Chapter 5: Off to the Dungeon

It had been about two days since I woke up. While I spent that time gathering information on this world, the concept of Dungeon Streaming kept bugging me. I finally dragged myself out of bed to look into it.

"So... basically, it’s just a real-life version of a gaming Let's Play? That the idea?"

Since the fantasy tropes that should have stayed fictional had become reality, people in this world treated the combat of the gifted as a form of entertainment—a way to experience the unknown from a safe distance.

Does that mean the Dungeons at the heart of this society hold that much mystery and adventure?

"Right... so every single Dungeon is essentially a miniature pocket dimension."

As I dug deeper, I started to grasp their characteristics. To put it simply, each Dungeon was an independent, isolated world, containing monsters and materials unique to that specific environment.

"And to get inside, you have to be an Adventurer. The Dungeon Streamers the other 'me' liked were just a subset of that... I think."

I muttered the facts I’d gathered aloud while summarizing them in a notebook, weighing my options. To understand this world—and more importantly, to figure out why I’d ended up in this parallel reality—there was a good chance I’d have to set foot in a Dungeon. However...

"I don't know how far everyone's power will go here."

The only thing I’d seen so far was that Griffon that had attacked us. I wasn't sure if I should use something my childhood friend, Ayane, had killed as a benchmark, but if I applied its species to my old world, it would be a B-rank. If things that strong were just wandering around, this place was dangerous. Still, my gut told me that specific Griffon hadn't actually been B-rank level.

Man, I miss the Griffons from the other world. They'd whip up storms, they were tough, fast—actually pretty strong. I remember hunting them all the time because they were Luna’s favorite snack.

Wait, speaking of which... wasn't Ayane called the Ice Princess?

Judging by the reactions of the civilians back then, she seemed like a major celebrity. Curious, I looked her up on the internet. I found her details summarized in a news article.

"[Ice Princess] Ayane Yukisaki—A current S-Rank Adventurer belonging to the major guild Valsia since her second year of middle school... Also active as a Dungeon Streamer. Between her adorable, rabbit-like appearance and her overwhelming combat prowess, her channel boasts over two million subscribers, making her a top-tier figure in the modern era..."

Reading the article aloud gave me a slight headache.

The Case Where I Went to a Parallel World and My Childhood Friend Had Become an Insanely Famous Celebrity... The phrase drifted through my mind. I read the article one more time, and the headache returned with a vengeance.

"Seriously, Ayane? What are you even doing?"

The magic I’d seen her use was certainly high-level, but I never imagined it had come to this. I checked a streaming site just in case; sure enough, her subscriber count was sitting right at the two-million mark.

"Well, for now, I want to know more... but I might as well try heading to a Dungeon myself."

I never wanted to go through what I did in the other world ever again. But before anything else, I needed to know exactly what my companions were capable of in this environment. If I got dragged into something, I didn't want to be caught off guard.

"I read that the Dungeons are open to the public. If I hide my appearance, I should be able to slip in."

Having made my decision, I used [Summoning Magic] to manifest a [Hidden Helmet]—crafted from the remains of an otherworld monster—and a robe with [Perception Inhibition] effects. My parents were both at work today, so it was now or never.

With [Perfect Stealth] masking my sound and scent, I figured I’d be fine. I headed for a nearby spot classified as a C-Rank called the Black Iron Dungeon.

I wondered why there weren't any security guards, but I kept the [Hidden Helmet] on and dove inside. Immediately, a complete otherworld spread out before me.

I was supposed to have entered a cave-type Dungeon, yet I was staring at a vast blue sky. There were cliffs and mountains; it was as if a single world had been carved out and placed here. I was captivated by the sight—it looked exactly like the world I’d come from. It even felt nostalgic.

But at the same time, I felt a slight... no, a very distinct, bad premonition.

"I checked this on the way here... Black Iron Dungeon is supposed to be a cave-type, right? And I read that there aren't supposed to be any Orcs here."

No matter how I looked at it, there were mountains. And above all, there were things like Wyverns circling above that gave me a terrible sense of déjà vu.

"Wait... did I walk into the wrong Dungeon?"

『GAAAAAAAAAAAAAA！』

This is bad.

The thought had barely crossed my mind when a roar ripped through the air. A massive fireball suddenly streaked toward me, obliterating the ledge where I’d been standing.

"Whoa—hey! Right out of the gate?!"