and leaped inside.

Inside, there were three operating tables, and two girls were lying on them.

“—Miroku-senpai and Toa?”

Why????

In any case, Miroku-senpai and Toa-chan were lying on the operating tables in hospital gowns.

…Hmm? They should be at the academy, though.

Well, that doesn’t matter right now.

“Are you two alright?”

I rushed toward them.

But before I could reach them, fiery bullets struck the ground at my feet.

“Wait, Kei. Those are fakes.”

“Huh?”

Ignoring my dazed expression, Mizuhi-senpai remained unfazed and aimed her gun at the two girls.

“They would never go into a dungeon without permission, especially without telling me. That’s absolutely impossible.”

With a powerful declaration, Mizuhi-senpai aimed each of her guns and pulled the trigger without hesitation.

The bullets that were fired precisely pierced the heads of the two individuals. Quite the deadly intent.

“How is it? Is there any blood?”

“…No.”

The brains of the two that were shot were empty.

Mizuhi-senpai snorted in disinterest.

“Most likely, they took down other explorers using the same method. A dungeon that reads the target’s memories and impersonates acquaintances… It definitely matches a B-level dungeon.”

‘But now that the trick has been exposed, it should be possible to conquer.’

Just as I was about to agree with the operator’s words, something happened.

The fake Miroku-senpai on the operating table suddenly rose and stepped off the table.

I raised my dagger and shouted.

“Mizuhi-senpai, let’s do the usual thing!”

“Ah.”

I dashed forward. Against the fake Miroku-senpai, who didn’t even bother to brace for an attack, I swung my dagger.

I infused it with a paralysis poison derived from magic, something close to a concept itself.

However, the moment I struck, it felt as though I had shattered pottery, and the fake’s arm crumbled away.

“What!?”

The fake didn’t seem paralyzed at all. It continued walking toward Mizuhi-senpai.

But the appearance gradually began to change.

“—A, ah, ah… yeah, this should do it.”

The previously blue hair began to shift as though being rewritten.

The hair turned pink, stretching down to the waist.

And the eyes turned jade green.

It was no longer Miroku-senpai’s figure.

“…Sensei?”

A stunned voice slipped from Mizuhi-senpai’s lips.

Ah, this person is the so-called sensei.

Huh? Isn’t this Sakuraba Rakka?

Does this mean Sensei = Sakuraba Rakka? Wait, what does that mean?

Unlike Mizuhi-senpai, my head was filled with question marks.

But since I was already close to Mizuhi-senpai, I swung my dagger again.

A surprise attack from the left side.

However, it was stopped effortlessly with a gentle touch, as if caressing a baby’s hand.

Huh?

“Ah, I see, I see. Yeah, that’s dangerous.”

Saying that, it casually took my dagger and threw it into the ceiling, impaling it.

Ah, my precious weapon!

“Well, well, it’s been a while, Mizuhi. While I was away, I hope you’ve been protecting the academy?”

“!”

Mizuhi-senpai pulled the trigger.

Water and flames shot from the two barrels of her guns.

However, it scattered before the figure like petals in the wind.

Without me noticing, the figure twirled the spear they had been holding and laughed.

“I know your weapon is highly lethal. But you tend to rely on it too much. Did I say that before?”

Their words seemed to suggest they knew Mizuhi-senpai very well.

Just a moment ago, it had to have taken a different form.

It was supposed to have been shot in the head.

But the current figure, no, the woman, looked unmistakably like…

“Sakuraba Rakka herself…!?”

“Oh, the new face over there is quick on the uptake. Well then, let’s die quickly.”

“!!”

Before I knew it, a spear was thrust toward me.

Teleportation, skipping attack steps—various explanations came to mind based on my knowledge of the original work, but none of them were valid.

It didn’t seem like any ability was used.

This was an attack purely from skill, likely a form of martial arts.

I dodged it by shifting my body.

Then, after a brief pause, bullets flew toward Sakuraba Rakka.

“Oops, that was close.”

Sakuraba Rakka easily avoided it, showing no sign of concern, and distanced herself.

Mizuhi-senpai stepped forward, shielding me as I had lost my weapon.

Her expression was the most severe I had ever seen.

“Operator, tell the Aepis Council to upgrade this dungeon to A-rank.”

“A-rank!? But mimicking a form alone doesn’t qualify as an A-level threat.”

“Did you think that’s just a mimic of a form?”

Mizuhi-senpai cut in, continuing sharply.

“Miroku and Toa’s imitation was only the initial approach to me. I can tell, having been with Sensei. That’s almost exactly like the original. This dungeon’s essence is—”

“The dungeon’s goal is to recreate the strongest person from the target’s memories. You’ve been paying attention.”

Sakuraba Rakka said this like she was speaking to a student.

“Well then, let’s get this over with and kill them.”

“…Be careful, Kei. You know this, but Sensei is strong. The three of us—Miroku, Toa, and I—couldn’t even lay a finger on her. She’s the strongest explorer.”

“Yes… wait, what?”

Huh?

I don’t know, but that sounds scary…