When I was working as a civil servant, I was found out to be a muscle-brained knight by the princess knight and got sent to the front lines - Episode 98

Episode 98

Near the entrance to the Okutama Dungeon. A few minutes had passed since the Undead Dragon that emerged from the dungeon began its battle with the mysterious explorer (possibly a civil servant?). The entire Okutama area was filled with evacuation alarms, and news helicopters circled the skies outside the combat zone. Residents within a five-kilometer radius of the Okutama Dungeon were being guided to safety by police and Self-Defense Force personnel.

Meanwhile, the forces deployed from the Tachikawa Garrison had established an absolute defense line three kilometers from the dungeon. Their preparations were largely completed. Additionally, elite deep-level explorers had been mobilized in response to an emergency request from the Dungeon Bureau.

Despite the sudden emergence of the Undead Dragon on the surface, the swift response to the dungeon quake meant that everything was progressing smoothly. Considering there had been no casualties among either the explorers or civilians at this point, the response could be rated as more than 120%.

And now, the battle between the dragon and the explorer was being broadcasted into homes across the country. Dungeon broadcasts had become common, and people were accustomed to watching explorers fight monsters online. However, this was a live broadcast on terrestrial TV, showing a real-time battle with a dragon. The rare footage of such a fight was garnering astronomical ratings, not just in Japan but worldwide.

And it wasn’t just the average household viewer tuning in. Explorers and government agencies around the globe were watching the footage as well. And they were all asking the same question: “Who is that?”

A blonde man was fighting the dragon one-on-one on the surface—a feat only possible for deep-level explorers or perhaps even someone beyond that. Observers quickly realized that the close-quarters combat and body-enhancing magic the man was using didn’t follow any established techniques.

Could he be the world’s sixth confirmed ultra-deep-level explorer? Were they witnessing the birth of a new hero? The excitement spread quietly but surely across the globe.

(Note:  Very horrible unique naming sense from the author here. I’m now missing the Great Ultra Super Fantastic Magnificent Dazzling Exquisite Glorious Sublime Brilliant Fabulous Terrific Awesome Ace Stellar International and Laughably Generic Grading System. The ABC system!!. Goddamnit. Just say “S” rank, you know?!)

The man wore clothing that appeared Chinese in style despite his Western appearance, and yet no country’s explorer database had any record of him. This realization sent people scrambling online to uncover the man’s identity, while intelligence agencies across the world launched full-scale investigations.

Unaware of the growing frenzy around the world, the man in the official-looking robes continued to punch the dragon relentlessly.

・　・　・

Several minutes had passed since the fight with the Undead Dragon began. The dragon had fully emerged from the dungeon onto the surface. Fortunately, its wings—iconic of dragons—were non-functional. As a result, Jez was able to keep attacking it using only basic magic.

“…Lacking a finishing blow.” 

None of his attacks had been able to deal a decisive blow to the dragon, but he had successfully drawn its attention. As he held the dragon at bay, the explorers fleeing the dungeon had managed to escape its attack range. Jez noticed that the ten-member team led by the man called Takahashi had safely withdrawn from the dragon’s reach.

Now that he no longer had to worry about the surroundings, Jez thought it was time to go all out. Just as he was preparing for his next move, a voice boomed through a microphone from a helicopter overhead.

“Explorer down there!! Can you hear me!? We’re launching a support strike in 30 seconds!!! Get clear when the time comes!!!”

Jez, catching the dragon in a brief moment of distraction, waved his hand broadly to show that he understood. It was perfect timing. The helicopter pilot, seeing Jez’s response, gave him a “Good luck” hand signal before pulling away. The pilot’s impressive skills were evident as he deftly avoided the dragon’s attacks while making his escape.

Jez landed several more punches on the dragon. For his final strike before retreating, he dodged the dragon’s attack, closed the distance, ran up the creature’s body, and launched himself high into the air.

Heel Drop

The Undead Dragon crashed into the ground with a thunderous roar. However, despite the dramatic impact, the dragon seemed to have sustained only minor damage. As expected of a dragon, its durability was immense.

But the blow had created an opening. In the brief moment that the dragon was stunned, Jez seized the opportunity to pull away at full speed.

At the same time, a barrage of support fire was launched at the Undead Dragon from multiple locations. Explosions echoed as missiles and artillery were fired from the units stationed three kilometers from the Okutama Dungeon, deployed from the Tachikawa Garrison. The attack helicopters hovering in the air joined in with their coordinated strike. Even the explorers positioned in locations with a clear line of sight to the square in front of the dungeon added their long-range attacks to the assault.

The Undead Dragon was enveloped in roaring explosions and flashes of light, the resulting tremors felt throughout Okutama. Seizing this moment, Jez quickly activated his Conceptual Weapon. Although his attack might not deliver a critical blow to a dragon, it wouldn’t hurt to try. While he was concerned about whether the Conceptual Weapon would even work in this world, his instincts told him it would. Could this actually work?

As the support fire continued to rain down on the dragon, Jez completed his incantation and activated his Conceptual Armament, Pen is Mightier than the Sword – Jabberwock. The pen transformed into a massive spear, which he gripped firmly. But just as he prepared to strike, a familiar voice suddenly echoed across the battlefield.

“…It’s here!! Pepo!!”

Startled, Jez heard a voice originating from the Conceptual Armament, now transformed into a spear. Surprised, he glanced down at the spear in his hand. From the spear, light suddenly burst forth, and within that light appeared…

“Hahaha!!! Finally connected, Pepo!!”

A bizarre, deformed figure—like a grotesque parody of a fairy—floated in the air. It had short limbs that wiggled cutely, yet there was nothing cute about it. The creature wore glasses for some reason. Looking at it, Jez felt an inexplicable surge of irritation. Had there ever been a mascot character so infuriating to behold?

“…Huh?”

“Through dimensions I’ve come! Victor Alchemis, now rebranded as the helpful mascot character, Vikpo, arrives in the world of Earth!! Pepo!!!” 

This grotesque doll introduced itself as Victor and boisterously declared its arrival while striking a pose. Jez, momentarily stunned by the absurdity of the scene in front of him, lost his train of thought despite the dragon looming nearby. After a few seconds, he forced himself to focus and asked the first question that came to mind.

“…There are so many things I want to ask.”

“What is it, Pepo!? Speak quickly, Pepo!”

“What’s with that weird speech quirk?”

“That’s a restriction, Pepo!! I had to apply several conditions to manifest in this world, Pepo!! Well, to put it simply, it’s also a form of Conceptual Armament, Pepo!!”

Even so, Jez couldn’t help but think there had to have been a better way than this.