000-020 · 002-ch2

Chapter 2: Far Beyond Where the Dungeon Descends

After returning from a few seconds of thinking and escaping reality, I operated the smartphone screen again.

During that time, the camera that had been filming me moved and showed the girl sleeping on the bed on the broadcast screen.

I don't know who was operating it, but if I hadn't told it not to move, it would have gone to her side from the start.

>>Is Kana-chan sleeping?

>>She's not wrapped in bandages?

>>Her injuries!? She's okay, right!??

>>We will send a rescue team. Please tell us your current layer and location. <<Dungeon Stars Official>>

>>Is this kidnapping?

>>Even rescue operations are noisy these days

>>Wait, you mean you took her clothes off to wrap the bandages!? ?

This girl's name is probably 'Amamiya Kanata.' Dungeon Stars - is that an idol group or some group of streamers? Either way, there's no doubt there's a larger organization behind them than an individual. Which means it might be a pseudonym too.

(Helping someone means dealing with all sorts of trouble, I guess. But I can't just throw her out either.)

"For now, she is... Ms. Amamiya Kanata, correct? She has injuries but is safe. As for the wounds, there were claw-like gashes on her back and right shoulder, but I treated them using recovery items. She's currently recovering, but she should wake up in about three hours."

I pulled formal speech, which I hadn't used much in recent years, from the depths of my memory to explain to a large number of strangers.

>>Thank you! Maximum gratitude!

>>You're my hero!

>>I won't forgive you for taking her clothes off, but thanks for saving her!

>>Taking a woman's clothes off even if it's to save her is unthinkable, right?

>>Groper?

>>Coming out intentionally after she got injured...

"Um, about the current location... honestly, I don't really want to talk about it. I have privacy too."

>>Huh?

>>What was that?

>>Talking about privacy in the dungeon?

>>Hiding location? Monopolized hunting ground?

>>Is there some intention?

>>This is Hiraka, manager of Dungeon Stars. For what reason are you unable to tell us? Our objective is rescuing Amamiya Kanata. Depending on the situation, we may consider reporting to the police for kidnapping, etc. <<Dungeon Stars Official>>

>>It makes no sense to hide the location, right?

>>I won't forgive you if you do something terrible to Kanata! <<Akizuki Maria>>

Naturally, there was a flood of criticism for hiding my location. Well, of course. They just wanted to safely return her to the surface.

(Actually, I don't mind revealing the location... but I'm worried about persistent recruitment and such... But taking her all the way to the surface is also troublesome. No, if I go at fastest speed, that's about one hour per layer? And the route should be manageable somehow... No, but 100 layers is too much. Or rather, I don't know where the current front line is, but the fact that there are layers down to the depths is already important information...)

"It's well-known that information related to dungeons has significant value on its own. Do you understand that what you're asking me for right now is to provide that important information for free without any contract whatsoever?"

>>????

>>What do you mean?

>>That's true for deep layer progression information, but

>>It's the upper layer. There's no information or anything there

>>A life is at stake and you're saying that?

>>When you say it that way, it's certainly true

>>If you seek some kind of reward, please specify the contents. We'll respond to the extent possible. <<Dungeon Stars Official>>

>>They say information like deep layer maps can't be priced

>>Forget about that stuff and just rescue Kana-chan already

( Ah... how much is best to disclose. If I act too weakly, they'll probably get carried away. )

I was reminded of how scary the momentum of the majority is, so I decided to take a strong stance myself.

"To begin with, it's because things like majority opinions and whatnot are troublesome that I've gone down into the dungeon. Obligations, power, voices of the majority. That kind of stuff is annoying. Amamiya Kanata, was it? I helped this girl by chance, and that was purely out of my goodwill. And then? You want me to provide even more goodwill? Don't talk nonsense while you're half asleep.

The flow of comments stopped for an instant.

"Even so, I don't intend to keep her with me forever. I have enough goodwill to return her to the surface. But as a prerequisite, I want to clarify a few things. If you understand that, stop making noise in the comment section. I'm only going to talk to Amamiya Kanata and people related to her."

>>...Scary

>>Weak

>>Well, that's true. We might have been instigating too much

>>Manager-saaan, what are we going to do?

>>You're saying pretty selfish things, aren't you?

>>Understood. If she can be rescued, we will also pay the reward. <<Dungeon Stars Official>>

>>Isn't dungeon rescue work supposed to be free?

>>If it's a reward, bill it to the Dungeon Association

The flow of comments didn't disappear completely, but the number of comments became far fewer than before.

"I'm not asking for a reward, and I don't care if information gets out. It's just that, I don't want this incident to set a precedent where people come to me saying 'help me explore' or 'provide information,' or in the end 'for the country' or 'you should cooperate,' and then... is it called peer pressure? I'm saying don't force that kind of thing on me."

>>I see?

>>You wouldn't say that

>>Too exaggerated

>>That wouldn't happen just in the upper layer

>>It's not like you solo defeated a unique monster

>>Overconfident

>>Ouch, ouch, ouch

>>Understood. When Amamiya Kanata is rescued, we will sign a contract stating that fact. We will work out the details later. <<Dungeon Stars Official>>

"I don't need a contract. It's fine if you agree on your side. Also, if possible, I'd appreciate it if you could keep other organizations and groups in check. There are guilds, right?"

>>The thinking is that of a NEET

>>You really don't want to interact with people, do you?

>>Is there something like you want to cut off ties with everyone around you that much?

>>If you're broadcasting, Dan-Sta (Dungeon Stars) will probably move where they need to

>>Who's going to move at upper layer level?

>>We'll do our best, but we can't guarantee the movements of other groups or guilds. <<Dungeon Stars Official>>

>>Does that mean refusing scouting and recruitment?

"If it's a polite invitation, that's still fine. If I refuse, that's the end. But I'm saying it's troublesome if I'm treated lightly because I'm just an individual and unnecessary pressure is applied. I don't like being talked down to either. I'll ignore that kind of thing, but it's still unpleasant, right. I'm doing things freely and I'll continue to do so, so don't get in my way. That's all I'm saying.

(Well, right now I'm not quite that annoyed about it.)

I was speaking with a pretty strong attitude because I thought if I didn't show that attitude, the other side would get carried away.

Incidentally, what I really hate is big groups like crowds, organizations, and countries, and amorphous pressure like public opinion, but I think I'm fairly lenient enough to respond if a friend I normally know asks me for a favor.

That said, I have no intention of teaching that to them on the other side of the screen.

"Well then, I'll teach you guys watching this video something good. Follow me."

I beckoned to the floating drone, opened the entrance door, and went outside.

Going out under sunlight that was impossible inside the dungeon.

"Upper layer, middle layer, lower layer, deep layer. As far as I know, that's how the dungeon was divided, but the deep layer has a clear end, and beyond that there's more. One hundred layers deeper from the very back of the deep layer. This is that kind of place. If you can come here, try coming."