“Hey, old man, you’re one of those Dungeon Laggards, right? I can tell, you know? It’s like, a smell?”
The blond man licked his lips sloppily, toying with the bare blade of his knife.
Smelly, Kageichi thought with displeasure, but he recalled the potion he had mentioned earlier.
This is a good opportunity, might as well ask.
“…I apologize, but I’m not very familiar with Dungeons. What does ‘Dungeon Laggard’ mean?”
“Oi, oi, ‘Laggard’ means you’re lagging behind, don’t you even know that?”
“Hmm?”
“Let me explain it to you, you sad, lagging salaryman. For our generation, it’s normal to go into Dungeons and level up. It’s normal to get good items and make money. But you old guys looked down on us, didn’t you? You made fun of us, saying Dungeons are dangerous and young people are doing weird things again, right? Huh?”
I see. He would investigate the details later, but it seemed that Dungeons were quite common among ordinary citizens in this world.
And people who missed the trend of entering Dungeons were called Dungeon Laggards.
“While guys like you were making fun of us, I worked hard and finally reached Level 10. Get it? 10 is amazing, you know? Huh?”
“Indeed. I believe striving for self-improvement is a wonderful thing. I don’t dislike people who make an effort, as long as they don’t misdirect their efforts.”
“Huh? You’re acting all high and mighty. …Can’t you see this?”
Kageichi was just honestly praising him, but for some reason, it seemed to have offended the man.
He brandished the “Flame Dagger,” fluttering its blade in front of Kageichi’s eyes.
Seeing that there were other men flanking him on either side, it seemed they had no intention of letting Kageichi escape.
Hmm, Kageichi thought, and asked them again.
“I heard secondhand that the influence of Magical Power is weak on the surface? I don’t quite understand, but is the power different on the surface and in the Dungeon?”
“Oi, oi, old man, you’re really lagging behind! Sure, magic weapons are weaker on the surface, but it’s not like there’s no effect at all, you know? Our bodies get stronger too.”
“I see. To the extent that the influence cannot be ignored, is it?”
“Lately, I’ve heard that baseball players and Olympic athletes are also going into Dungeons to level up, bro,”
The man next to him helpfully added, and the blond man in front of him praised, “Oh, you’re quite knowledgeable!”
The influence of Magical Power is weak on the surface.
But it’s not so weak that it can be completely ignored… huh.
“So? Old man. You get what we’re saying, right?”
“Yes. Thank you for the information. It was very helpful.”
“Then you gotta pay up, right? If you give us what we want, you won’t get hurt, you know?”
“Hmm. It is true that you answered my questions, but isn’t it illegal to demand payment without prior notice? If you had presented the price beforehand, I would have considered it.”
“Then consider this a good lesson, right?”
The man pressed the knife to his neck, licking his lips.
He had imagined it, but it seemed they were street thugs trying to extort money.
Dungeons appearing on the surface, and a concept of LAW at the same level.
It seemed that the new Japan Kageichi didn’t know was quite dangerous.
There seemed to be much more to learn, but—
First, let’s take care of the problem in front of me.
Kageichi sighed and spoke to the men.
“I’ll say this in advance, I don’t like violence.”
“Huh?”
“My motto is safety, security, and no stress. I want to wake up comfortably in the morning and sleep soundly before midnight, without any conflicts or troublesome stress. I don’t need any ups and downs in my life.”
He didn’t expect them to understand, but Kageichi was 39—ah, he time-slipped, so physically he was 33.
In general, he was old enough to be called an old man, as they said.
Kageichi, who lived a simple life without marriage, romance, or family, and with a moderate amount of work, was probably someone they could call a “withered old man.”
But that was fine.
Kageichi Futsuu’s life, avoiding all troubles and minimizing contact with others, was fine as it was.
For Kageichi’s life, the most troublesome thing was…
People like them, who picked fights without being asked and disturbed his life.
Fools who didn’t follow the rules of society, took their anger out on others, and caused trouble.
People who didn’t even reflect on their own faults and thought it was natural to exploit others.
Kageichi hated such people the most in this world.
“I don’t like these kinds of troubles. Arguing with others is a waste of effort and a waste of spirit.”
“Yeah, yeah. So? You’re saying we can understand if you talk to us?”
“No. Even I, who am not very perceptive, understand that you are not the kind of people who can be reasoned with. So what to do? There is only one answer.”
Kageichi gently raised his hand, grabbed the blade of the Flame Dagger the man was holding.
He poured the Magical Power flowing within his body into it and put strength into his grip.
The Flame Dagger—snapped like a snack, crumbling onto the asphalt ground.
““”“Huh?””””
The trio stared blankly, looking down at the fallen blade.
Without paying any attention to them, Kageichi calmly said.
“To resist violence, stronger violence is necessary. It’s hard to admit, but I believe this to be true. —And if it were the old me, I would rely on public authorities like the police and have them use violence instead… but in this world, I have to consider the possibility that that is not necessary.”
This world was probably deeply connected to LAW.
The reason was still unknown.
But in reality, there were items and weapons that appeared in LAW, Dungeons and magic existed, and their existence was affecting the surface.
For the same reason—
What if Kageichi’s own power was inherited from when he was playing in the LAW world?
“I heard earlier that you worked hard and reached Level 10. That’s great. …However, although I am a humble salaryman, I have a thing or two to say about leveling up and item collection. I was a solo player forever and it was just a hobby, but I don’t think I skimped on effort.”
Kageichi Futsuu gently cracked his shoulders and decided to explain it to them in an easy-to-understand way.
“My original level is 320. However, to what extent that setting is reflected is something that needs to be verified, you see.”