Rubbing his stomach, the boy stood up and cast a resentful glare back toward the shop. I followed his gaze and looked at the storefront as well. Standing there was a young man, likely a college student in his early twenties, clad in the highest-grade full-body armor made of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic sold at the official Dungeon Association shop. He stood with his arms crossed, radiating an air of condescension as he looked down at the boy.
Curious about the commotion, we strained our ears to listen as the two began trading insults.
"Hah! You brat! People like you, with such pathetic equipment, are nothing but a nuisance! Hurry up and go home!"
"Shut up, you nouveau riche prick! You’ve only got fancy gear because you’ve got more money than sense!"
"Hah! And what of it? It’s far better than looking like some construction worker in a jumpsuit with baseball pads and a single shovel! Did you come to the dungeon to dig a ditch or something?!"
"Kh!"
"What’s wrong?! Nothing to say?! Where did all that bravado from a moment ago go?!"
The boy bit his lip in frustration, enduring the young man's verbal abuse. Seeing the boy’s reaction seemed to embolden the young man, as he doubled down on the insults.
I couldn’t grasp the situation at all. What on earth had happened to lead to this?
"…What was that about?"
"Who knows?"
We tilted our heads in confusion as we watched the scene unfold. Their voices reached all the way to the bus stop, which was quite a distance from the shop, so it was a rather heated argument. In fact, other explorers who weren't currently in the dungeon were starting to emerge to see what the noise was about.
Fortunately, it seemed that aside from the young man’s initial kick—or whatever it had been—the two hadn't come to blows again; they were simply continuing to hurl shouts and insults at one another.
"It’s because of crowds of people like you who can’t even pull together decent equipment that the monsters are disappearing, and it’s a pain for the rest of us! Come back when you're actually prepared!"
"Kh! I can’t help it! I’m under the age limit, so I can’t buy weapons!"
"Hah! So that’s why you brought a shovel?! Then what about the armor?! As if those toys would be of any use!"
Hmm, I was starting to get the gist of the argument. Things were playing out exactly as I’d feared.
…Hm? Is that the Association's security?
Coming from the direction of the prefabricated building that housed the office, a group of five security guards came rushing toward the fight. They were equipped with transparent polycarbonate shields labeled "DP" and rugged, black-and-white protectors. They quickly moved into a semi-circle around the two, and a man in his mid-thirties, who appeared to be the captain, began calling for their surrender.
"Both of you, don’t move! This is the DP! Comply with our instructions immediately!"
!?
"Interlace your fingers behind your head and lie face down on the ground!"
Seeing the DP officers brandishing shining black telescopic batons and shields, poised to pounce at any moment, the faces of the arguing boy and young man twitched.
"What’s the matter?! Do you intend to disobey?!"
"W-Wait! I’ll comply!"
"W-What’s with you guys?! Coming out of nowhere like this…"
Seeing the DP officers crouching as if ready to leap at any second, the young man turned pale and hurriedly placed his hands on his head and lay on the ground as instructed.
However, perhaps because the blood had rushed to his head during the fight, the boy—who was likely seeing the DP for the first time—did not follow the instructions and instead snapped at the officer. At that moment, the young man lying on the ground cast a smirk full of pity toward the boy who had defied them.
"Secure him!"
The captain issued the order. Upon receiving the command, the officers lunged at the boy simultaneously behind their shields. Before the boy could even react, they pinned him down, quickly restraining his limbs and pressing him into the asphalt.
As the boy grimaced in pain, the captain crouched down in front of him.
"Do you intend to keep resisting? If you follow our instructions quietly, we’ll release the restraints immediately."
"……"
Enduring the pain of his joints being locked, the boy nodded repeatedly with tearful eyes, signaling his intent to cooperate. The captain confirmed the boy had no will to resist and signaled the officers with a glance to release him. The boy stood up with the help of the officers, though a DP officer remained stationed on either side of him.
Meanwhile, the young man was also being helped up from the ground.
"I’d like to hear the reason for the fight, but not here where everyone is gathering. Could both of you come to the office?"
……Yes.
Having regained their composure and now looking thoroughly dejected, the two were escorted by the DP officers toward the office. The captain exchanged a few words with the shop clerk regarding the broken door to conduct an initial inquiry, then scratched the back of his head and let out a weary sigh. It was hard not to feel a sense of pity for the man. After a few more exchanges, the captain handed some documents to the clerk and followed after his officers with heavy steps.
The sudden dispute ended as quickly as it had begun, leaving behind a heavy atmosphere.
For a while, we stared at the entrance where the two had disappeared.
"…I’d heard rumors, but those DP people are strong."
"Yeah, they really are."
"…They completely brushed aside those explorers."
We were speechless at the sheer efficiency of the DP.
I had wondered how they would handle trouble between explorers. I remembered them mentioning during the orientation that a specialized police task force was on standby, but I had doubted if normal officers could actually stop disputes between people with enhanced stats.
"That tackle... wasn't it as fast as Hiiragi-san?"
"…Definitely. Their instantaneous speed might have been even higher."
"Does that mean the DP officers are level 30 or higher?"
Hiiragi-san looked at me as she asked, but I shook my head with an apologetic expression. I had been so stunned by how quickly everything unfolded that I’d missed my chance to use Appraisal Analysis.
"……"
"……"
I’m sorry. Please don't look at me with those judgmental eyes.
I know I messed up, okay? But who would have thought such heavily armed security guards would show up and suppress them without a second thought? This is Japan—the country where they'll spend hours trying to talk down a suspect before reluctantly moving in.
I really couldn't have predicted such a rapid escalation.
"…Sigh. Even so, looking at those movements, it seems the DP was thoroughly leveling up before the dungeons were opened to the public. Even if it’s just the specialized teams, they clearly have the training to easily suppress an average explorer."
"You're right. It’s not like the government wouldn't have some kind of plan. And honestly, I think that kind of response is necessary when the opponent is an explorer."
"True. Their physical abilities are several times those of an ordinary person. On top of that, they have invisible weapons like skills and magic. If they don't suppress them immediately, the collateral damage could be massive."
"Considering they didn't use stun guns, it might have actually been a lenient response."
…Now that they mentioned it, the DP's tactics made sense.
If we threw a punch with our full strength, we could easily put a hole in a concrete wall. If they left any room for resistance, the DP officers themselves would be at risk. Furthermore, if they took too long to talk them down, a single spell or skill could catch bystanders in the crossfire.
"Well, for now, it seems like the DP can handle trouble between low-level explorers without any problems. As long as we don't cause trouble, we won't have to deal with them."
"I guess so."
"However, they won't be there to help inside the dungeon. We should be very careful not to get into any disputes in there."
"…That would be…"
At Hiiragi-san's words, an unpleasant scenario flashed through my mind, and I felt my body stiffen. Yuji's expression darkened as well, clearly reaching the same conclusion.
Then, Hiiragi-san gave voice to our shared fear.
"If a dispute occurs between explorers inside a dungeon, it could escalate into the worst-case scenario."
"The worst… you mean, explorers killing each other?"
"Yes. I’d like to think it wouldn't happen, but…"
The blood drained from my face. It was a possibility we couldn't ignore.
It was something I had intentionally tried to push to the back of my mind, but if we were going to continue diving, we had to consider it.
"Seeing it happen out here makes that possibility feel very real."
"You're right. Inside a dungeon is basically a massive locked room. Right now, there are so many explorers that it's crowded, but eventually people will spread out. When the population density per floor drops... if you've made an enemy by then..."
"…There's a real chance of an ambush."
A scenario I’d only ever seen in games suddenly felt like a looming reality.
Stealing monster kills, arguments over drop items, income inequality, differing ideologies—there were plenty of reasons for people to clash. In fact, was it even possible to be an explorer without earning someone’s resentment? Humans can be petty, envious creatures. Even if you aren't aware of it, you can be hated.
And a dungeon is the perfect place to settle a grudge. With monsters and lethal traps everywhere, if an explorer dies inside, it will likely be written off as an accident unless there are witnesses. Even with an investigation, the location makes it nearly impossible to find the truth. If a crime is cleverly concealed, no one will ever know.
The thought sent a cold sweat down my back.
"Normally, most people would stop themselves because of the consequences, but…"
"In a dungeon, you can legally carry weapons, the crime scene is easy to hide, and the chance of witnesses is low. On top of that, if someone is already used to killing humanoid creatures like Orcs or Goblins..."
"The psychological barrier to killing a person would be much lower than it is for a normal citizen."
"And if it turns out you gain EXP for killing explorers..."
Our faces were pale. The more we thought about it, the more dangerous the current dungeon climate felt.
A heavy silence hung between us for a while. Trying to break the tension, I swallowed hard and spoke up.
"In a way, I’m glad we came all the way out here. Thinking about what might have happened if we went to a dungeon closer to home... it's terrifying."
"…Yeah. We only avoided the local ones because we didn't want our acquaintances to realize our level difference, but it was the right call."
"It was. Compared to the risk of being targeted, a level difference is a trivial matter. A dungeon where people from your daily life gather is a nightmare."
Hiiragi-san was right. A dungeon used by people from our school felt like a death trap. If I thought about where I was most likely to have enemies, the answer was school. Even in a single class, there are people who don't get along. If I expanded that to the whole school, I didn't even want to think about the number of people who might hold a grudge against me.
Since the dungeons opened, many students had become explorers, and they were all diving into the nearest locations. We all let out a collective sigh. Just thinking about it gave me a massive headache.
However, worrying wouldn't change anything. I turned to Yuji, who looked just as exhausted as I felt.
"Yuji."
"Hm? What is it?"
"Could you ask Juzo-san if he would be willing to teach me some swordsmanship?"
I had turned him down before, thinking that anti-personnel techniques were unnecessary for monsters, but the possibility of fighting other people had changed everything. Even just the basics would be enough. It was awkward to ask after refusing him once, but I didn't have the luxury of pride.
I bowed my head to Yuji, asking him to mediate.
"Um, Hirose-kun? If possible, I’d like to join you."
Seeing me bow, Hiiragi-san followed suit.
"……"
Yuji closed his eyes, lost in thought for a moment. Then…
"…Alright. I’ll ask him."
"Really? Than—"
"However," Yuji interrupted, "I can only act as a mediator. In the end, it’s up to my grandpa."
"Yeah, that’s plenty. Thanks."
"Thank you, Hirose-kun."
"……"
Yuji looked away, seemingly embarrassed by our gratitude.
In any case, I had to pray that these concerns turned out to be for nothing. This expedition had taught us a lot, both about the dungeon and the world outside of it. How we used that knowledge moving forward was up to us.
Finally, the shuttle bus to the station arrived. Even though it was only early afternoon, it was packed with explorers. We waited for the passengers to disembark, then picked up our gear and boarded the bus for the trip home.
In the end, man's greatest enemy is man.