I have completed the writing and will post it.
Jiro Tanaka, 28 years old, single, no girlfriend.
Occupation: Dungeon Tester (Full-time employee) + Recruiter
Magic Aptitude: 8 (General Class)
Position: Warrior
“Ah, sorry to have interrupted.”
What on earth am I saying?
I scratch my head, feeling the suit I’ve been wearing more often lately. It feels like I’ve gotten used to it.
Getting used to it is a testament to the number of scouts I’ve executed.
I recall this through the firm texture of hair felt through my palm.
If this were a dream, I’d have to wake up quickly and get started on my outside work.
So, let me acknowledge it with grace.
Unfortunately, the scene I just witnessed was not a dreamlike illusion but a solid reality.
It wasn’t some momentary lapse or that I was on some dangerous drug; rather, if I had to pinpoint it, perhaps it was because the scouting was about to bear fruit, and I was a little too elated.
That’s probably why.
It was all good up to the point where I knocked, but I opened the door before hearing a response from inside.
To offer an excuse, it wasn’t a changing room, nor was it a private room.
Furthermore, it was a room that was usually used infrequently, that’s for sure, but it was labeled as a conference room.
So, who could have predicted this?
That on the very day I handed out my business card to a boy who expressed a desire to work and arranged an interview, the boy was being pushed down by a woman who looked about university age, dressed in women’s business attire.
Who could have foreseen such a phenomenon occurring at the company where I work? No, no one could.
Calm down and re-confirm the situation.
The woman was on the verge of tears.
And she was pushing the boy down.
There’s no other way to describe it.
Situation confirmation complete.
“Ah, ah, ah…”
From that point on, it’s not like I was ignorant in that area to the extent that I could be told not to assume the worst.
I had stumbled into that scene.
If viewed from a third-party perspective, one could probably grasp the general situation.
It might have been some misunderstanding.
Perhaps the situation became like that for some reason.
There might be some underlying circumstances.
However, all I could do was withdraw, unable to bear the atmosphere.
“…Can you hear me?”
The conclusion is that it’s hopeless.
What kind of person could step in and ask, “What are you doing engaging in such intimate relations between men and women, to my sorrow?”
This is strange. I should have approached this interview with anticipation.
I recall about three days ago.
Around evening, as I was emerging from the dungeon, I received a telepathic call from Suella.
“Jiro-san, you have a call. They say it’s about the recent scouting matter.”
“Really?! Suella-san!!”
“Yes, I’ll connect you right now.”
Suella’s telepathic call told me to go near the phone, and I, having just come out of the dungeon, picked up the internal extension in my room.
The person I spoke with was the boy I had initially given my business card to.
He was a little tense, but the conversation with the mature-sounding boy proceeded smoothly, and I was able to set a date for the interview and ask him to prepare his resume.
That day was even more fortunate, as another person expressed a desire to be interviewed, which made me even happier, I remember.
A careless mistake there, I must not forget to confirm the magic aptitude of that other person.
After confirming, the other person could read the job advertisement and also achieved a high aptitude of seven.
I still remember doing a victory pose right after hanging up the phone.
“Two people will be coming for the interview. This Saturday, at 1 o’clock, could you ask someone at the reception to handle them?”
“Yes, there are no problems. I will inform them. That’s great, Jiro-san.”
“Yes, it’s finally bearing fruit.”
And with that flow, I informed the company.
I have a recent memory of rejoicing together with Suella, who was happy for me as if it were her own matter.
I’ve never conducted an interview before.
Still, I tried my best to prepare what I could within the limited time.
And today, on the day itself, I should have been full of vigor and stamina, but just by seeing that scene for a single moment, I feel as tired as I would after coming into work the morning after working overtime.
In my head, instructions are given to take action: get angry, give a warning, ask for their circumstances, but when faced with the reality, my emotions chose retreat.
“Seeing is believing” is a well-known saying.
There is a difference in how one handles a situation when they know about it versus when they experience it firsthand.
I was reminded of that again.
And now, I’m overcome with the urge to move on to another task.
“Haa, alright. I saw nothing.”
However, I cannot afford to do that.
If I run away now, I will miss the opportunity that has finally borne fruit, and more importantly, it won’t be beneficial for either of us.
*Knock, knock, knock.* I knock three times.
And this time, I wait patiently.
My magically enhanced ears pick up the sounds of movement inside.
“Y-yes, please come in.”
The voice sounds tense.
Influenced by that atmosphere, I also feel a little nervous.
Telling myself to calm down slowly, I open the door slowly.
This time, I feel relieved to see both of them properly seated.
But that relief is short-lived.
I don’t know, as a beginner interviewer, if this is how nervous people get, but the woman’s eyes are completely teary, and I can tell she’s nervous.
But why does the boy, Tokorozawa-kun, look like a liberated monk, as if he’s attained enlightenment?
“…Shall we have some coffee first?”
Feeling it would be difficult to jump straight into the interview in this atmosphere, I wish with all my heart that the magic, like a conjurer’s trick, will ease the tension of the two, who nod silently.
“Ah, Tokorozawa-kun, it’s been a while. As for you, it’s your first time meeting me, so I’ll introduce myself. I’m Jiro Tanaka, a Human. You’ve probably read the job description, but I recommend you get used to it quickly, as those present here, including the person who guided you here, are not Special Makeup, CGI, or robots.”
“Yes.” *Nod.*
“And as you can see, this is a space where magic exists.”
“Yes.” *Nod.*
This is difficult. Oh, it’s extremely difficult.
This conversation, where I only get “yes” as a reply, makes me more nervous.
I want to shout, “Let’s have a real conversation!”
In a normal interview, this would be grounds for immediate rejection, but when I think back to when I was interviewed, they were still more normal in their reactions than these two.
After all, they declared themselves Dark Elves at the start.
It’s cute that they stare at the coffee that was ordered via telepathic call and delivered, as if trying to expose a magic trick.
Well, I suppose there’s no other encounter that makes a lasting impression as a first meeting, but if I were to say that…
*Flinch!*
This woman, Minami Shiretoko, looks like she’s about to cry.
She overreacts just by making eye contact with me while drinking coffee like this.
This is probably not going to work out.
Personally, I do want them to join the company.
Although it was a rather eventful encounter, after talking with Tokorozawa-kun for a bit, I didn’t get the impression that he was a bad person.
If he brought her with him, then she probably isn’t a bad person either.
However, society is not so lenient as to hire someone just because they are not a bad person.
The priority is whether the job can continue and whether they have communication skills and competence.
“…”
Thinking that far, I realized I was wrong.
“I’ve seen your resume.”
The two reacted simultaneously with a start.
This company is different from others. Common sense from the outside world in Japan does not apply here.
Didn’t Evia, the supervisor, tell me the other day, “What’s the fun in superficial relationships?”
That’s right, I’m not looking for colleagues who will end our relationship in a casual manner.
I’m looking for friends I can have my back.
“Alright, it’s sudden, but both of you.”
Then, shouldn’t I be the one to show them first?
“??”
“I’ll show you what kind of work we do at this company, so let’s move.”
It’s probably not too late even from then on.
The two are confused by the sudden end of the interview.
I feel sorry about it, but it will be better for the future if I show them first.
Besides,
“I’ll show you some fantasy.”
It’s surprisingly fun to play pranks.
***
Meanwhile, I stood in the training facility, clad in my usual work clothes.
“Senpai, why are you here in full gear? Isn’t it your day off today?”
Beside me stood my kouhai, who had been woken up despite it being a holiday.
“What? You said you wanted female colleagues, so I prepared them for you. Is that how you talk to your senpai?”
***
“I love you, senpai!! So, where is she?! The cute one!?”
Without anyone saying she was cute or beautiful, he jumped to conclusions.
While reconfirming that he was indeed a fickle person, Kaido frantically looked around, but I was re-inspecting my own equipment.
“She’s not here, Senpai!!”
“Haa, upstairs, upstairs.”
I suppressed the urge to say it’s obvious that humans without magic crests aren’t here, and pointed to the viewing seats above.
“Oh, is he a university student? Is the person next to him your brother?”
With enhanced physical abilities from the same magic crest, even if the details are unclear, one can grasp the general appearance from about twenty meters away.
It seems that the best archers can spot toothpicks on the horizon.
“Depending on the presentation this time, they’re scheduled to join as part-timers.”
“A presentation? I haven’t heard anything about it. You just woke me up and told me to come in full gear.”
“You should have known from the ‘full gear’ part. We’re going to fight. In actual combat.”
What we’re about to do is the midterm exam I took during my training.
The participants are me and Kaido.
And this time.
“Well, it also serves as a test for the simulated Dungeon, an experimental space created by the Demon Lord’s Army.”
It includes combat with different content than last time, and also checks Kaido’s current abilities, but I don’t mention that.
“Whoa, a Dungeon?”
“It’s apparently designed for heroes, so you’ll die if you let your guard down.”
“Huh?”
“Suela, we’re ready on this side.”
“Confirmed. Deploying the simulated Dungeon. May good fortune be with you.”
“W-Wait?! Senpai, you’re gonna die!?”
While Kaido panicked, the space warped slightly.
And in just a few seconds, I looked around at the scenery that appeared.
“A rocky area.”
“Huh? Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!? Weren’t we just in the training room a moment ago? There’s a sky, a rocky mountain, what the hell!?”
“Shut up.”
“Y-Yes.”
The rocky mountain, composed of rocks, stones, and gravel, is uneven ground that is difficult to walk on, although humans can walk on it.
In addition, it has the same atmosphere as the Dungeon.
I increased my vigilance due to the clinging air, which seemed to be a mixture of magic power and hostility, and as I looked around, I saw a moving shadow.
“Don’t space out, Kaido! Here they come!!”
“Huh?”
Kaido couldn’t keep up with the sudden environmental change.
A Dungeon is not so forgiving as to miss such an easy prey.
“DUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!”
As if called by Kaido’s scream, or perhaps already positioned there, a black-scaled lizard, a small dragon about the same height as an adult male, leaped out from behind the rocks and was cut in half.
With a dull thud, something heavy fell, and the sound of it sliding on the sand reached my back.
I didn’t check behind me; I didn’t have time to worry about such things.
“A dragon subspecies on the first move! Get ready, Kaido!!”
“Y-Yes!!”
The first move last time was goblins, but this time, they have become stronger by changing the species.
I raised my alert level by leaps and bounds at the sudden increase in rank to a dragon subspecies.
Then, Kaido, who belatedly understood that this was a dangerous area, unslung the twin swords from his back.
“Follow me! We’ll reduce their numbers before we get surrounded!!”
“R-Right!!”
I didn’t have time to spare.
I could already hear the footsteps of a pack moving to surround us.
The slimy, predatory gaze clinging to me confirmed it.
“Listen! Don’t push yourself. I’ll draw most of the enemies. You prioritize protecting yourself by staying close to me.”
“Y-Yes.”
“Don’t worry, they’re definitely weaker than the instructors.”
This is bad.
I could see Kaido’s body stiffening with tension at a glance. He wouldn’t be able to give his all like that.
While I moved briskly with ease, Kaido was running at full speed, not pacing his stamina.
I need to divide my attention here.
I have a premonition that this will be a tough fight.
Evia, how unreasonable you are.
Although, considering the circumstances that led to this point, it’s a reasonable response.
The supervisor’s face, with a hint of a sadistic smile, flashed through my mind.
“‘Presentation’?”
“Yes, instead of just explaining information vaguely, I thought it would be nice to let them experience it like a workplace experience.”
As I was hastily preparing various things with the interview approaching, I realized something.
Even if they have magic aptitude, can students who know nothing about combat truly handle this job?
They might do it out of curiosity at first, but if they are bad at sports, or if they are disgusted by this kind of violent act, it will be difficult for the instructors, and if they quit early, the time spent on guidance will be wasted.
“Hmm, so you want to screen them.”
“Yes, even if they don’t experience it firsthand, if they see actual combat, it will help them reconcile their imagination with reality, and we can assess their aptitudes other than magic.”
“…What is the method?”
“It would be appropriate to fight actual monsters using the soul summoning from my training days. I will have myself and Kaido fight.”
It’s surprisingly common, isn’t it? That ideals and reality differ.
Just because it’s fantasy, they might mistakenly think “I’m strong” or “I can cast magic freely,” which would be a hassle later.
Work is a process of repeated compromises, occasionally incorporating one’s own ideals.
A certain degree of alignment of awareness is necessary.
“Alright, but that will take time to prepare. Since the schedule is tight, I’ll prepare an alternative. We have a suitable test subject, so Suella, capture that man who looks like he’s about to run.”
Perhaps after only a few moments of thought, he had calculated the pros and cons, proposed a more advantageous course of action, and cut off all other escape routes.
“!? …Suella, if possible, could you please let go of my hand?”
“I am sorry, please forgive my powerlessness.”
Before I could even admire the Dark Elf’s magical control, which held my body firmly despite her delicate, feminine hands, the conversation with the supervisor continued.
“What? You just need to look forward to it.”
In the end, the presentation was decided to proceed under surveillance.
However, I never expected them to prepare something of this magnitude.
Suella had given me an overview, but where had the tiled floor, which had been flat and easy to run on until just now, disappeared to?
The crunch of sand underfoot transmitted to my feet, and I had to brace myself firmly to avoid slipping.
“KYEIYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!”
Even as I was recalling events, I was being relentlessly attacked and fighting.
I leaped and evaded around the rocky area, drawing the enemy’s attention with a war cry.
I generally attacked first to reduce their numbers, but the opponents weren’t just taking hits.
I kicked away a small dragon that lunged from behind, impaled it as it floated in mid-air, and used its momentum to hurl it into the group, pulling it free from the Ore Tree.
For ten minutes, I kept Kaido within my peripheral vision, swinging the Ore Tree.
It felt light; the struggle from last time was like a lie. I was overwhelmingly overpowering them, a far cry from when I fought with a wooden sword.
Kaido was set at a level where he could barely fight.
I didn’t know if that included me as a combat strength or not, but for now, there were no problems.
That was only a matter of time, though.
“Kaido, are you alive!?”
“Pant, pant, I’m somehow alive.”
“We’re going to have more types soon!”
If we dither and deplete our stamina, the true strength of the Demon Lord’s Army will kick in with a time lag, and multi-purpose tactics by other species will begin, leading to our annihilation.
“Do you not know what types will increase!? Senpai!”
“The supervisor wouldn’t tell us, would he!!”
“Is it that beautiful woman!? Then I guess it can’t be helped!”
“You sure are—!!”
I snapped myself out of my exasperation at my kouhai, who was hopelessly weak to beautiful women, demon or otherwise, and split a small dragon in half with a diagonal cut.
“!? Senpai!”
“Ugh, I don’t think we can escape that.”
And while I was fooling around with the lizards, the warm-up time seemed to be over.
A group of imps riding wolves was heading straight for us.
I wished I had a moment to catch my breath, but I couldn’t be so demanding.
“Cavalry with archers, riding wolves. It seems they won’t let us escape.”
They can run, track by scent, and shoot from a distance. I felt a sense of weariness at a formation that entrusted the front line to the small dragons.
“What is that?”
“They’re imp cavalry. Prepare to use magic; we can’t win by holding back.”
“Understood.”
It seems they configured the combat strength including me.
“If that’s the case, this is where the real battle begins.”
From here on, it’s uncharted territory for me as well. With Kaido around, my command ability will be tested.
This is good; it’s challenging.
I welcome such work.
I’ll do what I can.
No.
“Let’s go, Kaido! We’re going to win!”
“Take it easy on me!”
I want to see how far I can go.
I broke through the encirclement as if prying open gaps in the small dragons and charged directly at the cavalry.
“Stop the momentum of the charge!”
“First-time reveal! Fire arrows!”
Five arrows made of fire sprang from behind, and I leaped up to meet them.
Amidst the dust clouds from the impact, I bisected and slashed at two of the leading cavalrymen who were frantically trying to stop.
“Charge!! Don’t let them use their bows!”
“HYAHHA!! Shoot them all!”
For our first coordinated effort, we managed to connect well in the battle.
The fact that we could transition from a charge into a melee brought a smile to my lips.
“Seriously, I don’t feel like I’m going to lose!!”
***
Another Side
“Amazing Gozaru!! It’s fantasy Gozaru!! It’s magic Gozaru!!”
“Mimicry, mimicry!! We’re being watched by others!!”
I’m sorry, Katsu, but I can’t suppress my excitement right now.
My heart hasn’t stopped pounding since we entered this building.
It was the same when I suddenly encountered a Dark Elf, but the scenery, while modern, was filled with characters from fantasy.
I had wished for something like this, but I had also given up, thinking it would never exist, and felt like I was being scoffed at.
I felt refreshed, as if I had been shown the back of a man declaring, “I am here!”
My excitement was so intense that when I saw the Dark Elf woman and realized she was real, I was too moved to speak, and my tear ducts broke.
And the moment it was just Katsu and me in the room, I lost my composure and leaped at Katsu, who had brought me this incredible experience.
“Hey! Get off me!! This isn’t your house!!”
“Thank you, Gozaru!! I’m so glad Katsu is my childhood friend, Gozaru!! I’ll give you a kiss as thanks, Gozaru!!”
When Katsu first brought me that job advertisement, I worried that he was tired from doing too much housework, but his earnest talk about the incident on his way home didn’t seem like a lie.
Having previously said, “If it were a job in a game-like world,” I found it hard to refuse, and he gradually set up the plan for the interview, leading me to write a résumé for the first time.
The walk to the company was incredibly daunting.
I wanted to go home. I wished to go home many times.
But that dark, murky feeling was blown away by dynamite.
And then, as if gasoline had been poured on it, I couldn’t stop.
“M-A-S-A-R-U~”
I think my voice was quite alluring.
If it had continued, it might have entered R-rated territory.
That’s how bad I felt.
“Hey!! Seriously, stop!! What if someone comes!!”
*Clack*
“Ah, sorry to intrude.”
*Clack*
Well, whether the timing was good or bad is hard to judge, but what I do know is that I was truly flustered at that moment.
I repeatedly told myself I had failed in my mind.
It felt like a storm of comments flowing through my head saying, “It’s over.”
I was so embarrassed that all the blood in my body rushed to my head.
I think Mr. Tanaka, who somehow redid the interview for me, is a truly good person.
I would have taken the photo and put it online right away.
Perhaps it’s because I understood how bad that situation was.
I was so flustered that I thought I wouldn’t be able to get this job and would be pulled away from the fantasy I desired, which made me want to cry. Because I desperately held back my tears, I couldn’t give a proper response.
No, thinking about unnecessary things has made me calm down.
As if understanding that her excitement had subsided, my childhood friend, who had a similar epiphany during the interview, released my shoulder, which she had been holding down.
But unfortunately, my excitement hadn’t subsided; I had only regained my composure for a brief moment.
“I’ll show you what fantasy is.”
Those words sent a jolt through me.
Mr. Tanaka, the person in charge of the interview who made that declaration, was now in front of me, swinging a greatsword like something out of a game, blowing away a small dragon and cleaving through goblins and wolves.
Just seeing such a sight made my body heat up.
When the scenery suddenly changed, I was momentarily disappointed, thinking it was CG. But I quickly realized that this world, unfolding beyond the glass, was undoubtedly real.
It had a sense of substance and realism.
If that’s the case, the drop meant a larger potential for an increase.
My tightly clenched palms grew sweaty, unable to loosen as I watched the full-force battle, devoid of any pretense.
At the same time, a sense of regret welled up within me: why wasn’t I there?
A feeling of frustration, one I hadn’t experienced in a long time.
To me, who had dismissed reality as a craptastic game, it spoke volumes.
Reality is a god-tier game.
“Whoa!! It’s a Tunnel Worm!”
The sight before me, raising dust and emerging from the ground encased in a hard shell, heightened my anticipation.
Mr. Tanaka, unfazed by the size difference, caught the Tunnel Worm as it lunged, its mouth wide open to swallow him whole, while someone else provided support by firing something fiery, perhaps magic.
“Is that magic?! It’s magic, isn’t it!?”
Momentum is a scary thing.
Here I am, unable to converse face-to-face with someone I’ve just met, talking to a Dark Elf woman.
“Yes, it’s a beginner spell, Fire Arrow.”
And this Dark Elf… is she a goddess? Even as a woman, I find something incredibly soothing in her smile.
“How is it? What are your impressions of witnessing an actual battle?”
“I want to go there soon!!”
“You’re… quite proactive?”
“Of course! If I have any latent potential, I want it to awaken right now so I can rush in there!!”
At this point, I don’t care if it’s hero power or if I was a Demon Lord in my past life.
I want to be in the middle of that.
“It’s dangerous, you know?”
“There’s no such thing as a fantasy without danger!!”
I gave a thumbs-up and struck a confident pose with a smile.
Fundamentally, fantasy comes with danger.
In this day and age, some magical girl stories end with a decapitation, and suddenly a war breaks out when you least expect it – that’s common knowledge. Rather, stories about heroes and princesses frolicking are starting to fade away.
“Calm down, you idiot!”
“Gah!”
I was too excited to react.
This perfectly aimed slap to the top of my head…
“Well, well…”
“You’re the one who’s wrong. We’re here for an interview.”
She put her hands on her hips, clearly intending to lecture me.
I understand that, but excitement is difficult to suppress.
“Hehe, you two seem quite close?”
“Well, we’ve known each other for a long time.”
“We’re childhood friends, after all.”
It may sound strange, but I always thought childhood friends of the opposite sex were creatures of fiction. Yet, here one is, existing right in front of me.
Because we know each other’s good and bad points, we can interact without reservation, which is comforting.
“That’s nice. I have several friends I’ve known for a long time, but none of them are that close, and they’re all the same gender.”
“You must be quite popular, then?”
“Hey!”
“No, it’s alright. Dark Elves are a bit of a unique clan; our views on romance are a little unconventional.”
While I’m curious to hear the reasons for her lack of romantic fortune, something else concerns me more right now.
“Will I be able to work?”
“…”
“Katsu, even I am hurt when you go silent and cry, you know?”
“The fact that I’m hearing you say the word ‘work’ from your mouth… seeing as I was heading straight for NEETdom after graduating university, all I can feel is touched.”
Honestly, I’m surprised by her change of heart too, but she shouldn’t need to cry like this.
Yeah, aside from going to university, my life was spent online in my room, except for showering. Katsu handled all the cleaning, laundry, and meal preparations. He’d wake me up for classes and even do my shopping for consumables.
He’d even fix my bedhead sometimes.
…I’m sorry, Katsu. If I had a male childhood friend like that, I might cry too if he started talking about working.
I might clench my fists in感動.
Even without the results of the hiring decision, seeing him happy just because I expressed my hope that I would be hired might make me rejoice.
“…I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine. Just you saying you’ll try is enough for me…”
Seriously, why does such a pathetic woman have such a wonderful childhood friend?
He could have done so many things he enjoyed with the time he spent taking care of me.
Oh no… If Katsu leaves me now, I’m confident I won’t be able to live. I wish he would continue at least until next year.
If Katsu were to disappear, I could easily imagine myself living in a trash heap of a house.
“…” “…”
While a fantasy landscape unfolded beyond the window, a realistic future was passing between Katsu and me.
“…Um, there’s a vocational aptitude test. Would you like to take it?”
“Absolutely!!”
Right, I need to cherish the present more than the past!
To cast away the slightly heavy atmosphere, I eagerly pounced on the tablet offered by the goddess.
Another Side END
Sweat dripped down my forehead.
My breath hitched, becoming ragged.
I’d swung it so many times I’d lost count, my hands numb to the feel of the Ore Tree.
“Hey, Kaido, you alive?”
“…N-Nip-slip demon…”
“…”
When I didn’t get a response, I worried. He was lying flat on his back, panting, too exhausted to even reply, just gasping for air. He mumbled a single word as if in a nightmare.
I understood the meaning of that immediately and my complexion turned pale.
“Simulated Dungeon clear. The battle is concluded. How was it, Jiro-san?”
The scenery returned to the training room, and I could finally exhale.
Tension places a strain on various parts of the body.
I felt the stiffness in my muscles and moved my body to loosen them.
“The final push was tough.”
“Still, defeating the Oni is impressive.”
It had already vanished, but just moments ago, an Oni that looked like a primitive man wearing only a loincloth and wielding a kanabō lay defeated before me.
After consecutive battles against a lesser dragon, goblin riders, and a Tunnel Worm, Kaido’s stamina and magic power were depleted. I, on the other hand, supplemented my remaining energy with sheer willpower to face an Oni with a physique exceeding three meters in length.
Fortunately, our strength was equal, and its attacks were all brute force with no technique, making it easy to parry.
Had I had more stamina, it would have been an easy opponent. But this was the level designed by Supervisor Evia.
In the end, it was a victory won by the skin of our teeth.
However, its terror wasn’t in its incredibly tough body nor its strength that could mince a human in one strike.
Kaido and I knew this firsthand.
We experienced the most horrifying tease.
Though it should have been filled with the romance of what’s almost seen but not quite, the muscular Ogre transformed it into a specialized weapon for men.
The Ogre’s attire, which had cast aside all shame, made me want to shout that it’s okay to become strong, but to at least equip yourself properly.
Who in their right mind would fear being shown a man’s *symbol* and feel relief at not seeing it?
In terms of damage ratio, it was three parts physical and seven parts mental trauma, making it a nightmare battle compounded by late-stage fatigue.
“…It was a narrow victory. By the way, how were those two?”
I shook my head to dislodge the memory of *that*, positioned due to the height difference, and tried to change the subject.
“They’re currently undergoing aptitude tests for their occupations. Regarding combat, they seem to have accepted reality quite pragmatically. They might still have some lingering naive notions, but that’s something we can gradually weed out.”
While lighting a cigarette after work, I asked about the reactions of the two who witnessed the fight, but they exceeded my expectations in a good way.
“Shitokoro surprisingly had a good deal of prior knowledge about adapting to this side, so they understood the dangers quickly.”
“And their subconscious?”
“No reactions to any criminal history or dangerous ideologies. Their personalities are a bit skewed, but it’s not a problem.”
Skewed personalities?
Suella uses a peculiar expression, but if there’s no problem, I don’t mind.
“That’s good. We’ll head over there next.”
“We’ll be waiting.”
This interview is almost over.
I have a general understanding of Kaido’s abilities now.
At least, with Kaido around, the burden of dungeon exploration on individuals will be reduced.
“I understand you’re having nightmares, but you need to get up. If you don’t want to, I can drag you along?”
“…I’ll walk on my own.”
Knowing that, I can’t just stand here forever.
“Then get your act together. You’re about to meet your long-awaited colleagues.”
“I’m pumped!!”
Seeing Kaido go from a groggy movement to standing up sharply, I wonder where he hides all that stamina.
Moreover, seeing him skip towards the elevator, I can’t help but think we could have cleared a level or two higher.
“Senpai, let’s go faster!”
“I know. You really are such a fickle guy.”
Prompted by my junior, who was waiting by the elevator with the door open, I stepped inside.
Even as we selected the floor and started ascending, I brought my fist down on the back of Kaido’s head, who was fidgeting restlessly.
“Ouch!?”
“Calm down.”
Kaido is gradually solidifying his role as a gag character, but he can be serious when needed.
I wasn’t overly worried, but I had to act because he showed no signs of calming down.
And then, the elevator doors opened.
“Nugaaaaaaah! I can’t decide, gozaru!!”
“Just do it!!”
“Goza!?”
“…Gozaru?”
However, I stopped in my tracks watching the two engage in this skit-like scene.
And then I understood what Suella had meant earlier.
Indeed, their personalities were skewed.
I’d seen kendo girls shout incomprehensible language before, but I’d never seen a woman yell “Nuga” like that.
“Whoa, they’re quite the unique bunch, aren’t they?”
Kaido, peeking in from the side, said that to me. I wanted to tell him, “Don’t you talk to me like that, you subordinate-acting punk.”
A slap that would have made a crisp sound if I had a paddle landed on Shitokoro’s head, but I couldn’t quite grasp the situation.
“Suella, what exactly is going on?”
“Actually, the occupation aptitude tests are finished, but the job she’s suited for and the job she wants don’t match. She seems to be struggling with whether to choose aptitude or her hobby.”
“Huh? Aptitude? I didn’t do that.”
“You decided before you even took it.”
The occupation aptitude test is a formality, based on the data from us first-term students, where you answer a few questions to find a suited occupation.
At least, it doesn’t mean you *have* to become a warrior just because your aptitude is warrior.
However…
“They haven’t even told us the results yet.”
“Senpai, are you going to reject them?”
They’ve probably forgotten all about that.
They’re just focused on what’s in front of them, what they want to do.
“Who knows.”
Seeing them like this…
“Katsu! Which should I choose, gozaru!? My gamer spirit says prioritize efficiency, but my fantasy brain says follow your heart!!”
“Calm down for now!!”
I’m sure I want to work alongside this chaotic duo.
“Kaido, it’s going to get lively from now on.”
“Us!!”
“Suella, can we hire those two?”
“Yes, I’ll prepare the paperwork.”
Finally, the beginnings of a party are taking shape, a nascent form of its future self.
With that small sense of accomplishment, I approach the two.
“Hey, what did you think of the fantasy?”
One couldn’t suppress their excitement, while the other was troubled by the first one’s demeanor.
Opposites, yet I felt they were balanced.
My interview ended with just one word. Perhaps for these two, their interviews ending with:
“It was the best, gozaru!!”
“My common sense has been shattered.”
would be fitting.
Jiro Tanaka, 28, Single, No Girlfriend
Occupation: Dungeon Tester (Full-time Employee) + Recruiter (Scout)
Magic Aptitude: 8 (General Class)
Role: Warrior
Status
Strength: 284 → Strength: 355
Durability: 302 → Durability: 396
Agility: 142 → Agility: 187
Stamina: 199 (-5) → Stamina: 238 (-5)
Dexterity: 188 → Dexterity: 222
Knowledge: 45 → Knowledge: 50
Intuition: 36 → Intuition: 51
Luck: 5 → Luck: 5
Magic Power: 157 → Magic Power: 207
Condition
Nicotine Addiction
Lung Pollution
Quote of the Day
What did I take the most damage from today?
Ah, the rom-com also dealt damage, but… that was the worst… the tease.
Finally, the initial party members are complete.
I’ll reveal their occupations later, but for now, it’s three men and one woman, which is a bit skewed, but we plan to adjust that gradually.
We have two frontliners now, so I plan to have those two choose occupations with that in mind.
However, what’s slightly dawning on me is that while their occupations might be balanced, their combat styles will… well, that might be stirring up trouble, so I’ll leave that for another time.
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