Episode 168: Four Ores
At the International Dungeon Research Institute in Israel, Ethan stood with his arms crossed, gazing up at the Orpheus Tablet behind reinforced glass with a grave expression.
“So… the day has finally come.”
Beside Ethan, who was narrowing his eyes, his assistant Clark grew increasingly alarmed.
“What on earth are we going to do about this?”
“I don’t know… I have no idea.”
Before the two of them, almost all the ores lined up on the Orpheus Tablet had begun to glow. The glow of the ores signified that monsters were about to emerge from the dungeons.
Eighteen ores representing Dukes, and seven ores representing Lords.
“If this many Unique Monsters appear on the surface, the damage will be extraordinary. But the biggest problem is…”
Ethan raised his gaze. There, at the very top of the Stone Tablet, were six ores lined up.
The Six Kings, said to be capable of destroying the world. Of those, four—’Red,’ ‘Blue,’ ‘Green,’ and ‘Yellow’—were glowing.
“The Red, Blue, Green, and Yellow Kings, huh…? Dealing with even one is difficult enough, but four appearing simultaneously? Am I having a nightmare?”
Another Stone Tablet excavated from Orpheus contained a description of the Six Kings appearing on the surface in ancient times, causing natural disasters and wiping out civilizations.
Clark looked at Ethan with a pained expression.
“Is there really nothing we can do?”
Ethan gave a dry laugh and shook his head.
“I can’t even imagine the extent of the threat. I hate to say it as a scholar, but I feel like praying to God.”
◇◇◇
Two days had passed since the Black Armor was defeated.
The news that the Seekers had subjugated the target monster brought relief to the Japanese people, who had been growing increasingly anxious.
However, the information that it had been captured alive perplexed many.
Somewhere in Tokyo—
In an underground isolation facility, Self-Defense Forces personnel, security Seekers, and several researchers were watching a large monitor.
“How is it?”
It was Defense Minister Takakura who asked the researcher.
He had come to the facility with Serizawa, the Defense Counselor, to inspect the condition of the captured Black Armor.
“As you can see, it hasn’t woken up yet. Its body has been treated, but it remains unconscious.”
The monitor showed a man lying in a bed.
He was wrapped in bandages all over his body and was sleeping with an oxygen mask on. The electrocardiogram showed no abnormalities, and he appeared to be sleeping peacefully.
“Is there no chance this room could be breached?”
When Takakura asked, the chief researcher, a man wearing glasses, opened his mouth with a nervous look.
“N-no. The room confining the subject has its internal Mana suppressed to near zero using technology that utilizes Magic Gems, and the walls and ceiling are as sturdy as a nuclear shelter. Even with the Black Armor’s immense strength, it shouldn’t be able to break through easily…”
“I see.”
Takakura nodded and looked at Serizawa.
“You’ve identified the individual, haven’t you?”
“Yes. According to the Metropolitan Police Department, the captured individual is Mitaka Yuma, eighteen years old. He was a civilian who had been working for a dungeon-related company as a Seeker since this year.”
Takakura shifted his gaze back to the monitor. Eighteen years old… the young man sleeping in the bed certainly looked young.
“We’ve spoken to people from the company he worked for, ‘D-Minor.’ The president, Kanzaki, apparently knew that the Black Armor was Mitaka Yuma.”
“Why did he have such power?”
“According to Kanzaki, it was because he ingested a strange Demon Ore when he was exploring the destroyed Black Dungeon.”
“Black Dungeon?”
“‘D-Minor’ was the one that conquered the Black Dungeon in Yokohama. We know they reached the lowest level, so it’s not necessarily a lie.”
Takakura frowned. The destruction of the Black Dungeon had been a problem, but it had been downplayed because it had no commercial impact.
However, if it had created such a monster, it needed to be thoroughly investigated.
“Where is this man Kanzaki now?”
“Yes, he is currently being questioned by the Dungeon Association, and I hear that the Metropolitan Police Department plans to arrest him once that is over.”
“Are the charges solid?”
Takakura asked Serizawa while still looking at the monitor.
“There are several dungeon-related laws that he has violated. More than that, given the circumstances, there should be no problem requesting an arrest warrant.”
“…I see.”
Takakura replied curtly. The monster was a human—
That fact had not been made public. It was an unprecedented situation with no parallel in the world, so they had to proceed with caution.
Was this young man, Mitaka Yuma, a human with the power of a monster?
Or was he a monster in human form?
Depending on the case, they might have to kill him. This man could cause unnecessary chaos in society.
Takakura turned on his heel.
It was Takakura’s job to explain the details to the Prime Minister at the cabinet meeting that would be held later.
Thinking it was an unpleasant role, he passed through the automatic door of the research facility.
He glanced at the Black Armor on the monitor and left the facility.
◇◇◇
At Yuma’s family home in Akiruno City, Tokyo, officers from the Metropolitan Police Department and the Dungeon Association had gathered.
The search, which had begun in the morning, continued until after noon, with the officers conducting a house search.
Mamezou, who was in the backyard, noticed the commotion and kept barking at the house. Yuma’s parents were also being asked detailed questions.
Almost everything in Yuma’s room was confiscated, and the parents watched the backs of the investigators carrying away several cardboard boxes with frightened expressions.
At that moment—
“Mr.! Mrs.!”
“Ah, Kaede-chan!” Yuma’s mother let out a relieved voice.
Kaede arrived, out of breath. She slipped past the returning investigators and rushed to Yuma’s parents at the entrance.
“Kaede-chan, what’s going on? I don’t understand anything anymore…”
Yuma’s father said with a bewildered expression, and his mother followed.
“The police won’t tell us anything. I called the company Yuma works for, but no one answers… Where is Yuma!? Where is Yuma!?”
Kaede took a breath and looked straight at the two of them.
“Yuma is okay! Rui called me earlier and said that Yuma is safe, though he couldn’t go into details.”
“Rui-kun!? Does that mean he knows something?”
Yuma’s mother asked with a tearful face.
“I think it’s probably something related to the dungeon. Rui seemed to know something, but he was told not to say anything…”
“What could be related to the dungeon?”
Yuma’s father, who was not familiar with Yuma’s work, asked Kaede desperately.
“I don’t know yet… but I’ll look into it. I’ll contact you as soon as I find out anything, so please don’t worry!”
Kaede replied with a bright smile, trying to reassure Yuma’s parents. After being thanked by the two, Kaede left Yuma’s house, but her heart was not calm.
When she heard from Rui that Yuma was in trouble, she thought he had just been injured. But the fact that the police had come to investigate meant that he was suspected of something.
Kaede knew better than anyone that Yuma was not the kind of person who would commit a crime.
—Yuma… where are you now?
Kaede took out her smartphone. As she was searching for information, news about the Black Armor was displayed at the top.