A certain study committee was about to convene in a conference room within the joint government building occupied by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. Over a dozen members were present, each waiting for the proceedings to begin with a grim expression.
When the clock finally struck the scheduled start time, a man wearing glasses seated at the center-left of the U-shaped table arrangement spoke.
"We will now begin the third meeting of the Study Committee for the Establishment of a Dungeon Department. I would like to thank everyone for gathering here today despite your busy schedules."
The Moderator's voice echoed through the room, and the tension among the Attendees sharpened.
"Let us move directly to the agenda. The first item is the debate over whether current high school students should be permitted to obtain an Armed Exploration Permit for Special Underground Structures. Does anyone wish to offer an opinion?"
"...Yes."
Prompted by the Moderator, a Young Man sitting at the edge of the right table raised his hand.
"Please, go ahead."
"Then I shall speak first. As I have stated previously, I believe we should prohibit students from obtaining the Armed Exploration Permit for Special Underground Structures."
The members at the right table nodded deeply in agreement, while those at the left table furrowed their brows.
"Last year, the number of students repeating a grade in both private and public high schools increased threefold compared to the year before. Our investigation into the reasons for these failures revealed a lack of attendance, poor academic performance, and long-term hospitalizations due to injuries. Furthermore, approximately sixty percent of these students possess an Armed Exploration Permit for Special Underground Structures. It is highly probable that most of these cases were caused by dungeon exploration."
A bitter atmosphere filled the room. The sharp rise in repeating students had become a significant societal issue.
Then, a middle-aged man at the right table raised his hand. "May I add something?"
"Please."
"Thank you. Following up on the issue of repeating students, we have received various reports from the front lines of education regarding behavioral problems. Please look at Document 3 in your materials."
The sound of rustling paper filled the conference room as the members flipped through their folders.
"We are seeing a variety of misconduct by repeating students against their underclassmen—particularly incoming freshmen."
"Extortion, assault, robbery... I see."
"Precisely. Most of these repeaters hold the permit, which means they possess physical strength far beyond that of an ordinary person. While this certainly doesn't apply to every one of them, it appears many are using that power to vent their frustrations over failing their grade."
"That must be a nightmare for the victims."
"It is."
The Attendees looked pained as they contemplated the situation.
"Unfortunately, the incidents listed here are only those that have been discovered—the ones where the police were involved and the matter became public."
"Meaning there are more problems that haven't come to light yet?"
"Exactly. Based on the field reports, I suspect this is merely the tip of the iceberg."
Silence fell over the room. Given the sheer volume of the documents provided, the "tip of the iceberg" was a chilling thought.
"...If I may add one more thing?" the Young Man at the right table asked, raising his hand again.
"Go ahead."
"According to data from the police, juvenile group crime is also on an upward trend."
"Is that so?"
"The nature of these crimes has become more radical and heinous than in the pre-dungeon era. Are you all aware of the sword theft case involving a group of youths recently?"
Most of the Attendees nodded.
"A large number of swords were stolen from a specialized shop. Every single one of the boys involved was a high school student holding the permit."
"And I assume they stole the swords to use in the dungeons?"
"Yes. According to their confessions, they wanted to secure weapons for exploration. Their efforts in the dungeons hadn't been successful, their funds had dried up, and because they couldn't afford to buy weapons through a proxy, they decided to rob the store."
"Good heavens..."
Heavy sighs filled the room. The consensus was clear: it was idiocy to throw one's life away over something like that.
"For those who are still physically and mentally immature, such as high schoolers, the power of an explorer may be nothing but poison."
"Indeed. Even adults can lose themselves when intoxicated by power. One can only imagine the effect on a teenager."
"Perhaps it is simply... premature."
Hearing these reports, the committee's sentiment began to shift toward a total ban on students obtaining the permit. However, a voice rose to challenge the narrative.
"Wait. It is a mistake to prohibit everyone just because of the failures of a few."
The Young Man at the left table spoke up.
"But—"
"The vast majority of permit holders are diligently balancing their studies with their exploration. The ones causing trouble are a small minority of fools."
"Then what would you have us do? We have no way of knowing who will commit a crime."
"That is..." The Young Man faltered, looking toward his colleagues at the left table for support.
An Elderly Man sitting at the head of the left table finally spoke.
"...Hah. If you ask what must be done, the only answer is to provide education that prevents such errors from occurring."
"Education, you say?"
"Yes. We must teach them the meaning of possessing power and the responsibilities that come with wielding it. If we do that, we can reduce the number of cases where children swing their strength around thoughtlessly."
"Would that really be enough?"
"It would certainly be better than the current situation, where children who have received no guidance are overwhelmed by the power they've gained and brandish it at will. Legally, anyone sixteen or older is eligible for the permit. Even if high schools ban it entirely, some will obtain it in secret, and those who can support themselves as explorers will simply choose to drop out. To ban it and wash our hands of them because 'problems occur' is far too irresponsible. To use an analogy, it's like giving a fortune to a child who doesn't know the value of money. It is our job to teach them how to use it so they don't destroy their own lives."
The Elderly Man's words checked the momentum toward a total ban. The Moderator took the opportunity to clear his throat and move the discussion forward.
"Very well. Let us move to the next item on the agenda."
The Attendees nodded, their expressions still grave.
"Please look at Document 5. The second item concerns issues raised by several sports organizations, starting with the All Japan High School Athletic Federation, regarding the Inter-High and other sporting competitions."
The sound of rustling paper returned.
"The document in your hands summarizes the results of physical fitness tests conducted at high schools nationwide this May."
"...The disparity between explorers and non-explorers is staggering."
Small murmurs of astonishment escaped the Attendees. Even a glance at the data showed a massive divide in physical metrics.
"Yes. While the numbers for first-year students show little change from previous years, the physical abilities of second-years and above—specifically those with permits—can only be described as phenomenal."
"With a gap this wide, it's no wonder the All Japan High School Athletic Federation and other groups are asking permit holders to withdraw from competitions."
"Indeed. There is no point in having explorers and non-explorers compete in the same events. It would be like entering production cars and Formula 1 cars into the same race."
The Moderator's analogy left the Attendees with little to say but low groans of agreement.
"However, we are receiving reports of growing dissatisfaction among students who hold the permit and their guardians."
"That's to be expected. For a child and a family who have dedicated their lives to a sport since early childhood, being barred from every competition solely because they hold a permit is bound to breed resentment."
"Yes. But the impact goes beyond that. Do you remember the fallout after last year's draft?"
"...Ah, I remember." One of the men wore a bitter look. "The top-tier prospect whose selection was rescinded and contract terminated because he held a permit while in school. It was all over the news."
"Exactly. And while they aren't making headlines, similar incidents are happening across various sports."
"Is that so?"
"Unfortunately, yes."
In the world of professional sports, the governing bodies were struggling to keep up with the existence of permit holders. Most organizations had suspended permit-holding athletes from official matches while they deliberated on a permanent policy.
Consequently, many athletes who had been scouted or signed contracts were seeing their professional dreams vanish the moment it was discovered they held an Armed Exploration Permit for Special Underground Structures.
"According to current data, over forty percent of registered high school athletes now hold the permit."
"...That many?"
"Yes. The trend is particularly strong among young athletes whose performance had plateaued, as well as students at schools with weaker programs. Inspired by these athletes, even some designated elite prospects are now trying to obtain permits, and organizations are scrambling to figure out how to respond."
The Attendees collectively rubbed their temples. The data made it clear: the power gained through exploration was too great to ignore. However, under the current rules, these students had no place to compete. The psychological toll on those who had dedicated their youth to sports was immeasurable.
"The organizations are discussing whether they should hold separate tournaments for permit holders and non-holders, but..."
"I assume budget is the issue?"
"Yes. And logistics. Coordinating venue schedules is difficult. Major tournaments can occupy a stadium for half a month. Holding two of them would double that..."
"So a quick fix is impossible."
"Correct."
The thought that time was their only resource weighed heavily on the committee.
The meeting continued through various other topics: the declining academic standards among permit holders, worsening attendance rates, and more. For most, the conclusion was that a solution was currently out of reach.
"In the end, doesn't the solution have to be the establishment of specialized schools? If we try to shove a Dungeon Department into existing general high schools, the faculty won't be able to handle the friction between explorers and non-explorers."
"Looking at the current state of things, a Dungeon Department in a normal school wouldn't solve anything. But for a specialized school, are we talking about something like a national college of technology?"
"Yes. However, I believe we should think on an even larger scale," the Elderly Man at the left table proposed.
The Elderly Man sitting at the head of the right table looked intrigued. "A larger scale? Like a school affiliated with a national university?"
"Precisely. Right now, the facilities researching dungeon-derived technology are scattered—national labs, university rooms, private corporations. Consolidating these into an Academy City dedicated to dungeon research could be the answer. Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, our ministry currently controls several dungeons for research purposes. Some are located in districts that were depopulated and abandoned during the initial dungeon outbreaks."
"Creating an Academy City... that is certainly a bold idea."
"Universities and invited companies would lead the research, while vocational schools and colleges would train explorers using the local dungeons..."
"And public order would be maintained by the DP and a police force with dungeon experience?"
"Yes. Most of the behavioral problems we see in schools stem from either a sense of superiority—the illusion that they are 'special' compared to non-explorers—or a sense of loss and helplessness after being barred from their sports or goals. If we place them in an environment where there is a clear hierarchy, with the DP as their superiors, and a place where they can compete fairly with their peers, many of these issues may vanish."
The Elderly Man on the right looked around the room as he finished his thought. After a moment's silence, the Elderly Man on the left spoke again.
"It sounds ideal in theory. It could indeed solve most of the problems schools are currently facing. But... can it really be executed that smoothly?"
"I cannot guarantee success. But as things stand, doing nothing is the most foolish option of all. We won't know unless we try, will we? Especially with something as unprecedented as this."
"...I suppose you're right."
With the leaders of the two sides in agreement, the committee's path was set. The Moderator, sensing the shift, moved to close the session.
"Are there any other opinions?"
Silence was his only answer.
"It seems not. Then I declare this meeting adjourned. Thank you all for your time."
With that, the third meeting of the Study Committee for the Establishment of a Dungeon Department concluded.
The committee's findings were later presented to the cabinet by the Minister of Education. After several revisions, the plan was approved.
Consequently, the Study Committee for the Establishment of a Dungeon Department was renamed the Preparatory Committee for the Establishment of a Dungeon Academy City. With a massive influx of new personnel, the government began its frantic push toward the creation of the city.