Chapter 22, Kagetora-San… What Kind of Person Is He?

Translator: Lizz

  

Two days after Kagetora went viral with his dungeon stream.

 

At Team Dead End’s office, the president, Michimune, glares at his computer in frustration.

 

“What’s going on? Seriously, what the hell is going on? Our affiliated streamers’ sales are down nearly half compared to last month!”

 

In the meeting room, the employees hesitate to speak as they watch the president shouting at his laptop.

 

Everyone fears upsetting him. Over the past month, he’s been firing employees and streamers left and right.

 

If anyone speaks up, they worry they’ll be next. That fear flashes through their minds.

 

“Hey! I asked you what’s going on!”

 

“Y-yes!”

 

A middle manager, under the president’s glare, hurriedly looks at the documents in front of him and manages to respond.

 

“Well, um, it’s Golden Week now. Because of leisure trips and people returning home, viewership and donations have dropped…”

 

“Don’t mumble!”

 

“Y-yes! I’m sorry.”

 

No matter how one looks at it, this is bad, and Michimune can’t help but feel anxious. After all, the annual goal was set with the expectation that sales will keep growing from this time of year onward.

 

And yet, sales drop sharply as soon as May begins. How is he supposed to explain that to the chairman? What about the shareholders’ meeting?

 

“It’s all because these executives here are useless,” the president glares fiercely around the room.

 

As everyone falls silent, one woman stands up, sweat forming on her brow.

 

“President, we still have the Dungeon Festival.”

 

The Dungeon Festival. That’s an event regularly held by the Dungeon Federation, a government-recognized organization, ever since dungeons appeared in Japan.

 

Simply put, it’s a challenge where many explorers take on a large and extremely difficult dungeon all at once.

 

How deep can they go into the designated dungeon? How much impact can they make through the livestream? What kind of performance do they show during the exploration? The Dungeon Federation judges based on the footage.

 

The rankings are determined by those evaluations, and those who rank high receive many rewards and honors. It’s an important event for exploration streamers and a vital source of income for their agencies.

 

“I know that! But even so, that profit alone isn’t enough, is it?”

 

“No, it’s possible. We’ll poach promising talent from elsewhere at a low cost.”

 

“What nonsense,” Michimune is beyond angry—he’s dumbfounded.

 

“How many years have you worked here? We do that kind of thing all the time, don’t we?”

 

“Yes. But right now, there’s a big name we can poach. If we pair that person with Ai and have them join the Dungeon Festival…”

 

“A big name we can poach right now? Who?”

 

“Noel… Noel Arisugawa!”

 

The female employee raises her voice with full confidence.

 

◇

 

Somewhere in Tokyo, a handsome man waits at a café for someone.

 

Even inside the shop, he never takes off his sunglasses, constantly scanning his surroundings.

 

(Damn it. Why am I in this mess?)

 

His name is Noel Arisugawa. It’s not his real name, but this one is far more well-known now.

 

He’s known for his charming looks and engaging dungeon commentary, and he used to be incredibly popular.

 

But now, every time he streams, it turns into a scandal. His comment section overflows with insults, and no one wants to team up with him anymore. He’s stuck in a downward spiral.

 

It all started some time ago, when he abandoned Aoi, an explorer with overwhelming popularity, in a dungeon and ran away.

 

(I couldn’t help it. I really couldn’t. There’s no way the two of us could’ve taken down an ogre. And yet…)

 

“Ah, there you are. You’re Noel Arisugawa, right?”

 

Just as he’s lost in thought, a callous voice echoes through the café. It’s Ai, the top streamer of Team Dead End. Noel jumps up in a panic and waves her over like he’s calling a dog.

 

That gesture only fuels her irritation.

 

“Don’t call me out so loudly. I want to keep things quiet when I’m off duty.”

 

“Oh wow. You sound like a celebrity. What are you ordering?”

 

“Whatever you want.”

 

From the moment the server arrives to when they leave, Arisugawa keeps his head down. Lately, he’s been overly conscious of people’s eyes on him.

 

“So, I’ll get straight to the point. Do you want to team up with me?”

 

“Huh? I heard you wanted to team up with me.”

 

It’s Team Dead End that reaches out to Noel, who’s struggling with a major drop in income. But Ai insists she’s the one being invited.

 

“You? You mean me? Wow, that’s super rude. Hey, you don’t have a girlfriend, do you?”

 

“What!?”

 

“Thought so. Lame.”

 

Noel immediately slams the table and stands up.

 

“Don’t mess with me. I do have a girlfriend, and it’s not like I’m dying to team up with you or anything. Whatever, I’m leaving!”

 

“Now, now. We’re just getting started here.”

 

Seeing him actually about to leave, Ai clicks her tongue in her mind and stops him.

 

(Damn it… I have to team up with an idiot like this? What’s with that agency? Well, I guess I’ve got no choice.)

 

Ai, too, has been struggling with her streams lately. She’s been skipping dungeon explorations and mostly just chatting.

 

The reason is simple—she’s lost most of the teammates who used to accompany her on explorations.

 

She doesn’t care who it is anymore, as long as they’re skilled. And she needs them before the Dungeon Festival.

 

The two of them dislike each other, but their financial situations force them to team up. Despite their flashy appearances, they’re both starting to feel the pressure.

 

◇

 

“Kagetora-san…”

 

After finishing her club activities, she parts ways with her friends at the station. Rocked gently in a nearly empty train, she watches a video from two days ago.

 

The video she’s watching is the most talked-about dungeon stream right now.

 

The monsters look familiar at first glance, but on closer inspection, they’re all different. Their strength and terror come through even on screen, and the girl trembles slightly.

 

And yet, Kagetora defeats every monster in an instant.

 

He’s like the hero from a TV show she watched as a child, refreshing and overwhelmingly victorious.

 

Some time ago, he saved her in a dungeon. Back then, she thought it was all over.

 

She can still vividly recall how he stood up to the ferocious monsters in the midst of fear, as if it happened just yesterday.

 

(Kagetora-san… what kind of person is he?)

 

But she still doesn’t know much about him.

 

And she wants to know. That’s why she passionately recommended him when introducing her own guild.

 

(I’ll get to see him again soon. I’m kind of excited!)

 

Her unusually brilliant, gem-like eyes shine even brighter.

 

Her name is Mizukagami Aoi. She’s a first-year high school student rapidly rising as a streamer, now attracting more attention than any idol.

 

And the person she wants to meet has no idea about any of this.

 

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