Chapter 8

"Then, that person disappeared right away?"

The dungeon that appeared on Yokohama Shin-dō quickly became a nationwide news story. Moreover, the media also learned that a man had entered the dungeon and returned before the police arrived at the scene. Naturally, there was a strong interest in who this man was.

"He really came back right away and then quickly disappeared. Age? I think he was around 30. Ah, he gave something to a young woman. But that woman is also gone now?"

The police were also taking statements from witnesses at the scene. What they had in common was that a man in his 30s had entered the dungeon, he had been talking to a woman in her 20s, and both of them had disappeared.

"Well, can't be helped. We're busy too, and if he returned safely, that's good enough. We'll put this on the back burner. What's more troubling is that such a thing appeared right in the middle of Yokohama Shin-dō. For now, we'll have to close it off and set up detours."

The head of the Kanagawa Prefectural Police spat out these words. Yokohama Shin-dō is a major arterial road with heavy traffic. Closing it would be like causing arterial sclerosis in the human body. Ideally, they would want to pour concrete and bury the dungeon, but the government has forbidden it because they don't know what might happen.

"At least it appeared near Hantawara Station, so it's easy to set up detours. We'll only manage the traffic on the uphill side. Make sure to explain the situation to the nearby residents."

The traffic police immediately sprang into action. With the "Second Wave" sweeping the world, governments around the world were also starting to move.

"Mr. President, the calls for disclosure of information about the dungeon are getting stronger every day. We can't control Congress any longer."

At the words of the presidential advisor, President Ronald Howard's expression turned sour. Information about the dungeon was gradually being gathered, but most of it was absurd.

"Weapons turning into cards? Status displays? And some incomprehensible feature called 'Card Slots'? Who would believe such a thing? I'd rather just blow it up with a nuclear bomb!"

"According to reports, when C-4 plastic explosives were brought in as a test, they turned into cards. It seems they can be brought into the underground space, but not past the door with weapons. Even assault rifles, pistols, and army knives turned into cards. They automatically revert when you return through the door, so it's fortunate that there's no concern about terrorism using the card function."

"But we can't be sure. There might be a way to bring weapons in as cards that we don't know about. Imagine a nuclear bomb with a timer being brought into the United States as a card. As long as there's even a 1% chance, we need to be cautious about information disclosure!"

"The Speaker of the House understands the situation, but the pressure from Democratic Party members is intense. Even if it's called absurd, shouldn't we disclose the information?"

"But if we disclose the information unilaterally, will the public believe it? No, people in other countries will ask if it's true. It could become a diplomatic issue."

The advisors had differing opinions. Disclosing information about the dungeon would be easy. The dungeons that appeared in New York, Chicago, Seattle, and Los Angeles are all under strict control by the U.S. Army. Fortunately, most of the creatures that appear are small slimes or creatures about 30 centimeters long, which can be crushed underfoot. If there were no status displays or slimes, they might have been mistaken for ordinary underground facilities.

"Why don't we make a joint announcement at the G7 summit?"

Everyone's attention turned to the one who spoke.

"The G7 summit scheduled for the end of this month was originally to be held in Osaka, but due to the risk of the dungeon, it has been moved to Nagoya. At the Nagoya G7, the discussion of dungeon countermeasures is inevitable. Each country is struggling with the balance between information control and disclosure. We can disclose information about the dungeon as a joint statement from the G7 advanced countries."

"Good idea! I'll contact Saito right away!"

The advisors breathed a sigh of relief at the president's pleased expression.

---

I have over 600 D-rank monster cards, and the number is still increasing. My rank hasn't yet reached C, but I want to have weapons and armor ready. So, I decided to try the "Armor Gacha" that I hadn't used before. I spun it 33 times. Since I already have many duplicates, I'll only list the main items.

【Name】 Steel Cuirass

【Rarity】 Rare

【Description】

A cuirass that protects from the abdomen to the chest. It's heavy but has strong resistance to physical attacks.

【Name】 Black Steel Chainmail

【Rarity】 Rare

【Description】

A chainmail made from carefully woven, hardened steel. Suitable for women.

【Name】 Blade-Resistant Ninja Suit

【Rarity】 Rare

【Description】

A ninja suit made from blade-resistant fabric derived from steel spider silk. It has strong blade resistance.

【Name】 Mage's Robe

【Rarity】 Rare

【Description】

A robe for mages with an effect that reduces mana consumption.

I got four rare items in 33 spins, which isn't bad. I also got shields and gauntlets in the UC category, but neither Akane nor I need them. The bulletproof shirts produced by modern technology are sufficient even in the third layer.

Next, I spun the Item Gacha 33 times and got four rare items.

【Name】 Small Bag of Otherworldly Leather

【Rarity】 Rare

【Description】

An advanced version of a magic leather bag. Time stops inside the bag, but the capacity is limited to 9 cubic meters.

【Name】 Lazy Man's Bag

【Rarity】 Rare

【Description】

Automatically collects dropped items from monsters. Can be used by a party.

【Name】 Extra Potion

【Rarity】 Rare

【Description】

A top-tier potion that completely heals incurable diseases and missing body parts. Tasteless and odorless.

【Name】 Guard Ring

【Rarity】 Rare

【Description】

A ring that increases physical resistance when worn. However, it has no effect on magic.

"Eight rare items in 66 spins. It seems the rarity rate is slightly higher in the third layer, even among D-rank monsters."

I then used the remaining cards to spin the Character Gacha. To my surprise, I got a mere UC-level Orc card.

---

"For Akane, the chainmail, ninja suit, and Guard Ring."

"Master Kazuhiko, shouldn't you wear the Guard Ring? I'm fine, really."

"No, I'm fine. I have plenty of potions. I can't bear to see your skin get hurt."

"Well, that's sweet of you."

She hugged me happily. I had received a dinner invitation from a woman I met in Yokohama, but Akane is more attractive. Of course, Akane isn't human.

"This 'Lazy Man's Bag' is very convenient. It might be a bit cumbersome to wear on the shoulder, but with this capacity, it can hold cards and money. It will save time picking up items, which means more earnings. I'll test it right away."

Currently, I hunt 200 Skeleton Knights in 3 hours in the third layer. If I can increase that to 300, my earnings will rise. I plan to buy neighboring land with the money. I already have over 200 million yen in my bank account, but that's consulting fees as a sole proprietor. I also need to pay taxes.

"I want to use cash as much as possible. While acquiring land, I'll also buy more clothes and preserved food. If I store them in the magic leather bag, they won't be noticed."

Cash is bulky. 100 million yen weighs over 10 kilograms. Business is built on trust. I need to ensure that even if the tax authorities investigate, they won't find out.

"Let's go. The goal is 300 Skeletons in 3 hours."

I entered the dungeon with Akane.

---

The small houses in Kashiwagō, Edogawa, Tokyo, are densely packed. My house is in an area with homes ranging from 40 to 70 square meters, all built 30 to 40 years ago. The value is in the land alone. I decided to buy out 10 neighboring properties. Including my house, it would total 600 square meters. Adding a bit more, at 400,000 yen per square meter, it would cost 240 million yen.

"What do you think? Normally, the building isn't considered an asset, but Mr. Azuma is willing to add 5 million yen. The land price is also about 30% higher than the market rate. It's unlikely you'll find a buyer at this price."

The real estate agent, introduced by my childhood friend Iwachan, usually handles large projects like hotel construction but happily took on this case. I will, of course, pay a fair commission. A company that would betray a generous customer would have gone out of business long ago.

"Mr. Yamada next door has already agreed. I want to develop a larger area to create significant economic benefits. What do you think? Can you support this?"

Thanks to the real estate agent's mediation and my "Persuasion" skill, the negotiations went smoothly. In just two days, I obtained agreements from all 10 neighboring households. The market price for a 50-square-meter old house is around 15 million yen. If I can sell it for 25 million yen, I could buy a condominium closer to the station. They will be satisfied. In exchange for the 10 million yen premium, I requested a "move within two weeks" and "keep the buyer's identity confidential," which were included in the contract and signed on the "Oath of Agreement" card obtained from the gacha.

"Please start construction once everyone has moved out."

"The design is already underway. You mentioned a larger courtyard and keeping the 'basement' as is. No problem. Our design team is excellent."

"Please build it with a solid steel-reinforced concrete structure. Money is no object."

With two weeks until my move, I need to earn more!

---

Hunting over 300 Skeleton Knights in 3 hours in the dungeon. I repeat this 5 times, with 8 hours of rest between each cycle. This makes one cycle. Including showers, 3 hours of real time equals 6 days, or 144 hours, in dungeon time, which is almost 5 cycles.

"1.5 million yen per cycle, 7.5 million yen for 5 cycles, and 4 cycles per real day. That's 30 million yen per day. Over a week, it will exceed 200 million yen."

"It's driving me crazy. How can you stay so calm, Master Kazuhiko?"

Akane's complaint is understandable. Over a week, I will kill 210,000 Skeletons. Even if only 3% turn into cards, that's over 6,000 cards.

"Think of it as a kind of work. You don't have to push yourself so hard. If you get tired, you can stop. But I think I'll reach C-rank in this week. To break human limits, this level of effort is necessary."

I initially considered doing it every other day, but it's better to finish it all at once. Over a week in real time, it will be 168 days in dungeon time, a grueling hunt.

---

Setting a goal is good for such repetitive tasks. I set a goal of killing 210,000 Skeletons and a process indicator of 300 per 3 hours. Gradually, the speed of killing 300 increased. Initially, it often took over 3 hours, but now it's down to 2 hours and 45 minutes.

"It's like factory work. The speed increases with practice. My body has adapted to the Skeleton hunting, and my efficiency has improved. At this rate, I'll finish early."

I pushed Akane's white, slender back. She usually gives me massages, but when I offered to do it, she happily undressed.

"Improving efficiency is good, but it might make it harder to rank up. Physical strain is necessary for ranking up..."

"You're right. Starting tomorrow, I'll hunt with weights again. I'll aim to kill 300 in 2 hours and 45 minutes. That should help me rank up."

"You're really... going overboard."

Akane yawned. I continued massaging her back in silence. Soon, I heard her quiet snores.

---

Wearing 7 kg on each leg, 3 kg on each arm, and 20 kg on my torso, totaling 40 kg, I continued fighting Skeleton Knights. It felt absurd even to me. In light novels, the protagonist easily levels up and becomes stronger. In a light novel where a dungeon appears at home, the protagonist quickly levels up by monotonously killing monsters.

But that's just fantasy. Reality is different. You don't become strong by just killing monsters with your fingertips. You become strong by pushing yourself, thinking, innovating, and sweating. Growth comes from the accumulation of small improvements over a long time. When you look back, you realize you've "leveled up." That's why I stopped using light novels as a reference.

"Master Kazuhiko!"

Akane shouted. I turned around after finishing off the Skeleton in front of me. Her eyes were moist.

"Congratulations. You've finally surpassed the limit."

I called up the status screen.

【Name】 Azuma Kazuhiko

【Title】 First Contact

【Rank】 C

【Owned】 1/∞

【Skills】 Card Gacha (27)

Healing Magic

Persuasion

(Empty)

------

------

Finally, finally, I made it. I took a deep breath. Then, for the first time in a while, a voice echoed in my head.

〈"Race Limit Break" confirmed. Skills for race limit breakers are now available. As a special bonus for being the first, you receive the character card "Emiri, the Cocky Mage." Aim for "Existence Limit Break" next.〉

"..."Existence Limit Break"?"

I muttered in question but first focused on the card floating in front of me. It was glowing, just like Akane's.

【Name】 Emiri

【Title】 Cocky Mage

【Rank】 F

【Rarity】 Legend Rare

【Skills】 Secret Seal Technique Lv1

Summoning Technique Lv1

Alchemy Lv1

"Emiri, the Cocky Mage... A powerful mage skilled in secret seals and the manipulation of the six elements. She can summon powerful demons temporarily using summoning stones and has knowledge of alchemy, including herb mixing. Height: 157 cm, B85 W56 H82."

The card disappeared with a pop.

"Hey, you! What are you peeking at my private information for?!"

A girl with twin-tails and light brown hair, about high school age, stood there with a fierce expression.

---

"This Emiri is one of the great 108 pillars, a genius magician! Normally, I'd make you call me 'Emiri-sama,' but since you're my master, I'll let you call me 'Emiri-san.' Be grateful!"

She's a strong-willed and cocky girl. I dislike this type of girl. When I was an employee, there was a similar girl in the office. She always spoke in the first person, chattering incessantly in daily life and meetings. She had a strong need for approval but lacked respect for others, ruining the office atmosphere. She didn't even realize it, which was the worst part. Eventually, she had no place in the organization and left.

In the future, as the Dungeon Busters organization grows, this type of girl will only be harmful. She's a pity in terms of ability, but I considered sealing her back into a card. Akane, however, stepped forward with a cold smile.

"Nice to meet you, Emiri-san. I'm Akane, a kunoichi. Please be kind to me."

"Huh... You summoned one of the 108 pillars besides me? That's a bit cocky. You said your name is Akane, right? Listen up, from now on, Emiri-sama will be in charge. You will follow Emiri..."

I reached my limit and moved behind Emiri, wrapping my arm around her waist. The 108 pillars can choose their master. If she won't choose me, I'll make her choose someone else.

"Ah! Hey, what are you...?"

"Shut up, brat! I hate people like you who are loud and can't read the room. I'll teach you some manners!"

The 108 pillars, despite being F-rank initially, are easy to restrain with my C-rank strength. I twisted her arm and lifted her, pulling up her skirt to her knees. Her white underwear and bare buttocks were exposed.

"Ah! Akane, help me!"

"Akane, I'll keep watch for any monsters. Please discipline her thoroughly."

Akane's eyes glinted coldly. We were on the same wavelength. I had intended to ask her to do this.

"Thanks. Do you know the best way to discipline a cocky brat?"

"H-Huh... No, no!"

I must have had a cold, cruel smile. Emiri shook her head in refusal. I slapped her buttocks.

"...It's pain!"

Smack!

The sound of flesh hitting flesh echoed in the dungeon. It was a serious "spanking" from me, who had surpassed human limits. Emiri cried out in pain.

"Ah! No, no! S-Stop..."

"Say 'Please stop!' and mean it!"

Smack!

I slapped her again. Her white buttocks turned red. Violence? Harassment? I don't care. This type of brat is like a dog. If you treat them kindly, they'll get out of hand and start thinking they're the boss. They'll take everything for granted and ruin the workplace atmosphere, lowering morale.

"Arrogant and talkative, but with no real skills. I don't need someone like you. You have three choices: change your attitude now, die here, or find a new master and disappear. Choose."

"F-Foolish. Emiri is..."

"Is that a choice to die? Fine, I need to test what happens when a 108 pillar dies. Die."

Smack!

I didn't intend to kill her, but the spanks were causing real damage. Her buttocks were already red and bruised. If she submits, I'll use a potion to heal her. If not, I'll seal her back into a card forever.

"Akane calls me 'Master Kazuhiko.' You should do the same, or call me '