A few days after the total annihilation of the advance team, the members sent into the dungeon as the second wave were descending deep into its depths, maintaining a vigilant watch for monsters.
"C-Captain."
"I know. All units, prepare for interception. Squad 1, prepare to fire. Squad 2, prepare for melee combat. Squad 3, secure the rear. Squad 4, move to support the other squads as needed."
"Copy that!"
Following the Captain’s instructions, the subordinates moved briskly to establish their defense. Some aimed their rifles forward, others gripped machetes or knives, and several illuminated the passage with hand lights.
Once preparations were complete, the entire team advanced slowly down the passage according to the Captain’s order to move out. Then—
"Dogs fifty meters ahead! Count is three! They’ve already spotted us!"
"Firing positions ready! Ready whenever you are!"
"Permission to fire once they’re under thirty meters! Squad 2, if the gunfire doesn't stop them, wait for my signal and charge!"
Copy!
"Squad 3, status of the retreat path!?"
"All clear!"
"Squad 4, stop shaking that light! Keep it steady!"
"Copy!"
The Captain deliberately bellowed his orders to provoke the monsters. Having drawn the attention of the hound dogs, the creatures immediately charged.
"Take aim... Fire!"
Following the Captain's command, the members aimed their rifles—equipped with trajectory-confirmation lasers to prevent friendly fire—and unleashed a hail of lead. The well-aimed three-round bursts struck the hound dogs in the torsos and legs, but the creatures didn't fall. Bleeding from their wounds, the hound dogs accelerated even further, slaloming left and right as they closed the distance.
"Tch. Squad 1, suppressive fire! Squad 2, prepare for melee!"
Squad 1 fired rapidly to hinder the hound dogs' movements. Squad 2 used that opening to approach the monsters, taking care not to block the laser sights of their comrades.
They swung their machetes down upon the necks of the hound dogs, which had instinctively frozen under the rain of bullets falling at their feet.
"...Situation clear. All personnel, damage reports."
After confirming the deaths of the hound dogs, whose heads had been severed from their bodies, the Captain declared the end of the engagement.
"Squad 1, no damage."
"Squad 2, equipment damage for one member. No hindrance to combat operations."
"Squad 3, no damage."
"Squad 4, no damage."
The squad leaders delivered their reports. While it wasn't a flawless victory, they had managed to repel the monster attack without any casualties.
However...
"Squad 2, what happened to the equipment?"
"During melee combat, a monster’s claw caught on a combat uniform and tore it," the squad leader replied. The member in question showed the tear on his right leg.
"It tore through blade-resistant fiber?"
"Yes. Fortunately, it only snagged the clothing. There are no injuries, but..."
"...I’ll need to submit a proposal for combat uniforms designed specifically for melee combat."
"Yes, sir. At the very least, we should add greaves and gauntlets to protect the limbs."
The body armor they wore was designed for gunfights. Consequently, it prioritized vital parts like the torso, leaving the limbs unarmored to reduce weight. This time, they had simply been lucky enough to avoid a wound.
"...Captain."
"Yeah, that’s enough for this run. All units, prepare to withdraw."
"Copy that!"
Maintaining their guard, they collected the items dropped by the hound dogs and began their retreat. They encountered more monsters on the way back, but they managed to leave the dungeon without injury and rendezvoused with the support units.
In the White House, the US President received a report on the Second Investigation Team from his Presidential Aide.
"What were the investigation team's losses?"
"Given the lessons learned from the first team, the casualties for the Second Investigation Team were extremely minor. We had several dozen seriously injured, but fortunately, there were no fatalities."
"I see."
The President let out a small sigh of relief.
Seeing the President's expression, the Presidential Aide’s face twisted slightly with guilt. Though he hadn't reported the details, among the "seriously injured" were men who had suffered the loss of limbs or permanent paralysis.
The Aide placed a new set of documents on the desk to change the subject.
"...Following the reports from the Second Investigation Team, there have been numerous requests for equipment improvements."
"Improvements?"
"Yes. Most notably, requests for better melee weapons and armor."
The President took the documents and scanned the list of dozens of bulleted points.
"The reports suggest that the deeper one descends into the lower floors, the less effective firearms become against the monsters. Because of this, the team members were forced into melee combat."
"Guns are losing their effectiveness?"
"Yes. We are investigating the cause, but it seems that defeating monsters with small arms alone becomes incredibly difficult from the third floor onward. High-caliber cannons might work, but..."
"Eventually, even those will fail?"
"Precisely."
"I see..." The President frowned, looking back at the documents.
"As a countermeasure, the investigation team has proposed an enhancement of our melee capabilities."
"...A modern military in an age where we send rockets to the moon is reduced to hunting with blades and clubs. It’s a joke."
"But if guns don't work, then brawling is the only viable option."
"I know. I'm just venting." The President offered a self-deprecating smile.
The Presidential Aide almost shared the smile but held it back, choosing instead to highlight the benefits of the dungeon.
"However, we have also seen invaluable results."
"The drop items?"
"Yes. We’ve confirmed numerous precious gems and metals. While the specifics are still being analyzed, we have also obtained medicines, scrolls, and various tools that exhibit mysterious effects."
The Aide handed over a list of the items obtained by the Second Investigation Team.
"If we liquidate the gems and metals, we can use the funds to compensate for the damage caused by the dungeons' appearance."
"Yes. And the other items may hold even higher value once the research is complete."
"Exert whatever pressure is needed to speed up the investigation."
"Understood."
The President paused for a moment before issuing further instructions.
"I will review the budget and improvement plans with the cabinet. For now, don't push the men too hard. Have the military organize a Third Investigation Team to focus their survey primarily on the first three floors. Their main priority is the collection of items dropped by monsters. Those samples must be given to the scientists to be analyzed in detail."
"Understood."
The Presidential Aide bowed and left the room.
As the upgrades for melee weapons and armor progressed, the investigation teams began to operate with a greater degree of safety. Within Russia, the military and police had successfully cordoned off the dungeons, preventing the kind of civilian casualties seen in other countries.
And today, a new legion was born within the Federal Armed Forces.
Standing before thousands of soldiers, a General with rows of medals decorating his chest delivered a stirring speech from the podium.
"Men! As of this moment, the Russian Dungeon Capture Force is officially established as a pillar of our Federal Armed Forces!"
The Dungeon Capture Force—an independent branch created in response to Japan’s Core Crystal power generation—had been formed to exploit the value of the dungeons. Their primary mission was the security and surveillance of domestic dungeons and the collection of drop items from defeated monsters.
"Depending on your performance, you hold the power to rescue our struggling motherland and the Federal Armed Forces from ruin! Carry that pride in your hearts! I expect great things from each of you!"
"Sir!"
The General saluted, and the thousands of soldiers responded in a thunderous unison.
As the General’s speech made clear, the Dungeon Capture Force existed for one reason: profit. Realizing that dungeon items traded for astronomical sums, Russia had nationalized every dungeon within its borders. They barred the public and moved in with the military.
By utilizing the military, they ensured a stable flow of items, choosing to rebuild their economy by exporting the surplus for foreign currency. It was the moment a massive consuming organization like the military transitioned into productive activities for the sake of the national treasury.
Furthermore, the government had agreed to allocate a significant portion of the sales revenue back into the military. This gave the Federal Armed Forces their first comfortable budget in years. Most of it went to personnel costs, improving the pay for officers and soldiers. Consequently, the corruption and embezzlement born of poverty plummeted, and the military began to regain its discipline and morale.
Because of this, despite being a new branch, the Dungeon Capture Force was viewed with profound respect by the rest of the military. Everyone knew that their improved quality of life was thanks to the capture force.
The US President frowned as he listened to a fresh report from his Presidential Aide.
"The conflict in the Middle East has reignited, you say?"
"Yes. A report just came in from our ambassador on the ground. They unilaterally ignored the ceasefire and resumed attacks without any prior notice."
"...A ceasefire that didn't even last a year. Nothing ever goes as planned."
"No, sir. How should we respond?"
The Presidential Aide watched the President, who was rubbing his temples.
"Is there any other information?"
"Yes. A unit believed to be composed of explorers was confirmed among the invading forces."
"What? Are you certain?"
"Yes. They were reportedly moving through urban areas with heavy weaponry at speeds that allowed them to keep pace with armored vehicles."
The Aide read from his report. "Such a feat would be impossible for an ordinary soldier."
"Indeed. Given that the Russian Dungeon Capture Force demonstrated similar capabilities during their recent exercises, there is little doubt."
The Aide recalled the footage of the Russian exercises: soldiers sprinting across the field with heavy machine guns and massive loads of ammunition, keeping pace with vehicles. Their concentrated fire had shredded target vehicles in seconds, and infantry had unleashed barrages against drones that looked like anti-aircraft fire from a warship. Seeing those empowered explorers had made him realize that the very concept of "infantry" was being rewritten.
Currently, the Russian Dungeon Capture Force was even leading the development of portable high-caliber cannons designed specifically for explorer use.
"But to put an explorer unit into front-line urban warfare... What about the civilians?"
"Because of the suddenness of the invasion, there was no evacuation. Casualties are reported to be high."
"Then the refugee crisis that had finally settled will start all over again."
"Yes. Europe is already in an absolute uproar. It's as if a hornet's nest has been kicked."
"I'm sure it is." The President closed his eyes.
He couldn't remain a bystander forever. After all, one of the factions fueling the conflict was none other than his own.
"Get me more intelligence from the ground immediately. We can't decide our next move without accurate data."
"Yes, sir. I'll have a report for you as soon as possible."
"And gather the cabinet. I want a meeting to discuss our strategy for this new development."
"Right away."
The Secretary bowed and exited the room.
Watching the door close behind the Presidential Aide, the President sighed.
"Back to war already... Sooner than I expected. But then, that ceasefire was a hurried thing, signed only because of the dungeons. Since none of the underlying issues were resolved, it was only a matter of time..."
The President thought of the terms of that treaty and let out a weary, hollow sigh.
With this spark, conflicts and civil wars that had been dormant across the globe began to reignite. On countless battlefields, soldiers with the power of explorers began to emerge, turning war zones into a level of hell unseen before the dungeons. The collateral damage was staggering, and the violence against civilians was merciless.
The result was a tidal wave of refugees. Millions fled toward neighboring countries in search of safety, creating a humanitarian crisis far more severe than anything the world had faced before the dungeons appeared.