Earth Dungeon 123.1

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Chapter 123.1. Underground Empire

The watchman passed through the plains. Passed through. Driving through the somewhat muddy ground after the snowmelt with a jeep.

Nothing. Nothing happened. Passed through extremely peacefully.

There were grassy areas that stretched knee-high and sporadic forests around. That was all. There might be dungeons in the forests, so I'll mark them on the map.

"Just ended up taking a drive."

I tap the steering wheel with my fingers while giving a wry smile. Seriously, there are no survivors.

"I kinda thought there would be a hidden village guarded by high-level warriors or something."

Shizuku says, swinging her arms and pretending to fight. I agree.

I thought the same. Villagers hid in a village surrounded by wooden fences on a hill. Strong warriors there, seeking a challenge with me. I imagined a village like that.

Maybe I was dreaming too much; reality is harsh. If I could create such a village, I might extend my influence to an abandoned city.

"Glad we left the snowflakes behind. It would have been a waste of time."

[Yeah, two-person drive dates should be exclusive to just you and me.]

"Ah, yeah, sure..."

For now, I agree with Shizuku, who floats happily with a smile. It's scary to disagree.

I shrug my shoulders and think about the next move. Now, what should I do?

"Should we head north towards Saitama and Gunma, or should we go south towards Chiba? Or maybe head to Tsukuba and tour the Underground Empire?"

[What's the Underground Empire? A place where forced laborers live happily?]

Curious, Shizuku asks, but well, she probably doesn't know. I haven't brought up this topic before. Also, what are forced laborers? Sounds scary.

"About 25 years ago, the railway connecting Akihabara and Tsukuba collapsed, causing a major train accident with the train overturning."

[Oh?] 

"And why did the ground collapse? It was a big deal at the time. Similar incidents happened worldwide - New York, Paris, London, et cetera. In many regions, right? What do you think happened?"

I continue talking, recalling my peaceful childhood. I was amazed watching it on TV back then.

[Okay. A dungeon has appeared, right?]

It's simple, I thought as Shizuku looked cute with the proud face of a beautiful girl, who was holding out her breasts, and I shook my head at her.

"Dungeons appeared. But that happened a few years later. No, the city had been built underground. A huge cavern, about 1 km below the surface, extended from around Nihonbashi to half of Ibaraki. The collapse happened because skyscrapers, about 1 km tall, had pierced through the bedrock from underground to the surface."

[Were there... no monsters?]

"No, there weren't. It caused a big commotion because an entire city fit in there, but there wasn't a single person, and there were no monsters as you'd see in movies. Hmm?"

Thinking about Shizuku's words with a furrowed brow, I remember being puzzled back then too. I accelerate the jeep, and as the fresh scent of greenery wafts in through the open window, I turn the steering wheel.

"It got the nickname 'Underground Empire', but the most suspected explanation was that it was the country's shelter. There were rumors that it was an evacuation facility in case something happened. It's impossible to undertake such a large construction without anyone noticing, but that rumor made the most sense."

[Was there any evidence?]

"All the cities looked like ordinary buildings using the country's language. In Japan, of course, there were signs written in Japanese. What was it? They tried to turn it into a tourist attraction soon, and a year later, except for restricted areas, the general public could enter. But inside the restricted area, there was a super huge dome and the Earth Federation... Tsukuba Research... Dome... I forgot."

The government faced heavy criticism for wasting money on shelters, so they quickly made it accessible for tourism. Politicians act fast when their approval ratings are at stake. Besides, it would bring in money as a tourist attraction. It became a tourist attraction except for the restricted areas. But the dome was off-limits. What was its name again?

[Earth Federation Japan District Tsukuba Research Dome.]

"That's it. Did you know, Shizuku?"

Looking at Shizuku, who complimented my words, she had a serious expression. It's the first time I've seen her so serious.

[In that place, a giant dome in the underground city. If the name is the same. It's a giant shelter called [Abyss]. Yes, it's bizarrely named Shelter City. So, Antimatter, never go to [Abyss] even if you can descend underground. Never.]

"Even if I ask for the reason?"

Frowning at Shizuku's unusual behavior, I become serious. Something seems wrong.

[Because I think [Abyss] is dangerous. At that time, could there really have been nothing, considering it was accessible for tourism?]

"Oh, a little before dungeons appeared, toxic gas erupted from underground, and it became a fully restricted area... Wasn't it toxic gas?"

Many people died from toxic gas, making the underground a restricted area. I'm sure tens of thousands of people got sacrificed. But it wasn't toxic gas?