The treasure hunt isn't over until you escape with the prize.
In the Shindai Iron Ruins, Pepper had acquired—or rather, been entrusted with—the Radiant Series, a unique Legacy Weapon embodying dreams and wishes. Stowing the full armor set in his inventory, he surveyed the hidden research facility once more.
"Not sure if this was a key facility, but snagging a unique quest's core item? I'll call that a win," Pepper said.
He eyed the dusty files stacked on the desk, radiating rare-item vibes, but they were unobtainable. With a reluctant sigh, he let them go.
"Pepper, how do we get outta here? The platform we rode's stuck," Bilac said.
"Got any bright ideas?" Aitoile asked.
In dungeon-crawling games, securing treasure is only half the battle. The real challenge is escaping alive with it—a timeless rule of adventure.
"First, Aitoile, Bilac-san, let's assess our situation," Pepper said.
Escape games hinge on three pillars: staying calm under pressure, using items and surroundings to plan a route, and maintaining an unyielding spirit that embraces the unknown until the final second.
Emerging from the hidden room, the trio began re-exploring the entrance and facility to grasp their predicament. After a few dozen minutes, they confirmed the room sat at a midpoint on the fourth basement level. Climbing led to the third floor; descending to the fifth. Both routes had issues.
Climbing to the third floor meant using an iron ladder nearby, bypassing the fourth, but a spiked, rat-trap-like floor blocked the way. Breaking it would likely trigger a swarm of Suppress Drone gears, risking a fatal fall for all three.
Descending to the fifth floor offered no ladder, only Aitoile's Demon Flame Peach Lantern for light and a single item as a lifeline. Fighting enemies in the dark and surviving the descent were gambles, but a crude map found in the room showed a path to the area just before the Ruin Keeper boss.
"We're going down," Pepper decided instantly.
Climbing risked a trap, especially without accessing the fourth floor. With Bilac and Aitoile in the party, Pepper's absolute condition was ensuring everyone's survival. Conquering the area and escaping meant sharing the joy and treasure with no one left behind—a true victory in his book.
"Descending's fine, but Aitoile's lantern only lights a small area," Bilac warned.
"True, but I planned for something like this," Pepper said, pulling a Rope from his inventory, bought from the Enhance Guild. "Ropes are a must for dungeon runs. They're not just atmospheric—they're literal lifelines."
"Nice prep, Pepper-han!" Aitoile praised.
Pepper had purchased five 10-meter ropes. Tied together, they stretched roughly 48 meters. If the drop to the fifth floor exceeded 80 meters, falling damage could be fatal, forcing them to climb instead. It was a risky bet, but less so than the spiked floor. Their goal was the boss, so they'd brave the danger.
Using knot-tying techniques from exploration games, Pepper linked the ropes into one long line, securing one end to the ladder's base and lowering the rest into the darkness.
"Aitoile, Bilac-san, hold on tight," he said.
"Got it!" Aitoile chirped.
"On it," Bilac replied.
With the rabbits clinging to his torso, Pepper threaded the rope around his waist and descended step by careful step. The rope creaked in the silent dark, Aitoile's lantern casting a faint glow. Pepper sharpened his ears, listening for threats from unseen corners, ready for anything.
(We're fine for now… but danger could strike anytime. No dawdling.)
Sweat slicked his hands, but he wiped them on his Traveler's Cloak, descending cautiously.
After about ten minutes, with the rope nearing its limit, Aitoile's voice broke the tension. "Pepper-han! I see the ground!"
Her lantern revealed the fifth floor's surface—their goal after a harrowing descent.
"Finally… thought we'd run out of rope," Bilac sighed, relieved.
"No kidding…" Pepper agreed.
As he prepared to release the rope, the lantern illuminated the ground and walls, sparking a jarring sense of wrongness. The ground, wide enough for three people, sloped gently—like a ramp.
"Pepper-han, what's wrong?" Aitoile asked.
"Aitoile, Bilac-san… doesn't this terrain feel off?" Pepper said.
He tested if they sensed it too. "Off? The ground's slanted," Bilac noted.
"Yeah… but what's that mean?" Aitoile asked.
They didn't know, but Pepper did—the unspoken promise of dungeon games.
"Dungeons like this have a kind of silent agreement," he said. Removing his cloak, he swung the rope like a pendulum to gain distance. "Both of you, don't leave my side when we land."
With that warning, he leaped, bracing for impact. The landing shaved his HP, but it was trivial compared to what came next.
A deafening clang echoed from deep behind—a massive iron ball, scraping the sloped floor, barreled toward them. "Escape games always have a final, instant-death gimmick!" Pepper shouted.
Activating Accel, High Beat, and Actus Dash, he sprinted with Aitoile and Bilac on his back, taunting the unseen threat. "Let's play tag—Dead or Alive!"
"What the hell?!" Bilac gasped, spotting the classic dungeon trap: a giant iron ball rolling down the ramp.
Aitoile pointed ahead. "Pepper-han, there!" About 500 meters away, a single-person-sized gap offered safety—if they could reach it before being crushed.
Even with a head start, the ball closed in. I won't lose… I can't lose… I refuse to lose! If Pepper died, Aitoile and Bilac would go down with him, possibly never to meet again. The thought fueled his resolve.
"RAAAAAAGH!" he roared. Accel and High Beat hit their max boosts, pushing his speed to new heights. But it wasn't enough—the ball would overtake them just before the exit.
"I'll sacrifice anything!" More speed. "I'll give my life!" Faster.
"I WON'T LOSE!" Pepper bellowed, unleashing Jet Attack, an evolved Boot Attack that traded stamina for boosted action speed. He surged forward, outpacing the ball, and dove into the gap with a head-first slide.
The ball slammed into the exit, grazing Pepper. His HP plummeted, but he chugged a recovery potion just in time. "Pepper, you reckless idiot!" Bilac exclaimed.
"Great job, Pepper-han!" Aitoile cheered.
One step slower, one delayed Jet Attack, or descending without swinging the rope—and they'd all be dead. Savoring the thrill of surviving an instant-death trap, Pepper lay there, waiting for High Beat's stamina recovery penalty to lift.
The Pioneer Who Outran the Limits
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