Ordinary Person × Modern Dungeon × Summer Vacation Life = Rise to Success!? 〜A Private Dungeon Was Made at the Remains of a Secret Base From Childhood〜 - Episode 23: Day of the Explorer Examination ②

Episode 23: Day of the Explorer Examination ②

“Now then, please prepare the dungeon pass you received at reception.”

“Yes.”

I took out the white card from my pocket labeled [Tochigi Prefecture Explorer Association 05].

“In order to enter the Ōta Dungeon, you need to hold that card up to the authentication device at the entrance. Once you successfully obtain your license, you’ll do the same thing with your own Explorer Card.”

“I understand.”

Then, after examinees number 5 and 6 from the Gunma Prefecture side entered the dungeon first,

“Now then, Natsume-san, let’s go.”

Prompted by Yamada-san, I stepped forward to the entrance of the concrete structure — the Ōta Dungeon.

When I held the card over the device, the light turned from red to green.

“The lock is now released. Go ahead and open it.”

I lowered the door lever and pushed the iron door.

Feeling the heavy weight of the door, I slowly entered.

“…Whoa.”

Inside the building was lit with cold-colored LED lights.

In the center of the building at our feet, there was a square iron plate like a manhole cover.

That’s probably the gate to the Ōta Dungeon.

On the ceiling and walls, there were surveillance cameras, some kind of sensors, and even objects resembling guns.

It had a mechanical and desolate atmosphere.

“So this is what the inside looks like…”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Yamada-san entered the building after me. And with a screeching sound, she closed the iron door.

“In the past, there has never been a case where monsters invaded outside the dungeon. But according to scholars’ calculations, if it’s a powerful monster, it’s predicted they could endure the outside air. So, just in case, this building is equipped with various attack mechanisms.”

“…That’s a bit scary.”

“Yes, that’s the proper reaction. Please, never disguise yourself as a Goblin and sneak into the dungeon. The AI might misidentify you, and there’s a non-zero chance you could be shot upon exit.”

“…I’ll be careful.”

“Now then, we’ll begin the test. Please open the dungeon gate and descend below. I’ll be right behind you.”

“Yes!”

Lifting the square manhole cover revealed a stone staircase descending below.

Along the stone walls, torches lit with purple flames lined up.

They were probably magically lit flames.

I stepped down the stone steps one by one.

With each *clack* *clack* of my footsteps, I felt my heart beating faster.

—At last, I was stepping into a dungeon I had admired since junior high.

Inside my chest, excitement and fear were mixed.

(I’ll do this—!)

The staircase led to the center of a room about the size of a tennis court.

As expected, purple torches were lit on all four walls.

“We’ll proceed through the left corridor. Please follow me from behind.”

Yamada-san stepped ahead of me and led the way through the dungeon.

After walking a bit, another room similar in size to the previous one came into view.

“Now then, we’ll begin the exam. Natsume-san, please wait near the entrance of this room. After a short while, a Goblin will spawn from somewhere in the room. Please subdue it. Understood? …If you want to quit, now’s your chance.”

“—Of course I’ll do it. I have a goal of forming a party with Otama-chan.”

There’s no way I can hesitate in a place like this.

“Fufu, understood. Then, examinee number [Tochigi 05], Natsume Koichi, enter!”

“Yes!!”

I entered the room and checked the short sword at my waist.

I can do this.

I *will* do this.

My level has risen a lot. And even Otama-chan gave me a seal of approval that I’m good to go.

I can’t afford to lose.

Shortly after entering the room, a purple mist gathered in the back.

In an instant, the mist formed a humanoid shape. And a green creature was born—

“Natsume-san! In the first round, skills are prohibited! Now, begin!”

“Yes!!”

I drew the short sword at my waist and held it ready in front of me.

A green, imp-like creature — a Goblin — crouched low. It then came rushing toward me at full speed, weaving left and right.

“KI-SHYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!”

“Ugh!”

In online videos, Goblins didn’t move like this.

They charged straightforward more dumbly and were a bit slower.

Maybe the other examinees also got overwhelmed by this unexpected movement.

“SHYAAAAAAAaaaa!!!”

Whoa, it jumped!!

The Goblin leapt high. It was trying to slash with its claws.

I—

“Uwaaaaah!!”

*WHAAAAAMMMM!!!*

—instinctively did a spinning kick, sending the Goblin flying about five meters into the wall.

“Shaah…”

The Goblin crashed into the wall, then fell flat on the ground with a splat.

*Shuuuuu…*

The Goblin turned into smoke. It left behind a small magic stone.

Oh crap, I finished it before using my short sword…

“First battle, that’s enough!”

Yamada-san’s voice echoed from behind.

She silently jotted something down on a piece of paper.

…She’s not saying if it was good or bad, which is making me nervous.

And I let out a scared yelp too.

Maybe she thinks I’m mentally unstable…?

Ignoring my anxiety, Yamada-san spoke again.

“Next. You may now freely use skills. However, chanting and unsheathing are prohibited until the signal is given. Please show your true power, Natsume-san.”

“Y-Yes!!”

Alright, I’ll overwhelm the Goblin and make an impression here.

After a short wait, mist began to form at a different spot from before.

“Second battle, begin! Combat preparations are now allowed!”

“Yes!!”

Let’s start with this.

“Bug Sumo – Stag Beetle!! Come forth!”

As I held out my right hand, a rift like a dungeon gate opened. A stag beetle flew out.

Maybe because I summoned it with a clear intent to fight, it was much larger than when I tested it in my private dungeon.

It looked about the size of a stack of A3 paper I used at work.

“Alright, let’s go.”

The mist took humanoid form and grew denser.

This time, it transformed into a red-black Goblin wielding a spear.

“KISHYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!”

Oh, the Goblin type changed for the second round. The Explorer Association really knows this dungeon thoroughly.

Maybe an illusion, but a purple aura seemed to be surrounding the Goblin .

Looks like this fight with skills enabled will be a tough one — I need to go all out.

At that moment—

“Stop, Natsume-san!! The exam is canceled!! Fall back immediately!!”

“Huh…?”

“SHYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!”

Right after Yamada-san declared the test canceled—

*Clang clang*, the Goblin’s spear dropped to the ground.

“What…!?”

The severed arms of the red-black Goblin were lying on the ground.

—My stag beetle had sliced them off at the base.

*BZZZZZ…*, *click click!*

The stag beetle proudly returned to me.

“N-Natsume-san…?”

“I-I’m sorry, Yamada-san. The attack had already gone off…”

“Huh…?”

The next moment, countless grasshoppers flew out from the gate in front of me and devoured the red-black Goblin .

“GA-GAAAAAAAAAAAA…”

“Wha…!?”

*Crunch crunch crunch crunch…!*

Eventually, the Goblin disappeared into purple mist. What’s left behind was only a medium-sized magic stone and the spear’s blade.

As the grasshoppers returned to the gate and the wing-flapping sounds faded, silence filled the room.

“Unbelievable… to do this without prior experience…!”

Yamada-san shook her head and rushed to the Goblin’s magic stone.

Taking it in her hand—

“There’s no doubt…”

She muttered.

Suddenly, I felt uneasy.

“…Did I mess up…?”

I attacked the Goblin after Yamada-san declared the exam was canceled.

—”If you do not follow the examiner’s instructions, you may be disqualified.”

I remembered what was said at the beginning of the test.

I approached Yamada-san and asked,

“Um… does that mean I’m disqualified? I’m sorry, I couldn’t stop the attack…”

Yamada-san turned to me with a serious face and said,

“The monster Natsume-san defeated was a Goblin General… An upper-class Goblin equivalent to C-rank, which should not be on this dungeon floor.”

“Eh…?”

I couldn’t follow what she meant.

“What… does that mean…?”

Handing me the magic stone and spear tip, Yamada-san continued,

“We’re in a hurry, so I’ll explain the details later. But to tell you briefly, Natsume-san, you’ve passed the exam — more than that, you’ve earned the achievement of solo subjugating a C-rank monster. You’ll likely start with a C-rank license.”