Starting As A Slave

‘I had wanted to build a small house by the shore of a lake.’

Tooyama Naruhito suddenly thought that.

The wound in his stomach no longer hurt; it was only warm now.

“Nice view, damn it…”

Before his eyes lay a vast, verdant grassland.

Dragging his feet and bleeding, he walked alone.

“…Right, my computer’s hard drive… I need someone to get rid of it…”

The house would be a modern log house.

It would have tatami mats and the gentle scent of rush grass. Of course, it would be fully equipped with heating, cooling, and floor heating, warm in winter and cool in summer.

‘I’ll build a sauna by the lake.’

‘In the morning, before even the birds wake up, I’ll go into the sauna and cool my body in a lake no one has touched yet.’

“I seriously screwed up. This is seriously bad.”

‘I had wanted to build a house just for myself.’

There would be a private chef and a baker there, and freshly baked bread would come out depending on my mood that day.

“Ahh, this is bad. I’m dying. I’m really dying this time. I shouldn’t have tried to act cool, seriously.”

He kept walking. With every step forward, blood continued dripping from his stomach. It would not stop.

‘I’ll get a dog, too.’

A Shiba or whatever would be fine. I want one that’s fairly big and fluffy.

‘Sometimes, I’d invite friends I got along with to that house, drink, make noise, sing, swim, and eat delicious food.’

Thud.

“Money… I wouldn’t have trouble with money either… I’d buy as much of whatever I wanted to eat as I wanted, prepare the best meals with proper nutritional balance, buy expensive liquor I wouldn’t even bother drinking, buy appliances I wouldn’t use… live in luxury…”

His knees suddenly gave out. He collapsed face-first.

For a moment, from the impact, he had the illusion that his internal organs had spilled out, but it seemed he was still all right.

His body felt strangely warm.

‘Ah, it’s a pool of my own blood.’

Tooyama could do nothing but smile faintly now.

The fresh blue scent of the grassland mingled with the rusty iron smell of blood.

“How many did I kill…? Did those guys manage to escape?”

Tooyama muttered as if delirious.

The sensation of crushing the hard bones of the monster species, the one-eyed grassland great ape, had long since vanished from his palms.

He remembered killing up to five of them, but after that, he did not know. Before he knew it, he had been walking on like this in a daze.

“So the great grassland is where I die, huh… If possible, I would’ve liked to die on a bed.”

A reddish-brown mountaineering-style parka, cargo pants, and leather processed boots with excellent functionality.

Tooyama, clad in a rather rugged outdoor style, muttered to himself while bleeding.

Tooyama Naruhito was an explorer.

Three years ago, that land had suddenly appeared in the world.

A place overrun with monsters and where treasures slept, the one and only, last mysterious place in this world. A slightly insane breed of people advanced through the modern dungeon, Babel’s Great Pit.

It had been three years since he became an explorer.

He was one of the few veteran explorers who had become an explorer at the same time modern dungeons appeared in the world.

“Ahh, damn it. I finally became an advanced explorer too… Things were just about to get fun…”

He had talent.

He had no resistance to disposing of monsters. He soon got used to the sweet smell of blue blood too.

He had also sincerely faced his training. How could he kill efficiently? He had not struggled much to learn that.

“Hah… Is it because I killed that many? Well, if I kill, I guess I’ll get killed too.”

He had never neglected preparation for exploration, never overestimated his own strength, fled when he had to flee, and survived.

He killed monster species, stripped their materials, and turned them into money. He stole the treasures of monster species and turned them into money.

“If only I’d run away… earlier… Ah, crap, it’s getting dark…”

He had become an explorer in order to fulfill his own desires.

Only after becoming an explorer had Tooyama Naruhito finally started thinking that life might actually be fairly enjoyable.

His life, which had only ever been about losing things, was supposed to start improving.

Even so, when it was time to die, one died.

Today was that time.

“Where… did I go wrong…?”

What welled up at the corners of his eyes were tears. Was it frustration, fear, or perhaps both?

Was accepting the request the mistake?

Was protecting his comrades the mistake?

Was making comrades the mistake?

Or else,

“Was becoming… an explorer the mistake…?”

He muttered and laughed.

‘Am I an idiot?’

The three years since he had become an explorer raced through Tooyama’s mind.

“It was fun… It really was fun. Fighting, killing, fighting again, killing again, earning money, eating good food, living in luxury.”

It had been fun.

Tooyama had found it fun.

That bloodstained way of life called being an explorer.

Taking, fighting, and gaining. That way of life had been very fun.

It was like the way of life of characters from creative works he had admired as a child, the rough men who appeared in fantasy stories, “adventurers.”

“…Ha, haha. Next time, I won’t make the same mistake… Right, I’ll review my tactics. I’ll use Kiriyaiba earlier… and I won’t skimp on bullets either…”

What circled through his head were points of reflection from this battle. Because he had never quite shaken off his stingy nature, he had hesitated to use his “trump card.”

Tooyama was the type of person who saved an elixir without ever using it.

“Ahh… Next time. Next time. Next time, I’ll use them lavishly. Firing everything right at the start might be good too…”

Gurgle. When he opened his mouth, blood like a black lump spilled out. Trying to swallow it did not work. He could not put strength into his throat.

The strength left his body.

Shh, shhhhhhh.

At that moment, he felt an illusion as if his body were sinking into the dungeon.

“…Wow, the Sedimentation Phenomenon… Haha, that’s definitely the kind of thing that kills you.”

It was no illusion.

It was one of the abnormal phenomena confirmed in the modern dungeon, Babel’s Great Pit.

The Sedimentation Phenomenon.

The meaning was just as the name implied: that zone sank and disappeared.

Tooyama, mortally wounded and on the verge of death, now able to move only his fingertips, quietly but surely sank into the dungeon.

Not even Tooyama Naruhito’s corpse would remain. He would disappear just like this.

Just as Tooyama’s consciousness was about to tear apart, the device in the pocket near his chest rang out.

[Naruhito!! Naruhito!! Can you hear me?! It’s me! I’ve met up with the Self-Defense Force rescue team! Please, answer me!!]

It was the voice of a comrade.

‘A good-natured idiot. I went through the trouble of letting you escape, so what are you coming back for, idiot? You’re getting married next month, aren’t you?’

Tooyama did not hold back the laughter overflowing from him.

He thought he was glad he had heard that voice at the end.

“Hatamura… I can… hear you. Are you safe…?”

[Naruhito!! Thank goodness…! Hey, what’s your situation right now?! We’re safe! Thanks to you, Kusakabe is alive too! As long as you make it back alive, this is a complete victory!]

“…Then that’s fine. Well, if you guys are alive, then I win…”

[Hey… What are you saying?! You’re all right right now, aren’t you?! Hey! Are you hurt?]

The voice from the device sounded distorted. It probably was not because the machine was broken, but because his own ears were failing.

“Hatamura… I don’t have… much time left… I have a favor… to ask. Listen to me.”

[Wh-what is it?! I’ll listen to anything! I’ll listen to anything, so hang in there!!]

“…The secret folder on my hard drive… The R18 treasure images of fantasy cosplay stuff… Also the thin books about elves and vampires, get rid of those. It’d be embarrassing during the sorting of my belongings… And all my otherworld reincarnation fantasy novels… I’ll leave them all to you…”

[Y-you bastard!! I don’t need that crap!! Don’t say unlucky stuff like—]

Click.

The line cut off.

Before he realized it, more than half of his body had sunk into the ground.

It’s like an antlion’s nest, Tooyama thought carefree.

“…With this, there’s no problem. My comrades survived. I asked him to delete my secret hard drive collection too… My favorite novels are a bit of a waste, but… Haha, I win.”

His vision darkened.

Even though his eyes were open—no, he could no longer even tell whether his eyes were open.

He could not understand what situation he was in right now. He felt unbearably cold, helpless, and lonely.

This was death.

‘My death.’

‘My end.’

He was terrified beyond words and frustrated beyond words.

And yet, even so, at the very end, Tooyama smiled.

“Ahh, it was fun. Next time, I’ll do it better. Earn money, build a house, right, maybe I’ll even open a shop. More freely, however I like… explore, adventure, money, food, fam… ily… dog… Ahh, Tarou…”

It had been a terrible life. Both of his parents had died early, the puppy he had befriended had been swept away in a river on a day of heavy rain, the staff at the facility had kept beating him, and the girl he had fallen in love with ended up marrying a doctor.

But next time—

The three years after he became an explorer, that fun modern dungeon life, had been something that made Tooyama think that.

Being able to think that at the very end was a very fortunate thing.

Tooyama smiled with satisfaction—

Darkness.

He could no longer understand anything.

The device reaction of the advanced explorer Tooyama Naruhito disappeared on the second layer.

Though the rescue team that rushed there searched the point of the final device reaction, they were unable to discover a body. Traces of a large-scale Sedimentation Phenomenon were present in the area.

Attacked by monster species drawn by the smell of blood, the rescue team withdrew.

Several days later.

The Explorers’ Guild entrusted the mission to search for the body of the advanced explorer Tooyama Naruhito to a certain explorer team.

No one knew Tooyama’s whereabouts.

………

…

“Oh my, what a strong scent. You too are another ‘You,’ aren’t you?”

“Thank you for enjoying my miniature garden. You too were someone who had the possibility of becoming You.”

“Ears, arms, eyes, organs, legs, brains, mouths, hearts. All of them have awakened. Those children have started moving by their own wills too. It seems they are doing all sorts of things to turn that child into those children. Hehe, maybe it’s because so many of you came.”

“What a shame about you. You seem quite close to ‘You.’ That greedy part of you is very lovely. But here, it will not do. You are already dead.”

“This is my miniature garden, Your graveyard, the place where you end. But are you all right with ending here?”

“Hehe, yes. You and ‘You’ would say the same thing, wouldn’t you? Fine. I’ll let you continue. But you see, not here. You ended here.”

“When one thing ends, returning it to how it was is very difficult, so it is impossible. You can no longer live here.”

“But don’t worry! There is a place suited for you. After all, you may become You! I’ll give you a little favoritism.”

“That place is a world that is not here. A world different from this one. Even so, I’m sure you will be able to enjoy it. You may do as you like there.”

“Tell me, what kind of way do you want to live? What kind of life do you want to walk? What do you want, and what do you value?”

“You may become a citizen and live an ordinary life. Becoming a merchant and earning money is fine too. Ah! A street performer could work too! I might want to see that!”

“Of course, there are dangerous ways of life too. You may become a soldier and go to war, become a knight and achieve military glory, and you might even be able to become a noble, you know?”

“If you are interested, you could search for an academy and try learning magic! I don’t know whether you have aptitude… But with you, I feel like you would manage somehow! After that, let’s see! The church! …is a little embarrassing, so if possible, I’d rather you not come too often… But, but if you, who resemble You, asked me, I might end up giving you favoritism again.”

“It is fine to do bad things too. Becoming a thief and stealing lots of treasures would be wonderful. Yes, there is also an assassins’ guild, so searching for it and living by blood could be good too. You have talent for it!”

“And then, and then, it might be nice to get along with races other than humans. Sing songs with elves, gamble with hobbits, drink with dwarves! After that, have an eating contest with the dragon race, yes! Try searching for a vampire castle too! They are very beautiful!”

“But you see, I really do think being an adventurer suits you. You genuinely enjoyed this miniature garden. I am sure you will like that world’s pillar too.”

“Yes! Let’s do that! Hey, come all the way to the top floor! If you wish for it, you might be able to return here again.”

“I am very curious what will happen to the world after you, who are close to You, climb all the way up the pillar! Climb the pillar, explorer-san!”

“And that’s right!! The grave goods of Yours that I left on the pillar! If it’s you, you may use just a little of them! I’ll allow it!! You resemble You in face and build too, so I’m sure they will suit you!”

“Hehe, I’m looking forward to it. It does not matter how long it takes. Every experience, your journey, all of it will bring you toward becoming You.”

“And this is a gift from me. ‘Little Ears’ was doing something interesting, so I arranged it in my own way. The world you are going to from now on is, well, just a little harder than this world.”

“Don’t worry! It will only go from ‘hard’ to ‘very hard’! This will help you. I am sure it will make your life easier to understand. Use the ‘Guidance of the Arrow’ to help you, and ‘that child’ should be getting bored around now too, so be a conversation partner for her! It’s all right, I am sure you will get along. After all, that child originally lived on the upper island too!”

“Oh, it’s fine, you know? When it truly matters, the arrow will not appear!! Hehe, this is what they call a ‘challenge run,’ isn’t it? Yes, what a wonderful phrase. If everything were easy, it would be boring.”

“Ah, it’s about time. Thank you for enjoying my miniature garden. Hey, you, show me the continuation of your life. Yes, that’s right—”

“The continuation of modern dungeon life will be in an otherworld open world.”

“Enjoy it! I wonder what kind of life you will show me.”

The voice vanished, and then.

Light.

Light flickered several times in the darkness.

A floating sensation, as if he were falling or climbing.

And then—

Clunk, clunk.

It was shaking.

Clunk. It shook greatly.

“…Fgah.”

He woke up. Feeling something hard against his backside and back, he realized he was sitting on something.

Tooyama Naruhito slowly opened his eyes.

“Ahh, you there, finally awake?”

“…Huh?”

It was an oddly deep voice. He looked toward the voice.

“You were trying to get through the checkpoint of that city, weren’t you? Just like me and the refugees around here, you walked right into the trap of those ‘adventurers.’ But you were unlucky. To think you’d get caught by people who were specifically looking for ‘adventure slaves.’ Looks like you won’t be dying a decent death.”

Who is this guy? What is he talking—

Tooyama held his breath.

Seeing the face of the man sitting in front of him and speaking to him, he froze.

“…What’s wrong? Is a Lizardonian that rare?”

A lizard.

A lizard-faced man was sitting there.

Before his eyes, a lizard-man dressed in rags was speaking with remarkable fluency.

Tooyama rubbed his eyes. As he stared at the lizard face, he noticed something floating above the man’s head.

Something like that was floating there.

“…An arrow…?”

Softly, something else floated above the arrow.

No matter how many times he rubbed his eyes, it remained clear—

With the deep sound of a low drum, the quest marker went dundun.

Only Tooyama could hear it.