Chapter-07 · EP-111
Episode 111: Tatsunori Susa (Part 1)
Several days had passed since I received information that multiple Rank 3 potion transactions were taking place at Tokyo Dungeon Academy and began investigating.
Apparently, the trigger for this order was that Duke Kujo had recently been looking for buyers for several Rank 3 potions. The Duke was apparently seeking buyers who would pay a higher price, but the Ministry of Defense, catching wind of this, purchased them all under the pretext of national defense. Hearing that alone, one might think that a Duke's family would own that many potions, but in fact, there is no record of the Kujo family buying up potions.
Moreover, the Duke is known to oppose the hoarding of potions by the wealthy.
If so, why did he put multiple Rank 3 potions up for sale?
It's contradictory.
At the same time, according to information from several noble sources, multiple students at Tokyo Dungeon Academy have reportedly witnessed Rank 3 potion transactions. The veracity is unclear, but the story has been relayed by several nobles, so it seems likely to be true.
Speaking of Tokyo Dungeon Academy, the Duke's two children – third-year Kazuma Kujo and first-year Hikaru Kujo – attend.
Could the Duke be having his children buy up Rank 3 potions at the academy, then reselling them? If so, the profit for the Duke would be too small. It's an enormous sum for ordinary people, but the Duke owns several large corporations; the resale profit would be negligible for him. If he were going to do it, he'd have his corporate people handle it; it's not something he'd get personally involved in.
This matter is full of unknowns.
But Rank 3 potions are too important to ignore.
Currently, potion prices continue to skyrocket. A Rank 3 potion, which used to have a market price of around 1 million yen, now trades for about ten times that amount. And it's not even a matter of being able to afford one; they've become hard to obtain in the first place.
For dungeon explorers, potions are a lifeline. Most healers retire from dangerous exploration mid-career to become professional healers, so there are almost no healers among the explorers pushing the frontiers. Therefore, for us, potions are the only way to treat serious injuries.
For the Self-Defense Forces, which currently explores the deepest depths in Japan, high-rank potions are desperately needed.
However, obtaining Rank 3 or higher potions is extremely difficult.
In the dungeons near Tokyo, they are confirmed to drop from Quicksilver Slimes appearing on the 21st floor. But Quicksilver Slimes are also famous as extremely difficult monsters to defeat. Their bodies are made of liquid metal, making physical attacks almost useless, and most magic also ineffective. And they quickly flee. If they escape into crevices in rock walls due to their liquid form, you can't chase them.
Even if you manage to defeat one, the drop rate for Rank 3 potions is extremely low. In our experience, one drop per 100 defeated is considered good. It's a mind-bogglingly low rate.
There might be dungeons overseas where they can be obtained more easily, but even if so, Japanese explorers probably aren't permitted to explore them.
Or perhaps there is another monster in Japan, as yet unknown, that drops them.
Anyway, if the Rank 3 potions sold by Duke Kujo originated from the academy dungeon, the Ministry of Defense cannot ignore it. We need to confirm the detailed acquisition method and bring more high-rank potions to the Self-Defense Forces.
I exchanged information so far with Sergeant Second Class Yumi Kushinada, who had infiltrated the academy before me to investigate.
"Good work, First Lieutenant Susa."
"Hey. How's it going on your end?"
"Yes. For now, I'm acting as a temporary instructor without raising suspicion. Having spent time here, there's nothing strange about the academy. And I have no particular information about Rank 3 potions either. Not being able to ask probing questions without drawing suspicion is a factor."
"Hold off on questioning for now. I want to proceed carefully."
"Yes, sir."
"On my end, I went to see that antidote factory in Okutama. I asked the locals, and apparently construction started very suddenly."
"Suspicious."
"Yeah. It seems the site was originally planned to be a parking lot for a hotel nearby, but for some reason, the plan changed and factory construction began. Apparently, the antidote itself is also being produced at another Arkrejia Development facility."
"Speaking of that, the Duke recently donated 100 doses of antidote to the academy. They're said to be as effective as Rank 1 Cure Potions."
"Probably prototypes from Arkrejia Development's research facility. If the prototypes are 100 doses, when the factory goes into full operation, an unimaginable quantity of antidote will circulate. Probably enough to cause Cure Potion prices to plummet."
"That's welcome news for us explorers."
"Yeah. Perhaps the Duke is trying to circulate large quantities of high-rank potions for explorers as well."
"But the potion side is overwhelmingly short in numbers."
"True. Still, the Duke's actions since last month are too sudden. It's as if, the moment his daughter enrolled, various things started moving."
"Really…"
"Also, regarding Okutama, it seems Shirou Ichinose came to the Okutama Dungeon during Golden Week. Even though the academy has its own dungeon, going out of his way to such an unpopular dungeon must have a special reason. Perhaps Ichinose is a high-rank explorer with a fake age, and he was exploring the 21st floor of Okutama to obtain Rank 3 potions. If so, now that Okutama Dungeon is closed, we can't investigate it…"
"Ichinose? In my eyes, he looked like an ordinary student his age…"
"Is that so? Still, the Duke came and decided to build the factory right after Ichinose explored for a few days. There's no doubt they're connected."
"But Ichinose is a commoner, not a noble. I can't see him having a direct connection to the Duke."
"Perhaps he's an excellent explorer working under the Duke on a special mission. Hiding his true identity while living as a student… That would explain various things."
"Hmm… I really don't see him that way. If anything, he seems a bit absent-minded…"
"Is that so? But the more ordinary someone looks, the more dangerous they can be."
"Ah, I'm late reporting this, but Ichinose is going to the Shinjuku Dungeon with his classmates this weekend, and I got permission to accompany them. Apparently, they'll be exploring the fourth floor."
"Shinjuku Dungeon? Could that be where he obtained the Rank 3 potions?"
"Shinjuku is crowded; if he had Rank 3 potions, he'd probably stand out. Besides, he said they're only going to the fourth floor."
"I see… Still, it's odd for new students to be exploring the fourth floor. There's clearly something there. Then I'll go to the Shinjuku Dungeon this weekend too. I'll tail them from a distance, and you stay close and observe for anything suspicious."
"Understood."
After exchanging information, I turned off my mobile phone.
What exactly is happening at Tokyo Dungeon Academy? Who is Shirou Ichinose? Setting aside that it's my job, I was starting to become intrigued.
At that time, I did not yet know that meeting this man would eventually decide the fate of the Self-Defense Forces.
This concludes Chapter 7.
Thank you for following Shirou's growth so far.
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