Category: Datsusara Souryo no Danjon Sousou Haishin

So this “Dungeon Master”… it’s basically the person in charge of this West Tokyo Fourth Beginner Dungeon?

Like a branch manager? Or maybe a regional supervisor… an area manager?!

There’s no way it’s the CEO of all dungeons, right?

…Right?

It was a little girl, after all….

But then again—“in your world”… what did that even mean?

My head was filling up with question marks. I really wanted to have each thing explained one by one, but—

“Enough talk. We begin.”

“Wha—hey! You’re attacking already?! We weren’t done talking!”

Too fast!

Damn, it’s quick!

“Hah!”

“Guh—!”

I failed to evade and instead raised both arms to block the punch from Rakshasa head-on. Its size had shrunk compared to earlier, so I thought I could take it easily—but I was wrong. This was heavier than when I got stomped by his statue form at the temple. The force alone made the ground beneath my feet crack.

My body sank slightly into it.

“This is the Selection Domain. I was forced into a disadvantage earlier… but here, you are merely a fragile human. There is no reason for me to lose.”

“…!”

Even while speaking nonsense like some over-the-top villain, he kept pressing down on me. The ground beneath my feet continued to crumble. My knees were already half-buried.

“I have grown tired of continuing as a mere selector.”

Saying that, Rakshasa stopped pressing and leapt into the air.

A violent red-purple energy gathered in both hands, growing louder and more unstable. If that hit me, it would be over.

I had to strike first.

“Cremation!”

I released my skill toward the floating Rakshasa—

But…

“Too shallow. The flame of a human is… insignificant.”

“What—!”

It didn’t work at all!

Damn it—next!

“Enlightenment!”

I didn’t care whether it would work or not. I just needed to keep pressing forward. With its increased skill level, the 【Requiem】 technique erupted into a blinding rainbow light.

“…Is this some kind of stage effect?”

Hey, come on. This isn’t a disco ball.

So it doesn’t work unless it’s undead.

This guy wasn’t even flinching!

“Disappear, human.”

Rakshasa swung his arm, releasing a condensed mass of red-purple aura straight toward me.

Perfect—this is it!

“Retribution!”

A polyhedral barrier of light unfolded around me, enclosing me completely. Earlier, at Level 1, it had only formed in front of me—but now it surrounded me in a full 360-degree shield.

So this is what leveling up does!

Alright—just like always, I’ll reflect it—

“…Hmm. An interesting technique.”

“…Huh?”

Crack… crack… crack…

SHATTER!!

“…You’ve got to be kidding me…”

“This is my domain. Not a world governed by human concepts.”

It broke. My Retribution… shattered.

“…It only broke. I still have much to learn.”

> Wait… > Is the old man… losing? > No way… > That guy is too strong… > Buff muscle-chuunibyou?!? > So max level means nothing?? > Hang in there, Mister! > Don’t lose!! > Rakshasa isn’t cooler than Daishi-san! > It’s not over yet!! > Hit him with Burial Fist!!

While I glanced at the comment section—

Rakshasa suddenly closed the distance from the air in a single burst of speed. I was stuck with my feet buried in the ground—unable to move even an inch. The next moment, that red-purple aura-clad fist was coming straight for me. Blocking it would probably mean getting crushed outright.

Then—

No choice.

I had to read it.

Focus… see through it.

I’ll land a counter and hit him with everything I’ve got.

“My dream—my real-world operation for an affectionate harem domination plan—will be fulfilled here and now! So you can go down in a flashy way!!”

“RRAAAAAAAGH!!”

Maybe because I was completely immersed in it, Clairvoyance activated on its own. For a moment, I thought I saw something like faint threads of light connected to me. With no other option to rely on, I trusted those threads were the prediction of his attack trajectory.

I twisted my body in sync with it, preparing my counter.

“Burial Fiiiist!”

“…What?!”

I narrowly avoided the aura-charged punch and used the torque of my immobilized stance to unleash a devastating counterattack straight into Rakshasa.

“Guh!!”

A thunderous impact echoed as he was blown several meters backward.

My right arm was numb. There was definitely contact. But—

“A fist imbued with annihilation-wave energy… If not for this domain, I would have been reduced to dust.”

“…Seriously?”

He was unharmed.

That beam-like attack that once wiped out an entire labyrinth zone—he hadn’t even used it. This is bad. Really bad.

“…That expression tells me you have nothing left. Surrender, and I’ll finish this quickly.”

“….”

Still speaking, Rakshasa slowly walked toward me.

……No, I still have one more card left.

My trump card.

I had wanted to keep it forever if possible, but right now I was in a full-blown life-or-death situation.

There’s no way I could win like this. So I had no choice but to use it. The only problem was… I wasn’t entirely sure how to activate it. I could vaguely imagine it, but that was about it.

No. Enough.

Thinking any further wasn’t going to change anything. This was pure improvisation, but I had to try that stance.

“…You… are mocking me.”

“I’m always serious when it matters!”

I declared it confidently but the actual stance I took was anything but dignified. I twisted my body and pointed my backside directly at Rakshasa in a deeply disrespectful posture.

Yeah. Objectively speaking, it absolutely looked like I was insulting him.

But this was the only idea I had!

> So it’s finally time for that… > Wait, that’s the activation method?? lol > Is that even right?! > He’s actually doing it?? > No turning back now > Hell Gate vs Southwest Prison Domain > Nether King vs Rakshasa > This is the final battle…

I focused everything I had into my “backside,” sharpening my concentration to its limit. Strangely… my lower abdomen felt warm.

…Is this really how you’re supposed to use it?

“…W-what is this… ominous aura…! It’s like… no way… the Nether King’s—?!”

Rakshasa flinched.

It seemed like… it might actually be working.

Then I’ll keep my focus locked entirely on my lower abdomen!

Please… Gate of Hell!

Grant me absolute victory!

“…It’s coming!”

GOGOGOGOGOGO…

At last.

The Hell Gate began to open.

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

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> LMAO WHAT IS THIS!? > He actually threw it lololol > What even is this fight anymore > Brute-force cleric vs Fierce God statue > At this point he’s not even a cleric anymore > Kaiju battle wtf > Is Satsuki-chan okay?? > Old man protect Satsuki no matter what!

The massive Fierce God statue crashed down with a thunderous impact, tearing through trees lining the approach as it slammed onto the ground on its back.

Honestly, I thought I was going to die. But when I put everything I had into stopping its stomp, I somehow managed to hold it back. And then I ended up spinning it around and throwing it. It flew farther than I expected, which was honestly a relief.

Yeah… maxed stats really are on another level.

“…Satsuki-chan, hang on!”

“Y-yes… I don’t think I can keep up with this anymore…”

“I’ll fight a bit farther away so you don’t get caught in it.”

“…Do you think you can win? That thing… doesn’t even feel like a dungeon monster. It feels like a pure monster.”

I know. I kind of understood that too. Clairvoyance had barely any effect on it at all. This must be the so-called “Final Trial.”

…But what kind of trial is this supposed to be?

Is this really meant to make me stronger?

For what purpose…?

Thinking back, the journey here had been far too convenient. From slimes at the beginning… all the way up to throwing a Fierce God statue. And somewhere along the way, I even got forced to eat some weird offal dish I still didn’t understand. It felt like I had been “managing” things more than actually overcoming them.

In any case, I had to defeat that Fierce God statue.

And if I did… I had a feeling I would finally learn the truth about that voice—the mysterious little girl that sometimes spoke directly inside my mind. I mean… it’s probably inside the main hall.

That little girl—she’s the only one who should know everything.

No, more than that, she’s probably the one who set all of this up in the first place. I have to win. And then I have to confront her. Carefully. Respectfully. No “loli harassment.”

“…Alright, I’m going!”

“Please come back alive, Daishi-san!”

The moment I stepped away from Satsuki-chan, I moved at full speed toward the Fierce God statue, which was already beginning to rise again.

Well, “full speed” might be an exaggeration—it wasn’t that far to begin with.

“Gubububu… to think I would be thrown…”

“Hey, Fierce God. You’re not supposed to destroy that main hall, right?”

“…How… do you… know… that…”

“Yeah, figured as much. So your employer is inside that building, huh? Mind relocating this fight a bit?”

Since it’s too massive for me to properly look it in the eye, I spoke while staring up at what I assumed was its lower half. Its lower half still felt very much like a god.

…Though now that I thought about it, where exactly should we relocate?

There’s gotta be somewhere wider, right?

“From the beginning… that was my intent.”

“Oh, really? That’s convenient.”

From the beginning, huh.

No way. You were definitely planning to stomp us into dust instantly. Surprisingly competitive for a giant god statue.

“…So where are we going?”

Back to where it emerged behind the temple?

Or down toward the open plains beyond the approach?

I’ll go anywhere. As long as it keeps Satsuki-chan out of danger.

“Gubububu… to my domain—the ‘Southwest Prison Domain.’”

“…Huh?”

“Dimensional… distortion… activation.”

With that broken, fragmented declaration, the Raijin-like statue formed a hand seal. Then space itself began to twist.

This is—

> It’s the same thing as the rabbit fight! > Teleportation?!? > Like Ades’ Death Abyss Domain?? > Probably where the Fierce God can go all out. > Hope the signal doesn’t cut… > That hand sign looks familiar lol > Daishi, be careful! > Don’t drag Satsuki-chan into it! > We’re getting sucked in!!

I hadn’t checked the viewer count in a while. It had surged all at once—fifty million concurrent viewers. The comment section was completely beyond control. I couldn’t even make out what anyone was saying anymore.

Ah… this feeling.

It was exactly the same as when I got blown away by the Space-time Rabbit to the Nether class dimension. My consciousness started to drift.

No—not good!

Last time, Satsuki-chan had been there. But this time, I am alone. I couldn’t afford to pass out.

Stay focused. Hold on to your self.

I am Daishi Ajiri. A former corporate slave… And now, the strongest cleric!

“Gubububu… then… we shall meet… there.”

I thought I heard the Fierce God’s voice echo from far away.

By then, I was already being swallowed into a vortex of space-time. My life was flashing before my eyes—

No, no, no. That’s exactly what I shouldn’t be doing.

This is real.

This is happening right now.

Whoosh.

“Ha!”

Even as I felt myself being sucked in unconsciously, I managed to hold on to my awareness and force my way through the barrier of space-time.

Good. I think I’m still okay!

But… where is this…?

“Welcome to my Southwest Prison Domain, Daishi Ajiri. This is where your life will end.”

The space around me looked distorted—like blue and white paint dissolved in water, swirling together into an unstable sky. There was ground beneath my feet… or at least, the sensation of standing on something solid. Distance itself felt unreliable, but just ahead, slightly off in the haze, someone was speaking my death sentence.

“…You…”

“Thanks for throwing me earlier. You nearly knocked the wind out of me.”

The Fierce God statue… or at least, what I assumed it was… stood there.

But its appearance…

“Looks like I can only manifest in this form in the real world. Quite inconvenient, really.”

> As expected… I don’t think I’ll get to see it this time… Ah! > Wuu…Can’t see… > It’s here, it’s here! > I can see it! > Nice! > Daishi is alive! > Yo, you’re still breathing? > Wait, who’s that muscular dude? > He has horns?? Is that a demon?? > Those fangs are wild lol > Wait… he’s kind of handsome?? > Is that actually Rakshasa-san? > It’s lowkey stylish to be honest

…Seriously, what even is this auto-tracking camera system?

It followed me all the way here?

At this point, I wouldn’t be surprised if it was part of my body. My wooden staff—the one weapon I had—didn’t seem to make it through the transfer.

Well, honestly, I didn’t really need it anyway. I’d only been carrying it to look the part of a proper monk. But my skills probably didn’t depend on it in the first place.

Still… that wasn’t the important thing right now.

“…Hey. Are you the Fierce God statue I was fighting at the temple earlier?”

“I am Rakshasa. Not a statue.”

“Yeah, okay… but is this the Final Trial or something?”

“Final Trial? I know nothing of such affairs. Was that what the Master told you?”

The Master?

I mean, I was only told that by some system prompt or whatever that was. I even heard her saying that the final trial will be done outside the temple.

Maybe that voice itself was just part of “the Master”, the little girl from inside the temple?

“…Yeah, I guess I was told something like that. By Master—you mean that little girl, right?”

“W-What?! Little girl?! You dare insult the Master?!”

Huh?

Okay, this is definitely not lining up.

So she’s not a little girl?

Then what is she?

“The one you call Master… is she not the one inside the temple?”

“…No. That is incorrect.”

“Then who is this ‘Master,’ exactly?”

“Dungeon Master.”

“…Huh?”

“In your world, that being is referred to by that name.”

Dungeon Master.…

What the hell does that supposed to mean?

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

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Satsuki-chan activated her floating skill mid-fall, gently reducing the force of our descent so that I was carried along with her. I had no idea how long we were falling. It felt like it could have been forever.

But endings always arrive without warning. Suddenly, a sensation returned to my feet—solid ground. I had no idea how many meters we had fallen, but it seemed we had finally reached a depth where we could release the floating skill.

“…I wonder how many floors we fell through…”

“Feels like we dropped down a hundred underground levels.”

Satsuki-chan had looked pretty gloomy just moments ago, so I tried to lighten the mood with a joke.

She let out a small, relieved smile.

Good. It looked like her mood had finally improved.

“Can you let go of my hand now?”

“…Ah! S-sorry!”

I had been holding Satsuki-chan’s hand the entire time without realizing it. It wasn’t like I meant anything by it—really. It’s just… it’s rare to hold a young woman’s hand like that. I guess I got carried away.

Man… I’m kind of gross, aren’t I?

> Can’t see… wait! Oh, it’s back! > Connection was bad again for a second > Are you two okay? > You suddenly disappeared, what happened? > Wait, did they fall? > Where is this…? > I’ve never seen this place before > A temple? > Shrine or temple grounds? > Is this really inside a dungeon? > This is straight-up a temple approach lol > Where even is this lol

Still feeling a bit light-headed from the long fall, I finally had enough clarity to look around properly.

And just like one of the commenters had said—

A stone-paved approach covered in moss stretched out before us. That was where we were. About twenty meters ahead stood a heavy wooden structure, its roof layered in dark black tiles. A temple. No doubt about it.

Then there’s the main hall. All around us were dense green trees, making it hard to believe this place was inside a dungeon at all. Looking closer, I could even see a small garden beside the hall. A pond too—probably filled with expensive koi fish, their colors shimmering beneath the surface… probably.

From somewhere deep in the forest, the sound of wind brushing through the trees and distant birdsong echoed gently. It was strangely peaceful. Almost as if the dungeon itself had forgotten how to be dangerous.

“…Maybe… this isn’t even inside the dungeon anymore.”

“Could it be some kind of ‘shrine’ zone?”

“There’s no room like this. That’s clearly a real temple over there.”

Satsuki-chan pointed toward the main hall and let out a quiet sigh.

Apparently, it wasn’t a “temple room” or a “shrine zone” or anything like that.

“…But we can’t just stay here forever.”

“We don’t know what’s waiting for us, but let’s try heading to the main hall.”

It wasn’t far.

The imposing wooden structure stood only a minute’s walk away. We should be there soon if we just kept walking.

Still… I had no idea what awaited us. Not that I ever really did.

But this time was different. We didn’t even know if we were still inside a dungeon at all. The scenery was too calm—too natural. Birdsong drifted through the trees, and the rustling leaves made it easy to forget everything. That was dangerous.

Come on, Daishi!

The words earlier came to my mind.

Final Trial.

Something—whether it was a battle or something equivalent—was guaranteed to happen. Now wasn’t the time to relax. We need to be ready at any moment.

“…We’re here.”

“Waaah… it’s so impressive…”

The massive wooden hall stood before us, quiet and solemn. Standing right in front of what must have been the main hall, I let out an involuntary breath of awe.

I had thought it was impressive from afar—but up close, the sheer presence and severity of it were on another level entirely. It was as if history itself was pressing down on us. Each roof tile—twisted like senbei crackers baked too long—seemed to possess a will of its own, asserting its existence in silence.

There was no doubt about it. This was a deeply venerable, sacred structure.

“…Should we go inside?”

“It feels… almost too sacred to step into…”

But hesitation wouldn’t help us now. The entrance was right in front of us. We just had to steel ourselves and go in. The Final Trial was probably waiting beyond that door.

『—Wait. Not yet. Don’t enter. The final trial will be done outside.』

“…Huh?”

There it was again.

That voice. Clear as day—the same childish voice as before.

“W-we can’t open the door?! What does it mean, ‘do the final trial outside’—?!”

THUD.

THUD.

THUD.

Massive footsteps shook the earth—each impact heavy enough to crack the ground. A deep rumbling echoed from somewhere nearby.

Where was it coming from…?!

No way—

For a moment, I doubted my own eyes.

You got to be kidding me…

> It’s coming from over there! > A giant race! > From behind the temple! > It’s huge… > Wait, isn’t that a Buddha statue? > Asura statue? > No. That’s a Rakshasa. > The god who presides over destruction and annihilation? > That’s not a dungeon monster then!

“Clairvoyance!”

There was no time to think. I need information.

Species: Fierce God

Eh? That’s all!?

That tells me nothing at all!

Useless! Clairvoyance is useless!

“…Ah.”

“Satsuki-chan!”

No good. Satsuki-chan had completely lost her fighting spirit. She collapsed right there on the ground. She couldn’t even speak anymore. If she stayed sitting there…

“Gubububu… I… am… Fierce God.”

“…Wha—!”

It leapt!

From behind the temple, it vaulted over the entire structure in a single bound. Its landing point was unmistakable.

Us. It’s going to crush us underfoot!

I needed to grab Satsuki-chan and escape—but—

No. There’s no time.

BOOOOOOM!!

“Again… I …destroyed… yet another meaningless thing…”

“Damn it…!”

It’s heavy. Insanely heavy!

But—I held on. My stats are maxed out after all.

I’m not losing here!

Not in a place like this!

“What?!”

“Don’t underestimate me, you damn god—former salaryman strength, remember that you bastard!!”

Fueled by that shout, I braced myself and stopped the massive blow of the stone statue—a Fierce God, likely Rakshasa or some similar divine war form.

Then I grabbed the leg that had attacked us and hurled it back toward the stone approach to the shrine as hard as I could.

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

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《 Burial Power +9999 》

《【Requiem】Lv +1　【Retribution】Lv +1》

Name: Daishi Ajiri Class: Cleric Level: 20 (+10) HP: 350/350 MP: 200/200 Strength: 999   Endurance: 400 Agility: 180 Intelligence: 131 Burial Power: 999（＋9999）[9999] Skills: 【Burial Fist (LV1)】   【Retribution (LV2)】 【Requiem (LV2)】 【Return (LV2)】 【Cremation (LV2)】 【Clairvoyance (LV4)】 Unique Skill: 【Hell Gate】

I gained ten levels.

It seemed as though the system itself had grown tired of keeping track—because aside from Burial Power, none of my other stats like HP or MP were increasing anymore. No new skills had been acquired, but my skill levels had risen by one each for both 【Requiem】 and 【Retribution】.

And as for Burial Power… it kept piling up nines. So many 9s that looking at it made him feel a strange, uneasy pressure in his chest. Or maybe that wasn’t the reason his heart felt heavy at all.

“Wu… Wuaaaaaahhh…!”

Satsuki-chan burst into tears.

“I was the one who defeated it! So why is it always Daishi-san who gets all the credit?! Waaahhh!”

The seal that had blocked the exit was already gone now, as if it had been undone, revealing the passage leading deeper inside. Like it was leading us to move forward.

I want to push ahead as usual but it seemed that wouldn’t be possible just yet.

The comment section was in chaos.

> She started crying, hey…

> Okay, that’s kinda pitiful

> Well, even though she used dirty tricks, that was Satsuki’s doing.

> Karma hits hard.

> Deserved lol

> Hey, you made Satsuki-chan cry!

> That old man is unforgivable!

> You’re not getting away with this!

> Take my Hell Gate—brrr!

> Satsuki fans are going wild.

> Calm down lol

> I’ll send you all to the grave!

The chat was spiraling out of control.

Honestly, I hadn’t meant to steal her credit or anything. In fact, I didn’t even defeat it. That was what confused me the most. Sure, I might have gripped it a little too hard when I caught it, just to make sure it wouldn’t escape.

But was that enough to twist the system’s judgment like this? Or should I be thinking that the rules themselves had already been warped beyond recognition?

“(…Sniffle… sniffle….) w-waaaah…”

“Ah… I’m sorry, Satsuki-chan. Here.”

I handed her a handkerchief.

“T-thank you… (sniffle). It’s not like Daishi-san did anything wrong… probably…”

She wiped her tears with the handkerchief I gave her, still trembling as she spoke in a tear-choked voice.

Hey, don’t blow your nose on it.

Then, as if pulling herself together with effort, she added softly,

“…It’s fine, Daishi-san. Please don’t worry about me. Just go ahead and allocate your stat points.”

Right.

I’d almost forgotten in the middle of all this.

She seemed to have calmed down a little, so even though I felt a bit guilty, I decided to do as she said.

Surplus Burial Points: 9999 HP:      350 (0) [－＋] Max HP:   350 (0) [－＋] MP:       200 (0) [－＋] Max MP:   200 (0) [－＋] Strength: 999 (0) [－＋] Endurance: 400 (0) [－＋] Agility:    180 (0) [－＋] Intelligence: 131 (0)    [－＋]

Now then… which stat should I raise?

Hm? Wait a second.

Is this… what I think it is?

I couldn’t do the math instantly, but… well, let’s try it anyway.

Surplus Burial Points: 4,817 HP: 999 (+649)  [– +] Max HP: 999 (+649)  [– +] MP: 999 (+799) [– +] Max MP: 999 (+799) [– +] Strength: 999 (0)   [– +] Endurance: 999 (+599)  [– +] Agility: 999 (+819)  [– +] Intelligence: 999 (+868)  [– +]

Okay. I have leftover Burial Points.

> So? What happened to the stats?

> He beat the Golden Emperor Slime, so they must’ve gone way up.

> No idea anymore lol

> Wouldn’t be weird if everything hit max.

> He probably learned like four skills too.

> Did Clairvoyance reach Lv5?

> If Burial Fist leveled up, it might split the planet.

> Is Retribution still Lv1?

> Does Requiem work on non-undead creatures too?

The viewers were getting more and more excited, letting their expectations spiral higher and higher. So I calmly stated only the facts.

> He leveled up 10 times?!

> Level 20 and already all stats maxed, lol

> Even after maxing them out, he still has leftover points??

> Can leftover points boost skills?

> Is there no cap break?

> He’s basically beyond SSS rank at this point lol

> Our Daishi is literally invincible

> Leveling up is almost meaningless now

“….”

“…Hey. I wonder what’s going on here.”

Satsuki-chan, who had already stopped crying, was now just staring at me in silence. But her eyes were hollow.

“….”

Feeling the heavy atmosphere settling in, I tried to lighten the mood by acting a little playful.

It didn’t work. Satsuki-chan remained silent.

…Hey, say something.

It’s scary. Ah—right. I hadn’t pressed the confirm button for the surplus Burial Points yet. It felt like a waste to leave them unused, but well, there didn’t seem to be anything else I could do with them anyway. Let’s just confirm it.

Click.

Hm?

《 Maximum status limit confirmed. Proceeding to final trial. 》

Huh? Final trial…?

Goooooo… RUMBLE.

“…Earthquake?!”

With a deep, rumbling roar, the ground suddenly began to shake violently. Cracks tore through the stone floor. The ground beneath us groaned and warped as if it were about to collapse entirely.

Satsuki-chan screamed.

This is bad.

“Satsuki-chan!”

“We need to get to the exit—whoa!”

No good. We’re not going to make it.

“Waaahhh!”

“Daishi-san! Take my hand!”

“Huh?”

“Just hurry!”

Without warning, the floor gave way.

It felt like we were being dragged down into the depths of the earth itself. In the midst of the chaos, I managed to grab Satsuki-chan’s hand—and together, we plunged into a massive pit that had appeared out of nowhere.

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

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“Daishi-san. How about we work together?”

Satsuki-chan, now back at my side, made her proposal to defeat Gorue-chan.

The target, the Golden Emperor Slime, had retreated near the exit. And maybe it was just my imagination, but from that distance, it almost looked like it was sneering at us.

Okay, now that ticks me off.

“You’ve got a plan?”

“It’s still a monster. That means it should have patterns in how it moves.”

“Patterns?”

“Yes. When facing a strong enemy, the key to clearing high-difficulty dungeons is figuring out those patterns. Either before or during the fight and then exploiting them.”

Well, she wasn’t wrong. Even in games, the tougher the enemy, the more complex their mechanics. If you don’t read up on strategies, beating them is practically impossible. Maybe it’s a bit of a stretch, but it’s the same with salarymen, in a way. Knowing your enemy—your client—is the foundation of everything.

“Is there any kind of strategy guide for that golden slime?”

“No. After all, the only ones who’ve ever defeated it were the Hero’s party. There’s no prior information.”

…Yeah, figures.

“It’s almost impossible for us to be killed by its attacks. So we’ll gather data while fighting it. Please help me, Daishi-san. Then we can decide the outcome afterward. What do you think?”

> She’s just trying to use you, old man

> Reject that proposal

> [Oops, my bad~ I accidentally killed it. Teehee.] She’ll say something like those lines later on

> This kind of chance won’t come again

> Satsuki-chan would never do that!

> Let Satsuki-chan have it, old man!

> It’s boring if Satsuki just levels up

> Show us your dominance, old man

> You can take it solo anyway

Well, yeah. She’s probably trying to use me. From my experience so far, that much is pretty obvious.

But still…

I can’t deny I’ve been the one getting stronger this whole time. Part of me does feel a little guilty about that. A lot has happened—but Satsuki-chan has worked just as hard to make it this far. The special experience points were tempting but I decided I could let this one go. I’m an adult, after all. Honestly, if she had just asked me properly, I would’ve been happy to support her. Still… Satsuki-chan really is still a child.

“Alright. So what do I do?”

“For now, I’ll chase it around. Could you take the data, Daishi-san?”

Saying that, she handed me a notebook and a pen.

“Please sketch a simple map of the room and record the slime’s movement positions. I don’t know how many times we’ll need to repeat it, but we might be able to see a pattern from that.”

“Got it.”

“If possible, analyze the data at the same time—ah, judging by your expression, that’s a no, huh?”

“Yep.”

“Well, whatever. Let’s just focus on gathering data for now.”

With a slightly exasperated look, Satsuki-chan turned back to face Gorue-chan.

Analyze it at the same time? There’s no way I could do something like that. Just keeping up with Satsuki-chan and Gorue-chan moving at that insane speed with my eyes alone was already going to be a challenge.

No, I definitely couldn’t keep up with Gorue-chan with my eyes. And my clerical processing ability isn’t nearly that high.

> Just mark the place where the slime escaped.

> Since it’s instantaneous movement, you can’t track it with lines.

> Satsuki would probably calculate that much while fighting anyway.

> This is a trap to immobilize the old man.

> She’s a clever schemer.

> Hey, use the [Hell Gate] already.

> Data collection is boring to watch.

> A sovereign’s unique skill sounds hype.

> But isn’t that just a fart skill?

> “Open Gate” is too strong a phrase.

> That’s definitely a door you should never open.

> This is way beyond “hell” level trouble.

> I can’t stop thinking about it.

The comments practically flooded my vision, all begging for me to use the [Hell Gate].

…Seriously, give me a break.

That skill is something I only intend to use when it’s truly life or death. And there’s no guarantee it would only produce… well, gas.

“Did you draw the floor plan?”

“Ah—yeah.”

“Alright then! I’m going in! Don’t miss a single thing!”

I had already drawn it anyway—just a circle with an entrance and an exit, that’s all a floor plan really needed here. All that was left was to mark points on it.

Well, I had a few mixed feelings about this, but I figured I might as well sit back and watch Satsuki-chan’s performance.

◆◆◆

“Haa… haa… Why… why can I pinpoint its spawn positions, but my attacks still don’t land…?”

Satsuki-chan, breathless, muttered in the center of the room. From near the exit, Gorue-chan watched her as if mocking her.

About ten minutes. That was how long Satsuki-chan had been lunging at Gorue-chan over and over, only to be dodged each time. And the data I’d been collecting was already useless.

Actually, the slime was moving so fast I couldn’t record anything properly in the first place. The dots I’d randomly placed on the floor plan had turned into a mess, and I’d long since crumpled the paper and tossed it at my feet.

“Daishi-san!”

“Y-yeah?”

“Next time, it’ll appear near the entrance! Please catch it there!”

…Huh?

> lol She’s already acting like she’s soloing this

> She’s still making the old man help anyway

> Should’ve just said so from the start lol

Seriously. She really doesn’t seem to know how to ask someone properly. Well, whatever.

But… can I actually catch it?

Maybe I should just grab it the moment it appears?

With my strength, I could probably do it—but I’m not exactly into hugging monsters.

“Got it! Is this position okay?”

“Haa… haa… yes… now! Here I go!”

Satsuki-chan shouted differently this time and launched herself again.

Of course, Gorue-chan used instant movement—

Now!

It’s right in front of me!

“Fnnn!”

“Pugyaaa!”

I caught it. Pinned between my right and left hands. Good thing I didn’t try hugging it.

Also, what the hell was that sound? “Pugyaaa”?

That doesn’t fit its character at all.

“Haaaaaaaa!!”

“W-w-w-wait wait wait!!”

Satsuki-chan, with a demon-like expression, came charging in at the captured Gorue-chan.

—But her momentum looked like it might cut me in half too.

“Chesssssssssst!!”

“Pugyaaaaaa!!”

With a war cry like a Satsuma warrior, Satsuki-chan’s critical strike grazed my nose and exploded into Gorue-chan. With a final scream, it split cleanly in two.

And then—

Sparkling… glittering…

Like gold sand scattering into the air, Gorue-chan vanished into the afterlife at Satsuki-chan’s hands.

“We… we did ittttt!!”

“…I thought I was going to die.”

“I wasn’t going to cut you, Daishi-san!”

“I felt a strong grudge.”

“No way! Haha… ahaha… but more importantly—my level!”

Eh?

Wait. As usual, that familiar screen appeared before me.

This is…

No way…

《 Daishi has leveled up. 》

Why though?

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

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Name: Gorue-chan Species: Golden Emperor Slime HP: 1 / 1 MP: 1 / 1 Strength: 10 Vitality: 999 Agility: 999 Intelligence: 999 Magic: 10 Resistances: [Nullifies all damage except critical hits] Skills: None

Since the enemy didn’t show any signs of attacking immediately, I instinctively activated Clairvoyance.

Come to think of it, I hadn’t seriously examined a monster like this since the first slime fight. Back then, with the mimic, it was more about verifying authenticity. Maybe because my Clairvoyance had leveled up, the amount of information I could perceive had increased dramatically.

Now I could see everything—name, resistances, even skills.

The name.…

“Gorue-chan.”

That’s oddly familiar in a way I really didn’t need to know.

As for its stats… they are incredibly extreme. Completely min-maxed to the point of being ridiculous. For it to be able to nullify all damage except critical hits is insane. In other words… did that mean nothing at all would work against it? Skills, attacks—everything is useless unless it was a critical hit?

“…I checked its status with Clairvoyance. So basically, the only way to defeat it is to land a critical hit. Well, that’s only if you can actually hit it.”

“So it’s just ‘can’t be hit,’ then.”

“Has anyone ever defeated that thing before?”

“I heard a Hero Party did it. I don’t know how, though…”

The Hero Party again. The man with the unique “Hero” class—said to be one of only five in the entire world.

Wait… was it even a man?

After hearing that name and title so many times on the way here, I started to get curious about that too.

> No one has ever seen it defeated live

> They don’t stream it, so who knows

> It’s all just rumors, nothing confirmed

> But they clear god-tier dungeons, so it’s believable

> There are shady rumors too though

> People say they might be working with the system itself

> Publicly they’re heroes, but dungeon fans hate them

> Apparently, their personality is awful

> Worse than Satsuki or even the Space time rabbit

> It’s rumored that they eliminate rising explorers

> You should be careful once you leave this place, old man

“…Right…”

A Hero Party that no one had ever actually seen fight. A monster that could only be defeated by landing a critical hit. And a room where escape was impossible.

Yeah. This was starting to feel less like a dungeon… and more like a very deliberate stage.

Satsuki-chan’s mention of the Hero Party had clearly shifted the viewers’ attention. From the comments I could gather here and there, it didn’t sound like they had a very good reputation. Still… it was all rumors. Maybe they were different in person.

No—actually, I probably didn’t need to meet them at all.

This already smelled like trouble.

“Apparently that thing gives insane experience. I’ve stopped leveling up much lately, but if I can defeat it, maybe I can finally—”

“Just to confirm… only the person who lands the finishing blow gets the experience, right?”

“I haven’t gained a single level since we got here. That should tell you everything.”

“…Then it’s first come, first served.”

I gripped my wooden staff.

“Hey! Daishi-san, you’re already strong enough, right? Just support me!”

“No, no. If it’s that rare, I kinda want to try fighting it too.”

“I’m a maiden trying her best here! A gentleman is supposed to support her from behind, don’t you think?!”

Satsuki-chan is not a maiden. And I am not a gentleman.

“An S-rank, huh? Then show me you can win it.”

“…You’re provoking me. Fine. No matter how much you’ve grown to SS-class levels, this room still favors me.”

Satsuki-chan said that and, while keeping her sword raised, activated a set of skills.

“Enhancement Skill—Critical Up!”

And then—

“Direct Hit Skill—Activate!”

One more—

“Acceleration Skill—Activate!”

…Hold on a second.

What is all that?

That’s not a buff stack—that’s a full buffet of enhancements. Does she just have every essential combat skill an explorer could possibly need?

> Satsuki-chan is going all out

> This is what S-rank looks like

> Finally she gets her moment

> Wait, buffs might actually work here

> Satsuki-chan, ganbare!!

> Don’t lose to the old man!!

> Show that “lucky guy” what you’re capable of!

> Want to see Satsuki shine for once

> Satsuki’s fans are rising again lol

> Why isn’t the old man doing it

> Our Daishi won’t lose to some S-rank

> Satsuki fans go home lol

> Pretty privilege is OP

> Show us that cool side again~

The Satsuki faction that had been quiet for a while suddenly came back to life. And before I knew it, the comment section was splitting into two camps—Team Satsuki and Team Me.

Come to think of it… She still had all the viewers she gained earlier watching her.

At this point, just join my side already, all of you.

“Alright, I’m going in first!”

“Ah—!”

Satsuki-chan launched her first strike.

Fast. Too fast.

Was it the effect of the acceleration skill? At the exact moment she called out, she had already closed the distance to Gorue-chan in an instant.

“I’ve got you!!”

Riding the momentum of her charge, she unleashed a diagonal slash.

The enemy still hadn’t moved.

No way—this might end in a single blow…!

“Ah?”

I couldn’t believe my eyes and let out a dumb, unintelligible sound without thinking.

I mean, yeah, I knew she had 999 agility and was supposed to be insanely fast… But that just now wasn’t “fast.” That was basically—

> No matter how many times I watch it, that’s teleportation

> I didn’t even see her move

> Wait, when did she get over there?!

> Satsuki’s buffs mean nothing lol

> How are you supposed to hit that thing? You literally can’t

> Even if it can’t attack, this is a stalemate forever

> What happens if they can’t defeat it?

> They’ll be stuck there forever lol

> You’ve got Burial Fist, just break the door

> Not sure how this will end…

“Maybe striking right after it spawned was the best chance… but yeah… it’s not that easy, huh.”

Satsuki-chan muttered that as she rested her sword on her shoulder. She’d clearly intended to finish it in a single opening strike—but it hadn’t even grazed the target.

Now then… how should I attack this thing?

With my current skills… no—wait. None of my skills may even work on it. Maybe Retribution could do something? It feels like a conceptual-type ability… No. With that speed—and no skills on its side—it might still be impossible to land anything.

Then what’s left….

That thing I picked up on the previous floor…

“…Hey, Daishi-san! Whatever you do, don’t use [Hell Gate] in here, okay?! In an enclosed space like this it would—”

“…Yeah. It will probably be a disaster.”

The Nether King’s unique skill: Hell Gate. We didn’t even fully understand what it does—but on one point alone, Satsuki and I were in perfect agreement. It is a skill that absolutely must never be used here.

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

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I couldn’t help but wonder what that little girl’s voice had been earlier. At first, I thought it might’ve just been my imagination—but, it had been very clear. I could hear every word she said without any ambiguity at all. Even if her tone had been… well, pretty rough. It was too distinct to dismiss as mere hallucination.

“Hey, Satsuki-chan.”

“Yes?”

“Back at that Gourmet House… did you hear a little girl’s voice or something?”

“Huh? No, I didn’t hear anything like that.”

“Oh…”

While talking, Satsuki-chan and I continued down the spiral staircase, heading toward the fourth underground floor. I’d asked her just in case—thinking maybe she had heard it too—but it seemed the voice had reached only my ears.

What was that, anyway?

She had said something like, “I went through all that trouble preparing it for you” or something along those lines…

“Maybe you’re just hearing things after everything we’ve been through?”

“Yeah… maybe.”

“We’ve had a pretty rough time. Stuff like that can happen, I think.”

But honestly, I felt like she was being a bit too indifferent. Couldn’t she at least show a little more concern or something?

> Good work, old man.

> It’s a miracle you’re still alive

> Handsome guys are a problem!

> We’re rooting for you!

> Only the old man hears the little girl’s voice

> Plot twist: maybe the mastermind behind all this lol

> Mister’s daughter??

> It’s bad to be a lolicon

The comments didn’t seem to follow any real pattern. I could read them, sure, but they were scrolling so fast that nothing really sank in. Still, the viewer count was a solid 170,000 and holding steady.

“Alright, we’ve arrived, Daishi-san. I wonder what’s waiting for us next?”

“Phew… honestly, I feel like I can take anything at this point.”

Thinking back on everything so far, I let out a small sigh.

Seriously… how am I even still alive?

“Alright then, I’ll open it.”

Satsuki-chan slowly pushed open the heavy double iron doors. Not that I couldn’t have done it myself—I was just letting her handle it because she insisted. And just to be clear, this isn’t some “making a woman do it” situation, okay? Don’t get the wrong idea, viewers.

“…This is kind of normal.”

While Satsuki-chan was bent over with her hands on her knees, catching her breath from pushing open the heavy door, I scanned the room beyond her.

Just like I said—it didn’t look particularly remarkable at first glance. Honestly, it felt identical in structure and size to the first-floor room where we fought slimes and orcs. Like an old coliseum or arena.

What’s more, after looking around, there didn’t seem to be any signs of monsters at all. At the far end, I could clearly see a pitch-black opening—likely a passage leading to the next room, or stairs descending further down.

> Huh? This feels familiar

> Same layout as the first floor

> Did it… reset to normal or something?

> Don’t let your guard down

> There’s definitely something here

> Just sprint to the exit lol

> No, this feeling is…

“…Daishi-san…”

“You know, this place feels kind of calm, doesn’t it?”

“I don’t think that’s how this is going to go.”

Zuzuzuzuzuzu……

“W-what the-!?”

“The entrance and exit have both been sealed. Yeah… this is definitely one of those rooms.”

Satsuki was surprisingly calm, as if she’d already figured it out.

Just as she said, when I looked back, the entrance door now had a large “X” sigil carved into it. And the exit that had been visible just moments ago—leading deeper inside—had also been sealed in the same way as the entrance.

It looked like we’d been locked in.

> It’s a battle room

> Oh, so that’s how it works

> Simple rules—just defeat whatever spawns

> Clear it to get out

> You never know what appears though

> Mm. And usually, pretty strong enemies appear

> But it’s usually just one, so it’s fine

> With his stats, anything should be easy

> Thought we’d get something more intense

> Just crush it and move on

“…Daishi-san…”

“So yeah… looks like this is one of those rooms.”

“I don’t think it’s going to be that simple.”

“Is this what you call a battle room?”

I asked Satsuki-chan, relying on the fragments of viewer comments I’d managed to catch.

“Yes, that’s correct. A monster will be summoned into the central area any moment now. Defeat it, and we’ll be able to leave.”

“Have you… done this before?”

“I’ve encountered this about ten times already. It’s not exactly a rare type of room.”

She said that, but she was already holding her sword properly, fully prepared for combat.

I needed to take a page out of her book.

“Still, given everything so far, there’s a chance something extremely strong could appear. Please don’t let your guard down.”

“Got it!”

I should be ready to cast Cremation at a moment’s notice.

I’ve made it this far by sheer luck and grit. No matter what shows up, I’ll probably manage somehow!

Alright—let’s do this!

“…It’s coming!”

Just like when the Space time Rabbit had sent us into the Nether-Class dungeon, a vortex of distorted space began forming in the center of the room.

It twisted, spiraled—and something began to emerge from within.

A single monster stepped out.

…Huh?

Wait. What is that thing!?

> No waay!!!!

> That’s not right

> Ultra lucky drop!!

> In this room that’s basically jackpot

> I wonder how many levels you’ll gain from this

> Golden Emperor Slime lololol

> And it can’t escape because of the room too 

> Your luck is still insane

“…They actually spawn monsters like that?”

“Is that thing… a big deal?”

“If you defeat it, you get a huge amount of experience points. It’s extremely rare to begin with, and it usually escapes immediately, so it’s basically impossible to defeat…”

“But in this room…”

“It can’t escape. That’s exactly the point!!”

The dazzlingly glittering slime in front of us shimmered as it quietly observed us.

The look in Satsuki’s eyes changed. She was clearly getting serious—fully intending to take it down herself. She lowered her stance, preparing to hunt the monster.

So this… this is a contest.

Even I, despite having grown stronger, still want more level ups. This is a battle I absolutely cannot lose.

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

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The Nether King’s Raw Teppō —in other words, a rectum—stood squarely in our path.

> That thing’s got some serious presence…

> It’s all slimy and gross, lol

> Looks like it reeks

> I can practically smell it from here

> That’s not a smell, that’s pure evil energy lol

> Wait… are they supposed to fight this??

> You’re not gonna eat it?

> Raw rectum is a hard pass, man lol

> Depends how well it’s been prepped…

There was no way I was eating that. Forget being full—this wasn’t even something you were supposed to eat as-is in the first place. This was on a completely different level from something like raw liver.

“…What exactly are we supposed to do here?”

“Who knows… It’s not like we have to eat it to move on, right…? Surely not…”

Both of us stood there, thoroughly perplexed.

Come to think of it, unlike last time, Satsuki-chan wasn’t trying to force it down my throat either.

Ah—probably because we weren’t streaming right now. Or maybe… I’d gotten strong enough that she was wary of provoking me. Either way—I seriously hoped it wouldn’t come to that.

“Can’t you just burn it with Cremation?”

“If I do that, it’ll just turn into ash, you know?”

“…Do you actually want to eat it?”

“Absolutely not!!”

Sure, the idea of gaining some special skill was tempting… but even if I did, I wasn’t confident I could handle any more abilities as I was. Well… I’d be lying if I said it didn’t feel like a bit of a waste—but still, it was way better than eating that thing.

Since it was blocking the way, might as well just burn it and be done with it. But my Cremation skill had quite a wide area of effect now. I am a little worried it might cause some collateral damage.

I glanced over at Raika-san.

“You’re going to use a fire-type skill, right? Don’t worry—the equipment here is specially made, so it won’t burn. The food might, since it’s made from monsters, but that’s no problem. Go ahead and do it!”

With the room’s owner giving her approval, there was nothing left to hesitate over.

“Raika-san, Satsuki—get behind me.”

“O-okay!”

“Here I go… Cremation!”

I raised my staff and unleashed a rapidly condensed burst of Cremation toward the target.

I felt a twinge of guilt—but in an instant, all the dishes in the room were reduced to ash. Just as she’d said, the equipment and tables were completely unharmed.

Satsuki-chan and Raika-san, of course, were still perfectly intact.

And as for the main target—the raw Teppō…

What happened to it?

The table it rested on, the plate beneath it, and the grotesque organ itself—none of them had suffered even the slightest scorch.

“The Nether King’s rectum… truly terrifying.”

“Not a single change. It’s still completely raw.”

“What is this thing already?! It’s so disgusting!!”

Raika-san was visibly irritated.

Honestly, I couldn’t blame her.

“Let me try Requiem.”

“Yeah… please do.”

I followed up with Requiem, but all it did was make the already bright gourmet room even brighter—illuminating the grotesque organ in even greater detail and somehow making it more nauseating to look at.

“Then I’ll just smash it to pieces with Funeral Fist!”

“Wouldn’t that completely wreck the room?!”

“R-right… good point…”

That skill was far too overpowered. Better not use it unless absolutely necessary. It probably burned through a ton of MP too.

“…Which means, in the end…”

“…We’re supposed to eat it, aren’t we…”

(Seriously! I went through all the trouble of preparing it, so just eat it already! It won’t kill you!)

…Huh?

For a split second, I thought I heard the voice of a cute little girl.

No, it must’ve been my imagination.

“So, Daishi-kun just has to eat that thing, right?”

“Y-yeah… I mean, probably…”

“Got it. I’ll use the ultimate odor-removal technique, so could you just hurry up and eat it?”

If I really had no choice but to eat it, I’d at least like her to do something about the appearance too…

“Special Cooking Skill—Deodorizing Power EX, activate!”

Shouting a skill name that sounded straight out of a commercial slogan, Raika-san held out her hand.

And then…

“Wow! It’s so pretty!!”

“Oooh… it’s all sparkly~”

A soft, gentle fragrance—like a breeze drifting through a quiet forest—filled the room, soothing my mind. Pale green light shimmered faintly over the Nether King’s raw Teppō, dulling some of its grotesque aura.

“Hurry! The effect won’t last long!”

“Daishi-san!”

“Damn it… I’ve got no choice!”

I broke into a light run toward it—and then…

“UOOOOOOO!!”

It took real resolve. The kind you need before doing something like this.

I opened my mouth wide and shoved it in all at once. Honestly, I wanted to swallow it whole without chewing—but it was far too big for that.

One bite. Two bites.

Ugh. It’s disgusting.

I can feel my tears welling up.

But—wait?

It is gross… and yet somehow… this grossness is… good.

At first I resisted, but then… the more I chewed, the more umami seemed to well up from deep inside it, like my brain was celebrating. Come to think of it, I did like things like kusaya and blue cheese.

“…Daishi-san, are you okay?”

“Yeah—this is actually insanely good!”

> …You’re lying, right?

> LMAO no way kekeke

> BRO ATE RAW RECTUM lol

> Wasn’t there poop on that??

> Daishi the freak gourmet

> ugh I’m gonna be sick

> brb… bathroom break

> As expected of Ajiri Daishi! Good job!

《 Confirmed predation complete. Transferring one of the Underworld King’s unique skills. 》

Oh!

Just like when I ate the liver, a status window appeared again. Looks like I actually acquired a skill. And from the wordings… I might’ve just stolen one of the Nether King’s abilities.

Alright—let’s check it out.

Name: Daishi Ajiri Class: Cleric Level: 10 HP: 350/350 MP: 200/200 Strength: 999   Endurance: 400 Agility: 180 Intelligence: 131 Burial Power: 999 Skills: 【Burial Fist (LV1)】   【Retribution (LV1)】 【Requiem (LV1)】 【Return (LV2)】 【Cremation (LV2)】 【Clairvoyance (LV4)】 Unique Skill: 【Hell Gate】

Hell Gate… that’s a pretty ominous name. Might as well check the description while I’m at it.

【Hell Gate】: Opens the gate, unleashing a storm of corrupt, decaying winds from hell.

No… this….

This is definitely something I’m never going to use. The image is way too bad.

“…So, what kind of skill was it?”

“Probably… a really strong fart.”

“….”

“….”

“Let’s move on.”

“Yeah…”

In reality, I had no idea what it can actually do until I tried it—but taking the description as is, that was the conclusion I’d come to.

I confirmed that the small table and plate blocking the exit had already disappeared, and though slightly disappointed, I moved on to the next stage of the journey.

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

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“Daishi-san, that thing…”

“Yeah… it’s probably that, right…?”

“Huh? You two actually know what that is?”

There was no certainty in my voice. Just a hunch—an instinct born from experience. Of course, I could also be wrong. But judging from Satsuki-chan’s reaction, she seemed to recognize the feeling of it too. There was something familiar about the presence it gave off, something she couldn’t quite ignore.

“…Where did you find it?”

“Find it? It’s not like that. It’s been sitting there, like that, ever since I first arrived. I can’t move it at all.”

Raika replied with a troubled look.

According to her, even the plate had already been prepared from the very beginning.

“I tried everything—cutting it, cooking it in different ways—but it just wouldn’t respond. The little table and the plate won’t budge either, so I had no choice but to leave it there as it is.”

Leaving it like that…

It was a bit far away, but I could still make out its shape. Just like last time, it was probably raw. And those faintly yellowish-white folds, layered over one another—like thin membranes stitched together.

That thing is most likely…

> Organs… have… returned!

> I swear I’ve seen this kind of development before, lol

> Is that… intestines?

> Yeah, probably some kind of innards

> No way… again?

> Who the hell set this up here, lol

> It’s basically begging to be eaten at this point

> Oh god, that stinks!

> If you eat that, won’t you unlock something again?

> So, what will you do, our Daishi?!

“Clairvoyance!”

I couldn’t help myself—I activated it on the spot.

【Nether King’s Raw Teppō】 (Ultra Rare): Consuming it awakens a special power of the underworld. The smell is… noticeable, but the crunchy texture is oddly addictive.

“…Raw… teppō…”

“R-rectum… right?”

Satsuki-chan muttered under her breath.

Apparently, she’d been examining it with her appraisal skill as well.

Seriously—who the hell writes these descriptions like they’re some kind of food review?

“L-let’s just leave it for now!”

“R-right!”

Satsuki-chan and I were in complete agreement.

“I don’t really get what’s going on, but… have you made up your mind to eat my cooking? I guarantee the taste, so go on—don’t hold back and dig in!”

There was no point overthinking it. We wouldn’t be getting out of here unless we ate anyway. Whether or not to try the raw teppō could wait. Right now, I am starving—and more than anything, I want to enjoy these incredible dishes she’d gone through the trouble of preparing.

“Well then… itadakimasu.”

After the customary pre-meal greeting, I decided to start with the dish that had caught my eye the most during my Clairvoyance inspection—the ikarugo sashimi.

I flipped my chopsticks around and served myself onto a small plate.

Translucent white slices. At a glance, it looked exactly like squid sashimi. There was no smell, and the pleasant firmness as I picked it up with my chopsticks only made it more appetizing. It reminded me of my old corporate-slave days—those lonely evenings when I’d grab discounted sashimi from the local supermarket the moment they slapped on the half-price sticker.

“Oh, the soy sauce is over there. Just use as much as you like.”

There was even a small dish meant for sashimi, so I poured some soy sauce into it and lightly dipped the slices. Coated in just the right amount of that dark liquid, I popped three or four pieces of ikarugo sashimi into my mouth at once.

“…Ahh… I want a drink so bad.”

It was that good. The kind of taste that made you crave a cup of sake.

“Sorry, I don’t have any alcohol here.”

Honestly, I wasn’t about to complain.Just this sashimi alone was more than enough to fill me with a deep sense of satisfaction.

> Watching Mister eat sashimi like this is hilarious

> We don’t need a full food review, man

> Talking about alcohol? That’s a luxury

> Just tell us what happened to your stats

> It’d be funny if they dropped hard lol

> Would be nice if it restored MP or something

Right… There was a chance my stats had decreased.

At the very least, I am glad I hadn’t dropped dead from a single bite.

I didn’t feel any different, but… what had actually happened to my status?

Name: Daishi Ajiri Class: Cleric Level: 10 HP: 350/350 MP: 200/200 Strength: 999   Endurance: 400 Agility: 180 Intelligence: 130[+1] Burial Power: 999 Skills: 【Burial Fist (LV1)】   【Retribution (LV1)】 【Requiem (LV1)】 【Return (LV2)】 【Cremation (LV2)】 【Clairvoyance (LV4)】

—Whoa! My MP’s completely restored!

And my Intelligence even went up by one—barely, but still, an increase!

Man, I’m ridiculously lucky.

“Hey—wait! That’s not fair!”

Satsuki looked up at the sky, on the verge of tears.

“Huh? What did you eat? What happened?”

“The roasted boar… one bite and my Vitality dropped by ten…”

“Ouch… that’s rough…”

“…How about you, Daishi?”

“Full MP recovery. And Intelligence +1.”

“Which one? Which one did you eat?!”

“This squid-looking thing, but—whoa!”

“I’m eating that too!”

Before I could stop her, Satsuki practically snatched the plate of ikarugo I’d been eating and stuffed three slices into her mouth without even dipping them in soy sauce.

“This should restore my MP too—wait, why?!”

“Huh? Don’t tell me…”

“My max MP dropped by fifty…”

“H-hang in there…”

So it wasn’t tied to specific dishes after all.

It seemed like the effects were determined randomly with each bite.

“In that case—I’m going all in!”

Satsuki-chan snapped. She piled dish after dish onto her plate and started devouring everything in one go.

“Hey, that’s terrible table manners, Satsuki!”

“At this point, whatever happens, happens!”

Well, overthinking it wouldn’t help…

Still, it felt like such a waste. With food this incredible, you’d think she’d savor it.

As for me, I decided to take my time and enjoy every bite.

◆◆◆

“Phew… that hit the spot.”

“Haa..haa..haa…”

While I sat there, completely satisfied, Satsuki-chan was beside me, breathing heavily. In the end, none of the dishes I ate afterward caused any further changes to my status. I finished this whole ordeal with my MP fully restored and my Spirit up by one.

Satsuki-chan, on the other hand, seemed to have gone through a rollercoaster of stat changes, but by the end she’d managed to recover a bit of MP and fill her stomach.

At least it hadn’t turned into a complete disaster.

“Mm! Looks like you’re both full! And nothing too terrible happened—good, good.”

“…It definitely shaved a few years off my life, though.”

Satsuki-chan looked like she’d taken some serious mental damage. Honestly, I couldn’t blame her.

“Well then, I’ll clean this up, so you two can head on to the next floor—”

“Hey, Daishi-san. Aren’t you forgetting that?”

“Ah.”

I’d been so busy enjoying the incredible food, it completely slipped my mind.

Right… that was still there. My stomach’s already full, though.

“…It’s blocking the exit. That… organ.”

“How the hell did it even move? And with the table and plate, too…”

For some reason, the Raw Teppō of the Nether King had planted itself right in front of the stairway leading down to the next floor—firmly blocking our path.

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

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“Ara, Satsuki? It’s been a while!”

“It’s been so long! Raika-san!”

As soon we entered the room, Satsuki-chan exchanged greetings with a woman who looked a little older and was busily moving around inside.

Apparently, they knew each other.

“Oh my, is the handsome guy behind you your boyfriend?”

“N-no! He’s just… uh- well, a monitored subject!”

So she’s not even hiding it anymore.

Monitored subject. She actually said it out loud. I kind of wish she had gone with “friend” at least.

But more importantly… is this really inside a dungeon?

It felt more like a…

> Yep, this is definitely a gourmet house

> Looks delicious

> The monster dishes lined up on the counter are still beautifully presented

> Oh, there’s chimera stew!

> Whole roasted wild boar!

> There’s even ikarugo sashimi!

> Every time I see this, it just looks like a buffet restaurant lol

> Raika-san’s aura is insane

> Raika-san is an elf, right?

> Age unknown

> Rumor says she’s been here since the dungeon was first created

The word “elf” caught my attention.

Now that I looked closely, Raika-san’s ears were nothing like a human’s. They were longer, sharply pointed. Her eyes were green as well. And when I matched her appearance with my game knowledge, there was nothing that contradicted the idea that she was, indeed, an elf.

“Today I managed to get some really good ingredients, so I think everything turned out delicious. Help yourselves!”

“Whoo! Can’t wait!”

Satsuki-chan immediately took a seat at the counter stool. Across from her, Raika-san continued moving between the counter and the sink—serving plates, washing dishes, working as if this were completely normal. Meanwhile, Satsuki-chan was already holding chopsticks and a plate, scanning the spread like a kid in a candy store.

“Hmm, what should I pick~? Oh, Daishi-san, you should eat too!”

She was already dividing up portions onto her plate, urging me to hurry. Even if she knows the owner and has been here before… isn’t it a bit too shameless to start eating immediately?

And more importantly—was this place even free?

“Hey, handsome boy. What’s your name?”

“Ah—Ajiri Daishi.”

“Daishi-kun, got it. This is your first time here, right? You know the rules?”

Raika-san spoke rapidly, one question after another.

She really does have that talkative, Kansai-like energy… no, no, better not go there.

“I’m a beginner, actually. So there are rules? Can you please explain them?”

“Ahaha, figured as much. Oh! Satsuki, could you listen too before eating? The rules changed a bit.”

“Ah? Y-yes!”

Satsuki-chan is just about to put the food in her mouth. She quickly closed her mouth and reluctantly placed the fish-like dish back onto her plate.

“This is the ‘Gourmet House.’ It’s a lucky room that occasionally appears in randomly generated dungeon chambers, where starving explorers are treated to the finest cuisine.”

“Well, it’s basically the same as a Unique Room. Unlike that wicked rabbit’s room, this place is safe though.”

“By ‘wicked rabbit,’ you mean the Space-Time Rabbit?”

Raika-san turned the question back toward Satsuki-chan.

“Yes. I encountered it for the first time in my entire exploration history on the first basement floor.”

“In this beginner dungeon? That’s unfortunate.”

So even Raika-san knew about the Space-Time Rabbit.

I started to wonder—how exactly do all these systems connect? What’s the network behind all this dungeon logic?

But well, whatever. I’m hungry.

“You can eat whatever you like. However, this place is designed so that you cannot leave until you’re completely full. The only clear condition is to reach satiety—so make sure you eat until you’re satisfied.”

What a happy room!

I didn’t mind the idea of eating monsters so much anymore—especially not when the food looked this good. If anything, not getting full here would probably be the harder task.

Clearing this was basically guaranteed.

“Oh, and one more thing, the dishes here don’t just fill your hunger. They also restore HP and MP, and some even raise your stats. It might be fun for you to check your status as you eat.”

“Ohh! That’s amazing! So if I want to recover MP, which one should I eat?”

“Now, which one do you think?”

“…Huh?”

“I’m not that kind. It’s random.”

She smiled softly—but there was a faint hint of mischief in it.

Yeah… of course it wasn’t going to be that convenient.

“And also, Satsuki. Up until now, it worked the same way as before… but starting today, the system has changed slightly.”

“Eh? Really?”

“Yes. Previously, the only option was whether your stats would increase or not. But apparently that was considered too lenient… so an additional rule has been added.”

“What is it?”

“Some dishes that lower your stats have been added.”

“…Huh?”

Satsuki-chan’s expression visibly changed. She stared intently at the fish-like monster dish she had almost just eaten.

“Sorry. This isn’t something I get to decide.”

“Which ones lower stats?!”

“I don’t know that either. And just so you know… how much they lower your stats is also completely unknown.”

…Isn’t this suddenly a massive difficulty spike?

Just eating until you’re full could make you weaker—or in the worst case, even put your life at risk. Which can be considered dangerous, in a sense.

> Random stat debuffs is wild lol

> Can’t you see it with Clairvoyance?

> Dying from eating food is kinda rough

> Things are getting weird again

Actually, I already used Clairvoyance beforehand to inspect the dishes. I could roughly tell what kind of meat they were, and what they might taste like… But when it came to whether stats would go up or down, I couldn’t see anything. It seemed that kind of effect only revealed itself after eating.

“Oh, but I do have one piece of advice. It might not be very helpful, though.”

“What is it?”

“That dish on the very edge—don’t eat it. Absolutely don’t.”

She shifted her gaze to that dish. On a small table placed slightly apart from everything else sat a single plate. Something rested on it. Something that gave off an atmosphere that vibrates and creaks, as if even space itself was straining around it.

I am not using Clairvoyance right now and yet I could still feel it. A clear malevolent aura is radiating from that “food.”

Wait—

I suddenly remembered, very vividly. I encountered something with almost identical presence in the past… and I had eaten it.

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

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