Episode 062 Shushima Dungeon Closure (Third Party Perspective)

Going back in time a little before Alexia and Fuhito dive into the depths of the Shushima Dungeon.

"What!?"

In the Section Chief's office of the Emergency Response Department, Shindou was yelling at the report he received from the phone and stood up on the spot.

According to the report, an unknown atrocious monster appeared in the Shushima Dungoen that was being re-investigated, the content was that an investigator team led by Inoue Danzou, an S-rank explorer, engaged in battle, but could not do any damage.

However, for some reason the unknown monster left without killing them. Thanks to that, they escaped from the dungeon with their lives.

It is unusual that the S-ranked Inoue, which is the highest peak of the explorers, cannot deal damage. It was no wonder that Shindou was surprised at the report.

"Pull all the parties out right now!! Immediately!"

Shindou immediately contacted a representative of the Union staff supporting the investigation team and instructed them to pull out the investigation teams currently diving and send them to the Toyoshima Branch.

It was this movement of the investigation team that Fuhito and Alexia crossed paths with.

The members of the expedition that have been withdrawn from their investigation to hear the report of the unknown monster convened in the Emergency Response Department. They gathered in the conference room to shre information with high-ranked explorers, and to decide how to handle the dungeon in the future.

"I'm glad everyone has gathered here. I'm Shindou, the Section Chief of the Emergency Response Department of the Toyoshima Branch of the Explorers' Union. I'm glad that everyone came back intact."

When all the investigation members this time went to their seats, Shindou, who was sitting in the seat prepared in front of the explorers like a press conference, stands up and starts talking.

"Do you mind if I ask something?"

Among the gathered explorers, there was a person who raised their hand and asked a question.

"What is it?"

"Why did we suddenly have to stop investigating and gather here?"

"Yes, that's a good question. I'll explain that."

"I understand."

"First of all, I think everyone knows, but this investigation is due to the fact that the E-rank dungeon, Shushima Dungeon, went through a Dungeon Rebirth."

After confirming that the questioner sits down, Shindou clarifies the purpose of this gathering.

"Dungeon Rebirth has chnaged the Shushima Dungeon from the first level to the appearance of B-rank monsters like never seen before. Therefore, we sent an S-rank explorer so that they could respond to any situation. Inoue led four A-rank explorers to investigate. As a result, although the boss was defeated by someone, the magic power concentration is about S-rank. It is said to be possible to capture if done by an A-rank party etc. By doing so, I should have come to the conclusion that it is a dungeon with a degree of danger of a high A-rank. However, if you think about it carefully, we do not know who captured the dungeon, and there was no boss monster. Since the magic power concentration in that state was S-rank class, the boss that was originally there was a monster of S-rank or higher, and there was a person who defeated that monster, or that monster was released from the dungeon's control and I was worried that it might be wandering around, which is why this investigation was conducted."

At this point, Shindou cuts off his story.

When Shindou looks around at them, the gathered explorers understand that it was probably true, and nod their heads.

"Also, it's unclear whether it was a coincidence or inevitable in this investigation, but Inoue's group and the unknown monster met and engaged in battle."(TN:Okay, apparently it wasn't Inoue Tatsu or Shindou Tatsu before, it was supposed to be 'tachi' not 'tatsu' which is a pluralizing way of saying the group of and including the person's name. The drawbacks of not being able to read kanji myself, and having to rely on GTL to romanize it.)

His words made the place noisy, and their attention inevitably focused on Inoue.

"From here, I would like Inoue to report directly."

"I understand."

Inoue stands up and attracts everyone's attention.

"We met a giant black wolf-shaped monster. It had such a terrifying and mighty aura that it was impossible to escape, and we launched attacks at it as soon as we encountered it. It wasn't hurt by any of my party's attacks. I'm not going to tell you the specifics, but we also tried a magic with firepower that would exceed my maximum attack power by Itome, but it was completely unharmed. Itome also collapsed and is undergoing medical treatment. Oh it's not like he was attacked. It's just a deficience of magic."

"Hmm, thank you. Please sit down."

When Inoue finishes the report, Inoue sits down on a chair facing Shindou.

"I would like the other members to share their views. First, Samejima, please."

"I, I understand."

Next, Samejima stands up. Her voice is trembling not because of the tension. The girl was still overshadowed by the horror of her encounter.(TN:Confirmed to actually be a girl here, it says kanojo. Why are names so confusing.)

"Oh, that's not something that people can defeat ... it's a genuine monster. As you know, I'm good at detection. Well, I felt a terrifyingly dense magical power in that detection. I don't think it can be defeated no matter how many S-rank explorers gather ... This time it happened to overlook us, but next time we will definitely be killed."

Samejima felt the magical power of the unknown monster most directly on her skin.

Even if she was an A-rank explorer, the words she uttered in a frightened manner had a lot of weight, and the explorers who participated in the gathering had a heavy air.

"Thank youSamejima. Please sit down. Next, Togari, please."

"Yes."

Togari stands up once Samejima sits in her chair.

"I honestly don't want to encounter that monster again. I'm still proud of being a covert explorer, but it looked sideways at me appearing behind it, but didn't act. It was attacked by me without retaliating. As a result, my weapon was damaged. The result was that it was unharmed. I saw Inoue-san attack at the same time, but "Dragon King Decapitation" which can be said to be Inoue-san's trademark move. Was repelled without doing anything. Looking at the place where Itome-san's attack was landing after that while just standing there, I think that even if all the S-rank explorers are gathered, it can't be defeated as Samejima-san says."

"Yes, thank you."

Togari sits down.

He read the report before, but words with emotions have the power to appeal. Shindou feels once again that it is a situation that is not just talk.

"As you just heard, the danger level of the Shushima Dungeon can no longer be measured. I have no choice but to ask for instructions on what kind of judgment my superiors will make, but I think that it should be closed so that no one can approach it. Are there any questions!!"

After a short silence, one person raised their hand.

"Ah, I'll be the one to say this, but there's no party other than Inoue-san's that saw the monster, right? I think it's possible for Inoue-san to make it up, but that's right. How about everyone else?"

Even in this situation, it is said that evidence should be given without making a judgment based on words alone.

"Oh, I forgot. I couldn't restore most of the data, but there is something left."

With that said, Inoue stood up and handed Shindou a medium containing the data.

When Shindou operated the notebook computer he had at hand, he opened the data on the projector at the top back and projected it.

What was reflected there was a terrifying creature that looked like a wolf made of jet black darkness itself, and its eyes floating in the darkness gave off a red light, further accentuating its majesty.

"Uuh."

As soon as the person who asked the question saw the picture, they began to shake. The other people also feel chills at the strange appearance.

"Are there any objections?"

When Shindou asked again, no one spoke out.