Episode 98: Emergency Situation
The Red Dungeon, located in Ishioka City, Ibaraki Prefecture.
Though the sun had set, the “Dome” leading to the dungeon was crowded with Seekers and related personnel.
Inside a sterile white room, several laptops sat on a long table.
Five men were peering intently at the screens of these computers.
“The Mana leak is still happening. And it seems to be increasing exponentially,” said the man operating the equipment.
Ishikawa, standing next to him, responded with a grimace, “Too fast. Why the sudden surge…?”
“I heard this morning that the ‘Black Dungeon’ in Yokohama was cleared. Could there be a connection?”
“I don’t know. But we can’t rule out the possibility of an influence. Whoever did it, they’ve caused us unnecessary trouble!”
Ishikawa, the person in charge at Elceed, was growing increasingly frustrated with the situation.
The Mana leak from the Red Dungeon had started a few days prior. Reports of Mana leaks from overseas dungeons had also surfaced, leading to the anticipation that the same phenomenon would eventually occur in Japan.
However, the rapid outflow prompted Ishikawa to discuss countermeasures with Kakitani, the Ground Self-Defense Force General in charge of the JGSDF Camp Kasumigaura, which managed the “Red Dungeon.”
They were currently in a room adjacent to the hall where the dungeon entrance was located.
The walls, floor, and ceiling were all white, creating a stark and sterile environment. Inside were Ishikawa and four Seekers from Elceed Corporation, along with General Kakitani and six members of the Self-Defense Forces from Kasumigaura Garrison.
“Ishikawa-san. We don’t know what will happen if this continues. I’m thinking of requesting support from the Ministry of Defense’s Dungeon Countermeasures Office.”
General Kakitani, a fifty-something Self-Defense Force officer with a buzz cut, addressed Ishikawa.
Dressed in his crisp uniform and flanked by his subordinates, he exuded authority. Ishikawa nodded and began to speak.
“I’ve also requested Elceed headquarters to dispatch Seekers. They should arrive by morning.”
“I’m sorry. This kind of dangerous situation should be handled by us, the Self-Defense Forces. I hate to involve you civilians.”
“Please don’t worry about it. Dungeons and Monsters are our specialty. We’ll cooperate as much as we can.”
“I appreciate you saying that. Now, the problem is…”
“Yes.”
Their gazes shifted to the door in front of them. It was a thick, steel Bulkhead Door, separating the unrealistic space of the dungeon from the world where people lived.
“But, is it really possible for Monsters to come out of the dungeon?”
Kakitani asked Ishikawa with a worried expression.
“As long as Mana is flowing out onto the surface, it’s entirely possible. Low-Level Monsters wouldn’t be much of a problem, but if Abyssal Monsters appear, it’ll be a disaster.”
“Have there been such cases overseas?”
“There have been instances of Low-Level Monsters appearing, but officially, there have been no reports of Abyssal Monsters.”
“Officially… you mean?”
Kakitani frowned.
“There’s a possibility that various governments are covering it up. In some small countries, the dungeon business is the main industry, and even in larger countries, they wouldn’t want their own companies to be affected.”
“So they conceal it?”
Ishikawa nodded in response.
“No country wants to bear the losses alone. They keep quiet as long as they can handle it domestically. They look around, gauging the reactions of other countries.”
Ishikawa had a certain conviction. With such rapid changes occurring in Japan, it was impossible that no problems had arisen in other countries where Mana release had started earlier.
Therefore, they absolutely couldn’t be the first to cause a problem in Japan.
“We’re receiving reports that the Mana inside the dungeon is also increasing rapidly. There’s a high possibility that powerful Monsters will come up.”
“I see…”
Kakitani began speaking with his subordinates, his expression serious. Ishikawa shifted his gaze back to the computer monitor.
It displayed the state of the first floor of the dungeon.
“It doesn’t seem like there are any abnormalities at the moment,” said a subordinate.
Ishikawa replied, “Ah, that’s right,” and peered at the monitor. Due to the Mana’s influence, communication was only possible up to the first floor.
Since they couldn’t see what was happening on the lower floors, Ishikawa had stationed six Seekers on the second floor as well.
On the first floor, there were five Seekers, and in the hall where the dungeon entrance was located, ten Seekers and eight Self-Defense Force members equipped with Guns were on standby.
In the room where Ishikawa was, there were Ishikawa and his four direct subordinates, as well as Kakitani and his Self-Defense Force officers.
If this room were breached, it would lead to the area outside, making it the final defense line in case Monsters appeared.
As they maintained this sense of tension, a subordinate’s voice came from the monitor.
“What is it?”
“We have a report from the team on the second floor. They say a large Monster is running towards the entrance to the first floor.”
“What kind of Monster is it?”
“That’s… the communication cut off midway…”
Since long-distance communication was impossible, they were using transceivers to communicate between the first and second floors. Unable to accurately assess the situation, Ishikawa clicked his tongue softly.
“If a Monster comes up, deal with it on the first floor! Don’t let it get to the surface!”
“Understood!”
Kakitani asked with a tense expression, “Will they be alright?”
Ishikawa replied, “They’re professional Seekers,” but he couldn’t shake off his unease.
–The communication with the guys on the second floor was cut off, does that mean they engaged? It’s hard to imagine them losing…
All the Seekers currently in the dungeon were Water Magic users.
It was impossible for them to lose to Monsters from the lower or middle floors. Ishikawa thought so, but—
“Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!”
A scream suddenly erupted from the computer.
“What? What happened?!”
The image on the monitor suddenly disappeared, the darkened screen sinking into black silence.
–Could it be… they were defeated!?
“Ishikawa-san, what is this…”
Kakitani spoke to him, but he didn’t have time to pay attention. Ishikawa immediately took out his phone and contacted the members on standby in the adjacent hall.
“Emergency situation! Monsters might be coming up. Stop them there, no matter what!!”
“U-Understood.”
Ishikawa, shouting loudly, glared at the monitor where the image had disappeared.
“Ishikawa-san, should we open the Bulkhead Door? We can provide support—”
“No!! If we open it now, we might let the Monsters out. We absolutely must prevent that.”
If the Seeker team in the dungeon had been defeated, it was undoubtedly a Monster from the Depths.
If that were the case, they couldn’t open the door, even if it meant casualties.
As Ishikawa thought this, gunfire erupted from the adjacent hall. The Self-Defense Force members were using their Guns.
Screams could be heard, along with shouts and the sound of things hitting the walls.
The hall was in a state of utter chaos. But after a while, the noises ceased, and an eerie silence descended.
A cold sweat trickled down Ishikawa’s forehead as he stared intently at the Bulkhead Door.
–Could it be, were they all defeated…? With Mana overflowing, they should have been able to use Magic even outside the dungeon. And they still lost? …If that’s the case.
In the silence, a small sound came from beyond the Bulkhead Door.
–It’s there. It’s definitely on the other side of the door.