Dungeon's Final Boss: Banished by My Boss, the Goddess, to Earth—So I'll Continue My Past Life - 28

Chapter 28: State of Emergency

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That day, I was in Hokkaido. Since the dungeon had appeared quite far north, I had to take multiple high-speed helicopters to get there. Unlike the usual spot that required immediate removal, the dungeon didn’t appear in an area with a key transportation hub. 

On the other hand, dungeons that appear in such remote areas rarely have awakened individuals coming to clear them regularly. Yet, leaving them unchecked could lead to an Overload at any time. Because establishing a proper monitoring system was difficult, immediate extermination was the standard approach for dungeons that appeared in remote areas.

This was one of those cases. As usual, we charged in with our regular raid team. The dungeon run itself was completed in about two and a half hours. Our team’s coordination had improved, and they had gotten used to my support. On top of that, their magic power capacity had increased. Simply put, they had leveled up.

“Huh? All of you are returning to the Self-Defense Forces next year?”

“Yes.”

“That’s a shame. Just when we were starting to sync up so well.”

“Haha, it’s an honor to hear that. But there’s a reason for it.”

“A reason?”

“Thanks to you, Hasegawa-san, our abilities have improved dramatically. So, we’d like to take this opportunity to request that you help level up the other awakened individuals within the Self-Defense Forces as well.”

“Ah, I see.”

While being part of the Self-Defense Forces would naturally improve their combat techniques, an awakened individual’s growth could only happen inside a dungeon. To address that issue, I’d heard that the Self-Defense Forces had their own dungeon-clearing operations. However, it was obvious that fighting strong and numerous monsters resulted in greater growth than simply facing convenient opponents. And if they could do that safely, all the better. By diving into dungeons with me as part of the raid team, they must have determined that such safe but lucrative training was possible.

“Well, I suppose that makes sense.”

“Thank you.”

Hadano-san, the leader of the raid team, bowed his head to me. He must have taken my response as an agreement. That wasn’t exactly my intention, but since I had no reason to refuse, I didn’t bother correcting him. Since they were Self-Defense Force members, it wasn’t like they were inexperienced in combat. Honestly, I didn’t really mind either way. Because we had finished the dungeon run too quickly, our transport helicopter hadn’t arrived yet. So, we stood before the now-vanished vortex of light, making small talk while waiting.

That was when it happened. My phone rang. The caller ID displayed the name Rinko Samejima.

“Yes?”

“It happened! Where are you right now?”

“I’m in Hokkaido, but you already knew that, didn’t you?”

As soon as I answered, Samejima-san let out an obvious click of her tongue.

“What’s wrong?”

“Overload.”

Overload. So, monsters had started spilling out of a dungeon. For Samejima-san, who carried traumatic memories tied to that word, it was no wonder her voice had turned sharp at the mention of overload.

“Where?”

“Tama Lake Dungeon.”

“I see.”

There was no Dungeon Convenience Store stationed there.

“If it’s an Overload, wouldn’t the other dungeon be responding to it as well?”

“We don’t know yet. Either way, I’m heading to Tama Lake Dungeon right now. You need to get back as soon as possible!”

“I’ll do my best. Oh, which direction are the monsters heading?”

“Huh? Hold on… Looks like they’re moving east, for the most part.”

“Thanks.”

I ended the call and opened my map app.

“An Overload?”

“That seems to be the case.”

Hearing the conversation, Hadano-san and the rest of the raid team turned grim.

“Uh… Tama Lake is here, and if they’re heading east…”

If an Overload was happening, there had to be another dungeon nearby. The most likely candidate in that area would be the Kichijoji Dungeon. However, when I extended my awareness toward the Dungeon Convenience Store I had set up, I didn’t sense any changes.

An irregular Overload, then.

Among dungeon monsters, this phenomenon was called a Parade. A festival procession. The monsters marched in a line, heading toward another dungeon that had responded to the event. They fought among themselves along the way, and in the end, they stormed the opposing dungeon. They didn’t destroy it. However, they did steal its growth progress—its floors. That was how dungeons deepened their floors.

I had no idea what significance this held for the dungeon creators, but for the Last Boss, who managed a dungeon, it meant having more available resources. They would gain the ability to summon a greater variety and number of monsters.

“If it’s not Kichijoji Dungeon, then the only other possibility would be…”

Come to think of it, my apartment was within the predicted path of movement. And if I recalled correctly, a newly born dungeon had appeared there.

“……”

I wouldn’t say I had a bad feeling about this, but just in case, I called Mio on my phone.

“The number you have dialed is either out of service or turned off…”

A mechanical voice echoed in my ear.

She’s inside a dungeon.

Didn’t Yune and the others say they were going to that dungeon today?

“Hadano-san.”

“Yes. Hold on. The transport helicopter will be here in about ten minutes—”

“I’m heading back first. You can follow after me if you’d like.”

“Huh?”

“See you.”

“Wait—hey! What?! Ehh?!”

Ignoring Hadano-san’s shocked reaction, as well as the rest of the raid team, I took off into the sky. Of course, I was still in my human form.

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