It turned out we didn’t need to worry about the next safe zone. What appeared before us on the fifteenth floor was not a staircase leading down to the sixteenth floor, but a large door exuding a distinct and ominous atmosphere unlike anything we had encountered before.

“Damn it, they’ve already caught up!”

“That was close. Looks like it was a near miss.”

The large door before us likely led to the boss room of this dungeon’s deepest floor. Its very presence differed from the previous dungeon floors.

And sitting in front of that door, resting, was the Swift Thunder party. It seemed they had barely managed to reach the boss room before us. The lack of monster corpses on the previous floor suggested they had taken a different route than us.

“...I didn’t think you’d beat us here.”

“We just got here ourselves. I didn’t think you A-rank adventurers would catch up so quickly.”

It was no wonder Lilith and the others were surprised. Even I hadn’t expected them to reach the lowest floor before us.

“You’re not seriously planning to fight the boss in that battered state, are you?”

Nonoh was right—the Swift Thunder members were visibly worn out. Their equipment was tattered, and they were covered in cuts and bruises, with blood seeping from various places.

Strange. While the monsters had grown stronger with each descending floor, none of them seemed capable of inflicting such severe wounds...

“It’s none of your damn business!”

“We got here first, so we have the right to challenge the boss first!”

“...It seems you pushed yourselves to the limit to get here, ignoring defense and charging forward recklessly. And it looks like you barely rested at all.”

“That’s just reckless, nya...”

...So that’s it. Unlike us, they must have foregone sleep, rest, and proper meals just to compete with Lilith’s A-rank party.

And naturally, typical adventurers would be cautious and defensive, but these guys prioritized offense and rushed forward at all costs. That explained how they kept pace with Lilith’s group. Damn, if this dungeon had twenty floors, we definitely would have caught up.

“Mind your own business! Alright, let’s go! Just a little more—keep your spirits up!”

“““Yeah!”””

“Wait, wait! Alright, you win. You can challenge the boss first. But at least rest a bit before you go in. If you fight in that condition, some of you might end up dead. We’re fine with letting you go first, right everyone?”

“...If Lilith says so, I have no objections.”

“...I wouldn’t feel right if any of them died in front of us.”

“...No problem, nya.”

“I’m fine with it too.”

“Hoo!”

Honestly, I had underestimated their resolve. I hadn’t realized they were so determined to conquer this dungeon no matter what.

I, on the other hand, was just enjoying the novelty of exploring a dungeon in another world. I thought it didn’t matter if we lost as long as no one got hurt. Clearly, our levels of commitment were worlds apart. I needed to reflect on this.

That said, I had enjoyed delving into the dungeon with Lilith’s group, and if Swift Thunder defeated the boss and helped the nearby towns and villages, that was fine by me. However, if they insulted Lilith or spread malicious rumors, I’d use my intimidation skill to set them straight.

“Hah, are you trying to demand part of the reward later? Sorry, but the quest reward is ours!”

“Yeah, just sit tight and watch us fight the boss!”

“No, that’s not it. I’m just saying it’s better if you rest a little before going in. If it makes you feel safer, we’ll wait on another floor.”

“Like hell we trust you! Let’s go, already!”

“...They went in.”

Despite Lilith’s warning, the Swift Thunder party pushed ahead into the boss room. Anyone could see that an A-rank party like Lilith’s wouldn’t pull something underhanded.

Given their lack of rest, they probably weren’t thinking clearly. They might have been in a sleep-deprived, adrenaline-fueled state, making rash decisions. I’d done the same after all-nighters spent gaming or reading manga.

“Well, they’re B-rank adventurers, so they should be able to handle a fifteenth-floor boss. Even if the battle is tough, they’ll know when to retreat.”

“...I’m not so sure. For some reason, they seemed really desperate. It looks like they pushed themselves too hard just to get here.”

“At this point, it’s their responsibility. Even if we enter the boss room, interrupting another party’s battle is against adventurer conduct. If they call for help, we’ll go in then.”

“Understood, nya!”

“Sounds good to me.”

“Got it!”

In dungeons of this size, it’s usually possible to retreat from a boss fight. However, in larger dungeons, there are terrifying boss rooms where you can’t leave until the boss is defeated or the party is wiped out.

We waited outside the boss room, ready to assist if called upon.