Chapter 99
The devastating disaster was detected at the supply base on the 15th floor of the Chiba Class 4 dungeon.
The explorers who had just been leisurely playing billiards at the supply base now moved about in a flurry, anxiety etched on their faces.
In a tucked-away corner of the base, where containers sent from aboveground were stacked as-is in a display of raw field logistics, a woman with glossy black hair topped with a small hat held a black rotary phone to her ear, her expression solemn. The device might be laughably outdated, but anomalies can't be judged by appearance alone.
'Dark Communicator.' Ostensibly a black rotary phone, it is actually an anomalous substance. It doesn't use radio waves but sends unknown codes through extradinsional space for two-way transmission. The manufacturer is unknown. It can only connect with 18 other identical units. If you dial its number from a regular phone, the caller will be killed within 48 hours by so unknown ans.
Though misuse can subject the user to curses beyond human comprehension, this is the only ans of communication between the isolated supply base and the outside world.
"......This is Jiu. Reporting from the dungeon supply base: collapse of the 15th floor base. Corridors one through twenty-five are unusable due to debris."
Lee Jiu, the manager of the supply base, reported to the surface while flipping through a manual.
"Understood. Then, does that an corridor twenty-six is still open?"
"......Yes."
"Well, a small blessing in a misfortune, I suppose. Move supplies out of the sealed zone and set up a new base."
The voice on the other end spoke in a cheerful tone, as always. Even during an ergency, their composed deanor sounded experienced to Jiu's ears. It was reassuring, though it seed they hadn't yet grasped the full scale of the catastrophe here.
"Has the supply stockpile been affected?"
Jiu glanced at the crushed containers.
"......We've got all the problems."
"......Haha, I figured. How about the teleportation device?"
This ti, Jiu glanced at the point-to-point teleportation device, torn apart by massive claw marks.
It had short-circuited and was sparking, its intricate inner chanisms exposed.
"......It's a total ss."
"......I see. That is troubling, then."
Even the voice on the phone faltered slightly this ti.
Jiu quietly closed her eyes, fell into silent thought, popped a candy into her mouth, and said, "......So this is what isolation feels like, Shurado-san."
Jiu reported the confird losses in supplies and lives, then confird that external support could no longer be expected, and gently returned the black phone to its pedestal.
It was all because of a major earthquake.
The supply base on the 15th floor, suddenly and without warning, was obliterated.
"......What in the world is going on?"
Jiu looked down at a creature lying in the middle of the corridor, silver liquid streaming from it.
He appeared to be an adult man dressed like a monk, draped in thin cloth over his upper body. He had a soft-muscular build, pale skin, and held a claw-like weapon. His pupils were wide open, mouth agape, with no sign of life.
"Jiu-san."
Turning toward the voice, she saw a large man standing there.
He was big-built, well-fed, and sported a beard.
In his hand he held a hand axe bought from a ho center, its blade now wet with silver liquid.
"......'Pollen Fighter'-san, did you find a path to the upper floors?"
'Pollen Fighter.' Ranked 7th in A-rank. A mysterious explorer who awakened as the ultimate anti-pollen weapon after dedicating his life to cutting down every cedar tree in Japan.
'Pollen Fighter' weakly shook his head.
"Unfortunately, none of the stairs are usable. The only path leads downward. It's like we're being cornered by cedar trees."
"......I see. Then we truly are isolated. We cannot expect rescue from the surface."
"Well, in the worst case, at least we have supplies here...but the ones truly in danger are likely those below. It's like heading to work at 9 a.m. after forgetting to take your allergy ds—utterly hopeless."
"......Still, we have no choice but to go. The path continues downward. Where are the mbers of Walking Family Restaurant?"
"Unfortunately, they just made a full return this morning. It's like sneezing the mont your na is called at graduation—bad timing."
"......They would've been a great help, but if they're not here, it can't be helped. Fortunately, 'Trigger Happy' and 'Bradley' are confird to be below. There should be so S-rank explorers as well."
With a tablet in one hand, Jiu swiped through the screen with a stylus to check the information.
"......Anyway, let's descend to the lower levels. We need to understand what's going on. Gather the remaining explorers. Due to the ergency, the Dungeon Foundation will now assu command of the site."
Jiu stated calmly, stepping over the corpse that bled silver.
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——Viewpoint of Akagi Hideo
Shimaenaga-san finished her wicked technique beautifully and restored Happy-san from a missing-limb-type cutie to a fully-limbed cutie.
"Gii."
"Oh, Gii-san. What's this?"
Not long after Happy-san fell asleep, Shimaenaga-san also began napping, and that's when Gii-san quietly handed sothing.
"Gii (Translation: It dropped when I blew up the tal earlier, my lord.)"
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'Thousand-Style tal Kit'
An extradinsional machine installed in tal's chanical soldiers.
Greatly enhances the user's defense.
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Oh, I think I've seen this sowhere before.
Wait, isn't this the thing that went into my heart?!
"I see, so that one dropped it too."
"Gii (Translation: Most likely standard equipnt for tal's chanical soldiers.)"
"Makes sense. By the way, why are you giving it to now?"
"Gii (Translation: It's best if others don't see it too much.)"
Saying that, he clamped the bracelet-shaped anomaly onto my wrist.
Oh yeah, just like always, tendrils stretched out from the bracelet, stabbed into my skin, and the whole thing burrowed into my body. It wriggled under my flesh and reached my heart, but hey, no need to panic—it's business as usual. Honestly, it kind of tickles, like being nibbled on by doctor fish. (※Finger Man has received special training.)
"Gii."
"Thank you, Gii-san."
"Gii."
"Ah, Gii-san is acting on his own again..."
He's summoned the Black Swamp monster and sent it beyond the black mist.
I don't know what he's doing, but I trust there's a reason behind it, so I'll leave it to him.
Team Finger Man values the autonomy of its mbers. Except you, bean pastry—you're out.
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