After the baths came a hearty dinner. When it was over, only Hephaestus's smiths remained at work in the forge; everyone else had returned to their rooms to rest.
The Rest Space existed precisely to let expedition teams recuperate, so there was no need to cram multiple adventurers into a single room.
While most people were unwinding, the leaders of the Joint Expedition had already gathered around a low table, each seated on a soft zabuton with a cup of hot tea before them.
"Bete, what do you think of the three-man teams?"
"More efficient than I expected," Bete replied. "Classic front-and-rear formation, but the way they flex in combat is solid. Whether the enemy's stronger or weaker, they've got a complete way to fight it. And after a day together, their coordination's already sharpening fast."
Bete had never denied the strength of coordinated parties. With enough synch, even hard fights became manageable—just like today's swift push.
"They'll shine through the middle floors," someone added. "The key is tomorrow. Once we step into the deep floors, monsters hit harder and the advance gets much tougher than anything we saw today."
"Mm. From the lower to the deep floors, enemy levels climb and numbers swell," Tsunayoshi said. "Tomorrow bumps the difficulty a tier. Which makes it a major opportunity for every Level 2."
He laced his fingers and propped his chin on the web between thumb and forefinger.
"Originally, they should've met the 'stake-your-life' resolve early—only with that do you cross the hardest step from Level 1 to Level 2. But they 'cheated.' They took that step ahead of the resolve. Tomorrow's run is the lesson they skipped."
"If they want to keep growing, they need the resolve to face stronger foes without backing off. The moment they refuse to retreat, they earn the right to advance."
Resolve wasn't a mood—it was a decision, the refusal to yield when it mattered. Only with a set heart could they keep walking forward.
"Going to push them hard?" Bete asked. He'd caught Tsunayoshi's meaning.
As Tsuna said, his aid had made people forget: an adventurer must be ready to face death at any time. If you choose this road, you accept that it isn't gentle. To keep moving forward, you carry danger at your side. Understand that, steel your resolve—only then do you continue.
"Make them choose it themselves?" Gareth spoke up, unusually quiet, and fixed his eyes on Tsuna. "You sure about this?"
"No problem," Tsunayoshi answered without hesitation.
"Anyone who's been baptized by power has their heart changed. And everyone in the Loki Familia knows the road ahead is long. They can reach Level 4—and higher. None of them wants to stop here."
"Once they take this step, Level 3 is the next horizon. Knowing just that is enough to bring out better selves tomorrow. They'll manage."
Those who've never stood high can tolerate never seeing the view. But once you set foot on the stairs and glimpse more—brighter, wider—your hunger for the next height never stops, not until you're on the very peak.
That was how power felt to Tsunayoshi, and he believed anyone who held power would feel the same. With strength came the restless urge to climb.
Because he himself was like that.
Which was why he was so sure: when tomorrow's danger came, those adventurers would burn hotter than ever before. Only by crossing that threshold would they earn their ticket upward.
Hearing Tsuna's certainty—and the trust he placed in the kids—made Gareth, who'd been fretting, a little embarrassed.
"You're right. Once you take the adventurer's road, there's no 'stopping halfway.'"
He couldn't help thinking of Raul, and his face flickered.
"Yeah," Gareth went on. "If you don't keep chasing strength, danger will come to you sooner or later. Everyone can see the growth happening right in front of them now. Who could endure letting a promotion slip?"
He remembered his first session in the Training Space; his own progress had felt unreal. From that day on, he'd made a habit of going in daily. Seeing your growth so clearly—there was nothing like it.
If even he felt that way, the others would be no different. Having just tasted this tonic of advancement, more adventurers would want another dose to take the next step.
There was a clear, fast track for growth inside the Familia now; no one would pass up the chance.
Beyond raising parameters, the rest of promotion came from great deeds—and those were earned by taking the sharpened parameters and fighting stronger monsters.
So tomorrow's push would be fine. If anything, more than fear of danger, their greatest fear was losing a clear path upward—back to how it was before Tsunayoshi joined.
No one could stand missing their chance again.
(End of Chapter)
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