The day after my reunion with Miyano-san, I was in my room trying to analyze and verify dungeon conquest footage, but the content refused to sink in. I was staring at the screen, yet I’d occasionally snap out of a daze only to realize that several minutes of the video had played without me registering a single thing.
Deciding it was impossible to continue in my current state, I let out a heavy sigh and powered down my PC.
"Haa... I thought a night’s sleep would be enough to reset my mood, but I guess not."
I leaned back, letting my weight sink into the chair as I stared listlessly at the ceiling.
As expected, maintaining my composure after hearing Miyano-san's story was proving difficult. Every time my mind went idle, I found myself overlaying his experiences onto our own.
With our current combat strength, we were likely unrivaled on the shallow floors. One could even say we wouldn't encounter any dangerous situations, provided we didn't run into some bizarre irregular, an exceptionally powerful enemy, or a malicious trap....But at the same time, I couldn't say the possibility was zero.
If we were to encounter that one-in-a-million chance and things took a turn for the worst...
"Phew. No more work today. If I don’t get a change of pace and clear my head, I won’t get anything done."
I shook off the grim scenarios flickering in the back of my mind, sat up, and stood.
"Staying cooped up in the house isn't going to help me. I’m going out."
I grabbed a jacket from my closet along with a bag for my wallet and other essentials, then headed out.
When I reached the living room downstairs, Mother and Father were already preparing to leave.
"Oh? Daiki, are you heading out too?"
"Ah, yeah. Are you two going somewhere?"
"Yes. Your father and I are going shopping."
"That’s right. A date for just the two of us, the first one in a long time."
"Heh."
I felt a saccharine taste in my mouth at Father’s unabashed comment.
Hearing him call it a date, Mother shyly swatted him on the back, though her expression was clearly one of joy. Well, I suppose it’s a good thing they get along so well...
"I’m heading out first, then. Make sure you lock up."
"Want a ride? You're taking the train, right?"
"It’s fine. This is your big date, isn't it? I won’t play the third wheel. Go have fun."
"Oh, Daiki, not you too..."
Ignoring Mother’s protest, I gave a light wave and left the living room. I couldn't stand to be in that sappy atmosphere for another second.
With no specific destination in mind, I walked to the station. Fortunately, the weather was just as clear as yesterday, and even the walk itself provided some measure of a mental refresh, but...
"Now then. What should I actually do...?"
Without a goal, I found myself standing at the station entrance, at a loss. I began wandering the terminal, searching for ideas to distract myself.
My first stop was a rack for free local tourist magazines. In a small, cramped corner near the ticket gates, about a dozen thin pamphlets were on display.
"Let's see... Sightseeing, history, ruins, gourmet... None of this really jumps out at me."
I flipped through them, but the contents were uninspiring.
This was my familiar hometown, not some major tourist hub. The pamphlets only listed places I’d already visited or things I’d learned back in local history class. Letting out a small sigh, I tucked the pamphlets back into their slots.
It didn't look like I’d find much of a distraction here.
"Hm? That's..."
Just as I gave up on the brochures and looked up to move on, I froze. My gaze landed on a poster plastered on the wall ahead.
"A movie... Come to think of it, I haven't been to a theater in ages."
My interest piqued, I walked over to the wall where several B2-sized posters were advertising the latest releases.
Romance, suspense, comedy, action... and then...
"An industry first! A high-impact action movie with zero CG, featuring numerous explorers as stunt performers?"
I stopped in front of one specific poster.
Against a backdrop of exploding, crumbling buildings, a protagonist dressed like a special forces operative reached out with a desperate shout.
"Drops of Amaterasu. Reclaim the research results that hold the fate of the nation from the clutches of armed terrorists who have seized a laboratory, huh... It sounds like a pretty cliché setup."
As far as action movie premises went, it wasn't exactly groundbreaking.
It was likely a film that prioritized spectacle over story. There was probably an experimental side to it as well—a test to see how the audience reacted and how the box office performed when using actual explorers for the stunts.
"Well, whatever. It’s for a change of pace anyway. It might be fun to watch something I wouldn't normally pick."
Usually, I’d steer clear of this kind of gimmicky flick.
"Let's see, where is it playing... Ah, that theater."
I checked the listings at the bottom of the poster and found a theater I occasionally visited. A quick search on my phone confirmed a screening was scheduled in an hour.
I could be there in thirty minutes.
"Alright, let's move."
With my destination decided, I bought a train ticket. Luckily, the train was arriving at the platform almost immediately, so I didn't have to wait.
I didn't know if the movie would be any good, but I hoped it would be the distraction I needed.
Sitting in a family restaurant near the theater later that afternoon, I stared at a cup of coffee and let out a long sigh.
The movie ticket stub resting on the table felt like a grim warning.
"The action scenes were good, at least..."
That was my primary takeaway.
Because they had used explorers as stuntmen, the action was superb—it either rivaled or outright surpassed CG effects despite being live-action. The final showdown between the protagonist and the terrorist leader was a nail-biting exchange of high-speed hand-to-hand combat that had the audience cheering.
However...
"I went for a change of pace, and the story had to be like that... Now I just feel even more depressed."
Recalling the plot made another sigh escape me.
The core of the story was a struggle over vested interests surrounding a new energy source developed in Japan.
It began with the announcement that a national project to develop a new energy source had succeeded and was ready for commercialization. This new energy was marketed for its low investment costs and overwhelming power output, threatening to make all existing power generation obsolete. While it was hailed as a breakthrough that would move humanity away from fossil fuels and into a new era, a certain oil major—desperate to protect its profits—secretly funded terrorists to destroy the laboratory and the research data, hoping to derail the project.
"Doesn't this setup... match Japan's current reality perfectly?"
With the success of Core Crystal power generation, the value of fossil fuels like petroleum was plummeting. While oil still held value in sectors like synthetic fibers and resins, its worth as a fuel—its primary demand—was steadily declining. This was the lifeblood of the global energy industry.
It was impossible that there weren't people out there who resented Japan for this. Perhaps incidents that served as the inspiration for the script had already occurred.
"Was it an 'if' scenario, social satire, or a warning? I wonder what kind of future the person who wrote this saw for Japan..."
I massaged my temples, feeling a headache coming on, and looked at the stub again.
At the end of the movie, the terrorist, cornered by the protagonist, blew himself up and destroyed the server containing the data. As a result, Japan's commercialization of the new energy was set back significantly, and the country—which had relied on imports for nearly all its resources—plunged into a period of avoidable chaos and hardship.
"Come to think of it, if Core Crystal power generation had failed, a future like that might have actually happened."
I took a sip of coffee and crumpled the ticket stub in my hand.
In its own way, the movie had accurately depicted the impact dungeons had on the world.
The battle between criminals with superhuman abilities and the authorities trying to stop them. The general public caught in the crossfire, fleeing in terror. The destruction of old industries by new technology, and the ruthless conspiracies of those trying to cling to power. The weakness of a government that, despite sensing the danger, fails to act because of bureaucratic friction...
"Even if it’s not as extreme as the movie, the current world is likely riddled with problems. We're just in a quiet period because the dungeons are still new... but thinking about what happens when the dust settles is terrifying."
I shuddered at the thought of the future international landscape.
Since the dungeons appeared, the world had been in a state of eerie sedation. There had been unrest in oil-producing regions when Japan announced its Core Crystal power generation, but things had calmed down after Japan promised technical and economic aid. Every nation was currently too busy managing their own dungeons and trying to control their explorers.
But eventually...
"A world where terrorists empowered by dungeons roam free... Sounds like a manga."
A world where fiction wasn't just fiction.
With the appearance of the dungeons, a world once reserved for daydreams was manifesting as reality.
"I should have just watched a kids' anime; that would’ve been a better change of pace..."
I downed the rest of my coffee and stood up, feeling more mentally drained than when I had entered. The more I ruminated on the movie, the more my spirits sank.
After wandering aimlessly for a bit longer, I finally decided to blow off some steam at a karaoke box. I figured if I just sang my heart out without thinking, I’d feel better. However, since it was Golden Week, the place was packed with families and groups. When I asked for a solo booth at the counter, I felt a barrage of judgmental stares that only deepened my gloom.
"...Well, might as well sing."
I was led to a room that was a bit too large for one person. I started picking songs on the remote while waiting for my drink, hoping to get started before the staff member returned.
"Thank you for waiting. I have your oolong tea."
"Thanks."
"Please enjoy your stay."
The staff member was quick, and I finally had the room to myself.
I sent my selections to the machine, and the upbeat intro of the first song filled the room. The rhythm started to lift my mood.
"Sssshhh—"
I took a deep breath and, as a way to snap myself out of it, ignored my vocal range and began to belt out lyrics, venting all the frustration that had built up in my chest. No one was listening, so who cared if I was off-key? I spent the next two hours singing solo, purging every ounce of stress that had plagued me since yesterday. By the time I left the building, my expression was finally clear.
When I arrived home, I found my parents and Mika already back, relaxing in the living room together.
"I'm home."
"...Welcome back, Onii-chan."
"Welcome back, Daiki."
Mika, in her usual position sprawled across the sofa, gave a muffled greeting from behind a cushion, while Mother peeked out from the kitchen. When Mother saw my face, a visible look of relief washed over her.
...Why?
"Your expression looks much brighter than it did this morning."
"Does it?"
"Yes. When you left, you looked incredibly troubled."
I hadn't intended to let it show, but it seemed Mother had been well aware of my slump.
"I spent the day getting a change of pace, so I'm fine now."
"I see. But from now on, please come to us before you get that worked up, okay? Your father and I can at least listen."
"She's right, Daiki. Don't try to carry everything alone."
Father looked up from his newspaper to add his own word of concern. It seemed I hadn't been hiding my stress from him either.
"...Yeah. I'll do that next time."
I felt a twinge of guilt for not reaching out, but it was outweighed by the warmth of knowing my parents cared so much.
"Well then, let's have dinner. Daiki, go put your things away."
"Got it."
Following Mother’s lead, I headed upstairs with a light heart.
Alright, I’ve had my reset. Time to get back to work!