Chapter 7

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In the conference room, the members of the Dungeon Verification Committee were engaged in a heated debate. On the large monitor in the conference room, the action footage of the 1st Dungeon Survey Team, specially organized with the Self-Defense Forces at its core, was being repeatedly played.

"That's why I'm saying it's impossible to bring in heavy weapons like machine guns into the dungeon!"

"You can bring in anti-tank rocket launchers!"

"Do you know how much those cost? Consider the cost-effectiveness! How much money are you willing to pour into clearing one floor? There's a budget limit, you know!"

"That's right! Besides, in a dungeon with narrow passages and a semi-enclosed space, using such weapons would result in casualties from the blast, along with the monsters!"

The officials from the Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and Ministry of Finance were exchanging opinions based on their respective positions. The METI wanted to secure as many dungeon items as possible, the Ministry of Defense, which had the operational forces that would enter the dungeon, and the Ministry of Finance, which wanted to cut unnecessary budgets.

"Ah, um, may I speak?"

"Ah!?"

"H-Huh!"

The official from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) let out a small scream at the intense gazes of the others. Trembling in fear at the three officials who seemed to be threatening him, the MEXT official shouted out his opinion.

"W-We have a report too! Upon examining the equipment of the survey team that entered, we confirmed that there was a slight improvement in physical strength and chemical resistance!"

"???"

The officials from various ministries were puzzled by this report, but the SF writer and game creator, who were attending as external civilian advisors, spoke up.

"Interesting. Is this for the equipment of the team members who defeated monsters? Or for all the team members?"

"Uh... Only for the team members who defeated monsters."

"Then, is it like this?"

"Isn't it like that?"

The SF writer and game creator, sitting next to each other, seemed to be confirming their thoughts through eye contact. The Ministry of Defense official, who seemed a bit irritated, listened to their conversation.

"Could you explain it to us in a way we can understand?"

"Of course. But this is just our hypothesis. Please keep in mind that it might not be the truth."

The SF writer prefaced his theory.

"Probably, the team members gained experience points by defeating monsters. In other words, the team members who defeated monsters leveled up."

"Wha-!?"

"The enhancement of the equipment is likely due to the benefits received from the leveled-up team members."

The game creator nodded in agreement, but the officials from various ministries were taken aback by the SF writer's hypothesis.

"Wait a minute! That sounds like something from a fantasy story..."

"Isn't the existence of the dungeon itself a fantasy? Adding the level-up theory doesn't change much, does it?"

"..."

"Probably, if the same equipment is used continuously, it will level up along with the owner, don't you think?"

The METI official, who had been vehemently arguing, fell silent at the reasonable counterargument.

"If the equipment levels up along with the user, why don't guns work on monsters?"

"Probably, it's simply a matter of insufficient power, and the disposable ammunition doesn't receive the benefits of enhancement. Did you notice any changes in the guns or spare ammunition?"

"Um... Yes, the guns themselves have been slightly enhanced. And regarding the spare ammunition, there were no changes from the ammunition distributed before the survey."

The MEXT official, in response to the SF writer's question, hurriedly checked the documents in front of him. The inspection results indeed supported what the SF writer had said.

"Even if it's not confirmed, it seems to be close to the truth. If the guns themselves are enhanced, it should be possible to enhance the propellant to increase the power, but..."

"Various issues will arise, such as the recoil during firing, and I think this kind of ad-hoc enhancement will eventually hit a ceiling. It might work on the surface layers of the dungeon, but the deeper you go, the more guns will be treated like blunt weapons."

The officials from various ministries looked at each other, frowning, as they considered the opinions of the SF writer and game creator. Due to the special conditions of the dungeon, the weapons that had dominated the battlefield were no longer effective. Those who had regarded guns as the ultimate weapon were at a loss for a solution.

"Then, what should we do..."

"It's actually quite simple."

"Eh?"

The SF writer, in response to the officials' desperate and pleading complaints, easily provided a solution.

"Basically, level up and hit them physically. If the equipment is enhanced along with the user, it would be effective to arm them with non-consumable close-combat weapons like swords and spears."

"It's becoming more and more like a game."

"The dungeon itself is a game, isn't it?"

"Hehe, that's true."

The SF writer and game creator exchanged glances and let out a small, dry laugh. The officials from various ministries, glancing at them sideways, tried to come up with practical solutions while avoiding the issue.

"How is the formation of the 2nd survey team going?"

"It's currently being reorganized with the members of the 1st survey team at its core. We can depart in about two days."

"Then, can we incorporate team members equipped with close-combat weapons, as suggested earlier?"

"Yes, we can. We'll compile a list of such members immediately."

"Thank you. And the weapons they will use..."

The officials from various ministries, trying to shake off their unease, actively exchanged opinions. The SF writer and game creator, attending the meeting as civilian advisors, looked at them with a somewhat pitying gaze.

"Having to face abnormal situations without even the time to escape reality, bureaucrats must be tough."

The game creator, watching the meeting, muttered this to himself, so quietly that no one could hear.

---

At a recent frequent cabinet meeting, the Prime Minister, looking at the documents in front of him, sighed wearily.

"So, the 2nd survey team has verified the hypothesis?"

"Yes. As hypothesized, when the team members, equipped with close-combat weapons, repeatedly engaged in combat with monsters, a significant difference in their physical abilities and equipment became apparent."

"Their physical abilities increased by 10% compared to the pre-survey measurements, and the strength of their equipment also increased by 10%..."

The Chief Cabinet Secretary, with a grim expression, reported the results of the 2nd survey team to the Prime Minister. One of the main objectives of the 2nd survey team was to verify the level-up theory proposed by the SF writer and game creator, and the hypothesis was proven correct by the survey team. The 2nd survey team was divided into Group A, equipped with conventional firearms, and Group B, equipped with close-combat weapons, to conduct a comparative survey. While Group A's firearms became ineffective in the surface layers and had to retreat, Group B's dungeon exploration proceeded smoothly. Furthermore, monsters that were impervious to firearms were successfully defeated by Group B's close-combat weapons. Subsequent investigations revealed that 20mm or larger artillery was required to defeat these monsters, which was not practical for infantry moving on foot within the dungeon.

"From these results, it has been determined that close-combat weapons like swords and spears are effective for combat within the dungeon, and that there is a phenomenon of external factors enhancing physical abilities... level-up, when engaging in combat with monsters within the dungeon."

"Level-up... If the dungeon is opened to the public and more people enter, then..."

"Over time, people with physical abilities far surpassing existing individuals will emerge. This could lead to significant issues in maintaining public order."

The Prime Minister envisioned the emergence of individuals who, having achieved level-up, would go on a rampage, overpowering the police and causing widespread damage before being reluctantly shot dead.

"...If possible, I would like to avoid opening the dungeon to the public."

"However, Prime Minister. Public opinion is in favor of opening the dungeon, and domestic companies also support the opening. With other countries showing movements towards opening the dungeon to the public..."

"I understand. At this point, opening the dungeon to the public is inevitable. However, if we can delay the opening date even slightly, we can buy time to establish some basic measures for maintaining public order. For example, we could send elite special forces or mobile units into the dungeon before opening it to the public to create a response team with a level advantage..."

"Yes. We will urgently consider measures and strive to implement them as soon as possible."

The Prime Minister and Chief Cabinet Secretary, while grappling with the impending domestic public order issues, confirmed their efforts to address the situation. The Prime Minister, shaking his aching head, moved on to the next agenda item.

"Then... Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, what are the results of the secondary analysis of the item in question?"

"Yes, it has already been completed."

In response to the Prime Minister's question, who was tired from the numerous issues, the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology began to read out the document apologetically.

"The items brought back by the 1st and 2nd survey teams, referred to as drop items, include a material called Core Crystal. During the primary analysis, a unique characteristic was discovered: despite being extremely hard, it generates heat when immersed in water. Initially, this property was thought to be similar to that of calcium oxide... quicklime. However, upon further detailed analysis, another unique characteristic was discovered."

The Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology paused for a moment before continuing.

"...When the weight of the Core Crystal was measured after it had released heat in water, it was found to be lighter without any change in the water's composition."

The meeting room was divided between those who were puzzled by the Minister's statement and those who understood the implications and were speechless. One of the puzzled ministers asked a question, twisting his head.

"What does that mean? If there's no change in the composition, it doesn't seem to have dissolved in the water..."

"...The phenomenon of converting its own mass into heat... This is similar to the process of nuclear fusion or fission, which converts mass into energy."

The minister who asked the question froze, and the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology revealed even more shocking information.

"Further detailed analysis revealed that the Core Crystal converts almost 100% of its mass into heat. The conversion efficiency is almost 100%, similar to that of antimatter."

The faces of everyone in the meeting room turned pale, and the atmosphere became tense.

"Wait a minute! Similar to antimatter!?! Why is such a dangerous substance here!?"

"It would cause an explosion more powerful than a nuclear bomb!?"

"..."

"Hey! What can we do...?"

"Quiet."

The ministers, regaining their composure, caused a commotion in the meeting room. The Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, who seemed to have anticipated this, bowed his head and remained silent. Irritated by his attitude, the ministers were about to raise further protests when the Prime Minister, who had been observing the situation, silenced the room with a firm voice.

"Minister of Education, continue..."

"Yes. While it is true that the Core Crystal is extremely dangerous if its mass is instantly converted into heat, the conversion rate of the Core Crystal is extremely slow. Even if a dropped Core Crystal comes into contact with water, it would only feel slightly warm, and it is almost impossible for its mass to be instantly converted into heat. It is truly a fantastical material."

The Minister of Education, holding the documents, declared it safe. The atmosphere in the meeting room relaxed with a sigh of relief. However...

"But, there are always exceptions."

With these words, the atmosphere in the meeting room tensed again.

"Indeed, in its dropped state, the Core Crystal converts into heat at an extremely slow rate, but when it is in a nano-particle form, the story changes. Nano-particle Core Crystals significantly increase the conversion rate."

"Could it... explode?"

"No. It only generates heat, and there is no possibility of an explosion."

A sigh of relief was heard. After a moment, the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, who had noticed something, stood up from his seat and asked the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology with a trembling voice.

"Minister of Education, could this Core Crystal..."

"Yes. As long as it remains in contact with water, it will continue to release heat until it has completely converted its own mass... It can be used as an energy resource. It has the power of nuclear energy but is safe and clean."

The meeting room was filled with joy.

"Then, this is an energy revolution!"

"Moreover, the necessary resources can be obtained domestically!"

"If stable supply can be achieved, the dependency on foreign energy resources can be significantly reduced!"

The cabinet ministers, who had been frustrated by the country's dependence on imported energy resources, were elated at the emergence of a solution to the increasing energy demand. With the domestic nuclear power plants shut down due to accidents and the increased reliance on fossil fuel power generation, the appearance of an alternative to nuclear and fossil fuels was a godsend.

"If stable and inexpensive energy can be supplied, companies that have reduced their production due to energy-saving measures can be revitalized! If the energy cost of manufacturing can be reduced, they can compete with inexpensive foreign products and help the economy recover!"

"Then, tax revenue will increase, and projects that were halted due to budget shortages can be restarted!"

"If new high-speed roads and railway lines are built, it will further activate the movement of people and revitalize the local economy!"

The Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry smiled brightly, hinting at the recovery of the economy, while the Minister of Finance began to calculate the increased tax revenue from higher incomes, and the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism dreamed of approving large-scale projects.

However, the Prime Minister, seeing the ministers getting carried away, poured cold water on them by asking the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

"Then, how much Core Crystal has been obtained from the dungeon? If the amount is too small, it might not be sufficient as an energy resource..."

The Prime Minister's question, filled with both hope and concern, brought the ministers back to their senses. If the production of Core Crystal was too low, all their plans would be in vain. The ministers, with a mix of hope and concern in their eyes, turned their sharp gazes to the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, who was giving the report.

"The total amount of Core Crystal secured by the 1st and 2nd survey teams is 10 pieces, each about the size of a marble, weighing about 10 grams each, for a total of about 100