Chapter 2

This is a continuous post.

Jiro Tanaka, 28 years old, single, no girlfriend, occupation: Dungeon Tester (full-time employee)

After a brief period as a NEET, I ended up in a job that defies common sense. Currently,

"Kyaah!?"

I am undergoing new employee training.

Yes, I am being forced to make a sound that one shouldn't normally make, but it's part of the new employee training.

With a shock that reverberates through my gut, my feet leave the ground, and after bouncing off the white floor once, I roll around awkwardly, but it's part of the new employee training.

To punch with enough power to lift a person into the air.

Such a being, something like a gorilla or a Terminator, but unfortunately, the person I'm facing is far from that.

Suela, an intellectual and cool-looking dark elf, who makes me wonder where she gets such strength.

New employee training?

It's a stepping stone for new hires to get used to the company and become new assets in the workplace, under the guidance of seniors or superiors.

After quitting my previous job at a black company, I happily joined the Demon King's Army and became a Dungeon Tester.

I, of course, was undergoing this new employee training, but it seems to be quite different from what I imagined.

"Are you okay?"

"Do I look okay?"

"You don't, do you?"

What is required to delve into a dungeon?

Knowledge?

That's necessary.

Without knowing about the dungeon and rushing in is like walking to your death.

Equipment?

Not preparing weapons, armor, and healing potions is unimaginable unless it's a special situation like a restriction play in a game.

There are various other preparations needed, but fundamentally, combat ability is what's required.

Even though I tried to tense my abs, the shock stopped my breathing.

As a result, I couldn't get up naturally and had to force myself to get up.

I thought that being a new asset would require physical combat skills, and it would be tough, but my expectations were too low.

After a week of cleaning up the mess from my previous job, three days of moving from my apartment to the company dorm, and understanding that I wouldn't immediately become a Dungeon Tester and delve into a dungeon, I knew it wouldn't be that simple.

It's impossible to send complete novices or those unsuitable for combat into a dungeon.

Therefore, a training period is set to evaluate whether to formally hire them.

On the third day of training, I put on my long-unused kendo gear and, with the wooden sword with a handle and tsuba provided, tried to get up using it as a cane.

The skill gap between me and Suela was so vast that the phrase "twisting a baby's hand" came to mind.

Sweat poured from my body, and my breath was ragged from the long-unused exercise.

In contrast, Suela, despite wearing a suit and high heels, which are far from suitable for martial arts, held the wooden staff and defeated me without breaking a sweat.

"Is your physical strength improving?"

"Can you feel it?"

"I didn't think a wooden sword with an iron core would feel so light."

Yet, I couldn't win.

No, I couldn't even properly engage in combat.

"I've come to realize the difference in levels."

Wearing a navy blue kendo uniform and basic kendo gear, along with a dark brown wooden sword, I didn't look much different physically, but I had been swinging an iron bar for several minutes.

My current physical abilities are such that I can run fast enough to participate in the Olympics, and if I jump vertically, I can clear a person.

I can definitely feel the improvement in my abilities.

"That's amazing, the magic runes."

"They are circuits that draw out magic power to match your soul. It's not that surprising."

The fact that I can do things now that I couldn't even at my peak is thanks to the magic runes, a technology from another world.

The energy called magic power, which interferes with mind, technique, and body, is channeled through the magic runes into my magic aptitude.

Just that alone significantly improved my physical abilities.

When my body was covered with a special chemical in a geometric pattern, I vividly remember asking if it was harmful.

"The effects will improve as you get used to it. And you'll be able to use magic."

"That sounds exciting."

The magic runes are just circuits, pathways for absorbing and releasing magic power.

However, my body, which accepts magic power, is generally enhanced, and with proper knowledge, I can use magic that matches my aptitude.

Additionally, the magic runes have secondary effects.

"It's wonderful to feel growth."

It's like seeing your stats in a game.

Although I can't see them now, when I channel magic power through the magic runes into the terminal developed by the Demon King's Army, I can check my stats numerically.

While the concept of levels doesn't exist, being able to quantify strength, speed, knowledge, and luck is motivating for someone with a background in sports.

"This week, in the morning, we'll have lectures, and in the afternoon, we'll repeat mock battles like this."

"To prepare for entering the dungeon, right?"

"Yes, just giving a brief overview and saying 'go' wouldn't be worth the effort we put into recruiting you."

It's that harsh an environment.

I don't doubt Suela's words.

The magic runes I use, of course, Suela also uses.

Otherwise, it would be impossible for her to easily knock back a grown man, who, while tall for a woman, is a head shorter than me and has a slender build.

Just a moment ago, during this mock battle, I managed to stop her movement with a downward strike.

It was a result of a series of coincidences, but I felt a solid impact.

However, she stopped my strike with one hand and, with a relaxed motion, countered with a kick that was both agile and fierce.

I experienced the pain and repeated it countless times in the afternoon.

I don't know how many times I rolled on the ground today.

The skill gap between us is that clear, and even though we're colleagues, she's a senior.

I must listen carefully to her advice and guidance, as it's for my own good and part of professional etiquette.

Additionally,

"Isn't a hero enough? Can they clear the dungeon?"

"A single division or two, they can easily handle."

From her words, I understand that we need to create dungeons that even a hero, who is abnormally powerful, can't easily clear.

If I give up at this level, I won't be able to continue this job.

And I have a sense of how monstrous the hero is.

There's a crystal that records the battle between the previous Demon King and the hero.

It's classified and not easily accessible, but Suela said she would show it to me eventually.

The Demon King and the hero are beings who can handle attacks like normal headbutts as if they were missiles.

Designing a dungeon to defend against such attacks is an unreasonable task, but paradoxically, it feels more rewarding knowing it's that challenging.

Thinking of it as preparation, the suffocating difficulty becomes enjoyable, and I feel I can keep going.

"One more round!"

Shouting that, I stood up and resumed the mock battle.

Well, it would have been nice if I could have won that one.

But there was no way, and I repeated the mock battles, extending them, and continued to lose.

"Being undefeated in all battles, surprisingly, isn't that disappointing."

No, it is disappointing, but every time Suela defeats me, she points out my weaknesses, and as I practice and improve, I can feel myself getting stronger, and the enjoyment outweighs the disappointment.

My happy expression shows, and I tighten my face, readjusting the bag with my gear.

Choosing to climb the stairs instead of taking the elevator at the dorm entrance might be a manifestation of my desire to keep moving.

I lightly sprayed deodorant, but the sticky feeling from the sweat-soaked clothes hasn't gone away.

In the past, I would have immediately taken a shower, opened the fridge, and downed a can of beer, but that's for later.

I take the key from my pocket, enter, and take off my shoes.

"Well, how much have I improved today?"

Most of my personal belongings from my apartment were sold or disposed of for a fresh start with this job change, and my current dorm room is quite minimalist, with only the provided furniture.

I head straight to the desk and pick up the white terminal, which looks like a tablet PC at first glance.

Except for the energy source being my magic power, it's essentially a tablet PC.

Well, the difference is that it's packed with apps developed by the Demon King's Army, unlike modern devices.

Channeling magic power from the magic runes, I turn on the terminal, and the brief startup time feels endless to me.

"Checking my stats."

Once it starts, I slide the screen and immediately open the status check app.

The screen displays "Diagnosing" and completes the diagnosis in a few seconds.

"Sure enough, my strength and endurance have improved nicely."

Today, I moved my body for four hours, swinging a wooden sword with an iron core and being repeatedly knocked back by Suela.

It would be strange if they hadn't improved.

The status table shows, in order, Strength, Endurance, Agility, Stamina, Dexterity, Knowledge, Intuition, Luck, and Magic Power, with a comparison to the previous diagnosis.

"On the other hand, while my stamina has improved, my agility has only slightly, and my knowledge has barely changed. As for luck, I've never seen it improve."

Strength increases simply by building muscle, and stamina improves with long-distance running or activities that require endurance.

I don't know how to improve luck yet.

"The morning was supposed to be lecture training... Knowledge is really hard to improve."

I'll just be glad it's not decreasing.

The new magic runes I've acquired for this status check don't lie about effort.

The more you do, the more you can improve, even if some abilities are easier to improve than others due to talent.

However, if you slack off, your stats will definitely decrease.

Red text indicates improvement, black text indicates stagnation, and blue text indicates a decrease.

Fortunately, there's no blue text in my current status.

I hope it stays this way, but there will be times when it doesn't.

"The rest is how many skills I can acquire during the training."

I slide the terminal to the next page.

The Skills section is displayed, with only one skill listed.

"Primate Roar

Intimidate and attract enemies with incomprehensible cries

Increases damage (weak) when used in attacks"

Yeah, that's it.

For beginners in kendo, it's "Men!" and for intermediates, it's "Men!"

And for advanced practitioners,

"Meiyaaaaa!"

Incomprehensible cries abound.

And I'm one of those who produce such cries.

When I first had a health check and status check, I was stunned to find such a skill.

I thought that if I had learned kendo, I would have skills related to swordsmanship or blades.

But in this fantasy world, harsh realities exist.

"There are no passive skills in your game, right?"

According to Suela, I can't do "Tseee" as a skill, but apparently, the magic runes serve as a substitute for passive skills.

Moreover, it's rare for someone to have skills from the start, and with training, it can become a valuable asset.

"Is incomprehensible language my lifeline?"

If the opponent is intimidated, it certainly gives me an advantage.

I need to consider this to survive in this industry.

"Well, let's take a shower."

After all, the body is the capital in this job.

I'll take a bath and have dinner.

There's a lecture in the morning tomorrow.

On the morning of the fourth day of training

In a classroom with tiered seating like a university lecture hall, I alternate between looking at the materials and my notes, summarizing key points, and occasionally sending glances to the new colleagues at the back.

First of all, they are all young.

At least, there's no one who looks older than me.

Mostly in their early twenties, around twenty to twenty-three, which makes sense given the job's requirement for combat ability.

Additionally, the number of people is significantly fewer than the number of recruits.

In a lecture hall designed for a hundred people, less than half, or rather, about a third of the seats are occupied.

However, surprisingly, there's almost no difference in the gender ratio.

Furthermore, there are no minors.

Of course, even if the salary and work environment are good, parents wouldn't allow minors to take a job with life-threatening risks.

There might be exceptions, but the job listing included minors, and this isn't a manga or a game.

The idea of students fighting is a fantasy that's not easily realized, even in a fantasy world.

"Fantasy is right in front of us."

From the back row, I nod quietly to avoid being noticed.

Standing at the lectern is a different dark elf, a handsome man who looks good in a white coat.

The female testers are all gazing at him with sparkling eyes, taking the lecture seriously, while the male testers are either taking it seriously (about 30%) or looking bored and half-heartedly listening.

"Monsters in the dungeon can be broadly divided into two types."

I'm part of the 30%.

It would be ridiculous to risk my life out of jealousy just because the instructor is handsome and popular with women.

Of course, being in my late twenties and single, I've come to terms with it to some extent.

While sending a disapproving glance to the other new colleagues, I take notes on what I consider important from the content displayed on the monitor, not forgetting to use a highlighter on the materials.

"Soul and Blood. Souls are creatures formed entirely of magic power. The monsters generally wandering in dungeons are Souls. The characteristic is that they don't bleed when injured; instead, magic particles overflow, and when defeated, their bodies disappear completely except for a part."

I read the content in the materials and simultaneously absorb the information from the dark elf instructor.

"While there are individual differences, the ability gap is not significant. With knowledge and skills, they are not impossible to defeat. On the other hand, they have little impact on magic runes and provide few materials."

In summary, they are mass-produced monsters that leave no bodies.

"Be cautious of Bloods. While their numbers are fewer, they boast three to ten times the specifications of Souls of various races."

From the materials, Bloods, as the name suggests, bleed when injured and leave bodies when defeated. They are, in other words, unique monsters.

"You are not yet accustomed to dungeons. If you encounter one, I recommend fleeing without hesitation."

Some reactions of disagreement are visible in response to the dark elf instructor's words.

They are several times stronger than Souls, and fighting them requires risk and experience, but they provide magic power and unique materials that Souls do not.

It's a choice between the low-risk, low-reward Souls and the high-risk, high-reward Bloods.

I would choose the former, but some might choose the latter.

Especially those who are overconfident after acquiring magic runes.

Magic runes evolve.

Or, more accurately, they optimize.

It takes time to integrate an external circuit into the body, and energy is needed to accelerate the process.

Combat with monsters helps with this.

While moving the body alone can optimize the magic runes, the quality is low and the improvement is slow.

On the other hand, combat with monsters not only optimizes but also provides elements that improve the quality of the magic runes when defeated.

For me, in my late twenties, it's a win-win situation as it also increases my salary.

"The way to distinguish them is simple. Based on the Soul individuals, there will always be some distinctive feature."

Demons and monsters tend to flaunt their strength, whether through unique claws, skin color, or weapons, which is reflected in the unique Bloods.

"That's all for today. After lunch, we'll proceed with the afternoon training."

The lecture ends a few minutes early as it's already approaching noon.

"Also, we will collect the job preference survey tomorrow. It will be used to determine your initial equipment, so don't forget to bring it."

The handsome dark elf left the lecture hall, leaving a parting message like a souvenir.

Stretching and hearing my bones crack, I feel the tension in my muscles ease.

Around me, people are discussing the "souvenir" left by the handsome dark elf.

"What job are you going to choose?"

"Hmm? Probably a mage."

"Really? You too?"

"I'm scared of being in the front."

"Yeah, me too."

Listening to the conversation about the lack of front-line jobs, I stand up and pass by them.

No one tries to talk to me.

If our eyes meet, they might nod slightly, but that's it.

"This must be what they mean by a generation gap."

Seeing their reactions, I realize I've aged.

After all, I'm the oldest among the new hires.

Everyone around me is younger, and I honestly don't know how to approach them, and they probably think there's little benefit in befriending someone whose physical growth is already on a downward slope.

I've even heard them gossiping about it.

So, naturally,

"A lonely man in his late twenties is born."

It's not a happy situation, but I try to think of it as a relief.

"Front