Chapter 13

"What's all the commotion about?"

The man who barged in was about the same height as Haruki, or perhaps a bit shorter. He was clad in a rough, blue armor, yet the armor did not hinder his movements at all. Despite his swift movements, no sound was heard.

A sword nearly a meter long was strapped to his waist, and a small shield with the logo 'KS' was fixed to his left arm.

Haruki recognized those weapons.

He had seen them many times and admired them in 'Become an Adventurer.' The man who wielded the strongest weapons and achieved the highest honors.

He was the top-ranked, unshakable number one in 'Become an Adventurer.'

"Brave Masatsugu!"

As soon as Masatsugu's name was spoken, a chorus of high-pitched screams rose from the crowd. Even Kuren, who had been cowering behind Haruki, blushed and shrank cutely at the sight of him.

If it were the usual Haruki, he might have thought, "Damn, I've run into a real-life adventurer!" But with Masatsugu, such dark feelings had no room to arise.

He had reached the unprecedented 50th floor of the most difficult dungeon, 'Shinjuku Station,' and trained in various dungeons, discovering numerous magical items.

He was, in every sense, a pioneer.

It was only natural for any adventurer, male or female, to admire this man.

To Haruki, his presence was like a stake deeply embedded in the ground. No matter how one attacked, it would be impossible to bring him down.

The pressure he exuded made it slightly difficult to breathe.

His strength was probably beyond Haruki's ability to gauge accurately. After all, he hadn't even seen the man's sudden intrusion—likely a feint—earlier.

When he blinked, Masatsugu was already there.

That was the only way Haruki could perceive him. There was no time for observation.

Experiencing just a fraction of the top-ranked adventurer's power, Haruki was quite excited. At the same time, a sense of disappointment mixed in.

He still seemed far from standing on the same stage as Masatsugu.

Even if he worked hard, it was doubtful that he could achieve the same strength. A donkey can't become a horse just by going on a journey.

"Masatsugu, actually, these people suddenly—"

"Th-that guy set us up!!"

The man with the greatsword interrupted Haruki, raising his voice. It was somewhat theatrical, as if trying to win over everyone present as allies.

"He forced us to use the MPK! We almost died!!"

...So that's how it is.

Haruki bit his lip.

MPK is not illegal, but it's in a gray area. It's a despised tactic.

What he used was a personality attack based on the lie of MPK.

A personality attack undermines the other person's credibility.

If Kuren were to claim, "They left me behind," the audience would find it hard to believe her.

No matter how much she told the truth, it would only deepen the suspicion.

A personal attack is a crime, but if one is accused of MPK, there is room for leniency.

Currently, they are charged with attempted assault. The punishment is lighter than the act of abandoning Kuren in the dungeon.

Did they predict that they would be stopped and still launch their attack?

...If so, that's terrifying.

There is no evidence of either the MPK or the abandonment. It's likely to remain ambiguous, and if so, they would get away with it.

He seemed like just a fool, but he had some brains.

"...Is that true?"

Masatsugu turned his gaze to Haruki.

Why me!?

In shock, Haruki's whole body began to tremble.

Just a slight taste of his pressure was enough to cause this.

Gathering his courage, Haruki spoke.

"No. They entered the dungeon to train this girl and encountered the MPK. When that happened, they used her as bait and fled first."

He must have been a great admirer. Glancing briefly at the meek Kuren, Haruki explained the situation to Masatsugu.

"I see. That was quite a misfortune."

"Masatsugu, do you believe what he says!?"

"There's nothing to believe or not..."

Masatsugu lowered his eyebrows in a disappointed manner.

"You pulled out your weapons against humans, not monsters. You're already guilty at that point."

"...Damn."

Adventurers are human weapons.

The moment they attempt to harm a human, they lose credibility as adventurers.

Thank goodness...

Masatsugu wasn't swayed by their words and made a fair judgment. Haruki let out a deep sigh of relief.

"Is there a problem?"

A well-built man, likely from the special police force specialized in dealing with adventurers, approached Haruki and the others, fully armed.

"No, there's nothing wrong."

"Ah, are you Masatsugu!?"

"Yes."

A chorus of deep voices echoed in response.

As expected of the top-ranked adventurer. Even the special police seemed to hold him in high regard.

At first, he had a typical police demeanor, but upon recognizing Masatsugu, he straightened up like a new adventurer and became tense.

They were quite transparent. But is it right for public authority to act this way...

After the police arrived, things progressed quickly.

Masatsugu explained the series of events to them. According to his account, he had intervened in an argument between Haruki and the three men. It was a complete lie.

But the police officers seemed to know it was a lie. Masatsugu hinted that it was a lie while explaining, and they left without further questioning.

If it were any other adventurer, they would have pursued the matter to the point of imposing penalties. But by taking responsibility for the situation, Masatsugu prevented that.

The shield-wielding men owed Masatsugu a favor. Hopefully, they wouldn't cause any more trouble...

"By the way, what's your name?"

After the police left, Masatsugu suddenly asked Haruki. Haruki, who hadn't expected to be asked his name, stiffened and broke out in a sweat.

"K-K-K-Haruki. I go by 'Kuuki' in 'Become an Adventurer!'"

"Ah, Kuuki. You seem quite strong."

"Eh, not at all?"

Was it a backhanded compliment?

No, it was probably a compliment.

What he meant by that, Haruki couldn't tell. He tilted his head in confusion.

"Really? Because you're suppressing your presence right now. After spending so much time in the dungeon, it's become a habit, right?"

That's a habit... No, that's not it!

I'm not a dark assassin in middle school!

I don't have that kind of background.

Though he inwardly protested, he had no courage to direct those words at the great ranker.

"You have the most subtle presence of anyone I've met. It's an impressive skill."

"Thank you..."

I don't feel like I'm being complimented at all!

"Your eyes seem good, too."

Masatsugu narrowed his eyes as if peering through a mask.

The mask had no holes. Only patterns resembling eyes were drawn on it. Yet, Haruki felt as if his eyes were being seen through, making it hard to breathe.

"By the way—"

Masatsugu leaned in slightly.

"You might want to stay away from this town for a while."

"...Ambush?"

"There's a possibility. I'll take care of them until then."

"That's too much to ask of you, Masatsugu."

"If you're seen as an adventurer, everyone will be troubled. I'm troubled too. I don't want to be associated with those kinds of people."

For the first time, Masatsugu looked at the men with disdain. The heroic aura he exuded became more human.

He can make that face too.

Given his noble image, Haruki was slightly intrigued.

But the men who met his gaze didn't feel the same way. They flinched at Masatsugu's eyes.

"Since I intend to stay in Sapporo for a while anyway."

"Is that so? Then, can I leave it to you?"

"Yes, leave it to me."

The three adventurers were entrusted to Masatsugu.

Haruki couldn't do anything to them, and if he tried, it might lead to a worse outcome. He might even end up with blood on his hands this time.

Therefore, it was best to leave it to Masatsugu, who had both power and moral authority.

Watching Masatsugu drag the three adventurers away, Haruki stopped Kuren and hurried to the dungeon.

"Here—"

At the first step of the dungeon entrance, he secretly took out his skill board and quickly swiped it.

Come on... come on!

"There—ah!"

What Haruki was looking for was Masatsugu's status. If he could see it, he wouldn't have to worry as much about his future skill allocation.

Thinking that, he took out the board, but

Masatsugu Masatsugu (23) Gender: Male

Skill Points: 72

Evaluation: Longsword Shield Holy Warrior Emperor Level <Shield Slasher>

Blessing: Mars <Mars>

- Vitality

Stamina 12

Natural Recovery 7

- Strength

Strength 11

Body Control 9

- Agility

Explosive Power 13

Dexterity 9

- Technique

Weapon Proficiency

One-Handed Sword 8

Holy Sword 3

Shield 8

Light Armor MAX

Heavy Armor 3

- Intuition

Intuition 3

Detection 3

Judgment 5

- Special

Blessing MAX

"Wow... wow!!"

Completely useless!

What's this blessing?

The name alone suggests a powerful effect.

It's probably a special skill that activates this blessing.

When Haruki tried to display the explanation,

"Ah!"

The skill tree disappeared from the screen. It seems he had moved out of range.

As Haruki had predicted, the skill tree branches out as it grows. When, he couldn't tell.

The Holy Sword branched out even when the One-Handed Sword was at level 8, so it might not be necessary to max it out. However, the conditions are unknown.

It's hard to believe that anyone who reaches level 8 in One-Handed Sword can use the Holy Sword. There must be some prerequisite.

"Ah, if I could read the explanation..."

Complaining wouldn't help. Haruki paused the skill tree analysis and returned to Kuren.

"For a while, it's best not to go to Chikaho."

"Why?"

"According to Masatsugu, they might attack again."

"..."

Kuren's eyes widened. It was understandable to be surprised.

Being told not to enter a dungeon for a while, especially by the top-ranked Masatsugu, was a strong command.

Poor thing...

He didn't know what to say.

With determination in her eyes, Kuren spoke.

"Please take me to the dungeon."

"Wait, even if I'm there, it's better not to go to 'Chikaho'—"

"Can't I enter the dungeon at your house?"

"Uh, yeah... Wait, how do you know I have a dungeon at my house!?"

He hadn't told anyone about the dungeon at his house. Not even Kito, who he had given onions to.

Kuren shouldn't know!

"Haruki, you said you were 'Kuuki,' right? That confirmed it. You're the same person who wrote the article 'A Dungeon Appeared in My House.'"

"..."

Even if he was a ranker, he shouldn't have said something that could reveal his identity. Haruki held his head in frustration.

"I read all the new posts on the 'Become an Adventurer' blog whenever I have free time."

Wow!

A reader of his blog, which gets single-digit views and only 3 or 4 hits per update, was right in front of him!

What a rare experience!

Exciting and embarrassing...

He didn't know what to think.

"Let's go then!"

"Wait, but there's nothing in my town."

"There's a dungeon, right?"

That's right.

No Don Quijote, no AEON, no game centers, no karaoke.

Just the house, the fields, and the mountains.

In summer, brown bears come down to the village and ravage the crops. In winter, foxes come and draw pictures in the fresh snow with their paws.

Such a town. Just a town.

A truly rural area with nothing.

But there's a dungeon.

As long as there's a dungeon, there's adventure.

Touched by the spirit of an adventurer, Haruki decided to respect her determination to set out on her journey.

However, she was only 18. Would it be okay for her to leave her family?

When he expressed his concern,

"It's fine."

She answered briefly. Her voice was cold, a rejection that said, "Don't ask any more."

The stampede happened five years ago.

Since then, Japan has changed in many ways.

Changed, twisted, distorted—lost.

In a peaceful Japan, a large number of adventurers who risk their lives were produced.

It was a rebellion against the lost present.

Grandparents, parents, spouses, children, siblings, friends, lovers, grandchildren...

Everyone has lost something.

Haruki is no exception.

Kuren probably has too.

He didn't intend to share his pain or commiserate.

Instead, he should kill as many monsters as possible.

By killing more monsters, he could reduce the possibility of someone losing a loved one, even by 0.1%.

Because he is an adventurer.

That's what the job of an adventurer is.

"Alright. Let's go to the dungeon!"