kscans

Chapter 5 - First Dungeon, Part 2

This tunnel is sized for humans, making me wonder if people used it long ago. If Zombie Kobolds had dug it, it would probably be a bit narrower.

There are wooden supports for the walls and ceiling. There's even a wooden door, and I turn to Rinzaki-san before it.

"I don't hear any sounds from inside."

"Got it."

Apparently, this person has sharp senses. She told me it's a skill she has.

Trusting her, I enter, and sure enough, there's nothing there. Simple desks and chairs are lined up, and along the walls are empty shelves.

Places like this are why I think people used to live here. In other dungeons, too, there are signs of human habitation, but no one knows what happened.

How long ago, what kind of people were here, and what happened to make it like this? With the existence of monsters and skills, there are too many variables to be certain. A government scholar on TV said they 'don't even know roughly how many years ago people, or something resembling people, were here.'

Just in case, I stay alert for anything under the desks as I cross the room and open the door on the opposite side. There may not be any enemies, but that doesn't mean there aren't any traps.

After a little while longer, Rinzaki-san let out a small voice.

"There's a sound up ahead. Probably two Zombie Kobolds."

"Right."

I reply in a low voice and proceed slowly. Then, this time, the monsters appeared not from around a corner, but from straight ahead.

Voh!

Grrrr...!

Two Zombie Kobolds, reeking of decay. They let out a growl and charged at us.

Rinzaki-san immediately threw a bo-shuriken, and I matched her by drawing and throwing a knife with my left hand.

I used to have terrible aim, but thanks to these eyes and this body, my accuracy has improved significantly with just a little practice. And on top of that, I have [Mana Conversion: Wind].

As the name suggests, it releases the mysterious power of 'mana' from my body as 'wind.'

I can wrap it around my limbs to accelerate, infuse it into my sword to increase its power and speed, and use it to help my throwing knives fly straight.

My knife and the bo-shuriken spectacularly buried themselves in the face of the left Zombie Kobold. The other one, paying no mind to its companion that had stumbled back, charged on. I met it head-on, my sword at the ready in my right hand.

This time, I swung in a diagonal slash, not a vertical one. A diagonal cut wouldn't get the tip of my sword caught.

I kept my arm slightly bent for a more compact swing, and my sword, with its superior reach and speed, bit into the Zombie Kobold's shoulder.

Then, with a push from the wind, I sliced it in two. With surprising ease, I cut down the monster.

"...Haaaah."

I let out a small breath as the Zombie Kobold, including the splattered blood, turned into salt.

I feel surprisingly little guilt about slicing through fur and rotting flesh, or about killing it like this.

Maybe it's because the opponent is so obviously a monster, or because no corpse is left behind. Or perhaps it's both.

In any case, this time I was able to defeat two of them head-on. It's going much smoother than at the start. It seems my skills and body are more than enough to handle a dungeon. All that's left is technique, knowledge, and experience.

I pick up the two coins and turn around to see Rinzaki-san holding up one hand with a smug look on her face.

"Yeah! High five!"

"Eh, ah, sure."

I quickly, and with some difficulty, wedge the coins between the fingers of my right hand, which is holding my sword, and meet her high five with my left hand.

What should I do? Can I even keep up with this person's energy?

Just then, I noticed an earring in Rinzaki-san's right ear. I hadn't been able to stare at a member of the opposite sex's face so intently until now, so I hadn't noticed, but it glinted for a moment.

I felt a faint trace of mana from her earring.

A magic tool... maybe? But something feels off.

Magic Tools.

Mysterious items discovered in dungeons. Or, tools created by Awakened Persons using some kind of skill.

I've never seen either, but this doesn't seem like one of those.

I mean, while I can feel a slight bit of mana, it's very faint. Considering what I heard in the lecture, the characteristics don't seem to match.

Well, I'm scared to comment on a woman's accessories, so I'll just keep quiet.

I'll forget about the earring for now and hand the coins to Rinzaki-san.

These coins are strange things, too. Apparently, they're 'iron coins' that are unconfirmed anywhere in Earth's history. Is this also a remnant of some civilization?

The mysterious dungeon, or rather, there's nothing but mystery in dungeons.

"Well then, um..."

"Yep! Let's go!"

I nod at Rinzaki-san, who's pumping her fist with a smile, and we resume our exploration.

...Although, there's not much else to tell.

We already knew the path, and Rinzaki-san could sense approaching monsters. The enemies were generally alone. Occasionally there were two, but we could usually take one down with a thrown weapon.

And the remaining one, I wouldn't lose in a one-on-one fight. I was careful not to hit the ceiling or walls with the tip of my sword like the first time, and I even had the leeway to think about how I was swinging my weapon.

We engaged with monsters four times, including the first, and it took about fifteen minutes from entering the dungeon.

In a surprisingly short amount of time, we arrived at the dungeon's 'exit.'

From a distance, a building that looked just like a police box stood in an open area. In front of it was an SDF member in similar gear to Kageyama-san, and there was another person on the roof with a gun at the ready.

"Good work out there!"

The person on watch saluted Kageyama-san. She returned the salute.

"GOOD WORK OUT THERE!!!"

"Huh?"

And then, Rinzaki-san replied with even more volume, making the guard's face twitch in surprise. I know how you feel.

But then, he saluted again, his face slightly flushed by her beauty. I know how that feels, too...!

Led by a slightly exasperated Kageyama-san, we went inside the police box-like building. There was another soldier inside, so it seemed there were a total of three people guarding this place.

And beyond that, there was a 'black gate.' Passing through this would return us to the location of the 'white gate.' To be precise, to the opposite side of where we entered. If you ignored the middle part and just connected the pictures, it would look like you had passed through the white gate.

I heard in the lecture that they tried to bury this black one in concrete, just like the gate outside, but it had moved the next day, so they decided to station a police box and guards here.

When monsters overflow from a dungeon, it's mainly because they've broken through this door. Since the defenses are solid like this, a military expert on TV said that 'stampedes' are unlikely to happen except from 'unidentified dungeons.' The lecture instructor said so too.

In any case, this marks the end of our first dungeon exploration.

We had cleared the test to become adventurers.

＊　　　　＊　　　　＊

'Yagawa Kyouta: E-Rank Adventurer'

On the way home, as the sky turned red, I couldn't help but smile as I held the license card with those words written on it.

"Yay! That's great! We both got an 'E' start!"

"Yeah. It's all thanks to you, Rinzaki-san."

"Nah. You worked hard too, Kyo-chan! High five!"

"Eh, ah, sure."

For some reason, Rinzaki-san was walking with me from the testing center to the bus stop.

I raised my hand, a little late, to meet her outstretched right hand.

—Clap.

A light sound as our palms met. The fleeting feeling of her soft hand made my eyes dart away.

We high-fived in the dungeon, but I was wearing gauntlets then. This bare-handed contact feels strangely embarrassing.

I wonder if this sunset will hide the blush on my cheeks. Or so I hope.

Still, why is this person walking with me? Does she want to have a celebration party or something?

C-Could it be... she's interested in me?

...No way. Definitely not. There's no way something that convenient would happen.

She's either just a friendly person, or this is an invitation to 'party up.'

"By the way, Kyo-chan! Do you have time after this?"

"I do, I guess..."

"Then! Then! Why don't we go for some tea? My paisen asked me to 'bring along anyone interesting' I met at the adventurer exam!"

Just as I thought.

"Um... what kind of person is she? Your senpai."

"Umm... she's super weak but super smart! And she's beautiful!"

That's a description that's hard to react to.

The government encourages adventurers to form parties. Normally, the more people you have, the higher the survival rate.

But at the same time, parties are also where trouble starts.

Interpersonal relationships, dividing the rewards. And 'experience point distribution.'

Experience points. Just like in a game, Awakened Persons level up when they 'defeat monsters.'

But unlike a game, it's not automatically and equally distributed to all party members. I hear that those who form a stronger 'connection' with the monster get more experience points. In this case, 'connection' refers to the depth and number of wounds inflicted on the monster.

In other words, people who don't attack don't get much experience. Healers and support classes, which are in high demand in any party, are at a disadvantage in that sense.

In any case, wherever people gather, trouble is bound to arise. A person like me often gets the short end of the stick in those situations, so it's best to be extra cautious.

But still. Turning down an invitation from a rare acquaintance is scary, and more than that, I feel bad about it.

"...Um. Where are we meeting this senpai?"

"At the cafe in front of the station! She said the tea there is delicious!"

"...I see."

A cafe, huh. There aren't many buildings around the station, just a dilapidated shopping street a little ways off.

Among them, the brand-new cafe right in front of the station's north exit stood out. I had looked up the testing center online beforehand, and apparently, the staff there occasionally use that cafe. They probably opened it with that in mind.

But, I'm pretty sure the wall on the station side is almost all glass. The structure makes it easy to see inside from the outside.

And it's a cafe that public servants from the testing center often use. In that case, the chances of any trouble happening there are low, right?

"...Okay. I'll go."

"Yay!"

Rinzaki-san throws her hands up in joy, and I feel a little guilty for being so suspicious.

But don't let your guard down, Kyouta. She's beautiful. There's a term for a honey trap, after all. You can never be too wary of a good-looking stranger.

Because there's no way a beautiful woman or girl would be nice to you without some ulterior motive!!

If I think anything is even slightly suspicious, I'll leave the cafe immediately. And while I'm at it, I should probably record the conversation on my phone.

"My paisen is my senpai's older sister, you see!"

"I-Is that so?"

...I was planning on looking up how to record on the bus, but I wonder if I'll have time.

＊　　　　＊　　　　＊

After a bumpy ride down a poorly maintained road, we got off the bus.

Rinzaki-san led me into the cafe in front of the station.

—Jingle-jangle.

Passing through the door that rang with a pleasant bell sound, I saw a dark wooden counter, chic chairs and vases, and a large window that let in the red-tinged light from outside.

At one of the tables lined up by that window, in a seat in the back, a woman gave us a little wave.

"Sorry to keep you waiting! Paisen!"

"Hello, Erina-kun. The tea here is quite delicious, you know. I found the time was passing by rather quickly."

She was a very beautiful person.

A different kind of beauty from Rinzaki-san. She possessed a beauty like that of an ice sculpture crafted by a master artisan.

Her glossy silver hair flowed down to her waist. Her deep blue eyes were almond-shaped, and her skin was white and smooth.

Her body, wrapped in a white button-down shirt, was slender yet distinctly feminine, with curves in all the right places.

And what caught my eye were the long, pointed ears peeking out from her silver hair.

"An elf..."

I muttered, forgetting my greetings.

Among the Awakened, there was a very small number of people who had become different races.

Elves. Dark Elves. Dwarves. Beastmen. Dhampirs. Beings that were commonplace in subculture, yet couldn't have existed in reality. 'Demi-humans.'

They're sometimes featured on TV, but this is the first time I've met one in person.

"Oh my. Is this young man the 'interesting child' you found, Erina-kun?"

"Ah, um, pleased to meet you. My name is Yagawa Kyouta. Um, I was with Rinzaki-san during the exam..."

"How very polite of you."

As I bowed, the woman also stood up.

She wore a black high-waisted long skirt and heeled boots. It was a simple outfit, but on her, it looked incredibly stylish.

With the dramatic flair of a stage actor, she placed a hand on her chest and bowed at the waist.

"I am Arisugawa Aira. Erina-kun and I are cousins. And for the record, I am not an elf, but a 'half-elf.'"

"Ah, um, I'm sorry."

"Not at all, I don't mind. Come, have a seat. This is my treat."

"...No. I'll pay for my own, so it's okay. My parents told me to."

That's a lie. But if I asked them about a situation like this, that's definitely what they would say.

I don't want to be treated and then have something demanded of me later. I learned in middle school class about those kinds of criminal recruitment tactics.

Arisugawa-san didn't seem offended by my response and sat back down in her original seat with a smile. I sat in the seat opposite her, on the aisle side.

Naturally, Rinzaki-san sat across from me, next to Arisugawa-san. Now, I'm not cornered.

Surreptitiously, so it couldn't be seen from the table, I placed my phone on the chair next to me. At the same time, I tapped and launched the recording app I had installed on the bus.

—BING.

...So it's the kind that makes a startup sound.

Feeling awkward, I glanced at them, but they were ignoring me, with Rinzaki-san holding a menu and talking to Arisugawa-san.

"Paisen! I hear the tea is delicious, but what else is good!?"

"I recommend the croissant. It was crispy and fluffy."

"Seriously! Then I'll have that. What about you, Kyo-chan? This honey bacon hamburger or something?"

"Ah, no... just tea for me."

I actually prefer orange juice to tea, but I read the room and ordered tea as well.

And what's with that? Honey, bacon, and hamburger? I can understand the latter two together, but there's no way that's something you pour honey on.

Is this some kind of worldwide taste sensation...? I mean, in American dramas, they put honey on bacon and sausage too.

"Excuse me! We'd like to order!!"

While I was still confused, Rinzaki-san called over a waiter. I hurriedly asked the waiter who came over to give me a separate check.

I feel like I got a lukewarm look. Was it that? Did they think I was a kid trying to act like an adult?

I guess I can't blame them for thinking that, but this is a pretty serious situation for me. I'm talking to someone who might be running a honey trap, after all.

"Well then. First of all, congratulations to you both on passing the adventurer exam. When I heard you were starting as 'E' rank, I was as happy as if it were my own accomplishment."

"Ossu! We did our best!"

"Th-Thanks..."

Arisugawa-san's cheerful words made my voice turn into a whisper.

...If this person has no ulterior motives at all, doesn't that make me a pretty rude guy?

Ah, maybe I should have just declined the invitation and gone home alone. Even if it meant going to the dungeon solo, I did have a 'secret plan.'

"Fufufu. Don't be so tense, Kyo-chan-kun."

"Kyo—"

"I'm not going to eat you. I am but a harmless and frail university student."

...Why do foreigners start calling people by nicknames right away? I guess she might be half or quarter, given her name.

I really don't get this sense of distance.

"But well. It seems it will take some time for you to let your guard down. However, it's not good to keep a minor out late. So, let's get straight to the point."

I straightened my back at Arisugawa-san's words.

Thank goodness. I have no idea what to talk about with an older woman, so this is a relief.

"Kyo-chan-kun. I want you to team up with this Erina-kun and accept a request from me."

"A request...?"

"Indeed. But I'm not asking you to do anything special. I just want you to 'show' me your dungeon explorations."

Arisugawa-san continued with a cynical smile.

"I want you to become the hands and feet for my frail, ephemeral self."