“Wow, what a stunning view!”
“Yeah, you’re right. It looks like you can see all of Sendai from here.”
It was May 29th.
Early in the morning, Hinata-san and I had come to the Sendai Castle Ruins on Mount Aoba.
Looking out toward the city from the Sendai Castle Honmaru ruins, the entire landscape of Sendai unfolded before us. Rows of skyscrapers stood in the distance; it was a spot with a truly magnificent vista.
With the bronze statue of Lord Date Masamune nearby, it was easy to see why this was such a popular tourist destination. I really wanted some beef tongue.
“It really is a lovely view, Leveling Junkie Bro-kun! I wish the two of us could have come here on a proper date instead~”
“…………”
“…………”
That voice came from my right, opposite Hinata-san.
I didn't even need to look to know who it was, but I stole a glance anyway. There stood a woman with long, psychedelic-colored hair tied in twin-tails, wearing a fairly revealing outfit. It was the one and only Mayurin-san.
Following Mayurin-san’s comment, a sharp, prickly aura radiated from my left.
…Yep, these two were still as fond of each other as ever.
Anyway.
As for why we were in Sendai—well, the reason was simple.
On May 28th, which was yesterday, the Dungeon Master had appeared in public again and declared the opening of new dungeons. And, perhaps thinking that the same old dungeons were getting stale (I didn't actually know his reasoning), the Dungeon Master had apparently prepared new content specifically for the dungeon in Sendai out of the 128 new locations worldwide.
According to the Dungeon Master, it was a Territory Battle.
To make matters worse, if the place was left alone, monsters would supposedly start overflowing onto the surface immediately. Talk about a nuisance.
In response, the Government and the Japan Explorer Association had issued an emergency request to all Special Crisis Case Explorers of level 40 or higher who were currently available.
The mission: capture the new dungeon that had appeared at the Sendai Castle Honmaru ruins.
And so, after the Dungeon Master’s declaration, the explorers who were notified of the emergency request by their coordinators had mostly gathered in Sendai by yesterday evening.
Yesterday had been my day off, so I’d been diving into the Shinjuku Dungeon solo. However, while I was grinding a Monster Room, Urara-san called me. I’d cut the session short, returned to the surface, packed for the trip, and headed to Tokyo Station. There, I met up with Hinata-san and took the Shinkansen to Sendai.
After that, we stayed at a hotel the association had booked for us. When morning came, we boarded a bus with the other explorers who had accepted the same request and traveled to the Sendai Castle Ruins—that was how we ended up here.
Man, it was intense. As we headed straight through the city along Aoba Street, it seemed a large-scale evacuation advisory had been issued for everything past the Hirose River, because from that point on, we didn't see a single civilian. Also, the area before the bridge was blockaded by Self-Defense Forces personnel carrying light machine guns. Even after passing through, there were imposing armored vehicles everywhere. The sense of crisis was overwhelming.
Regardless, after passing through several cordons established by the SDF, we arrived at the ruins, got off the bus, and moved to the Honmaru site.
I shifted my gaze away from the city and looked behind me.
The new dungeon in question had appeared almost exactly in the center of the Honmaru ruins. Sandbags were piled high in a ring around the entrance, and what looked like heavy machine guns were positioned to face the opening.
Furthermore, several armored vehicles had driven onto the ruins outside that perimeter, and numerous SDF personnel were busily moving back and forth or standing guard at the dungeon entrance.
It was a sight I’d only ever seen in movies.
Meanwhile, it seemed it would still be a little while before we could actually enter the dungeon. Having nothing better to do, we were idly staring at the Sendai cityscape—hence the current situation.
Actually, it wasn't just me, Hinata-san, and Mayurin-san; the other explorers were doing the same. Nearby were Mayurin’s party members: Ikegami-san, Tamaki-san, Ashitaba-san, and Hondo-san. Further away, several other groups of explorers were killing time.
Then, with me sandwiched in the middle, Hinata-san and Mayurin-san began their verbal sparring.
“Um, I don’t know who you are, but could you please not butt into our conversation so suddenly?”
“Hah? I wasn't talking to you. Don't flatter yourself, you self-absorbed cow. I was talking to Leveling Junkie Bro-kun.”
“Couldn't you see that Takeo-kun and I were having a pleasant conversation?”
“Weren't you just forcing him to talk to you because you were hovering? Ahh, poor Leveling Junkie Bro-kun. Having a stalkerish Cow-tits woman clinging to him all the time, he never gets a moment of peace. Should I heal your heart, Leveling Junkie Bro-kun? Should I? Hmm?”
“Being followed around by someone like you, who lacks both common sense and moderation, is obviously going to cause far more mental fatigue. Takeo-kun, I think it’s about time you said it clearly, don't you? Tell her she’s annoying and to go away. If it’s hard for you to say, shall I say it for you? Well?”
“…………”
Terrifying.
I looked toward Ikegami-san nearby, pleading with my eyes.
“(Hey, you handsome guy over there. Help me, please!)”
Ikegami-san caught my gaze—and,
“(Impossible. Deal with it yourself. Don’t drag me into it.)”
He looked away!
I had no choice but to look at Tamaki-san next.
“(Tamaki-san, you won’t abandon me, right…?)”
“(…Sorry.)”
“(F*ck!! —Ashitaba-san!)”
“(Ah—the sky sure is pretty today—)”
“(Don’t you look up at the sky so obviously!! —Hondo-san!!)”
“(…Zzz.)”
“(Heyyyyyy!! Don’t you dare pretend to be asleep while standing up!?)”
Damn it! Ikegami-san and the others were useless!
Pressed by silent pressure from both sides to give an answer that seemed guaranteed to be wrong no matter what I said, I scanned the surroundings once more for help.
The number of Special Crisis Case Explorers gathered for the Sendai Castle Ruins capture was surprisingly small, around thirty people.
This was because the highest-level Special Crisis Case Explorers, starting with Headshot Yakuza and Denshiro-sensei, were either dispatched overseas or assigned to other requests, such as responding to dungeon terrorism, hunting special variants, or confirming the safety of other new dungeons.
Well, "safety confirmation" mostly meant checking if the new dungeons were any different from normal ones and investigating the monsters and traps within. Dungeons weren't exactly safe by nature, after all.
Plus, the reality was that explorers over level 40 were still few and far between.
Under these circumstances, the explorers who had been summoned were the absolute elite of Japan. Famous parties and solo explorers were gathered here, their names coming to mind the moment I saw them.
For example, a five-person party wearing makeup and hairstyles like an old-school visual kei band, dressed in flamboyant outfits covered in black feathers—“† The Ebon Fallen Angels †.”
Then there were the men with distinctive undercuts or blond hair and tanned skin, who looked like they’d stepped out of a specific genre of doujin manga—the “Dungeon Pickup-Artist Association.”
A gentle beauty wearing a shrine maiden outfit and carrying a naginata, with lustrous black hair and the appearance of a quintessential Yamato Nadeshiko—Sakura-san, also known as “Circle Crusher Sakura Trap.”
A middle-aged monk whose extraordinary muscles were bulging even through his loose priestly robes—“Iron Fist Punishment Priest Jackson.”
A trio of food seekers wearing chef’s coats with Japanese, Western, and Chinese designs, equipped with deba knives that looked like swords and a massive, custom-made gyuto—the “Battle Cook Brothers.”
A unique female explorer party consisting of five former underground idols who had awakened to violence in the dungeon and turned pro; their hulking, overly muscular physiques clad in frilly dresses were the talk of the town, described as being like "Real Bis-y"—"Hyakka Ryoran."
And… a lineup of truly prestigious names was gathered here…!!
But sadly, as one could tell from their party names and aliases, they were all far too self-absorbed and eccentric. Not a single one was paying any attention to me. Or rather, none of them would even make eye contact.
It looked like asking for help was impossible… just as I was about to give up.
I spotted a small group approaching us.
Well, I say a group, but it was only three people. However, those three were more famous than anyone else here.
The man leading the three of them spoke to me with a kind smile.
“Hi there, you must be Leveling Junkie Bro-kun. We didn't have a chance to talk properly at the hotel or on the bus, but I’ve been wanting to have a long, friendly chat with you. Ah, I am Shinra Zenichi. I look forward to working with you today.”
“Ah, yes! Of course I know you! You’re Professor Shinra, right! It’s an honor to meet you!”
Seizing the lifeline, I turned toward Professor Shinra and gripped his offered hand.
—Shinra Zenichi.
He was one of the "top-tier" explorers in the truest sense, a name that frequently came up in debates about the strongest in Japan.
Online, he was also known as “Naked Armor Shinra Zenichi.”
He was an impressive person with a wide range of achievements: an emeritus professor at a university in Kyoto, frequently invited to television as a dungeon expert, and so on.
Professor Shinra had the appearance of a gentleman in his late fifties with a composed atmosphere.
He wore a high-quality but elegant suit, and his graying hair was slicked back. He sported a well-groomed mustache under his nose.
He was a gentleman with a kind smile—but his height was greater than mine, probably close to 190 centimeters. He was huge. Moreover, even through the suit, I could tell his body was incredibly muscular. Huge.
I mean, I couldn't believe Professor Shinra knew who I was. I’d really become famous! While I was feeling bashful, the Professor next offered his hand to Hinata-san.
“And this young lady must be Leveling Junkie Bro-kun’s partner, Mashiro Hinata-san? I am Shinra Zenichi. A pleasure.”
“…Hehe, yes. Likewise, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Hinata-san took a step back and said so with a beaming smile.
“…………”
The Professor’s offered hand floated lonely in the air.
…Even Hinata-san, who wasn't very well-versed in the explorer scene, clearly knew who the Professor was. That was probably why she didn't return the handshake. Otherwise, the polite Hinata-san would never take such a rude stance.
“…………Hmph. —I am Shinra Zenichi. A pleasure.”
After a brief silence, the Professor offered his hand to Mayurin-san, as if nothing had happened.
“Ah, nice to meet ya. Don't touch me, okay? I’ll sue you for sexual harassment.”
Mayurin-san, like Hinata-san, took a step back as she spoke.
“…Hmph. It seems I am disliked by young ladies, with a few exceptions. This is quite troublesome.”
Rather than sounding troubled, he said it as if he were used to it, and then moved over to Ikegami-san and the others. He began greeting them one by one.
Meanwhile, as the Professor moved away, another person stepped forward.
“Then, would it be alright if this one also offered his greetings?”
Of the other two who had approached with the Professor, the male one spoke.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Leveling Junkie-dono and Hinata-dono. And over there are Mayurin-dono and Ikegami-dono and the others, I presume.”
““(!!? We were lumped into 'the others'!?)””
For some reason, Tamaki-san, Ashitaba-san, and Hondo-san looked shocked, but regardless, the man’s greeting continued.
“The tales of your exploits have reached my ears as well. I am Saito Tatsuomi. Pray keep me in your acquaintance.”
“Ah, yes! You’re Sage Saito-san, right! It’s an honor to meet you!”
Following the Professor, I gripped his offered hand and shook it.
This individual, who for some reason spoke like a samurai, was Saito Tatsuomi-san. He was famous for holding the Title of “Sage.”
He looked to be a man in his early thirties, and his height was about the same as mine. His physique was quite… bountiful, or perhaps thick, with a portly build. He wore jeans with the cuffs rolled up and a checkered button-down shirt tucked in. He wore a backpack that looked like an expansion bag, with a short staff—likely for magic—sticking out of a side pocket. He had sneakers on his feet and glasses on his face. And for some reason, he had a bandana tied around his forehead.
It was what you’d call old-school otaku fashion. Incredible. The pressure was overwhelming…!!
I nervously exchanged a handshake with Saito-san—when,
“————Hguugh!!?”
“W-What’s wrong!?”
For some reason, Saito-san’s eyes suddenly widened, and he let out a sound like a scream. His gaze was directed straight at me. I really didn't know why, but Saito-san was staring at me as if he were looking at a monster. Clearly, Saito-san was the higher-ranked explorer and should have been the more monstrous one…
As I worried about him, Saito-san hurriedly pulled his hand away and began frantically adjusting his glasses with his finger, looking unsettled. What was with him…?
“Ah, no! It is nothing! Please pay it no mind, Leveling Junkie-dono!”
“…Is that so?”
It didn't look like nothing. He was breaking out in a cold sweat.
“B-By the way!”
“Yes, what is it?”
“D-Do you also plan to accept this request, Leveling Junkie-dono? That is to say, do you intend to enter the dungeon after this?”
What kind of question was that?
“Yes, of course. I was called here for that purpose, so I intend to enter the dungeon…”
“…A-Are you for real………… This is too dangerous…!!”
Saito-san muttered something in a small voice. It was too quiet to hear, but for some reason, Saito-san turned pale and distanced himself from me.
I wondered what it was… did I unintentionally do something rude?
Feeling slightly uneasy, I tried to approach Saito-san to ask for more details—
“—Whoa!?”
Before I knew it, someone was standing right in front of me, and I reflexively jumped back.
Standing there was a girl who looked like an elementary schooler… no, maybe a first-year middle schooler who had just started.
She was quite short. Just a tiny bit taller than Urara-san, who was a little elementary-school-aged girl (no, Urara-san wasn't a child, she was an adult woman).
Her long hair, tied in twin-tails like Mayurin-san’s, and her eyes were a stunning ocean blue. Although her features were youthful, they were as well-defined as a doll’s. She gave off a quiet impression, appearing somewhat expressionless.
She wore an oversized white hoodie, black leggings, and hot pants. Her shoes were blue trekking shoes.
It felt a bit late to mention it, but it wasn't an outfit for diving into a dungeon. That said, compared to Headshot Yakuza, Mito-san, Saito-san, and the other explorers gathered today, her outfit wasn't misplaced or bizarre, which was actually surprising for a super-famous top explorer.
However, the white hoodie had an anime-style illustration of a stylized jellyfish printed on it, which was crumbling and disappearing from the ends of its tentacles. Beneath it was written: “Jellyfish melt into the sea when they die…” Where on earth did they sell this hoodie?
“Nn… I’m Kurage. Nice to meet you…”
Kurage-chan greeted me in a downer—or rather, sleepy—voice.
“Ah, yes! Of course I know who you are…! The pleasure is mine, Kurage-chan-san…!! I am Takeo Samejima!”
I gripped the small hand Kurage-chan offered and shook it.
—Kurage-chan, also known as, or rather her real name being, Unabara Kurage-san.
As one could tell from the name, she was Japanese. In other words, her hair was simply dyed, and her eye color was from colored contacts.…Though it was strange that even her eyebrows and eyelashes were dyed, and not a hint of black could be seen even at the roots of her hair.
Kurage-chan looked like an upper-elementary or first-year middle school student no matter how you sliced it, but as you could tell from the fact that a dungeon exploration license can’t be obtained until age 18, she was past the age of adulthood.
In fact, she was older than me. She was 20-something (bleep) years old. She was an older sister compared to Hinata-san.
Unbelievable. Following Urara-san, to think I’d meet a second legal loli in my life. What was going on with my life?
“…Samejima?”
“Eh?”
Suddenly, Kurage-chan pointed her index finger at me and tilted her head.
“…Samejima?”
…Samejima?…Ah, she meant me.
“Yeah, I’m Takeo Samejima.”
“Shark?”
“Uh… y-yeah, Shark.”
“The 'Rawr!' shark?”
Rawr? That was cute.
“Yeah, well… the kind of shark that gets bumped around for fun by orcas or gets its liver eaten and then left behind.”
“Ohh…!!”
For some reason, Kurage-chan’s eyes began to sparkle. Something had apparently struck a chord in her heart.
Kurage-chan continued:
“Then, do you want to join my clan?”
“?????”
Then? What did she mean, "then"?
By the way, Kurage-chan was a solo explorer. She didn’t have a party, let alone a clan. Which meant, this was… an invitation to join a clan she was going to make eventually?
“Um… does that mean you want to scout me and Hinata-san?”
“…Hinata?”
“Yes. I’m in a party with Hinata-san here.”
I introduced Hinata-san next to me. Then Kurage-chan looked up at Hinata-san, tilted her head, and asked:
“…Name?”
“Oh, m-me? Um… I’m Mashiro Hinata.”
“Mashiro Hinata…”
Kurage-chan thought for about three seconds—
“Not needed.”
She shook her head side to side.
Hinata-san’s smile twitched with a snap.
“A-Ahaha, I-I see…”
Maybe it was because the person looked like a little girl. Hinata-san responded with a mature reaction.
However, a mocking laugh erupted at Hinata-san’s expense. It was Mayurin-san.
“Kyahahahaha!! 'Not needed,' she said! Hey, hey, Cow-tits~, she saw right through your black-hearted nature at first sight, didn't she~?”
“…………”
Hinata-san was smiling. She was smiling incredibly hard. She didn't move an inch.
“Ah, wait, how about I join that clan with Leveling Junkie Bro-kun instead of Cow-tits? Well, the condition is that Leveling Junkie Bro-kun and I form a party. How about it?”
“…Name?”
“Huh? Me? I’m Mayuri Kamiyashiki.”
“Mayuri Kamiyashiki…”
Kurage-chan thought for about two seconds and answered.
“Not needed.”
“Pfft.”
Hinata-san!?
“Hah? What was that, you brat…”
Please calm down, Director—no, Mayurin-san!!