Chapter 29
The morning after Class 3 Gunma dungeon was conquered.
I wake up in the morning and stretch with a big yawn.
"Chee-chee-chee"
"Good morning, Shimaenaga-san."
Shimaenaga-san is full of energy from the morning, perching on my shoulder and grooming itself. It's so cute I could just eat it up.
I complete my daily routine of self coin toss and finger snap, then check my Daily Mission.
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★Daily Mission★
Let's work hard every day!
'Run, Melos ver.2.5'
Run 0/100km
Consecutive days: 27th day
Steady Rank: Gold multiplier 5.0x
────────────────────
Yay, it's just running!
Huh, am I actually happy about a 100km marathon? What's wrong with me?
Have I been doing too many weird things?
To go for a run, I put on my worn-out shoes and leave the room in light clothing.
Since I'm not going to a dungeon, I leave behind the sapphire brooch and the black brooch.
"Good morning."
"Yo."
As I leave my room, I run into my neighbor, Ms. Century.
She's got an incredible aura. If she were born in the Age of Exploration, she'd definitely have awakened Conqueror's Haki.
I'm a bit uneasy around this girl.
That's because I know she's the type to give blunt opinions like "Sunglasses, lame."
"Dungeon, over."
Oh, she's bringing up the dungeon?
Could she possibly be with the Dungeon Foundation?
"The dungeon is done. Now everyone can welcome the New Year with peace of mind."
"......"
Ignored again......
"Shimaenaga."
Ms. Century's gaze shifts to my shoulder.
Ah, she was distracted by Shimaenaga-san.
"Shimaenaga are protected under the Wildlife Protection Act and can't be kept as pets. And they're only supposed to be in Hokkaido. I can't understand why it's here."
Ms. Century suddenly becomes talkative...... could she be a bird lover? Wait, is this one of those birds you're not supposed to keep?
"That's Shimaenaga. Why is it here?"
Breathing heavily through her nose, Ms. Century steps closer.
"......It's not Shimaenaga."
"(Staaare)"
"N-No, it's really not Shimaenaga. (I'm not lying. It's the Calamity Beast!)"
"......Hmm. Not Shimaenaga."
For a while, a tense atmosphere hangs in the air.
But after that, without saying anything more, Ms. Century brushes past me and walks away.
A girl who drives around in an ultra-luxury car,
She must have realized that Shimaenaga-san is indeed Shimaenaga.
She definitely let me off the hook.
I call out to the girl's back.
I should show gratitude to my benefactor.
"Um, Ms. Century."
"......?"
"Have a good New Year."
"......Have a good New Year."
The mysterious, handsome beauty seems momentarily taken aback but responds in a flat tone.
She doesn't seem like such a bad person.
────────────────────
★Daily Mission★
Let's work hard every day!
'Run, Melos ver.2.5'
Run 100km/100km
★Today's Daily Mission accomplished!★
Reward: Wisdom of the Ancients B (50,000 EXP)
Skill Nutrient C (10,000 Skill EXP)
Consecutive days: 28th day
Steady Rank: Gold multiplier 5.0x
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After finishing the 100km run, it's already noon.
Wiping the sweat from my brow, I take a look at the camp from outside since I'm nearby.
I see a lot of black armored vehicles and trucks going in, and the entrance is guarded by people who look like armed special forces.
Shurado-san said the Dungeon Foundation gets busy from here on out, and it seems she meant it literally.
There are a lot of people in black clothes, and it feels kind of intimidating.
I quickly leave the camp behind and head back to the hotel.
After washing off the sweat, I throw myself onto the bed with a thud while thinking about what to do next.
Thinking back, I came all the way to Gunma on a whim, saying, "I'll strike it rich in a dungeon!"
For now, I can say my progress toward my ultimate goal is satisfactory.
But, well, it's not like I'm going to set off on a journey somewhere after this.
I can't stay in this hotel forever.
I'm only able to stay here on the foundation's dime because I'm a high-ranking explorer.
I have to check out by tomorrow.
"......Time to head back."
I pack my few belongings into a school bag I've used since middle school, which I call my privacy bag, and check for anything I might have forgotten.
I put on my coat and slip the sapphire brooch into my pocket.
A B-rank brooch stands out outside the dungeon.
Instead, I pin only the 'Proof of the Chosen One' to my chest.
Bring me luck today too, Buchi.
Leaving behind the room I've stayed in for so long, I check out of the hotel.
"Thank you for your hard work. We look forward to your future endeavors."
The woman at the front desk says respectfully with a bow.
"See ya, Finger Man! Let's meet again!"
"Thanks for everything."
"I look forward to the day I can meet Finger Man-sama again!"
"Nah, I'm not worth waiting for."
I run into some familiar explorers in the hotel lobby, so we exchange farewells and wish each other a "Happy New Year."
I take a bus to the station.
While being jostled on the bus, I hesitate over whether to contact Shurado-san but can't figure out how to start the conversation, so I end up just staring at my smartphone screen for dozens of minutes.
Arriving at the station, I eat a melty triple-cheese beef bowl special with a soft-boiled egg for lunch while fiddling with my phone, when suddenly Shimaenaga-san, who had been sleeping in my chest pocket, starts squirming awake.
I portion out some beef bowl onto a small plate and let it eat under the cover of my coat.
Yeah, Shimaenaga-san must get hungry too.
Come to think of it, I forgot to report Shimaenaga-san to Shurado-san...... but since Shurado-san is with the foundation, she might not let it slide so easily.
Besides, the Calamity Beast clearly seems like a creature that could end the world, and I have no idea what kind of punishment the Dungeon Foundation might impose.
After all, I can't tell Shurado-san about this.
I will protect Shimaenaga-san.
Swaying on the train, I returned from the undeveloped land to Japan's greatest metropolis, Saitama Prefecture.
As a city boy, the hustle and bustle of this metropolis and the sleepless nights felt almost nostalgic to me.
"Hah, this town hasn't changed a bit (※ even though I was only gone for a month)."
"Chee-chee♪"
When I got home, I saw a familiar car parked in the garage.
I realized beforehand that the old man was home.
"I'm back."
"Ah, big brother. Welcome home."
"Foolish little sister, where are you off to?"
"Hmm, a friend's place?"
As soon as I opened the front door, I caught my foolish little sister tying her shoelaces and carrying a big bag, clearly heading somewhere. I casually blocked her path.
My little sister glared at me with an annoyed look.
"Staying over somewhere, are you?"
"Yeah."
"At a boy's place, huh?"
"Nope."
"I see. Alright, you may go."
"Haha, thank you very much, dear brother."
I stepped aside to clear the way.
My foolish little sister bowed her head slightly and started to leave.
Then, she suddenly turned back.
"By the way, big brother, you went to Gunma, right? Did you happen to meet Finger Man-sama?"
"Huh? Sama?"
"What's with that reaction? You don't know Finger Man-sama?"
"......What's that supposed to be?"
"Oh, so you don't know. I wasted my time even talking to you, big brother."
"Talking to me doesn't result in any loss."
"Huh? But if this were some dirty middle-aged old man, I could charge money for it, you know?"
"Stop casually treating your big brother like a middle-aged old man. And stop looking down on dirty middle-aged old men so much."
Seriously, high school girls these days.
My foolish little sister burst into laughter.
What's so funny, this girl?
By the way, what's this Finger Man-sama thing? I'm curious.
"Foolish little sister, let me hear a bit more about this——"
"See ya, big brother! I'll be late for the train!"
And so, my little sister left.
"Tch, what's with her?"
I took off my shoes and went to the living room, where the old man was silently reading manga at the kotatsu.
"I'm back."
"Oh, you're home."
"Yeah. Is bro here?"
"Arima Kinen."
"Again? Where does that guy even get the money from?"
"Your account for student loans. Looks like he opened it again without permission. His instincts are sharp."
How does he even do it......? At this point, it's like he has a skill for this, that bastard bro......
This time, I won't let it slide.
I'll corner him thoroughly.
"The time for retribution has come."
"If you're gonna take him down, do it on your own. I won't stop you."
"Father."
"Whenever you call me that, it's usually something no good."
"Please join me in bro's retribution. As your son, I'll go easy on him, but I might still end up doing it."
"......I see. Looks like it's time for him to pay the price."
Though he looked annoyed, the old man slowly crawled out from under the kotatsu.
——A certain port in the far north of Hokkaido.
At a port overlooking the freezing sea, an painfully cold wind was blowing.
"Hey, you're kidding, right, old man, Hideo?!"
"I'm the one who wants to doubt if this is a joke, bro."
"Masato, adults take responsibility because they're adults. Go quietly."
"Please!! I'll work seriously!! I'm begging you!! Help meeee!!!!"
The old man and I watched as bro was put on a ship and set off for the distant sea.
My bro, Akagi Masato, was about to face a 40-day crab fishing expedition in the freezing, raging sea.
If he succeeds in crab fishing, he might be able to somehow manage the 12 million yen in combined debts to consumer loans, me, the old man, our mother, our foolish little sister, and various other friends and acquaintances.
I hope he does well in the raging hellish sea between Alaska, USA, and the Russian Federation——the Bering Sea.
"I can't keep protecting him forever."
"It'll be fine. Bro's got nothing if not vitality."
"True. Should we buy some crab for your mother on the way back?"
"Oh, that's a good idea."
The old man and I decided to return home while touring the Tohoku region together.
The old man quietly listened to my stories of the days in the dungeon.
Having moments like this once in a while isn't so bad.
——
——Dr.'s perspective.
Dr. and the other researchers, escorted by armed soldiers, had arrived at the "dead dungeon."
While a dungeon is alive, ordinary humans can't set foot inside, but once it's dead, activity is possible while wearing protective gear.
"I think investigating a dead dungeon is pointless, though."
"Don't say that. There's a possibility that the 'Calamity Series' was sealed in this dungeon."
A young doctor reproached an older, veteran doctor.
Suddenly, everyone stopped in their tracks.
This happened while they were investigating the twelfth floor.
Dr. asked the young doctor, "What's wrong?"
But even without hearing the answer, shifting their gaze forward revealed the cause.
The reason why everyone had stopped.
There was a crater.
Right in the center of the corridor.
It stretched for dozens of meters ahead.
Normally, dungeons, being mysterious structures, are incredibly sturdy, and even making a hole in the wall requires a massive amount of explosives.
And yet, the crater before them was unimaginably huge.
It suggested that an otherworldly monster had been here.
"W-What is this......?"
"Unbelievable...... What happened here?"
"Just how much energy would it take to make something like this possible?"
"Look, there are traces of melting from extremely high temperatures."
"There's no doubt that an enormous amount of thermal energy was generated here."
The scholars exchanged opinions with one another. There's no time when a battle of deductions gets more heated than when encountering an unknown situation.
However, no one could provide a convincing explanation.
Suddenly, the most energetic young doctor spoke up.
"This is just a speculation, but could it be that a G6-class...... one of the 'Calamity Series' descended here?"
"......!"
"A massive amount of energy...... for instance, a fireball...... perhaps. A fireball must have appeared here. The core temperature of that fireball likely exceeded the surface temperature of the sun. There are only a handful of explorers in the foundation who can produce such firepower with fire-based skills. And even if there were, there's no need to unleash that much power on the monsters of the twelfth floor."
A silence fell over the group at the young doctor's lively deduction.
However, only the Dr. looked puzzled, as if he wanted to say, "Huh? Isn't it obviously Finger Man?" He alone knew. He knew of Finger Man's rare talent as an explorer, his exceptional combat ability, and his utterly unpredictable skills.
But he couldn't say it. Unlike his colleagues, he was still a nobody scientist with no achievements to his name. He was afraid to speak up.
"It seems we may have already made a grave mistake......"
"Does this mean the dark age is coming?"
"The calamity has already been unleashed. All we can do is prepare for the day that is to come."
The Dr. crossed his arms and pondered.
(I only vaguely remember, but I did catch a glimpse of Finger Man's status...... I'm pretty sure there was some equipment listed near the bottom called 'Calamity Beast' or something like that......)
This Dr. remembered.
(But it didn't seem like the foundation retrieved it at the appraisal counter. Which means Finger Man hid it somehow...... he hid the 'Calamity Beast'......)
The Dr. realized a shocking truth.
There was no confirmation. He had only glimpsed the status briefly.
But, just hypothetically. Hypothetically speaking.
Even hypothetically, if it were discovered that he privately owned something from the Calamity Series, and moreover, if it were known that he maliciously concealed its existence from the foundation and smuggled it out of the camp...... Finger Man would have no tomorrow.
"Dr., we'd like to hear your opinion as well."
"Wha-! W-What is it......?"
"Why are you so flustered? You were at this dungeon camp, weren't you? There might have been an explorer involved in sealing something from the Calamity Series. Do you have any idea who it could be?"
"...... I wouldn't know. I'm not the type to get along well or interact much with explorers."
(Finger Man. I don't know what your intentions are...... but I'll choose to believe in you. Just as you believed in me.)
────
──Gakidou's perspective
New Year's Eve.
Gakidou was quietly drinking canned coffee alone in her beloved car.
Even at the end of the year, her daily routine remained unchanged.
She opened her smartphone and looked at the message notifications sent by her family.
Father: Are you coming back this year?
Even if you're busy with foundation work, you should be able to come home once in a while.
Send a reply.
You have that obligation.
She quietly darkened the screen.
This was a man who never tried to build a relationship worthy of being called family.
Gakidou felt she had nothing more to say.
She stared into the dark night in silence.
Outside her beloved Century, pure white snow was falling gently from the night's darkness.
Beyond the windshield, about 30 meters away, special operatives from the foundation were holding their guns with tense expressions.
Their numbed fingertips trembled from both fear and cold.
This was the site of the Gunma Class 3 dungeon ruins.
Several days after the dungeon boss was defeated, a special operation by the foundation was being carried out here.
"C-Captain, I'm feeling......"
"Your eyes are red. Fall back. Medical team, give him a sedative. This one has a triple mental attack effect—madness, brainwashing, and loss. Do not push yourself under any circumstances."
Dozens of operatives rotated in and out, repeatedly adjusting their positions to monitor IT.
IT was a dangerous existence of a kind that could cause mental abnormalities just by looking at it.
Gakidou, from the warmth of her car, looked bored as she observed IT from a distance, taking in the scene.
Researchers in white coats approached IT.
Finally, the moment of containment had arrived.
IT──an anomalous substance (anomaly) dragged out from the abyss of a "dead dungeon"──looked like a creature from an abstract painting, writhing and pulsating.
Item name: 'Legacy of the Night Sea'.
The foundation determined that this anomalous substance was a Special Containment Control Law Application Anomaly──commonly known as an SCCL-applied anomalous substance.
Therefore, the foundation's containment management department drafted a special containment plan for this anomalous substance (anomaly) based on item details and information from ancient texts, and they were now executing the first capture operation.
If successful, 'Legacy of the Night Sea' would be carefully contained at a foundation facility, and its anomalous properties would be thoroughly investigated.
Gakidou was here as insurance in case something happened.
──Knock knock
The black tinted glass was tapped.
It was Shurado. She was warming her frozen hands with her breath.
Her cheeks were red from the cold.
When Gakidou rolled down the window with a beep, cold air rushed in.
"It's really cold outside, let me in, Gakidou-chan!"
"......"
Gakidou silently rolled the tinted glass back up with a beep.
Shurado was mercilessly abandoned.
Shurado, a high school girl with no mercy shown to her, sent a teary-eyed look of protest.
With no other choice, Gakidou unlocked the passenger seat.
Shurado's face lit up brightly as she quickly slipped into the car.
"It's so warm! It's unfair that you're the only one in such a warm car! Oh, and you've got a warm canned coffee too! Stare......"
Shurado, while remaining silent, stared blatantly, sincerely, and openly at the coffee in Gakidou's hand, making it abundantly clear what she wanted to say.
"(I'm absolutely not giving you this) coffee (no way)."
'Give me coffee'──the moment she said that, Shurado had already borrowed the coffee from Gakidou's hand. It was the swift work of a master.
In exchange, Gakidou now held a pack of the national instant soba, 'Green Tanuki', in her hand.
It was Shurado's signature swapping technique.
"Let's trade!"
"(Why does this person carry soba around?)"
"You're making a face like, 'Why does this person carry soba around?'! Fufufu, Gakidou-chan, you don't know the high-level skills of a capable receptionist, do you~?"
Shurado somehow produced an electric kettle from nowhere and began pouring hot water into two servings of Green Tanuki. So why did she have this?
"Oh, it's only 2 minutes until the New Year! Let's do a New Year's jump together!"
"(Not happening.)"
"You're making a face like, 'Not happening,' Gakidou-chan! Hmph! If that's how it is, big sis is going all out! Ei! Uryu-uryu! Do you give up? Not yet? I'll keep going, uryu-uryu-uryu-uryu──"
"(This person is way too annoying.)"
"Ahh! Thinking something like that makes big sis sad!"
As Shurado kept uryu-uryu-ing, Gakidou looked utterly fed up.
Thanks to that, the car interior became lively.
Even Gakidou's steely, expressionless face seemed somewhat softer now.
Normally, people rarely approached Gakidou.
Shurado's suspicious behavior, claiming to be her big sister, wasn't entirely unwelcome to Gakidou.
"3, 2, 1! Pyon! Happy New Year!"
In the end, the two of them deliberately got out of the car to do a New Year's jump.
Back in the car, they ate Green Tanuki together.
"Huh! My Tanuki has two pieces of kakiage!"
"(She hasn't noticed I secretly transferred them because I hate kakiage. As expected of a mere receptionist. She's no match for an S-rank agent.)"
"Ahh!! Gakidou-chan's soba doesn't have any kakiage in it!!"
"Tch (Darn, she noticed.)"
"Poor thing, the factory must have forgotten to put it in! I'll give you my kakiage!"
"......"
"Gakidou-chan...... could it be that you don't like kakiage......?"
"............ Thanks."
Gakidou, feeling a mix of emotions, mustered the courage to try the kakiage.
"How is it? How's big sis's kakiage?"
"...... Tasty."
"I'm glad! It'd be lonely without kakiage, right?"
Eating heartily until full.
Gakidou dozes off while gently leaning back in her chair.
(An end-of-year like this might not be so bad.)
Gakidou felt a slight warmth in her fading consciousness.
"Thanks for your hard work this year, let's make next year a good one too!"
"Be a little quieter...... (zzz)"
"Oh my, she's already fallen asleep. Still such a child, isn't she?"
Watching Gakidou start to doze off, Shurado steps outside the car.
"Well, my body's warmed up now. Gakidou-chan seems sleepy too. In that case, as the grown-up big sister, I've got to work hard, don't I?"
Taking out a sledgehammer from seemingly nowhere, Shurado gazes into the distance.
A monster tries to escape by mowing down the Foundation staff.
A crazed squad member is shooting recklessly, causing a huge commotion.
As a result, the escapee has gone completely unnoticed.
Then, it's her turn to act.
Shurado dashes like the wind to forcibly contain the anomalous substance (anomaly).
"Wait right thereeee, you anomalous substance (anomaly)! I won't let you escape!"
Everyone's super receptionist is incredibly busy, even on New Year's Eve.