Chapter 10

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On this day, representatives from various government agencies gathered for a meeting. The agenda was to establish a joint management organization for the special underground structures owned by Japan.

In essence, it was a meeting to establish a non-profit organization named as a coordination body for public benefit... a meeting to create a place for bureaucrats to retire to.

"As I was worried about what would happen when the dungeon appeared, it turned out to be a treasure chest."

"Yes, who would have thought that such energy resources would be produced..."

"It's not just that. Several minerals of unbelievable purity have also been found."

"Pharmaceuticals too. A drug that rapidly activates cells and promotes self-regeneration... it's a revolution."

The attendees smiled contentedly as they recalled the items produced from the dungeon. Despite the differences in the scale of benefits, each agency had successfully secured new rights.

"But, of course, troublesome things have also appeared."

"Yes."

"I was surprised when the dungeon appeared, but I never expected such things to come out..."

"...I didn't think magic would appear either."

The expressions of the attendees darkened. Among the drop items produced from the dungeon, in addition to core crystals, minerals, and pharmaceuticals, there were also magical items with supernatural powers, though in small numbers. Among these, the most troublesome were the skill scrolls, which granted the ability to cause phenomena that could be called magic to those who opened them.

The initial trigger for the recognition of the first person to use magic was a video posted by a civilian who had entered a dungeon in a certain country and obtained a skill scroll. The video showed the person firing a small ball of water from their palm, and while there were initially many voices suspecting it was CGI, the information that one could become a magic user by entering a dungeon spread explosively on a global scale as more similar videos were posted.

"Thanks to that, the voices calling for the general opening of dungeons to the public have grown even louder."

"Didn't a demonstration march take place in front of the Diet last weekend?"

"Yes. The police station in charge has received notifications that demonstrations will continue for some time."

"Well, at least they're filing notifications and conducting orderly demonstrations, which is better than in foreign countries..."

"Yes, that's a matter of national character."

The attendees sighed and rubbed their aching heads. Despite the daily news reports of civilians being injured or killed while exploring dungeons in foreign countries, the situation was as it was. With the boundary between fantasy and reality becoming blurred and the constraints loosening, the current situation could be described as such. In fact, in foreign countries, crimes using skills were rampant, and local law enforcement, which was organized to deal with conventional crimes, was struggling to cope with crimes committed by unexpected skill users.

However, if the dungeons were opened to the public, Japan would no longer be able to treat this as a fire on the other side of the river.

"By the way, I heard that the petition demanding the opening of dungeons has exceeded a million signatures?"

"Yes, it's mostly from young people."

"Young people... Is it due to the sense of stagnation caused by the long-term economic downturn?"

"That's one reason. There are also other factors, such as the wealth gap caused by non-regular employment, and so on."

Looking at the situation of dungeons in foreign countries, it was clear that civilian dungeon exploration meant the consumption of human resources. In Japan, where human resources are already scarce, the waste of young human resources in dungeons would have a significant impact on a society transitioning to an ultra-aging one. However, at the same time, civilian dungeon exploration could also serve as a means of securing resources and addressing unemployment.

"The fact that drop items from foreign dungeons are being traded at high prices is also a reason for the demand for dungeon opening."

"Yes, I hear they are being traded at very high prices on online auctions..."

"People are trying to hit the jackpot in dungeons."

"Exactly, it's a modern gold rush."

There is life in death. As they thought about the actions of the young people, the attendees recalled the proverb. While most of the demonstrators probably hadn't thought that far, some of them must have had such thoughts.

Moreover, domestic companies, aiming to profit from the drop items recovered by such young people, were producing numerous positive and supportive special programs and features about dungeons, reflecting the intentions of their sponsors. The public's enthusiasm for dungeons was not cooling down but rather intensifying.

"In that case, the general opening of dungeons seems inevitable."

"We are currently drafting a special law related to dungeons. I believe it will be submitted to the Diet for deliberation soon."

"Is there a high chance of it being passed?"

"Yes, I don't think there are many politicians who, concerned about public opinion, would have the nerve to prolong the deliberation under these circumstances."

In the Diet, where many politicians are sensitive to public opinion, it is unlikely that there are any who can ignore the intense public demand for dungeon opening. Some may oppose it for show, but they will eventually switch to supporting the bill.

"I see, so the deliberation will be rushed to pass the bill quickly?"

"In that case, the draft might pass through the Diet without sufficient consideration. Oh dear."

"I'm really worried it might become a sieve law."

While they expressed concern about the bill, the smiles on the attendees' faces couldn't be hidden. It would be a shame to let such a good opportunity slip away, which was their true feeling.

"Once the bill is passed, an organization to manage those who enter the dungeons will be necessary."

"Yes, it should be an organization that supports them broadly."

"If the agencies cooperate, we can provide comprehensive support."

"That will require a lot of things, a lot of things."

"Indeed, we're going to be busy."

They smiled happily as they discussed the details of the coordination.

As a result of the meetings that lasted for several months, the Japan Dungeon Association was born, filled with the various interests of the government agencies.

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Magazines with headlines like "Get rich quick, go to the dungeon!" were piled up in bookstores, and large electronic shops were broadcasting dungeon specials on their street TVs and wall monitors at high volume. It didn't take long for dungeon-related magazines and programs to dominate the public discourse.

The intentions of large corporations to send the public into dungeons to secure items were hidden, and the government's subtle encouragement of dungeon exploration, while warning of the dangers, was not at all apparent in the skillful reporting. In this situation of information manipulation by the government and the public, the majority of the general public, without deep thought, believed in and were enthusiastic about the media-created boom.

They said, "The government that does not open the dungeons to the public is infringing on the rights of the people."

They said, "The dungeons should be opened as soon as possible."

At this point, the public's enthusiasm for dungeons had reached its peak. Five months after the government's announcement of the dungeon's appearance, the special measures law for the special underground structures was passed and announced, and the new law was to be implemented one month later. After this announcement, the whole country was in a festive mood, and the stock prices of companies related to dungeons soared, causing a social phenomenon that could be called a dungeon bubble.

"Let's go to the dungeon! Let's fight monsters!"

"The drop items from the dungeon can be sold for high prices online!"

"Magic! Magic! Magic!"

Voices welcoming the opening of dungeons were heard everywhere, and the anticipation for the dungeons, which were to be opened in one month, was growing. Especially those who had not tried to understand what dungeons were and had swallowed the media reports wholeheartedly were the most enthusiastic. Multiple websites about dungeons sprang up on the internet, becoming hot topics of discussion and causing many sites to go up in flames. Companies began selling new products marketed as useful for dungeon exploration, and many men and women, regardless of gender, started attending martial arts and combat sports classes.

About half a month after the special measures law was passed, news of the establishment of the Japan Dungeon Association reached the public. It was announced that a special underground structure armed exploration permit issued by the Japan Dungeon Association would be required to enter the dungeons. When the public protested, demanding free exploration, the Japan Dungeon Association played its card by offering detailed information about the dungeons to its members for free. This information included detailed data on the monsters confirmed to inhabit the dungeons in Japan, collected by the Self-Defense Forces' investigation team, and detailed maps of the cleared levels, which were valuable to those planning to explore the dungeons.

As a result, the protests subsided, and the public, albeit reluctantly, recognized the existence of the Japan Dungeon Association. Those who wished to explore the dungeons began the process of obtaining the special underground structure armed exploration permit. Perhaps this was due to the easily swayed nature of the public?

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The representatives from various government agencies involved in the establishment of the Japan Dungeon Association gathered in their usual meeting room.

"It went exactly as we planned."

"Yes, the special measures law was passed as expected, with insufficient deliberation, becoming a sieve law."

"There are plenty of loopholes... indeed."

The attendees smiled thinly, clearly delighted with the current situation. After all, the Japan Dungeon Association was structured to benefit the various government agencies, and the more explorers there were, the more drop items would be collected, and the more substantial profits would flow into the special accounts of the agencies. What else could they laugh about if not this?

"However, the public's enthusiasm for dungeons has heated up more than we expected."

"The media, controlled by large corporations and their shareholders and sponsors, are fanning the flames of public opinion."

"They don't intend to miss this business opportunity. The funding for joint research on drop items is increasing across the board."

"The experimental reactor built on the Tone River seems to be effective. With visible results, the expectations of the companies are high."

The use of drop items in power generation facilities had a significant impact. Those who had been demanding the abolition of nuclear power welcomed the emergence of a viable alternative, and companies that had to reduce production due to power shortages were looking forward to affordable power supply. On the other hand, oil-producing countries, which relied on fossil fuels as their main export, were in a state of shock, and inquiries through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were flooding in.

"As research on drop items progresses, there is a possibility of developing effective products in the future."

"The companies must have thought that if they skimped on funding here, their returns would decrease."

The total amount of funds provided by the companies for joint research was substantial, far exceeding what would be expected in a typical joint research project.

"Depending on the progress of research over the next few years, breakthroughs in various fields are expected. If we slack off here, Japan's technological capabilities could be left behind by the world."

"For Japanese companies that have built their success on technological prowess, falling behind in technology would be a matter of life and death."

Especially in the fields of magical items and magic, which are expected to develop in the future, falling behind at the start could lead to an insurmountable gap. This was a consensus among the attendees.

"Let's look forward to the results of the explorers. The more types of drop items they bring back, the more research materials we will have, and the more the quantity increases, the more profits will rise, and more research funds can be allocated."

"Yes."

"Ha, this way, those who become explorers will be rewarded."

"Essentially, they are modern-day coal miners, like those from the 18th to the 19th centuries."

The attendees agreed, suppressing their smiles, finding the analogy apt.

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This concludes the interlude. The next chapter will be Chapter 2.