We stared in stunned silence at the dungeon entrance that loomed majestically before us. Given the setting, it had the distinct aura of a final boss's lair.
Seriously, why is something like this even here?
"...What do we do about this?"
"I mean... what can we do?"
"Ignoring it and pretending we didn't see it... that's not really an option, is it?"
"...Sigh."
With distant looks in our eyes, we all let out a collective sigh. Seriously, why does this kind of trouble keep finding us? We were just touring properties to find a training ground, for crying out loud.
Sigh... I know I was asked, but I really shouldn't have agreed to this so easily.
"E-Eh? Um, guys? Is that... is that really a dungeon?"
"Yes, I'm ninety-nine percent sure. The patterns engraved around that entrance are very similar to the ones in the dungeons we usually clear."
"Sorry to rely on intuition, but the presence coming off that thing is definitely that of a dungeon."
"My body shifted into a combat-ready stance on its own, so I'm certain."
Flinching slightly at the heavy atmosphere we were projecting, Yuta-san asked for confirmation about the structure. If this was a real dungeon, it wasn't just a curiosity for him—it was a professional crisis. He was understandably desperate to know the truth.
As we faced the trembling, anxious Yuta-san, we gave him the grim confirmation he dreaded. Of course, until we actually checked the interior, there was a tiny chance it was just a building designed to look like one, but there was absolutely no reason for anyone to build such a thing in a place this remote. The conclusion was already obvious.
"I-I see. A dungeon... It’s actually a dungeon."
"Yes."
"...Sigh."
Whether he was finally accepting reality or retreating deeper into denial, Yuta-san let out a long sigh and stared vacantly at the entrance. As the agent representing the firm that "discovered" it, he probably saw his entire future flash before his eyes—a future filled with endless red tape and bureaucratic nightmares.
It was a headache for us, but for Yuta-san... or rather, for Kiritani Real Estate... this was a massive complication.
"What should we do? We were scheduled to tour the property today, but now that things have turned out like this..."
"You’re right. This isn't exactly the kind of situation where we can just go about our viewing as planned."
"I agree. If the company officially confirms this as a dungeon, we're going to have to file reports with so many different agencies..."
"In that case, as the first discoverers, we'll probably be stuck doing interviews with the Association at the very least."
Now that we’d found it, we had to follow protocol. Our shoulders slumped as we imagined the coming storm of paperwork.
It was, quite frankly, a massive pain.
After taking a moment to rest and steady our nerves, we accepted the unfortunate reality and began discussing the next steps.
"Alright, the first order of business is proving this is actually a dungeon."
"Proving it? You mean..."
"Yes. The three of us will go inside and verify its status. Specifically, we'll go in and find a monster."
If we made a huge fuss about a dungeon discovery only for it to turn out to be a fake, things would get ugly. We needed to confirm the basics. I didn't want anyone accusing us of pulling a "dungeon discovery" scam later on.
However, Yuji's suggestion seemed to hit Yuta-san like a physical blow.
"What?! Are you sure that's safe?! You guys just came for a property viewing today—you aren't prepared for an exploration! You don't even have proper weapons like real explorers use..."
"It's true we're not geared up for a deep dive, so we won't be pushing far. But just peeking around the entrance is manageable. Besides, even without weapons, we have plenty of ways to deal with monsters."
"But you're going to look for them, right? What if one finds you first and attacks?"
"That's a possibility. However, in most dungeons, the monsters on the 1st floor act as a sort of tutorial and usually appear alone. If we're only dealing with a single monster, we can handle it easily even with our current gear."
Worried for our safety, Yuta-san tried his best to talk us out of it. From the perspective of an ordinary person, I'm sure we looked like reckless teenagers embarking on a suicide mission. As the adult in charge, it was only natural for him to try to stop us.
But honestly, if it's just a 1st floor monster, we can handle it with basic punches and kicks. Though, if we misjudge our strength, the monster will probably just explode.
"Yuta-san, we appreciate the concern, but it's okay. Believe it or not, we’re actually quite high-tier as explorers. We're pretty confident in our abilities. Even without our usual gear, we're not going to be taken down by anything on the 1st floor."
"He's right. I know it's hard to believe, but Yuji isn't being overconfident or reckless. This is an objective assessment based on our experience."
"Yuta-san, you've seen what we can do during the other viewings. You know we're not just making empty boasts."
"..."
Yuta-san closed his eyes, appearing to weigh our words against everything he’d witnessed so far. After a long silence, he opened them and looked at us directly.
His face was set with a new resolve.
"I understand. It's dangerous, but it's something that needs to be confirmed. Just... promise me you won't push yourselves. If you feel even the slightest bit of danger, pull back immediately. This isn't something that's worth your lives."
"Understood. If it looks even slightly risky, we'll turn back right then and there."
"Good. Then I'll hold you to that. And if... heaven forbid, if any of you get injured during this check, I promise that the company and I personally will do everything in our power to take responsibility."
"Wait, Yuta-san, you don't have to go that far..."
Yuji was surprised and started to say it wasn't necessary since we were just taking a quick look, but Yuta-san cut him off with a raised hand.
He spoke with clear, firm conviction.
"I know that as elite explorers, you probably won't get hurt. But this is a matter of my own professional ethics. You're going into a dangerous place for our sake, even though we haven't even issued a formal request. If something happens, the responsibility has to lie somewhere, doesn't it?"
"Yuta-san..."
"I'll say it again: if it's dangerous, get out immediately."
"...Yes, sir. We will."
Meeting Yuta-san's sincere, worried gaze, Yuji straightened his posture and gave a firm reply. Hiiragi-san and I nodded in unison.
Maybe we'd gotten a little too used to the dungeon life. We were probably taking the idea of going inside a bit too lightly.
"Alright. Now, let's figure out what we do once you've finished the check."
"Yes, sir."
Yuta-san relaxed his posture, signaling the end of that heavy conversation, and we moved on to the logistical planning.
Once we finished outlining the reporting process, we split up into three directions to do a quick sweep of the island before entering the dungeon. Since we couldn't take Yuta-san inside, he had to wait on the island. While one of us could have stayed to guard him, Yuta-san had specifically requested—or rather, insisted—that all three of us go together. He told us he’d feel better knowing we were prioritizing our own safety as a team.
So, we did a final check of the island to make sure it was safe while we were gone. We didn't want any large predators sneaking up on him.
"Alright, I've done a lap. Looks clear."
"Yeah, seems fine to me too. No sign of anything dangerous."
"As long as we're not gone too long, he should be perfectly safe here."
Our general consensus was that there were no immediate threats. Of course, things like venomous insects or snakes were always a risk in the mountains, but that was true anywhere. Maybe the surrounding wetlands kept the larger predators away?
Or... maybe the dungeon's appearance had already shifted the local territories.
"So, we're satisfied that Yuta-san is safe for now?"
"Yeah."
"Yes."
It wasn't a perfect guarantee, but we were as ready as we could be to investigate the dungeon. All that was left was a final word with Yuta-san.
We met back up with him in front of the entrance.
"Yuta-san, we've checked the island. It looks safe."
"Thank you. I'll be waiting right here, so please, be careful."
"We will. We plan to be back quickly, but please stay alert out here."
"I will. I learned my lesson from the last viewing, so I brought plenty of deterrents."
With that, Yuta-san pulled a canister with a bear illustration and a bell out of his backpack. It looked like the incident with the bear had made a lasting impression on him.
"They say the best defense is not meeting a wild animal at all, but I bought these just in case. Apparently, this spray is made from chili peppers and other irritants."
"Eh? Oh, that... yeah, that looks like it would work."
Chili pepper spray... wait, isn't that basically what we used against monsters?
"Well, I hope I don't have to use it. Anyway, I can look after myself, so don't feel like you have to rush back if it means being reckless. Just be careful."
"Right. Then, as we discussed, we'll explore for about ten minutes and come back. If this is a dungeon, we should run into a monster pretty quickly."
"Got it."
After finishing the briefing, we left our non-essential luggage with Yuta-san and stood before the entrance.
"Alright, Yuta-san, we're going in."
"We'll be right back."
"Please keep an eye on your surroundings."
"Yeah, stay safe in there."
With our preparations complete, we stepped into the dungeon rising from the small island.
I never would have guessed that a property viewing would turn into a dungeon dive.
The interior of the island dungeon looked no different from the ones we usually frequented. Since we hadn't brought flashlights, we moved forward using the "Light" magic and the faint bioluminescence of the dungeon walls. I actually had plenty of spare lights in my Spatial Storage, but explaining how I suddenly produced them to Yuta-san later would be a hassle, so I left them there. My "Light" spell provided more than enough illumination anyway. I was a bit worried about magic-prohibited areas, but I figured we’d be fine on the 1st floor.
After five minutes of exploring...
"Well, a horn rabbit appeared. That settles it. This is definitely a dungeon."
"Yeah. We were just doing this for the sake of being thorough, but it's good to have confirmation."
"Agreed. But now that it's official, let's head back. I don't like leaving Yuta-san alone for too long."
Looking down at the horn rabbit that had been taken out by a single kick from Yuji and was now beginning to dissolve into particles, we all let out a weary sigh. We’d known it was coming, but having it confirmed meant a lot of work was ahead of us. I just hoped the fallout would be limited to the Association and the local government.
As I watched the spot where the monster had vanished, I noticed something left behind: a skill scroll.
"A scroll? Daiki, check it."
"Sure thing. 'Appraisal Analysis'... Wait, what!?"
I froze, stunned by the result of my "Appraisal Analysis."
Are you kidding me? This scroll... Oh, right. This is an undiscovered dungeon... which means this horn rabbit was the first one ever killed here.
We just got a first-time subjugation bonus... and another massive headache.