chapter01 · 004-ep4

Episode 4: The Strongest Power — but It Vanishes If You Get Embarrassed

At ten the next morning, I came through the ticket gates at Kanayama Station to find all four of them already there.

"Saku, you're looking rough, no?"

That's Osawa, first thing after seeing me. Even Yamabuki leaned in to peer at my face.

"Whoa, those eye bags are intense. You didn't sleep, did you?"

"It's my first dungeon, okay? You think I could sleep with nerves like this?"

"Aw, you do have an adorable side."

"What am I, an elementary schooler the night before a field trip?!"

They all cracked up. Fine. Laugh it up, as much as you want. It's ten thousand times better than telling them the truth.

Because what I'd actually been doing was reciting my dark history out loud in my futon until nearly dawn.

Was †The Book of the King† special? Or would any notebook I'd written work? I just couldn't help myself — I had to know.

So I dug through the back of my closet. It was hell.

First to surface was a doodle book from my elementary school days. Nothing but dragons, plus a hero whose hair turned gold for some reason. That one didn't react to anything I read from it. Well — no lore written down, after all. There were pages where the only text was "strong" and "big." I read those out loud. Deadpan. ......I want those minutes of my life back.

Next, a technique-name book I used for a stretch in eighth grade. Just ten or so technique names listed in a row — and that one didn't react either. I'm guessing because the strength field only said "super strong." Honestly, even a system would be stumped by that.

Apparently, the more densely written the notebook, the more properly it becomes power.

And by that logic, the real problem is †The Book of the King†'s companions. I genuinely loved making lore, so one notebook was never going to hold it all.

There's a volume for the Twelve Seats and their underlings, and a volume for weapons, armor, and accessories. None as dense as the Book of the King, but all of them thoroughly filled in. The weapons volume even had summoning declarations composed for a few dozen special favorites. What was kid-me even fighting?

Those all reacted, and this is what came up:

Vault of Tomes (Unlock Condition: Not Reached)

Limit Break (Unlock Condition: Not Reached)

Summoning (Unlock Condition: Not Reached)

All three: not reached. I lay in my futon staring at those three lines for something like half an hour.

In game terms, it's like being shown the ultimate-equipment list with a padlock on every single entry. That's sadistic teasing!

But it means if I just raise my level, I get to use all of this, right? Then there's nothing for it but to grind!

And what I can use right now is that introduction chant — the single most embarrassing item in the collection. Put the lock on THAT one, why don't you.

"What's up? You've got a thousand-yard stare."

"Nothing. Just reflecting on my life."

"Whatever, let's go! It's this way."

Miyake set off in the lead, Osawa behind him. Fujidou was checking the map on his phone, and Yamabuki was carrying a convenience store bag. You planning to bring THAT into the dungeon?

The Kanayama dungeon was a five-minute walk from the station.

Between a mixed-use building and a coin parking lot sat a fenced-off plot, and in it stood a black door. Literally just a door — no frame, no building, no wall. It looked like it had grown out of the ground, and apparently if you go around the back, you can plainly see the other side of the door.

Dungeon doors — I've seen them hundreds of times in my life. But today, I was the one going in. Once that sank in, a plain black door started looking impossibly cool. I've been waiting for this day since elementary school!

"Whoa, it's packed."

A few groups of kids around our age were lined up in front of the gate. It's spring break, so most of them probably just got their appraisals too.

Beside the gate, boxes like coin lockers stood in a row.

"Is this where the rentals are?"

Miyake tapped his card, and one of the boxes clanked open. Inside was a great shield that looked heavy at a glance.

"Ohh, it's a proper shield!"

"Apparently the contents change with your Job."

Fujidou tapped his card, and from a different box came a black terminal about the size of a pocket planner. It's for analysis, he said.

"Swords — there's two!"

Osawa had a shortsword in each hand and was immediately whipping them around, until Yamabuki stopped him. Getting stopped by Yamabuki is really saying something.

Out of Yamabuki's box came a short staff with a red stone set in the tip.

"Whoa, I look like a real wizard!"

"You are one, you know."

And with that, all four of them had their gear. Only I was left.

I tapped my card, the box opened, and inside were a single iron sword — the cheapest-looking one imaginable — and leather armor in about my size.

"Normal, huh."

"Real normal."

"You're a chuunibyou — figured you'd get something, like, way more black!"

"They're not stocking black gear. It's a rental."

No, it'd be a problem if they did. If a black one had been sitting next to the normal one, I'd definitely have picked the black one — and regretted it three seconds later.

I gripped the borrowed sword, and it was heavier than I expected. Real swords weigh THIS much?

"Alright, let's go!"

Miyake slung the great shield on his back and stood in front of the door.

"First time, first floor only. No pushing it — we take out one goblin and come back. Ten minutes, done."

Fujidou pocketed his phone. Ever since middle school, Fujidou's always been the one saying the most sensible thing at moments like this.

"You good, Saku? If you're sleepy, don't push yourself!"

"I'm fine. If anything, I'm getting more awake."

In truth, I was not fine at all. Partly the sleep loss — but mostly because I still hadn't decided whether to use it.

If I don't use it, I'll be trading blows with a goblin at STR 8 with a borrowed sword. If I do use it, I'll be putting on my deadest face and bellowing that name in front of all four of them.

Why am I being forced through the ultimate dilemma right before my first dungeon?

Still undecided, I stood in front of the door too.

"Opening it!"

Miyake tapped his card, and the black door swung inward without a sound.

Wait — I'm not done mentally preparing yet?!