“So, Luke, why were you wandering around alone?”

Apart from novices, from the regular rank onward, explorers are evaluated based on their ability to survive solo on each floor.
In other words, once someone is deemed capable of surviving alone on the first floor, they officially receive the regular rank as a true explorer.
Therefore, a senior explorer should be more than capable of navigating the second floor alone.

But that’s the standard for typical circumstances.
In unusual situations like this one, those standards may not apply.

“I was out investigating the current situation.”
“Investigating?”
“Yes, I’m directly affiliated with the Alliance.”

Being directly affiliated with the Alliance could mean two things.

One, it could mean that the person hasn’t joined any other group or has no intention of joining one, so they work solely for the Alliance.
The second possibility is that the Alliance has specifically contracted them, assigning them various tasks.

While Ray and Leif were examples of the former, Luke was the latter.

“Hmph… Would they really entrust such an important task to someone of senior rank?”

Ray openly expressed her doubts.

Luke, however, remained calm, not showing any signs of offense.

“I understand. It’s natural to be skeptical. But the truth is, the Alliance doesn’t have as many resources as you might think.”

According to Luke, the number of people the Alliance could rely on was limited, and even fewer were available for immediate dispatch because many were already deployed elsewhere.

That actually made sense.
From an explorer’s point of view, there’s no real need to work for the Alliance, especially for high-ranking individuals.
While the Alliance offers stability and good support, the higher the rank, the more those benefits start to feel like shackles.

Besides, support isn’t exclusive to the Alliance. Large guilds or schools often provide similar resources.
Some say that guilds operating on the front lines have a better understanding of the needs in the field and can offer more appropriate support.

“And though it’s not exactly my style to say this, I’m fairly capable. From the Alliance’s perspective, I was the optimal choice.”

He sounded convincing.

Plus, rather than fleeing when he sensed a battle nearby, Luke chose to help.
If he were some scavenger looking to loot the bodies of dead explorers, his equipment wouldn’t be so professional.

‘His gear is too focused on combat.’

Scavengers usually pack light, prioritizing escape and evasion.
They’d carry smoke bombs and other tools to avoid fights rather than confront them.

Luke’s loadout, however, was the standard setup for someone expecting combat.

“Alright, I understand.”

When I accepted Luke’s explanation, he brought up another point.

“By the way, are all three of you novices? If you’ve just graduated from the training center, your probation period for regular promotion shouldn’t be over yet, right?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”

There’s a mandatory three-month probation period.
No matter how skilled someone is, they aren’t allowed to apply for promotion until this period is over.

Apparently, there have been too many cases where overly confident novices rushed into the Abyss after promotion, only to die tragically because they didn’t fully understand the dangers.
That’s why the probation period exists—so they can learn through experience.

“No matter how skilled you are, this place is dangerous for novices. Sometimes, situations arise that can only be dealt with through experience, no matter how much skill you possess.”

Luke was firm in his warning, especially considering the current situation.

“You should head back up. I’ll guide you. I’ve already secured a gate leading to the first floor.”

It’s the duty of experienced explorers to look out for promising rookies.
There was something about Luke’s calm, emotionless delivery that made his offer seem genuine.

However…

“I’m sorry.”

I couldn’t accept his offer.

“We’ll have to decline.”
“Why? If traveling together is uncomfortable, I can just give you directions. Even though the labyrinth’s structure changes periodically, it won’t shift for at least another month. You’ll be fine.”
“We appreciate the offer, but we’ve seen too little of the second floor to leave just yet. We plan to explore a bit more before heading up.”
“…I see. An explorer must make their own decisions and not be swayed by others. I understand. Even so, I’ll guide you to the gate. You never know what dangers might arise on the way, and you might change your mind.”

After the conversation reached that point, I couldn’t ignore the intense looks from Ray and Leif, so I stepped away from Luke to discuss with them.
As soon as I stood up, they followed.

We rounded a corner, and Ray immediately confronted me.

“Roman, do you really trust that guy?”
“Hmm, I don’t trust him 100%, but I can’t say I’m completely suspicious either.”
“I’m with Ray. He’s trying too hard to tag along. It’s suspicious!”
“Leif, your voice.”
“Ah! Sorry!”

Ray and Leif were whispering among themselves, convinced that Luke had some hidden agenda, just like others we had encountered.

“For now, let’s stick with him.”
“Again?”
“We need to secure the gate to the first floor. That’s the biggest challenge of the second floor. If Luke really intends to guide us there, great. If not, we can always turn the tables on him like before.”

Honestly, I didn’t get the feeling that Luke was a scammer.

“Well, if Roman says so…”
“…Okay. But if things seem off, we act immediately. Got it?”

And so, we decided to continue traveling with Luke for the time being.

On the second floor, it’s hard to keep track of time.
Being in a labyrinth means there’s no day or night to gauge the time by.
With the ceiling blocking the sky, we couldn’t see the stars or the moon either.

But there is a way to tell time, even on the second floor.

It’s through the light.

In fact, the second floor gets brighter at night.

“These are glow mushrooms.”

Luke pointed to the greenish, glowing mushrooms growing on the ground.

“They start glowing in the evening, getting brighter as the night progresses. They don’t glow during the day. That’s why we adjust our schedules when exploring the second floor, moving around during the night when it’s dark outside.”

Changing the schedule is tricky.
But to explore the second floor, it’s better to adjust.
While you could use light magic or torches, they consume magic, no matter how little.

It’s more efficient to explore at night, using the glowing mushrooms as natural light.

“It’s pretty bright. Could we use these instead of light magic?”

When Ray tried to pick a mushroom, Luke stopped her.

“If you pluck it, the light will fade. It won’t go out immediately—it’ll last for about an hour, so it’s usable in a pinch. But it’s best not to waste them unless necessary.”
“So someone else might need it more?”
“That, and the mushroom is poisonous. It’s harmless while growing, but once picked, it releases toxins. It’s not too difficult to withstand the effects once or twice, but the poison builds up. Most novice explorers die after picking five.”

Then shouldn’t you say it’s deadly, not just painful?

Luke seemed knowledgeable and explained things well, but something about him was a bit off.

“Well then, I wonder how many I could handle.”

Compared to the muscle-brained beastfolk beside me, who saw toxic tolerance as a strength test, Luke wasn’t so bad.

As we continued down the path, Luke commented,

“There are fewer monsters around here, probably because the area was recently cleared out. This strengthens my theory.”
“Your theory? About what?”
“Hm…”

Luke hesitated, as if unsure whether to share this information.
But after a moment, he spoke up.

“I suspect this situation is due to a layer outbreak.”
“A layer outbreak?”

The term referred to when monsters moved from one floor to another, something that wasn’t supposed to happen.
Layer breaches occur through hidden paths rather than gates, making them a natural disaster that explorers can’t prevent.

“But is that even possible? The third floor…”
“Damn.”
“What is it?”

Before I could finish my question, Luke suddenly spoke, followed by a sigh.

He pointed to a section of the wall.

A deep gouge was carved into the stone, with faint, glittering dust left behind.

“It’s the mark of a Sentinel. This wasn’t its territory before, but it seems someone provoked it.”
“Sentinel? You mean the Ceramic Centaur?”
“That’s what it’s also called.”

No, “Ceramic Centaur” is its official name, while Sentinel is just a nickname used by explorers.
Wasn’t this the same guy who was so keen on emphasizing the importance of foundations? How can he mess this up?

‘Actually, considering that the official name was given by scholars who study the Abyss and that Sentinel is a term coined by explorers who actually venture into the Abyss, maybe the latter has more credibility.’

My internal debate was interrupted by Ray’s excited voice.

“A Sentinel! That’s one of the strongest creatures on the second floor, right?”
“Not the strongest, but it’s definitely one of the toughest. Their strength varies from individual to individual.”
“Still! It’s strong, right? I really want to fight one. Roman, what do you think?”

As the team leader, the final decision rested with me, not Luke.

Although Luke acted as something of a guide, he was still just a guest member.

“Think carefully, Roman. Sentinels are formidable opponents. There’s no guarantee we can defeat one with just the three of us. I know a way around it. It’s safer to avoid a fight. Curiosity is the essence of exploration, but sometimes it can cost you your life.”

Luke’s words flowed smoothly, revealing his reluctance to face the Sentinel.

I was torn.

Rationally, I knew Luke’s advice was sound.
But the desire to face a powerful enemy tempted me.

‘If I defeat such a strong opponent, could I elevate my rank?’

The fastest way to improve your rank is through battle with powerful foes.

You can also rise through meditation and self-reflection, but that’s a much slower process.

“Um… Roman?”
“Yeah?”
“Well…”

Leif approached me carefully and whispered something in my ear.

Her words tipped the balance in my mind.

“We’re going.”