Leveling up my skill had cranked my dungeon runs to a whole new tier.
Five uses per run instead of three was already a game-changer, but the real kicker? I could finally manipulate installations.
At that point, the dungeon stopped feeling like a hunting ground and more like a giant puzzle box. A mechanical mansion, a shogi board laid out just for me. Where should I place what, and in what order, to end things fast, safe, and with the least effort? Just thinking about it made me giddy.
"Sato-san, you've got that scheming face again," Momo said, side-eyeing me.
"Mm. That minotaur over there? One chunk of rubble from the ceiling and it's done in one shot."
"...Whoa."
She sounded half impressed, half horrified, but I wasn't about to apologize for efficiency. Since teaming up, Momo and I had been pulling in solid profit. I'd neutralize enemies with [Rearrangement], and she'd use her support skills—[Appraisal] to instantly value the drops, [Storage] to stash them safely.
The synergy was almost unfair.
That day, we'd just finished taking down a [Crystal Golem] in a tucked-away section of the middle floors. It had tough defense but weak offense—easy pickings. A couple of [rusty iron grates] slammed into its body three times, and it shattered like cheap pottery.
The drops? Five [Mana Crystals]. Jackpot. Momo beamed as she tucked them neatly away into [Storage].
And that's when I heard it—multiple footsteps echoing down the corridor. Followed by a low whistle and the weight of eyes crawling over us.
Three guys appeared.
Front and center: a red-haired punk with a cocky grin. Behind him, a mountain of a man with a battle-axe. And last, a robed sorcerer whose smirk made me want to wipe it off his face.
All three wore B-rank plates on their chests, flashing them like fake Rolexes.
"Yo. Old man, brat."
The redhead jerked his chin at us.
"That Crystal Golem you just dropped? We called dibs on it. Leave the loot, all of it."
...Of course.
Dungeon thugs. I'd heard the stories—parties that shook down weaker adventurers, stealing their kills and drops. Looked like we'd just run into the infamous "Crimson Fang."
"An F-rank geezer and some no-rank kid think they can strut around here?"
"Yeah, look at their gear—garbage. Bet they fluked that golem."
His buddies cracked up, their laughter bouncing harshly off the stone walls.
Inside, I sighed. What a waste of time.
"Fine. Take it."
I raised my hands in surrender. Trouble wasn't worth it. We'd already made good money today, and I wasn't about to gamble it all on pride. Risk management 101—better to walk away.
But then—
"That's awful."
Beside me, Momo's voice trembled, but her eyes blazed. She glared straight at the redhead.
"We worked so hard to beat it. You can't just steal it from us!"
"The hell? This brat talkin' back to me?"
His expression soured as he closed the distance toward her.
Not good. I moved to step between them, but his hand was faster.
"You little—"
He shoved her hard in the shoulder.
"Kyah!"
Momo yelped as she stumbled, landing hard on the ground.
And that was it.
Something inside me snapped, a quiet string breaking. The careful calculations, the polite risk-avoidance—all of it froze over.
I looked down at Momo sprawled on the floor, then lifted my gaze to the red-haired leader.
The smile had left my face completely.
"...What did you just do to her?"
My voice came out lower, colder than I'd ever heard it myself.