Episode 33: S-Rank Dungeon [Sea of Stars]

A building resembling a Greek temple floated in the center of Shibuya. Its stairs stretched all the way to the pavement, indifferent to the chaos it caused the city. The surrounding area had already been cordoned off by the authorities.

"The atmosphere is quite something, degozaru," Kagura remarked.

"It’s about what I expected," Kaiser said, his voice level. "More importantly, are you lot ready?"

"No problems here. My mana is fully topped off," Shiki replied. "Besides, I’m backline support. I’ll just follow your lead."

We climbed the stairs toward the [Dungeon] entrance, the others chatting as they went. I trailed behind Shiki, Kaiser, and Kagura, keeping a steady pace. Ayane slowed down to match me.

"I’m the one who invited you, but are you sure about this?" she asked, her voice low. "Your memory... it hasn't come back, has it?"

"Ah, well... I’m fine in a fight," I said, offering a half-truth. "The version of me from before I lost my memory left plenty of notes behind."

"Notes? I don't really get it, but does that mean you've remembered a bit?"

"I’ve learned enough. It’ll be fine. I’m going to give you guys full support today. I’ll protect everyone. I promise."

"Heh. You really haven't changed. 'I promise' was always your favorite phrase. And you really do keep your word. Well, except for that one time."

One time?

I tilted my head, wondering what she meant by that loaded comment. But we were at the threshold of the [Dungeon]; there was no time to press her for details.

"Alright, let's go. Operation start!"

We stepped inside. Before us lay a vast ocean beneath a sky choked with countless stars. I expected to sink the moment my boots hit the water, but I didn't. I could walk on the surface. It was an unsettling, impossible sensation.

"Anyway... the government wants us to stream this," Ayane said, pulling out a device. "Should I use my channel?"

"Ayane-dono has the largest following, and her device is top-of-the-line, degozaru," Kagura noted.

"No objections here," Shiki added. "It’s effectively a collab stream!"

Ayane activated her device—a small thing that looked like a snow fairy—and the chat began to scroll past.

〔A surprise stream?〕 〔The lineup is insane.〕 〔Where even is this?〕 〔It’s beautiful... never seen this place before.〕 〔The title... [Sea of Stars] Conquest?!〕 〔The new Shibuya dungeon? Wait, did they get a permit?〕

The comment section exploded. News of the raid on the most talked-about [Dungeon] in the country spread like wildfire. Within seconds, the concurrent viewer count cleared sixty thousand. The weight of their expectations was palpable.

"Yeah, it’s a government request," Ayane explained to the camera. "This is the team for the job."

"One must not call this 'overkill' after seeing the previous [Behemoth], but it means this place is dangerous enough to require our full party, degozaru," Kagura added.

"Just a warning: don't try to sneak in here for the 'gram," Shiki said. "We seriously can't guarantee you'll come out alive."

They were pros at this. While they handled the PR, Kaiser summoned his partner, [Valkyria], while scanning the horizon.

〔Val-sama right out the gate?!〕 〔Reima the [Supporter] is there too.〕 〔This is a serious raid.〕 〔Finally seeing the dream team from the last stream.〕

We started moving. A few minutes in, I felt a spike of abnormal mana.

"Heads up! [Protect Shield]!"

A massive sphere of water tore through the air. It was fast—dangerously so. I managed to throw up a barrier just in time, but I realized immediately that I couldn't let it drop.

Why? Simple. There were over twenty more of those water balls hovering in the sky.

"Kaiser, focus on detection! Shiki, enchantments! Kagura-san, once we have a visual, charge!"

They didn't waste breath on a reply. They just moved. Ayane, whom I hadn't had time to direct, took the initiative.

"I’ll freeze the projectiles. Reima, move up."

"You sure?"

"I’m an S-Rank too, you know. I’m tired of being the girl who needs protecting. I’ll handle the defense."

Reliable as always. I didn't say it, but I trusted her. The old Reima had trusted her with his life, and I saw no reason to do otherwise. I pushed forward.

I used mana perception—a bit of a cheat since the 'original' Reima couldn't do it, but I kept it subtle. I picked up three signatures.

"Found them! Kagura-san, to the right! Kaiser, full-power attack below!"

"As expected of my friend! [Valkyria], use Breath!"

"So they were hiding there... I shall reap them, degozaru!"

With Shiki's buffs active, I didn't even need to use my own. His magic was potent enough to make me feel invincible.

"My turn. I’ll take the one with the highest mana."

I came face-to-face with a one-eyed crone. She was already weaving a spell, a dagger clutched in her withered hand. She unleashed a volley of fireballs. I danced through them, firing [Noir] to keep her pinned with debuffs.

"Take this."

I loaded a mix of defense reduction, magic resistance down, and [Speed Reduction] into my mana bullets. I peppered them with standard shots to keep her guessing, steadily chipping away at her.

"You can't win on raw power alone. Also... watch your head."

"How did you know I was coming, best friend?" Shiki's voice rang out from above.

"Just a hunch. Finish it."

"You're a real slave driver, you know that? Fine. [Inferno]!"

It was Shiki's signature spell, just like the notes said. The [Graeae Sisters] were caught completely off guard. The flames consumed them, leaving nothing behind but magic stones. Nearby, Kagura had already decapitated her target, and Kaiser was approaching, looking bored.

"That’s the first wave done," Kaiser said. "Next is [Atlas]."

"Will he just spawn in?" Ayane asked.

"Who knows—wait. What is this mana?!" Kaiser shouted. "Reima, shield!"

The ground beneath us didn't just shake; it groaned under the weight of an impossible pressure. A mountain erupted from the sea, pulsing with a terrifying vitality. If the myths were right, this was [Atlas] himself.

"This wasn't in the briefing," Kaiser muttered. "And is that... a temple on top?"

"Only one way to find out," I said.

"I have a really bad feeling about this," Ayane whispered. "The boss is probably waiting."

"A dungeon is a battlefield. If the boss is waiting, we'll just have to introduce ourselves, degozaru!"

I tried to use mana perception again, but something slammed into my senses, blocking me. It was a first. Whatever was up there was on a completely different level of existence. I couldn't even maintain the scan for a second. But in that brief flash, I felt something. It wasn't [Algol]. It wasn't [Medusa].

The signature should have been similar, but this was... higher. More ancient.

I kept my mouth shut, hoping I was just being paranoid. I followed the others into the structure.

"Ah... you're finally here."

A figure stood in the center of the hall. It looked like a man, yet it clearly wasn't. A demon.

"Come on," he said, a predatory grin spreading across his face. "Let's have ourselves a death match."