Chapter 12: An Unexpectedly Early Reunion

Hello, it’s the Japanese Ninja.

I’ve recomposed myself and am ready to energetically explore the dungeon again today.

As for Karen-san, I ended up only finding out that she’s Minase-san’s older sister.

But somehow, I feel like we’ll meet again. If we do, I’ll have to clear up any misunderstandings then.

Today, I continue exploring the seventh layer. I don’t have a knife, so it’s bare-handed, but I can’t quit exploring. Leaving the dungeon unattended for too long is dangerous.

The country even favors explorers, encouraging regular dives into the dungeons.

The magic crystal exchange system is part of this, with rewards for dungeon exploration on behalf of the country, perks at various shops for holding an explorer’s license, and free use of public transport. They really take care of us.

But with all these policies, it seems more people are finally starting to become explorers.

Well, being an explorer is always fraught with danger. It’s unavoidable.

My regular exploration of the Garden of the Gods is also a request from the country.

No… to be precise, this task was passed down to me by my master.

Speaking of which, I haven’t seen my master recently.

I wonder where he is now. It’s been months since I heard he was in America, but no word since. Well, knowing master, he’s probably handling things well.

“Alright, that’s done,” I say as I slash through the reaper-like monsters that have started appearing on this floor.

Their attacks are nothing significant. They’re just tricky to approach, but hardly a threat.

It would definitely be problematic if about a hundred of them came at me simultaneously, but I make sure not to slack off on sensing their presence.

By the way, after posting about these monsters on my blog yesterday, the visits have significantly increased.

Well, their “Vaporization” trait is quite troublesome if you don’t know how to handle it. If this information helps everyone’s expeditions become easier and safer, then all the better.

“One… two… three…”

The seventh layer sure has a lot of enemies.

They aren’t particularly strong, but the sheer number slows my progress.

Well, I’ve mostly figured out the map, so I could move on to the next layer, but I feel like it’s not right unless I thoroughly explore everything here.

I continue the exploration, slashing through monsters and taking breaks every now and then.

Having finally conquered the entire seventh layer, I decide to wrap up the exploration for today. I still had some energy left, but it’s not good to overdo it.

I think I’ll wait for my new weapon before tackling the eighth layer. Hooin-san is quick to produce, so it should be ready soon.

Collecting plenty of magic crystals for the weapon fee, I head down to the lower layer.

The structure of this dungeon is quite complex. I’m used to it, so I can move through quickly, but it would be very confusing for first-timers.

To that end, I’ve been meticulously gathering and recording information.

My master used to constantly hammer this point home:

“In a dungeon, it’s the careless ones who lose their lives. No matter what happens, never let your guard down.”

I can’t even count how many times I’ve heard those words. They’re etched deeply into my heart.

Starting the blog was part of that effort. Organizing the information I gathered each day also serves to protect myself.

Sharing information about dungeons tends to be overlooked, after all.

This is because explorers want to monopolize dungeons.

There are plenty of advantages to claiming a dungeon for oneself.

You can secure steady support from the government, monopolize mana crystals, and even sell the information for profit.

My master always lamented this situation. Apparently, he repeatedly appealed to Japan’s Dungeon Management Association to stop this monopoly practice, but his pleas ultimately went unheard.

And so, I often ended up being the one to listen to his complaints. I can’t even count how many times I had to take care of him when he got drunk.

Maybe because of that, my master is rarely in Japan. Well, it’s the same everywhere—there’s a shortage of explorers in every country. At least he shouldn’t have any trouble earning money.

Even so, I’ve heard that Japan is especially behind when it comes to dungeon-related legislation.

The outdated laws still in effect allow for dungeon monopolization, and there are many loopholes in how information is handled, as my master used to grumble about.

While they’re absurdly strict about false information regarding dungeons, there’s no organization in place to verify its accuracy. So, yeah, it’s pretty meaningless.

Ideally, the government should be managing dungeon information, but the current system leaves too much decision-making to the explorers, creating distortions in the process.

Well, there’s no point in complaining.

I’ll just focus on doing my job.

“Haaaaah! Ninja Art: Wind Cleave!”

“…Hm?”

Just as I reached the first floor, I heard a particularly energetic shout.

Looking in the direction of the voice, I saw none other than Minase Karen-san, whom I’d just met, locked in battle with an Archangel.

It seems my prediction that we’d cross paths again has come true, though it’s happening about five times sooner than I expected.

With nimble movements, she circled behind the creature and struck its wide-open weak spot mid-chant.

Swift. And above all, her movements are efficient. She’s quite skilled.

Light particles scattered in the air.

Against that shimmering backdrop, Karen-san crossed her arms dramatically.

“It’s finished,” she declared.