Akatsuki Translations

I try to switch my mood, which had been lifted by thinking about Kiriyama-san. I can’t afford to be distracted by girls. I enter the dungeon shop, which is open 24 hours, and with a hint of nervousness, insert my personal identification card into the slot at the entrance. 

“I’ve seen it a bunch of times in videos, but it’s still overwhelming.” -Rokujou 

Easily passing through the entrance, my eyes light up at the sight inside the dungeon shop. Shelves illuminated with countless items. I wonder if this place is really in Japan. 

Inside the spacious dungeon shop, handguns are sold like it is no big deal. Not to mention machine guns and assault rifles. They even sell portable anti-tank missiles. 

Furthermore, from full-fledged body armor to items discovered in the dungeon, everything an individual needs for combat is available. 

“Even though it would normally be a violation of the firearms and swords law, they say the dungeon is like a lawless zone…” -Rokujou 

Only explorers entering the dungeon can access the dungeon shop, and once you leave the dungeon, you must leave your guns and swords in the dungeon shop’s storage because they would violate the Swords and Firearms Control Law. 

“Though still, in the end, they criticize it as ‘regulated yet unregulated’…” -Rokujou 

I look beyond the corner lined with weapons that were abundant in the world before dungeons appeared. Another section displays armor, swords, bows, and whips found in dungeons. These items, discovered by explorers, are bought by the shop and resold. 

“If you can bring dungeon items outside, then the firearms and swords law is pretty much meaningless.” -Rokujou 

Weapons and armor from the dungeon aren’t subject to the firearms and swords law. You can take them home. This is because if you regulate dungeon items, the dungeon will take offense. 

Everyone knows how terrifying it is to be disliked by a dungeon. The Japanese government was so afraid that they couldn’t impose any regulations on dungeon items. 

Though they are far more powerful than regular weapons, they are left unchecked. The opposition and media criticize the government daily for its incompetence and lack of strategy. 

“These are cool, but if I buy these, I won’t have money for essentials.” -Rokujou 

Dungeon items are expensive. 

For a while, cheap items were available, and even those with no real intention of exploring would buy a dungeon weapon and parade around town, causing problems. 

After that, very cheap weapons were no longer displayed. Still, even the less dangerous items are expensive. 

“It’s really here.” -Rokujou 

And there was one item I had always wanted to see when coming here, the most famous dungeon weapon in Japan, if not the world. I walked towards it, looking up at the extraordinary item. 

【Flame Emperor Agni】 

A blade that shone like the sun, with flames that swirled around it like solar prominences. Surprisingly, it isn’t blinding. Even up close, it doesn’t emit heat. Yet, when wielded against an opponent, it’s said to reduce them to ashes without exception. 

And its price tag… 

【1,130,000,000,000 yen】 

“…It really is that much. Guess it wasn’t a joke.” -Rokujou 

Weapons from dungeons can decimate armies with their abilities. Agni, having been used against the US forces in Japan as well as the Self-Defense Force, is renowned for slicing through Aegis-class cruisers and Type 10 tanks like butter and evaporating them. 

The incident became famous because a foreign explorer waged war against the US forces and the Self-Defense Forces in Japan, and the government couldn’t drive away just one explorer. In the end, a Japanese explorer, unrelated to the Self-Defense Force, drove him away and seized Agni. 

【Guardian Shield of the Nation・The Angel, Foreign】 

The explorer known as Foreign[1] said he didn’t need Agni, so the Japanese government proposed to buy it. The purchase price was 300 billion yen. It caused a huge uproar at the time. Many criticized the expense, while others praised it as a bargain. 

The Japanese government ideally wouldn’t want to sell such a dangerous weapon. They’d prefer to seal it in the national treasury. But they can’t, due to the complications of dungeon items. Interfering could upset the dungeon, and it’s uncertain what might trigger its displeasure. 

It’s rumored that the collapse of an American dungeon, which caused significant damage, happened because they didn’t know why the dungeon started rejecting them. 

“I wish I could become a cool explorer who can handle something like this.” -Rokujou 

Additionally, they can’t even confiscate it because it’s dangerous. Really, dungeons are a headache for politicians. The high price of Agni is apparently set by the government, hoping it’s too expensive for anyone to buy, with a price similar to the construction cost of the Seto Ohashi Bridge. 

Still, there are continuous purchase inquiries from foreign countries, but for now, the government pretends not to hear them. 

“But the pinnacle of high-level explorers, the 12 Heroes, have even more… Oh no, I can’t waste time.” -Rokujou 

I shouldn’t waste the precious early hours I got by gazing at weapons I can’t afford. I hurry back from the section with dungeon items, quickly run up the escalator, and head to the second floor. 

The second floor is dedicated to clothing, separated into sections for men and women. Given that the number of explorers is roughly equal between men and women, it’s unusual that the men’s section is nearly as large as the women’s. I headed to the section selling military gear. 

“Standard issue gear from the US military section…” -Rokujou 

Currently, the U.S. is struggling with dungeon collapses, so they’re in a desperate situation. As a result, they’re dumping large quantities of military personal equipment, effective only against low-level monsters, onto Japan. 

During the height of the impact of the dungeon collapses, Japan was aggressively sold such equipment by the U.S., at a pace that would make even aggressive salespeople blush. 

『Hey Japan, you’re going to buy this, right? You haven’t had many dungeon collapses, so you’ll buy it, right? We’re allies, right? When I’m in trouble, you help, but when you’re in trouble, I don’t know. 』 (lmao)

However, Japan happily bought up this stock. As it happens in games, most people die in the low-level areas of dungeons.  

For such individuals, US military gear is the most useful. As a result, these dumped goods began to line the shelves of dungeon shops. Even the typically critical media praised this move. 

“If you stock up on the full US military set, you won’t die on the first floor,” Kunimaru said in a video. 

Many explorers create video content. Among them, I frequently watched videos by a low-level explorer named “Kunimaru”, who is close to reaching mid-level. 

Most people watch high-level explorers’ videos, but if you’re actually going into a dungeon, I figured watching someone like Kunimaru would be more helpful. 

He once said, “The full US military gear is seriously godly.”  

I decided to trust his words. There are no restrictions in the dungeon; weapons can be used freely. In fact, the dungeon is recognized as a completely different realm, and Japanese law doesn’t apply at all. 

“Don’t trust other explorers in the dungeon. You can kill someone and not get caught,” Kunimaru once advised. 

I started piling up standard US military items like camo clothes, body armor, helmets, and tactical vests, using Kunimaru’s videos as a reference. 

With government assistance, 300,000 yen is enough to equip oneself with standard US army gear. After spending that, I’ll still have 200,000 yen left, which can be used for additional necessities. After gathering everything, I looked for the checkout, but couldn’t find it on the second floor. 

“Where’s the register?” -Rokujou 

A muscular man, who seemed to be over 2 meters tall, was nearby. Perhaps because it’s a dungeon shop, he was quite big. 

“For security reasons, there isn’t one on the second floor. Only on the first.” -Muscular Man 

I thought he wasn’t a shop assistant, but he wore a dungeon shop badge, so he probably was. He looked at me with a kind of disdainful gaze. It was unsettling. 

Avoiding his gaze, I took the escalator down. At the checkout, a friendly, bespectacled lady greeted me. She smiled warmly, which was reassuring. 

“Excuse me, I still want to buy more. Can I leave these items here?” -Rokujou 

I placed the items on the counter. 

“Of course, no problem. Take your time to find what you need.” -Lady 

She was clear and pleasant, quite different from the man upstairs. I wondered if he wasn’t really an employee. Anyway, next was weapons. My eyes landed on the handgun section at the front. 

From Japanese police revolvers to the officially adopted US army SIG Sauer M17, and even what is called the world’s most powerful handgun, the S&W M500, they had it all. 

“I’ll go with this…” -Rokujou 

My target was the SIG M17, officially adopted by the US military, with a short recoil system. Although There used to be issues like accidental discharges in the past, but now those have been improved. It’s even used by the US military, so it seems to be a reliable pistol without worries of malfunctions. 

“You can’t really tell just by looking at it in the case. Would you like to hold it?” -Lady 

The kind lady came over, took out the handgun from the showcase, and let me hold it. It felt lighter than I expected but also heavy, given its realness. 

“Have you ever fired a gun. sir?” -Lady 

“No, I haven’t.” -Rokujou 

“Then may I suggest buying a sight?” -Lady 

The M17 can be customized with various attachments, including dot sights. Today’s handguns can easily have their parts swapped out depending on usage. As she explained, my hand brushed against her’s, making my heart skip a beat 

“Is something wrong?” -Lady 

“Ah, uh, do the sights really help?” -Rokujou 

“For beginners, having one is better than not. But the best way to understand the difference is to try firing it. If you’d like, we offer test firing at our shooting range. Would you like some ammunition as well?” -Lady 

“Yes, I’ll take some ammunition.” -Rokujou 

She was a mature and sophisticated lady, very different from Kiriyama-san. Being treated kindly by her was nerve-wracking, especially with her almond-shaped eyes that any man would find captivating. 

“What type of ammunition would you like? For the M17, 9mm Parabellum is standard. Soft-point bullets usually are enough to neutralize creatures like goblins with a single shot. It should be sufficient for exploring the first floor of the dungeon.” -Lady 

9mm Parabellum, is the most popular type of ammunition for handguns. 

“Then, I’ll take 5 boxes of that, please.” -Rokujou 

“With the current subsidy, it’s 50 yen per bullet. 16 bullets per box, so 5 boxes will be 4,000 yen.” -Lady 

Ammo was cheaper than I thought, but prices vary.  

After that, the same lady taught me more about the gun, its various parts, and the different types of ammunition available. 

Most bullets cost around 100 yen each, and the government subsidizes half of that. It’s a terrifying thought that for just 50 yen, a life can be taken. 

“Would you like to purchase another gun as a secondary weapon? I believe it would be wise to have one as a support.” -Lady 

“Ah, um, yes, please.” -Rokujou 

Kunimaru-san also mentioned the importance of having a secondary weapon. Although a handgun may not easily break even after firing 10,000 rounds, it can malfunction. In such cases, it needs to be disassembled and repaired. But you can’t possibly do that in front of a monster. 

So, if one is serious about using a handgun, a secondary weapon is a must-have. After all, I’ve promised Imari that I’ll return alive. If I can afford it, I shouldn’t skimp and risk death. 

“Sir, are you still okay financially?” -Lady 

“Uh, yes, I’m still fine.” -Rokujou 

“In that case, I’d recommend purchasing a military-grade knife for close combat. Additionally, consider buying a low-level potion for emergencies in case of injuries.” -Lady 

“Ah, okay.” -Rokujou 

She kindly recommended these with her beautiful face. She’s a good salesperson. She doesn’t seem to care about my budget. But I do need the military knife, and I’d like to have a dungeon item like a potion for emergencies. 

However, there’s a problem. 

They’re genuinely expensive. 

The low-level potion costs: 

【100,000 yen】 

“100,000 yen… Can you give me a discount…?” -Rokujou 

I was guided to the dungeon items section and saw the price. 100,000 yen is the price for the cheapest potion. Others are even more expensive, ranging from 10 million yen to 500 million yen, even up to 10 billion yen. I wonder who buys such items? 

“I’m sorry, but even at this price, the potion is already on the cheaper side. If you tried to buy it elsewhere, it would cost at least 200,000 yen for this potion.” -Lady 

“Ugh…” -Rokujou 

I was at a loss for words due to the drastic difference in price perceptions. 

“Potions that can heal wounds instantly are very popular among affluent individuals. Professional athletes use them frequently. There’s always a high demand, and the supply rarely meets it. The government subsidizes the price at dungeon shops to ensure explorers have access. By the way, be careful not to resell special discounted items from the shop.” -Lady 

“Should I buy it?” -Rokujou 

“Absolutely. If you can afford it, you should.” -Lady 

In the dungeon, even a minor injury can lead to death… The beautiful lady is recommending it… She’s so close. Her almond-shaped eyes, the very definition of beauty, are fixed on me. 

“Okay, I’ll buy it.” -Rokujou 

“Thank you. Please take care and stay alive.” -Lady 

The beautiful lady smiled at me. I felt like I was taken advantage of. In the end, I bought two low-level potions, spending almost all of my budget. 

“She gave me a discount, making everything 500,000 yen in total, but now I can’t buy anything else.” -Rokujou  

I was left with only 20,000 yen. While it’s a lot for a typical middle school student, it’s nowhere near enough for shopping in a dungeon store. The beautiful lady seemed to know my budget and made recommendations accordingly, making me spend more than I had planned. 

Well, at least she gave me the military knife for free, and I already have other supplies like food and medical kits. 

“Now that it’s come to this, all I can do is push through.” -Rokujou 

Before entering the dungeon, I changed into the military gear in the dressing room. When I looked at myself in the full-length mirror, I realized that the camouflage outfit didn’t suit me at all. 

I’d been working out for five years in preparation for becoming an explorer, but I still looked frail and pale from staying indoors, and the reflection showed an unhealthy-looking boy in camo. 

“I look so out of place that it’s even surprising to me…” -Rokujou 

Feeling doubtful about my appearance, I tried to shake off the unease. 

“No, no, I can’t be negative! Let’s do this!” -Rokujou 

I’ve gathered information online from various people. How to shoot a gun, what to do when attacked by monsters, how to stay calm when injured – I’ve studied hard. I never cared much about school studies, but I was serious about this. 

“Thanks to that, I scored perfectly on the Musashino Dungeon High School entrance exam. I have to have confidence!” -Rokujou 

I was about to ask the beautiful lady at the register if I could test-fire the M17 when she spoke first. 

“Sir, it looks very good on you.” -Lady 

I was pretty sure she was lying, but being complimented by such a beautiful person made me feel like maybe it did suit me. 

“Haha, do you think so? Thank you for all your help.” -Rokujou 

“You’re welcome. You’re going to test-fire the M17, right? Wha-!!?” -Lady 

For some reason, her expression suddenly tightened. 

“I know I don’t look good in it, but you don’t have to make that face…” -Rokujou 

I thought she might have been taken aback by how ill-fitting my military attire looked on me, but she wasn’t looking at me; she was looking at the entrance of the dungeon shop. 

“Wheeeew, I’m sleepy.” 

A man wearing sunglasses stood at the entrance. He had short hair dyed light gray and was wearing a light white blouse – not something you’d wear in cold weather – and distressed jeans. 

With a surprisingly large sword hanging on his back, he wears an expensive-looking necklace, bracelet, and rings. He looks a bit over 30. He appears flashy and seems like a popular guy. It looks like what Ikemoto might become when he reaches around 30. The beautiful lady’s gaze was fixated on this flashy man. 

“Ah, boring. That ain’t happening.” -Flashy Man 

The flashy man strolled into the dungeon shop with an arrogant swagger. Just his entrance drastically changed the atmosphere inside. It felt colder somehow. 

“Umm…” -Rokujou 

Just as I was about to speak up, for some reason, the lady quickly shook her head, signaling towards the dungeon shop’s exit with her hand, as if telling me to leave promptly. 

“Are you saying not to interfere with that guy…?” -Rokujou 

It seems the lady doesn’t want me to get involved with him. 

Is she trying to say something like, “Leave quickly before you get entangled with that troublesome adventurer“? 

Indeed, he doesn’t look like a serious guy. He’s flashy and not my type. I decided to heed the lady’s advice and discreetly leave. 

“Hm? Who are you? And that military uniform?” -Flashy Man 

My attire which would be inconspicuous on a battlefield was glaringly obvious in the shop’s stark white interior. I was instantly noticed. I tried to pretend I didn’t hear and cautiously attempted to exit, wary of the notorious newbie-hazing. 

“Don’t ignore me. What’s with that uniform? Who made you wear it?” -Flashy Man 

He suddenly grabbed my shoulder. 

“Huh?” -Rokujou 

I thought there was quite a distance between us, but suddenly he was right in front of me, a tall man looking down at me. His eyes, visible behind his sunglasses, bore down on me with an unsettling intensity, making me break into a cold sweat. 

“Na, Nagumo-san, that child is…” -Lady 

“What?!” -Nagumo 

The lady tried to interject but was met with a fierce glare from the flashy man. Despite his flamboyant demeanor, it felt like the room temperature dropped by 2 or 3°C. 

“U-um, h-he’s just a newbie, not someone you’d be concerned about.” -Lady 

“Shut up, bitch. That’s not for you to say, is it?” -Nagumo 

“W-well, that’s true, but…” -Lady 

The flashy man’s words clearly intimidated the lady. 

“And you…” -Nagumo 

I felt helpless in front of him. I even thought that if I did something weird, he might kill me on the spot. That’s how terrifying he was. 

“Who made you wear that? Wait, no need to ask. It was her, right?” -Nagumo 

“Um, well…” -Rokujou 

“Kid, that damn woman scammed you, didn’t she?” -Nagumo 

“Hu-huh? Wha, what do you mean, old man?” -Rokujou 

I tried to retort as cheekily as I could. I’ve come this far risking my life; I didn’t want to be treated like I was back in school. I even glared back at the flashy man. However, he wasn’t paying attention to me at all; he was looking back at the lady. 

“Fuckin’ bitch, don’t you feel guilty?” -Nagumo 

“I haven’t done anything wrong…” -Lady 

“YES, YOU FUCKIN’ HAVE!!!!!” -Nagumo 

The flashy man raised his voice so loudly it felt like the atmosphere in the spacious shop shook. The lady was visibly shrinking in fear. Even worse, it looked like she had wet herself out of fear. 

“Kid, where’s your money? You’d need at least 300,000 yen for that gear.” -Nagumo 

“Well, I saved up my allowance…” -Rokujou 

I’m being stared down by a man. I want to say something strong and get out of this situation, but my throat is dry, and I’m terrified of talking to this man. 

“Fuck, seriously? Are kids these days that rich? I wouldn’t mind getting in on that too.” -Nagumo 

“Well, um, but I don’t have any money left…” -Rokujou 

He’s talking so casually, but I’m beyond scared. Because I know I can never beat this guy. It’s not just like I can’t beat him, the same way I can’t beat Ikemoto. It’s not about courage. It’s biologically impossible for me to win against him. For some reason, I understand that all too well. 

“Fuck, not even 1 yen left?” -Nagumo 

“I have about 20,000 yen left…” -Rokujou 

“Got it…how much did you have in total?” -Nagumo 

“Er, about 500,000 yen.” -Rokujou 

“You had 500,000 yen and only 20,000 yen is left? Huh.” -Nagumo 

“Nagumo-san, that child…” -Lady 

The lady tried to interject. 

“Bitch, you swindled 500,000 yen from this kid. Refund it all. You can do that, right?” -Nagumo 

I was too scared to think straight. My body trembled so much that the flashy man noticed. The man grabbed my wrist and took me to the cash register. My body trembled so much that the flashy man noticed. 

“Huh? You look scared?” -Nagumo 

“Ah, well, my parents are on the verge of divorce, and I’ve been left at home with my sister. But they still give us living expenses, and I’ve managed to save 500,000 yen, which is precious to me. My sister is waiting at home, saying ‘please come back alive,’ so I really can’t afford to lose this money.” -Rokujou 

“Hey, hold on a minute. Look, this woman is trash, and I’m a good guy. You got that?” -Nagumo 

“Huh…?” -Rokujou 

The man in sunglasses scratched his head, and strangely, he didn’t seem as scary anymore. 

“Kid, just shut the fuck up and listen. The government finds it troublesome when young people die, so when someone who hasn’t entered a D-Rank suddenly comes to challenge the dungeon, they take all their money and dress them in the best possible equipment to keep them alive as long as possible. Even if you only had 100,000 yen, this woman would have provided you with the same equipment.” -Nagumo 

“…What do you mean? Isn’t not dying the most important thing?” -Rokujou 

“Sure, but with a gun, your level hardly increases at all.” -Nagumo 

“…What?” -Rokujou 

For a moment, I doubted my ears. I had never heard that a gun wouldn’t help you level up. 

“To be precise, it does a little, but compared to magic, the level increase is terrible. With a gun, it’s about 1/100th as easy to level up as with melee weapons. On the first floor, you’d have to defeat about 1000 monsters to level up.” -Nagumo 

“T-That’s a lie! The dungeon shop is a government agency. If government people interfere with those entering the dungeon, the dungeon will reject them!” -Rokujou 

Dungeon shops are all contracted by the government, so they’re essentially government institutions. One unwritten rule exists: 

『Anyone over 15 years old coming to the dungeon must never be obstructed from entering. 』 

This iron rule had always been observed. If not, the dungeon would dislike the entire country. 

“Yeah, but somehow the dungeon doesn’t notice sneaky stuff. Or rather, it doesn’t react very sensitively. If you’re clever, you won’t be blocked from entering the dungeon. This loophole is exploited by various countries, and some have even been destroyed without understanding why they were rejected by the dungeon in the first place.” -Nagumo 

“That’s… unthinkable…” -Rokujou 

But I couldn’t deny it outright. There are still countries that suddenly can’t enter the dungeon, causing a collapse and their own ruin. 

In such countries, the cause was unknown. In any case, as long as they didn’t prevent people from entering dungeons, dungeons shouldn’t harbor any resentment. 

Even in a country like America, which couldn’t figure out the cause for three years, a dungeon collapse had occurred, and suddenly, two years ago, people were able to enter dungeons again. 

“As for how the government is deceiving the dungeons, I don’t know the details. Whether you believe it or not is up to you. You can either continue struggling with 500,000 worth of equipment without leveling up, or you can believe my words. What’ll it be?” -Nagumo 

The flashy man looked at me kindly through his sunglasses. Upon close inspection, his eyes didn’t seem malicious at all like Ikemoto’s. The woman, still trembling with fear, said nothing. 

“But if someone like me, who’s bad at sports, goes into the dungeon without even a gun…” -Rokujou 

Just thinking about it made me feel sick. If guns are useless, I’d have to use melee weapons. The monsters on the first floor are goblins, and they’re not like the ones in games. They come to kill you, and everyone knows how terrifying that is. 

“You might die then.” -Nagumo 

“S-See? Even you think so!” -Rokujou 

“Yes, yes! It’s foolish for a child as timid as him to become an explorer! If he can’t be stopped, at least let him have a gun! Body armor and other equipment are absolutely necessary to stay alive!” -Lady 

The woman suddenly started shouting. 

“Hmph, these guys get a bonus from some secret account if they make kids like you give up on becoming explorers.” -Nagumo 

“Is that true?” -Rokujou 

“That is…” -Lady 

When I looked at the woman, she awkwardly looked away. 

“It’s true.” -Lady 

And then she admitted it. 

“Wha, What the hell is that?” -Rokujou 

I slumped my shoulders in disappointment. 

“Was everything going to fall apart even before I started? That’s why I came to the dungeon, to escape this. But no matter where I go, I can’t escape it. Besides, challenging the dungeon without a gun is…” -Rokujou 

It’s pathetic, but I thought I’d be fine in the dungeon with a gun. I even thought those going to dungeon high school were fools. 

“…Ugh, kid. Just return all those items and get your money back. When you’re ready, follow me. I’ll guide you through the dungeon today.” -Nagumo 

“Huh?” -Rokujou 

“I’ll be with you, so you 100% won’t die. Think about what you’ll do after fighting in the dungeon. If you still want to go ahead, I’ll teach you a way to get cheaper equipment.” -Nagumo 

“Is that okay?” -Rokujou 

“Your sister is waiting at home, and told you, ‘don’t die,’ right? So, you can’t die.” -Nagumo 

I saw the face of a man wearing sunglasses. It seemed to have reddened somewhat and water appeared to be flowing from his sunglasses. 

“Thank you, old man!” -Rokujou 

“Just hurry up and go. It’ll be troublesome if others come, and things get complicated. Also, my name’s Nagumo. I admit I look like an old man, but I’m only 20, so don’t call me that.” -Nagumo 

“Huh?” -Rokujou 

The flashy man with the scruffy beard looked over 30. Even the woman seemed surprised. 

“What’s with that suspicious face? I’m telling the truth.” -Nagumo 

“Okay, I understand, Nagumo-san.” -Rokujou 

I hurriedly went to change my clothes. When I turned around, I saw the older sister pointing out something that had come out from between Nagumo-san’s legs. She blushed deeply and rushed into the restroom. 

TL Note(s)

[1] His name in the raw is “Foreign” 「フォーリン」but it might be changed later on idk.