The Dungeon Seeker

Night.

What she felt at first was something strange. That feeling immediately changed into a reality.

What she started to get surprised to was the temperature’s sudden change.

For her who was originally from a tropical region, the temperature that is only above thirty degrees celsius a little is as usual.

Butーーthis dry atmosphere that was like a desert was unacceptable.

She should be continuing to live her life in the same place as usual, but when she noticed, she was in a different worldーーshe was not aware that, that was a dimensional teleportation……in other words, it’s the so-called different world trip.

You could say for good or for bad, she was able to find a comfortable place to sleep immediately.

Inside the hole of a boulder, the place she would sleep, there was an existing water puddle, so she was also able to find a water source.

But, in the water puddle, was a tremendous amount of bug feces.

The water rotted, and it was releasing a bad smell to the surrounding.

“There’s no end on asking for more luxury”, she gave up, and started moving to find food.

She went outside crawling out of her sleeping s.p.a.ce.

And, she focused on the countless numbers of living creatures that cover all the surroundings, the ones that she had felt since earlier.

ーーthat was, a countless number of black living creatures that enveloped all of the ground.

*GasaGasa*, it moved, and receiving the faint light from the night’s light moss, its oily carapace shines a black l.u.s.ter.

While walking within through those c.o.c.kroaches, the feeling of happiness that it had felt ever since it stood here changed to reality.

Compared to the region that it was living in, there are more c.o.c.kroaches here.

That only meansーーthere are many living creatures that can become feeds of the larvas.

Emerald c.o.c.kroach Bee

An insect from a tropical region, and it is famous as a parasitic bee within a group maniacs from the bizarre behavior it does during breeding.

Going right straight to the point, sheーーthat bee lays its eggs in c.o.c.kroaches.

The bee’s size isn’t that different from the c.o.c.kroaches, so an individual bee cannot bring a c.o.c.kroach inside its hive.

There was a need for them to manipulate c.o.c.kroaches using their venom, and let them walk to the burrow by themselves.

That’s why, it can be said that their contest relies on that one instant during their first contact.

Explaining with details……during sp.a.w.ning, the emerald c.o.c.kroach bee catches its targeted c.o.c.kroach, and inject venom to the ganglia of the chest.

It would die if the venom is too much, but it would be able to escape during the long growth peroid of the larvas if it was too few, so it is a sensitive work.

If they were able to inject venom properly, they bite off the antenna of the c.o.c.kroach, and as if a necromancer, they put under their control the c.o.c.kroach just like a zombie.

And after they induct it into their burrow, they lay their eggs in the c.o.c.kroach.

The burrow’s entrance would be completely shut using small stones and other things, and it would change into a closed s.p.a.ce.

And just like that, after a few days pa.s.s, the egg hatch and become a larva.

The larva gradually but slowly eats the insides of the c.o.c.kroach, and eat its muscles.

Within about eight days, the c.o.c.kroach’s insides would be already devoured, butーーcontinuing to live because of the injected poison……it can do nothing else.

Living eight days while its insides being eaten. The c.o.c.kroach’s life force is surprising, but it can also be said that it is the result of the larva adjusting how it ate it so that it wouldn’t die.

For the most part, within those days, the c.o.c.kroach is an existence that the bee would be troubled if it to dies.

After all, things rot very fast in the tropical region. The freshness of the meat during the long growth period, it should last at the limit.

And just like that, the c.o.c.kroach gradually lose its life force while being kept alive by the bee.

In the end, after around eight days have pa.s.sed, the bee will become a pupa.

The emerald c.o.c.kroach bee that transformed from the pupa, will eat its way out of the c.o.c.kroachーーas if, it was given birth by the c.o.c.kroach, it would fly to the outside world.

And.

ーーshe was suddenly thrown into a far away place from the region she was living in suddenly.

But, bees doesn’t think as deeply as humans do.

Things other than being able to eat and reproduce, honestly, it would not matter at all.

With that reason, she felt worries about the lower temperature, but she was very content in her current environment.

ーーafter all, there is no insufficiency for things to eat.

As if to pull its body, she searches for one that has fat in it, a c.o.c.kroach that has a huge size as possible.

This is an aside, insects are living beings that belong to a position near shrimps and crabs as biology goes.

For that, not limited to c.o.c.kroaches, it is said that most of the insects, if you don’t mind how they look, they are delicious.

It only means that she who had a c.o.c.kroach as a host when she was still a larva, she could only see c.o.c.kroaches as delicious food.

And after this and that, she found a very fat and round c.o.c.kroach.

She attacks the c.o.c.kroach as her ancestors had done, and tried to inject venom to the c.o.c.kroach as her ancestors had done.

But at that timeーーa new target, a c.o.c.kroach appeared.

That was very far and very round. No, it was too large.

In that instant, her distinctive wildlife six sense sounded its largest alarm.

And finally, she finally noticed the true peculiarity of this place.

ーーthis is a dangerous region……she thought. And that……to notice that……it was too late.

What appeared in front of her, had a height of 30 cm, and length of 3 meters, a giant……c.o.c.kroach.

The hunter’s side and the prey’s side had already changed their positions.

ーーsize difference.

Be it predators, be it herbivores, that difference could not be defied……just having a large body is an absolute advantage in the natural world.

The emerald c.o.c.kroach bee was swallowed instantly by the giant c.o.c.kroach, andーーthe numerous c.o.c.kroaches that were squirming around, all of them were also swallowed by the gigantic c.o.c.kroaches.

That’s right, this is in this world and in that world, and the fifth floor of the Interstice of the dimension and dimension’s Labyrinth.  

ーーit is the floor where the King of Pests lives in.

†

Hyaha……a……

Are you energetic……today too……

Well〜, this floor really is depressing……after all, the whole floor is the nest of c.o.c.kroaches right……

Though, the only salvation is that this time’s safety area wouldn’t let c.o.c.kroaches big or small enter it.

And, the advice on this floor.

The thing called c.o.c.kroach is a living creature that usually wouldn’t come near humans.

For example, it can be said that it’s a special one in the natural world if it enters a human’s house.

And, even in this floor their traits are also like that regardless of their size.

Well, you’ll know it after walking, that you wouldn’t be saying that……but for the meantime, the number of small c.o.c.kroaches is too many so you can think of it that there are plenty of special ones.

That’s right, about the next floor.

Go towards the north-east’s direction. You should be able to reach it after walking for thirty minutes.

And……I don’t know if you’ve already seen it, but it looks like this floor has a boss.

Its size is too d.a.m.n large, but here’s good news.

Probably about ten meters? Even if you get that close, that big one wouldn’t come from its side.

But, in his territory……when you get close in a certain distance, it looks like it would be going to change its switch immediately.

A height of 30 cm, and length of 3 meters……not only as a pest, but it also a dangerous creature as a monster.

If it was attacked from this side futilely……I can’t guarantee your life bro.

†

Safety area.

Junpei’s leather boots were drenched with the body fluids from the c.o.c.kroaches he stomped on.

And there was no life on Junpei’s expression, while naked, he was just single-mindedly wiping his body with the cloth with hot water.

He couldn’t be blamed.

Just a moment ago, countless numbers of c.o.c.kroaches were crawling all over his body.

Just thinking if it was not a boxer brief, but trunks that were full of gaps……Junpei’s had gooseb.u.mps.

That wasーーa gruesome journey that only remembering it made his hair stand on its ends.

「Oi oi, no way……give me a break……」

That was his first words when he reached this floor.

At one look, that was a forest area.

But, the surface was covered by a black dazzle.

And when it came to the dirt road, it can even be seen as a carpet. And very strangelyーーthat black color was moving, no, it was squirming.

*KasaKasaKasaKasa*

Thousands, maybe tens of thousands, or maybe hundreds of thousands.

If you look to the right, c.o.c.kroach. If you look to the left, c.o.c.kroach. If you look up, c.o.c.kroach. If you look back, c.o.c.kroach.

*KasaKasaKasaKasa*  

The unpleasant sound even if it was only oneーーit was being played with a grandiose orchestra, so he couldn’t be blamed if Junpei lost his words.

Anyways, it’s also true that he needs to advance forward.

*PuchuPuchi*

Every each step forward there was a sound.

It was the sound of the body liquid that squirts from the c.o.c.kroach he stepped on.

「……」

After advancing for a while, he found a water puddle with a nasty smell.

It looks like the remains of the c.o.c.kroach and its feces made an exquisite c.o.c.ktail, making a very good fermentation.

And, it was the nightmare scene where the living c.o.c.kroaches were swarming to that c.o.c.ktail.

While holding his vomit, Junpei still advanced forward.

And there, Junpei noticed.

Within the black surface, white was sometimes mixed in it. When he looked carefully, it was one c.o.c.kroach after all.

ーーif I think about it, the c.o.c.kroach is white after shedding huh……

In the video that he saw on the internet, there was one when a smoking agent for c.o.c.kroach extermination was thrown in the man hole of the restaurant district.

There was a video that after a few seconds after the pesticide was thrown in the manhole, c.o.c.kroaches overflowed from the groundーーI think that at that time, there was a white one.

At that time, he had researched about it, and he found out that the white c.o.c.kroach’s exoskeleton is soft so it wouldn’t leave its nest soon after it sheds it.

That’s right.

As long as it’s not an emergency, white c.o.c.kroaches do not go out from their nests.

ーーit means……this place after all……the whole floor itself is the c.o.c.kroach’s nest huh……

And……when Junpei had thought of that, “Hya”, he let out a pathetic high-pitched voice.

As if he was tickled, or somewhat irritated, he felt that feeling from his left foot’s ankle, and in an instant, that feeling reached his thighs.

His body suddenly shivered.

He immediately crushed the c.o.c.kroach that entered his inside his clothes.

*Puchi*

It was still bearable stomping them with his shoes, but that sound at zero distance and was in contact with his skin, was too hopeless.

「…………」

After he let out a very, very, very big sigh, he ignored the c.o.c.kroaches that entered inside his clothes after that.

“Comparing to the time when Cerberus ate my arm……”, he regained himself, but even so, disgusting things are still disgusting.

And after walking for a while, he somehow found the safety area, and that what’s what happened.

「Even, so……」

Junpei who finished wiping his body, spoke to himself while washing his clothes.

With no other way, he is going to the next floor, so he would need to go through that Shura’s path once more.

That’s why, there’s no meaning of washing it until he goes through this floor……but the reason why he would still wash it, is because he’s j.a.panese.

And, he had gained many clothes from Katrina’s village.

The original tattered clothes were already placed inside his item box, and there is a lot of stocks of clothes that are in good condition.

But, the reason that he’s washing it to use it again instead of throwing it awayーーthat was also, because he’s j.a.panese after all.

「A c.o.c.kroach with height of 30 cm, and length of 3 meters huh……」

It’s famous that when all living creatures on Earth are converted to human size, the strongest would be insects.

For example, ants would be able to pull tons of weight, and a locust’s jump would be able to reach more than a hundred meters with one flight.

ーーand, c.o.c.kroaches would sprint in 300km/h.  

It is a nightmare scene that you wouldn’t want to imagine……but for some reason, Junpei smiled there.

「Cerberus……it should be faster」

It’s true, that when he confronted the mythological beast in the floor before,  Cerberus released and attack that left the sound, creating shockwaves.

And his speed is much faster than that time.

There, Junpei started thinking after making his item box appear.

「It’s an insect so its exoskeleton should be hard. It’s doubtful if Cerberus’s canine and my arm strength could pierce it……no, it’s better to think that that would be enough」

And, he continued while narrowing his eyebrows.

「……so, because of that, I can only use the insect’s traits as an advantage……un, the requirements are complete. But, the problem is whether this is going to be enough or not」

And there, he clapped his fist while shaking his head sidewards.

「Well, in speeds, I am probably faster. If it was impossible, then when it is……if it’s like that……I should pick on it all that I can and just run away」

And then, he took out few bed sheets from his item box and placed it on the ground.

He lined up the numerous small pots that he took out on top of that.

After walking around the forest that was full of c.o.c.kroaches, he finally saw that.

「Oi oi, for it to be……white huh」

The white colored c.o.c.kroach that has a height of 30 cm, a length of 3 meters, and had just shed, was in a place 20 meters ahead of Junpei.

*PuchiPuchiPuchi*, with that sound, the c.o.c.kroaches around, was being devoured by that giant c.o.c.kroach.

ーーcannibalism.

The food pyramid of this floor exists with the c.o.c.kroach’s king on the top of it.

But, nevertheless, Junpei took out the very rusty knife that he took from Katrina’s village.

And he threw that towards the giant c.o.c.kroach.

*Gururi*, it’s antenna twisted, and *Gishishishishi*, the c.o.c.kroach let out its cry.

「Because it’s white, because it’s exoskeleton is weak……I thought that maybe even a knife would be able to do damage though」

After confirming that the c.o.c.kroach had bitten the hook, he turned back.

「Well, I guess that’s too much positive thinking huh. Well then, let’s start……it’s a game of tag」

With an acceleration time of almost zero, the giant c.o.c.kroach reached its maximum speed of 300km/h.

ーーyosh, it’s possible with this.

He dodged the c.o.c.kroach’s charge by twisting his body to the side at the last moment.

And, he jumped and grabbed the tree’s branch. He jumped from branch to branch just like a monkey.

Junpei made his status specialized in evasion.

The dash power belongs purely in the strength category, so he wouldn’t be able to win with a simple foot race. But if it is an acrobatic game of tag that uses the environment……there’s a good chance to win.

「Hehe……you’re too slow!!」

The c.o.c.kroach jumped, and flew towards Junpei who was on top of the trees, but Junpei laughed at it while dodging with ease.

ーーI am surely getting strong. As I’ve thought, with my speed, it’s on the level that it could keep up even in this labyrinth.

Every time Junpei jumped from tree to tree, the c.o.c.kroach also jumps, or maybe flies, and jumps towards Junpei’s torso while opening its huge jaws.

Although, his opponent moves from all directions with speeds of Shinkansen. Being able to easily dodge it, is not equal to being able to dodge it continuously.

As a proof, it is unknown how many times it was, butーーevery time he dodges, one part of Junpei’s clothes are being bitten off.

It makes Junpei have a cold sweat, but he immediately made a smile, and jumped towards the next branch of the tree.

And the c.o.c.kroach also chases after Junpei by charging.

Junpei jumped into the branch of the tree, and from there, he jumped straight up.

Pa.s.sing through the s.p.a.ce where he was, the c.o.c.kroach plunged to the next tree as if to slide without decelerating.

「This is the dead end!」

Numerous sheets that are hanged between the branches of trees.

Those sheets that release a pungent odor is ones that are soaked with 80% alcohol.

The giant c.o.c.kroach that plunged straight to that was covered with the sheetsーーit means that it’s now covered with alcohol.

It’s not only c.o.c.kroaches, but many insects use an organ called spiracles to allow oxygen to enter its body.

And, the c.o.c.kroach’s body is covered by oil, and alcohol has effects that melt those oil.

The melted oil blocks the spiracles.

As a result, the c.o.c.kroach wouldn’t be able to allow oxygen to enter its body anymore. This theory is being used c.o.c.kroach extermination sprays, and it is also an extermination way that has effects on many insects.

Long story short, it makes it suffocate.

「Now then, go dance……you d.a.m.n insect!」

While being covered by sheets, the c.o.c.kroach rolled around like crazy, and twisted its antenna.

And after tens of seconds, the c.o.c.kroach sopped moving, and its antenna hanged to the ground.  

From the tree, Junpei jumped down to the ground, and spoke to himself.

「Well then, I’ll set in on fire to end it huh. It’s a c.o.c.kroach, so it should be weak to fire right」

It’s soaked in a high dose of alcohol, so if there’s a spark it should burn into flames immediately.

When he took out flint from his item box, the c.o.c.kroach’s antenna moved.

*Shu*, with a wind cutting sound, the antenna had a clean hit to Junpei’s jaws.

*Dawan* he felt his brain shake, and Junpei fell to one of his knees.

ーーthis is……really bad. To a dying insect, on top of that with its antenna……I really have……too much of a paper defense……

He couldn’t get his balance, and within the consciousness that might disappear even now, he lighted the c.o.c.kroach with the flint.

At the same time, *Kii*, the c.o.c.kroach cried and ran towards a direction diagonal to himーーfrom the start, the last attack that it did towards Junpei was its last resistーーit collapsed.

It wasn’t a deadly damage, but getting dizzy after their brain being shaken, in the human anatomy, it is an unavoidable condition.

Junpei who confirmed that the c.o.c.kroach had died, and fell to his back as if to get relieved, he was closing his eyes. But, his eyes widened there.

「Haha……that’s not fair」

He was able to see not white, but black, six giant c.o.c.kroaches.

As the proverb says that if you found one in your house, think that there’s twenty, the king size c.o.c.kroach also……did not exist in this floor alone.

He focused his strength on his arm and tried to stand up, but his body won’t listen.

Andーーhis consciousness became in a state of being half-awake.

*Gishishishishi*, the c.o.c.kroaches from far away were delighted.

They would be able to get 60 kilograms of quality protein without hardships, so that couldn’t be helped.

They approached Junpei slowly, and when one of the c.o.c.kroaches were about to gnaw at him, that happened without premonition.

「Sàn」(散)

*Pon*, with that sound, the c.o.c.kroach that was about to gnaw at Junpei burst exploded, and scattered its insides in its place. The organs that scattered immediately turned into a black mist and dissipates, and not a speck were left.

「……it’s been a while. Un……really, it’s been a while」

Junpei’s sight was dull, and he cannot confirm it clearlyーーbut her age was about the same as Junpei, it was a girl with black hair and fair white skin.

She sends her gaze towards Junpei.

She was telling him something, but his consciousness was already in a place far away, so he couldn’t hear her clearly.

「Humans are……■■■■■. Because they’re frail, they can scatter ■■■ and ■■■ with ■■……that’s right, as you have told me. And it’s because of your words that I was able to be ■■■」

And, she continues.

「But, most probably……what I can ■■ to the labyrinth itself, would be in the limit of this lower floor……this is the last time. Until the deep floorsーーdon’t ■■■ okay? The one who would kill you is me, or maybe ■■■■■ alright」

And there, Junpei’s consciousness was completely cut.

She narrowed her eyebrows and spoke to Junpei.

「Oi……did you really fell asleep……? Fu〜……well, anyways. If that’s the case, I should go exterminate the pests」

If Junpei’s consciousness was clear, and if he appraised her, he would’ve been really surprised.

ーーafter all, she is……

Finally, inside the darkness of the night, her right eye started to shine faintly.

And she said this after looking around the remaining five c.o.c.kroaches in the surrounding.

「Search Condition : Sweeping c.o.c.kroaches and Without Injuries. In addition, avoid direct contact with c.o.c.kroaches as long as its possible」

And, “Un”, she nodded.

「Confirming the optimal solution until condition finished. Starting now, with six moves, you will be decomposed to the molecular level and die」

And, she continued while cracking her knuckles.

「Firstly, the first move……a speech. The defined fate that was derived from twenty-four million patternsーーno one can resist me, the one who have the magic eyes that sees into the future. Well then, let’s start? Small fries?」

And.

When Junpei woke up, when all of it has ended……the only one remaining there was the burnt carca.s.s of the one c.o.c.kroach he killed.

「……was it……a dream?」

Even if he whispered that, no one answers.

「……there’s no help thinking about it……huh. Either way……receiving this much damage from one antenna attack……is seriously bad……」

While making an unconvinced face, Junpei started walking towards the next floor.

*Buchari*, *Buchari*, while hearing the unpleasant sound of stepping on c.o.c.kroaches.