Roughly a year had passed since dungeons began appearing around the globe. While the initial chaos had begun to subside, new issues were starting to take root. Most notably, the existence of explorers—a force that was quietly but powerfully shifting the world's foundations—was beginning to make its presence felt.
The atmosphere inside a conference room filled with people directly affected by these changes was as heavy as a funeral. These were members of the Organizing Committee for a major global event.
"…It’s a lost cause."
"…Yes. The disparity in physical capabilities between explorers—those with experience slaying monsters—and those without is simply too vast. If we put them on the same field, the results would be decided before the starting gun even fires."
"If the gap were marginal, we could argue it came down to training or technique, but…"
"With a difference this distinct, it’s impossible to brush off as a matter of effort."
The Attendees held their heads in their hands, letting out heavy, defeated sighs. One of them slammed a fist onto the table, his voice cracking with desperation.
"Then what are we supposed to do?! There’s only one year left until the main event!"
"We know that! That’s why we’re all racking our brains! If you’re going to complain, then you provide a solution!"
"What did you say?!"
"You heard me!"
The committee met, but no conclusions were reached. A sense of total deadlock hung over them, and as the frustration of the Attendees mounted, the air grew thick with hostility. In the midst of this, the Chairman, the presiding officer sitting at the far end of the table, clapped his hands in a sharp kashiwade to draw their attention.
"Gentlemen, we have spent months discussing solutions to this problem. Yet here we are, still debating without a single viable answer. However, with the main event looming, we must reach a verdict."
"……"
At the Chairman’s words, the Attendees nodded weakly, their faces etched with grim resignation.
"…The conclusion is this: we cannot allow explorers to compete alongside general athletes. Results would no longer be determined by athletic skill, but by how many monsters a person has slain and how high their level has risen."
"……"
"Therefore, we have no choice but to separate athletes with monster-slaying experience from general athletes."
"……"
A few of the Attendees looked as if they wanted to voice a protest, but they remained silent, their lips pressed thin. They wanted to object, but they knew this was a reality they had all been forced to acknowledge in secret over the course of many failed meetings.
"B-but Chairman. If we do that, many athletes who have already been unofficially selected will be disqualified from the games. We’ll face a mountain of protests from the sports organizations of every nation…"
"I am aware. However, given the insurmountable gap, they cannot be permitted to compete with general athletes. Furthermore, research shows that physical abilities vary wildly even among explorers depending on their level. To lump all explorers together would be pointless—the gap between them can be as wide as heaven and earth. If the results are decided by level-based physical superiority rather than sporting talent, the competition loses all meaning, doesn't it?"
"That may be true, but…"
The speaker trailed off, unable to find a counterargument. However, the Chairman’s expression paled slightly at the next point raised.
"Chairman, if we proceed with this, we risk creating a global precedent where athletes with monster-slaying experience are effectively barred from international competition. We will face inevitable backlash from athletes who have dedicated their lives to their sport only to have their platform snatched away…"
"U-umu."
"And, if I may be blunt… if an athlete who was removed by our decision holds a grudge and decides to take action, they do have experience as an explorer…"
"……"
It was common knowledge that participation in the games and winning medals could change an athlete's life forever. To have that opportunity stolen by a committee decision would undoubtedly breed resentment.
A year into the dungeon era, the Attendees had a fair understanding of the power explorers possessed. The thought of being targeted by an explorer-type athlete seeking revenge sent a shiver through the room.
"…Is it possible to hold a separate competition exclusively for athletes with explorer experience?" one of the Attendees suggested, perhaps out of a sense of self-preservation.
The others quickly shook their heads in dismissal.
"If you're asking if it's theoretically possible, then yes…"
"But it’s impossible for the upcoming games. Preparations are already underway based on the original framework. Sudden changes at this stage are out of the question. The schedule is already fixed."
"Depending on the event, we’d need specialized venues for explorer athletes…"
"And if we ask the host country for more money to run a second competition for explorers, they’ll never approve it on such short notice."
"Besides, level differences among explorers are so extreme that just gathering them in one place wouldn't solve anything."
Time, resources, funding, and personnel—every factor suggested that holding a simultaneous, dedicated competition for explorer athletes was an impossibility. It could be done, but it was a logistical nightmare that would require years of preparation.
The Chairman watched the Attendees debate for a while before interjecting once he felt enough opinions had been aired.
"Gentlemen. To conclude: we will not permit the participation of athletes with monster-slaying experience. In exchange, we will announce plans to hold a separate competition specifically for them. Is that acceptable?"
"Yes, that seems like the most viable counterproposal for the excluded athletes. However…"
"The problem is that it won't be ready in time for these games."
"Even so, we can’t conjure resources out of thin air. At best, we can aim for the next games… and leave it at that."
It was a substitute for the current games, but it offered no immediate relief for those barred from competing now. Grievances were guaranteed, but after exhaustive debate, they all knew there were no better options.
With a bitter expression, the Chairman looked around at the Attendees.
"Very well. We will announce the ban on athletes with monster-slaying experience from the Olympics and present this counterproposal simultaneously. We should expect significant public backlash. I want each of you to coordinate with your respective departments to ensure the explorer-exclusive competition is ready by the next games."
"Yes, sir."
Having reached its decision, the Olympic Committee began to move.
A few days later, the official announcement from the Olympic Committee triggered the expected chaos in sports worlds across the globe. Athletes who were all but guaranteed to compete were suddenly disqualified under the new regulations. In some countries, entire national teams had to be replaced overnight. While the plan for a dedicated explorer-athlete competition was announced, the lack of detailed regulations and the host country’s refusal to fund an unscheduled budget increase left the future of the excluded athletes in total limbo.
While the world was slowly finding its new normal after the appearance of dungeons, the dungeons themselves weren't going anywhere. This meant they required global management and countermeasures.
"The number of currently confirmed dungeons worldwide has exceeded several thousand. However, this count only includes those found near urban centers or populated areas. Many remote regions and polar zones remain unsearched, so the number is expected to climb. Most importantly…"
"The exploration of the oceans, which cover the vast majority of the Earth, is virtually nonexistent… is that correct?"
"…Yes. We have some confirmation of dungeons in shallow waters through reports from ships, local fishermen, and divers. However, deep-sea regions remain almost entirely untouched. The investigation itself is proving difficult."
"I see…"
The middle-aged man answering the questions while holding a report looked disappointed by the lack of progress. His sentiment was shared by everyone in the room. Even a year later, they hadn't even finished cataloging the dungeons on land, let alone those in the sea.
"We’re supposed to be a Dungeon Investigation Agency under the direct control of the United Nations, yet we can’t even track the location of every dungeon that pops up."
"Section Chief, we’re still just a preliminary agency. We lack the personnel and the budget; all we can do is compile the data sent to us by individual nations. Besides, every country is hiding a few secret dungeons they haven't reported…"
"You idiot! Even so, these results are pathetic! Whether we ever get recognized as a formal agency depends on what we achieve right now!"
"Even if you say that, the fact remains that we're short on people, money, and equipment. We’re short on everything, sir."
"…!"
The Section Chief bristled at the Young Staff Member’s lethargic tone, but he couldn't deny the truth of it. Lacking the ammunition to win the argument, the Section Chief could only stomp his feet in frustration.
The Middle-aged Staff Member let out a soft sigh and returned to the report.
"Moving on. The types of drop items being produced are largely consistent across all nations. Skill scrolls, magic items, Core Crystals, and so on… the reported effects of these items are also identical."
"…Is there really no variation at all?"
"No, sir. While the types of items vary based on the floor level reached by explorers, we have found no differences based on the geographic location of the dungeon."
"They match perfectly, without exception, huh…"
The Section Chief frowned, mulling over the data. If every dungeon was the same regardless of where it appeared, it suggested they were essentially identical entities. But how could that be possible?
"Um, can I ask something? Does that mean the monsters are the same too?" the Young Staff Member asked.
"Hmm? Ah, I was getting to that. Yes, as you suspected, the monsters appearing in each dungeon are identical."
"And do they appear on the same floors?"
"…Yes."
"!?"
The Section Chief’s head snapped up, his eyes darting between the two staff members.
"They match across every reported dungeon? The drops? The monsters?"
"Yes. Every single report we have matches perfectly."
"…That’s impossible! Do you have any idea how many dungeons are on that list?!"
If it were a coincidence, the odds would be astronomical. But if it wasn't a coincidence…
The realization sent a sudden, bone-chilling shiver down the Section Chief’s spine.
"Are you saying… the dungeons were built to a single specification?"
"…Based on the data we’ve compiled, that possibility is highly likely."
"If that’s true, then these dungeons didn't appear by chance. Someone… something created them."
The Section Chief thought back to the international conferences that had been in a state of constant friction since the dungeons appeared. A strained, nervous smile touched his lips. If the dungeons were the work of a specific entity or a specific nation… the implications were too terrifying to contemplate.
For a brief moment, he considered destroying the report or falsifying the data. But then…
"No, that would be pointless," he muttered with a heavy sigh.
Since these were reports sent in from various nations, those countries had likely reached the same conclusion themselves, even if they hadn't said it aloud. Falsifying his own summary wouldn't hide the truth.
"I see. So that’s why the international meetings are always such a mess…"
The Section Chief had wondered why, even after a year of relative stability, global diplomacy was still so volatile. Now he understood. Every nation knew the truth and was looking at every other nation with suspicion, wondering who had triggered this new world order.
"…Finalize the report. I’ll submit it to the higher-ups."
"…Are you sure about this, Section Chief? This is a massive bomb."
"It’s fine. They likely already suspect it."
"…Understood. I’ll get it finished immediately."
"I’m counting on you."
The Young Staff Member gave a strained nod. The Section Chief’s face was a mask of weary resignation, while the Middle-aged Staff Member simply bowed his head in silence.
The report produced that day would eventually send the international community into a fresh tailspin of chaos—but that is a story for another time.