At the entrance to the 25th floor, the Astraea Familia prepared to establish their camp. The site they selected was tucked along a small offshoot path that deviated slightly from the main route—secluded, yet marked as safe.
After walking a bit farther down that narrow trail, they discovered a cave nestled at the base of the slope. Akira and the others decided to settle there for the night. According to the guild's maps, this location had long been designated as a potential resting spot on the 25th floor.
When an expedition team decides to rest in the Dungeon, the very first thing they must do is alter the terrain.
Using weapons, they smashed parts of the dungeon walls and floor—this trick forced the Dungeon to enter a repair state, halting monster spawns in the immediate area for a short period.
Next came the setup. A few members were posted at the cave's entrance and exit to guard against stray monsters wandering in. Meanwhile, Akira and a few others quickly eliminated the monsters already inside, clearing the cave of threats.
At the same time, others wielded axes and hammers to strike large cracks into the cave walls, reinforcing the "safety zone" effect.
Once all the monster bodies were dragged outside, Akira stepped forward and used water magic to cleanse the bloodstains from the cave floor. Afterward, a burst of fire magic quickly dried the moisture, leaving the space clean and dry.
With the base now secured, everyone jumped into action.
Akira, Alise, and Ryuu took turns guarding the cave entrance. Kaguya and the two elder sisters were responsible for tonight's dinner. The rest of the party moved efficiently to set up tents and organize their temporary base.
Thankfully, the Astraea Familia wasn't a massive group. A team of their size only required a few travel packs and with Akira's [Backpack], carrying essential supplies was far more convenient.
If this had been a massive expedition like the ones led by Loki Familia—with dozens of members—the very first step would've been building a fully functional base camp.
A group that large carried an enormous variety of supplies. If not meticulously organized and maintained, confusion and losses would become inevitable.
And with the amount of gear they brought, it all had to be securely loaded into solid, reinforced cargo crates to ensure stability, protection, and easy access during emergencies.
Fortunately, for this smaller party, everything moved smoothly.
After a flurry of activity, the tents were finally erected.
Standing proudly in front of their neatly arranged shelter, Lyra admired their work with a satisfied nod.
Then she turned toward the cave entrance and called out loudly, "Akira, take those things out."
Hearing the call, Akira stepped back into the cave, a slightly puzzled look on his face.
"Uh, what things? You know this backpack's stuffed full—how am I supposed to know what you're talking about?"
Lyra crossed her arms with a sigh and said matter-of-factly, "The weapon maintenance tools. Let's get everyone's weapons serviced before dinner."
"Oh, that's what you meant." Akira's eyes lit up with realization. He crouched down and began rummaging through his [Backpack].
Moments later, he pulled out a full set of weapon maintenance gear—whetstones, polishing powder, clean cloths, and a few other handy supplies.
Although Lyra wasn't a professional blacksmith, she had a thirst for knowledge and enjoyed learning new skills. Weapon maintenance, bomb-crafting, and a dozen other survival tricks were all part of her growing arsenal.
Once everyone's weapons—Ais's included—had been checked and serviced, a delicious aroma wafted through the air.
Kaguya's dinner was ready.
Maryuu arrived with a tray of steaming food and laid it on a makeshift table conjured by Akira's ice magic. Although it appeared to be made of ice, Akira had neutralized the chill, leaving it with a smooth, stone-like texture.
It was solid, comfortable, and surprisingly luxurious.
At that moment, Noin lounged back in her ice chair, a wide grin of satisfaction on her face as she stretched her limbs and let out a contented sigh.
"Mmm~ this is so nice. Ever since Akira joined, our expeditions have felt like luxury retreats. Best decision ever!"
After all, before Akira joined, they had been eating while squatting on the cave floor.
Seated beside her, Neze nodded in agreement. She stared curiously at the translucent tabletop, reached out, and gently ran her hand across the surface.
"Right? Honestly, I never thought I'd be this comfortable while deep inside the Dungeon."
Their words brought chuckles and smiles from the others. Spirits were high as everyone sat around the table and dug in.
Kaguya had prepared a dish from the Far East: a salted rice porridge topped with golden egg drops, shredded meat, diced vegetables, and bits of dried fruit. The scent alone whetted everyone's appetite.
Soft bread, golden-crusted steak, and glasses of chilled juice completed the spread.
For a brief moment, the girls forgot they were in the middle of an expedition.
Alise inhaled her bowl of porridge at lightning speed. Her cheeks flushed, and she mumbled through a mouthful of food, face filled with childlike bliss.
"Mmm~ it's delicious! So good! Hot food after a workout... I need another bowl!"
At her words, the others reflexively began eating faster—no one wanted to miss out on seconds.
Meanwhile, Akira sat at the edge of the table, idly chewing as he looked up and asked casually, "By the way, does anyone feel like taking a bath tonight?"
Asta, caught off guard by the question, blinked a few times and tilted her head. "Huh? There's a pool nearby? If I have to run all the way to the waterfall, forget it. That's way too far."
Akira waved his hand and pointed toward the vacant patch of land beside the cave.
"No need to go through all that trouble. We'll just dig a hole over there."
Everyone turned to stare at him, baffled.
"Dig... a hole?"
Confusion was written across every face.
Even if they dug a hole, how were they supposed to fill it? Water wasn't exactly infinite on expeditions.
Kaguya narrowed her eyes and said bluntly, "If you've got a plan, spit it out already."
Akira set down his bowl, crossed his arms confidently over his chest, and gave a smug little grin.
"Hehehe... would you girls like to soak in a nice, relaxing hot spring tonight?"
"Hot spring!?" The entire group's jaws dropped in shock.
(End of Chapter)
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