Published: January 24, 2026
The second largest city of the Nohitant Kingdom—Tsutolairu.
Once a peaceful city bustling with trade and explorers, its atmosphere was now beginning to change.
Reports of damage caused by demonic beasts appearing on the surface were coming in from all over, and an air of unease drifted through the streets.
People feared the threat of these beasts baring their fangs in everyday life; merchants struggled with halted logistics, and those involved in governance were burdened with city defense and financial strain.
The conquest of the Great Labyrinth was no longer a dream or a symbol of honor for explorers.
It had transformed into an urgent supreme task that the entire world wished for and was forced to pursue.
This sentiment spread to the explorers themselves, who started facing the Great Labyrinth with greater seriousness than ever before.
The air of Tsutolairu, mixed with expectation and anxiety, was wrapped in a tense edge.
Various explorer parties and clans had stepped forward to conquer the Great Labyrinth, but at the center of it all was still the Silver Rabbits of the Night Sky.
With the country’s largest organizational strength and numerous achievements, they had earned the trust of the people.
Now, their movements dictated the hopes and fears of Tsutolairu’s citizens.
—That was precisely why they could not afford to stop.
At the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky Headquarters, executives and influential sponsors gathered for a meeting on the Great Labyrinth conquest.
The heavy doors closed, cutting off the outside noise, and inside the room, a tense silence spread.
As all eyes around the round table turned to one voice, it was Selma, leading the clan’s explorers, who spoke first.
Bearing the responsibility of an executive, she quietly inhaled.
Though her tension was more noticeable than usual, without a trace of hesitation, she spoke.
“—To put it bluntly, under the current circumstances, it would be extremely difficult to conquer the Great Labyrinth even with our clan’s strongest unit, the first squad.”
Her clear voice filled the room, stirring a slight murmur.
Selma faced the atmosphere directly and continued.
“The theory is that dungeon exploration is carried out in ‘parties’ of four to six people grouped together.”
Her tone remained calm as she went on.
“The larger the party, the more difficult coordination becomes, and demonic beasts have the habit of being attracted to places where people gather. That’s why the optimal approach has always been to go with a small, elite group—individuals with high personal ability.”
Up to this point, it was common knowledge understood by everyone.
But Selma pressed further.
“However, at present, our clan does not have an explorer who can be called an absolute ace.”
A heavy silence fell over the conference room.
Breaking the quiet was one of the sponsors, unable to hide his irritation.
“...But in reality, there’s no time left. We can’t afford to wait for an absolute ace to develop, can we?”
The urgency in his voice caused a slight ripple in the room.
Yet Selma didn’t flinch and quietly shook her head.
“...Indeed, we do not have time to stop. That’s why we must change our way of thinking.”
She then shifted her gaze to the seat at the head of the table.
There sat Lucilla N. Edelweiss, the first princess of this country, the Nohitant Kingdom.
“Princess Lucilla.”
At that name, Lucilla smiled in response.
“What is it?”
Lucilla was attending this meeting as the royal proxy.
While the royal family placed their hopes on all explorers challenging the conquest of the Great Southern Labyrinth, they especially appreciated the Silver Rabbits of the Night Sky.
Therefore, she had been dispatched as the official representative to formalize their support.
Selma looked firmly into her eyes.
“May I ask one thing? Does the military, responsible for national defense, place importance on individual ability?”
The sudden question drew everyone’s gaze to Lucilla.
She answered calmly.
“The military does assign individuals with high ability to positions suited to their aptitude. However, as a principle, the military values ‘numbers’ over ‘individuals.’”