Chapter 114: Joint Operations
Ishioka City, Ibaraki Prefecture–
A car carrying Yuma and the others enters the ‘City of Explorers’ where the Red Dungeon is located. It looks more crowded than usual, and there are many Self-Defense Forces personnel patrolling the streets with rifles.
We’re still on high alert.
Yuma, who was looking around from the car window, murmured.
Kanzaki replied, “Yeah.” He parked the four-wheel Wrangler in the D-Minor parking lot and turned off the engine.
“Well then, Yuma. I’m going to report my arrival to the office, so please bring my luggage to my room with the president.”
Yes, sir.
Yuma and Kanzaki see Tanaka off to the office and open the rear hatch of the car and take out their luggage.
“Here, Yuma.”
“Yes… Whoa.”
Kanzaki hands you a large Boston bag, and you stagger to your feet as you grab some of your belongings. Kanzaki also carries a drum bag on his shoulder, and locks his car with his keyless key.
Come on! Let’s go.
“Yes.”
As the two of us were going to our accommodations, a car came through the city’s entrance gate.
It was a black-colored hired car. As Yuma looked on casually, the car came to a stop with a click just in front of him.
The backseat door slams open and a familiar face gets out.
“Yuma!”
“What? Louie!”
Louis, whom I hadn’t seen in a long time, ran up to me with a big smile on his face.
“I heard from Kaede. I heard that Yuma was coming here, so I thought I might be able to see him, but I didn’t expect to see him so soon!”
“Oh, oh… I heard you were coming, too.
Yuma was a little confused because he didn’t expect to see her again so soon.
What, you know him? Yuma.
Kanzaki asked… and Yuma answered hurriedly… Yuma answered hurriedly.
This is my childhood friend Louis. He works for El-Seed now…”
When she glanced at Louis, he straightened his posture and said, “It’s nice to meet you, I’m Amazawa Louis. He greeted her.
“Oh, you’re El-Seed’s…”
“Hey, Yuma! I’ve never heard that you’re childhood friends with El-Seed’s Hope. Why didn’t you tell me?
I’m sorry, I… I didn’t tell you.
“Well, I’m sure you two have something you want to talk about. I’ll go first, Yuma, you come later.
Uh, yes.
Kanzaki said so and walked to the accommodation wing where they would be staying.
“Is that the president of the company you work for? He seems a little scary.”
“Hmm? No, he’s a pretty nice guy. Louis, where are you going in such an expensive car?”
“Yeah, we’re going to the Central Center later to get briefed on the mission. I’m sure the rest of the company will be invited to the briefing this afternoon too.”
“Is that so?”
I’m impressed that Louis knows so much about this because he hadn’t been told anything about it.
I was more concerned about–
“Louis, since you were called here, does that mean you can use [Lightning Magic]?”
There are two things that are effective against fire demons: Water Magic and Lightning Magic. I thought that Louis had learned [Lightning Magic], since it’s impossible for him to remember Water Magic.
“No, I’ve only learned fire magic. I’m only going to develop one type of magic.
“But, isn’t the ‘Red Dungeon’ a disadvantage…?”
Fire magic doesn’t work well against demons of the fire attribute. This is common knowledge to all seekers. But Louis smiles and denies it.
“I can burn weaker demons no problem. And I’m only a support. I think fire magic alone will help a little.”
“Well…”
You seem pretty sure. Is the power of fire really that strong?
As they were talking, a driver in his fifties approached them from the driver’s seat of the hired car.
Amazawa-sama, it’s about time.
Oh, yes. Yes, I know.
Louis looks into the car and apologizes to the driver, then turns around and looks at Yuma.
“I’m sorry, Yuma. I have to go. I’ll see you later.
Oh, yeah, yeah.
Louis got into the car, looked out the backseat window and said, “See you later.” Yuma looked out the window of the back seat and said, “I’ll see you later.” Yuma replied “Yeah, later.
The car is heading towards the central center that stands in the center of the city and Yuma is also walking towards the accommodation building.
‘Red Dungeon’ Central Control Center.
The facility next to the dome containing the dungeon is a 20-story office building used for various events.
In the conference room on the 18th floor, many Seekers who had rushed in from all over the country were sitting in the chairs prepared for them.
There’s a lot more of them than I thought.
Yuma muttered as he looked around and Tanaka who was sitting next to him nodded.
“Yeah. At a rough estimate there are a hundred and fifty of them. El-Seed’s Seekers are probably different, so the actual number is probably much higher.”
“Yeah~ any more?”
The three of them, Yuma, Kanzaki and Tanaka, were sitting side by side at the left end of the conference room, at the very back of the room.
Kanzaki sniffs when he sees the faces of the searchers who have come.
“All you’ve got is a bunch of small companies in the back. Look! The three companies in the front seat are ‘Isas’, ‘Farmel’, and ‘Kagurazaka Pharmaceuticals’, the second biggest after El-Seed. .”
Yuma got up from his seat in the middle and stretched his neck to look in front of him.
In contrast, many of the explorers in the back rows are in work clothes, casual clothes, and so on.
“So even the seating order can make a difference… But it seems like the big companies have different motivations…”
“Well, this is a direct request from the government. They want to make a name for themselves. Right now, El-Seed has a monopoly on government jobs, so they want to show off a little and get some publicity.”
“Heh~.”
You said– louis said he’d get a briefing first… I don’t think he’s here. But they haven’t started yet? My ass is starting to hurt from all those cheap chairs.
As Yuma was thinking about this the door to the conference room opened and several men entered.
They’re all well-dressed and have dignified expressions. They look like big men.
The men move quickly to the front and climb onto the stage. A man in his sixties with a stern look on his face stands in front of the podium.
He adjusts the position of the microphone in front of him, clears his throat and looks straight ahead.
Thank you for waiting. I’m Defense Counselor Serizawa from the Ministry of Defense. I’d like to thank you all for coming here today at our request.
Serizawa greeted him reverently and then explained how he had called the searchers and the situation of the ‘Red Dungeon’.
But the specifics of the job are hard to come by.
Yuma looked to the side and saw Kanzaki wiggling his legs. He seems to be so irritated that he can’t stop shaking his head.
“Now then, General Manager Honda of El-Seed will give us a detailed explanation of the work to be done.”
Kanzaki saw Serizawa bow and switch places with the man at his side and muttered grimly, “Finally…” Kanzaki muttered unhappily.
Standing in front of the podium is a man with romance gray hair pulled back.
He had a softer expression than Serizawa, but his eyes were strong and I got the impression that he was a ‘shrewd’ man who could do his job well.
I’m Honda from El-Seed. I’ve been assigned to oversee this joint operation. I look forward to working with you.”
Honda smiled and looked around at the Seekers.
