The dry wind hit us as soon as we entered the dungeon. It was cold and arid, tearing at our skin.

I coughed dryly, and the protagonist pulled out a cloth to wrap around my head, covering my mouth. My mouth felt gritty, so I scraped it with my finger and found a pinch of wet sand.

Rubyca and Onyxia were constantly spitting out sand-mixed saliva.

Claire didn't seem to approve of such uncouth behavior, but apparently seeing no alternative, she awkwardly followed their example and spat out sand.

After scraping out enough sand, I took a sip of water, rinsed my mouth lightly, and spat it out. Even then, sand remained in my mouth, making a gritty sound whenever I moved my jaw.

I covered my mouth with the cloth again and surveyed the landscape before me.

Barren land and air. Sand blowing in the wind. Rock formations carved into mushroom shapes by the relentless sandstorms.

Though we'd been briefed before entering the dungeon, it was still a striking sight.

Let me recap.

According to the guild's information, this dungeon had a desert terrain. However, it wasn't the endless sand dunes that typically come to mind when thinking of deserts.

How should I describe it?

A desert in the process of desertification? That sounds odd.

If I were to compare it to a similar landscape from my previous life, it resembled the Bisti Badlands in New Mexico. In gaming terms, it was like the terracotta terrain in sandbox games.

Sandstone and shale deposits rose high everywhere. The natural towers formed gentle slopes, and there were many mushroom-shaped rocks where the bases had been eroded while the tops remained less weathered. The layered sedimentary rock displayed distinct striped patterns.

It was a masterpiece crafted by sand and wind over time. Sand, being heavy, couldn't reach the higher parts. As a result, only the innocent lower portions were continuously eroded, creating these pillar formations.

—Or so I learned in school. Or was it from a survival series?

I kicked the ground, and it crumbled easily. It was dark red sand formed by shale layers that had crumbled and dried out over the years.

Therefore, the traps and monsters commonly found in sand desert dungeons wouldn't appear here, they said.

You know, things like quicksand pits, sandworms, and underground ruins hidden beneath the sand.

The most likely candidate for the dungeon's master was a manticore.

A monster with a human face on a lion's body, combined with bat wings and a scorpion tail. The guild apparently considered it to have a danger level comparable to a lesser dragon.

Even in my previous life, though not widely known, it was a creature with a notorious reputation in Arab regions, second only to dragons.

Its characteristics include thick hide, a tail that shoots poisonous spines, a robust physique, and high intelligence. Is it fair for one creature to have all that?

Just considering its raw specs makes it dangerous, but the most terrifying aspect of a manticore is that it's a man-eating monster.

Of course, the humanoid monsters we've faced before, as well as basilisks and drakes, aren't above eating humans either. But what sets the manticore apart is that it considers humans its primary food source.

In other words, it's a hunter well-versed in catching and eating people.

Our party tends to face monsters of equal or slightly higher level than other parties. Despite this, we've been able to complete quests safely because we act like hunters.

We clearly define our targets and gather as much information as possible. Then we formulate and execute the optimal strategy for our opponent.

Someone once said that a person who practices one kick ten thousand times is more fearsome than someone who practices ten thousand kicks once. That fits us perfectly.

Well, I sound smug, but this time the roles are reversed. We're the prey, and the manticore is the hunter. That's why we needed to sharpen our senses even more.

To avoid falling into the hunter's trap.

◆

We formed our formation and moved forward slowly.

As before, Onyxia and Rubyca were at the front.

Onyxia was responsible for scouting, and Rubyca protected her.

Claire was in the middle rank.

Armed with a shield and mace, Claire formed the party's core. In principle, the most experienced person should be in the center, but Claire was significantly less experienced compared to our party.

Therefore, we chose this arrangement to protect her safely. In truth, we didn't expect Claire to serve as a combat unit.

Divine Spells like detoxification, water creation, and purification. And using level 3 spells for emergency treatment if I suffered major backlash. That was the role our party expected from Claire.

*But no matter how I look at it, it seems awkward...*

Am I too accustomed to JRPGs?

When thinking of clergy, especially female clergy, one naturally imagines monks or priests. The image of someone holding a staff, focusing on recovery and utility skills from a distance.

But a cleric wearing armor, holding a shield and mace, and standing proudly in the front line? How should I put it—it feels like my world is crumbling...

*Then what about Amiel?*

Did she also once smash enemy skulls with that feminine body of hers?

Suddenly, the world seems right again.

In the rear were myself, Hazel the mage, and the protagonist.

It was the standard arrangement of placing mages at the very back with escorts. Yes, very logical and reasonable.

Actually, I had some influence in positioning Rubyca and the protagonist.

It couldn't be helped. My sharp intuition was screaming that if Onyxia and the protagonist were placed together, something unpleasant would definitely happen.

Looking back, whenever those two were together, how should I put it... yes, "events" tended to occur frequently.

A prime example was when they got isolated in the volcano dungeon last time.

A heroine with an injured ankle who couldn't walk. The two of them isolated in that situation. The two of them walking with their bodies pressed together out of necessity. Hearts shaking wildly due to the suspension bridge effect!

Onyxia... I'll admit it...

Female thieves truly are the most fickle profession.

Moreover, lately, the look in Onyxia's eyes when she gazed at the protagonist was different from before. Something must have happened during their time alone together.

Well, that is to say...

I wanted him to be by my side even during these trivial moments. Not by someone else's side.

I'm well aware that this is childish jealousy.

But what can I do? Love naturally makes people petty and mean-spirited.

After reaching that conclusion in my mind, I suddenly came to my senses.

Getting excited unconsciously whenever I become romantically entangled with the protagonist is one of my bad habits. I've realized this recently.

Even if the scout is leading the way, those in the back shouldn't let their guard down.

Many monsters target the rear of a party. Especially those with high intelligence or those that frequently encounter humans.

*And the manticore fits both criteria.*

Fortunately, we hadn't yet detected any traces of the manticore or other monsters.

Eavesdropping on Onyxia and Rubyca chatting at the front, it seemed even the scouting team had relaxed a bit and was enjoying the scenery while surveying the surroundings.

It was indeed a captivating landscape.

With bizarre stone pillars standing here and there, and the red and black stripes characteristic of sedimentary rock carved into the rugged cliffs, it felt like we had landed on an alien planet.

Is this what the landscape would look like if we set foot on Mars?

The red sand dust raised by the wind enhanced that feeling. It had a strongly mystical appearance.

"Hey, over there."

"There's something."

"Stop, stop!" Onyxia warned, raising her right hand. As agreed, we increased the distance between ranks. This was to prevent the entire party from being swept up in case of an emergency.

*Eggs?*

It was hard to see what had prompted the warning due to the distance, the two people blocking the view, and the sandstorm obscuring visibility. There did seem to be something round.

"Everyone come look!"

Onyxia called out after examining it for a while. As we approached, we saw stones that looked like cracked eggs scattered around.

"What does this look like to you?"

"Rocks."

"Aren't they just rocks?"

"They're rocks."

"Ah, is that so...?"

Onyxia sheepishly rubbed the back of her neck.

What the scout had discovered were rocks shaped like cracked eggs. Like the mushroom-shaped rocks, these were also natural formations created by weathering.

I knew this because I'd seen it in a book.

Amazing, survival knowledge! It's actually useful!

The scouting team had apparently thought these rocks were eggs or traces of some monster. But upon closer inspection, they just looked like ordinary stones, so they called us over for our opinions.

"It happens."

"Don't be too embarrassed."

The protagonist's and Claire's words of comfort seemed to be more like daggers to Onyxia. She groaned and twisted her neck around, clearly quite embarrassed.

Meanwhile, Rubyca was impressive for not batting an eye. Either she thought it was an understandable mistake, or she had thick skin.

As we continued moving among the strange rocks, a dark sand curtain loomed in the distance. It meant a strong wind was approaching.

"Wind's coming!"

Onyxia's useless warning passed by, and soon after, the storm hit us.

Cold temperature, dry air, fierce wind, and the fine sand carried with it.

It wasn't just a simple wind but more like a widespread attack carried out by nature. Since the area where the egg-shaped rocks were located was wide open, we took the full brunt of the cutting wind.

The best we could do was shield each other with our bodies and turn our backs to the wind.

Nestled in the protagonist's arms, I heard a buzzing sound from my ears, which I had flattened against my head to prevent sand from getting in.

*My goodness, how strong is this wind?*

That's what I thought at first, but listening carefully, it was a separate sound distinct from the wind.

Like something flapping wings in a confined space...

The wind that had hit us suddenly passed just as quickly. But the buzzing sound didn't subside; it grew louder.

Just as the party members quickly assumed combat positions, realizing something was approaching, the egg-shaped rocks split open, and beetles with shiny, greenish exoskeletons poured out with a buzzing sound.

It was a swarm of desert beetles.

"I was right!"

Onyxia's indignant cry, dripping with vindication, was drowned out by the sound of intense wing-beating.