Chapter 75

Really, we're not going to Fushimi Inari Taisha at all, huh?

I set up the entrance to the PD near the parking lot and headed down the stairs leading to the underground next to the toilet.

There were about five hundred people at the entrance of the first level.

Recently, I had been exploring the Oshino Group's dungeon, but this is what it's usually like.

No, I think there used to be even more.

The number of visitors temporarily decreased due to the incident at the Ishibutai Dungeon, but it seems they've come back recently.

Aoki went to the dungeon at a good time and leveled up.

I headed to the reception for those level 10 and above.

It was relatively empty, but it felt more crowded than before.

I thought I'd have to wait for a few hours, but apparently, EPO full members are given priority, and the wait time is only about fifteen minutes.

EPO is really getting too many perks.

While thinking I might be envied by others, I went to the waiting room for those level 10 and above.

There—

"Kono!"

Aoki called out to me.

"Aoki!? And—Hibiki-san!"

There were Aoki and Hibiki-san, Aoki's boss at work.

"Kono—right? I remember you. You and Aoki were acquaintances?"

"Yes, we're friends."

"What, you're here too—by the way, you brought three cute girls—didn't I meet that one before?"

"It's been a while, Aoki."

"You, Makino! It's been a while! Ah, Hibiki-san, let me introduce you. This is Makino Milk, my and Kono's childhood friend. Makino, this is Hibiki Shou, my boss at work."

"I'm Makino Milk."

"I'm Hibiki Shou. Makino-san, you're the daughter of Ushizou, right? I heard from Aoki. Your hair, all three of you are Awakened."

"I'm Ayame Higashi. I'm an Awakened, but—"

"I'm Hime. I'm half-American, and I'm not an Awakened."

Hime said.

"What, Kono. You usually act like you're not interested in girls, but you're enjoying life with three cute girls in the dungeon?"

Aoki teased me.

Well, from the outside, it would look that way.

But it's actually quite challenging.

"Still, Kono and Makino. Makino, about that promise—"

"Wait, wait! Aoki, come over here!"

Milk said something and dragged Aoki away.

What's going on?

I noticed Hibiki-san was looking at me.

"Kono-kun, can I talk to you for a moment?"

Is it something I don't want others to hear?

I told everyone and went to the corner of the room with Hibiki-san.

Hibiki-san seemed hesitant to say something.

"About becoming a streamer—"

"Ah, no, that's fine. Aoki is joining too... Actually, I have a question about you."

"About Aoki?"

"Is he—really a boy?"

Huh? What do you mean?

I didn't understand what he was saying.

As I struggled to grasp the meaning, Hibiki-san asked again.

"Is Aoki really a boy?"

"Huh? Of course he is."

"But Aoki has a cute voice, and... after he uses the toilet, the seat is always down."

"He always sits down to use the toilet. His dad is a police officer, so he was raised to be proper."

"Have you seen it yourself?"

I didn't ask what "it" was.

I guessed it was about "that."

If "that" was there, it would prove he's a boy.

"Well... I don't have any memory of seeing it."

I answered honestly.

Just because we're friends doesn't mean we go to public baths together or intentionally look at each other when changing clothes.

Most high school students hide it with towels anyway.

"Right? Maybe—"

"No, I haven't. And he doesn't have breasts either."

"If you say that, even Hime over there is similar."

"Don't say that to her. I might get scolded too."

Hibiki-san is saying some pretty rude things.

There's no way Aoki is a girl.

Sure, if he dressed up as a girl, he might turn into a beautiful maiden, but in reality, he's a short-faced boy who loves dirty jokes.

It's impossible—no, it is.

"Still, there's a possibility that Aoki is a girl—"

That was his final conclusion.

Is Hibiki-san tired?

I genuinely hope he gets some rest.

I'm starting to worry.

After that, we entered the dungeon before Aoki and the others.

There was no opposition from anyone.

Some people were waiting in the waiting room, but others were sightseeing in the area during the wait, so it seemed we had come here early and completed the registration.

The lower levels were crowded, so we moved to the 7th level where Hime had business.

"What kind of monster are you looking for?"

"A cat statue."

"What kind of monster is a cat statue?"

"It looks like a maneki-neko. It doesn't attack physically, but its skill is formidable."

"Skill?"

"It's called Silkworm Guardian, a skill that seals the power of beast-type monsters. The boss on the 20th level of the Tenshiba Dungeon, where we have our base, is a monkey monster, so I want to learn it."

Beast-type—so it affects animals, which means it could affect us too.

"Don't worry, the sealed abilities return to normal when you defeat the opponent or move to another level."

"That's a relief—let's head towards where the monster is."

We moved in the direction of the monster's presence.

There was a giant rat.

It was as big as a nutria, but its teeth and fangs looked much sharper than a wild rat's.

If it bit or scratched us, we could get some serious diseases.

I took out Hutomitama from my inventory to defeat it, but—

"Wait, Taira! Let me handle this!"

Milk took something out of her golf bag.

What—no way!

"That's a gun!?"

It looked like a matchlock gun, but there was no match.

Guns shouldn't be allowed in the dungeon, right?

Besides, modern weapons are less effective against monsters—

"Release: Gunpowder Refinement"

The inside of the gun glowed for a moment.

Then, Milk aimed and—

"Release: Heatstone Bullet"

She cast another spell, and the gun fired.

The next moment, a small hole appeared in the giant rat's belly.

"Nice!"

"No, that's not nice—what did you just—"

"This looks like a gun, but it's a magical tool. It uses gunpowder to significantly enhance the speed of the Heatstone Bullet. Normally, gunpowder can't be brought into the dungeon, but this makes it possible. The range is also greatly increased, allowing for one-shot kills from a distance."

Even if she says it cutely, it sounds like a sniper's explanation.

"I'm surprised the government approved it."

"Well, I heard from Mr. Ushizou. When the dungeons first appeared, companies tried to develop guns that would work in dungeons. The principle was to use wind magic to compress air and increase the speed of stone magic, not gunpowder."

"I've heard of that. In the end, they only managed to create cork guns for target practice, and the plan was abandoned."

"Technically, that's true, but during that time, laws were established for the development, manufacture, and import of dungeon guns. So, I used that to get permission from the Osaka Dungeon Bureau. It was a close call. My dad also helped with the groundwork—"

Milk said with a laugh.

Mr. Ushizou's influence is strong, even abroad.

And it's impressive that Ms. Mizuno managed to make it happen in just a few days.

I remember she made toy guns.

She already had the knowledge about guns.

"Milk's magic is impressive, but so is Ms. Mizuno's technology."

"True—I need to give Mai a special reward."

"Yeah—coming here has significantly increased Milk's combat power."

However—using holy water and a gun, what new style of combat is she trying to establish?

Since we came for an interview,

～if we all strolled along the Fushimi Inari approach①～

The four of us walked along the vermilion torii gates that lined the approach.

This is the path known as the Thousand Torii Gates on Mount Inari.

Incidentally, it's called the Thousand Torii Gates.

Although there are only about eight hundred large torii gates, the total number of torii gates on Mount Inari is about ten thousand.

Thinking about how this breathtaking scene was created is both moving and thought-provoking.

Looking closely at the torii gates, the date they were built and the names of the individuals or companies who dedicated them are written on the back.

"They're all recent torii gates."

"Torii gates are replaced every twenty years."

Hime said casually.

Even though she's a returnee from the U.S., living in Kyoto has its advantages.

"You know a lot."

"I received an explanation when I dedicated a torii gate."

"Wait, you dedicated one?"

"Of course. In a few months, a torii gate with our company name, Tenka Musou, will be erected!"

Is it okay to put a company name like Tenka Musou, which means "unrivaled in the world," on a torii gate in a place where divine messengers are said to descend?

I won't be responsible if divine punishment comes down.

～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～

The cost to dedicate a torii gate varies by size and location, but the cheapest one is 300,000 yen.

Larger ones can cost around 2 million yen.

(These prices are for 2024, and the minimum price has increased by more than 100,000 yen over a few years. Prices are expected to continue rising.)

Additionally, every 7 to 8 years, the cost to repaint the torii gates is required.

It's not cheap, but this is the largest Inari shrine in Japan.

It would be nice to have your name or your company's name carved on one of the Thousand Torii Gates at least once.