The Weakest (Self-Proclaimed) Salaryman Suddenly Finds Himself Treated Like an S-Rank Adventurer!? ~Relaxed Dungeon Life - Episode 2

The next morning, Shiina Haru suddenly woke up a little before his alarm went off.

The soft light of a spring morning filtered through the curtains. Outside the window, I could hear the sounds of birds and the faint footsteps of the neighborhood school bus.

As he dozed off in bed, Yo stretched out slowly. The warmth of the futon made him want to sit up, but his body naturally rose to its feet.

There was no particular reason. But somewhere in his mind, he was worried about “that incident” that had happened yesterday.

“…Even after a night has passed, that road still bothers me.”

Muttering to himself, he glanced down at the small crystal beside his pillow.

Last night, after completing the online meeting after returning home and finishing dinner, Yo was absorbed in observing the crystals. I tried placing it on my desk as a paperweight, or gently sliding it under an LED stand to enjoy the atmosphere of indirect lighting – it was a surprisingly striking piece of interior decor.

The transparent blue-green body glows faintly depending on the angle, and faint, swaying lines of light emerge from within, creating a mysterious allure, as if a small universe were trapped inside.

And then, I suddenly realized.

There is a very faint pattern carved into the surface.

When I looked closely, as if through a magnifying glass, I could see spirals and geometric patterns emerging. Straight lines and curves intertwine exquisitely, creating beautiful lines that somehow seem to symbolize the laws of nature.

“…I wonder if it’s a handmade sculpture? Hmm, but how did they carve it…?”

The craftsmanship is so precise that it looks like it was made with a laser or like a naturally occurring crystalline structure.

However, in the sunlight, that sense of discomfort did not rise to the level of suspicion.

To him, this was a mysterious and beautiful “spoil of a detour.”

“Let’s go there again. That place…yeah, taking detours as a hobby isn’t so bad.”

Yang washed her face, tossed some bread into the toaster, and began getting ready with a light step.

◆ ◆ ◆

It was a little after nine in the morning.

Yo was once again seen on the premises of Shinjuku Station.

He passed through the ticket barrier and made his way through the crowd of people. Amidst the hustle and bustle of commuters, Yo was heading alone to the back alley he had found last time – the location of the dungeon entrance.

I’m working fully remotely today. The meeting starts in the afternoon. That means I have free time the whole morning.

“…Ah, it’s still there today. It hasn’t disappeared.”

The black iron arch and staircase were still standing in the same place as last time, as if “waiting for someone to return.”

There was no one in the gaping entrance between the buildings. People passing by passed by as if it didn’t exist.

It’s a unique space, so quiet that you can’t even sense anyone’s presence.

The place was the only one that had a strange atmosphere, as if it were completely cut off from reality.

“I guess it’s an art installation after all? Yes, it’s like a secret passageway, and it’s exciting.”

Yang took a can of coffee from his pocket, took a sip, and then headed down the stairs without any hesitation.

◆ ◆ ◆

The moment you step underground, the world becomes silent.

Soft air. Stone walls. Light of moss.

The same scenery as yesterday was there.

And it brings back some nostalgic feelings. It’s like when I was an elementary school student and I built a secret base deep in the woods nearby — it’s like a tickling sensation deep in my heart.

“Yeah, the atmosphere here is calming…”

Today, as always, Haru brought coffee, bread, and some stationery in his backpack. He was dressed lightly as if he were on a picnic.

And then he meets him again.

At the end of the passage, a blue-green slime was sitting in the middle of the path, trembling.

“…Ah, the one from yesterday?”

Taking a step forward, Yang tilted his head.

Looking more closely, it was slightly larger than the slime from yesterday, and the glow within its body was a little clearer.

“…Huh? They’re a bit different sizes? Are they brothers?”

But his carefree mutterings were short-lived.

The next moment, the slime jumped.

Leap. Glide. And charge.

“Whoa?! Jumping is against the rules!”

Yang instinctively jumped back and reflexively grabbed a wooden stick leaning against the side of the passage – no, a “Bolt of Orbal Power” – and quickly got into a stance.

“Yay!”

I thought I was shaking it lightly.

but–

Together with a sound like the air was torn apart, the slime was cut in half with a single blow, and its remains floated away and disappeared like mist.

All that was left was another glowing crystal.

“…Eh, it appeared again… I mean, that stick was really easy to swing, wasn’t it…?”

Yang stares at the wooden sword.

The feel was different from that of an ordinary wooden stick. It was neither too heavy nor too light. There was no unnecessary vibration, and it felt strangely like it was “assisting” Yang’s movements.

“I was just remembering my club activities in high school… Is this just a stick?”

He held a wooden orbal sword carved from the core of an ancient tree, a valuable item that was normally only available to high-ranking captains of the Kingdom’s Knights.

Yo, unaware of this fact, gave it another experimental swing and nodded in satisfaction.

“Yeah. It’s nice to have something like this now and then. It might not be a bad idea to display it together with your stationery.”

◆ ◆ ◆

The guardian spirits at the “observation base” set up inside the dungeon watched this series of events in sacred silence.

In amazement. In shock. Or maybe even a little bit of awe.

『※Record update: Second defeat. Type: Advanced mutant. Difficulty: C+. Evaluation: Equivalent to S rank. Title continued: 《Healing Pilgrim》』

Meanwhile, at the Japanese Dungeon Observation Station in the other world, the intelligence team was in turmoil.

“… That person has begun his activities once again. He single-handedly defeated a Slime Alter. No combat record. Magical energy generated is zero.”

“…Zero again? Skill interference?”

“It’s not detectable. It can only be described as a blank. It’s a completely unconscious reaction.”

The officer in charge glared at the data and muttered dryly.

“Is this… a pass-through type…?”

In the code name column of the document, the following was indeed written:

“Pilgrim of Light”

◆ ◆ ◆

Meanwhile, what about the person himself?

As I put the new crystal away in my backpack, I walked leisurely down the corridor with the wooden sword lightly slung over my shoulder.

His steps were an extension of a walk.

“…I wonder what’s next. Well, if it’s not an event, I guess I should head home soon. I have to be back before noon, I have a meeting.”

Casual monologue.

However, when those words reached the depths of the passage–

An unknown “door” creaked open slowly.

Quietly. Indeed.

The world was slowly beginning to move.

–But even so, Yo’s detours continued peacefully as usual today.