"—We did it! We’re out of the dungeon!"
"Stay alert! That terrorist guy might still be around!"
Hinata-san, the explorers we'd met at the Floor 1 Staircase Plaza, and I climbed the long stairs leading to the surface, finally emerging into the foyer of the Japan Explorer Association where the Dungeon Gate stood.
However, the station-turnstile-like gate was nowhere to be seen. Shards of what used to be the gate were scattered against the walls. The spot where it should have been was marked by black scorch marks and a crater in the white floor, as if a massive explosion had ripped through the room.
We all caught our breath at the sight.
I'd heard there was an explosion, but the force of the blast was far beyond my expectations. Judging by the scorch marks, the crater, and the way the Dungeon Gate had been blown to smithereens, that explosion looked strong enough to turn a human being into dust.
What on earth did they use to do this...?
I didn't have time to wonder.
"—Bahahaha!! Bwahahahahaha!! What’s wrong, my fellow explorers?! So many of you gathered here, yet you can’t even take down one middle-aged man?!"
The man's boisterous shouting echoed through the now-desolate lobby. The source of the voice stood in the center of the room. Our eyes were naturally drawn to him, and I took in his appearance.
He looked like an ordinary middle-aged man you might find anywhere. He was probably in his mid-forties, with glasses and his hair slicked back. He wore simple leather armor that looked like it was for novice explorers, but he wasn't carrying any weapons.
His pupils were dilated—he had that "unhinged" look—but otherwise, he just seemed like a tired old guy. The disconnect between his appearance and his demeanor was jarring.
Despite his unassuming looks, the man was dealing with several explorers who were attacking him all at once, and he hadn't moved a single step from where he stood.
"Don't hold back!"
"I don't care if we kill him anymore!"
"Get it together! This guy is high-level!"
Shouting to coordinate their efforts, the explorers surrounding the man lunged at him simultaneously. There were eight of them in total. Meanwhile, I could see several others already lying slumped against the walls.
I'd wondered if that middle-aged man had taken them all out, and my suspicions were confirmed in the next instant. The fate that had befallen the others was demonstrated right before our eyes.
The explorers surrounding the man fired off Flying Blades with their Sword Aura or stepped into range with eye-blurring speed to slash at him directly. There was even a mage among them, launching a Fire Lance that flew through the air like a cannonball.
However—
"You people never learn! Begone!!"
The man shouted at the top of his lungs, raising his arms parallel to the ground with his palms facing outward. In the next instant, brilliant flames burst forth in all directions from the man’s center.
—BOOM!
A tremendous explosion roared. The blast of rapidly expanding flames crushed the Flying Blades, the Fire Lance, and everything else, casually slamming the surrounding explorers against the walls.
The explorers collapsed to the floor with groans of pain. About half of them managed to get back up, but the rest remained sprawled on the tiles, unable to move.
Having just returned from the dungeon, we stood there in a daze, watching the carnage.
"Wait, how...?"
"You're joking, right...?"
"W-What the hell is happening?!"
『Wait, we're on the surface, right?!』
『Why can that guy—and the explorers, too—use magic and skills?!』
There were plenty of shocking things to process—the Dungeon Gate being blown to pieces and the terrorist engaging the explorers—but the thing that shocked us the most was undoubtedly the same thing the viewers were commenting on through Hinata-san's drone.
Namely: the astonishment that skills and magic were being used on the surface.
"Takeo-kun, those people are...!"
Hinata-san turned to me in confusion, but I shook my head.
Hinata-san and I knew the conditions for using skills and magic on the surface to manifest one's Status-based abilities. You needed your HP or MP to exceed 400, and your base Dexterity had to be 200 or higher. Those were the hard requirements for using your powers on the surface. However—
"Regardless of that middle-aged man, I don't think the surrounding explorers have crossed the line Headshot Yakuza mentioned."
Judging by their movement speed and the potency of their attacks and magic, I didn't think those explorers were anywhere near our level. They probably hadn't even reached Level 20. If so, there was no way their HP or MP exceeded 400.
I drew my sword and addressed the group that had returned to the surface with us.
"Everyone! I don't know the logic behind it, but it seems we can use skills here just like we're inside the dungeon!"
My statement had already been proven. The moment I drew my blade, I had activated a skill as a test.
—Sword Aura.
Just like inside the dungeon, the skill activated without issue, enveloping my sword in a faint blue aura.
Seeing that, the other explorers began to digest the abnormal situation—as expected of professionals, they adapted quickly despite their shock.
"What the hell is really going on...?"
"Why can we use skills on the surface?!"
"Well, it's better than not having them...!"
Exactly. This wasn't the time to dwell on things we didn't understand. For now, our priority was clear.
"Everyone, let's back those people up and take that man down first!"
"I guess you're right..."
"B-But, judging by that magic from earlier, that guy looks like he's at a pretty high level!"
"We might just get taken out instantly..."
The explorers hesitated, intimidated by the man's strength. Since I had no choice, I decided to take the lead. However, there was something I had to make clear first.
"Don't worry, I'll take the lead in fighting him. However..."
"However...?"
"I have personal circumstances that prevent me from killing humans. So, once I've neutralized him, I need you all to deliver the finishing blow."
"I-If it's just that much, then..."
"Wait, what do you mean by 'personal circumstances'?"
"I mean, anyone would get arrested if they killed someone, so of course we can't do it."
"K-Killing is still bad, isn't it...? We’ll just have to restrain him."
"No, he's not an opponent you can win against while holding back! A small lapse in judgment could get us killed, you know? So let's kill him! As soon as I neutralize him, please finish him off immediately! Don't worry! It's self-defense!"
"L-Leveling Junkie Bro, why do you want to kill him so badly?!"
"Do you have some kind of grudge against the guy...?"
"This is Leveling Junkie Bro...!! He's even more of a junkie than I imagined...!"
As we were having our final discussion before the fight—
"You people over there! Are you finished with your meeting?!"
The man shouted toward us. Looking over, I saw that the explorers who had been blown away earlier were now just surrounding the man from a distance, wary of being hit again or simply at a loss for how to strike.
However, they finally noticed our presence and shouted to us without taking their eyes off the man.
"Hey! You guys over there, help us!"
"It's Article 5 of the Special Disaster Cooperation Act!"
"The Association has issued a request for cooperation to all explorers!"
At those words, the people around me broke into a stir.
"Are you serious...?"
"The Special Disaster Cooperation Act... I never thought they'd actually invoke it...!"
"Damn it! Even if the Association issues a request, I thought it would only be the Duty of Emergency Assistance...!"
"If we run away, our licenses will definitely be suspended!"
"Takeo-kun...!"
Hinata-san gripped her staff, her face showing she had reached some kind of resolution. I nodded with a serious expression—and then asked my question.
"Excuse me! What's this 'Spec-Dis Act' thing?"
What law? What ordinance? I wished everyone would stop using jargon I didn't understand. My question, however, only drew glares from the surrounding explorers.
"Hey, why don't you know about it?!"
"How did you even pass your licensing exam?!"
"You should have learned this in the training course!"
Apparently, it was a law related to explorers.
"I mean, doesn't legal knowledge just leak out of your brain the second the exam is over?"
Back then, I really couldn't afford to fail, so I had studied harder than I ever had in my life... As I looked off into the distance, Hinata-san filled me in.
"Takeo-kun, the Special Disaster Cooperation Act is the 'Act on the Cooperation of Explorers and Others in Specified Disaster Activities.' Article 5 is a quasi-mandatory request for cooperation. If you refuse without a valid reason, your Dungeon Exploration License can be suspended or revoked."
"—! It's coming back to me! I can see it now, deep in my memory!"
Now that she mentioned it, I did have a vague recollection of that! Wait, license suspension or revocation is a nightmare! If I can't dive into the dungeon, I'll go into total withdrawal!
I had intended to help from the start, but now I had a real incentive to be proactive. Just as I was about to move out—
"Ah, unfortunately, I'm not in the mood for your comedy routine right now. If you're not coming to me, then I'll come to you. Now... die."
The terrorist made the first move. He held up his right hand, pointing his palm toward us.
"—?!"
Immediately, a chill ran through my entire body. At the same time, a massive, roaring inferno erupted from the tip of the man's raised hand. It surged toward us like a tsunami.