Chapter 99
The devastating disaster was detected at the supply base on the 15th floor of the Chiba Class 4 dungeon.
The explorers who had just been leisurely playing billiards at the supply base now moved about in a flurry, anxiety etched on their faces.
In a tucked-away corner of the base, where containers sent from aboveground were stacked as-is in a display of raw field logistics, a woman with glossy black hair topped with a small hat held a black rotary phone to her ear, her expression solemn. The device might be laughably outdated, but anomalies can't be judged by appearance alone.
'Dark Communicator.' Ostensibly a black rotary phone, it is actually an anomalous substance. It doesn't use radio waves but sends unknown codes through extradimensional space for two-way transmission. The manufacturer is unknown. It can only connect with 18 other identical units. If you dial its number from a regular phone, the caller will be killed within 48 hours by some unknown means.
Though misuse can subject the user to curses beyond human comprehension, this is the only means of communication between the isolated supply base and the outside world.
"......This is Jiu. Reporting from the dungeon supply base: collapse of the 15th floor base. Corridors one through twenty-five are unusable due to debris."
Lee Jiu, the manager of the supply base, reported to the surface while flipping through a manual.
"Understood. Then, does that mean corridor twenty-six is still open?"
"......Yes."
"Well, a small blessing in a misfortune, I suppose. Move supplies out of the sealed zone and set up a new base."
The voice on the other end spoke in a cheerful tone, as always. Even during an emergency, their composed demeanor sounded experienced to Jiu's ears. It was reassuring, though it seemed they hadn't yet grasped the full scale of the catastrophe here.
"Has the supply stockpile been affected?"
Jiu glanced at the crushed containers.
"......We've got all the problems."
"......Haha, I figured. How about the teleportation device?"
This time, Jiu glanced at the point-to-point teleportation device, torn apart by massive claw marks.
It had short-circuited and was sparking, its intricate inner mechanisms exposed.
"......It's a total mess."
"......I see. That is troubling, then."
Even the voice on the phone faltered slightly this time.
Jiu quietly closed her eyes, fell into silent thought, popped a candy into her mouth, and said, "......So this is what isolation feels like, Shurado-san."
Jiu reported the confirmed losses in supplies and lives, then confirmed that external support could no longer be expected, and gently returned the black phone to its pedestal.
It was all because of a major earthquake.
The supply base on the 15th floor, suddenly and without warning, was obliterated.
"......What in the world is going on?"
Jiu looked down at a creature lying in the middle of the corridor, silver liquid streaming from it.
He appeared to be an adult man dressed like a monk, draped in thin cloth over his upper body. He had a soft-muscular build, pale skin, and held a claw-like weapon. His pupils were wide open, mouth agape, with no sign of life.
"Jiu-san."
Turning toward the voice, she saw a large man standing there.
He was big-built, well-fed, and sported a beard.
In his hand he held a hand axe bought from a home center, its blade now wet with silver liquid.
"......'Pollen Fighter'-san, did you find a path to the upper floors?"
'Pollen Fighter.' Ranked 7th in A-rank. A mysterious explorer who awakened as the ultimate anti-pollen weapon after dedicating his life to cutting down every cedar tree in Japan.
'Pollen Fighter' weakly shook his head.
"Unfortunately, none of the stairs are usable. The only path leads downward. It's like we're being cornered by cedar trees."
"......I see. Then we truly are isolated. We cannot expect rescue from the surface."
"Well, in the worst case, at least we have supplies here...but the ones truly in danger are likely those below. It's like heading to work at 9 a.m. after forgetting to take your allergy meds—utterly hopeless."
"......Still, we have no choice but to go. The path continues downward. Where are the members of Walking Family Restaurant?"
"Unfortunately, they just made a full return this morning. It's like sneezing the moment your name is called at graduation—bad timing."
"......They would've been a great help, but if they're not here, it can't be helped. Fortunately, 'Trigger Happy' and 'Bradley' are confirmed to be below. There should be some S-rank explorers as well."
With a tablet in one hand, Jiu swiped through the screen with a stylus to check the information.
"......Anyway, let's descend to the lower levels. We need to understand what's going on. Gather the remaining explorers. Due to the emergency, the Dungeon Foundation will now assume command of the site."
Jiu stated calmly, stepping over the corpse that bled silver.
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——Viewpoint of Akagi Hideo
Shimaenaga-san finished her wicked technique beautifully and restored Happy-san from a missing-limb-type cutie to a fully-limbed cutie.
"Gii."
"Oh, Gii-san. What's this?"
Not long after Happy-san fell asleep, Shimaenaga-san also began napping, and that's when Gii-san quietly handed me something.
"Gii (Translation: It dropped when I blew up the Metal earlier, my lord.)"
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'Thousand-Style Metal Kit'
An extradimensional machine installed in Metal's mechanical soldiers.
Greatly enhances the user's defense.
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Oh, I think I've seen this somewhere before.
Wait, isn't this the thing that went into my heart?!
"I see, so that one dropped it too."
"Gii (Translation: Most likely standard equipment for Metal's mechanical soldiers.)"
"Makes sense. By the way, why are you giving it to me now?"
"Gii (Translation: It's best if others don't see it too much.)"
Saying that, he clamped the bracelet-shaped anomaly onto my wrist.
Oh yeah, just like always, tendrils stretched out from the bracelet, stabbed into my skin, and the whole thing burrowed into my body. It wriggled under my flesh and reached my heart, but hey, no need to panic—it's business as usual. Honestly, it kind of tickles, like being nibbled on by doctor fish. (※Finger Man has received special training.)
"Gii."
"Thank you, Gii-san."
"Gii."
"Ah, Gii-san is acting on his own again..."
He's summoned the Black Swamp monster and sent it beyond the black mist.
I don't know what he's doing, but I trust there's a reason behind it, so I'll leave it to him.
Team Finger Man values the autonomy of its members. Except you, bean pastry—you're out.