Chapter 46

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---

Half a month has passed since the implementation of the entry restrictions and ranking system, and indeed, a multitude of issues have surfaced. These range from problems directly affecting explorers to businesses around the dungeon that rely on the demand for explorers, and the ripple effects of the entry restrictions are likely to continue for some time.

Arriving at the dungeon on time, we changed into our gear and lined up at the end of the queue.

"Finally got selected, huh."

"Yeah. It's been half a month since we last came here."

While gazing at the gate of the dungeon entrance, Yuji and I were lost in our thoughts. The entry tickets were hard to come by, and it had been half a month since our last visit.

During the half-month we couldn't visit the dungeon, we received rigorous training from Mr. Chizou. It was tough.

Especially the weekend training. Normally, we would have gone to the dungeon, but due to the entry restrictions, Mr. Chizou created a special menu. He told us to avoid his attacks while blindfolded... He said it was training to read the atmosphere and feel the flow of air with our skin, but it was clearly not something a beginner who had only been learning martial arts for less than half a year should do. He even deliberately emitted a killing aura, so it was understandable that we could feel it. I wonder what Mr. Chizou is aiming for...

As I recalled the past half-month and sighed, Ms. Hyou came over with a puzzled expression.

"Both of you said that today, instead of heading to a new lower floor, you would prioritize increasing your stock of materials. Is that really okay?"

"Yeah, of course. I talked it over with Yuji, but we don't know how long this regulation will last. We thought it would be better to prioritize stockpiling while we have the chance."

"Yeah. If we run out of stock and can't get entry tickets, it would be bad. It's better to alternate between stockpiling and exploring for a while."

"Thank you."

Ms. Hyou had been anxious recently because she couldn't get entry tickets.

Indeed, thanks to the entry restrictions, the average level of explorers has improved, and the circulation of orc materials has increased. However, the supply is still far from meeting the demand. The market price hasn't dropped as much as expected, so dungeon-produced ingredients... orc materials are still considered high-end goods. For Ms. Hyou, it's like the stable and inexpensive supply route she had finally established suddenly came to an end. She apparently has some stock in the large commercial freezer, but it would only last about a month.

Ideally, I could just take out the materials stored in my spatial storage, but I can't do that without entering the dungeon. If I were to take out orc materials without entering the dungeon, it would raise suspicions and cause trouble.

Using dungeon ingredients without a purchase history. With the current low circulation and easy traceability of supply routes, if investigated, it would be immediately clear that the source of the orc materials is suspicious. At worst, not only the Dungeon Association but also national agencies like the police and the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare might get involved. However, even if it only came to that, it would be a problem. There's also the possibility that companies or criminal groups might try to obtain the supply route for profit.

If that happens, it would be a storm of trouble. We wouldn't be able to continue our business as usual, and the store would have to close.

Ms. Hyou wouldn't want that, and if it happened, I wouldn't be safe either.

Even now, after the dungeon has been around for some time, the number of people with item box-type skills is still low globally, and skill owners are actively protected and secured by governments. Perhaps, the spatial storage skill is a high-cost passive skill, and some people who obtained it from a skill scroll in the dungeon ran out of EP and were killed by monsters.

In any case, from the government's perspective, item box holders are not something that can be ignored in terms of national security, so protection is essential. For criminals and terrorists, there's no more convenient and safe courier than a spatial storage holder. That's why the national government ensures the acquisition of spatial storage skill scrolls produced in the dungeon, and they are not available to the general public. If they could be used effectively, it could even lead to a circulation revolution...

---

"Anyway, let's move on... What's with this atmosphere?"

I was bewildered by the different atmosphere of the familiar place.

The long queue to enter the dungeon was gone, and it was only slightly bustling, but the atmosphere of the people in the queue was strange. The friendly atmosphere of waiting for an event was gone, replaced by a tense and hostile one.

"I read on the internet that the atmosphere in the dungeon has worsened since the entry restrictions. But..."

"It's changed too much. Still, it's only been half a month, right?"

Ms. Hyou frowned slightly, and Yuji looked at the explorers in the queue with a somewhat exasperated expression.

"Yes, half a month. But it seems that was enough. From the online reactions, it looks like two factions have formed and are in opposition. Those who earn their living from dungeon exploration and those who come to the dungeon as a hobby on their days off."

"..."

"Yes. To summarize their arguments, it's 'Don't do this as a hobby, you're in the way!' and 'Why are you taking it so seriously?'"

Hmm. So, the difference in mindset among explorers is the cause of this atmosphere.

Indeed, for explorers whose livelihood depends on it, those who come to the dungeon with a hobbyist attitude and reduce the number of monsters are just in the way. Conversely, for explorers who only come on their days off, explorers who act with hostility towards every action are a nuisance.

To put it in perspective, it's like the difference between professional fishermen and people who come to a fishing pond.

"Explorers whose livelihood depends on it... professional explorers, or pro explorers. For pro explorers, it must be frustrating that just when their income from the dungeon was about to stabilize, these regulations were implemented..."

"Um, well..."

Ms. Hyou frowned as she looked at the explorers in the queue, and Yuji and I exchanged glances with indescribable expressions. After all, Ms. Hyou is also a pro explorer. She probably understands the feelings of pro explorers. As for Yuji and me, who come on our days off and don't rely on it for our livelihood, we couldn't think of what to say to her.

Ms. Hyou smiled wryly at our expressions.

"Hehe. I really appreciate you two. So, don't make that face. On the other hand, for explorers who come on their days off... amateur explorers, or amateur explorers, the existence of pro explorers is a nuisance. They face hostility just for being amateur explorers. It seems that some people are even quitting being explorers because of this. There doesn't seem to be any actual harm yet, but..."

"Indeed, for those who come to the dungeon without a clear reason and just for the thrill, there's no reason to continue being an explorer if they face hostility."

"But if that happens, it will only deepen the rift between pros and amateurs. How is that going?"

"I don't know. So far, they're just insulting each other online, but depending on how things develop..."

In response to Yuji's question, Ms. Hyou frowned, closed her eyes, and shook her head. Whether she can't predict the future or doesn't want to think about it... probably the latter.

Let's hope the entry restrictions are lifted before things get too heated.

---

While we were talking, the line moved, and it was almost our turn.

"Still, I wish this atmosphere would go away. Compared to this, the previous crowded times were better, right?"

"Yeah."

Yuji muttered in a low voice. Indeed, being in this atmosphere is uncomfortable.

I lightly shook my head and observed the faces of the explorers in the queue. They all seemed to have a gloomy atmosphere. Among them were some college students who were grinning strangely and high school students like us who were hiding their irritated and hostile aura. They occasionally sent each other glances, trying not to be noticed. ...Could they be the monopolists and the victimized new explorers?

I really wish this would go away.

"Let's quickly get through the upper floors and head down. If we linger around the upper floors, we might get involved with other explorers."

"Agreed. What about you, Ms. Hyou?"

"I agree. With these people around, I'm worried about when they might turn on us."

The three of us were in agreement.

While being mindful of the strange atmosphere of the explorers in the queue, we quietly lined up and waited our turn. We didn't want to cause a commotion and get involved in trouble inside the dungeon.

Finally, it was our turn.

"Let's confirm your entry permission. Please place your card on this machine."

"Sure."

Following the attendant's instructions, Yuji placed his explorer card on the machine. This time, Yuji got the entry permission. I and Ms. Hyou didn't. ...I'm not that unlucky, am I?

When Yuji placed his explorer card on the machine, a short electronic sound was followed by a green light.

"Confirmed. You're planning to enter with 3 people, right? Your companions are these two, correct?"

"Yes, that's right."

"Please proceed to the gate."

Prompted by the attendant, we moved to the gate. Finally, we can enter the dungeon.

We slipped through the gate and set off on our exploration, which had been on hold for half a month.

---

We quickly descended to the 10th, 11th, and 12th floors and hunted orcs.

There are still few explorers who can reach these floors, so we encountered orcs more frequently than other explorers. We hunted orcs at a good pace and obtained a decent amount of orc materials.

"Hmm, a decent amount."

"Decent? ...Ms. Hyou, how many days' worth is this?"

"Let's see... about two weeks' worth, I think?"

Hearing Ms. Hyou's response, Yuji and I exchanged glances and sighed.

Two weeks' worth from two refrigerated bags filled with orc meat and bones. It took us about an hour to gather this much... If there were no entry restrictions, it would be one thing, but with the uncertainty of when we can come next, we have to hunt as much as we can. Ms. Hyou is also determined to continue hunting orcs until the last possible moment.

Today, we planned to spend 1 hour each for the trip to and from the dungeon, 1 hour for a break, and 4 hours for orc hunting, so if we work hard, we might be able to secure enough for 8 weeks?

"Right, running a ramen shop is tough."

"Yes. Recently, dungeon ingredients have started to circulate in the food industry, and customers' expectations for taste have changed. Although there are still few, more ramen shops are using dungeon ingredients. There's a significant difference in taste between traditional and dungeon ingredients. If we fall behind this trend, we'll gradually lose customers and the shop will go out of business. I understand the need to use dungeon ingredients, but if we try to meet this demand, the shop will go bankrupt. But, if we don't..."

Ms. Hyou continued to vent her frustrations.

In summary, orc broth is delicious but expensive, and if we don't use it, the shop will suffer. It's a difficult situation. As outsiders, we can't interfere with business decisions, so Yuji and I kept watch and listened to Ms. Hyou's complaints.

If this helps to ease her mind a bit...

"Sorry."

"No, but right. Then, we need to work hard to hunt orcs."

"Of course. We don't know when we can come back here next."

"Since we've taken a break, let's resume exploring?"

"Sure."

"Is that okay, Yuji?"

"Yeah, sure."

After our break, we resumed our exploration and continued hunting orcs.

As a result, we obtained enough orc meat and materials to fill eight refrigerated bags. Ms. Hyou took the orc meat and bones, and we sold the other dropped items and split the money. This is how our recent reward distribution works. Ms. Hyou gets the materials, and Yuji and I get the money. Everyone is satisfied with this arrangement, so there are no issues.

---

After a long time since the regulations, we finally got to hunt orcs again.

The atmosphere in the dungeon has deteriorated significantly.