"Your explorer registration na is 'UNKNOWN'... Are you the unidentified EX explorer?"
"Huh, I didn't know I was being called that."
"Yeah! You're the only EX-rank explorer in Japan whose identity was unknown!"
Now that she ntions it, the other three have openly shared their personal information. I don't really know much about how I'm perceived by the public since the only other explorers I know are the other three EX-ranks, but I never thought I was seen that way.
"...Why don't you ever say, 'I'm an EX-rank explorer!'?"
Is she referring to when I was getting harassed by that pretty boy? Well, Asakawa-san seems kind, so I can understand why she might want to say sothing like that after seeing get hassled.
"I'm just not that interested in explorer ranks... so I don't usually tell people."
"Then why do you still dive into dungeons? Your rank can't go any higher."
"...For fun and profit? Also, it's my job?"
At first, I enjoyed diving into dungeons because the deeper I went, the more money I made. But then work started piling up, and the money kept increasing even though I had no ti to spend it. It got tireso.
"I see... Alright, then I won't tell anyone."
"Are you sure? I don't mind if people know... Wouldn't it boost your streaming numbers?"
"Oh, so you knew I was a strear."
"I only found out yesterday."
"I see."
She's giving a look like she thinks I'm not interested, which I guess is accurate. It's not that I'm uninterested—I just haven't gotten to the point where I could be interested.
"So why is your explorer na 'UNKNOWN'? It's not because you wanted to keep it a secret, right?"
"...When I registered, I thought I'd just use my real na, but I accidentally left the field blank, and they filled it in with that."
"Really... Haha!"
"Please don't laugh."
"I can't help it... Haha!"
Damn it. It really does feel like a cringeworthy mont from my past. I never managed to change it, so it's just been left as is. Now that I've gained recognition as the EX-rank explorer 'UNKNOWN,' it's too late to change it.
"I see... Well, I'm glad I got to learn more about you, Kisaragi-kun. And, I know it's late, but thank you for saving my life twice."
"...It was just a coincidence."
"Even so, I'm grateful."
Ah... She's a good person. She has a normal level of dislike for people and a normal ability to show gratitude. She's a human with a genuine humanity who can care for others, which is rare among explorers who dive into dungeons where lives are at stake.
"I see... So when the association's website says, 'EX-UNKNOWN resolved it,' it's because you were the one who handled it."
"Ah..."
She's probably referring to the notices the Explorer Association puts out when a lower-floor-class monster appears on the upper or middle floors, and they need to regulate the dungeon. I guess it's true that out of all the EX-rank explorers, I'm the one who lives closest to the Shibuya Dungeon, so my na cos up often.
Last month, when I dealt with so weird crocodile-like creature on the upper floors, I saw the branch manager typing the information into the computer.
"...Hmm."
"Huh?"
Asakawa-san started humming in thought while sipping her drink through a straw. Does she still have more questions? I don't mind answering whatever she asks—it's not like I'll die from it.
"Hey, do you have any interest in dungeon streaming?"
"Dungeon streaming..."
Is that what her streaming is called? I don't really know how you stream inside a dungeon, but I understand now that she's doing so kind of dungeon exploration as a broadcast.
"I'm not really sure what dungeon streaming is, to be honest."
"You said you just found out yesterday... Did you an my stream or dungeon streaming in general? Are you not up to date with online stuff?"
"Well... I do use social dia."
I mostly just follow the official accounts of the gas I play, so I'm not really up to date with general trends.
"Even though you're EX-rank?"
"Does that have anything to do with it?"
I've only been an EX-rank explorer for about two years, so it's not like I know everything. I'm knowledgeable about dungeons, though.
"If you're interested, I was hoping you could help ."
"..."
For now, I decide to look up dungeon streaming on my phone since I don't really understand it. As an introvert, I'm quite skilled at pulling out my phone in front of others. It's also a surefire way to get people to dislike .
A quick search shows that dungeon streaming primarily focuses on showing dungeon exploration, but that's not all. There are strears affiliated with companies and others who do it independently.
"Are you affiliated with a company?"
"I'm not. I started out just posting sothing like a dungeon exploration diary."
I see. If she's an independent strear, then she could team up with for a dungeon exploration stream. That makes sense. More importantly, Asakawa-san wants to go to the lower floors but has been struggling to make progress. She probably wants my help since I seem strong.
"But you told the pretty boy that you wanted to do it on your own, didn't you?"
"That was just an excuse to turn him down."
Sorry, pretty boy.
"Alright. I don't mind helping."
"Really!?"
"Whoa!?"
I was startled. Please don't suddenly stand up and grab my hand like that. You'll make fall for you.
But seriously, if she's the one who asked for help, why is she so surprised that I agreed? Did she not really want to co, or did she just think I'd refuse? Definitely the latter.
"Thank you, Kisaragi-kun!"
"Y-You're welco..."
That said, our conversation has made curious about sothing. It's not sothing I need to know imdiately, but I feel like it's important to ask before we start working together.
"Asakawa-san, I think you're quite successful as a dungeon strear."
"...Well, yeah. I can't exactly say I'm not, even if I wanted to."
"You seem to have a lot of viewers, and I assu you get a significant amount of donations, right?"
"Yeah."
"So why risk your life to stream a lower-floor exploration?"
I understand that as a strear, you need to try new things to prevent viewer numbers from dropping due to stagnation. But is it worth risking your life for that? For example, couldn't you try exploring the Nagoya Dungeon, which probably has fewer strears, or the Kamakura Dungeon? I feel like I need to ask this before I can fully support her.
"I'm challenging the lower floors because I'm an explorer. There's no other reason."
"...I see. That makes sense."
Ah... I see she has a bit of a reckless side as well. I guess she's a C-rank for a reason.
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