Chapter 5 Contract Crusade Part 1
"Today's the day, huh..."
It's been about two weeks since I found the mithril knife.
Finally, the day of the joint subjugation has arrived.
I've trained hard at Warabi in preparation for this, but this dungeon is my first Category 2, and I'll be teaming up with people from other companies I've never met before.
I have to do my best to avoid causing any trouble.
For a small company like Shijou Company, external reputation is crucial to the survival of the business.
"Onii-chan, you're nervous, aren't you?"
Noticing that I was acting differently than usual, Nami anxiously spoke up.
Being a monster hunter is a job that can bring in a lot of money, but it's also full of great dangers.
I try to reassure myself every day that it'll be fine, but I know the worry never really disappears.
I softened my expression and spoke in the calmest voice I could muster.
"It's fine, today's joint subjugation is actually safer than usual."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah. I've heard the fighting force is more than enough."
This wasn't a lie.
Today's joint subjugation is essentially a prelude to clearing high-difficulty dungeons later on.
It's meant for familiarizing with the other companies and testing the coordination between teams.
As a result, more forces than usual have been gathered for what's expected to be a relatively easier dungeon.
However, despite my words, Nami's expression remained uncertain.
"Hmm... Well, I guess I feel a little better now..."
"Once this is over, we'll be rolling in money. Then we can finally say goodbye to this old house."
"Really!?"
Nami's face visibly brightened.
Of course, that's understandable. Our house is hardly what you'd call a nice place to live.
A six-tatami room with a three-point unit bath, and the washing machine is outside.
And when the weather turns bad, the glass doors creak and rattle from the draft.
They say "home is where the heart is," but living in a shabby relic from the Showa era like this must have been tough.
There's no real sense of security here either.
The key looks like something straight out of an old video game.
Even the kitchen has one of those old-fashioned single-burner stoves that are really inconvenient to use.
"Then I want to live in a 1LDK apartment next time!"
"Sounds good. I'll make sure you get a 2LDK apartment."
"Wait, is that really okay? Such a luxury?"
"Yeah. Of course."
"I love you, Onii-chan!!"
Nami hugged me tightly.
I gently patted her head and refocused my determination.
I have to make sure today's joint subjugation is a success, especially for Nami.
"Alright, I'm heading out!"
With that, I left the house and hurried to the company.
──〇●〇──
"It feels like a base, doesn't it?"
I met up with Naya-san at the Shijou Company's office, and after a brief ride on her hoverbike, we arrived at our destination—the Hatsugase Dungeon.
It seemed like preparations for the joint subjugation were underway.
There were several large tents set up, likely military-style, and armored vehicles were coming and going.
The contrast with the peaceful residential area around us was striking.
"This is pretty much how new dungeons are prepared. Was this your first time seeing it?"
"Yeah, there's never been a dungeon near my place."
"Since it's Category 2, this one's still considered relatively mild. Once you hit Category 3, they bring out tanks."
"Wait, they use tanks to clear dungeons?"
"No, not for clearing the dungeon. They use them as mobile barriers in case any monsters get out."
I see, that makes sense.
If that ever happens, it'll look like something straight out of a monster movie...
But in that case, humans would be the ones getting trampled, so I'd rather avoid that.
As I glanced at the people from national defense, Naya-san patted me on the shoulder.
"...It's probably better if you don't stare too much."
"Why's that?"
"National defense doesn't think too highly of us."
"Really? Even though we sometimes cooperate with them?"
"They don't like civilians having weapons. I've heard they tried to push a law through to make all monster hunters military personnel, using the government to force it. It was eventually shut down, though."
Wow, I didn't know something like that had happened...
In my past life in Venolind, there were quite a few soldiers and nobles who didn't like adventurers either.
The military is the state's biggest instrument of violence, after all.
When civilians have the power to surpass that, it's bound to cause some friction.
I can understand why the higher-ups might have complaints.
"...It's almost time, but Izumi-san still isn't here."
We arrived in front of the designated tent, and Naya-san spoke with a bit of impatience.
Izumi-san is another monster hunter who's supposed to be joining the joint subjugation.
Izumi Itsuki, 32 years old.
According to Kyōka-san, he's one of the company's main breadwinners, alongside Naya-san.
I've heard he's a friendly guy, but it's a bit unexpected for him to be late all of a sudden.
Then──.
"Yo, sorry I'm late!"
A slender man in a powered suit approached us.
This must be Izumi-san, I thought.
His short, neat hair and sun-kissed skin gave him the look of a seasoned warrior.
However, his expression was friendly and approachable, just as Kyōka-san had described him.
He had that kind of vibe that made you want to call him "bro" or something.
I'd met a few adventurers like him in my past life.
"Are you the promising new guy?"
"I'm not sure about being ‘promising,' but I'm the newbie, Sakuragaku Amaheto."
"I'm Izumi Itsuki. Feel free to call me ‘Itsuki-senpai'."
"Yes, Itsuki-senpai!"
"So, how'd it go with Kurotsuki? I could have trained you myself, but unfortunately, my <Idea> is more suited for support. So, I left it to that unfriendly guy."
"‘Unfriendly' is a bit much. It's none of your business."
Naya-san said with a sour look, as if she was about to step on Izumi-san's foot.
But he easily dodged it.
"Haha, well, let's get going. The others should be gathering soon."
"Yeah, you're right. Wasting time with you is pointless."
With a sigh, Naya-san followed Izumi-san into the tent.
I followed behind them and found that quite a few monster hunters had already gathered.
There were probably around twenty people here?
Considering this is just the prelude to a high-difficulty dungeon subjugation, the scale is pretty impressive.
As I observed the surroundings, an unexpected face caught my attention.
"Wait, Akai?"
"Huh? Oh, Sakuragaku, is that you?"
Akai, one of the few people I knew from before, and the only other monster hunter among my acquaintances.
I was a bit surprised by the unexpected reunion with Akai, my high school classmate.
"Wow, I can't believe we're running into each other here!"
"I knew you were a monster hunter, but I didn't know you were with the Night Goons."
"Yeah, thanks to them, I'm getting the chance to be an elite. So, are you helping out with a company, Sakuragaku?"
Akai said with his usual carefree smile.
Yeah, I guess most people would think that.
It's believed that <Ideas> typically manifest by the age of fifteen.
"Well, actually..."
"Are you two acquaintances?"
"Oh, Kurotsuki-san! Hello!"
Akai quickly bowed his head when he saw Naya-san approaching.
Alright, maybe I can manage to push Akai onto Naya-san and slip away...
Just as I was about to take a step back, Naya-san threw a bombshell.
"This kid is our next ace, Sakuragaku-kun. Be nice to him."
"Eh!? Wait, Naya-senpai!?"
I was surprised to be introduced as the "ace."
Akai seemed just as surprised to learn that I had become a monster hunter, blinking in disbelief.
Ugh, this is going to be awkward...
"Sakuragaku... Ace!? Wait, didn't you not have an <Idea>?"
"…I only recently manifested it."
"But the <Idea> cutoff is supposed to be by fifteen, right? Sakuragaku, you're the same age as me, right?"
Akai looked visibly flustered.
It made sense. I'd never heard of anyone manifesting an <Idea> past the age of fifteen.
Besides, what I have isn't an <Idea>—it's magic.
Then, not just Akai, but Naya-san as well, looked at me with a curious expression and asked.
"I haven't heard that your <Idea> manifested recently either."
"Eh? Oh, right, I guess I didn't mention it."
"You didn't. And then, you became a monster hunter at that age."
Naya-san nodded thoughtfully, crossing her arms.
She hadn't directly asked why I became a monster hunter at this age, but it seemed like she had been wondering about it for a while.
Seeing her satisfied expression, I felt a little guilty.
I didn't plan on revealing that I was a mage from another world in my past life, but maybe I should have shared some information with the people at the company.
It seemed like Izumi-san, too, was listening intently with an intrigued expression.
"I don't really know why it manifested at this age. I just tried using it, and it worked..."
"I see. Well, now we're all in the same industry. Let's do our best together!"
After I said I didn't know, Akai didn't press the matter further and instead extended his hand to me.
This straightforward attitude felt very much like a sports team mentality, which I wasn't always fond of, but right now, I was grateful for it.
Just as I was about to shake his hand, a voice suddenly called out to Akai.
"There you are! What are you doing over here?"
"No, I just ran into an acquaintance."
"Hmm. By the way, there's someone I haven't seen before."
A girl with her long blonde hair tied back appeared.
She seemed to be about my age, tall, with a figure that really stood out.
Her features were well-defined, and she looked almost like a model.
She was the kind of beauty that wouldn't look out of place on a movie poster or something.
Her sharp gaze was the only thing that caught my attention a little.
"Are you the new recruit at Shijou?"
"Yeah, well..."
"Is this your first joint subjugation?"
"Yeah, it's my first time in a Category 2 dungeon too."
"I see. Well, if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. I'm the leader for this one."
"Eh!?"
I couldn't help but repeat the question in surprise.
It was hard to believe that a girl who wasn't even twenty years old would be leading a subjugation team of dozens.
It seemed like my words might have rubbed her the wrong way, as she gave me a slightly annoyed look before speaking.
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"Is there a problem? Just so you know, age has nothing to do with a monster hunter's skill."
It seemed like anything related to her age was a sensitive topic for the girl.
She stepped closer, and I couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.
She's really beautiful, but I might not be able to handle someone like her...!
I've met this type before in my past life, and I don't have the best memories of it.
Combined with my weakness for pressure, I often end up getting pushed around.
"It's not like that..."
"Then, it's fine. What's your name?"
"Sakuragaku Amaheto."
"Got it. I'm Kanami Sayu. Well then, nice to meet you."
She said this bluntly and quickly walked off toward the front.
Akai, left behind, immediately stepped in to follow up.
"Sorry about that. Kanami-san's just a little on edge since she was suddenly put in charge of leading."
"Did something happen?"
"Well... Originally, a guy named Kuroiwa was supposed to be the leader, but about a month ago, a strange incident occurred, and now he's investigating that."
"Strange incident?"
"Yeah. There was a sighting of a dragon outside the dungeon."
...Wait, is that the dragon I killed?!
I struggled to keep my face from twitching.
So that dragon was already spotted by someone before it came near my house?
I mean, with that size, it must've been hard to miss.
"A... dragon? Could there really be something like that outside...?"
"I know, right? But there are apparently traces of it. The real question is, who the hell killed it... That's what Kōjūrō-san is investigating. He's former military special forces."
"Really...?"
...Sorry, but I'm the one who killed that dragon.
But this is bad, they must have made some progress with the investigation.
Killing a dragon isn't illegal or anything, but if my abilities get exposed, that could be a serious problem.
Who knows what the government might do behind the scenes these days?
It wouldn't be out of the question for them to suddenly capture me for some human experiments.
In fact, there are plenty of rumors suggesting things like that are happening.
"Hey, Akai, you're late!"
"Yeah, I'm coming!"
After responding to Kanami-san, Akai quickly ran toward the front.
A few seconds later, the lights in the venue went out.
"...Alright, it's time. I'm Kanami, the leader of Night Goons. Originally, Kuroiwa was supposed to do it, but due to other matters, I'm taking over. I apologize for being inexperienced, but I ask for your cooperation today."
The clock struck nine.
Kanami-san began speaking loudly to the group of over twenty monster hunters gathered before her.
As expected from someone belonging to a major company, she must have had plenty of opportunities to lead.
The childishness she showed earlier was now completely gone, replaced by a much more experienced and professional demeanor.
The monster hunters in the room also seemed to know her well, as there was no visible opposition.
It seemed that being the ace of Night Goons wasn't a lie after all.
"First, let me go over the information we have about the Hatsugase Dungeon. This dungeon is a closed-type, meaning most of the space consists of caves and tunnels. The paths are extremely complex, and if we get lost, returning will be quite difficult."
A closed-type dungeon, as the name suggests, is a dungeon mostly composed of enclosed spaces.
Specifically, these would be caves, underground passages, or ancient buildings.
In contrast, dungeons like Sakuramachi and Warabi are considered open-type dungeons.
Closed-type dungeons are generally more difficult due to their complex structure and the psychological pressure they impose.
This dungeon is no exception, and even the map we were handed looks pretty complicated...
"This dungeon looks pretty complicated. Do we have any estimates on the location of the boss?"
"Yes. Take a look at this."
With that, Kanami-san operated the display behind her.
A 3D map of the dungeon, drawn with laser precision, appeared on the screen.
...Wow, it looks like an ant nest.
It was likely created by a reconnaissance drone, and it looked even more complex than the paper map we had.
The faces of the monster hunters, who had clearly sensed a long journey ahead, began to visibly sour.
Ignoring their expressions, Kanami-san pointed to an empty space at the bottom of the map.
"According to the preliminary survey, the labyrinth boss is estimated to be in this large area. If we follow the path from the gate, it's about a 20-kilometer distance to reach it."
The hunters began to murmur among themselves at the mention of a 20-kilometer distance.
Simply walking 20 kilometers on a clear path is something even a child could do if they took their time.
But in a dark dungeon where monsters are likely to attack, that 20 kilometers becomes a whole different story.
We were planning to do this as a day trip, but it seems like it'll take much longer than expected.
Normally, clearing a dungeon is considered complete once we defeat the labyrinth boss, but this time, the distance itself may become our biggest challenge.
This is bad. If I get back too late, I wonder what Nami will say.
"If we keep fighting monsters as we go, it'll take at least two or three days."
"It might take even longer. There doesn't seem to be any place to rest along the way."
"With this kind of force, monsters shouldn't be a problem..."
The monster hunters murmured their concerns.
Naya-san and Izumi-san were also looking at the 3D map with serious expressions.
A dungeon where you have to travel 20 kilometers through a cave isn't something you come across every day.
If it were my past self, I'd have set up teleportation magic circles along the way...
But of course, I couldn't exactly say that I could use teleportation magic.
As I pondered what to do, Kanami-san clapped her hands to regain everyone's attention.
"That's where the shortcut route comes in!"
"Shortcut?"
"Yes! Look here, the cave's passage curves sharply and leads right up to the deeper underground space. If we dig a hole here, the distance from the gate to the deep area will be less than three kilometers."
Just as she said, there was a point where the cave's passage curved sharply toward the underground space.
On the map, it looked like the ceiling of the underground space and the floor of the cave were almost touching.
But at that moment, a man with a somewhat nervous expression raised his hand.
"With this scale, it looks narrow, but isn't the gap between the ceiling and the floor about 100 meters?"
"Good intuition, it's about that deep."
"That's impossible! No matter how many attack-type <Ideas> we have, we can't dig a 100-meter hole..."
The man was nearly hysterical as he criticized Kanami-san.
But he was absolutely right.
Even with so many monster hunters, digging a vertical hole that deep would be incredibly difficult.
At that point, walking the 20 kilometers on the difficult path might actually be the better option.
"We won't have a problem with that. We'll bring in a drilling rig and dig directly to the destination. The simulation shows it'll take about three hours to complete the job."
"Wait, a drilling rig? You mean those massive machines? How are we supposed to..."
"Regarding that, we'll take full responsibility, as we, Future Industries, will handle it. Please leave it to us."
The man, who had been sitting in the front row but hadn't spoken until now, stood up. He was an older man who didn't quite look like a typical monster hunter.
He bowed deeply to everyone, and immediately, the man who had been shouting reluctantly backed off.
It seemed that this man was quite a well-known figure among the monster hunters.
"Who's that guy?"
"The president of the Hauler Company."
"Hauler?"
"That's a nickname for Future Industries. They're all monster hunters with <Ideas> suited for transportation, so they're always hauling goods."
"I've heard they make quite a bit of money. That president is good at business."
Izumi-san said, then muttered, "I wish our president would take a page out of his book."
I see, so he's making a profit by targeting a niche market.
It's a pretty clever business strategy.
As for his personality, well, it's one thing, but if he's better at business than Kyōka-san, that's impressive.
Kyōka-san tends to be so serious that it often feels like she's losing out in some areas.
"If we manage to bring in a drilling rig, the hole it can dig will only be a few dozen centimeters in diameter, right? Will we even fit through?"
"We'll blast it open to expand it. We'll hang explosives on wires and detonate them at five points around the hole. Based on the calculations, this should expand the hole's diameter to about two meters."
"Can we really blow a hole in a dungeon with explosives?"
One of the hunters near the front asked with a look of disbelief.
It's true that I've heard dungeons have incredibly sturdy walls and floors.
Even if we manage to create a hole, blowing it wide open with explosives seems pretty difficult.
At that moment, Kanami-san pulled out something that looked like a large metal bucket.
It was covered in white frost, suggesting that whatever was inside was extremely cold.
"I've got a special bomb for this. It's called a metallic helium bomb, and we're also testing it today."
As soon as she said that, Naya-san's expression turned serious.
"Electron-excitation explosives. I didn't know they were finished."
"Are they that dangerous?"
"They have the power of a nuclear weapon, but they don't emit radiation. It's a next-generation weapon. It was supposed to be a prized project of the tech research department."
"Wow... Why would they have something like that?"
"The tech research department sees dungeons and monster hunters as test subjects."
Ugh... This feels like another shady case in Japan's dark underbelly.
The other hunters seemed to understand how dangerous this could be, as they kept asking about safety precautions.
"What's the explosive power? Will it accidentally detonate?"
"It's fine. It's been cooled with liquid nitrogen and given triple inactive treatment."
"What about safety? Won't the entire cave collapse?"
"That's been tested in simulations and there's no problem."
Kanami-san smoothly answered all the questions from the other hunters.
She then clapped her hands and wrapped up the discussion.
"From now on, when we tackle high-difficulty dungeons, bringing in large equipment and setting up camps will be absolutely necessary! Think of this as practice for that!"
At her words, the hunters nodded in understanding.
This joint subjugation was essentially a prelude to tackling high-difficulty dungeons in the future.
The most important thing today was confirming how well we could coordinate in the real deal.
Satisfied that the team was ready, Kanami-san gave one final rallying call to the hunters.
"Let's go! We'll take down the labyrinth boss and finish this in one day!"
"Uoooooohhh!!!"
The hunters raised their voices in enthusiasm.
As soon as they exited the tent, they passed through the gate and began to step into the dungeon one after another.
──〇●〇──
"...Of all things, Andaz?"
As soon as we entered the dungeon, a chilling sight immediately caught my eye.
I couldn't help but mutter, "Good grief..."
––Andaz Mine.
Even in my past life in the other world, Venolind, this place had a terrible reputation.
It had originally been a high-quality iron mine, but after a large-scale collapse, it was shut down. By the time I was alive, it had turned into a nest of undead monsters.
The bodies of former miners had been left to rot for so long that they had transformed into monsters.
Undead monsters are a pain to deal with and offer little reward, which is why places like this are usually sealed off...
However, this one was close to the city, so adventurers were regularly sent to cull them.
I had been made to take part in that myself, which is why I remembered this place.
"Is something wrong?"
"No... I just think this is a creepy place."
The unpleasant memories of the past resurfaced, and I couldn't help but show it on my face.
Noticing my reaction, Izumi-san asked if something was wrong, but I shook my head to assure him I was fine.
Even though this place resembled Venolind, this was still a dungeon.
The monsters here would probably be of a different type.
I just hoped it wouldn't be undead types... the smell is unbearable.
The stench of decay in a closed space is almost like a special attack on your senses.
Then...
"Bats?"
What appeared were swarms of bats, their bodies drenched in what looked like blood.
Immediately, Kanami-san, who had been leading the way, signaled for everyone to be on guard.
"Be careful! These things spit out something that looks like blood from their mouths!"
"Kiyaa!!"
Suddenly, dark liquid was shot out of the bats' mouths.
––This is bad, is it poison?
The monster hunters quickly dodged the attack, but right from the start, we were up against a troublesome foe.
Bat-type monsters are easy to take down with a single hit if they're caught, but they're highly evasive.
The usual strategy for these types is to use wide-area magic to handle them, but...
"Leave it to me! The man who calls the storm!"
Just as I thought that, one of the hunters activated their <Idea>.
Even though we were inside a cave, wind began to blow and rain started falling from nowhere.
The bats, hit by the raindrops, immediately began to slow down.
Their once nimble movements became sluggish and uncoordinated, making them easy targets.
"Hah! The Wrath of the Hedgehog!"
"Endless Light Arrow!!"
The hunters quickly activated their <Ideas> and launched their attacks.
The one over there has the ability to shoot spikes from their body, and the one next to them can fire countless arrows of light?
With so many hunters gathered, their methods of fighting were incredibly diverse.
Just watching their <Ideas> was endlessly fascinating.
At this rate, the joint subjugation might turn out to be more enjoyable than I expected.
"...Well then, I guess it's my turn."
Though I'm here mostly as a backup, I was still brought along as a combatant.
I can't just stand here and watch.
Since Akai and the others are here, I'll show them what I can do, but keep it at a reasonable level.
"Break! <Lightning>!"
The lightning shot from my fingertips quickly spread through the rain.
The lightning, spreading like spider threads, immediately incinerated the bats.
It was a low-level magic, Lightning.
Its power is modest, but its wide range is its main strength.
Moreover, with the rain falling, its effect was amplified.
Taking out a swarm of bats was no trouble at all with that kind of power.
"O-oh?"
"Whoa! All of them are gone just like that!"
Once the bats were wiped out, the attention of the hunters naturally shifted toward me.
It seems that even a low-level magic from Venolind like this would be quite powerful on Earth.
The expectations for Shijou Company might have been low, but the reaction from everyone was better than I thought.
"Not bad at all, as expected from the promising newbie!"
"Haha, thanks!"
"Keep raising Shijou Company's name with your skills!"
Izumi-san gave me a friendly pat on the back, looking quite pleased.
He seemed to be a pretty upbeat guy.
But I didn't mind being praised at all.
Alright, let's keep this momentum going!
Just as I was thinking that, the second wave arrived.
"These guys are... ants?"
"That's an insane number."
Instead of bats, what appeared was a massive swarm of giant ants.
From a distance, they seemed to be about the size of children.
They moved as a horde, quickly covering the cave floor as they advanced.
Alright, this is more like it.
"Front line, get in position! Hold them off and then take them down!"
"I'll create a wall!"
I immediately slammed my palm into the ground, channeling my magic into it.
In an instant, the magic spread through the cave floor, blending seamlessly with the surroundings.
Alright, this dungeon's turning out to be pretty interesting.
"<Stone Spear>!"
Immediately, the cave floor rose up, and countless spears shot out.
These spears jutted out toward the ant swarm, resembling a spear wall.
The advance of the swarm quickly came to a halt, and the hunters erupted in cheers.
"Whoa!!"
"Impressive! What a powerful <Idea>!"
"Wait, isn't that an artifact? He used the Lightning <Idea> earlier too."
"Anyway, now it's time to attack! <Thunderstrike>!"
The hunters launched their attacks, and before long, the number of ants started to dwindle.
With the front line getting some breathing room, Naya-san smoothly closed the distance and approached me.
"...What's going on with your <Idea>?"
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"You've used three different <Ideas>, including the one earlier. Normally, people only have one Idea."
...Wait, really?
But I don't remember anyone mentioning that until now...
Or maybe they just didn't say anything because it was too obvious?
Thinking back, I guess I was operating under the assumption that <Ideas> were singular too.
"R-really?"
"<Ideas> are said to be the manifestation of a person's desires. I've never seen anyone with multiple <Ideas>."
"I guess I must have a really strong desire. Probably."
"...That's clearly not normal. Having multiple <Ideas> is insane."
Though she didn't show it on her face, Naya-san's distance from me seemed to shorten.
In reality, I don't just have a few <Ideas>—I have countless ones...
If I mentioned that, she'd probably faint from shock.
...Yeah, maybe I should hold back on using too many types of magic this time.
Just as I was thinking that, Kanami-san gave the order.
It was perfect timing for me to end the conversation before anyone could pry further.
"Looks like we've mostly cleared it up! Let's resume our advance!"
With that, we continued our journey deeper into the cave, unaware of what awaited us ahead.
──〇●〇──
T/N: Due to being too long I decided to split it in two parts. Next part will be out tomorrow.