Chapter 10

It has been three days since the job advertisement was posted. During that time, over 20 resumes have arrived, but none of them have resonated with me. Most of the reasons for applying are along the lines of "I want to earn money in the dungeon" or "I want to become stronger through level-ups," showing a complete lack of understanding of the dungeon.

"They seem to genuinely believe that they can easily become stronger through level-ups. Well, if someone is dedicated enough to focus on the present, they wouldn't become a NEET in the first place. In modern society, if someone can't take things seriously, they certainly won't take fantasy seriously either..."

In light novels, there are stories like "NEET Hero, Unmatched in Another World," but that's impossible. Someone with such willpower wouldn't become a NEET in the first place. If someone doesn't take today seriously, I won't believe they'll take tomorrow seriously. I flipped through the resumes. One of them caught my interest.

"The reason for applying is 'I want to earn money,' but what's interesting is that she is the daughter of a single mother. She is currently 16 years old and attends Matsue High School. Geographically, it's a perfect fit. But she's a high school student..."

She looks like an ordinary high school girl with black semi-long hair, and she doesn't seem to wear any makeup. It appears she moved to Edogawa Ward in her upper elementary school years. There's a hint of "some circumstances."

"Maybe I should meet her. If she has a strong motivation, she might be able to endure the harshness of rank-ups."

I replied with the interview location and potential dates.

"Ah, I'm Kino Mairi. Nice to meet you."

I was conducting the interview in a rented conference room in Mijoe Station. Kino Mairi is about 155 cm tall. Since she's only 16, she will probably grow a bit more. She doesn't wear any makeup, not even lipstick or nail polish. She has a good face, like a pure actress in her teens. She's probably quite popular at school.

"Nice to meet you. I am Kajihara Kazuhiko, the representative of Dungeon Busters Co., Ltd. Thank you very much for coming to the interview venue despite your busy schedule. As I mentioned, I would like you to sign a confidentiality agreement. Is that okay?"

This is a contract that forbids revealing my name, the interview venue, or the interview content to anyone. In addition to the confidentiality agreement, I also have her sign a sworn statement. It's a UC item, but it's worth it.

"Thank you. Due to the nature of the content, a confidentiality agreement is necessary. Rest assured, we will not disclose any information about you. Now, let's proceed..."

Thus, the interview began.

"My name is Kino Mairi. I am a first-year student at Matsue High School and turned 16 last month. Our school prohibits part-time jobs. The reason is that the security in Edogawa Ward is not good. It used to be allowed, but a student was molested, so it has been prohibited since then.

However, I want to work part-time. My parents divorced when I was in elementary school. My parents, who married as high school students, started working after graduation. My father, who worked at a construction site, began to have affairs. My mother, unable to bear it, divorced and returned to her parents' home in Edogawa Ward. Since then, my mother has been raising me as a single mother. Recently, my grandmother has been unwell. I want to help my mother, who is working while taking care of my grandmother and raising me.

That's when I found a part-time job advertisement in a convenience store. It was limited to Edogawa Ward, and even one day a week or one hour was acceptable. The content was very suspicious and hard to trust. But since part-time jobs are prohibited at my school, working at a restaurant or convenience store might be noticed by someone. Even if it's suspicious, I thought I should at least hear the story. So I applied.

I came to the designated conference room in Mijoe Station by bicycle. The parking fee was 100 yen. I would have preferred not to spend even that, but there was no choice. If it turns out to be a prank advertisement, it would be a huge loss. I swallowed and knocked on the door of the conference room.

After hearing Kino Mairi's reason for applying, I decided to hire her on the spot. Not only because she wants to help her mother, but also because of the initiative she showed in applying to such a suspicious job posting and coming this far. Plus, her age is good. She's about the same age as Emiri. They might become good friends.

"I will hire you. Please work for our company. First, here is a small allowance for your transportation."

I handed her a brown envelope containing a stack of 10,000 yen bills. Kino Mairi was surprised when she saw it.

"Before we proceed, I have one question... Has your mother approved of your part-time job?"

"Well, sort of... But she said it's not allowed if it's a dangerous or strange job."

"I see. There's no such thing as a completely risk-free job. Even working at a convenience store can result in burns. In that sense, our company is safe. We will provide proper support."

(I'll use a High Potion if necessary. I don't want to see a girl get hurt.)

I stood up and activated the projector hanging from the ceiling.

"From this point on, I need you to keep this information especially confidential. Now, Kino-san, do you know how many dungeons exist in Japan?"

I delved into the core of the matter.

The person who interviewed me was the president of a slightly suspicious company called Dungeon Busters. He was around 30 years old, with a sharp and handsome face. His hair was lightly styled with cream, and he reminded me of a young Oda Yutaka. The rerun of "Behind Me, There's That Guy" was quite interesting...

"I will hire you."

After I explained my reason for applying, he decided to hire me on the spot. Is it really that easy? What does he mean by "transportation allowance"? Could it be the cost of coming here? 10,000 yen is too much. I only spent 100 yen on parking...

"Do you know how many dungeons exist in Japan?"

Dungeons are a topic at school. The boys are all excited, saying, "I want to become an adventurer and level up to become strong!" I'm not really interested. It seems scary, and I don't want to get close...

"Currently, the Japanese government recognizes two dungeons. One is in Osaka City, Umeda, and the other is in Yokohama City, Kanagawa-ku, Hanazono. However, there is actually one more dungeon. It's here, in Tokyo's Edogawa Ward, Kasugai-cho."

"Huh...?"

What is this person talking about? I couldn't understand.

I projected a photo slide of the dungeon "Abyss," showing the appearance of Akane and Emiri. However, Kino Mairi didn't seem to believe it. The quickest way to convince her would be to show her directly.

"If you have doubts, would you like to go to the dungeon now? I can take you to the safety zone of the first floor of the Abyss dungeon, which is shown in the photo."

I extended my hand. Kino Mairi, still sitting in her chair, seemed to be unsure of what to do. I smiled.

"If you don't want to, we can end the interview here. I don't want to force you. Working in a dungeon is not for the faint-hearted. I was impressed by your strong desire to help your mother, but if your fear outweighs it, we can forget about this..."

"Ah, no! I'll go! Please show me the dungeon!"

The effect of the "Guidance" skill, perhaps. Kino Mairi looked up and took my hand. In an instant, we were transferred to the first floor of the dungeon. Time, which had been stopped, began to move again.

"Ah, what? Eh? This...?"

Suddenly transported to a space illuminated by a pale blue light from the ceiling, Kino Mairi seemed confused. I turned on the standing lamp on the desk to make it brighter, which would help her feel more at ease. I took out two Legend Rare cards from a card case in the desk drawer.

"I will now perform a summoning. These cards will transform into humans. Please don't be surprised."

I held one card in each hand and summoned two people. The cards glowed, and people appeared.

"Whaaat!"

Kino Mairi seemed to have fainted from shock.

I panicked. I didn't understand what was happening. I was suddenly brought to a dark room. The presence of beds made me tense up. After turning on the lights, Kajihara-san took something out from the desk. It was a card with a woman's image. I've seen boys play with such cards before. Suddenly, the card glowed, and people appeared.

"Oh, you're the second person Ando-sama chose?"

"About the same age as Emiri? But she seems ordinary. I can't sense any magic power from her."

A very beautiful older woman and a girl around my age with twin tails appeared. I was stunned. My mind couldn't keep up.

"Let's take a break. I'll bring out some cake. Akane, can you make some tea?"

"Of course."

I was left sitting on the floor while the three of them moved around.

"Is this... a real story? This is a dungeon?"

"Yes. This is the safety zone at the entrance of the A-rank dungeon 'Abyss.' Please sit down when you're ready."

I was sitting in an office chair, drinking tea. Akane and Emiri were sitting on a leather sofa, enjoying the cake. Kino Mairi, the part-time job applicant, had finally returned from her daze and was sitting across from me, with a round side table between us. The table was set with cake and tea.

"This dungeon operates at 144 times the speed of the surface world. Spending 144 hours here means one hour has passed on the surface. The 'dungeon time' mentioned in the job posting refers to the time spent here. In other words, if you work one hour per week on the surface, you will actually work 144 hours in this dungeon. Of course, you will be paid for 144 hours."

"Um, so that means..."

"If the hourly wage is 2,000 yen, you would earn 288,000 yen per shift."

"288,000 yen per hour?!"

"No, that's not correct. On the surface, it's one hour, but you will experience 144 hours. The hourly wage is 2,000 yen, which doesn't change. However, when converted to surface time, it might seem like 288,000 yen per hour. Of course, such a high wage is not recognized, so the payment will be in cash."

"Wow... such a large sum..."

Kino Mairi's eyes sparkled. I felt a bit uneasy. It's not as easy as just being motivated by money. The high wage is a lure to attract people, but it's not enough to keep them. As I was debating whether to explain further, Akane stood up.

"I'll explain, Ando-sama. I think it will be more convincing coming from me, who is part of the dungeon system."

She seemed to have sensed my unease and took over.

I was surprised by the high wage of 288,000 yen and my eyes sparkled. This could help my mother and maybe even allow me to take the university entrance exam, which I had given up on. Just as I was thinking this, the incredibly beautiful Akane offered to explain, taking over from Kajihara-san. Her smile was a bit scary.

Akane started writing something on a whiteboard. 10 years and 8 months?

"My name is Akane. I will explain on behalf of Ando-sama. How old are you, Mairi?"

"Ah... Kino Mairi. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too. How old are you, Mairi?"

"I turned 16 this year. I'm a first-year high school student."

"16, so young. Unfortunately, if things continue as they are, you will die before you turn 30. This number, 10 years and 8 months... this is the lifespan in this world."

"What...?"

What does that mean? Only 10 years left to live?

"Currently, the residents of this world know nothing about dungeons. Only my master, Ando-sama, knows. You are the second person to know. This 'Abyss' was discovered by Ando-sama about 4 months ago, the first dungeon in the world. After one revolution, or one year, 665 dungeons will appear. In other words, 8 months from now, 666 dungeons will be scattered around the world. Do you understand so far?"

"Yes... so many dungeons will appear?"

I felt uneasy. I've heard that dungeons are filled with monsters. Could nothing happen with 666 dungeons?

"When all the dungeons have appeared, this is called the 'Complete Activation' of the dungeons. At the same time, a countdown begins."

"Countdown..."

Akane nodded with a smile. I couldn't help but look at Kajihara-san. He had a blank expression, as if he had given up or accepted the situation. His expression told me that this was the truth.

"10 revolutions, or 10 years, after the countdown begins, all the remaining dungeons that have not been cleared will release monsters en masse. This is called the 'Great Monster Flood' in the dungeon system. The land, sky, and sea will be filled with monsters, and all life, including trees, grass, insects, and humans, will be completely devoured until the world ends."

"That... can't be... it's a joke..."

"It's not a joke."

Emiri, who had been sitting silently on the sofa, turned to me. She is also a very beautiful person.

"Emiri and Akane are part of the dungeon system. I can't explain the details because our memories have been erased, but I know that most worlds where the dungeon system has been activated have been destroyed. The chances of survival are less than one in ten thousand. Most first contactors, like my master, give up in despair and spend their remaining time in pleasure before dying. But my master is different. Even if the chances are one in ten thousand, he is willing to take the risk. However, he can't do it alone. It's impossible to clear 666 dungeons by himself. That's why he is looking for comrades, other 'dungeon clearers' like himself."

I understood what Emiri was saying. I wanted to help my mother and take care of my grandmother, so I thought earning money would be enough. But such a motive is not enough. Even if I can live luxuriously for a while, everyone will die in 10 years. To stop that, he wants me to fight with him. Kajihara-san is saying that.

I remembered the job posting, which asked, "Would you like to clear the dungeon with us?" It was serious.

"Let me introduce Ando-sama's daily routine. He spends most of his day in this dungeon. He spends 3 hours fighting 300 Skeleton Knights and takes a 30-minute break. He repeats this 5 times and finally gets 8 hours of sleep. This is one day in dungeon time... He repeats this 25 times before he can rest on the surface. For Ando-sama, one day on the surface is about 30 days in the dungeon. He has been living this way for nearly 100 days on the surface."

"3,000 days, more than 8 years for a normal person. Most of that time has been spent fighting monsters. Ando-sama, who looks about 30, is actually 50 thanks to the enhancement factors. The first time I met him, he was a chubby man in his 40s. In the dungeon, when you defeat a monster, you absorb enhancement factors that promote physical enhancement. By training in this state, your body can be trained much faster and your cells rejuvenated. Ando-sama, despite vomiting blood, fought an enormous number of monsters and finally broke through the limits of a human. Mairi... how much are you prepared to do?"

"..."

I couldn't respond. Of course, it's obvious. A job that pays 2,000 yen per hour, or effectively 288,000 yen, can't be without a catch. I had imagined something like a hostess job, but this was far beyond my imagination. I had no resolve. I couldn't have it without a sense of reality. But could I work even with such a lack of resolve?

"You guys, you're scaring her too much. Kino-san is confused!"

Kajihara-san laughed and clapped his hands.

What are they thinking? Are they trying to scare away a promising applicant? I'm only 40. Even if I spend 8 years in the dungeon, I would be 48, not 50.

"Look, it seems you have a misunderstanding. I don't expect Kino-san to do what I do. There's no need for that. What are the cards for?"

I apologized to Kino-san and continued explaining.

"90% of the 666 dungeons are B-rank or lower. In other words, by collecting monster cards here in the A-rank dungeon and forming a