Category: Datsusara Souryo no Danjon Sousou Haishin

“The Goddess told me that as long as everyone kept an eye on Ajiri Daishi, we’d be able to win…”

Having cleared the first floor of the West Tokyo Fourth Beginner Dungeon—or rather, the First Layer of the New Selection Zone—we were once again making our way down the spiral staircase toward the next layer.

As before, the Time-Space Rabbit was leading us to the next stage.

All the while, it kept grumbling under its breath about how the advice from the Goddess had been terrible, and how that was supposedly the reason it had lost the previous battle.

“Please don’t underestimate me. I may not look it, but I’m still an S-rank Explorer, you know.”

“Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can defeat me, a High Priestess, with such a paltry bit of space-time manipulation.”

“Be grateful you weren’t blasted straight through the dimension itself.”

“HOW COULD A MERE RABBIT EVER DEFEAT THE GREAT DRAGON?! Ah, crap… Shaaaaaa.”

Hey, Ryunosuke.

You’re completely talking normally now, aren’t you?

You really don’t need to tack a “Shaaaaaa” onto the end of every sentence to cover it up anymore.

> Satsuki-tan’s Dimensional Detection was amazing! > Mina-chan’s Dimensional Holy Severance was as satisfying as ever! > I want Shion-oneesan to tie me up with those chains. > The old man didn’t get to do anything this time. > At least you got to conserve your energy. > The ultimate super-sub! > The secret weapon! > The pinch hitter of the gods! > No way the protagonist doesn’t get replaced after this. > Old man, time to make your retirement decision.

The teasing in the comments section was getting more and more brutal.

What the hell!? Can’t I have an off day once in a while?!

I’m not retiring, damn it!

Besides, everyone here was a highly capable Explorer. Surely it wasn’t a problem if a beginner like me only got to shine every once in a while!

“Hey, Time-Space Rabbit. What’s the next layer like?”

“Uh, the next one is… Huh?! W-Well, I’m not telling you! Trying to trick information out of me the moment my guard was down… You really can’t let your guard down around you people!”

Huh? How was that an interrogation?

I just asked a normal question.

Maybe it was still freaking out because it had lost before it even got a chance to figure out what I could do.

“All right! I’m gonna give it my all next time!”

“Satsuki, you probably shouldn’t get too carried away. Just focus on supporting me, okay?”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself, fake saint. You’re a healer, aren’t you? I’ll be the one on the front lines, so stay in the rear and provide support.”

“I WANNA FIGHT SOMETIMES, TOO! Sha!”

Sha? Come on, Ryunosuke. You’re just saying it at random now. You really don’t have to add that anymore.

Maybe they’d gotten a little too confident after how well the last battle had gone, because Satsuki-chan and the others had completely forgotten about me and were already coming up with their own battle strategy.

Still, this was supposed to be something like a trial from the gods. If they treated it like some kind of game and got too complacent, I had a feeling they were going to regret it.

The only reason the first layer had been so easy was because it was the first layer. Basically, it had been a practice round.

There was no guarantee the next one wouldn’t be hell. We couldn’t afford to let our guard down. We needed to stay focused and prepare ourselves for whatever the next battle had in store.

“Oh, the next level is coming into view. Is everyone ready?”

The Spacetime Rabbit, who had been walking ahead, seemed to have spotted the door to the second floor—or rather, the second stratum—with its own eyes.

It was urging us to steel ourselves for what lay ahead.

I wonder what kind of dungeon awaits us next.

I might not look particularly tense most of the time, but the truth is, my heart races quite a bit every time we open a new door.

> Reminds me of when old man came here before > After the Spacetime Rabbit, I think it was… > Pretty sure it was the Labyrinth Zone > Ah, that massive maze > That’s where he first showed off the Burial Fist > He cleared it in such a brute-force way lol > Strategy> “All Hail the Muscle-Brain” > Feels like ages ago lol > Come to think of it, that was just the other day > He’s got the air of a veteran now > Nah, he’s still just a lackluster middle-aged guy lol > Doesn’t look the part, but he’s brimming with confidence > Got a feeling there might be a pitfall trap soon

“Could you not say things that ominous, dear viewers?”

I’m just a perfectly ordinary, former corporate wage slave in middle age.

As long as you put your mind to it, you can usually manage somehow, even when something unexpected happens. That was how I survived that hellish world of sales back when I was a corporate drone. If I kept that same mentality going forward, I’d be just fine!

Anyway, before I knew it, we had made our way down to the entrance of the second basement floor.

The next door was right in front of us. It was an ordinary, lightweight-looking wooden door. It looked like I could just push it open and walk inside.

Oh, looks like there wasn’t going to be any space-time teleportation like there had been on the first basement floor.

I’d gotten used to it by now, but I still hated that weird, floaty sensation that came with those transitions. If possible, I’d much rather just open the door normally and walk into the next room.

Hm? What’s this?! What is this rich, fragrant smell?!

It smelled somehow familiar. Nostalgic, even…

Ah! I remember!

“Daishi-san!”

“Yeah! I knew it, Satsuki-chan!”

“There’s a delicious smell wafting out through the crack in the door. Could this place be…?”

(Drooool)

Apparently, every single one of us had arrived at exactly the same conclusion. Beyond that tantalizing door, where an irresistible aroma was wafting out and stimulating our appetites, surely lay paradise itself.

“““THE GOURMET ROOM!!”””

Everyone except the Time-Space Rabbit shouted the words in perfect unison!

It really is that room, right?

Yes, it had to be the Gourmet Room!

Man, what a relief. I wasn’t just imagining it!

All right! No time to waste! We should open that door and charge straight inside!

“Does the human sense of smell make people lose their ability to think rationally? At this rate, your adventure might come to an end here, in the Second Layer of the Selection Zone.”

Leaving the rabbit behind, we all crowded toward the next room.

Behind us, the Time-Space Rabbit’s voice lingered in my ears. It was tinged with a sigh, carrying the unmistakable foreboding of someone who already knew exactly how badly this was going to end.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeneijiworks.com

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Being sucked in so suddenly threw me off for a moment, but I’d experienced teleportation plenty of times by now, so I didn’t lose consciousness from the transition. My mind remained perfectly clear, and I was fully prepared to meet whatever world awaited us on the other side of the space-time vortex with my guard up.

“Where are we…?”

The journey through the warped space-time ended much sooner than I expected.

When my vision finally cleared, what appeared before me was a strange, otherworldly space unlike anything I had ever experienced before.

> Whoa… this is incredible… > It’s not just dark… it is pitch black. > Kinda has a space-like vibe. > Old man, can you breathe?

Indeed, just as the viewers had pointed out in the comments, the image was unmistakably that of outer space. I unconsciously assumed I am standing upright, but when I looked down at my feet, there was no ground beneath me.

Huh? Are we in zero gravity?

But I didn’t really feel like I was floating. In fact, it didn’t feel all that different from normal. I can still breathe, too.

“So it looks like space, but I guess we didn’t actually come to space.”

Thankfully, it seemed we hadn’t been scattered around when we were teleported here. Beside me, Satsuki-chan muttered those words while warily scanning our surroundings.

“Would it be correct to assume this is the Time-Space Rabbit’s personal domain?”

We were supposed to have come to the first basement floor of the West Tokyo Fourth Beginner Dungeon. But, as Mina-chan suggested, it made the most sense to assume this was some sort of territory belonging to the Time-Space Rabbit.

“So this is the first layer of the Selection Zone, then. Everyone, stay on your guard.”

“Shaaaaaa!”

I agreed with Shion’s assessment.

This had to be the first layer of the Selection Zone—the territory of the department manager… No, I mean, the Time-Space Rabbit.

“I thought you’d all be a little more shaken up. You’re surprisingly calm. Kind of disappointing, honestly.”

The voice of the Time-Space Rabbit suddenly echoed inside my head from somewhere within this space, which looked like a VR experience at a planetarium. It sounded exactly like when the loli Goddess spoke directly into my mind.

“Time-Space Rabbit! Where are you?!”

“Who knows? If I told you that, it would defeat the whole purpose of inviting you here.”

“Damn it! You’re planning to attack us from our blind spot!”

Being in this vast, space-like domain, with no idea where an attack might come from—360 degrees in every direction—was far from ideal. And if we didn’t know where our opponent was, I couldn’t use 【Clairvoyance】 to investigate its abilities, either.

For now, I’ll use 【Retribution】 to shore up our defenses and get us ready to counterattack…

“Detection skill! Dimensional Detection!”

“Hm?”

Before I could use 【Retribution】, Satsuki-chan activated some skill I’d never heard of before and began scanning the area around us.

Her eyes were shining brilliantly.

FLASH!

“Nice one, Satsuki! That might actually work!”

“Oh? You’ve mastered quite a rare skill. I’m impressed.”

Apparently, Mina-chan and Shion both knew what the 【Dimensional Detection】 skill Satsuki-chan had just used was capable of.

“Ah! There it is! Over there!”

Satsuki-chan pointed with her right hand at a spot forty-five degrees to the front-left.

I couldn’t see anything…

Wait. No. There was something there. It was extremely faint, but that particular spot looked slightly distorted, almost like a heat haze.

I decided to trust Satsuki-chan’s detection and go on the offensive myself.

“Cremation!”

I raised my right arm and, without even a moment’s hesitation, fired 【Cremation】 at the spot where the Time-Space Rabbit was supposedly hiding!

And then…

“OWWWWWW!! What the hell?! Why would you suddenly fire off a skill like that?! I almost got roasted to a crisp!”

Tch! I missed.

The Time-Space Rabbit’s voice was still echoing through my head like static.

【Cremation】 was a fire-type skill, but it wasn’t the kind of technique that created a massive explosion of flames, so I still had no idea how far its effective range actually extended. At the very least, I was certain I’d fired it directly at the spot where the rabbit had been.

Had it crossed through space at the last possible instant?

It looked like it had gotten singed a little, but it had managed to evade the attack.

“Satsuki-chan! Where did it go?!”

“Umm… Huh? It’s gone?”

Satsuki-chan continued searching, but apparently she could no longer pick up the Time-Space Rabbit with her skill.

“Perhaps it was so frightened by Daishi-san that it fled to an even higher-dimensional layer. In that case…”

This time, Mina-chan began increasing her magical power.

A white aura swirled around her, and I could feel an immense surge of magical energy building up.

“Satsuki! Buff yourself and concentrate the search area of 【Dimensional Detection】 on the 180 degrees in front of us!”

“O-Okay!”

“Shion…”

“Yeah. No need to say anything more. I understand.”

“I’m counting on you!”

For some reason, Mina-chan was giving tactical orders to all the girls except me while continuing to raise her magical power.

The energy gathered at the tip of the jangling staff she carried, accompanied by an earsplitting, discordant shriek that sounded almost like metal being torn apart!

“Dimensional Holy Severance.”

Mina-chan uttered yet another unfamiliar skill name and raised her staff above her head.

The torrent of energy she had gathered surged with even greater intensity.

And then…

“…Huh? The aura disappeared.”

“GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!”

Just as suddenly as it had appeared, Mina-chan’s magical power vanished from her staff as though nothing had happened.

Then, out of nowhere, a scream that sounded like the Time-Space Rabbit’s dying cry shook my mind!

Huh? What the hell just happened…?

“There! I found it!”

“Bind it! Chains of Judgment!”

Following Mina-chan’s command, Satsuki-chan activated 【Dimensional Detection】 and located the Time-Space Rabbit.

Without missing a beat, Shion-san unleashed some kind of skill called 【Chains of Judgment】, wrapping the Time-Space Rabbit up so tightly that it was completely bound.

“I give up. I surrender.”

“…Huh?”

The Time-Space Rabbit reappeared before us, only to have its freedom completely taken away by my companions without ever becoming much of a threat at all.

Hell yeah! Total victory…

“…”

I didn’t do a damn thing.

I DIDN’T DO ANYTHING AT ALLLLLL!!

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeneijiworks.com

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“—And that’s the basic gist of how dungeons work in this world. I think everyone more or less gets it now, right?”

Our group continued down the spiral staircase leading from the first floor of the West Tokyo Fourth Beginner Dungeon into the depths below.

Along the way, the Space-Time Rabbit carefully explained the dungeon’s underlying world mechanics—the very same things I’d once had the Goddess , that loli of a goddess, explain to me.

> Too damn fantastical. My brain can’t process this. > Can someone explain it again? > The Goddess  system is way too complicated lmao > So that lolibaba really is a god > The gods had too much free time, I see > And we’re the ones who have to deal with it lol > If you die in a dungeon, do you turn into a monster? > So basically, a monster’s strength is determined by how many layers past the Selection Zone they got, right? > Then does that mean every monster was originally human? > So that means the old man is a monster too lmao > And he made it past the eighth layer? Holy shit > The old man’s soul is Nether Lord-class > So we’re about to explore a dungeon modeled after the Selection Zone? > More importantly, was it really okay to just spill all this insanely important information on a livestream?

Surprisingly, the viewers seem to be accepting and understanding the story so far without much trouble.

That said—and as one of the comments pointed out—I do have my own doubts about whether it was really okay to blabber on about things that go to the very core of this dungeon world. If I reveal all that, I get the feeling the Guild Headquarters might just come up with new countermeasures to deal with it.

“I feel like I sort of get it, but at the same time, it makes no sense…”

“It’s a story that’s hard to believe, but nothing short of something that massive could explain Daishi-san’s strength…”

“Hm? Does that mean Ryunosuke used to be human, too?”

“You bet!”

Ryunosuke-kun had probably made it pretty deep into the [Selection Zone] too.

Well, there was no point worrying about that right now.

“Are you sure it’s okay to just blab all that important information, Space-Time Rabbit? It’s all being broadcast to the entire world. If the Goddess chews you out later, don’t expect us to take responsibility.”

“There’s no need for concern. This is all on the Goddess’s orders.”

The Space-Time Rabbit twirled the staff in his hand and continued down the spiral staircase ahead of us, skipping along with light, nimble steps without even bothering to look back.

Judging by how utterly unfazed he was, I couldn’t help but feel there was probably some truth to what the rabbit was saying. Still, I couldn’t imagine what benefit the Goddess would get from broadcasting all of this to the folks at home…

“Ah! I can see the exit, Daishi-san!”

“Oh, you’re right!”

“Doesn’t this feel kind of nostalgic?”

It hadn’t been that long since we’d last been here, but I could sort of understand why Satsuki-chan felt that way.

I hadn’t even been an Explorer for a full month yet, but so much had happened since the first time I came to this dungeon that returning here felt almost like coming back to my hometown after being away for several years.

I guess Satsuki-chan felt the same way.

“I really don’t want to turn into a monster. Daishi-san, you’ll definitely protect me, okay?”

“Ah, yeah. Leave it to me! I’ll protect you, Mina-chan!”

“Oi. You’re not going to protect me?”

“Ah, well… You wouldn’t want me protecting you anyway, would you, Shion-san?”

“Hmph. We haven’t known each other long, but you understand me quite well, don’t you, Ajiri Daishi.”

“Shion-san, you protect Ryunosuke-kun, okay?”

“As if I needed to be told.”

Come to think of it, Ryunosuke-kun is actually the most attached to Shion. And Shion doesn’t seem to mind in the slightest. In fact, she’s always the first to keep an eye on him and make sure he’s doing okay.

The dragon had only joined us because that’s how things happened, but somehow, just having him around seems to have brought a more relaxed atmosphere to the party. He’s an important companion to us now. So no matter what happens from here on out, I have to protect him.

“All right, everyone. Are you ready?”

We all reached the bottom of the spiral staircase and gathered in front of the door to the first underground floor. Standing before us was a massive iron door, far more imposing than the one we’d encountered the last time we came here.

Once we opened it, the first floor of this “New Selection Zone” that the Goddess  and the Space-Time Rabbit had been telling us about would be waiting on the other side.

“Everyone, are you ready?”

Well, nobody seemed to be chickening out now that we’d come this far.

Every one of them had a serious, determined look on their face.

“Are you going to open the door for us, Space-Time Rabbit?”

“Yep. Then… open!”

The Space-Time Rabbit pointed his staff at the door twice.

With a deep *wrrrrrrrr* as the massive iron door scraped against the floor, it slowly began to swing open.

“It’s too dark inside. I can’t really see—…!?”

“Huh?”

“Wait… where did the Space-Time Rabbit…?”

“He disappeared!?”

> Where’d the rabbit go? > It got away. > I thought it couldn’t use space-time teleportation? > Could this be a trap? > Tread carefully, old man! > Hey! Something’s swirling inside that doorway!

By the time I noticed the viewers’ warning comments urging us to be careful, it was already too late!

“Th-This is bad! We’re being sucked in!!”

This is… a space-time vortex!?

So it really was a trap set by the Space-Time Rabbit!?

“WAAAAAAAAAH!!”

I let out a scream loud enough to tear my throat apart, but it was already too late.

The open doorway swallowed us whole, carrying us away to somewhere else entirely.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeneijiworks.com

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“Hey there. Long time no see, old priest.”

“Y-You!!”

We passed through the corridor from the entrance and emerged into a spacious, dome-shaped chamber. Waiting for us in the center was not a person, but a rabbit I recognized.

“You’re the Space-Time Rabbit… right?”

“I’m glad to see you’re doing well, too, Satsuki Amane.”

Satsuki-chan, who had stopped a little behind me, seemed to recognize the rabbit as well, judging by the surprised note in her voice.

The Space-Time Rabbit. Also known as the Department-Manager Rabbit. Well… not that anyone actually calls it that.

It was the rabbit that Satsuki-chan and I had encountered somewhere around the second or third underground floor of West Tokyo Fourth Beginner Dungeon. A rabbit whose personality was uncannily similar to that of the nasty department manager I’d had back when I was a corporate slave. As its name suggested, it was a rabbit capable of manipulating space and time.

Last time, it had forced us to play a game of darts where the darts could never possibly hit the target, then sent us flying all the way down to the fiftieth underground floor of the Nether Class dungeon.

To be honest, I didn’t have particularly fond memories of the thing. Still, it was also the one who gave me the Twilight Robe I’m wearing now, so I suppose I did owe it a little gratitude.

“Oh, right. Kisaragi Mina and Kusakabe Shion are with you, too.”

“I never thought I’d have to see that vacant face of yours again, Space-Time Rabbit.”

“Likewise. Watch what you say, Space-Time Rabbit. You never know which words might become your last.”

For some reason, Mina-chan and Shion-san were glaring daggers at the rabbit as they hurled insults at it. They must have some kind of history with this thing. Judging by how furious they were, whatever happened in the past must have been pretty damn serious.

Yikes. Scary.

“Now, now, everyone! Let’s let bygones be bygones, shall we? I doubt the reason you all came here today was to beat me to a bloody pulp.”

> Says the guy who started it > Same old shitty rabbit > Daishi, get 【Hell Gate】 ready > Nah, just blow it to pieces with 【Burial Fist】 > Look at that punchable face > Wait, why the hell is this guy here? > Doesn’t the Space-Time Rabbit randomly hop between all kinds of dungeons? > So it just happened to be here?

A few comments caught my eye, and I found myself wondering the same thing.

The Space-Time Rabbit always seemed to be hopping from one dungeon to another, so why had it shown up in front of us again? I couldn’t believe it was a coincidence.

“Ah, I know what you’re wondering, old priest. You’re asking why I, of all rabbits, have appeared before you again, aren’t you? Well, that’s actually your fault.”

A question mark practically appeared above my head at the rabbit’s unexpected answer.

My fault? How?

“When you used 【Return】 to return here from the fiftieth underground floor of the Nether class dungeon, I became unable to leave this dungeon because of that skill.”

“Huh? Really?”

I felt a little bad. Sorry, rabbit.

“Yep! And just when I was completely at my wits’ end, the Dungeon Master herself spoke directly to me.”

“Ah—loli… I mean, the Dungeon Master did?”

“Yep. She told me, ‘A rabbit that can’t hop is just an ordinary rabbit, so you can become my obedient pet,’ and took me in.”

Being kept as a pet by a sadistic goddess like that…

Man, I really feel for you, Space-Time Rabbit. I can only imagine what you’re going through.

Although, it seems like you can’t even use your space-time powers anymore, so you’re basically just a regular rabbit now.

Hn?

Wait, does that mean you’re basically just a regular department manager too?!

『What the hell are you thinking about now? Whatever. I’ve appointed that rabbit as your guide through this dungeon, so do as he says and proceed downward one floor at a time. I’m going to be a little busy from now on, so I won’t be able to keep an eye on you for a while. Anyway, good luck.』

The Goddess  suddenly began speaking directly into my head in rapid-fire succession.

Seriously, what a surveillance-loving goddess. Still, she said she was going to be busy for a while, which meant I’d finally be free from her watchful eye.

Please stay busy forever. And please stop with this creepy mind-reading business.

“So, basically, we can think of you as the Dungeon Master’s servant?”

“Yes. So from this moment on, I’ll be serving as your guide through West Tokyo Fourth Beginner Dungeon—otherwise known as [New Selection Zone]!”

The rabbit puffed out its chest a little proudly. Though honestly, I wasn’t sure if we really needed a guide.

It would probably be better to have one, sure, but…

“If you do anything funny, I won’t hesitate to take you out.”

“Think of it as having acquired an additional food supply. I see no problem.”

“USSHAAAAA!! RABBIT MEAT IS DELICIOUS!!”

…You guys… really hadn’t changed one bit.

> What the heck is a “New Selection Zone”? > Never heard of it. > Is it the Dungeon Master’s trump card? > Looks like the old guy knows something about it, doesn’t it? > I need an explanation. > Man, I’m really looking forward to this. > Please keep the stream going, seriously.

Come to think of it, I never explained anything about the Selection Zone to the viewers.

Uh… let me see…

What was it again?

I vaguely remember the Goddess  explaining something to me, but honestly, I don’t remember much of it.

I think it’s something about souls after I died that one time…

“I-I’m already the obedient servant of the Goddess, so I have absolutely no hostile intentions! I’ll explain how the Selection Zone works as we make our way through the dungeon, so please… please don’t eat me…”

All right! Nice one, Rabbit!

This guy might actually come in handy!

My own knowledge is pretty unreliable, so you’ll have to explain the Selection Zone and everything else to my beloved viewers in a way they can actually understand!!Got it?!

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeneijiworks.com

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“Honestly! The whole idea of trying to solve every obstacle with brute force in the first place is just…!”

From an outsider’s perspective, it must have been an utterly ridiculous sight.

Here I was, standing in front of the entrance to West Tokyo Fourth Beginner Dungeon, getting lectured by a “barrier.”

—Incidentally.

The attack from the arm of light that emerged from the barrier hadn’t actually done any damage to me. I’d been caught off guard by the Goddess’s counterattack and sent flying, but I’d quickly made my way back to the barrier.

Physically, I was perfectly fine.

“Well, you didn’t answer when I called out to you!”

I had a point, so I decided to protest a little.

It wasn’t like I’d just tried to destroy the barrier out of nowhere without a plan.

“You think I can just answer you whenever it’s convenient?! Girls have all sorts of things going on!”

Girl?

…Well, whatever.

Apparently, the reason the Goddess had felt pain when I punched the barrier with 【Burial Fist】 was because she used a part of her own body as the medium through which the barrier was created.

The upside was that it allowed her to achieve absolute defense. The downside was that she couldn’t eliminate her sense of pain. What a troublesome ability.

> I wonder what the Goddess was doing

> Taking a dump?

> Maybe she was desperately editing all those hidden-camera videos

> Probably working

> 【Burial Fist】 couldn’t destroy the barrier after all

> She’s a goddess, after all

> Dungeon Master is no joke

> But she definitely felt that one

> So it did do a little damage

> Level up some more and maybe it’ll work

> So what are you gonna do now?

> Is she letting you in or not?

> Come on, which is it?!

I think that’s enough discussion about the Goddess’s barrier. Right now, all I wanted was for her to let us into the dungeon already.

“Whatever. I already have a pretty good idea of your circumstances, so there’s no need for an explanation.”

“Huh? So you really have been secretly filming us this whole time?”

“SHUT UUUUP!! Don’t worry about those little details! Just listen!”

“Y-Yes… Sorry…”

I’d asked a perfectly reasonable question, only to have the barrier-girl scold me with the equivalent of, “Shut up, brat!”

Apparently, secretly filming people was just an everyday occurrence for the Goddess.

“I more or less understand the Guild’s intentions… in other words, the intentions and schemes of the human side. I even anticipated that they would send you here.”

“Huh? Then why don’t you just come out of there and talk things over with us?”

If she already understood the situation, this should be easy!

Loli Goddess, instead of sitting in that dark place secretly filming people all day, why not come up to the surface and have a meeting with the Guild?

I’m sure even Yuda-san would really like to get along with you!

Let’s work together to find a future where the world and the dungeons can coexist!

“…You still have that same flower-child way of thinking, Daishi Ajiri. Well, I suppose that might be part of your charm, too.”

Oh, right. This goddess was the type who could read other people’s thoughts.

That was dangerous. I had to be careful. If I let my guard down and accidentally thought something like “loli hag”…

“…There won’t be a next time, Daishi Ajiri.”

“Sorry.”

Yep. I really needed to watch my thoughts around her.

“Daishi-saaaaaan! What have you been running around doing all by yourself this whole time?”

“Looks like you couldn’t destroy the barrier after all.”

“Not even that devastating blow left a crack. What a terrifying barrier.”

“SHAAAAAA!”

My companions, who had been watching from a short distance away, came running over.

Apparently, they hadn’t been able to see or hear my exchange with the Goddess.

『 Oh, and there’s no need to explain anything about me to them. I’ll let you all inside for now, so just wait a moment. 』

Almost at the exact same moment the Goddess’s voice echoed directly inside my head, my companions and I were suddenly enveloped from head to toe in bands of light.

“Huh? What is this?!”

“Whoa! Huh? Whaaat?!”

“Hmm! Is this a trap?!”

“Shwooooo!”

Everyone was understandably confused by the sudden development.

Wh-What is this light…?

『 I’ve simply synchronized you with the barrier, so don’t worry. In this state, you should be able to pass right through it. Just walk through the entrance and come inside. Oh, and I’ll allow you to keep streaming, so you can leave the camera on.』

Sure enough, even the camera floating in midair was wrapped in bands of light. This goddess didn’t seem to have much of a problem with exposing herself to the entire country. She’d even let us stream her voice before, after all.

Could she actually be some kind of attention-seeking, validation-hungry monster who secretly loves being in the spotlight…?

『 You’re noisy, old man Ajiri. Hurry up, explain things to everyone, and move on.』

『 Sorry.』

Having my thoughts read was seriously inconvenient.

But I guess there wasn’t much I could do about it.

“Ah, apparently that light was something the Goddess  prepared so we could pass through the barrier. So there shouldn’t be anything to worry about! …Apparently.”

My companions looked suspicious, so I immediately relayed the Goddess ‘s explanation to them.

Although…

Judging by their faces, nobody seemed to believe me.

“See?”

“Ooooooh…”

I was still a little skeptical myself, but I cleared my mind and stepped through the barrier first. And sure enough, I passed right through it without any trouble.

My companions followed after me, marveling as they slipped through the barrier as well. Apparently, the Goddess  really had decided to let us in without a fuss.

“All right! Now that we’re inside, let’s hurry up and have you zip us straight over to where you are, Goddess—”

『 Huh? What kind of sleepy-headed nonsense are you talking about, Daishi Ajiri?』

『 …What?』

『 You really think you can just meet me that easily? Now that you’ve made it here, you’ll have to undergo a trial.』

Huh?

Another trial?

We’d already been put through all kinds of training the first time we came here. I’d gotten plenty stronger since then, so I really didn’t need any more of that sort of thing.

『 You can’t even break through a barrier like that, and you’re already talking big? The world is a vast place. Stop whining and overcome my ultimate trial.』

『 Your… ultimate trial?』

『 Yes. This time, I’ve prepared a dungeon that goes all the way down to the seventh underground floor. So work together with your friends and do your best to make it through without dying.』

The seventh underground floor…

Honestly, that sounded like a huge pain. But if we wanted to reach the Goddess , we had no choice but to do it. Well, if it’s only that deep, it shouldn’t be a big deal.

We’ll just dive in, breeze through the place, and be done with it!

『 Let’s see how long that confidence of yours lasts.』

『 We’re strong. You shouldn’t underestimate us, Goddess.』

『 ……New Selection Zone.』

『 Huh?』

『 I’ve transplanted the soul system from that other world into this one and upgraded it. It’s got a pretty hardcore set of specifications now, so I hope you’re looking forward to it. Oh, and by the way, if you die here, all of you are going to become my toys. Just so we’re clear.』

“…”

Apparently, there really were no gods or Buddhas in the world we were living in after all.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeneijiworks.com

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Now that people can actually send me money, I need to make more of an effort to tailor my streams to what the viewers want. I can’t afford to get blinded by the ¥ signs.

First, I need to properly explain the answer to the question that’s flooding the chat:

> What’s the situation right now?

“So, basically, this happened, and then that happened, and somehow it all turned into this…”

“…Daishi-san, that’s not how it happened.”

“…Seriously. Are all middle-aged men like this? Give them any young woman and they’ll fall for her.”

“…For an old guy like him, it seems like any woman would do.”

“SHAAAA! (YOU PERVEEEEERT!)”

“…”

I’m literally just trying to explain the situation to the viewers, yet everyone on the sidelines keeps throwing their prejudiced opinions at me.

…Hey, guys. Are you still holding a grudge over how hopelessly smitten I was with Yuda-san?

> Okay, I think I’ve got the gist now > Hey, young folks, old men are a whole different species > Be gentle with him > I don’t think he means any harm > He’s just getting carried away > Wait, the Guild Representative was a woman? > Man, I wish we could’ve seen her > Dude, this is turning into a harem route > I’m so jealous it’s criminal > [Never mind all that—what are you gonna do about that barrier? ¥500]

A Super Chat came flying in, snapping me back to reality.

Okay… I guess we can drop the whole “I’m a pervert” thing now.

According to Mina-chan and Shion, the barrier currently covering the entrance to West Tokyo Fourth Beginner Dungeon is an absolutely ridiculous piece of work.

We needed to figure out what exactly we could do to break through it.

> Why not ask the Goddess for help first? ¥500

Among the steady stream of Super Chats was a suggestion for one of the methods I’d already been planning to try.

Yeah. Let’s start with that.

The Goddess, that loli, has always been frighteningly good at secretly taking photos and eavesdropping on people. She’s probably still spying on us from somewhere right now.

For starters, I could try calling out to her telepathically…

『 Hey, Loli Ha—no, wait, Goddess! Goddess! Can you hear me?』

I raised my mental voice as much as I could, calling out to the Goddess and waiting for a response.

“…”

I closed my eyes and waited for five seconds, but I didn’t pick up so much as a peep from that childish voice in my head.

So this method doesn’t work?

I’m pretty sure she’s watching us, though…

Could she be taking a dump or something?

“The old man’s 【Burial Fist】 might be able to destroy the barrier. Why not give it a try?”

Shion offered a constructive…

No, a “destructive” suggestion.

So basically, she was telling me to try brute force first?

“Yeah. It doesn’t look like there’s any way to deactivate it through technical means.”

“Then we’ll just have to smash it!”

Mina-chan and Satsuki-chan seemed to agree.

Looks like we had no choice but to give it a shot.

> Nice! [Burial Fist] > It’s been a while! > Can’t wait~ > Hit us with something epic. > What do your stats look like now? > You beat the Hero, so your level must’ve gone up, right? > [Spill the details! (¥1000)]

Oh! Speaking of my stats! I still haven’t allocated my excess Burial Points!

Good thing the viewers were interested in my stats. Actually, maybe it was a good thing I hadn’t allocated them until now. Given the situation we’re in, the way I should distribute my stats practically decides itself.

All right, let’s do this!

I opened the status screen and hit the ▲ button next to the stat allocation…

Hyaah!!! Time for a barrage!!!

Tap tap tap tap tap tap…

Name: Daishi Ajiri Class: Burial Priest Level: 25 HP: 3333 / 3333 MP:  2929 / 2929 Strength: 8011 (+5555) Endurance: 2890 Agility: 8001 Intelligence: 3044 Burial Power: 9999 Surplus Burial Points:0 Skills: 【Burial Samsara (Lv1)】 【Burial Healing (MAX)】 【Burial Fist (MAX)】   【Retribution (MAX)】 【Requiem (MAX)】 【Return (MAX)】 【Cremation (MAX)】 【Clairvoyance (MAX)】 Unique Skill: 【Hell Gate】 【Infinite Itembox】 Title: 【Enlightened One】

Heh heh heh.

With this much of a boost to my physical strength, I can expect even more destructive power from [Burial Fist]!

I’m a genius!

> Still makes no sense even when you hear it again > Physical strength over 8000 lol > He’s a god > Too much of a monster > He’s gonna send the whole dungeon to the grave lol > Looks like he might split the Earth in two > Don’t accidentally punch the ground > Better get ready to run, just in case… > Alright, do it! Daishi! > So excited > Viewers are coming back too > How many now? Oh, 10 million > The viewer count is on a whole different level lolol

Thank goodness! Looks like everyone is still expecting me to pull something off!

This many people are cheering me on!

I can’t let them see me make a fool of myself!

“Everyone, get as far back as you can. You might get caught in the crossfire!”

I stepped forward, moving another few paces closer to the barrier.

I was planning to hit it with everything I had, so I wanted everyone to protect themselves with defensive skills or something, if possible.

“Well, when it comes to defense and healing, I can handle pretty much anything. So, Daishi-san, don’t hold back! Go ahead and smash that barrier!”

That’s my Mina-chan! I’m counting on you to keep everyone safe!

“Don’t worry about us. Give it everything you’ve got!”

“Do your best!”

“SHAAAAAA!”

All right! Then let’s get started…

Tap!

Whoosh!

“Up close, this thing looks insanely tough… But!”

I closed the distance in an instant, moving at practically teleportation speed until I was within striking range of the barrier. A wall of light stretched out before my eyes, shimmering with a nauseatingly garish color.

“HAAAAAAAAA!!”

I immediately dropped into a low stance, focusing every ounce of concentration I had.

Maybe it was because of my immense Burial Power and physical strength, but I could feel an incredible power and intensity of energy surging through my body—something I’d never experienced before.

With a high-pitched “Kiiiiing!”, white aura began gathering around my clenched right fist, one wave after another!

Th-this power…

With this, I can definitely finish him off!!

“HAAAAAAAAA!! TAKE THISSSS!! 【Burial Fist】!!!”

BOOOOOOOOM!!!

An earth-shattering impact rang out, so loud it felt like my eardrums were going to burst!

Th-this has to be…

“OWWWWW!! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?! YOU IDIOTTTTT!!!”

BOOOOOOOOM!!!

“GYEAAAAAAH!!”

> Huh? > What? > Uhh… > Wait, old man is… > He’s flying LOL > What the hell just happened? > A giant arm of light just came out of the barrier and punched him LOL > Wait… was that the Goddess just now? > LMAO

Apparently, the wall of light we’d thought was a barrier was actually a part of the Goddess body.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeneijiworks.com

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There was no need to worry about paying for everything or using my Item Box. Yuda-san had already taken care of it beforehand. We didn’t have to pay anything at the register, and she’d even granted me special permission to use my Item Box skill.

Apparently, she’d also given the staff permission to let me toss everything in whole carts and all straight into storage.

Once again, I was reminded just how considerate she was, right down to the smallest details.

“Is around here fine?”

I was just thinking back to our shopping trip at the Guild Headquarters’ item shop when I realized we had apparently already arrived at our destination.

The black-clad man who had driven us in a black van to the vicinity of the West Tokyo Fourth Beginner Dungeon entrance brought the vehicle to a stop.

“Yeah, this is fine. Thanks for the ride! We’ll be heading in now!”

I gave our driver a quick farewell and stepped out of the passenger seat with a flourish.

It felt good to breathe the clear outdoor air again after so long. I wasn’t feeling bad at all.

Satsuki-chan and the others soon climbed out of the back as well.

“That… really is an incredible barrier. There’s no way anyone could get through that.”

“Something like a Goryo Sealing Formula… No, perhaps an Aegis Defensive Enchantment… Or maybe…”

Mina-chan and Shion stared at the purplish membrane of light radiating from the dungeon entrance, muttering quietly to themselves.

I had absolutely no idea what Shion was talking about. Still, judging by the looks of it, there was definitely some seriously powerful barrier surrounding the place.

Ryunosuke-kun seemed wary of it, too, growling and snarling at the barrier as though trying to intimidate it.

“It feels like we were just here not long ago… Oh, Daishi-san!”

“What is it, Satsuki-chan?”

“Here! The streaming camera! Don’t you think it’s about time we started streaming again?”

“Oh!”

Satsuki-chan handed me the streaming equipment she’d been looking after and suggested it with a bright smile.

Streaming was prohibited inside Guild-affiliated facilities, but now that we were all the way out here, it should be fine to turn the camera back on!

“I had some time, so I went ahead and tweaked a few of the settings!”

“The settings?”

“Yes! Super Chat was turned off on your stream, Daishi-san, so I turned it on! I’m sure there are lots of people who want to send you tips.”

“Ohhh…”

Come to think of it, I’d only started streaming myself after becoming an Explorer, so I hadn’t known anything about the various settings or features.

And now that she mentioned it, I realized something. Back when I used to watch streamers, I’d occasionally see red, yellow, or blue comments scroll through the chat, with things like ¥100 or ¥1,000 displayed alongside them.

My own chat had never had anything like that.

Huh…?

So if I’d actually set everything up properly beforehand, I might’ve been making a decent amount of money this whole time.

“…”

Why didn’t you tell me sooner?! AAAAAAAAGH! (sob)

“Wait… don’t tell me you didn’t have ads on either…?”

“Oh! I thought you’d deliberately turned them off for your viewers’ sake! Should I turn the ads on, too?”

“Ah, no. Just Super Chat is fine. Yeah. Thanks, Satsuki-chan…”

There was no way I could start running ads at this point.

Super Chat is entirely up to the viewers, so I’ll just open up that option and leave it at that. (sob)

“By the way, Satsuki-chan, aren’t you going to start streaming again?”

Come to think of it, when I first met her, she was a pretty serious streamer…

“When the Hero kidnapped me, he destroyed all my streaming equipment… I need to buy everything again, but I haven’t really had the time…”

“Oh… I see.”

“Ah, don’t worry about it. Once things settle down, I’ll take my time and start again. More importantly, hurry up and show your face to your viewers! I made a quick announcement on social media, so I think people are already starting to gather.”

“Thanks, Satsuki-chan!”

Satsuki-chan really is such a capable, thoughtful girl. She notices things like that and takes care of them without even being asked.

Seriously, what would I do without her?

But I wonder if the viewers really are coming back. My last stream ended so abruptly, after all.

Man… It’s been a while, so I’m a little nervous…

No, forget all that. I might as well just get started!

All right! Time to turn on the streaming camera!

Click!

> Oh > Ooooh > HE’S BAAAAAACK!! > THE OLD MAN IS BAAAAAACK!! > Welcome baaaackkkkk!! > Welcome back! > WHAT TOOK YOU SO LOOOOONG?! > WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN DOING ALL THIS TIME?! > I feel like I’m gonna cry… > What a relief… > Huh? Where are you right now? > That’s the entrance to West Tokyo Fourth Beginner Dungeon, right? > You’re back there again? > Wait, are you gonna take down the Goddess?! Are you finally doing it?!

Damn… That’s insane…

The moment I started the stream, the comment feed instantly exploded, filling the entire floating display. It honestly freaked me out a little.

Even though Satsuki-chan had announced it beforehand, I never expected five million viewers to show up right from the start.

Especially after I’d gone completely silent following that communications failure last time…

To everyone watching, thank you. Seriously. Thank you for waiting for me!

> LOL, Super Chat is enabled now > You want us to pay tribute? > [Fine, fine. Here. ¥500] > Welcome-back gift! ¥1,000】 > 【★Celebrating the stream’s return!! ¥5,000★】 > 【★★★TAKE IT AND RUN, YOU THIEF!! ¥10,000★★★】

“Wait, wait, everyone! Hold on!”

I haven’t even done anything yet, and you’re already throwing money at me one after another…

I can’t stop grinning.

> LOL, they’re tipping way too much > Your face is all twisted up > Stop, you’re gonna make this old man quit working LOL > He can’t hide how happy he is > The priest makes a killing off donations > Money is bad, man. Money is bad. > You gotta make him take down some strong monsters first > Don’t tip him for doing literally nothing

You can tip me even if I haven’t done anything. Seriously.

“It looks like everyone really did come back to watch you.”

“Satsuki-chan… heh-heh… Super Chats are freaking amazing…”

“Your face is doing something really weird right now.”

Between the joy of successfully restarting my stream and the intoxicating thrill of watching my bank balance climb higher and higher, apparently my facial muscles had completely forgotten how to behave.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeneijiworks.com

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Yuda Kagami’s POV

“Looks like the negotiations went well, Yuda-sama.”

Once everyone else had left my office, a man dressed in black entered. Tall and slender, with a handsome face and a smooth, pleasant voice, his name was Rei Minami. He was the Deputy Representative of the Far East Headquarters of the Dungeon Association.

In other words, he was my direct subordinate.

“I wouldn’t say they went one hundred percent according to plan, but we achieved the minimum objective.”

“Man, I have to hand it to you. Taking on a bunch of monsters like those all by yourself… That’s seriously impressive.”

Rei bowed deeply from his otherwise perfectly upright posture, as though paying me his sincere respects.

His performance was so transparently insincere that it was almost laughable, but there was something undeniably satisfying about watching a handsome man bow his head before me.

“Save the flattery. More importantly, is everything else proceeding according to schedule?”

“Yes. We’ve had them make their preparations at the Guild-operated item shop.”

“No oversights in the setup?”

“Everything is perfect.”

If this man said it was perfect, I had no reason to doubt him.

Had the negotiations gone completely according to plan, there would have been no need to have Rei handle the additional preparations for me. But unfortunately, things hadn’t gone quite that smoothly.

I hadn’t particularly wanted to owe this man a favor, but there was little choice.

“…”

Daishi Ajiri. I suppose I could at least give him credit for forcing me to play my trump card.

“That killing intent of his…”

To be perfectly honest, it had sent a genuine chill down my spine.

“Did the dummy videos do the trick? Man, modern AI technology is incredible, isn’t it? Just give it a few simple instructions, and it’ll automatically generate something that looks incredibly realistic, almost like it’s being streamed live!”

“That’s merely a testament to the Guild’s superior AI systems and intelligence-gathering capabilities. It has nothing to do with you.”

“Oh, come on. I was the one who wrote the prompt. You could at least give me a little credit.”

I’ve known him for a long time, but I still can’t stand Rei’s attitude. He always acts overly familiar while maintaining just enough distance to make it seem like he’s showing me proper respect.

He must look down on me quite a bit deep down.

“I’m merely carrying out my responsibilities. It isn’t something worthy of praise.”

“Aw, what a shame.”

“…More importantly, that footage wasn’t actually very useful in the end.”

“Huh? Really? Then how did you manage to tame those monsters and get them to head for the Beginner Dungeon?”

Rei stared straight into my eyes as he asked the question with an unusually serious expression.

I wanted to avert my gaze, but my dignity as the Representative wouldn’t allow it.

I had made a mistake. I shouldn’t have admitted that the footage hadn’t been useful!

Why did I let that slip out, me!?

“Hmmm… I get it now. Yuda-sama, you used your “feminine charms”, didn’t you?”

“Wha—!”

I knew it!

He figured it out!!

“Of course some old geezer like that would fall head over heels for Yuda-sama’s beauty! Seriously, you should’ve just gone with that strategy from the beginning.”

“I-I couldn’t possibly incorporate something like that into an official strategy!”

“Oh, don’t get embarrassed. You’re really cute, Yuda-sama.”

“Y-You insolent bastard! That’s an outrageous way to speak to the Representative!”

“Yes, yes. Sorry about that. I’ll listen to your lecture later. Anyway, I’ve got another job to take care of, so I’m heading out.”

“Hey! We’re not finished tal—”

“Well then.”

And with that, Rei left the office like the wind, after thoroughly provoking me to his heart’s content.

“…”

I stood there alone in the now-empty office.

And, without thinking, I slipped back into my true self and couldn’t help shouting what was really on my mind.

“That damn Rei… He’s so freaking annoying!!”

Oops. I shouldn’t have said that.

If someone had overheard me, that little outburst could have seriously damaged my dignity!

Calm down.

Forget about Rei and focus on Daishi Ajiri.

He has a very important task ahead of him—one that could determine the future of all humanity.

“Daishi… Ajiri…”

I opened both hands and stared down at them.

For some reason, I suddenly remembered the feeling of his palm when I’d instinctively grabbed his hand earlier in an attempt to encourage a truce.

“…”

They had been remarkably large, beautiful hands.

“Huh? What’s this…?”

A strange sensation suddenly washed over me.

For some reason, my heart was beating a little faster.

◇◇◇

“We should probably stock up on about a hundred potions, right?”

“Let’s get a hundred MP recovery potions, too! No, better make that two hundred!”

“Make sure we get plenty of food. You can’t fight on an empty stomach.”

“SHAAAAAA!! (Meaaat)!!”

After finishing our meeting with Yuda-san, the whole group headed to the item shop attached to Guild Headquarters.

We are getting our supplies together for another attempt at conquering the West Tokyo Fourth Beginner Dungeon.

“Do we really need this many items? Aren’t we buying a little too much…?”

“Daishi-san, just be quiet!!”

“Y-Yes!”

Ever since we’d finished the meeting and arrived at the item shop, the girls had been in an absolutely foul mood.

Sure, I had unilaterally decided that we were going back to the Beginner Dungeon, but I didn’t think it was worth getting “that” angry over.

Unlike the Nether-class dungeon, it was an easy dungeon. And more importantly, we are just going to visit the Dungeon Master, who had helped us out so much. It wasn’t exactly some incredibly dangerous mission.

Well… assuming we could even meet her of course.

Apparently, some ridiculously powerful barrier had been erected around the dungeon entrance, and nobody could enter at the moment.

I had told Yuda-san we’d head over right away, but I still had absolutely no idea how we were supposed to get through that barrier.

Yuda-san…

“So, Daishi-san! Please pay for all of these and put everything into your Item Box! We’re going to the food court to get some dessert first!”

Mina-chan shoved several enormous carts overflowing with supplies toward me, then turned her back and started walking away with the others.

“Hey! Why are you dumping the checkout on me, tooooo!?”

Wasn’t this a little unfair?

“Wait, wait. I’m the only one paying for all this…?”

“Why don’t you ask that beautiful Guild Representative to pay for you?”

“Hm. An excellent idea. Why don’t you go ask her? You lustful old man.”

“Daishi-san really is such a pervert.”

“SHAAAAAAA!!”

“…”

Wait a minute.

Could it be…

They had all noticed how completely smitten I’d gotten with Yuda-san!?

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeneijiworks.com

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“Guh… That’s low…”

Naturally, the image Juda-san projected onto the wall included my parents. They were living their lives as usual—an ordinary, everyday scene. Yet, it was precisely that sense of ordinariness that made me involuntarily curse, “That’s low.”

There’s no way around this. Like Juda-san said, we’ll just have to submit to the Guild’s control and have to deal with the Loli Goddess-Loli… Wait a minute. I feel like I faced a similar situation back when I was a salaryman.

Let’s see, that time it was…

Amidst my wavering resolve, I suddenly recalled a specific negotiation from my days as a corporate drone.

◇◇◇

“Damn it! What kind of garbage unit price is that?! This is exactly why big corporations are such a pain in the ass…”

“But, Senpai… if we don’t accept the revised terms they offered, won’t they cancel the contract? They’re a major company, after all. Our profit margin will be thinner, but the volume of business would be much larger, so we should still be able to make a decent profit, right…?”

“You idiot. Once you give in to people like that, they’ll keep piling on unreasonable demands whenever they see an opening. Before you know it, you’ll be their slave. They’re no different from organized criminals.”

“But… then what are we supposed to do, Senpai? I only managed to get away from the table for five minutes by telling them I needed to check with headquarters. We’re almost out of time!”

“Hey, Daishi. What do you think our company’s biggest strength is?”

“Huh? Why are you asking me something like that at a time like this…?”

“Our company may be an unbelievably shitty black company that runs on overtime and workplace harassment, but every product we make is still top-notch. There isn’t another company out there that can produce something of that quality at our cost.”

“Yeah, I know that, but…”

“They’d be in trouble if they lost our business, too. Listen, Daishi. Big corporations use their money, status, and power to wear down their subcontractors mentally while maneuvering negotiations in their favor. In a way, that’s exactly what makes them a major corporation.”

“Yeah…”

“So, how do you get the upper hand when negotiating with people like that? The answer is simple.”

He grinned.

“Bluff.”

“Bluff?”

“Exactly. If your product has a real advantage, then you’re on equal footing with them… hell, you’re actually the one in the stronger position. Once you’ve established that, what matters is how well you can create a situation where you have the psychological advantage.”

“But bluffing against people who look that intimidating…”

“Leave this one to me. I’ll show you what a real ‘negotiation’ looks like.”

◇◇◇

“Now then. Let’s hear your answer.”

We were in Yuda-san’s office on the top floor of Guild Headquarters. The room had fallen silent as everyone stared at the images of their respective families projected across the wall.

We all understood the situation. Our families had been taken hostage. There was no question that we were at a psychological disadvantage.

I didn’t know whether the memories of my salaryman days that had just resurfaced would prove useful in getting us through this situation. But this was a moment when I, the former corporate slave and the oldest among us, had to step up.

That’s right. The most important thing is bluffing!

“Fufufu…”

“What exactly is so amusing, Daishi Ajiri? Do you not understand the situation you’re in?”

Yuda-san sounded slightly irritated.

He should have been completely confident, knowing that he had the upper hand, but perhaps my reaction wasn’t what he’d expected. For the first time, he seemed to be losing some of his composure.

…This might actually be easier than I thought.

“That’s not much of a threat, you know.”

“…What did you say?”

“If I use my 【Return】, I can summon all of our families here in an instant!”

“What!? N-No, according to our analysis of your data, your 【Return】 shouldn’t have any such function…”

“I kept it hidden.”

“W-what!?”

“I thought there might be a situation like this someday, so I’ve been hiding it all this time!!”

“Wha-!? Whaaaaat!?”

Of course, that was a lie.【Return】 could only summon people and monsters I had encountered inside a dungeon. Well, I could summon Mina-chan’s brothers, so it wasn’t entirely a lie. It was just a bluff.

“W-Wait, Daishi Ajiri! If you use a skill here, not only you but all of your companions will be sent to prison! You’ll be severely punished!”

But Yuda-san was definitely starting to panic. Maybe he was the type to back down when someone came at him aggressively.

All right. I might as well keep pushing while I had the momentum.

“Yeah. I’d certainly prefer to avoid that situation if possible… but if we do end up getting arrested, it’ll be after Guild Headquarters has been wiped off the face of the earth.”

I said it casually, but inside, my heart was pounding like crazy. I was trying my best to look cool and composed, but I was pretty sure the muscles in my face were twitching.

“Y-your threats don’t work on me, Daishi Ajiri! I have no fear of dying in the line of duty!”

“Ohhh…”

Whoosh. I lightly kicked my foot against the floor and instantly moved behind the chair Yuda-san was sitting in.

I raised my right hand and continued.

“What!?”

“Would you prefer 【Cremation】? Or perhaps 【Burial Fist】? Which would you rather have? Being burned so thoroughly that even your soul melts away, or having your body blown apart at the cellular level?”

I paused.

“Ah, if you’d like, there’s always the option of【Hell Gate】, too.”

“Y-You bastard! Do you really think you’ll get away with doing something like this…?”

“Oh, and one more thing. My 【Clairvoyance】 lets me see every bit of another person’s personal information. Their name, age, address, blood type, family members… I can even see their past life if I want.”

My voice hardened.

“An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth. And a hostage for a hostage.”

“Lay so much as a finger on our families, and I’ll turn every last one of you into ●●●●●, all the way down to your entire bloodline and descendants!”

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, me!

Did I really just say all that!?

Yuda-san isn’t going to snap and decide, “Screw the hostages, then,” is he?

…No. I’ve already gone this far. There’s nothing left to do but see it through!

Stare him down!

Stare him down!

I furrowed my brows and glared daggers at Yuda-san from behind like some delinquent straight out of a school-gang manga. I have to maintain the psychological upper hand!

Whatever happens, I absolutely cannot show fear!

“…”

“What happened to all that bravado from earlier? You said I wouldn’t get away with this, right? Go ahead. Do something to the hostages. Come on, I dare you!!”

For the record, Satsuki-chan and the others were completely stunned by my sudden change in attitude. Apparently, they couldn’t quite process how the kind old man they knew had suddenly turned into a delinquent.

I’ll explain everything later, so just sit tight and watch for now.

Anyway, Yuda-san remained silent, his head bowed as he stared at the floor.

I figured that meant my psychological attack had landed pretty hard.

This was my chance. I needed to press our demands all at once and completely destroy whatever advantage they thought they had!

“We’re not going to come under anyone’s control. From now on, we’ll decide everything we do oursel—”

“…Fue.”

“…Fue?”

“Fueeeeeehhh! O-Old man is bullying Yudaaaaa!!”

Huhhhhh!?

What!? What the hell just happened!?

Why was he suddenly crying in a little-girl voice!?

“Uh? Wait, um…”

“I didn’t want to use such a dirty trick either! I really, really didn’t! But the old men at World Headquarters told me I had to do it! I kept telling them I didn’t want to, but they made me do it anyway…”

“Well, isn’t that your job…?”

“Even if it’s my job, I still don’t wanna do it!”

Wait a second. So Yuda-san really is a woman after all! And she’s a seriously spoiled brat! Her voice had suddenly become so much younger and brighter, too…

I mean… she’s… kinda… CUTE!!

“Uh… Well, how about this. We don’t want to be put under anyone’s control, but we were planning to go to the Beginner Dungeon anyway. Yeah. I wanted to go talk to the Dungeon Master again, after all. I don’t know if we’ll be able to bring her to the surface, but we’ll go there and give it a shot! So let’s just call it even after that, okay?”

Every single one of my companions was giving me a look that clearly said, “What? We never agreed to this.”

But I ignored them for the moment. We have our own circumstances, but Yuda-san has her own position to consider, too.

My senpai once taught me that negotiation wasn’t about getting everything you wanted while maintaining the psychological upper hand. It was about finding a point of compromise and meeting each other halfway.

Don’t make enemies unless you absolutely have to.

Apparently, that was one of the keys to getting through life.

“Okay! That works for me! Yay! You’re really going to go?”

“Yeah. If you want, we can even go right now.”

“Really!? I’m so happy! Thank you, Daishi-kun!”

Yuda-san stood up from her chair, turned toward me, and looked straight into my eyes as she clasped both of my hands tightly in hers.

“…”

That face was so freaking adorable.

“J-Just don’t you dare lay a hand on the hostages!”

“I don’t want to die yet, either! I promise!”

“…”

That smile.

Absolutely adorable.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeneijiworks.com

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“Hero… Soma…”

Satsuki-chan’s hand, which had been slowly bringing sips of royal milk tea to her lips, suddenly stopped. Her expression darkened, and for a moment, she even seemed to tremble.

The matter had already been resolved, but considering how painful the whole ordeal must have been for Satsuki-chan, perhaps it had left a scar somewhere deep in her subconscious—a sort of lingering trauma.

“Damn hero…”

Seeing Satsuki-chan like that, I found myself muttering the words under my breath as various memories came rushing back.

The AI Hero Soma who had been used as a pawn really was an awful bastard. His personality had been utterly rotten, and there was no denying he was a terrible person.

Even so, by the end, there had been at least a little room for sympathy. That man had been suffering in his own way, too. But the person controlling him from behind the scenes—the corporate slave pulling the strings—was beyond redemption.

I killed him instantly with the Hell Gate, so I never learned what his true intentions were. Still, the thought of him sitting smugly in a safe place, doing nothing but barking orders while everyone else took the risks, pissed me off to no end.

And now, that very mastermind is standing right in front of us.

I don’t care what they say about some “crisis facing humanity.” There was no way in hell I could accept the wishes of the Guild Headquarters when they were willing to make people go along with something like that.

“The Divine Class-level went quite well, though. We already had the data from the Nether Class-level, and since it was our second attempt, I thought we’d be able to handle it a little better…”

He paused.

“But I never imagined it would end like that. To be perfectly honest, I was disappointed.”

Yuda-san operated the remote again, closing the presentation slides that had been projected onto the wall. A wry smile crossed his face as he continued speaking in an almost matter-of-fact tone.

There wasn’t even a hint of sorrow in his expression. To the Guild, both the AI Hero and the corporate slave who had been its original operator were nothing more than tools.

No… Perhaps even Yuda-san himself was just another expendable pawn in the Guild’s eyes.

“So, does this request mean you want us to destroy every dungeon in place of the Hero?”

Mina-chan carefully kept her composure as she tried to gauge Yuda-san’s true intentions.

There was a faint trace of anger in her expression.

Yeah… The Guild really was getting on my nerves.

I felt exactly the same way.

“No. If our hypothesis is correct, then the plan can be completed by taking control of the Divine Class, the Abyssal Sea class, and the Nether Class dungeons, and then defeating the Dungeon Master who has made the West Tokyo Fourth Beginner Dungeon its base.”

“We’ve already taken down the Divine Class and the Abyssal Sea class. All that remains are the Nether Class and the Beginner Dungeon.”

So the Dungeon Master was the real target.

Well, that made sense. After all, the one who created this entire dungeon system was that little goddess-girl, wasn’t she? Ah… Though I suppose the Nether Class and the others were different.

I think she mentioned that those dungeons were independent entities or something like that.

Hmm? Come to think of it…

He was talking as though the Guild had orchestrated the whole thing, but wasn’t the Abyssal Sea Class the dungeon that Shion had conquered back when she was a Demon Realm Knight…?

“I was the one who conquered the Abyssal Sea Class. I know nothing about any such plan.”

So I was right. Shion really was the one who conquered the Abyssal Sea Class dungeon. She just doesn’t remember doing it.

“I’m glad you made use of the Demon Realm Knight armor, Shion Kusakabe. That armor was a special piece of equipment we developed specifically for conquering the Abyssal Sea Class dungeon. We were having trouble finding someone compatible with it, and then you went and took it without permission and put it to good use. In the end, things worked out rather nicely.”

“……”

“Of course, we had planned to retrieve the armor afterward, then reconstruct and reuse it. Unfortunately… thanks to someone destroying it so spectacularly, it became impossible to recover. That was another outcome we hadn’t anticipated.”

Yuda-san suddenly shot me a sharp glare.

What the hell?!

You wanna go, asshole?!

Oh. Right. I was the one who destroyed the armor.

“Daishi Ajiri. I believe you’ve more or less figured out what I’m getting at from everything I’ve told you. The reason our plans have been thrown into disarray time and time again is you. Every last bit of it can be traced back to your actions. Therefore, you have an obligation to cooperate with us.”

“No, no, no, no. All of that was completely beyond my control.”

All I did was quit my office job, become an Explorer, and do my damnedest to survive this far. What was I supposed to say to something like that?

“Regardless of how it came about, your actions have consistently interfered with our plans. And judging from our analysis of your abilities and the combat data we’ve collected so far, your stats are clearly abnormal. What’s more, there is a possibility that you have some significant connection to the Dungeon Master. Given all that, we can no longer afford to leave you at large.”

“You will cooperate with us to save humanity, under our supervision and with proper guidance.”

Yuda-san had finally gotten around to revealing the true purpose of this meeting.

So, basically, he wanted us to stop arguing and go kill the Dungeon Master for the sake of humanity.

But the Dungeon Master had asked me to conquer the Nether Class dungeon first. I had also received quite a bit of help from them, so personally, I want to prioritize that.

I want to have another proper, leisurely conversation with that old King of the Netherworld, too.

“I was planning to conquer the Nether Class dungeon anyway, even without being asked, but…”

“No, you can leave the Nether Class until last, Daishi Ajiri. Before that, I want you to enter the West Tokyo Fourth Beginner Dungeon once more and somehow lure the Dungeon Master out to the surface.”

“Lure the Dungeon Master… to the surface?”

I thought they wanted me to kill him.

“Yes. More precisely, I want you to bring the main body outside the super-barrier currently covering the entire Beginner Dungeon. We’ll take care of the rest. Even with your absurdly high stats, I don’t believe for a moment that you could defeat him so easily.”

Yeah… I didn’t think that was going to happen either.

For starters, how the hell was I supposed to get into a Beginner Dungeon covered by this so-called super-barrier?

No, maybe I could ask through that telepathic communication thing we used to talk directly inside our heads?

But more importantly… they were already talking as though I had already agreed to everything. We hadn’t even said a single word about cooperating with them yet.

Sure, I owed them a few favors, but I didn’t trust a word they were saying. And I am pretty sure my companions felt the same way. The best thing to do here would be to turn them down cleanly, get the hell out of here, and spend some time recovering before tackling the Nether class dungeon.

“Oh, by the way. There’s a reason I’ve deliberately been using the word ‘cooperate’ this entire time. I wanted you to participate in our mission willingly and without any unpleasantness.”

He smiled.

“Make no mistake, however. We are not speaking to you as equals. We have always held the initiative.”

“…Huh?”

Yuda-san’s attitude had unmistakably begun to change.

He fiddled with the remote once more, and this time, four separate images appeared on the wall behind him.

W-What is this!?

“You have important people in your lives besides the companions here, don’t you?”

Yuda-san’s voice remained eerily calm.

“I wasn’t expecting you to give me a very agreeable answer, so I decided to show you these in advance. Well… I believe you understand what this means.”

“Y-You bastard…”

“O-Oniichan!!”

“Grandma!!”

The footage Yuda-san projected was a real-time live stream showing our immediate family members going about their daily lives as usual.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeneijiworks.com

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