Chapter 11

With over 2,000 favorites and over 81,000 page views, ranking 2nd in the genre's daily ranking and 12th in the overall daily ranking, thank you for your support.

* * * * *

Six months after the dungeon appeared, it was finally decided that the Japanese dungeon would be opened to the public. In response, the government formed a joint organization to manage the explorers who would delve into the dungeon, and the organization, known as the Japan Dungeon Association, was created with personnel from various government agencies. The association's responsibilities range widely, from safety training for aspiring explorers to issuing exploration permits, selling recommended weapons, and buying back dropped items. The headquarters is in Kasumigaseki, and branches are located in cities near the dungeons that have been discovered so far.

To enter the dungeon, an exploration permit issued by the association... a Special Underground Structure Armed Exploration Permit... is required, and to obtain the permit, one must complete a practical training course and pass a written test administered by the association. Despite the large number of applications from aspiring explorers when the association was established, the government declared that it would not permit dungeon exploration for those under 15 years old during their compulsory education period. This decision sparked many objections, with some arguing that the entry of minors into dungeons should be completely regulated. However, the government argued that since the Labor Standards Act recognizes the labor of those 16 years old and over, regulations that limit career choices should not be imposed.

Despite the ongoing issues, the Japan Dungeon Association began its operations, and the exploration of Japanese dungeons intensified.

* * * * *

The TV news reported that the Japan Dungeon Association had started accepting applications for the so-called Explorer Cards. While having breakfast, I watched the news and spoke to Mika, who was pouting across from me.

"Mika, why are you pouting?"

"What do you mean, Onii-chan! I can't go into the dungeon!"

"Well, you're not old enough yet."

Mika is 15 years old and in her third year of junior high school. She needs to wait until next year to qualify for the permit.

"Besides, you're a high school exam candidate this year, right? Are you sure you're prepared for the exams with all this dungeon talk?"

"Uh... well, that's..."

"Focus on getting through your high school exams first."

Mika's face darkened at my comment, and she fell silent. She had been heavily involved in her club activities until the summer of her third year, so she's struggling with her studies now. Since she hasn't achieved the kind of results in competitions that would secure her a sports scholarship, she has no choice but to take the general entrance exam. For now, she needs to forget about the dungeon.

"That's right, Mika. You said your last mock test results barely met the criteria for your desired high school. Listen to your brother and study before you talk about the dungeon."

"Ugh, even Mom..."

"Also, parental consent is required for minors to apply, you know?"

Mika reluctantly gave up and quietly finished her breakfast, looking dejected. She didn't need to be so down.

"Anyway, it's probably best to wait and see about the dungeon for a while. There will likely be a lot of new entrants causing chaos, and the association will take time to get used to their operations, leading to congestion."

"But, if we fall behind at the start..."

"It's not a game. A strong start isn't always necessary, you know?"

This sister of mine seems a bit off. Is she confusing reality with a game because of the unrealistic situation of the dungeon's appearance? In reality, if you die, that's it. You can't come back to life like in a game.

"Come on, you two. Stop chatting and finish your breakfast. We need to clean up, you know?"

Looking at the table, I saw that my father and mother's plates were already empty. My sister and I exchanged glances and sped up our eating. It was later than we thought.

"Itadakimasu."

"Itadakimasu."

After finishing our meal, my sister and I took a short break before leaving the house with our school bags.

* * * * *

Since I was a bit late today, the classroom was already bustling with students when I arrived. I entered the classroom, blending in with the noise, and caught Yuji's eye.

"Good morning."

"Hey, good morning. You're a bit late today, huh?"

"Morning stuff..."

I placed my bag on the desk at the back of the classroom, near the courtyard, and talked to Yuji, who was now my desk partner after the seating arrangement.

"What's up?"

"Mika saw the news this morning."

"Oh, the explorer application news?"

"Right. She was complaining about the age restriction all morning."

I explained the situation to Yuji, who sighed and had a troubled look on his face.

"I see. Mika's still really into the dungeon, huh?"

"Yeah. Even though she has high school exams this year, I don't know what she's thinking."

"Well, well. Once Mika gets to high school, she might calm down a bit. A change in environment can change one's perspective, you know?"

"Is that it?"

I looked at Yuji, then around the room, and tilted my head at him. Our classmates were excitedly discussing their plans to apply for explorer cards and delve into the dungeon.

"Sorry... about that."

"It's not like I can blame you..."

Yuji averted his gaze and apologized in a small voice, creating an awkward silence between us.

"What are you two doing...?"

The uncomfortable atmosphere was broken by Shizuka, who sat to my right. She looked at us with a disapproving gaze and prepared for the first class.

"I've heard that your sister is really interested in the dungeon, but I don't think you need to worry so much."

"What do you mean, Shizuka?"

Yuji, sensing something off about Shizuka's tone, pressed for an explanation. Shizuka, with a somewhat cold tone, began to explain.

"It's simple. Before your sister qualifies to apply, she'll inevitably face reality."

"..."

"That means..."

I understood what Shizuka was getting at, and Yuji's face changed as he realized it too. Shizuka, sensing our mood, hesitated before concluding.

"Many of the aspiring explorers who enter the dungeon will fail and die inside. The chances that someone from Mika's school will be among them are not low."

Indeed, it's a plausible prediction. As Shizuka said, many students from our school are likely to apply to become explorers. The same goes for our class. The probability that one of them has a younger sibling who is a junior high school student like Mika is not low. If a few of them die in the dungeon, Mika, who is currently excited about the dungeon, will inevitably face reality.

"Shizuka might be right."

Yuji murmured in agreement, and I nodded in agreement. No matter how much practical training and written tests there are, people will die. In Japan, there are few people who have faced a clear enemy intent on taking their life. Until now, only those with some resistance to such situations, like the Self-Defense Forces and the police, who have received training, have been exploring the dungeons. Even then, there have been many casualties. What will happen when untrained civilians, who have only received basic training, enter the dungeon?

It's obvious.

I gazed blankly at the excited classroom.

"Maybe even among these people..."

An unpleasant premonition crossed my mind, and I shook my head to dispel it. However, there was a possibility that it would become reality in a few months or even days. Yuji and I exchanged glances, having reached the same conclusion.

"Maybe we should try to stop them..."

"Probably won't work."

"Right. I doubt they'll listen to us until someone from our school becomes a victim."

Yuji suggested we try to stop them, but both Shizuka and I disagreed. The dungeon fever is so intense that even if we warn them, they won't take it seriously. After all, they can participate in this "attraction" called the dungeon by just filling out a form.

"Even if you warn them out of kindness, it might just cause trouble later. 'Why didn't you stop me more strongly back then!'"

Shizuka is right. Even if we warn them out of kindness, they will likely treat us as nuisances or troublemakers at this stage. When casualties occur, they will blame us as victims, even though it was their own doing.

"Ideally, the school should impose strict regulations..."

"The only rule is that part-time jobs should not interfere with studies. There are no regulations on the content of the jobs. Besides, since explorers don't have a clear employer and dungeon exploration can be argued as a hobby, the school can't regulate it."

Even if the school were to set its own rules, it's not like the teachers could patrol the dungeon area every day to catch violators. Some students will inevitably enter the dungeon.

"There's nothing we can do, really."

"Probably. Even with the training at the time of licensing, it's impossible to instill the right mindset in people who are excited by the fantasy of the dungeon in just a few hours."

The licensing system itself is likely a way for the government to clarify responsibility in case of casualties and to show that they have fulfilled their duty to inform. Otherwise, they wouldn't have made the registration process so easy. It takes at least half a month just to get a driver's license.

"Does that mean we can't do anything?"

"Maybe it's better to do nothing?"

Yuji, feeling helpless, and Shizuka, calmly pointing out the reality, stood there in silence. I understood Yuji's struggle, but my feelings aligned more with Shizuka's opinion.

An indescribable atmosphere hung in the air, and we stood there without speaking.

"Hey, let's start the homeroom. Everyone, take your seats."

The teacher entered the classroom, and the chatting classmates hurried to their seats. We sat down silently, feeling a mix of emotions. We wondered if this scene would still be here in a month.

* * * * *

The number of Explorer Card applicants exceeded 10,000 on the first day of recruitment. The Japan Dungeon Association announced on the national TV news that they would use national universities in each prefecture as temporary test sites until dedicated facilities were established, and that the first licensing exam would be held on the weekend.

All newspapers and magazines ran special features on the dungeon, fueled by sponsor interests, encouraging the public to explore it. Most of the content focused on the dropped items from the dungeon, discussing how useful and valuable they were and how the Japan Dungeon Association would buy them at high prices. The features had an obvious tone of public opinion manipulation, but the general public, with their shallow thinking, became enthusiastic about the dungeon and eagerly jumped on the bandwagon, driven by the government and large corporations' desire to obtain large quantities of dropped items.

The number of Explorer Card applicants, primarily in their late teens to early thirties, continued to increase, and the number of participants in the first licensing exam exceeded 50,000 nationwide. Due to the simple nature of the exam, about 80% of the applicants passed, and nearly 40,000 people were issued Special Underground Structure Armed Exploration Permits, officially becoming Japan's first explorers.

Armed with weapons recommended by the Japan Dungeon Association or any available tools, and filled with unfounded confidence, they set off for the dungeon with high spirits.

* * * * *

I plan to post around 9 PM every day during the holiday.