“Dungeon Town?”
“Well, it’s not quite big enough to be called a town or even a village yet, but I’ve heard various facilities and people are gathering there.”
“Sounds dangerous… It seems like people who don’t understand the risks of a dungeon might also show up.”
“They seem to be interacting only in the safe areas near the entrance and outside the dungeon itself, so unless someone is particularly careless, it shouldn’t be a problem.”
If we’re going to bring that up, there have always been people who underestimated dungeons and acted recklessly.
The reincarnated individuals were probably among them at some point, and no matter how much you warn them, there are always those who won’t listen.
“The reincarnated individuals summoned to this country through the grand reincarnation process fell into two main types—excluding Kunimatsu-dono, of course.”
I could understand what they were getting at. Their behavior always seemed so extreme.
“The first type are those who, upon receiving power from the goddess, consider themselves the center of the world and charge recklessly into dungeons or battles with monsters, only to perish.”
These were the people who labeled our cautious approach as cowardly and decided to rush into defeating the Demon King to return home quickly.
Considering they never returned, they are likely… no longer alive.
Perhaps it’s some small comfort that they had no close acquaintances in their previous world.
“The second type are those who, unlike in their former world, are intimidated by how close conflict feels here. They only fight monsters they can safely defeat with certainty.”
This group mostly consists of our former classmates.
Takemi Kazama, the class leader figure, advised everyone to avoid risky or reckless actions shortly after reincarnating.
They’ve been sticking to safe zones and minimally leveling up ever since.
“One group has already left the castle, while the other has been avoiding dungeons altogether. They’re unlikely to challenge a dungeon anytime soon.”
“They might go as far as the entrance if they deem it safe, but I doubt they’ll venture deeper…”
“Our king, however, seems to hope Kunimatsu-dono will take on the dungeon’s challenges once again.”
“Please spare me… That place is riddled with traps. It’s not worth it.”
The commander didn’t press the issue, likely meaning it was just a joke, and the topic ended there.
However, I couldn’t help but notice someone watching the exchange with an unpleasant expression.
With a sigh, I braced myself for what might be coming next.
Not long after my conversation with the commander ended, that person approached me.
“Kunimatsu-kun. What’s the meaning of this?”
“What do you mean?”
I wanted to feign ignorance, but I could already sense where this was going, making it all the more exhausting.
“I warned you when we first reincarnated: We should avoid reckless actions that attract the attention of this world’s people.”
I understood his point.
It’s dangerous to stand out too much, display power, and be deemed useful by the king.
If that happens, we could end up being dragged into battles with the dangerous demons.
Honestly, I would have preferred to fight safely alongside their group.
But knowing it was futile, I once again explained the current risks.
“Didn’t I say that if we leave everything to the heroes, there’s a high chance of reaching a bad ending where they’re annihilated?”
Strictly speaking, it’s not just a bad ending with the heroes being wiped out.
Even after defeating the Demon King, a hidden boss might emerge, leading to the collapse of the world’s order.
In the game, after defeating the Demon King, one of the heroes, the saint, or another party member would succumb to madness—likely due to pushing themselves to the limit in the final battle.
That madness transformed them into a god of chaos.
And it’s not just our allies.
In the game, if the Demon King defeated the heroes, the world would fall to the demons, leading to one kind of bad ending.
But if the heroes had cornered the Demon King before losing, the bad ending would instead depict a world in ruins.
That must be when the Demon King transforms into a god of chaos, leading not to conquest but to the complete destruction of the world.
I must do everything I can to prevent that outcome.
That’s why we need to prepare thoroughly, to ensure the Demon King can be defeated if it ever comes to that.
Even if we don’t interfere, the heroes will try to defeat the Demon King.
If they fail after cornering him, or even if they succeed, the worst-case scenario still looms.
“If the heroes are annihilated, it’s a bad ending. If they win, an even more dangerous enemy might appear, depending on the situation. With all that in mind, I can’t afford to match pace with everyone else.”
What makes the god of chaos so difficult is its lack of self-awareness.
It’s a mass of negative emotions born from the casualties and despair of the gods’ wars—grief from the dead, hopelessness from the defeated, and madness from the gods themselves.
It’s a collective force, with no clear warning signs or way to predict where or when it might appear.
The people of this world remain wary for now, but even I don’t know how to guide them in dealing with it.
And as for the other reincarnated individuals, they just laugh off such threats.
That applies to both groups, leaving Zino, a fellow gamer, as the only person I can truly share this threat with.
“Here we go again… Isn’t there a specific condition that triggers its appearance? Can you even be certain it’ll show up?”
It was a weak point for me.
Zino and I were both acting under the assumption that the god of chaos would appear, but we couldn’t investigate any signs or preconditions.
“You can’t answer… Then there’s a strong chance you’re just overthinking this.”
“I wish it were just overthinking. But if it does appear, and we’re unprepared, the gods themselves could perish.”
“The gods’ problems are theirs to deal with. What could we humans possibly do? Especially those of us who never had to fight in our peaceful world?”
If the god of chaos does appear, its target will be the gods.
In hindsight, I regret talking so openly about that.
I’d been too desperate at the time, spilling everything I knew about the threat.
“That’s why I’m not denying your methods. But I want to do what I can to prepare for that possibility.”
“Your reckless actions inconvenience us. Everything is judged by your standards. Can’t you try to move forward as a group instead of on your own?”
“Are you saying I should fight monsters in the safe zones you all frequent?”
“Exactly. But when we tried one of your so-called ‘suggested areas’ before, we nearly had someone injured. I think you should work with us in the safer locations we’ve already been using.”
And there it was…
Of course, I don’t want to get hurt either. I’d rather fight monsters I can defeat without injury.
But how many times would we have to repeat that before we could defeat the Demon King?
That’s why I’ve been going to places that are moderately dangerous but allow us to make progress.
If injuries can be healed with items, then we need to start acclimating to danger.
Sadly, it seems no one else shared that mindset…
“If it means saving the world, I’ll keep fighting alone if I have to.”
“Alone… Are you saying we’re useless?”
“At this rate, yeah… I can’t even defeat the Demon King as I am now.”
Continuing this conversation was pointless.
Our views were never going to align, making this nothing but a waste of time.
Most people supported Kazama’s cautious approach, valuing safety for the reincarnated group.
Even if it made me a minority or an outcast, I would continue doing what I believed I had to.
At least I’d found someone like Zino who agreed with me, proving that my approach wasn’t entirely wrong.
As I turned to leave, Kazama called out to my back.
“When you show off your power, people place unrealistic expectations on us. And when we can’t meet those expectations, our reputation suffers. Please consider how your actions affect us.”
I couldn’t let myself be constrained by such petty concerns.
Without responding to Kazama, I simply walked away.
◇
Couldn’t he at least reply?
Still, one thing he said caught my attention.
Dungeon Town…
Unlike before, this place might actually be safe.
I won’t let Kunimatsu keep hogging the spotlight.
Even if I have to outdo him, I’ll make sure we achieve results there.
