Chapter 2

Yuri set foot into the purgatory district early the next day.

“Wow...!” he unwittingly exclaimed as he took in the scene touched by the morning light.

A massive, pyramidal tomb. A dome of pale-blue ice. A sea of flames where hellfire roared. An ancient castle of brick. A mountain coated in overflowing greenery. A cave so dark even the light of the sun seemed to avoid it. A waterfall pouring down from on high. A solemn temple towering over a lake.

It was as if famous sites from all over the world had been gathered here. It was far more than he had expected and overpowering to the eye.

“Err... So these are all entrances to different dungeons, and you should choose the right one for the materials you want.” He read out the memo he had received from Mirka the day before as he started looking for the dungeon he wanted.

“I don’t even know what to say. Next time, I’d love to come here with those two.”

In the end, Athena and Fram had reluctantly stayed home. He tried to have them at least accompany him here, but Mirka obstinately protested, going so far as to tie them up to stop them from following. Usually she was the one having to be restrained, but this time it was the complete opposite.

Regardless, Yuri hadn’t come to the purgatory district to play. His sights were set high, and if he wanted to reach them, he would have to do what he could.

“Alright! Just one week, I can do this!”

The moment he energetically thrust out his fist, something suddenly jolted him from behind. “Wah... That isn’t good...”

The note in his hand was swept off by a light breeze. He was about to hurry after it, but—

“Oi, brat.”

A familiar voice caused him to turn around.

“Ah, if it isn’t Mr. Haring!”

“Tsk... It really is you.”

In contrast to Yuri’s beaming smile, Haring’s face curled into an irked grimace. Yuri paid this no mind and simply continued to uphold his part of the conversation.

“What an outstanding coincidence to meet in a place like this!”

“It ain’t no coincidence. I’m here to—”

“I’m diving into the dungeon for the first time in my life! I’m so excited I don’t know what to do with myself!”

“...Oh, that’s right. You’re the kinda guy who doesn’t listen when people are talkin’.” After roughly scratching his head, Haring turned his back and started walking. “Whatever. Let’s get goin’, brat.”

“Hmm? I was told to wait for a guide...” According to Mirka, she had hired a personal guide for him. An accomplished individual who regularly made the trek through the dungeon for materials, who would complete any request for the right price, but...

“...Err, don’t tell me...”

“Tsk... That’s why you need to listen, goddammit.” Haring vexedly folded his arms, staring down at Yuri. “I’m your hired guide. I’m gonna be showin’ you around the dungeon for the next week.”

“Really!? What a wonderf—oof!?”

The moment Yuri was about to lock him in an embrace, Haring assailed him with a front kick. “Don’t you go misunderstandin’. I’m just taggin’ along for the money.”

“T-That doesn’t mean you have to kick me...”

“Shut it. Time’s a-wastin’.”

Leaving Yuri right where he was, Haring marched on in a huff. Yuri had to break into a jog to catch up.

“So kid, how much do you know about the dungeon?”

“Barely anything more than the introductory explanation!”

“Are you daft? At least do your research.”

“Well, you see, me going to the dungeon was just suddenly decided yesterday, so...”

“Hah... Meaning my pay included an explanation fee.” Perhaps coming to terms with something, Haring lightly waved around his left arm. “Start by changin’ your Proof to dungeon mode.”

“Err, I can’t enter unless I change it?”

“That’s right. The dungeons here use the same transfer technology as the Field to blast you off to danger zones all over the eight continents. Try enterin’ it in your normal state, and your Proof’s dimensional transfer functions will get in the way.”

“You mean we will be temporarily leaving the duel city?”

“Only strictly speakin’; they’re still technically city property. There’s a barrier with a three-kilometer radius set up at the destination point, and we can’t go beyond it. It works both ways; the people who live there can’t go in either, but no decent folk go waltzin’ into danger zones where monsters prowl.”

After watching Haring operate his Proof to change the setting, Yuri imitated his motions.

“Also, the transfer point’s no different from reality, so you’d better watch out. Sure, you can duel there if you want to, but if you see another duelist, you’re better off gettin’ the hell away, or making sure they absolutely know you’re there. Otherwise, you’ll get mistaken as a beast, or caught up in some attack.”

“No different from reality... Oh, that’s why you can collect materials!”

“Oh, how perceptive.” The corners of Haring’s lips lifted ever so slightly.

The Field a Proof transported one to was merely an imitation of reality. Existing in a separate dimension, it carried not the slightest influence on the real world, and everything was set back to its initial state once the Field was dispelled.

Even if one tried collecting materials inside the Field, once one left, they would all be gone. That was probably why the dungeon sent them off to real places. He was beginning to understand why Mirka said he would be constantly brushing up against danger.

“I think I should ask just in case, but you keep the injuries from the dungeon, right?”

“’Course you do. Bein’ real in there means your wounds don’t heal, and it’s all over when you croak.”

Precisely because duels occurred in the Field, wounds and death were undone the moment it was over. But the dungeon had none of that. It was possible to be immobilized from a wound, and fatal injuries would bring about death.

“But hey, it’s that danger that keeps the earnings up. We duelists can do just fine against monsters, and we can harvest materials that would be difficult for those folks on the continent to reach.”

“Come to think of it...when I was buying herbs and consumables, I was surprised to see they were so much cheaper here than on the human continent!”

“Now you’re gettin’ it. They’re valuable to those folks on the continent who aren’t able to fight, but we can get them here like it’s nothin’. On the other hand, we can’t get clothes and daily necessities out here, so the city’s got a whole back-and-forth thing goin’.”

As he listened to Haring’s explanation, Yuri couldn’t help but stare at his face.

“...What?”

“Oh no...it’s just, Mr. Haring, you’re sounding surprisingly clever.”

“That’s just ’cuz you’re surrounded by idiots. I don’t even have to say anythin’ about that stupid fox, and that shrimp ice spirit might have a good head on her shoulders, but that’s only in duelin’.”

“Ahaha... Athena can be like that sometimes, and I can imagine Fram would say thinking is a pain.” After a dry laugh, Yuri remembered his original question. “Don’t mind me. I just thought it was unexpected.”

“Tsk... Well, sorry for looking so stupid.”

“That’s not what I meant; you’re kinda good at teaching, or rather, I just thought you were giving some reliable explanations. Do you have any experience with teaching?”

To Yuri, it was a simple question. But, all of a sudden, Haring was scowling.

“...I’ve never taught a thing in my life,” he answered, before hesitantly adding, “It’s just, once upon a time, there was an idiot like you who asked all sorts of stupid questions.”

With his back turned, it was impossible to make out Haring’s expression, but his words carried a lingering hint of sadness. “But that don’t matter now. More importantly—this is the dungeon you’re goin’ into.”

After coming to a stop, Haring turned his eyes ahead. Before him was a stone gate, overgrown with vast swathes of vegetation. The gate itself was merely a manmade structure, yet it carried a peculiar air to it.

“The Ancient Forests of Bestia... A dungeon centered around the old, untouched woodlands across the continents. Compared to the others, it’s got a wider variety and quantity of monsters.”

As Yuri fell into a daze as he stared at the gate, dumbfounded, Haring smirked.

“How ’bout it, brat. Now’s your last chance to run home.”

Yuri’s eyes blazed at these provocative words.

“If I survive this, it’s possible for me to grow even stronger.” His fighting spirit burned bright in the maddened windows to his soul. “And for that—I’ll do anything.”

As if to answer Yuri’s declaration, the dungeon gate softly swung open.

◇

After a few hours in a maze of dense jungle in the Ancient Forests of Bestia, the pair was making excellent progress.

“Hm... I’m doing better than I expected,” Yuri said as he flung the monster blood from his black sword with a forceful swing.

Their current location was the tenth floor, which they had managed to reach without much incident.

“Even so...when we’re proceeding downwards, it’s strange for there to be a sun overhead.”

They were undoubtedly descending through the dungeon. However, a blindingly bright ball loomed overhead, releasing an insufferable heat as it illuminated the space.

According to Haring, the dungeon’s “floors” each connected to a certain region on the continents and, technically speaking, were outside of the duel city. As they were danger zones, those on the continent were forbidden from entering. It was only through duelists hunting the dangerous beasts that the people of the continents were protected from threat.

“Mr. Haring, are the materials from that monster valuable?”

“Mn? It’s all small fries around here. You won’t get anythin’ sizable unless you hunt an army of them.”

“...So you say, but you still collect them anyway, I see.”

“’Course I do. It’s not much, but money’s money.”

With the hands of an expert, Haring dismantled the monster Yuri defeated, separating off the pelt, the bones, and the horns. And, opening his Proof, he stored the materials away.

When a Proof was set to dungeon mode, it was possible to use its Field to store materials. Perhaps medicinal herbs would be otherwise manageable, but for the parts of monsters far larger than one’s self, and ores far heavier than they appeared, simply transporting them would require time and effort. Not only did temporarily storing materials in another dimension release the restriction on carrying capacity, it additionally allowed them to be transported while preserving freshness and condition.

“Anyways, quit wastin’ time around here. The plants you’re looking for grow on the deeper levels, no use in loafin’ around at the entrance.”

In the dungeon, the floor number was simply the number of times one was warped to a new location. Each warp would gradually send one to areas with higher and higher levels of danger. According to Haring, this was because it sent them deeper and deeper into untamed lands.

“Oh... Incidentally, how many floors does the dungeon have?”

“On the official record, you can apparently warp up to one hundred.”

“T-That many of them!?”

“Truth of the matter, I hear you can go even further than that, but I’ve got no clue what’s beyond there. Floor fifty and onwards...the deeper levels have some annoying monsters, loads of crazy strong enemies just prancin’ around. I doubt even that Beheader you fought made it all the way to floor one hundred.”

While Elias did lose to Yuri, he was still a skilled fighter everyone recognized. His rank was Adamant, second from the top, and having fought him personally, Yuri understood his strength better than anyone...which meant even someone of his strength hadn’t managed to make it to the furthest depths of the dungeon.

“But thanks to that, the materials you can get in the deeper levels are rarer and more valuable. The earnings are great even if you avoid battle and just go for the materials.”

Mixing in some explanation, Haring finished his dissection and lurched to his feet.

“And if you don’t hurry up, you might run into another duelist.”

“Err, is it bad for us if some other duelist comes around?”

“Nah, not bad, per se. You won’t find anyone challengin’ you to a duel for your drops in these easy levels, and no one’s gonna be out to steal what you’ve got. But the dungeon, see, it’s the salvation of a certain portion of duelists.”

“It’s...salvation?”

“Yeah, I explained how huntin’ monsters can earn you rate, right?”

Haring had definitely told him that before they went in. Hunting monsters in dungeon mode granted rate corresponding to the type and numbers slain. This was apparently still applicable even during the course of the Babel Roulette.

However, the amount of Rate earned was barely a trifle. Yuri had checked a moment ago, and he hadn’t even earned a hundred points. He hadn’t gone out of his way to slay them, he was only taking down whatever he met along the way, but even so, the efficiency was worse than he could have imagined.

“I get what you wanna say. Instead of wastin’ your time on monsters, goin’ out and duelin’ whatever random guy on the street will get you more.” Haring took a look at Yuri’s expression before adding, “But it’s a different story for the folks whose rate’s hit rock bottom. If they lose the next duel, they’ll die as a duelist. Even if they win once, another loss and they’re right back to cowerin’ at the fear of death. Those sorts come here to earn whatever little rate they can.”

Haring started on his way towards the stairs down.

“So if we don’t need anything here, we should move forward and leave enough for them. We ain’t gonna die without huntin’, but those folks will kick the bucket without monsters to kill.”

Yuri spent a while just staring at his back. And...he broke into a smile before sprinting to catch up.

“Alright! I understand!”

“...The hell are you grinnin’ about?”

“I just thought, you really are a good person, Mr. Haring!”

“Shut it. I’m just teachin’ you proper manners for the dungeons.”

“A good person observes good manners!”

Carrying on a nonchalant exchange, the two of them set course for a lower floor.

◇

Around the time Yuri and Haring were exchanging some light banter...

“Gnn... Do you really think he’ll be okay?”

“Well, he’ll be fine around these parts. The monsters aren’t that dangerous.”

Hiding in the shadows of a tree, Athena and Fram carefully peeked at the two of them.

“Yeah, I know Yuri will be fine with the monsters... The problem’s Haring.”

“I’ll admit, I was surprised. I never thought he would be the one.”

Mirka had assured them, “Oh, don’t worry. I’ll get a guide for our Yuri.” Still, they came because they were worried, and this was the outcome.

“...Why did Mirka have to rely on Haring of all people? If she was gonna turn to that guy, even we woulda done a better job.”

Athena puffed out her cheeks, staring holes into Haring’s back.

“Mirka was probably trying to show some tact,” Fram suggested, lightly shrugging. “She knew Yuri was trying to invite him. It was right after he said he wanted to prove Haring wasn’t a bad guy.”

“Gnnn... I get it, but you know...”

“Yes. If you get it, then no complaining.” Fram tugged hard on Athena’s cheek. “I understand why you hate him. Unlike you, I’ve never seen his evil deeds first-hand, but I can understand why you’re worried about Yuri.”

She stroked Athena’s head, scolding her in a soft tone.

“But please do respect Yuri’s decisions. Yuri must have some reason or conviction behind going after him.”

“...But I still can’t forgive him.”

Athena reflected on a memory as she gazed at Haring’s back... A young girl cowering in fear, shedding tears and sobbing. The sight of her on the receiving end of Haring’s tumultuous outburst.

Athena had seen, she knew, and she would never forgive. She gave her head a shake to rid it of that depressing scene.

“Mnn! But right now, I’m here to watch Yuri!”

“Yes, yes. If you’re feeling better, then carry me.”

Fram jumped onto her back, and when they were ready to move to their next vantage point, a transmission came to Athena’s Proof.

“Hello, Big Sis here.”

“Hmm, I was sure you were my younger sister.”

“Oh, Eli? What’s up?”

“Check who it is before answering. So where are you right now?”

“Where? Well, I’m following Yuri through the dungeon—”

“You heard her, Stein.”

The instant Elias mentioned the name, the hairs on Athena’s tail pricked up on end. She broke into a heavy cold sweat in the tantalizingly long moment of silence that followed.

“I will convey Stein’s message word for word. ‘Athena, Fram, why, that’s quite some courage you have to ignore all my calls. You’re in for a spanking when you get back, okay?’ she says.”

“Eli, you’re really, really creepy when you imitate Mirka’s tone!”

“I see. I’ll put some effort into the impersonation next time.”

Athena cut the call, turning to Fram with a stiff smile plastered on her face.

“Fram...let’s stay in the dungeon for a while!”

“I’ll pick the right time to go home. I can say I just tagged along to rein you in.”

“No fair! You were all up for it!!”

“When you get to four-hundred-something, you learn to be unfair.”

Fram soothingly pat a wailing Athena on the shoulder.

◇

When the dungeon and its picturesque forest scenes were touched by a hint of red, Yuri was steadily crushing one floor after another.

“That makes—three hundred!!”

He sliced through the windpipe of a mid-sized monster, taking a breather only after confirming it no longer drew breath. Haring moved in to calmly dispose of it, cutting it apart and collecting the individual materials.

This same process had simply repeated, on and on, and they had now reached the twentieth floor.

“Hah...! We’ve come quite a long way!”

“...Yeah. But the herbs you’re lookin’ for grow in the deeper levels. After you get there and collect your due, you’re spendin’ the rest of the week trainin’ in the depths.”

“Yes! I’ll do my best!!” Despite the waterfall of sweat on his brow, Yuri returned a delightful smile.

Haring took only a glance at him before returning to work. From Haring’s point of view, Yuri was trampling the dungeon at a fearsome rate. Even an experienced explorer could often only proceed ten floors—give or take—per day. That was because death was always one’s companion in the dungeon, and not only could a lethal wound lead to real death, even the most minor of injuries could lead to future incidents.

Though it was possible to warp back to the duel city with the Proof’s special dungeon feature, it was not so simple to erase the fear. Yes, even if one knew they could go back at any time, the moment they perceived a possibility of death, they would proceed with the utmost caution.

Yuri had absolutely none of that. He didn’t even think to take detours around dangerous beasts to get through floors safely. He slew whatever was in his path to take the absolute shortest route, rushing straight ahead without any rest or meals.

While he was showing signs of fatigue, his movements were no worse than they had been that morning, and if Haring told him to keep going, he would quite likely continue charging on with a smile.

Which was why Haring decided to bark an order as soon as he was done collecting.

“Oi, brat. We’re campin’ on this floor.”

“Hmm? I can still go on.”

“You might be fine, but I’m gettin’ tired here.”

“Eeh...but you’re not fighting, Mr. Haring. You don’t even look that tired.”

“It takes more time for me to take apart monsters than it does for you to murder them, goddammit. Anyways, that’s it for today. Prepare to rest.”

Operating his Proof to produce the tools, Haring prepared to set up camp like a veteran in the field. He gathered the scattered fallen leaves and branches, and using a fire charm to ignite them, he lightly roasted the preserved foods he’d packed over the flame.

“See? That’s the stuff. Now you get preparin’ to eat and sleep.”

“Err, I didn’t bring anything with me.”

“.........What?”

“Ms. Mirka told me not to bring anything apart from my weapon, so I didn’t!”

“Are you thick!? How do you plan to survive a week without any tools!?”

In dungeon diving, camping and food supplies were an absolute necessity. It was possible to instantaneously transfer back with a Proof, but it often took several days to reach the target floor, and in such cases, they would have to pass the night inside.

“No, wait, if you came empty-handed does that mean you don’t even have any food—”

“Of course, I didn’t bring any with me!”

“The hell!? Is this some new form of suicide!?”

“Don’t worry! If I need a tool, my sword is more than enough!”

Brandishing his black sword, Yuri briskly gathered vines and branches and began putting together something which he strung along the surrounding trees.

“What are you doin’?”

“It’s a trap to let us know if a monster is approaching. That one I just beat had this area boss sorta feeling, so I cut out the bladder and sprinkled it around. That should ward off the smaller and weaker ones.”

“Just how used to survival are you...”

“This one time, my master shoved me into a danger zone for a month. I only had a normal knife back then, so compared to that, this should be a piece of cake!”

“That’s one hell of a master.”

His black sword, practically his partner, in hand, Yuri began whittling away bit by bit at branches and bark. Since it was supposed to be a duelist’s weapon, it was somewhat pitiful to see it being used for something so mundane.

“Aight, I get that you know how to survive, but...what are you gonna do about a week’s worth of food? To be clear, I only brought enough for myself. Don’t plan on sharin’.”

In the first place, when he accepted the guide request from Mirka, he was placed under a strict order not to lend a hand to Yuri no matter what happened. That, of course, applied to food as well.

But Yuri didn’t seem to mind this in the slightest. He raised up an impromptu sack folded from a large leaf.

“I’m fine on food! I managed to gather some when you were busy dismantling, so at the very least, I’ll have a feast today!”

“Yeah...well, we’re in a forest and all. I’m sure there’s plenty’a fruit growin’ around.”

As a matter of fact, Haring had filled his stomach with wild plants and fruit a number of times when he was troubled for food. He would use the dungeon to stave off his hunger whenever he was running short on cash.

“Oh, no, fruits are good as a source of moisture. You need to achieve a good balance with your meals, and you won’t be able to move right without the right calories!” Yuri said as he unfurled the leaf bag on the spot.

Its contents consisted of—bugs. No matter how Haring looked at it, they were bugs. Adults and larvae alike, the live insects wriggled and squirmed over the leaf. The moment he saw this, Haring went pale at the face.

“Freak... You’re really gonna eat that?”

“What’s wrong? They’re all filled with protein, you know?”

“I didn’t ask about their nutritional value!”

“I’ve tried them all before, so they should be safe! There are a few poisonous ones, but they’re generally fine as long as you remove the poisonous organs!”

“How ’bout you notice the more fundamental problem here...!!”

Haring’s protests fell upon deaf ears, as Yuri began crushing the bugs between his teeth, his head in a curious tilt. The fearsome squelching noises quite nearly caused the dragon man to lose his appetite.

After witnessing such a scene, Haring listlessly stretched out over the ground.

“...Good grief. If I wasn’t being paid so well, I’d be gone by now.”

“Come to think of it, Mr. Haring, are you acquainted with Ms. Mirka?”

“Acquainted? I wouldn’t go that far. That lady’s always at the reception desk, so we see each other a lot, is all. More importantly,” Haring muttered, narrowing his eyes, “What’s your relationship with her?”

“I wouldn’t call it a relationship... I’m the freeloader, and Ms. Mirka is the landlord?”

“Hah? Pull the other one! Who the hell pays that ridiculous amount for a freeloader?”

Honestly, this request reeked to high heaven. It was oftentimes the case that being a dungeon guide was a high-paying request. Not only was the guide themself placed in danger, they would have to lead a clueless liability around with them. At the very least, a guide’s fee would be ten times the cost of the day jobs posted at town hall. On top of that, they were generally allowed to keep half of the collected materials.

The market value of a guide was high, and this request paid close to five times that.

That wasn’t all. The job listing was, specifically, to “lead the individual to the deeper levels without any assistance aside from explanation,” and this was to be strictly adhered to even if the individual was on the verge of death.

The guide was allowed to claim rights over every single thing collected apart from the designated herbs. Meaning materials collected along the way went straight into Haring’s wallet.

Despite all this, Yuri simply tilted his head and groaned.

“Hrmm... Ms. Mirka’s a pretty enigmatic person...”

“You can live with someone that mysterious...?”

“Well, I know she’s not a bad person. She helps me out in things besides my living situation as well, so I have to get stronger to meet her expectations!” Yuri forcefully answered, clenching his fist.

The sight caused Haring to ask what had been floating around his head. “You, kid, why are you so obsessed with strength?”

“Why? Well...getting stronger is what makes me happy, and fighting is fun, isn’t it!?”

“Hah... Sorry, you lost me there.”

Haring wasn’t putting up a front; those were words from the heart.

“I’ve never thought I wanted to be strong, and I’ve never found fightin’ any fun. It just turned out duelin’ was the job suited for me, and I knew it would make me some coin.”

It wasn’t as if everyone was like Yuri, coming to the duel city with dreams of being a duelist. That was precisely why...looking at someone like Yuri irritated him to no end.

“Not like anythin’ you do’s gonna change how the world ticks.”

When Haring was about to voice his frustrations—

“You lost me! I don’t get that way of thinking at all!” Yuri beamingly replied, his words filled with confidence. “I mean, of course, nothing’s going to change if I do nothing. But if I take action, at the very least, it creates the possibility for something to change.”

He spoke with sparkles in his eyes.

“And if the possibility exists, I’ll try out anything. I know it’ll all stay the same if I don’t at least go that far.”

A mix-blood, the weakest existence. Yuri understood better than anyone how reckless it was to try and overturn this reality. But Yuri’s actions had created a possibility, his tremendous effort allowing him to grasp at it, faint as it was, and overturn the title of weakest.

“I want to have fun fighting. If I want to have fun fighting alongside Athena and Fram, I have to get much, much stronger than I am right now...meaning, you get how it is!”

Perhaps due to the passion he put into it, Yuri’s words were becoming completely incoherent. But...perhaps that was precisely what allowed him to surmount the walls set before him.

“You’re the same as me, aren’t you?”

“Hah? What makes you say that?”

“I mean, you’re trying to earn a lot of money, aren’t you? Getting stronger, making money, the point is, it’s a means to a goal. That’s why, Mr. Haring, you must have a goal, right?”

Yuri cast his words while directing pure and radiant eyes at Haring. He was making a convoluted sort of sense. Earning money was a means to achieve the goal of living, and not many people would call making money in and of itself their goal.

“Who knows? Don’t know if I’d call it a goal.” After speaking those self-deriding words, Haring turned his back to play it off. “Talk over. I’m gonna sleep.”

“Eeh!? I still want to talk about all sorts of things!”

“Shut it. Go bother someone else.”

“But you’re the only one here.”

“Then try talkin’ to the trees and grass. Who knows? They just might talk back.”

“Are you, by chance, treating me like a crazy person!?”

“It’s the truth, ain’t it? If you don’t like trees, then go trap a monster and—”

The moment Haring was about to offer some arbitrary words, a large clamor broke out from somewhere nearby. At the same time, a vine near Yuri gave off a twang as it was pulled taut.

This was topped off by a woman’s hysterical shriek of, “—Whoah!? What in the world happened to me!?”

The two exchanged a look before Yuri tried reeling the vine in. It wasn’t long before a glimmer of gold emerged from the thicket. The form of a young woman, both her arms entangled, crawling along the ground. Tell-tale pointed ears sprouted through the gaps in her hair.

“Urgh...hic, I’m a failure... To be caught in such a trap is my life’s biggest blunder...”

After carefully observing the sobbing Elf Tribe girl, Yuri hit his hands together at the sudden realization.

“...I found someone to bother!”

“Shut your yap and get her outta there already. Halfwit.”

Haring gave his head a forceful whack in an attempt to get some of his loose screws back in place.

◇

“—I am in debt! In your greatest debt!!”

The elven girl wept as she stuffed her cheeks with Haring’s dried fish.

“For me to accidentally drop all my food is life’s biggest blunder!”

Chewing furiously, the girl who introduced herself as Eleanor explained why she had been on the verge of collapse. Every time she moved her mouth to chew, her pointed ears twitched back and forth in delight.

Those ears could be none other than a trait of the Elf Tribe.

“Truly, thank you, thank you!”

“Don’t worry about it. I can’t just abandon someone in trouble, and you’re from the Elf Tribe, just like my mother. We must have met for a reason!”

“Oh, as expected of Human Tribe! Wonderful people filled with duty and humanity!”

“E-err... Thank you.” Yuri replied, somewhat perplexed as Eleanor locked him in a hard embrace.

However, Haring’s expression remained grim the whole time. “...Oi, you, elf who uses strange words.”

“Yes? What wrong, Big Boy?”

“Brat, go dump the elf somewhere this instant.”

“Erk!? I so sorry! Common-tongue a little hard for elf!”

Perhaps having sensed Haring’s wrath, Eleanor immediately hid behind Yuri. She definitely had a strange way with words, but it was understandable if she wasn’t accustomed to the common tongue.

Watching Eleanor cower, Haring scratched his head as if to say this was going to be a pain.

“...The name’s Haring. I heard you dropped your food supplies, but if you’d just shoved it all in your Proof, it woulda been impossible to misplace.”

Just as it was possible to preserve materials harvested in the dungeon, Haring had stored his food and tools in his Proof. That was the fundamental means of storage when exploring. If she had kept it in her Proof, then losing food would be impossible.

It would be another story if she was attacked while eating and was forced to flee...but in Eleanor’s case, that was even more implausible. At least, going by what was glimmering on her left arm—a Gold Proof.

That glimmer told a definite tale of strength.

“There’s no way a Gold Rank would struggle against the monsters in these parts. If you say you lost your food, then you got some explainin’ to do.”

His shades of wariness growing stronger, Haring glared at Eleanor. Sensing his dangerous aura, Yuri couldn’t help but speak up.

“Err... Mr. Haring, what are you being so cautious about?”

“You gotta learn there’s always some guy or gal out there with some stupid thoughts in their head. The sort who’ll sneak up on a duelist during rest time to snatch their food and tools. Even some who’ll aim for when we’re all tuckered out to force you into a surprise duel.” Haring continued on with a disgusted look on his face, “Now, if you ain’t one of them, then get talkin’. If you can’t do that, then get lost, or use your Proof to return to the city.”

His voice lowered, shifting into a threatening timbre.

Eleanor stared hard at Haring before—she suddenly burst into tears again.

“I...left behind by comrades...”

“Left behind? Then Ms. Eleanor, who did you come with?”

“With people from my team...but my mistake, I separate from people who came with me...”

The tears flowing drip by drip, Eleanor tried her best to explain through shoddy words.

“Then call them on your Proof, for God’s sake. The warp points only change every seven days, so they can still come back for you, and if you’re lost, they should be lookin’ for you, right?”

“Didn’t work... When I beg Tenebre come back, he really angry, tell me to figure out myself...”

“What sorta teammate is that...” Haring said with a sigh.

Eleanor sniffled before replying, “I, weakest one in team...so I come to dungeon for first time to get materials from deep floor make better weapon... Try to be useful...”

“Tsk... If you got no interest in this place, I get how you could make it to Gold without ever comin’ here. But if you’re lost and out of food, just get out.”

“Hic... I so sorry... Soon other teams start training here together, so thought I have no other chance. Couldn’t go back...”

Eleanor hugged her knees while glumly lowering her shoulders.

Yuri turned back to Haring.

“Umm, Mr. Haring—”

“Not happenin’. My request was to guide you. That’s it.” Haring cut him off before he could even make his proposal. “There’s no guarantee that gal’s tellin’ the truth. I mean, just look at what she’s wearin’. You try tellin’ me that ain’t suspicious.”

“Grr! I can understand you make fun of my clothing!”

She couldn’t just ignore that one. Eleanor angrily puffed out her cheeks.

But Haring did have a point. She wore a deep-green, oversized tunic fastened by a golden sash around her waist. Peeking out from its lower hem, a pair of black short shorts.

Clothing did vary somewhat from tribe to tribe, but at the very least, none of the elves Yuri saw in town dressed anywhere close to Eleanor. Naturally, his mother didn’t either.

Seeing a change in their eyes, Eleanor proudly puffed out her chest. “These clothings the traditional uniform of a ninja!”

“...Hah? The hell’s up with that?”

“Oh, I’ve heard of them before. As I recall, on the eastern-most edge of human territory, there were once warriors who went by that name. My master told me about it.”

“Not what I meant. I’m sayin’, why’s there an elf in ancient human-tribe clothing?”

“That is, hup...because I read book!”

She reached a hand into the baggy chest area of her tunic and flaunted her findings at the two of them: a single decrepit old tome.

Yuri took it and tried flipping through a few pages.

“Umm... This is a complete work of fiction, isn’t it?”

“Yes! My friend said they got from Human Tribe in duel city!”

Based on a quick skim, it seemed to be a work of fiction set in the east of the Human Continent depicting the exploits of long-gone warriors called ninja and samurai.

“I look up to ninja so much, I become duelist!”

“Yeah, you’re definitely wearing the same clothing as the illustrations.”

“I work really, really hard and make it myself!” She did a twirl on the spot to show off her masterpiece. “I wanted teach all sorts of people about ninja! So I do same training as ninja, and come to duel city to fight like ninja!”

She spoke of her reasoning with sheer jubilance on her face.

“And now, I become perfect ninja elf! See, see!”

“There’s a strange impact to it, when she says it out loud...”

“I don’t know jack about ’em, but even I can tell that’s a dangerous combo.”

The two weighed in before Yuri looked back at the book. Soon, his expression softened.

“Mr. Haring, I really think we should take Ms. Eleanor along.”

“Mn? No means no.”

“I mean, she seems like a good person.”

“Tsk... This again.”

Once again, Haring made no attempt to hide his irritation. He clicked his tongue for everyone to hear.

“You bein’ an idiot who’ll trust anyone ain’t none of my business. But—”

“It’s not like I’ll trust just anyone.” Yuri cut Haring off and held the book high. “This book was published a long, long time ago. She’s read it so many times the pages are all worn out, and she still carries it around like a priceless treasure... That’s the sort of person Ms. Eleanor is.”

He flashed his teeth in a refreshing smile.

“And I trust myself more than I trust anyone else. That means if I trust someone, I’ll believe they’re a good person no matter what everyone says.”

After he had said that much, Yuri found himself scratching his face. “...Umm, is that not a good enough reason?”

“You really are dumb. Of course not, it’s right out,” Haring immediately replied, before letting out a deep sigh. “Oi, weeb elf.”

“Yes!? I do something wrong!?”

“Talkin’ with the brat hurts my brain, so you keep him company. As long as you can do that, then you can tag along or whatever,” he announced, to blank stares, before ambling to his feet.

“Where are you going, Mr. Haring?”

“Gotta find somethin’ to eat. That elf there took my dinner.”

And leaving these words, Haring disappeared into the depths of the thicket. Yuri and Eleanor were alone now, and they exchanged a curious look.

“...Can come along now?”

“Probably, I think that’s what happened?”

Eleanor’s face lit up. “......! I really am thank you, thank you!”

“Whoah!? I-I didn’t do anything!”

“I so happy I able to meet you!”

Overcome with emotion, Eleanor embraced Yuri again and patted his head all over. The thinness of her clothing made this somewhat unsettling.

“I also so thankful to Haring! He is very good person!”

“Yes! Mr. Haring really is a good person, you know!” Yuri burst into a grin. “I mean—he’s someone I believe in!”

◇

Away from his irksome company, Haring proceeded straight through the forest. His objective, of course, had nothing to do with securing food.

While he told Yuri he only had enough food for one, he had actually prepared enough for two, in case of emergency. Even if Eleanor was added to the mix, it would be no issue with some careful planning.

The true reason Haring entered the forest—

“How long are you gonna hover over us? Stupid fox, shrimp spirit.”

His declaration to the trees was quickly met by the furious rustling of leaves. A short while later came the thud of something falling.

“Kkhh... I hit...my bum...!”

“Don’t worry, I used you as a stepping stone, so I’m fine.”

The two appeared from the shadows with a carefree exchange.

Haring took one good look over them and sighed. “You only caught up to us a moment ago, that means you ain’t familiar with the dungeon either. Any more deadweights and I won’t be able to cope. Please, one of you, any of you, someone just go home.”

“...How can you tell?”

As Athena pursed her lips, Haring dropped a handful of sand from his palm.

“I’ve been usin’ my power to periodically send out sand and check for stalkers. The brat’s annoyingly famous, so I thought some idiot might try’n start somethin’.”

He wouldn’t mind if someone tried to initiate a duel purely to test Yuri’s strength. But there was no guarantee all duelists would be so sincere.

Perhaps they would lead a flock of monsters to the transfer point to block their way. Perhaps they would pretend to attack a monster, inflicting real injury and crippling their actual target. Perhaps they would set up camp on their destination floor, monopolizing the herbs they wanted, and demanding an exorbitant price for them... There was no end to the types of foul play one could commit.

As the dungeon’s warps were treated as a temporary leave from the city, Duel City Babel did not have a complete grasp of whatever went on there. There was always a set amount of people who would use this for evil.

Haring knew more about these sorts than anyone.

“But thanks to the brat rushin’ onward at an abnormal speed, a majority of them dropped out, threw in the towel. I’m surprised you two managed to keep up.”

“Of course, that’s...because we’re worried about Yuri.” Athena’s voice lowered. She turned to him with dangerous eyes filled with wrath. “When we knew you would be with him, we couldn’t stop chasing him. Not ever.”

Her hand reached for her sword, and she entered an angered ready-stance. It was all too clear who the target of her malice was.

“Because you’re a villain.”

He had heard that voice all too many times. He had seen those eyes all too many times.

“It’s because of you...that child quit as a duelist. Crying, cowering to the end, lowering her sad face, she left the duel city.”

The sight of the girl still remained vivid in her memory. Bound by a contract and the fear of death, her legs shook up to the last moment.

“That’s why I can’t forgive the fact you can continue to be a duelist.”

A murderous intent seeped into the air around her. Haring was no fool, but still, he simply offered a disinterested scoff.

“Hah... It’s just one kid. How long are you gonna hold a grudge?” He shrugged, then sent her a sneer. “It’s got nothin’ to do with me. I was paid a fortune just to watch the kid. I did the job I was paid for, it’s none of my business what happens after that.”

Haring needed money no matter what. He accepted the offer proposed by the group of duelists. And Haring kept watch over the cheated newcomers, making sure they wouldn’t run away. That’s all there was to the story. Nothing more, and nothing less.

“I’ll do any job for money—that’s just how I do business.”

His words now caused Athena to draw her sword.

“...Release!!”

Her turquoise eyes were touched by crimson; nine silver tails unfurled from her back like the petals of a lotus flower. Leaving it all to her wrath, Athena swung her great sword in white, searing flames.

The moment they were about to wash over Haring, tendrils of sand shot up from the ground, covering and smothering them out. The sand swallowed the white flames whole, stealing away the momentum of the ferocious inferno.

“If you wanna call me a villain—how about you at least follow the rules?”

Athena glared at him through the suspended clouds of sand.

“Our compatibility is the worst, you shoulda realized that last time we fought.”

Haring had fought Athena once before. When she witnessed him with the girl who had escaped from the group, Haring had challenged her himself—and managed to defeat her. He didn’t evade arrest, but he was able to achieve his objective.

Ignoring the agonized grimace on Athena’s face, Haring turned to Fram.

“You, shrimp, take that idiot and get lost already.”

“You have a point. We’ll be going now.”

“Wha—Fram!? Why are you listening to him!?”

“There’s little else we can do. Launching an attack outside of a duel is out of the question for a duelist. While there is a major problem with his attitude, this time, it’s your fault for attacking first.”

Fram showered Athena with cold words, putting a damper on her heightened emotions.

“Haring, you’ll do any job for money, won’t you?”

“That’s what I said. I’ll do whatever I’m paid for, no exceptions.”

“Then that’s a relief. Now that Mirka’s already paid you, that means you’re definitely going to return Yuri to us. But—” said Fram with a smile, “If anything should happen to our Yuri, I’ll kill you before this kid even gets the chance.”

Letting off enough murderous intent to freeze an entire body, Fram turned and walked off. Athena was soon to follow—only to suddenly come to a stop.

“...Haring, one more promise,” she said and turned back to him with serious eyes, “When he gets back—make sure Yuri can say he had fun.”

Her eyes now carried neither anger nor disgust. These were words spoken out of pure concern for Yuri.

“Tsk...” Haring clicked his tongue and nodded, “Fine I promise, now leave already. You stupid fox.”

Without another word, Athena turned and left. The bodies of the two girls were enveloped in a pale blue light, and after that they were gone. Not a trace remained.

“Good grief...that brat’s got some scary company.”

Thinking back to the two women, Haring couldn’t help but break into a sardonic smirk. At the same time, he reflected on Athena’s anger. He didn’t find it particularly unpleasant.

Athena’s reaction was understandable, exceedingly typical, unavoidable. The fact she harbored such anger towards Haring was proof of her own decency. And for the fact that such decent duelists existed, Haring couldn’t be any more...thankful.

“Now...that’s one matter off the table. Guess I should get back to the brat.”

Scratching up his hair, Haring stuck a hand into his pocket.

A grubby copper coin smeared in finger marks.

He would do any job he was paid for, no matter what. He had exchanged such a promise, once upon a time.

For someone with no goals such as himself, if he didn’t keep it that way, he wouldn’t be able to find a reason to fight. So even if it was hopeless on his own—

“—As long as I’m paid, I’ll keep my promises no matter what.”

He convinced himself and flipped the coin.