While the Fantasy Metal Applied Utilization Project report meeting was underway, the magic item team was gathered in a different room within the same building. They sat around a table cluttered with disassembled magic items, their heads in their hands in frustration.
An electron microscope photograph was projected onto the monitor fixed to the wall, drawing every eye in the room.
"I never would have guessed... Core Crystals, refined into nanoparticles, were cast directly into the material to form a large-scale integrated circuit in the shape of a magic circle," muttered Kimura, an elderly researcher. He looked away from the screen, massaging his forehead.
The photograph displayed a complex web of interconnected magic circles, creating a massive magic circuit.
"How are we supposed to replicate this?" one researcher asked.
"We might be able to manage the alignment of the particles if we apply our integrated circuit manufacturing technology," another suggested, "but establishing a reliable production process won't happen overnight."
"Wait, before we even worry about manufacturing, shouldn't we prioritize analyzing the function of each magic circle? We need to extract the common elements first."
"No," Kimura interjected. "First, we must decipher the character strings that compose them—the magic spells. If we don't understand the 'syntax' of the spells, we'll never truly grasp what the magic circles are meant to do."
"...We’ll have to request that some linguists be assigned to the project."
A heavy silence, punctuated by the occasional sigh, settled over the room as the researchers contemplated the sheer scale of the task.
"The higher-ups are demanding immediate results, but..."
"That’s impossible, isn't it?" a young researcher spat out with a frustrated sigh. "Even if we try to copy this lighter-like magic item, which seems the simplest of the lot, we’d still have to develop the technology to cast Core Crystal particles with nanometer precision. That will take a year at the very least."
"A year... Yes, I suppose so," Kimura murmured, rubbing his temples. Revolutionary technology wasn't something that could be summoned on command.
"Until the casting technology is ready, we'll just have to buy time. We'll focus on analyzing the magic spells and searching for patterns in the magic circles to keep the superiors satisfied."
"I suppose so..."
"Then let's get to work." Kimura bolstered his resolve and began delegating tasks. "Sakaguchi and Morita, handle the collection and classification of magic circles from the existing items. Hida and Yanagi, focus on functional analysis. Kisaragi and Nitta, I want you researching processing methods. I’ll negotiate with the administration to bring in the linguists."
"Understood," they replied in unison.
Following Kimura’s lead, the researchers set to work.
Meanwhile, the cabinet was assembled in a conference room at the Prime Minister's Official Residence.
The Prime Minister skimmed the documents before him before turning to his ministers. "How are the dungeon entry restrictions affecting the situation?"
"Sir," one minister began, "the chaos caused by overcrowding has subsided. Explorers are now reasonably dispersed across the various floors."
"Consequently, average explorer levels are rising and they are reaching deeper floors," another official added. "The quality of drop items is improving, and the overall volume of items recovered is steadily increasing."
"Dungeon-derived goods are flowing into the general market more frequently now, and prices are beginning to stabilize downward," noted another.
"However, we are seeing some friction. Explorers who lose out on the entry ticket lottery have been organizing protests. Some have even gone so far as to file lawsuits demanding compensation for lost income due to the restrictions."
Several ministers grimaced, no doubt recalling reports of troublesome explorers.
Sensing the shift in mood, the Prime Minister moved the discussion forward. "I see. Still, the dispersion seems to have gone remarkably well."
"That is the strength of the rank system," one of the ministers explained. "By manipulating entry numbers and time slots based on rank, we’ve successfully managed the flow of explorers across different floors."
"...Is that really an acceptable practice?" the Prime Minister asked tentatively.
"Naturally, we haven't officially stated that's what we're doing. Some have likely figured it out, but at this rate, we can lift the restrictions in a month or two. The habit of dispersing throughout the floors is already taking hold; we shouldn't see a return to the congestion we had on the surface floors."
"I see..."
While the Prime Minister looked somewhat conflicted, the Minister of Finance was in high spirits.
"From a national perspective, high-rank explorers are prime candidates for the top tax brackets. For the sake of the treasury, I want them to push their ranks as high as possible. If we can produce around a thousand A-rank explorers, we're looking at a tax revenue increase of roughly twenty billion yen. Between that and the improved performance of dungeon-related corporations, next year’s tax projections are looking very healthy."
"Once the ten-million-kilowatt-class Core Crystal power plants currently under construction go online, electricity rates will drop," added the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry enthusiastically. "That will give our industries an even greater boost."
"Exactly. The end of the recession is finally within sight. I’m quite looking forward to the coming months."
The Prime Minister watched the two ministers celebrate with a brief, weary glance before shifting the focus again.
"That is good to hear. On that note, what is the status of the research projects utilizing magic items and fantasy metals? As a nation that prides itself on technology, we must master these dungeon-derived advancements before our competitors."
The Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology took the floor.
"I wouldn't say things are perfect... but they are proceeding reasonably well. The Fantasy Metal Applied Utilization Project is currently bottlenecked by a lack of raw materials, though the research itself is steady. On the other hand, the magic item project has hit a wall."
"Why is that?"
"The manufacturing techniques for the magic circuits are highly specialized, and deciphering the magic spells and magic circles is proving time-consuming. The team is working at full capacity, but it will be some time before we can replicate a magic item."
"Magic spells... You mean an alien language?"
"Most likely. These spells appear throughout the circuits and circles; they seem to function much like a programming language. We’ve brought in linguists to assist with the deciphering, so we expect a breakthrough in the near future."
"I see. I want these technologies mastered as quickly as possible, but haste makes waste. Ensure the work is done thoroughly."
"Understood, sir."
The Prime Minister then turned his attention to the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
"And what of the international situation? There was significant turmoil globally following the appearance of the dungeons."
"The initial chaos has largely been brought under control," the Minister of Foreign Affairs replied. "Most developed nations have implemented systems similar to our own explorer system, allowing for a degree of control over their populations. However..."
"However?"
"In many developing nations, local governments have struggled to maintain order. Civilians are entering unreported dungeons at will. Many governments have chosen to secure only a few dungeons as state-run facilities, essentially abandoning the rest. The real concern is that these wild dungeons are being seized by criminal organizations and terrorists as funding sources. We've confirmed that a massive volume of drop items is flooding the black market."
The Prime Minister sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
"...That is a serious problem. We need to take countermeasures immediately. Beyond the funding issue, if terrorists or criminals who have gained skills and levels in these dungeons enter Japan, our standard security forces will be completely outmatched."
"Prime Minister," the Chief Cabinet Secretary interjected, "if I may speak to that point?"
"Go ahead."
"The National Police Agency is currently moving to establish a special force composed primarily of high-level explorers from within their own ranks."
"Don't we already have the DP? Is this a separate organization?"
"It is. The DP's primary mission is maintaining security and order in and around the dungeons—a defensive role. This new unit's objective is to handle heinous crimes committed by high-level explorers or terrorists outside of dungeon zones. It is intended to be a visible deterrent."
"Could existing special forces like the SAT not handle that?"
The Chief Cabinet Secretary shook his head. "Existing units are designed to deter ordinary criminals. They aren't equipped to deal with an explorer who can leap ten meters in the air or punch through a cinder block wall."
"But surely firearms would still be effective?"
"Against a low-level explorer, perhaps. But once they reach a certain level, the kind of firearms an officer can carry lack stopping power. Even a large-caliber magnum fired at close range would be little more than a painful nuisance to them. High-level explorers possess durability comparable to an armored vehicle."
A heavy silence fell over the conference room. The Prime Minister swallowed hard.
"Are they really that powerful?"
"They are. And if you add magic and skills into the mix, ordinary special forces have no hope of suppressing them. The only effective counter is to deploy high-level explorers of our own."
"..."
"However," the Chief Cabinet Secretary continued, "there is a significant complication."
"A complication?"
The Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology both looked pained.
"Currently, the individuals obtaining high-rarity drop items like fantasy metals are the elite teams from the police and the Self-Defense Forces. These are our only high-level explorers, and their numbers are quite limited. Reassigning them to a new force would mean losing our primary source of rare materials."
"That is unacceptable!" the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology exclaimed. "Even the small supply of fantasy metal we currently have is the only thing keeping our research projects alive. If that supply stops, we’ll hit a dead end, and our national strategy to lead in magic technology will crumble!"
"I agree," added the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry. "Losing those drop items would deal a massive blow to the economy. We are finally emerging from a long recession; we cannot afford any setbacks now!"
The two ministers voiced their fierce opposition, but the Chief Cabinet Secretary remained calm, as if he had expected the outcry.
"At present, our elite teams consist of only about seventy people across six teams from the police and Self-Defense Forces combined."
"That is far too few."
"Because we have so many people tied up in logistics and backup, the number of actual elite combatants is small."
In state-controlled dungeons, a massive logistical chain was required to ensure consistent profit. Supply depots were established every five floors, where the police and Self-Defense Forces worked in tandem. The elite teams explored new floors, while following units occupied the cleared areas to collect drop items. Dedicated backup teams then shuttled the goods to the surface. It was a highly efficient, militarized system that gave the state an advantage over decentralized civilian explorers.
"Pulling these people now would cripple our dungeon progress. In time, the number of high-level explorers will grow, making it easier to staff a special force, but we don't know if we have that luxury. It has been nearly a year since the dungeons appeared. If international criminals and terrorists are already fielding high-level explorers, we need a counter-force now."
"But still..."
"As a compromise," the Chief Cabinet Secretary said, "the proposal is to use the elite teams as a core and scout promising individuals from the civilian explorer population to fill out the ranks."
"Civilian explorers? But most of them are..."
"Indeed. Most are low-level individuals who never left the surface floors during the early chaos. However, a few have shown exceptional talent. The plan is to scout those with reliable characters."
The Prime Minister closed his eyes, considering the proposal. The Ministers of Economy and Education still looked uneasy about using civilians, but they seemed willing to concede if it protected the flow of drop items.
"Very well," the Prime Minister finally said. "But proceed with the utmost caution. The last thing I want is for our own recruits to stage a revolt."
"Naturally. We have no intention of bringing unexploded bombs into our own house."
"See that you don't."
The Chief Cabinet Secretary nodded solemnly.