Chapter 9

"Hic... Hic..."

When we returned to the safety zone of the first floor of the dungeon, it seemed that Emiri had finally calmed down. I'm not so young that I would be swayed by a woman's tears, and I'm not so foolish that I would just scold her and leave her be. I took out a nicely chilled cheesecake from the "Small Dimensional Leather Bag" and cut it, placing it on a plate along with a fork.

"Eat. It's a dessert called cheesecake. It's delicious."

Drawn by the smell, Emiri took the plate with her eyes still swollen. She sat diagonally in front of me and began to eat after a moment of silence.

"If you really don't want to recognize me as your master, you can return to your card after finishing the cake. The 108 pillars can exceptionally choose their own masters. You can look for another master, and I can help you with that. What do you want to do?"

"..."

"Hmm?"

"I'll fight. I'll fight with my master. Emiri is a top-tier Legend Rare!"

"I see."

With that, I patted Emiri's head, prepared another cheesecake, and made some tea. Then I took out the equipment cards.

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【Name】 Mage's Staff

【Rarity】 Un Common

【Description】

A staff used by mages. It has a magic orb embedded, serving as a medium for casting spells.

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【Name】 Mage's Robe

【Rarity】 Rare

【Description】

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

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"Use these two. Eventually, you'll get better equipment. Now, let me introduce you to Suzune, who will be your senior. Her strength is... still at C rank, right?"

"Yes. I'm sorry. I've grown quite fast, but I can't reach B rank from D rank. My name is Suzune. Nice to meet you, Emiri."

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【Name】 Suzune

【Title】 Seductive Kunoichi

【Rank】 C

【Rarity】 Legend Rare

【Skills】 Kunai Technique Lv6

Scouting Lv6

Seduction Lv5

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"Call me Emiri. I'm the junior, and my rank is F."

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【Name】 Emiri

【Title】 Cocky Mage

【Rank】 F

【Rarity】 Legend Rare

【Skills】 Secret Seal Technique Lv1

Summoning Technique Lv1

Alchemy Lv1

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"Then, please call me Suzune. Emiri."

It seemed she had adapted. I boiled water on a portable stove and made tea. Standing in front of the "Whiteboard (1800×900)" I had brought into the dungeon, I announced our future plans.

"Now, since Emiri has just been summoned, I'll briefly explain the situation so far. This is the first A-rank dungeon, 'Abyss,' that appeared in this world. It has been 98 days since the dungeon system was activated. Dungeons have been appearing every 36 to 37 days, about 66 at a time. The second wave has already passed, and over 130 dungeons should have appeared by now."

"Wait. What do you mean by 'should have appeared'? Hasn't it been confirmed?"

"Unfortunately, this world has a population of 7 billion and over 200 countries. Some of these countries have large populations but are underdeveloped. The United Nations, an organization that gathers representatives from all over the world, is collecting information on dungeons, but only 126 dungeons have been officially reported. There are likely 6 to 7 more dungeons that are either undiscovered or unreported. One of them is here."

I explained that it appeared in my backyard, so no one else knew about it, and no one else would enter the dungeon except me. Emiri looked surprised.

"So that's why you can be so relaxed in the safety zone? Normally, you wouldn't be allowed to monopolize a room. But this is an advantage. Having an entire A-rank dungeon to yourself is the best environment for leveling up."

"Let me continue. We are occupying an A-rank dungeon, but there are 666 dungeons in total. It's impossible for me to clear all of them alone in the next 10 years. I plan to form an organization dedicated to dungeon clearing and gather companions."

I wrote "Gathering Companions" on the whiteboard and listed the necessary skills and items next to it.

"I want to keep the existence of this dungeon and the fact that I was the first contact a secret. To ensure this, I thought a subjugation skill would be necessary. But thanks to this, it's no longer needed."

I showed the UC item card "Oath of Alliance." By using an employment contract to enforce confidentiality and having the companions sign this document, we could ensure secrecy without wasting valuable skill slots. This would free up slots for essential skills that would become available after breaking the racial limit, which I had just done.

〈Teleport〉

You can teleport to a place you have visited before. Teleportation from the surface to the dungeon is also possible. However, you must imagine the location as accurately as possible. When teleporting with others, you must maintain physical contact.

"You can't learn this skill until you reach C rank. It makes sense, considering it's beyond human capabilities."

As I said this, I acquired my third skill.

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【Name】 Kazuhiko Egasubo

【Titles】 First Contact

Racial Limit Breaker

【Rank】 C

【Owned】 0/∞

【Skills】 Card Gacha (0)

Healing Magic

Guidance

Teleport

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"With this, I can enter the dungeon without being noticed even while my house is being renovated. I'll cover the entrance on the surface and lock it with a padlock to prevent anyone else from entering."

"Hmm, you've really thought this through. So, how do you plan to gather companions? Emiri would prefer companions who are also character cards rather than humans."

"Well, I apologize to Emiri, but I plan to recruit humans as the next companions. There are three reasons for this. First, I expect that dungeons will soon be opened to the public. A lone adventurer will stand out, so I want at least one more companion. Second, I want to observe what changes occur when other humans enter dungeons. I need to determine if the card gacha is a skill unique to me or if all humans have it, and if there are variations in drop rates and leveling speed. I have detailed records of my own experiences, and I want to compare them. Lastly, to gain recognition for the Dungeon Busters organization from the public and the government, we need a certain number of members."

While saying this, I was considering changing Emiri's master. Unlike the mature Suzune, I find it difficult to deal with the immature personality of a high school girl. If we continue like this, it will be stressful for both of us. If Emiri can make some friends around her age, she might change a bit.

Unaware of my concerns, Emiri nodded with a somewhat condescending air.

"Hmm, I don't really understand, but if that's what you want, Emiri is fine with it. So, when do you plan to start?"

"As soon as the move is complete."

After the discussion, both of them returned to their cards. I put the used dishes in a plastic bag and headed for the stairs. I stopped time in the room and used teleportation. The next moment, I was back in the dining room on the surface.

"Next, I will report on the 'Supernatural Space,' commonly known as 'Dungeons,' that have appeared in Yokohama and Osaka."

In the Prime Minister's Office, a National Security Council meeting was being held. The Chief Cabinet Secretary, Kusunoki, stood up, waiting for the documents to be distributed to everyone.

"First, 50 days ago, a dungeon appeared in the underground parking lot of Umeda, Osaka. About 36 days later, another one appeared on the new road in Yokohama. Experts from the Fantasy Novel Writers, Astronomers, and Geologists have made an interesting observation. They noted the time interval between the first and second dungeon appearances, which is approximately 36 days. They suggest that this is likely related to the orbital period. One orbit is 31,557,600 seconds. One-tenth of this is 36 days and a half. In other words, dungeons may appear every 36 to 37 days, dividing a year into ten equal parts."

A murmur spread through the room. This implied that dungeons would continue to appear in the future. There was no guarantee that it would end in a year. Dungeons might keep appearing at intervals of a little over a month.

"If a dungeon were to appear within the Imperial Palace, it would be a serious problem. However, there is no way to prevent it. The opposition and media would seize the opportunity to criticize the government. Prime Minister, it might be wise to express concern about such a possibility in advance. At the very least, it would show that you are taking a leadership role."

Prime Minister Urao nodded. While the public is currently only mildly interested, this could eventually turn into fear. The government should take the lead in raising awareness of the crisis.

"Next, regarding the dungeons themselves. A common feature of the two dungeons is that time flows differently inside compared to the surface. It is approximately 144 times faster."

"So, does that mean you age 144 times faster? I wouldn't want to enter then."

The joke from the Finance Minister, Soma, in a rough tone, lightened the mood of the meeting. Chief Cabinet Secretary Kusunoki shook his head.

"That's true from the perspective of people on the surface, but time flows normally inside the dungeon. In other words, you can do 144 hours of work in one hour on the surface. Of course, you age faster, but the sensation of time passing remains the same."

"I get it, it was a joke. But that's interesting. If time passes 144 times faster, you could make sake or grow crops and they would be ready in no time from a surface perspective. Of course, the people working inside would have a tough time."

"This is also a concern within the Self-Defense Forces. Currently, a small unit of Rangers is exploring the dungeons. There is a debate within the ministry about how to calculate their pay. One hour on the surface is one week in the dungeon. If we calculate based on surface time, it could affect the morale of the troops."

Defense Minister Iwase's point was a blind spot. One day on the surface might mean 144 days in the dungeon. One day's work would earn five months' pay, but the troops would experience that much time. The difference in the flow of time was a significant issue. However, Chief Cabinet Secretary Kusunoki proposed a solution.

"Perhaps we should avoid sending Self-Defense Forces and national civil servants into the dungeons. In fact, we have received a new report. Based on this, the experts have suggested 'civilian utilization.'"

The slide on the projector changed to show a black stone and a card.

"As you know, weapons like firearms and knives cannot be brought into the dungeons. However, protective gear like guards and steel-toed boots can be brought in. The Rangers used this equipment to fight and defeat unknown creatures, provisionally called 'monsters.' This black stone and card appeared after killing a monster in the Yokohama dungeon. The black stone appears with 100% probability, while the card appears with about a 3% probability. The issue is with this black stone."

The slide changed to show the abilities of the black stone. All the participants in the National Security Council widened their eyes.

"The experts call this black stone a 'magic stone.' Analysis suggests that it can decompose water. One gram of magic stone can decompose about 10 liters of water into hydrogen and oxygen."

"One gram for 10 liters!"

The exclamation came from the Minister of Resources and Energy. He cleared his throat and explained.

"Apologies. As you all know, hydrogen energy is a promising renewable energy source. It is currently sold at 100 yen per cubic meter, but we aim to reduce this to 20 yen through technological development. If one gram can decompose 10 liters of water, this could be an energy revolution!"

Excited by the Minister of Resources and Energy's words, Chief Cabinet Secretary Kusunoki provided more details.

"From one liter of water, about 1,245 liters of hydrogen can be produced. Hydrogen is currently sold at 1,100 yen per kilogram, which is equivalent to 11,200 liters. In simple terms, 10 liters of water can produce 1 kilogram of hydrogen, worth 1,100 yen. The magic stone can produce 1 kilogram of hydrogen per gram. If we buy the magic stone at 100 yen per gram, considering the cost of equipment and other factors, we can reduce the price of hydrogen to 10 yen per cubic meter. This is cheaper than LNG and a clean energy source, potentially solving our energy problems."

"I see. So, you plan to open the dungeons to civilians to collect magic stones, which the government will buy. The stone in the picture looks like it's a few grams, so it's worth a few hundred yen. A few hundred yen for killing one monster, and the country's energy problem is solved."

"The dungeons are a good fit. Currently, there are over 600,000 hikikomori and NEETs. They might be interested in the fantasy of dungeons."

"The 144 times faster time flow means that, in extreme cases, people could visit the dungeon after work. Depending on the difficulty, even housewives could fight in groups."

The participants became excited. Finance Minister Soma gestured with his chin.

"So, what about those cards? Can they summon monsters?"

"Exactly."

Chief Cabinet Secretary Kusunoki chuckled. This finance minister, in his 70s, is a manga enthusiast and anime otaku. The term "monster summoning" is rarely used by politicians.

"Within the dungeon, the card can summon the monster, as the minister put it, to fight on your side. This has only been confirmed in the Yokohama dungeon, but here is a photo of rabbit-type monsters fighting each other."

The photo of the cute but bloody rabbits was too graphic, and everyone turned away.

"We understand the different time flow, the possible relationship with the orbital period, the value of the magic stones, and the existence of summoning cards. What about the changes in the Self-Defense Forces?"

Prime Minister Urao, the chair of the National Security Council, changed the topic. The slide changed to show a black window displayed in front of a Self-Defense Force member.

"Those who come into contact with the dungeon or its entrance gain the ability to display this screen. The experts call it a 'status screen.' It shows the name, title, rank, number of cards owned, and skills. Everyone seems to have the 'card gacha' skill."

"Like a game!"

Finance Minister Soma burst out laughing.

---

I rented a 2LDK apartment near Rui Station on the Tokyo Metropolitan Shinjuku Line. The construction period is six months, during which I will have to enter the dungeon using teleportation. After the furniture was moved in, I immediately opened my computer. I had been posting job ads for part-time workers for a week and checked the application status.

【Dungeon Buster Recruitment! Want to clear dungeons together?】

Currently, we expect that dungeons will soon be opened to the public. Therefore, we are recruiting "dungeon clearers" before the public opening. Why not become an adventurer in a part-time job? Available from 1 hour per week! Guaranteed high hourly wage!

【Conditions】

■ Healthy men and women over 16 years old, residing in Edogawa Ward

■ Number of hires: 1

■ Hourly wage: 1,500 yen during a one-month trial period, 2,000 yen or more thereafter. *This wage is calculated based on "surface time" on the surface and "dungeon time" in the dungeon.

■ Benefits: Equipment provided, meals included

【Application Method】

■ Send a resume with a photo to the following email address. We will notify you of the result via email.

■ You will be required to sign a confidentiality agreement during the interview process. Please understand this in advance.

■ Only one person will be hired. Recruitment will end once a decision is made.

【Contact】

saiyo@dungeon-busters.com

"I didn't expect that many people would apply to such a suspicious job ad..."

Perhaps out of curiosity, several young men had applied, and surprisingly, someone from Setagaya Ward had also applied despite the location restriction.

"Well, let's wait a bit longer. I hope to find good candidates."

In reality, I didn't expect much. Most of them were probably just curious. I closed my computer and teleported to the dungeon.

The comic version of "Dungeon Busters Volume 4" will be released soon. It comes with special SS and other bonuses. Please check it out.

《Book Version》

《Comic Version》