The US President sat at the head of the conference room table, his expression grave. Around him, the secretaries of various departments were gathered, each glancing at the documents before them with a weary sigh.
The documents featured a simplified map of the United States, marked with the locations of all currently confirmed dungeons.
"Are there really over a hundred dungeons within our borders...?" the US President asked.
"Yes, sir. We are currently mobilizing the military and police to confirm their locations, but... while urban areas and their surroundings are under control, exploration of remote regions like mountain ranges and isolated islands is lagging. We expect the total count to rise further."
"It’s already been two months since the dungeons appeared! You mean to tell me we haven't even finished confirming their locations yet!?"
At the report from the Secretary of Homeland Security, the US President slammed his fist onto the desk, his voice rising to a shout.
"But, Mr. President, our territory is vast. Searching every corner of the country inevitably takes time."
"...How much time?"
"At the current scale of exploration, we’ll need approximately four more months."
"!"
The US President raised his fist again, but he caught himself before it struck the desk. He slowly lowered his hand, took a deep breath, and forced himself to remain calm.
"Can we increase the scale of the operation?"
"We can. However, expanding the search will require additional funding and personnel..."
Sensing the Secretary of Homeland Security's hesitation and shifting gaze, the US President turned toward the head of the relevant department.
"Secretary of the Treasury, can we increase the budget for dungeon exploration?"
"Yes, sir. We can allocate the necessary funds as an emergency budget."
"I see. Secretary of Defense, can you provide more personnel from the military?"
"It’s possible. However, the reserve units available for immediate mobilization have already been deployed. Selecting and reallocating further units will take some time."
"How long?"
"About two weeks, I expect."
"Very well. See to it immediately."
"Yes, sir."
Having heard from the relevant departments, the US President turned back to the Secretary of Homeland Security.
"There. You have your budget and your personnel. Finish the location confirmations within the next two months."
"We will do our utmost, sir," the Secretary of Homeland Security replied with a firm nod.
The US President gave a satisfied nod of his own and moved on to the next item on the agenda.
"Secretary of Defense, what is the status of the military's dungeon conquest progress?"
"I wouldn't call it... smooth, sir. The decimation of our elite units during the initial exploration is still haunting us. Currently, the furthest any team has reached is the 23rd floor."
"I see."
The US President let out a small, disappointed sigh. He was well aware that Japan had already surpassed the United States in dive depth.
"I hear Japan has already reached the 29th floor. Can we catch up?"
"Of course, sir. The development of weapons specifically designed for dungeon combat is nearing completion. Once they are deployed, our dive depth will increase rapidly."
"Is that so? I shall hold you to that."
The Secretary of Defense looked slightly stung by the President’s tone, but he remained silent and did not argue.
"Attorney General. What is the status of the regulations on drop items brought out of dungeons by civilians?"
"Unfortunately, we haven't been able to fully regulate them. Currently, the volume of items in circulation far exceeds what we have been able to seize."
"Why is that? Are the confirmed dungeons not under blockade?"
"They are. However, it’s likely that most of the items on the market are coming from unconfirmed dungeons. Furthermore..."
The Attorney General trailed off, looking uneasy.
"What is it?"
"...There have been reports of police officers stationed at dungeon blockades selling seized drop items on the black market."
"What?"
"There are also reports of National Guard members diving into dungeons on their own time to make some extra money..."
As the Attorney General delivered his report with an expression of profound shame, the US President looked up at the ceiling. To think the very people tasked with enforcement were the ones leading the way in breaking the rules...
"What has been done about these fools?"
"They have been apprehended and will face severe disciplinary action."
"Good. We need to tighten discipline across the board."
"Yes, sir. We are already implementing measures to that effect," the Attorney General promised confidently.
"I see. Next..."
The agenda was endless. The meeting continued, moving through a mountain of headache-inducing problems regarding the dungeons.
Eventually, the US President let out a sigh of relief when his Presidential Aide reported that conflicts in various regions around the world were settling down and that several temporary ceasefire treaties had been signed.
"So, the appearance of the dungeons has managed to quiet the world's conflicts, if only for a time."
"Yes, sir. We don't know how long this will last, but we intend to use this window to rotate and rest our deployed troops."
"Please do. Honestly... to think that such a disaster as the dungeons appearing would be the thing to bring about temporary world peace. I wish all conflicts would just end like this... but that's likely wishful count."
"I’m afraid so, sir," the Presidential Aide replied with a pained expression. "As much as we might wish for it, the arrival of the unknown doesn't simply erase years of deep-seated animosity. A permanent peace won't be signed so easily."
"I know that. But considering we have troops dispatched to over a hundred locations worldwide, one can't help but hope."
"Indeed, sir."
"Well, fine. Ensure the men and women in the field get the rest they need to recover their strength."
"Yes, sir."
The Presidential Aide tactfully ignored the President as he muttered his grievances.
A loud bang echoed through the Oval Office.
"Why wasn't I informed of this sooner!"
The US President had slammed both hands onto his desk, shouting at his Presidential Aide. On the desk lay a newspaper, its front-page headline screaming: "Japan Successfully Achieves Core Crystal Power Generation."
"My deepest apologies, sir. It appears the information was kept under a strict veil of secrecy. We didn't catch wind of it until the official announcement."
"Incredible! Was the Intelligence Department asleep!?"
"With the global instability following the dungeons' appearance, they’ve been completely occupied with monitoring foreign movements. It seems they were caught off guard."
"Haa..."
The US President let out a long sigh at his aide's explanation.
"Now that it's been announced so publicly, there's no way to sweep it under the rug."
"No, sir. The Japanese government released footage of the power generation experiment alongside the announcement. It would be nearly impossible to claim it’s a hoax."
"But to think... Core Crystals were thought to be nothing more than research curiosities or jewelry materials. Who would have imagined they could be used like this?"
"Indeed, sir. It’s a sudden energy revolution right before our eyes."
The Presidential Aide also sighed as he looked down at the newspaper.
"The oil majors in this country aren't going to take this lying down."
"No, they won't. There might not be an immediate impact, but if the reports are true, this will eventually replace oil and nuclear power as a primary energy resource. Particularly in Japan, given their history with nuclear accidents, this will likely become their mainstay."
"This changes everything. We'll have to completely rethink our global strategy."
"Yes, sir."
Since World War II, many conflicts had centered on oil-producing regions, but the advent of Core Crystal power generation signaled a massive turning point.
Later, the US President wore an even more unpleasant expression as he listened to another report from the Presidential Aide.
"Illegal immigration and drug smuggling are on the rise?"
"Yes, sir. Compared to before the dungeons appeared, we've seen a thirty percent increase over the last six months."
"And the cause?"
"The dungeons, sir."
"...That's a bit vague. Be specific."
The Presidential Aide handed over a folder and began to explain.
"Mr. President, you're aware that by diving into dungeons and defeating monsters, people can obtain various powers, such as magic and skills?"
"Of course. I've been briefed on explorers numerous times..."
"Well, the cause is those very explorers. They’ve begun using their new powers to facilitate criminal activity. They're smuggling drugs through treacherous routes that normal humans could never survive, and using magic and skills to bypass border security. We're seeing illegal entry and smuggling carried out through methods we never could have anticipated."
As the US President skimmed the documents, he saw examples of smuggling techniques that looked like they belonged in a ridiculous Hollywood movie.
Among them was one that stood out.
"This... a two-kilometer tunnel?"
"Yes, sir. When we raided it, we found it connected a mountain shack near the border to a warehouse in a nearby town. It wasn't the only one, either. We’ve found several others currently under construction."
"That’s impossible. Digging a tunnel like this would require a massive crew. Between the labor and the disposal of the excavated soil, there should have been signs. How was this overlooked?"
The documents included photos of the tunnel. The interior was wide enough for a vehicle, the walls were cleanly finished, and it even had electric lights.
"That's where the explorers come in. Among those we captured during the raids were individuals with skills and magic specifically suited for civil engineering."
"...Magic?"
"Yes. It appears they used magic and skills to compress the excavated soil and use it to reinforce the tunnel walls, which drastically reduced the amount of waste they had to move. Furthermore, by using people with enhanced strength from the dungeons, they achieved a manual excavation speed that rivaled heavy machinery. According to the interrogations, they finished the entire tunnel in about a month."
"You’re kidding..."
The US President groaned. If two-kilometer tunnels could be dug secretly and manually in such a short time, the nation’s entire border security strategy would have to be scrapped and rebuilt from scratch.
But the Presidential Aide had more bad news.
"...Worse still, the tunnel diggers we captured were relatively low-level compared to our military exploration teams. Which means..."
"That tunnels even more advanced than this could be dug even faster," the US President finished.
"Precisely, sir."
Silence fell over the Oval Office. Problems were piling up, and they were only getting more complicated as time went on. It was enough to make anyone want to bury their head in their hands.
"We need countermeasures, and we need them now."
"I agree, sir."
"First, we'll need to increase the number of police and Border Patrol agents."
"Yes. And since the enforcement side is currently outmatched, we should consider sending our own agents into government-controlled dungeons to raise their levels..."
"A sensible suggestion. Let’s look into it."
With a heavy sigh, the US President closed the folder and moved on to the next report.
The US President’s eyes went wide as he listened to his aide's latest update.
"The conflict has reignited?"
"Yes, sir. A full-scale invasion, launched without warning and in direct violation of the ceasefire treaty."
"Why would they do something so reckless...?"
The US President glanced at the report and stopped at a specific entry.
"The infantry's equipment... it's remarkably high-end."
"Yes, sir. The Intelligence Department just sent a flash report on that."
"What does it say?"
"It seems the country in question has been flooding the black market with items from their dungeons. They likely used the massive profits to modernize their entire military."
The report listed the estimated funds the nation had acquired through these back-alley deals. The amount was staggering—enough to buy several of America’s own fifth-generation fighter jets, and more than enough to arm tens of thousands of soldiers.
"I see."
"Also, while we haven't confirmed the details yet... witnesses have reported seeing multiple units composed entirely of explorers among the invading forces."
"Is that true?"
"Yes, sir. Infantrymen armed with heavy machine guns and large-caliber mortars were reportedly moving at speeds comparable to armored vehicles while engaging in combat. It’s simply beyond the capabilities of a normal human soldier."
"..."
The US President lamented the fact that his worst fears had become a reality. He leaned back and covered his face with his hand.
"So that's why they agreed to a year-long ceasefire..."
"Most likely, sir. They must have recognized the strategic value of the dungeons early on and spent the time preparing."
"Firearms might be useless against monsters inside the dungeons, but they're still perfectly lethal against humans outside of them. Anyone with half a brain could have seen this coming."
"I’m afraid so, sir."
The US President and his aide exchanged a look, then lapsed into an awkward silence, both looking away. Finally, the Presidential Aide cleared his throat to break the tension.
"Ahem... The Intelligence Department is still gathering more data on the ground. They’ll have a more comprehensive report for the next meeting."
"Very well. Get the briefing ready immediately."
"Understood, sir."
The Presidential Aide turned and left the Oval Office.
As the door closed, the US President whispered to the empty room. "The peace the dungeons gave us is already being shattered by those very same dungeons... How ironic."