Tag: Dungeon

“Aa~choo! Whew…”

After being thrown through a spacetime vortex, I found myself facing a massive cavern. I was about to say something like “whoa…” but the cold hit first, and I sneezed instead.

Come to think of it… I was still in nothing but underwear.

“…My legs aren’t numb anymore. More importantly, even if it’s urgent, at least let me wear clothes…”

It’s early spring, and while it’s gotten warmer after winter, once the sun starts setting, it’s still cold outside. Standing here practically naked, fully exposed to the night air, was something that should never happen under normal circumstances.

“Item Box… Item Box…”

In front of the dimly darkening entrance of the Nether Class dungeon, I repeated the words like a chant. I tried to recall what that useless loli goddess had said right before teleporting me here.

(I placed your Twilight Robe in the item box after cleaning and deodorizing it. Also, there’s a new weapon in there too.)

At least my gear is stored in the new skill acquired during the Awakening Ritual, the [Infinite Item Box]. But beyond that, I had no idea what was inside. She did say something about putting all the necessary dungeon exploration gear in there… but I had no clue what that actually meant in detail.

“…Come to think of it, I wasn’t even taught how to use the item box…”

Well, whatever. It should work like my other skills. I raised my right hand and focused my imagination on the item box. It’s called a “box,” so it should be… a box. Not some pocket that bends dimensions or anything like that.

“Infinite Item Box!”

Bom!

Whoa—it came out! And it’s almost exactly what I imagined!

A white cube, about 30 centimeters in length, width, and height. There are faint “？” patterns floating across its surface, which is a bit unsettling, but it’s probably just decoration. It floats gently in the air, with one side opening up into a pitch-black void right in front of me.

So, I just stick my hand in there and pull things out, huh. Okay, okay, got it.

> Wow!! It’s on!! > It’s the old man!!! > He’s in his underwear!!! > He surprisingly got a good body lol > Oh my~ > Seeing the old man’s face is kinda comforting lol > He finally made it to Nether class huh > There’s a sign that says “Welcome to Nether Class!” LOL > Is this an amusement park or what lol

And the comment section is working again! The video seems to be working too.

But let’s double-check.

“Hey everyone! Is the video working?”

> I can see it perfectly! > Long live Bulging Daishi! > So, they were boxer shorts. > Not briefs? > He is shivering lol, he must be cold! > Put some clothes on quickly! > If you stick your hand through the black hole in the box and concentrate, you’ll probably get out. > You’ll catch a cold! > No, just go in as you are lol > No-guard strategy! Daishi!

A mix of worried and teasing voices—it felt like the usual atmosphere was back! I just can’t get into the swing of things without everyone watching. 

Alright! So, for now, I’ll imagine the Twilight Robe…

“Here we go!”

I stick my hand into the hole in the box.

Oh! This fluffy feeling is…

“Hoi!”

I grabbed something that felt like a clothing and quickly pulled my right hand out. In my hand appeared my beloved robe, the Twilight Robe, looking as beautiful as new. Perfect condition. Clean. Fresh. Like it was just crafted.

> Oh! > There it is! lol > So that’s the Infinite Item Box > You’ve awakened another amazing skill huh > I wonder what that goddess has prepared for him > It looks like it got something incredible > If you find any good items, make sure you store them in there properly > You can sell ores of the Nether grade for a high price > You should throw the Nether King and the Nether Dragon King in there and bring them back > You should seal away the hero too!

“…You guys are way too excited about everything.”

I shrug while slipping on the cloak.

There’s no way the Nether King, the Hero, or the Nether Knight would be in there.

By the way, the comment section is relatively calm right now, so I can read quite a bit. There are no enemies either. And as for concurrent viewers…

Yes! Finally!

We’ve reached 1 million! Yesssss!!

It doesn’t matter anymore if I look at the guild headquarters or anything. I’m going to just go for it. Now that I’ve attained enlightenment, there are no enemies for me. No matter who comes along, if they show hostility towards me, I’ll beat them to a pulp and teach them a lesson.

“Alright! Perfect!”

After I equipped the Twilight Robe, the cold instantly subsided. This outfit seems to have excellent cold-weather protection, which is a relief. It feels nice against the skin too. The Time-Space Rabbit was a nasty guy, but I’m really grateful he gave me this equipment.

Thank you, Chief!

“Alright, let’s get started!”

Now that I was dressed, my spirits were lifted, so I walked with a spring in my step towards the huge hole beneath the sign that read, “Welcome to the Nether Class!”

◆◆◆

“It’s called the Nether-Class so I was expecting something way more intense from the first-floor corridor…”

Instead, it was exactly the same structure as the West Tokyo Fourth Beginner Dungeon.

Torches mounted along the walls. Stone-paved corridors. A damp, heavy air. I don’t know whether this was the Nether Kings’s design or just the Dungeon Master being lazy, but honestly… put in a little more effort for atmosphere.

Well, I guess dungeons probably don’t have that many structural variations to begin with.

A corridor is a corridor. Maybe they figured anything goes.

“Oh right… come to think of it…”

I suddenly remembered.

“I wonder if Satsuki-chan made it back to the surface safely…”

That loli goddess said she’d teleport her in front of the Guild Headquarters. Everything happened so quickly that I never had a chance to confirm it, but… there’s no way she’d just leave her stuck at that temple, right? 

She said something about “disposing of her,” which makes me a little uneasy though. I really hope she got back to the surface safely…

As I was lost in thought, a brightly lit open space came into view. That feeling was exactly the same as in the beginner dungeon too. Perhaps the first floor of every dungeon is built the same way.

“…Ah, of course it’s this arena-type space again—huh?”

A strange sense of déjà vu washed over me, but the situation unfolding in this room was clearly different from when I first fought that slime.

In the center of the chamber, there was a figure standing with their back turned to me.

Not a monster.

A person.

From the back, it looked like a woman… long hair, an elegant presence.

Could it be Satsuki-chan? No… that’s not it.

Even from behind, I could tell she’s someone else entirely. And yet… I’ve definitely seen her somewhere before. I couldn’t be completely sure just from her back, but that dignified posture… that long, straight golden hair… there was no doubt she was probably—

“Mina-chan!”

The name slipped out before I could stop myself.

And she turned around. 

It really was Mina-chan!

No way… meeting her again in a place like this? I must be incredibly lucky.

She’s as beautiful as ever. But why was she standing there all alone? Weren’t her two older brothers with her? I should probably go over and properly greet her—

「Daishi-san! Do not approach her!!」

“!!”

The moment I had already started walking toward Mina-chan, both of my legs suddenly stopped moving.

W-what?!

They felt incredibly heavy—like they’d been locked in place!

“…!”

In front of Mina-chan, something like a swirling vortex of space-time appeared, and from within it, a pitch-black presence began to emerge.

A jet-black armor. A jet-black mask. A jet-black sword. An ominous figure completely wrapped in an abyss of darkness, as if evil itself had taken shape.

I didn’t know him. And yet, every instinct in my mind screamed in recognition of his existence

.…That is a Nether Realm Knight.

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

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“It’s my selfish wish that I want you to defeat the Nether King. But if those Unknowns were ever to conquer the Nether Class…”

The loli goddess wore a faintly complicated expression as she seemed to be asking something of me—me, sitting there in nothing but my underwear, legs folded beneath me.

But right now, I didn’t have the time to worry about that.

Surplus Burial Points: 4817 HP　　　 999 (0)　　−＋ Max HP　999 (0)　　−＋ MP　　　 999 (0)　　−＋ Max MP　999 (0)　　−＋ Strength 999 (0)　　−＋ Endurance 999 (0)　　−＋ Agility 999 (0)　　−＋ Intelligence　 999 (0)　　−＋ Burial Power 999 (0)　　−＋

If there was one thing I wanted to check first, it was this. I had a feeling the way excess points worked had changed, so I opened up my status—and bingo.

Limit break. Thank you very much!!

…But now what? How am I supposed to distribute all of this?

Having too many options just makes it harder to decide.

“I’m afraid that the balance of this world and the dungeon itself could collapse entirely. If that happens, both the human world and the dungeon system I created might fall apart…”

From what I could tell, the cap probably went up to around 9,999 at most. But that just made the question harder—how should I allocate it?

…Hm?

It sounded like the loli goddess was saying something important while staring off into the distance, but honestly, I didn’t have the attention span for that right now.

Alright… I’ll just go with my instincts.

No—wait. Thinking back to my fight with that Golden Emperor Slime, Gorue-chan… yeah, speed is everything. Fast beats everything.

So, in that case…

There.

Surplus Burial Points: 0 HP　　　999 (0)　　−＋ Max HP　999 (0)　　−＋ MP　　　999 (0)　　−＋ Max MP　999 (0)　　−＋ Strength 999 (0)　　−＋ Endurance 999 (0)　　−＋ Agility 5816(4817)　　−＋ Intelligence　 999 (0)　　−＋ Burial Power 999 (0)　　−＋

Alright. This is insane.

Did I just… surpass the speed of light or something?

“Please, Ajiri Daishi! For the sake of preserving my position and for the future of humanity, use that power of yours and conquer the Nether Class, no matter what…”

…Hm? Ah, right.

What was that again?

She was saying something with this desperate look on her face, but none of it actually registered.

Oh! Right—I’ve gotta explain my stats to the viewers!

I already allocated everything and hit confirm.

She’s probably gonna get mad again.….

> Is the goddess talking to herself or something? > What the hell are you doing, old man? > At least answer her, dude > Can’t see the screen, no clue what’s going on > He’s probably messing with his stats > Oh right. Didn’t the loli goddess tell him to check them? > So what happened? > He was already maxed out—can he still get stronger than that? > Explain it alreadyyyyy!!!

Yeah, yeah, I hear you!

My beloved viewers!

“Good news—my stat cap’s been broken! I dumped everything into agility and gained insane speed!! Oh, and as for my class and stuff…”

“Hey—IDIOT DAISHI!! Don’t ignore meeeee!!!”

What’s with the huffing and puffing, loli goddess?

I’m busy right now. This is an important explanation segment for my viewers. There are already 950,000 people watching—well, listening—so I’ve gotta keep them engaged, right? Can you save the boring stuff for later?

> No, no, no, no, no > Old man, you always go way too extreme lol > You really did that without thinking again… > If you broke the cap, doesn’t that mean your burial power won’t overflow anymore? > You probably won’t be able to allocate points now > You should’ve raised burial power first—it looked like it gives overall scaling > This is just stupid LMAO

…R-right.

Up until now, I could allocate points because they overflowed past the cap. 

Did I just screw that up again…?

“Honestly! That thing where you get so absorbed you stop noticing anything around you—you really should fix that! You’re not a kid anymore, you know! Seriously…”

Well, that’s just my personality. Nothing I can do about it. At my age, it’s not exactly something you can fix overnight. And if we’re being honest, the loli goddess isn’t much different in that regard.

“Ah, Goddess—about this class…”

“You ignored what I was saying and now you’ve got the nerve to ask me a question…? Fine, whatever. I’d like to call it an advanced class, but really, I just slapped that on arbitrarily. Since you have zero talent for healing, I figured this suited you better.”

Burial Priest.

Well… now that she says it, I guess it does fit me. I do tend to send things off rather… decisively.

“I reset your level back to one. It’ll make it easier for you to grow stronger that way. Your base stats carry over from your time as a cleric. As for your stat caps and skills…”

Perhaps understanding my personality, the loli goddess went on to give me a fairly detailed breakdown of my status. I didn’t really listen to the earlier part, but basically—she wants me to head into the Nether Class and take down that old man, the Hero, and the Demon Knight, right?

I’ve already given up on my laid-back dungeon life anyway.

So yeah… I’ll take the job.

> It is Funeral Priest after all LMAO > Reset to level 1 but keeps base stats? That’s insane service lol > So, the cap’s now 9999 huh > What happens when he levels up next? > First time I’ve ever seen maxed-out skills > Guess we’ll find out what they do when he uses them > Honestly, that’s more fun to watch > [Infinite Item Box] is straight-up cheating lol > Every explorer would kill just to have that skill > Must be insanely useful for something like a 100-floor dungeon > Title: [The Enlightened One] > Old man really achieved enlightenment at last, huh

“That’s all the explanation. In any case, get to the Nether Class and conquer it before them, Ajiri Daishi. I’ve already given you more than enough power for that.”

“Alright. Got it. But what about Satsuki-chan…?”

“I did want to eliminate that irregular factor, but if I did that, you wouldn’t go into the Nether Class, would you? Bringing her in here was my mistake as well. And while I’d prefer not to submit a report to the Guild Headquarters, I suppose there’s no helping it at this point.”

If it had come to harming Satsuki-chan, I never would’ve taken this request. Honestly, I’d have gone straight for this loli goddess and taken her down myself. A zero-distance Hell Gate execution.

“…Even I’d have a hard time surviving that, you know. Well, whatever. You can relax. However, Amane Satsuki cannot go with you. At her current level, it’s a 100% death sentence. That place isn’t so forgiving that you can protect someone while clearing it.”

Yeah. I already had a feeling about that. 

Then this is where Satsuki-chan and I part ways huh. She helped me out in a lot of ways, but I can’t drag her into a dungeon more dangerous than this.

“Can you transfer Satsuki-chan somewhere safe too?”

“I promise. At this point it’s going to be exposed anyway—I’ll drop her off in front of Guild Headquarters.”

“…Thanks. Sigh… but going alone is still a little unsettling.”

I let out a sigh.

I wonder if that loli goddess stuffed a bunch of healing items into my item box or something.

Wait, it’s only been about half a day since my first dungeon run, right?

I’m still a total beginner—like, full-on beginner mode. Is this really going to be okay…?

“Even if your ability values are completely abnormal, dungeon exploration can’t be cleared with stats alone. You should’ve already understood that much from your experience so far. You’ve got a bit of an idiot side to you, so I’m honestly a little worried too—but well, use your head and figure it out yourself, Ajiri Daishi.”

“Y-yeah, I’ll do my best.”

“Alright then. Are you mentally prepared? We don’t have much time—if we wait any longer, those guys might show up, so I’m just going to send you off quickly. Is that okay?”

There’s no point overthinking it here. If I have to go, then I might as well just go. Like the loli goddess had said, my fatigue is completely gone. At this point, it’s just “whatever happens, happens!”

“You’ve got a good attitude. Then I’ll open a spacetime vortex. After that, I’m counting on you! Ajiri Daishi!”

The familiar spacetime vortex appeared right in front of me while I was still sitting in seiza in nothing but my underwear. I’m already used to this sensation. Before I even realize it, I’ll probably be at the entrance of a Nether-class dungeon.

Alright then—let’s go all out and conquer this Nether-class dungeon!

Ah, but…

I’ve been sitting in seiza this whole time and my legs are completely numb—I can’t feel them at all. If a monster suddenly attacks right now… am I even going to be able to react?

And one more thing…

> Are you planning to go in just your underwear? lol

I wasn’t wearing any clothes.

◆◆◆

(Amane Satsuki’s POV)

“…Here is… in front of the Guild Headquarters…?”

I, Amane Satsuki, found myself lying quietly in the shadow of a massive, rigid, and utterly inorganic structure.

“…I… think I was…”

My memories were tangled. I shook my head, trying to sort through the information in my mind.

“I think I blacked out because Daishi-san was too smelly… no-wait?!”

Why am I here?

Based on what I can piece together, I should have been inside the West Tokyo 4th Beginner Dungeon… right in front of the suddenly appeared temple gate…

“Oh right! My investigation report… ah, there it is! Good, I need to submit this to HQ—”

“…Heh. You’re cuter than in the videos, Amane Satsuki.”

“—!!”

A suffocating pressure slammed down on me, like a giant serpent coiling around my neck. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t even make a sound.

“…You smell kinda nasty. But I don’t hate it. That scent.”

My vision was blocked—whoever it was was behind me, crushing my throat with one arm. I couldn’t see his face.

But the voice… felt vaguely familiar.

S-so hard to breathe…

Who… are you…?

“Ajiri Daishi. That rookie bastard who cleared a god-tier dungeon and stole all my spotlight. You were with him, right?”

The grip tightened even more.

Cleared a god-tier dungeon…?

No way… if this keeps up… I’m going to—

“Y-you… are…”

“The only one who can produce this refreshing, handsome voice… is a hero, right?”

H-hero…?!

“Anyway, all the guys from the god-tier raid got mentally broken, useless trash everywhere. Seriously, what a waste of space. And just when I was looking for new party members before going to beat down that old man in the Nether-class dungeon…”

The pressure on my neck vanished.

But immediately, my face was grabbed like it was caught in a vice. The pain didn’t even register anymore—the grotesque, intimidating face right in front of me stole all my attention.

So this is him…

The rumors were true. 

This man… is seriously dangerous!

“Ajiri Daishi is coming too, right? The Nether-class dungeon. I heard that old dungeon master guy has some special blessing or whatever. Even I might have my hands full with him.”

His grip tightened again.

I couldn’t look away.

“…I came to pick you up for my party. Haha.”

“N-no… way…!”

“Hm? You don’t get a choice. So what’s it gonna be? Get beaten and dragged along… or quietly come with me?”

My heart… broke under the weight of that threat. As frustrating as it was, I couldn’t resist him. This man’s raw strength was probably still below Daishi-san’s. After all, Daishi-san’s stats had already reached the absolute peak of this world.

And yet…

No—there‘s no doubt about it.

Daishi-san would lose to this man.

For sure.

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

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“Your clothes are getting in the way of the ritual. Ideally, I’d have you to take off your underwear too if possible.”

At the moment, I am sitting in a seiza-style in the center of a room encircled by candles. Wearing nothing but my underwear.

“Especially something like the Twilight Robe. It is stacked with resistances which interferes with the ritual.”

The child-goddess stood behind me, her right hand raised over my back as she poured something like a faint, pale aura into me—almost like telekinetic energy.

It felt gently warm, soothing in a way that reminded me of the electric therapy you get at an orthopedic clinic when treating an injury. The comfort made my eyelids grow heavy with drowsiness.

> Good thing he wasn’t stripped completely naked > Being totally naked in front of someone who looks like a little girl is straight-up a crime > Officer, it’s this guy > An old man going full naked here would be rough lol > Eh~, I kinda wanted to see though > N-not gonna lie, my heart skipped a beat (blush) > I wanted him to corrupt the goddess with his “Daishi” and drag her into the dark side > If he’d taken everything off, he definitely would’ve been banned > I mean, this is already pretty borderline lol > Stuff like “Hell Gate” is definitely not okay lol > Maybe they’re just letting it slide on purpose > With this many viewers, you’d think at least one person would’ve reported it by now

My “Daishi” doesn’t have that kind of power. It’s not “great”—it’s “small”.

…Ah, no. That really doesn’t matter at all!

My apologies.

“Once this ritual’s over, do I have to head to the Nether Class dungeon?”

Trying to distract myself from the numb, prickling pain in my legs from sitting seiza, I threw the question at the loli goddess. Judging from how things had been going, that was the only possible outcome.

“I do like a perceptive man, Ajiri Daishi. As soon as the ritual is complete, I’ll transfer you right near the entrance to the Nether Class, so just relax and wait.”

Her voice was gentle—yet it carried a whisper of something almost devilish.

Ah… there goes my dream of a laid-back dungeon life…

I guess I don’t have the right to refuse anymore.

Fine, I’ll concede a thousand steps. 

But, even if I have to go, could I at least get a day to prepare…? 

And if that’s too much to ask, then please, at least let me take a bath.

I might be fine, and the loli goddess might be fine, but I really don’t want to walk around reeking of the Nether King’s hell-stench. Apparently it’s strong enough to knock people out just from the lingering odor alone. I want to get rid of this clingy, almost branded stench as soon as possible.

“My aura also has fatigue recovery and purification effects, so there’s no need for rest. And that stinky Nether King’s ‘fart’ smell will naturally disappear too, so don’t worry.”

…She read my mind again.

“I’ve already prepared your equipment, food, and all the bare essentials you’ll need for exploration, so you can head into the Nether Class dungeon anytime.”

“By the way… Goddess, aren’t you coming with me?”

“I can’t leave this West Tokyo Fourth Beginner Dungeon. If I did, all the causal structure I carefully set up here would fall apart.”

“Huh? Then how did you get the Nether King’s organs…?”

Just like that, the conversation looped right back to the original question.

“Ah, that? You really want to know, don’t you? It’s simple.”

According to the loli goddess, every dungeon—and every monster within it—was something she herself had created and managed. With her master authority, she could freely add or remove things from anywhere at any time. However, as she’d mentioned before, the Nether Class was currently operating under the Nether King’s independent system, which meant her authority didn’t normally apply there.

That said, she could still grasp the situation to some extent. And while something like this would never happen in Divine Realm Class or Abyssal Sea Class, the Nether Class alone would, on rare occasions, experience brief lapses in the Nether King’s control. She seized one of those fleeting moments—and barely managed to extract only the organs. The reason she didn’t destroy anything and took only the internal organs… was to strip away that power and grant it to me.

Because she believed that someone like me—who had already broken through the Eighth Layer of the Selection Domain—could synchronize with the Nether King.

Incidentally, the source of the Nether King’s power was also burial energy. The same as mine.

Just like mine…

…

Thinking about it like that… yeah, I really don’t like it. 

Am I eventually going to end up like that too?

The more I think about it, the more uneasy I get. If every time I fart, something like a [Hell Gate] gets summoned, that’s the kind of thing you just can’t live with. And if it happens unconsciously while I’m asleep… that’s not even a joke.

> I didn’t hear the earlier part, so I have no idea what’s going on > So it’s like shoplifting, huh! > “While no one’s looking…”—that’s totally different, idiot lol > Anyway, once this ritual’s over, you’re heading to conquer the Nether Class dungeon, right? > So we’ll get to see the old man in action again, yeah? > Hurry up and finish the ritual already >Can he still get stronger? > I’m excited

“What kind of nonsense are you even thinking about?”

“Ah—well… for me, it’s a serious concern.”

“Humans really are incomprehensible… Honestly. Oh, it’s done, by the way.”

“Huh? It’s already over?”

That was faster than I expected.

But… it doesn’t feel like some overwhelming power is surging through me or anything.

Did I really awaken at all?

“Why don’t you check your status? A lot has changed.”

“A lot huh.”

Well, if that’s the case, I guess I’ll take a look for now…

Name: Daishi Ajiri Class: Burial Priest Level: 1 HP: 999/999 MP: 999/999 Strength: 999   Endurance: 999 Agility: 999 Intelligence: 999 Burial Power: 999 Surplus Burial Points: 4817 Skills: 【Burial Fist (MAX)】   【Retribution (MAX)】 【Requiem (MAX)】 【Return (MAX)】 【Cremation (MAX)】 【Clairvoyance (MAX)】 Unique Skill: 【Hell Gate】 【Infinite Item box】 Title: 【Enlightened One】

“Isn’t this whole ‘status system’ just fascinating? It’s easily one of the most brilliant technologies humans have ever invented. Well, yours is a special case since I’ve tweaked it quite a bit, so it works very differently from what ordinary explorers use.”

The loli goddess was smirking as she rambled on about something, but none of it registered.

I was completely transfixed by the contents of my status screen.

A lot had changed.

No—too much had changed!

Where was I even supposed to start checking…?

Honestly, I didn’t have the faintest idea.

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

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“Think of it as a service. I’ll reopen the comments and audio for you. No video, though.”

For some reason, this useless excuse for a goddess had been reading my reactions the whole time—guessing what I was thinking from my expressions and movements, then either answering ahead of time or tossing me little “bonuses” like this.

I mean, she was a former god. Maybe everything going on in my head was completely transparent to her. Either way, the familiar floating display popped into view beside me. Just seeing it gave me the same strange sense of comfort as going back home. I let out a small breath.

…Wait.

That aside, are my viewers even still there?

It’s been, what, twenty… thirty minutes with nothing showing at all.

What if my live viewer count dropped to zero…?

…No—!

It’s still at 600,000!?

Yeah, it dipped a bit after being disconnected for so long, but there were still this many people waiting. Thank god!

I’m back! My beloved view—

> Old man’s posture when he used Hell Gate was insane lol > Pure comedy kekeke > Dude even let out a silent fart lol > The atmosphere at that moment was WILD >And hundreds of thousands saw it live > Man even launched a “dirty firework” > Social media is losing it right now > Trending #1: “But the skill comes out of his butt” > The Ajiri Daishi thread already passed 1000 posts > Clip editors are cooking hard already > If that were me I’d 100% cry > Yo, is it back online? >Oh you’re right, it is! > “Please enjoy with Audio only” lol what is this? > Show the video! > I wanna see the loli’s face > Oi! Old man, you watching this? > Say something if you are!

“…”

No—seriously. Could it be… they were getting hyped up because of my little disgraceful moment earlier, and that’s what kept the viewer count stable?

Not exactly something I’m happy about.

“Ah—can you hear me? Everyone.”

And then—

> HE’S BACKKKKK!!! > IT’S THE OLD MAN!! > Welcome back, Daishi-kun! > Welcome back! > Was really sad we couldn’t see your face > Hey, explain the loli situation already > So you heard all sorts of things, right? > How exactly did you pull out the Nether King’s orgrans? > How old is Reika-san anyway? > What’s the Time-Space Rabbit doing now? > Is Rakshasa really dead? > Is the loli really the dungeon master? > What happened to Satsuki-chan?! > Did you break past the stat cap? > You must’ve at least gotten a title, right? > There’s probably an advanced class too > I’m curious about your unique job > This whole dungeon was basically a trial to train the old man, right? > I mean, old man, you died once five years ago, right? lol > Betting you reincarnated somehow > Bet his past life was Sensei Ajiri Daishi or something lol > After this dungeon, you’re going to the Nether tier and eat the Nether King, right? I knew it > No way. You mean the old man is actually the successor of the dungeon master?

The chat scroll surged forward with a momentum I’d never seen before. So fast, in fact, that I could only manage to properly read the first few comments.

Even from that limited glimpse, though, it was obvious there were still countless things people wanted to ask. But if I tried to answer every single one of them, we’d be here forever. I decided it’d be better to focus only on the things I genuinely couldn’t leave unanswered.

Still, I managed to catch fragments of what looked like viewers’ theories. And… annoyingly enough, most of them were basically right. I couldn’t help but let out a dry laugh. Internet users really are sharp. Always have been. It’s honestly a little impressive.

“Sorry, everyone. I do remember most of what this… loli—uh, this dungeon master told me. I’ll summarize it all later, okay? That’s fine, right?”

I glanced at her.

“Dungeon Master-san?”

She gave a small shrug, as if it didn’t matter either way.

“As long as you’re just talking about it, I don’t care. Do whatever you want.”

“Thanks.”

I double-checked just in case—and got her approval.

Well, even if I explain everything, I have no idea if anyone will actually believe it. Honestly, even I’m only believing about half of it myself.

> Loli voice is hereeee!!! > Her voice is insanely cute > I thought she was an anime voice actress lol > But she’s kinda super arrogant lol > Well, she’s probably like super old in reality > Yeah, she’s probably a loli BB… no, let’s stop here > Edited voice, nice try

The comments, as usual, casually crossed lines that probably shouldn’t be crossed. I agreed with the sentiment—but there was no way I could let the “dame god loli” see this.

Then without even looking at the chat she spoke flatly,

“…Just so you know, if you say ‘loli BB’ out loud, you’ll explode on the spot. Understood, Daishi Ajiri?”

Her voice carried no emotion—but the pressure behind it was crushing.

Yeah. No doubt about it. She could read minds. And that word—loli BB—was clearly a landmine. Better avoid it.

“…Fine. I’ll take questions. There are probably a lot, but keep them brief—”

Then suddenly, her expression changed.

Until now, she’d been smirking like she was above it all. But in an instant, that smugness vanished, replaced by something like irritation or alarm.

Huh?

What’s with the sudden mood shift?

“…No way… after the Divine Domain-class… even the Abyssal Sea-class…? Who are these people…?”

She muttered under her breath like she was cursing something only she could see.

Divine Domain-class? Abyssal Sea-class?

I had no idea what she was talking about.

“Sorry, change of plans.”

“Eh?”

“I don’t have time to answer questions anymore.”

Hey, hold on.

What about all the stuff I was going to ask? Like the Nether King’s organs and everything? This is kind of a scam, isn’t it?

The viewers are going to riot over this.

Then she continued, businesslike and abrupt:

“To put it simply—within your world’s terms, a Nether Realm Knight has just cleared an Abyssal Sea-class stage. On top of that, I’ve received confirmation that a Hero Party is preparing for a re-attempt on the Nether Class dungeon. I can’t afford to waste time on idle conversation anymore.”

That was… extremely concise.

And also completely incomprehensible.

Was I supposed to be panicking right now or something?

“We’ll continue the explanation while we work,” she said. “For now—prepare yourself, Daishi Ajiri.”

“Prepare…?”

“Strip.”

“…Huh?! What?!”

“An awakening ritual will be performed for you. A final rite for one who has surpassed the final trial.”

“Awakening… ritual…?”

“Yes. I will grant you the highest-grade title and power necessary to conquer the Nether class—and to stand against those ‘Unknowns’.”

Her voice was calm.

Too calm. And somehow, that made it worse.

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

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“There’s a mirror over there, isn’t there? Try using Clairvoyance on yourself with it.”

Where the girl pointed, there stood a massive mirror—large enough to reflect an entire grown adult without difficulty.

Wait… is that thing even there when I came in?

“Why would I need to use Clairvoyance on myse—”

“You can’t see your past life just by checking your own status normally, can you?”

…She really does know everything.

Dungeon Master, huh… terrifying.

The thought that I’d basically been watched this whole time left me with a faint sense of unease, but I did as I was told. Facing the mirror, I activated [Clairvoyance] and examined my own status from an outside perspective.

Name: Daishi Ajiri Class: Cleric Level: 20 HP: 999/999 MP: 999/999 Strength: 999   Endurance: 999 Agility: 999 Intelligence: 999 Burial Power: 999[4817] Skills: 【Burial Fist (LV1)】   【Retribution (LV2)】 【Requiem (LV2)】 【Return (LV2)】 【Cremation (LV2)】 【Clairvoyance (LV4)】 Unique Skill: 【Hell Gate】 Past Life: Daishi Ajiri

…I mean, I’d kind of expected something like this given how things were going—but actually seeing it laid out like that felt deeply wrong.

My past life… is me.

Even if it came from someone who could probably tamper with my stats however they pleased, seeing it with my own eyes made it impossible to deny.

Then… I really had died once. 

And yet, I’m still here. My memories are clear. I remember everything—even things from before five years ago, when I supposedly died.

“Do you understand now, Ajiri Daishi?”

The girl stood beside the mirror, gazing up at me with a smile—young, yet strangely bewitching.

…No. Honestly, I didn’t understand a thing.

“Were you the one who brought me back to life?”

It was the most natural question to ask.

“I suppose you could say that. Half right, at least.”

She frowned slightly, as if troubled.

Half? What does that even mean?

“I handled the soul. The body, however, wasn’t my doing.”

…Yeah, there was no way I’d follow any of this if I kept interrupting.

Better to just listen.

“Heh. That look—you’ve finally decided to keep quiet and hear me out, haven’t you? Good. Obedience suits you, Ajiri-kun. Especially for an M.”

You’re getting dragged straight through the Hell Gate for that one.

“Now then, with the understanding that you’ve already died once, I’ll explain the important points in order. Just the essentials. If you think you won’t remember, feel free to take notes. I’ll take questions at the end. So… let’s begin with who I am.”

And with that, the girl began to unveil the truth.

◆◆◆

“…That about covers it. Do you more or less understand now?”

After speaking for about fifteen minutes straight, she paused and looked at me expectantly.

Understand?

Nah. Not even close. But even so, there were parts I couldn’t help but accept, as if they simply were that way. I remembered most of it, at least.

To organize my thoughts, I decided to mentally go over what she’d said one more time.

The little girl’s identity and the origin of dungeons

・ The girl is a fallen goddess. She was once one of the gods responsible for overseeing humanity, but after committing some grave offense, she incurred the wrath of the chief deity and was cast down into the human world. (She refused to say what exactly she had done.)

・In order to secure a place for herself in the human world, the fallen goddess created a dungeon. This West Tokyo Fourth Beginner Dungeon is that very place—the origin point of all dungeons.

・At first, she entertained herself by creating monsters within the dungeon, but eventually grew bored. Seeking something more interesting, she decided to pit the humans created by the gods against the monsters she had made, and thus unsealed the dungeon’s entrance.

・What began as a game gradually escalated. The fallen goddess started generating dungeons all over the world. As a result, humans known as “explorers” began to appear, guilds were formed, and dungeon exploration flourished into what it is today.

I took a breath and continued organizing everything she had told me, piece by piece, trying to force it into something resembling understanding.

The System of Monsters and Explorers

・Monsters don’t reproduce like humans. Nearly all of them are generated randomly through an automatic creation system devised by the fallen goddess, while their souls simply circulate.

・In a dungeon, when someone dies, the soul is sent to the [Selection Domain].

・The [Selection Domain] consists of seven layers. By overcoming more trials, a soul determines the strength and type of its next reincarnated body. Incidentally, Rakshasa was a “selector” from the fifth layer. These “selectors” are directly managed by the fallen goddess and can be regenerated almost instantly—meaning the Rakshasa will revive soon as well.

・Souls that surpass the trials from the fifth layer onward are granted individually customized bodies. Most boss-class monsters in high-difficulty dungeons fall into this category. Up to the fourth layer, they instead become unique-type entities within a dungeon.

・When an explorer dies inside a dungeon, they are absorbed into the fallen goddess’s system.

The Three Great Abysses of the World

・Bosses of the Divine Realm and Abyssal Sea classes are powerful beings who have surpassed the sixth layer of the Selection Domain. Only two such individuals have ever existed.

・The Nether King of the Nether Class is the only known entity to have transcended the seventh layer—a truly monstrous existence.

・Apparently, all of them were originally human explorers.

・These three dungeons operate independently. They’ve broken away from the fallen goddess’s control and now function under their own separate systems. She compared it to a subsidiary company tricking its parent company and going independent… though honestly, I didn’t fully get that analogy.

Unique Classes

・ [Unique Classes] are just labels humans assign within the status system, but to the fallen goddess, they are unknowns—entities beyond her understanding. In other words, they may exist under entirely different laws and causality than either the dungeon system or the human world. Because of that, she constantly keeps them under observation.

Ajiri Daishi (Me)

・Apparently, the place where I died five years ago was exactly at the boundary between the dungeon domain and the human world. As a result, my soul was sent to the Selection Domain, but my body remained human—making me an extremely irregular existence.

・As for why my body was resurrected… it was because I wasn’t originally destined to die there, or something about the Six Realms of Reincarnation, but I have absolutely no idea what that mean.

・Incidentally, although I have no memory of it, my soul apparently easily cleared the hidden eighth stage of the Selection Domain—making me an extraordinarily rare existence. 

・This West Tokyo Fourth Beginner Dungeon was essentially a training ground, designed from the moment I entered it to allow me to wield my soul’s power in the real world. After all, even with an exceptional soul, proper trials were necessary to manifest that strength in reality.

・The reason she trained me was to reclaim the Nether Class Dungeon. The Nether King poses a threat to the Dungeon Master’s position, so she intended to turn me—someone who cleared the eighth stage—into her assassin. 

・She originally wanted to start five years ago but claimed she couldn’t because my body was still bound by the causality of the human world. Again… I didn’t understand that part either.

・And apparently, me becoming an explorer was pure coincidence. I could have ended up just being an ordinary salaryman my whole life.

…Yeah. Laying it all out like this didn’t exactly make it easier to understand. But one thing was clear. Whether I liked it or not, I had been dragged into something completely insane.

“Have you managed to organize your thoughts a little?”

It seems the useless little goddess sensed that I was trying to sort things out and waited for me, but honestly, I’ve only managed to organize the general outlines. There’s just too much information, and I’m getting tired of thinking about it.

I think I’ll organize the remaining details by asking questions. 

Right. It would be so reassuring if the viewers were listening along with me at a time like this…

I wonder what everyone’s doing now…

> Next… episode… connect…?

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

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I considered carrying Satsuki-chan inside with me, but in my current state, I smelled so awful that I’d only end up causing trouble. So instead, I gently laid her down on the steps by the entrance.

It was unlikely that anything would come attacking at this point, but just to be safe, I’d explain the situation to that little girl if I ran into her again and make sure Satsuki-chan would be protected.

That much, at least, I should be able to manage.

“Alright… let’s head inside.”

It was pitch-black—so dark I couldn’t see a thing—but after coming this far, there was no way I was backing out now. Still… I’d rather not fall into some hidden pitfall. Carefully, I pressed each step forward, moving slowly—

Creeeak…

“Ah! The door—!”

It shut on its own.

At the same moment, faint lights began to emerge within the darkness that had swallowed everything moments before.

Fwoosh, fwoosh.

On either side of me, candles mounted along the walls flickered to life. One after another, at steady intervals, the flames stretched deeper into the passage ahead, as if beckoning me forward—like a silent guide illuminating the path, urging me to come further in.

“…So you’re telling me to come, huh.”

With cautious steps, I made my way deeper into the temple hall, now faintly illuminated by the growing glow of candlelight. Before long, a space came into view where countless candles were clustered together, their flames overlapping in a dense, shimmering mass.

I was almost there.

A quiet tension tightened in my chest.

The voice I’d heard definitely belonged to a young girl. But that didn’t necessarily mean her appearance matched it. Well… she is probably a woman, but for all I knew she could be some old—…no, better not go there.

By the time I get hold of my thoughts, I had already reached my destination.

“You’re late. I thought you’d make it here much sooner.”

In front of me stood a broad, three-tiered wooden staircase.

At the top of those steps, in the center of a wide, circular space—

There she is. Her back faced me, a small-framed woman standing amidst a sea of flickering light. Candles—far too many to count—burned all around, their glow bathing her figure in an almost surreal radiance.

From behind, she looked like a woman dressed in a simple, oversized white cloth—something closer to a loose robe than proper clothing.

“Are you… the Dungeon Master?”

I called out to her from the foot of the stairs.

She hadn’t turned around yet, so I still couldn’t see her face. From the back, she definitely looked like a little girl—but if she turned around and ended up being some kind of—no, best not go there.

“That’s what humans call me. Though, I suppose it’s not entirely wrong. In this world, a dungeon is about the only place where I can exert any real influence, so it’s a fitting enough title.”

As she spoke, the Dungeon Master finally turned to face me.

“!!”

“Oh my, are you captivated by my beauty? How adorable, Ajiri Daishi.”

…Annoyingly enough, she was right.

If there were such a thing as the ultimate young girl who perfectly embodied both cuteness and beauty beyond human limits, it would be her. Her face—crafted as though to strike every possible weakness of those with a certain inclination—was flawless.

Long, straight golden hair cascaded down her back, shimmering with an almost divine brilliance. Her large, round eyes were a soft shade of light brown. Her face was unbelievably small—her nose, her lips, every feature delicately shaped and impossibly refined.

I’m absolutely not into loli—but standing before her, I couldn’t deny the unsettling feeling that something in me might be awakening. She was, in every sense, the perfect embodiment of a supreme, fearless child idol.

“Oh, and just so you know, I’ve already taken the liberty of cutting off your streaming camera. I can’t exactly allow anyone other than you to see me like this you see.”

Now that she mentioned it, the camera had been auto-tracking me this whole time, but the comment section hadn’t worked at all. The recording function was probably shut down too.

To think that even that absurdly high-performance camera—one that had adapted to every environment so far—could be stopped so easily…

And despite how unbearably foul I must smell right now, she didn’t seem bothered in the slightest.

Yeah… “Dungeon Master” definitely felt like the right title for her.

“Satsuki-chan… is she—”

“She’s fine. She’s an irregular case, but I’ve secured her safely at the entrance.”

Relief washed over me.

Alright! In that case, time to jump straight into question time!

The first thing I wanted to confirm was—

“I already know what you want to ask. I’ll explain everything step by step, so don’t rush, Ajiri Daishi.”

She looked like the perfect little girl—flawless in appearance—but the way she spoke, with that older-sister tone and condescending edge, was oddly irritating.

Step by step, she said?

No, forget that—tell me the one thing I want to know first!

“Where did you even get those Nether King’s organs? Start with that!”

Before she could begin her explanation, I cut in with the question that had been bothering me the most. Seriously, I’d been dying to know.

How the hell did she extract something like that and place it inside this dungeon?

I’m sure the viewers were curious too. I couldn’t check right now, but once I got out of here, that’d be the first thing I’d tell them.

“You’re really starting with something that trivial? There are plenty of other things to ask…”

“It’s not trivial! I really want to know!”

“I figured you were a bit of an idiot, but maybe you’re more of a hopeless one than I thought.”

What a rude little brat.

Just because she’s cute she…

I swear, I’ll make her cry!

“Oh, that? I just stole it while that old man was drunk and passed out. He’s gotten sloppy with age—leaves himself wide open, you know.”

Wait, no—that’s not what I meant. I want to know how you moved it, how you extracted it in the first place. I mean, if you could pull something like that off, why not just defeat him outright? Why go through the trouble of making me eat it?

“Ahh, that look on your face—I can tell exactly what you’re trying to say. I’ll explain all of that too, but in order. So just listen properly, you little idiot Ajiri.”

Say that again and I’ll knock you into the afterlife.

“First, I need to go over a basic premise.”

“A premise?”

“Yes. I’ve been watching everything since the moment you entered this dungeon—right up until you arrived here.”

“…Wait, really?”

“Oh? You didn’t notice? Well, no matter. I’ll continue.”

“Okay…”

“During your exploration, that irregular—Amane Satsuki—mentioned something about a ‘price,’ didn’t she?”

Irregular, huh… that choice of words bothered me too, but she said she’d go in order, so I held my tongue.

Come to think of it, Satsuki-chan did say something like that. That there had to be some kind of heavy price behind the absurd power I’d gained. I’d completely forgotten about it until now, but hearing it again sent a chill crawling up my spine.

Yeah… there’s no way there isn’t a price. I’ve gotten way too strong for it to be free.

“It all began five years ago. We have to go back to the moment you died—right in front of the entrance to this West Tokyo Fourth Beginner Dungeon, choking on your own vomit.”

“Ahh, five years ago. Mm, that was back when I was still a corporate slave! I somehow ended up in front of this place drunk out of my mind. Man, I remember it being freezing cold—wait… what? What did you just say!? I didn’t quite catch that part—what was it again…?”

“The price. You’ve already paid the greatest price a human possibly can.”

She spoke flatly.

…I heard her. I just couldn’t accept it.

Because what this little girl was saying—

“Ajiri Daishi. You died once.”

Wha… wha… 

Whaaaaaaaaat the hell are you talking abouuuuuuut!?

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

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I might have survived without being torn apart because I was hiding behind the Hell Gate. 

The Hell Gate remained completely intact even after that super-explosion. [Cremation] automatically determines friend or foe before incinerating targets, but it was unclear whether that explosion had been subjected to the same judgment.

That was careless of me. I should never have burned a fart.

However, the live streaming camera that was positioned in front of me…

That certainly wouldn’t have escaped unscathed.

The comment feed that had been floating in the air just moments ago is now—

> Rakshasa-san got blown to pieces lol > You can’t use 【Cremation】 in a situation like that lol > That was intense > The flash was so strong I couldn’t tell what happened for a second >The sound was insane too > Absolute mega explosion

It was exactly the same. No damage or whatsoever.

Seriously… this broadcast camera is insane. Its durability is on par with the Hell Gate.

No, but really… that was close. In every sense. I wouldn’t have been surprised if I’d died several times over.

Come to think of it… what happened to my level?

Even though I had defeated Rakshasa, no level-up screen appeared this time. Maybe I didn’t get a level-up because it wasn’t classified as a monster.

Hmm, if I have the chance, I guess I’ll ask that loli about it.

For now, I’ll just be glad I’m alive.

But…. what am I supposed to do next?

I defeated Rakshasa without thinking, but how am I supposed to get back to where Satsuki-chan is from here? I’m not supposed to be stuck here forever… right?

> Huh? The Hell Gate is… > It just kinda vanished lol > So, in the end, what even was the Hell Gate? lol > I guess that “Corruption Domain” was referring to that stinky fart-filled space lol > Mm. Rakshasa’s body definitely rotted away > I wonder if his soul rotted too? lol > That’s terrifying but funny > The old man was fine though > Mister, did you level up? > Rakshasa’s harem dream was shattered > Who even is that little girl? > But seriously, how doeshe get out of here lol > Oh? The place where the Hell Gate disappeared… it’s distorting…

While the scrolling comments continued unabated, I blankly watched the Hell Gate quietly fade away—when suddenly, a vortex of space-time began to form in its place.

Thank goodness! Looks like I can finally return to the real world!

Gulp. I can go back there, right? Please, I really don’t want to get warped off to some other incomprehensible place again.

Well, there was no point overthinking it. I had no choice but to go.

『 It’s a slightly different ending from what I had anticipated, but very well. Return now. Ajiri Daishi. 』

Once again, that arrogant loli’s voice echoed in my mind.

Dungeon Master? Or whatever she was, she clearly had no manners when speaking to adults.

She might need a bit of proper education. Besides, I had a mountain of questions for that little girl.

I’m coming now. Just stay there quietly trembling while you wait for me!

◆◆◆

I leapt into the vortex of space-time—and just like that, I successfully returned to the real world. Back to the mountain path where I had been fighting Rakshasa’s massive stone statue. 

Now somewhat accustomed to teleportation, I stood there without even losing consciousness.

The stone statue of Rakshasa was gone. Or rather… the area had somehow been restored to the state it was in when Satsuki-chan and I fell from the upper level.

Trees and vegetation that should have been violently torn apart were now completely intact, as if nothing had ever happened.

Was this also the power of that loli?

> Oh, it connected > The traces of battle are gone > Are you sure this is the same place you fell earlier? > Don’t tell me it’s another different dimension > Glad Daishi-san is okay > Man, that was an insane fight > But ending it with a fart is kinda… lol >【Hell Gate】 is such a tricky skill > You can’t use it when allies are around > Maybe it distinguishes friend or foe? > Try it on Satsuki lol > Try using 【Hell Gate】 on Satsuki-chan? Seriously, are you guys demons?

Of course I’m not going to do that. Well… depending on how things go from here, there might be a situation where I have no choice. But basically, I only intend to use it in absolute, life-or-death situations.

Now then.

If this really is the original location, then if I walk up this approach toward the main hall, Satsuki-chan should be there…

Ah. There she is.

At the entrance of the main hall. Satsuki-chan was sitting neatly on the small three-step staircase, quietly writing something down.

I wonder what she’s writing.

Ah, right. She was here to investigate this “Western Tokyo Fourth Beginner Dungeon.” Maybe she’s taking the chance to compile her field notes now that things have calmed down.

After everything that happened, it must be a lot to organize.

…Wait. Is she going to record all things about me in detail too?

Well, of course she will. The dungeon itself was strange enough, but I was honestly just as abnormal. And the live viewer count right now is… uh, 650,000. I’m starting to get used to it, but 650,000 people watching in real time is still insanely abnormal.

I’m just a beginner. No matter how much I might be stealing Satsuki-chan’s viewers, this number is simply impossible. There are probably all kinds of people watching. Even people from Guild Headquarters are definitely watching at this point.

Sigh.

What’s going to happen to me after I get out of here?

Maybe I shouldn’t have started streaming after all.

“Heyyy, Satsuki-chaaan!”

“Oh! Daishi-san!”

Despite my growing anxiety, I forced myself to act cheerful and ran toward Satsuki-chan.

Worrying about it now wouldn’t change anything.

Right now, the priority was to get information from the temple loli.

Satsuki-chan stopped writing and welcomed me with a smile.

Let’s move forward—just focus on that for now. If I keep trying, surely a brighter future is waiting ahead!

“I’m so glad you’re safe! Are you hurt anywhere? If something hurts, I can heal—wait… it stiiiiinks!!!”

Gigigigi-giiii…

“Ah….”

Only then did I realize.

Without me noticing, my body had completely soaked up the fragrant, destructive miasma of the Hell Gate. And as a result, I ended up sending Satsuki-chan into convulsions… and she passed out.

At the same time, the heavy main hall doors let out a deep metallic creaking sound as they finally opened—and beyond them, the darkness inside seemed to mock me, beckoning me inward.

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

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(Nether King’s Side)

A mysterious voice spoke.

“…Hoh. It seems something quite tremendous is about to be unleashed for the first time in a long while.”

◆◆◆

(Vibration sound)

The surface of the Southwest Prison Domain, and even the air itself, has begun to vibrate violently. 

From deep within my lower abdomen, an ominous force is rapidly rising. It’s approaching.

Closer.

It’s getting closer and closer!

“…Here it is!”

So I hadn’t been wrong about the activation method! Probably!

At this moment, I was about to unleash what might be the most evil fart in my entire life.

Uhm…Is my underwear going to be okay?

“You fool… I cannot allow that technique to be released!”

“Too late!!”

My lower body and sphincter resonated as one, gathering all intent into a single catastrophic release.

Take this!

My ultimate forbidden technique—

Gate of Hell!!

PFFFSSSHHHH…

…It was just a silent one.

“…Huh? Nothing happened?”

“Ah—stop playing games! You’ll die with that ridiculous pose—!!”

For a split second, I thought I saw the Rakshasa, who had been rapidly approaching me with the force to take my life, suddenly stop.

Yes, just for a split second.

Why was it only visible for a fleeting moment?

It was because my vision was taken away. By something that had appeared without warning.

A real, massive gate.

> It actually came out LMAO > It’s huge!! > That’s the gate of hell?? > No way…. that was the correct activation method? lol > Why is the backside view so unclear? > Open the camera angle already!! > Rakshasa is frozen in shock lol > Wait… what is that smell?? > That ＊, I think that looks like that one LOL > Don’t tell me that shape is—

Even as the camera shifted, only the chat remained visible like an overlay in midair.

This streaming system really is beyond me.

Anyway… Correct or not, the Gate of Hell—my unique Demon King skill—had clearly activated.

The trembling of air and ground had stopped. The gate towered so high I couldn’t even see its top. I pulled my buried legs free and cautiously peeked from behind it.

Rakshasa was visibly sweating, shaken.

“…HAAAAAAAAAA!!”

He powered up. His red-purple aura clashed with the blue-white distortion of the domain, creating a violent contrast.

He’s definitely serious now.

“This is MY domain!! Not the Nether King’s garden!! Even the Gate of Hell—despite its absolute decay field—cannot… KUUUUURGH, IT STINKS!!”

I couldn’t see the front clearly, but something was definitely happening.

Chat, what’s going on?

> LOL His face is twitching > Is it already active?? > Feels like it’s leaking… > The smell must be insane > Rakshasa is suffering LMAO > What is this apocalypse… > Why is the old man fine?? > Don’t let your guard down!!

Apparently, something like a “decay wind” had been unleashed. A foul, oppressive pressure filled the domain.

And there he was—

Rakshasa, now completely pale, standing still as the invisible wave battered him. Impressive that he was still standing, honestly.

But… yeah.

That was probably—

just a fart.

“…”

Well then. If that’s the case, I guess I should just finish this.

“Cremation!”

I casually reached one hand out from behind the gate and fired my usual technique.

This time, he should be weakened—

…Hm?

A high-pitched KIIIIIIIN sound echoed from Rakshasa’s direction.

That’s strange.

Cremation doesn’t make that kind of noise.

Wait a second…

Oh right.

> DON’T USE FIRE THERE!!!

Right. Gas is… flammable.

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

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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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