Chapter-01 · EP-001

Chapter 1: The Beginning of Labyrinth and Youths

Episode 1: Tokyo Dungeon Academy

Dungeon exploration—a job where you risk your life challenging the dungeon to obtain wealth and honor.

Normally, activity as an explorer is only permitted from the age of eighteen.

The reasoning is that while the younger you are, the more your talents develop, the younger you are, the higher your chance of dying.

To resolve this contradiction, an institution for training dungeon explorers was established—the Dungeon Explorer Training Academy, commonly known as "Dungeon Academy."

One of only two such schools in the country, "Tokyo Dungeon Academy," is where I now set foot.

My name is Shirou Ichinose.

After graduating middle school, I enrolled in this Tokyo Dungeon Academy.

The profession of dungeon explorer, which allows you to earn more money than a typical office job, is highly popular. In proportion, the Dungeon Academy that trains excellent explorers is also popular, and the entrance exams are fiercely competitive.

To be honest, my academic abilities were barely enough; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say I got in solely on my physical abilities. In that sense, I'm grateful to my parents for giving me such a healthy body.

Leaving my hometown, I moved into the dormitory of the Dungeon Academy located in a city on the outskirts of Tokyo, and a new life began.

Having already finished moving in and changed into my uniform, I passed through the gates of the Dungeon Academy on the day of the entrance ceremony, finally a student.

As I walked around the school grounds, someone called out to me from behind.

"Ichinose-kun!"

I turned around to find Yuno Hayasaka, a girl who went to the same middle school.

"Hayasaka. Good morning."

"Morning! When you come from the countryside like us, it's reassuring to see someone from the same middle school, right?"

"Is it? I don't really hang out with people much, so I don't mind..."

"I see... But yeah, Ichinose-kun was a loner in middle school too."

"Ouch..."

When I made a dejected face from being teased, Hayasaka broke into a wide smile.

Beside her stood a tall girl with a ponytail, laughing along.

"Uh, who's this?"

"Oh, let me introduce you. This is Iori Takigawa, another new student."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Takigawa. Pleasure."

She was about 170 cm tall and greeted me with a somewhat masculine tone.

"I'm Shirou Ichinose. Nice to meet you. Hayasaka and I went to the same middle school. By the way, how did you two meet?"

Today was the first day of school. There shouldn't have been any chance for classmates to meet before this. Maybe they met yesterday when moving into the dorms?

"I just met Yuno at the school gate a little while ago."

"Huh?"

"She seemed like a fellow new student, so I called out to her. Right, Iori?"

"Yeah."

"Wait, so you're already on a first-name basis? How high is your communication skill?"

I'm not very good at socializing with people, and I'm not good at actively striking up conversations either.

I can hardly believe someone like Hayasaka can become friends so quickly.

Come to think of it, I recall she had a lot of friends in middle school too.

"I was worried about whether I'd be able to make friends quickly, but Yuno was so friendly and talked to me. It really helped."

So it seems Hayasaka is the special one; Takigawa seems to be the same type as me.

I strongly agreed.

"Right?"

"I hope the three of us end up in the same class!"

To Hayasaka's words, I answered a bit coolly.

"We probably will anyway."

"Huh? How do you know?"

"Don't you know? Commoners like us are practically guaranteed to be in D-Class."

"Why?"

Hayasaka genuinely looked like she had no idea.

So I began to explain.

"Well... A-Class is for powerful nobles or super-elites. B and C are their hangers-on. I've heard that us commoners are always placed in D-Class, regardless of our grades."

"Is that so? Isn't that unfair?"

"Even if you say it's unfair, that's apparently how the system works, so telling me won't help."

Hayasaka, like me, came from a rural area, so she didn't understand how big the gap between nobles and commoners was in a big city like Tokyo. Even if the law says all citizens of this country are equal in principle, in reality, the treatment of upper-class citizens and commoners is completely different.

"But at least we'll be in the same class, so that's good."

"Yeah!"

When Takigawa said that, Hayasaka's mood suddenly improved, and her expression relaxed. At any rate, it was good that she stopped being angry.

The three of us then headed to the courtyard to check the posted exam scores and class assignments.

"So they post scores? This school..."

In middle school, I was glad they didn't have this kind of public execution-style system, but it seems this Dungeon Academy places great importance on grades, and apparently, they still post scores like this nowadays.

Both written test and physical test results were posted. My written test score, which was average in middle school, seemed to be at the bottom of the class here.

I squinted and compared my score with other students... It seemed I really might be last place.

But my physical test score... looked like it was the highest in the class.

"You're right, all three of us are in D-Class."

Hayasaka, whose written test and physical test scores were decent unlike mine, muttered that, more interested in the class assignments.

Apparently, if a commoner stated in their interview that they supported the nobility system and actively wanted to join a faction to support the nobility, they could get into C-Class. But I said I wasn't interested at all, and Hayasaka probably answered that everyone should be equal, given her personality.

I thought Takigawa seemed similarly uninterested in nobles, and she was also in D-Class.

The reason being that anyone who gets into C-Class would be desperately trying to pick a noble's faction to join right now, or if they'd already decided which noble to follow, they'd be too busy acting as their follower to have time to talk to us.

Just then, a pair of boys in front of us, apparently because they were in the same class, clapped each other on the shoulder.

"We're in the same class, Kyoya! Looking forward to working with you again this year!"

A handsome guy in black-rimmed glasses said that cheerfully to the boy next to him.

However, the other handsome guy he spoke to crossed his arms, looking somewhat dissatisfied.

"D-Class after all. Even with my entrance exam scores, being so clearly placed in a lower class—this academy is obviously discriminating against ordinary citizens..."

"Well, it's fine, isn't it? Top overall. Even if the class is D, you're still giving the new student address."

"Naturally."

Seems he's also in D-Class with us, and apparently, he has the highest overall entrance exam score.

I looked at the score sheet. The name written for the highest overall score was Kyoya Murasakimura. That's probably him.

Anyway, he scored high on both the written and physical tests. He's what you'd call accomplished in both academics and athletics.

Well, my physical score is a little higher than his, though.

Still, being the top overall student means you have to give the representative address at the entrance ceremony. That seems like a hassle.

As I was thinking that, a group of several people approached from the left.

"Are you Kyoya Murasakimura?"

"...Yeah, so?"

A girl with long, slightly wavy hair standing in the middle of the group spoke to Murasakimura. This group seemed to be her followers, and they had business with the Murasakimura guy in front of me.

I, being uninvolved, tried to quickly step back when she uttered some mysterious words.

"I am Hikaru Kujo. I want you to swap places with me as the new student representative."

Why? I'd understand if she was asking a favor, but why would she willingly take on such a troublesome role?

Curious, I was drawn into their conversation.

"Why should I swap with you? I have the top overall entrance exam score."

"Fufufu. On the written test alone, your score is lower than mine, isn't it? I am the top scorer on the written test. Shouldn't the grade's representative be the student with the highest academic ability?"

What! So she was the top scorer on the written exam. I had thought her way of speaking seemed somewhat unintelligent, but she must either be very smart or a very hard worker. I revised my impression of her slightly.

However, Murasakimura didn't seem to like what Hikaru Kujo had said.

"The new student representative is decided by the highest combined score on the written and physical tests. If you have a complaint, take it up with a teacher, not me."

"That's why I'm telling you. Even if that's the rule, if you voluntarily decline, the teachers will accept it, won't they?"

"I have no intention of declining."

"Oh? Even though different people hold the top spot in the written test and the physical test individually, aren't you embarrassed to call yourself the overall top?"

"What did you say?"

Murasakimura's expression changed. The bespectacled boy next to him quickly restrained him.

"Calm down, Kyoya."

Since I had a better physical test score than Murasakimura, and Hikaru Kujo had a better written test score, then Murasakimura was likely the well-balanced type. Hikaru Kujo would be the brainy type, and I would be the muscle-brain type... Muscle-brain? Well, that's not... I mean, that's what the test scores would suggest.

And it seemed Murasakimura was the impulsive type, while the bespectacled guy was the calm type.

Hikaru Kujo smirked at Murasakimura's agitation.

"You may have good grades, but you seem immature. Perhaps it's because you haven't had a proper upbringing?"

This young lady was really provoking him. She seemed quite strong-willed. And seeing Murasakimura clench his fists, he was clearly not calm inside. Indeed, this year's top student might be immature.

"Are you mocking me?!"

"Oh? Your language is getting rougher, isn't it? Showing your true colors?"

Probably, if Murasakimura lost his temper, Hikaru Kujo's followers would protect her. And if that happened, not only would Murasakimura lose his position as representative, he might even risk expulsion. I didn't want to get involved, but this needed to stop.

I hesitated, but before I could act, Hayasaka moved.

"Why do you have to say such mean things? You'd lose to lots of people too if only the physical test counted, wouldn't you?"

"Oh? And who are you?"

Hayasaka's sudden intervention surprised not only Murasakimura and Kujo but also the other students who had been watching the situation.

"I'm Hayasaka from D-Class. He said he doesn't intend to give up the representative address, didn't he? So it can't be helped, right? Please give up."

"Miss Hayasaka, isn't this none of your business?"

The next moment, Kujo's followers moved to surround Hayasaka. Perhaps sensing danger, Hayasaka appealed to me.

"Hey, Ichinose-kun, you think so too, right?"

I don't think that at all.

Hayasaka hid behind me. She's a shrewd woman.

I put my hands forward to hold back Kujo's followers.

"Now, now, everyone, calm down!"

Behind me, I could hear Takigawa snickering.

This is no time to laugh!

Murasakimura spoke to us.

"Are you also in D-Class? This woman is probably a noble. I'm sure you too find the arrogance of nobles intolerable."

His words made the followers bite back.

"How dare you call Lady Hikaru 'this woman'! Lady Hikaru's family is the Duke Kujo family!"

"So what! That's exactly the arrogance I'm talking about! The Japanese Constitution states that all citizens are equal under the law!"

"That's just a facade! The fact is that it's the nobles who truly support this country!"

"If you know that, then you're saying the noble rule of this country is unconstitutional! And you who support it are also wrong!"

"What did you say!"

This is bad. Things were heating up.

Among the surrounding students, there were probably both noble supporters and anti-noble factions. If Murasakimura started a fight like this, it might involve many students.

"Stop—"

Just as I tried to intervene, a loud voice rang out from behind.

"What are you doing!"

The tense atmosphere changed instantly.

Everyone present shifted their gaze to the owner of the voice.

One of the students murmured.

"The student council president..."

The student council president—that man, if he was a third-year, should be two years older than us, but he gave a much more mature impression.

He was tall and had a good physique. His sharp features didn't look aged, but compared to us, he seemed like a proper adult.

"I asked what you are doing. Hikaru? Are you involved in this?"

"Brother..."

Hikaru Kujo, who had been so assertive until moments ago, suddenly seemed timid. Since she called him brother, they were likely siblings.

When Hikaru Kujo didn't answer immediately, one of her followers responded instead.

"Lord Kazuma. Lady Hikaru was merely proposing that this commoner let her take his place as the representative for the entrance ceremony!"

"Change representatives? Why?"

"Because Lady Hikaru—"

"I wasn't asking you. Hikaru! Answer the question. Why are you taking his place for the representative address?"

"Well..."

Murasakimura cut into the conversation between the Kujo siblings.

"I have no intention of giving up the representative address! Even if you, the student council president, order me to, the academy asked me to give the address."

"I see..."

The elder Kujo turned to look at Murasakimura, staring at him intently. Then he faced his sister again.

"...That's what he says. Do you have anything to say?"

Hikaru Kujo wore a complex expression, a mix of frustration and sadness, as she answered her brother's question.

"Nothing at all!"

Then she turned on her heel and walked briskly toward the school building. Her followers hurriedly chased after her.

After watching his sister leave, the student council president clapped his hands and addressed the gathered students.

"Now, those of you who know your class assignments, move to your classrooms! If you dawdle, you'll be late for the entrance ceremony!"

The crowd that had formed scattered hurriedly.

The student council president also left quickly, as if nothing had happened.

Murasakimura and his bespectacled friend glared resentfully at his retreating figure.