Dungeon Refrigerator 161

Test

Scramble

Sunday, 10 a.m.

Still snug in bed, cuddling with both Katsu Rua and Manami in a flower-like state, a rare phone call came to my communication device.

"Hm, who could it be? (Pfft) Hello? Oh, is this Tadokoro-san?"

"[Yes, it's Tadokoro. I apologize for bothering you on a Sunday.]"

The caller was Tadokoro-san, the representative from Sanada Pharmaceutical Industries, always wearing glasses and looking troubled. But huh? Tadokoro-san working on a Sunday? It must be tough for such a big company.

"Oh no, it's fine. What's up? I'm currently preparing for the next delivery...?"

[Yes, um, I have another separate request. Through Egetsu-san's connections, could you obtain the drop from the Walking Plant?]

The Walking Plant? If it's about working poor, that used to be me until last year.

"(Isn't that... about plant monsters?)"

As I pondered a bit, Serai-san quietly informed me from the side. Wait, could she hear the phone conversation? Well, they've all become about ten times more capable than ordinary people.

No, but yeah, I knew! I was just thinking, "Could it be about factories?"

"Cough cough...! Yes, when you say Walking Plant, you mean plant-type monsters, right? And is that also necessary as a raw material for that medicine?"

[Yes, until now, we've been receiving what the government had secured for us, but it's been delayed since the Self-Defense Forces got busy. So, I consulted Egetsu-sab if there was anything he could do.]

Hmm, I see.

The Self-Defense Forces are currently in a frenzy over the China issue and the thinning out of monsters overflowing from dungeons across Japan. They can't even seriously tackle dungeon extermination as they previously proclaimed. So, they probably don't have time to bother with securing drops.

However, I have absolutely no connections for plant-type monsters...

"Wha!? Cough... I see, Tadokoro-san, you must be troubled. Unfortunately, we don't usually handle materials from plant-type monsters, so I can't promise to provide them immediately. But if it's your request, we'll do our best to assist you!"

[Oh, well, thank you very much. It would be a great help if Egetsu-san could assist. I'll send you the documents by email, so please take care of it. Well then.]

For convenience's sake, we've been gathering drops of monsters collected when dungeons were open to the public, using connections. Well, it's more like wholesale or intermediation. You see, it's not a time when we can openly say, "We're diving into dungeons!"

"(Pfft) Phew... But the Walking Plant, plant-type monsters? I've never seen anything like that around here."

"Really? Aren't they hidden in the back of the refrigerator?"

Yes, that's right, Serai-san. My refrigerator is mostly filled with strange monsters. Except for the cute Pixies, of course.

"Munch... Munch... Chu... Lick..."

Occasionally, Ruu would lick my neck persistently.

Ruu is usually very shy, but when we're together in bed like this, she turns into a clingy, affectionate Rui who loves to kiss.

But I wish she restrained herself during the phone call. I almost made weird noises.

"Hmm, yeah. I don't think I saw any drops of plant-type monsters even when I was working at the parade."

"Right. The dungeons released to the public by the government were supposed to be ones without poison or such damage. Plant-type monsters probably carry a lot of poison."

"Chu... Chu... If Coach gets poisoned, I'll suck it out for you♡"

"Oh, I'm glad, Ruu. But it's dangerous to suck it with your mouth, so you really shouldn't do it."

"Yes."

Yes, good girl. Ruu is so cute today.

"I guess distribution-wise, there are more dungeons in western Kanto or the Tohoku region where such monsters appear..."

As she said that, Nina-san peered out from the loft.

She would wake up early on Sunday mornings, summarize the market movements for the week, and silently work on her own laptop for next week's investment strategy. However, once she realized the call was from Tadokoro-san, she kept glancing at me from the loft.

"Hmm... I see. I've also identified some dungeons in Tokyo where it's easy to sneak in. But looking for plant-type monsters everywhere is a bit of a hassle. And I don't want to get caught either."

"Then why not ask Shark? That kid has quite the network, so she might have that information too, right?"

"Hmm, I see. That makes sense. Okay, I'll start by asking Shark. Let's do that."

So I decided to send a message to Shark using my phone. The content was, [Do you know any dungeons with plant monsters?.]. 

She should be out playing airsoft with the Trident guys today.

And I immediately received a reply. [Yes, they're right in front of me].

"What! What's this? What does it mean?"

"What, what, show me!"

"Could it be that plant monsters appeared at the airsoft field where Shark went?"

"Oh, I see, that makes sense."

And then, once again, my phone rang unusually, signaling an incoming call.

"Hello, oh, Shark? Sorry to interrupt your fun."

"Oh no, Jung! Come right away! I'm about to get wiped out!!"

"Huh...?"

In addition to Shark's voice on the other end of the phone, I could hear clattering noises. 

And mixed with them were the sounds of multiple airsoft guns firing and hitting trees or metal.

Hey, what's happening over there??

"Shark! Shark! Can you hear me!?"

"I'll send you the map and address! Hurry before we're all wiped out!! (Pfft!)"

Hey! Wait! Don't just hang up the phone like that!

.....

I was dumbfounded. I never expected to receive such an SOS call while living my ordinary life in Japan...

"Hey! What's wrong, Egetsu-san!? What happened to her!?"

Serai-san asked, urging and poking her face in.

She should have been able to hear the phone conversation perfectly well with her hearing abilities several times that of ordinary people. But she still seemed worried and sought further information.

"I don't know the details! But it seems she's in trouble. We need to go help Shark right away."

"Then I'm going too!!"

"No, but we don't even know where she is—(Ping!) Oh, here it is. What, Chiba? Wait, isn't that the Boso Peninsula!?"

"Oh, Shark said, 'They have one of the members give them a ride in their car,' before!"

Ah, I see, maybe it's Nabe-san's car. He's also a family man living in Tokyo, and he once said he wanted his daughter to understand his hobbies like Shark's.

"Well, if we don't know the situation any further, we have no choice but to go directly. I can leave on my bike immediately, and then—"

"So I'm going too! I've been saved by her twice already!"

But even if you say that, Serai-san. The expressway doesn't allow two people on a bike.

"Listen, take this kid too. Machi never listens once she starts. Plus, we'll rent a car and follow you later."

"Yes! I'll prepare everything properly and lock up the house! Coach, please go with Machi-chan to Shark-chan first!"

I'm grateful for Nana-san's ability to organize things properly even at a time like this. And Ruu immediately opened the refrigerator, trying to take out suits and weapons from the dungeon.

"Got it! So I'll go ahead, and you two follow later! Let's go, Serai-san!"

"Yeah!"

Off to Kamakura. It's a scramble. Well, the destination is Chiba though.

After changing clothes, I rushed out of the room and started the bike's engine. I'd warm it up properly before riding, but even that time is too precious now. Apologizing silently in my mind, I accelerated, even warming up the engine forcefully. As soon as Serai-san came out wearing a helmet, I rushed out with her on the back.

But today is Sunday, and while the traffic is light, there are still drivers who only drive on holidays or drive recklessly because they're off. I have to be careful.

As I ride like that, I calculate the time while thinking about the route in my head. It takes just under 20 minutes to get out of the city, and once you're on the Bayshore Route, it's a straight shot to Chiba. If there's no traffic, I should be able to ride full throttle to my destination from there.

Then, a line of cars blocked the road ahead.

"...Oops, Serai-san, it's time for a turbo jump!"

"Huh, what? Aahhhhh~!"

I had been avoiding the signal by taking back alleys.

But at the intersection, a car driven by an elderly woman is blocking the road to make a right turn. When making such a turn, if you pull the car all the way to the right side of the lane, the following cars can avoid the right-turning car and continue straight without causing a traffic jam. But drivers like her lack the awareness and spatial perception to consider the surroundings.

They only look ahead, and their spatial awareness is generally low.

Especially for women, their language centers in the brain are more developed, so their spatial perception is generally inferior to men's. Well, there are such people regardless of gender, but there's no time to get caught up in the traffic jam caused by such a right-turning car.

Therefore, while accelerating, I jump with both feet to fly over.

[Vryooom!... Thud! Thud! Vryuvyuvyuvyuvyuu...!!]

A motorcycle and two people, each weighing over 300 kg, lightly dance in the air, and we race away like the wind, leaping over the intersection.

The rear suspension bottoms out when we're landing, making an unpleasant metallic sound, but my comrades are in trouble now. It's damaged badly, but for now, let's forget it.

And I recall that there's no mention in the Road Traffic Act that "motorcycles must not fly," so it should be okay. Well, maybe it's still not okay? Yeah, maybe I shouldn't do this in front of the cops.

"Hey, you scared me! If you're going to jump, at least explain it properly!!"

"Sorry! But we can't use the Metropolitan Expressway, so we have to hurry!"

But I did say turbo jump, right? When you say turbo jump, it means jumping, you know. Well, my bike isn't turbocharged or anything like that.