Network timemachine backup

Hi everyone,

I have a question regarding timemachine network backups. This is my setup:

1) Mac mini - hardwired ethernet. connected via usb3 to 8TB external. There is also a 500GB external connected via usb3 that I wanted included in the computer's backup.

2) MacBook Pro - wifi connection. connected via usbc to a 2 TB external that I wanted included in the computer's backup.

The 8TB external external (connected to the Mac mini) is what I would like to use for the timemachine backup of both computers & their attached drives. Currently the 8TB is partitioned into 2 4TB drives (1 for the mini and 1 for the pro).

The Mac mini backs up perfectly. The partition shows up as a timemachine backup in finder and I have a Backups.backupdb folder. Within that folder I see Mac mini and all of the files INCLUDING my 500GB External.

The backup for the Pro on the other hand looks different and Is where my question comes in. That partition was setup as a shared drive over smb and selected to be shared as a timemachine backup from advanced options.

The partition is setup as the backup for the pro and completes over wifi. However when I navigate to the Partition in finder the icon looks like a regular drive and within it is 1 file - backup bundle. I can not open this file to see the contents that were backed up. I can go back in time on the pro, however if the 2tb external is not connected it is not shown in finder. Since there is no backups.backupdb folder I can not navigate to any files that were backed up including those on the 2TB external (size of the backup bundle file confirms they were in fact backed up).

How do I access those files?

Can that be done without connecting the 2TB External (assume it was lost)?

Can I access them without doing a full restore?

Is my setup wrong?

Thanks