“Golden Cube?”

The next day, I steeled my resolve and headed towards the Dungeon Association. At the Association, there was an emergency recruitment poster hanging. I read the words “First Period Exploration Team Recruitment for the suddenly appeared Golden Cube” and “ No specific rank necessary.”

“No specific rank necessary huh… Can I, a Rank 0, participate? And the reward for participation is… 1 million yen!?”

“After reading the specifics written at the bottom of the paper, my eyes became like pinpoints. I then went and asked the receptionist what it was all about.

“Yes, that’s correct. We will pay you 1 million yen just for participating,”

“What!? Are you kidding me? Why would you do that!?”

“To be frank, we have no idea what’s inside the cube. That’s why we’re currently assembling the first exploration team, but not many people have volunteered to join. Since we have no idea what’s inside, we don’t even know what level of adventurers we should be recruiting. That’s why many people are hesitant…”

“I see… So, can I participate even though I’m an unranked?”

“Yes, that’s not a problem. Even if you find combat difficult, you can help carry items or support other participants. However, please be aware that it could be a long expedition.”

“As for the monthly quota…”

“Yes, for this special cube, from the moment you participate, we will treat it the as a dungeon clear.”

“I-I’ll participate!! Kai Amachi! I’ll join the Golden Cube!”

I replied immediately.

As a lone adventurer, it was impossible for me to conquer E-rank dungeons, and I had no future but to become food for the dungeon.

Therefore, even though it might be dangerous, the proposal to treat participation as a dungeon clear just for completing miscellaneous tasks paired with a reward offering of 1 million yen was very appealing to me.

“Understood. I will register you. Please present your clearer’s license.”

“Here you go,”

From my wallet I display a license similar to a driver’s license.

In the rank section of the card, “unranked” is written; this is my clearer’s license it contains my information as a clearer.

The card also shows the last date I conquered a dungeon, which was three weeks ago when I was kicked out of a party by Sato.

“Confirmed. Kai Amachi. The event will start this Saturday, August 6th, from 1:00. On the topic of participation fees, we will pay you upon your return from the dungeon.

“Understood.”

I receive a piece of paper with the details of the dungeon exploration.

Even though it occurred just yesterday. They sure do their jobs fast.

Well, I say that but for an unknown dungeon it’s impossible to know when it might collapse so even a day can’t be wasted.

That day, after finishing the registration, I left the Dungeon Association.

I returned to my rundown apartment and began to do maintenance on my equipment.

My only equipment, a cheap iron sword with a magic enchantment imbued on it which only reaches my waist.

Although it’s a cheap sword with some nicks on the blade, it’s still worth over a hundred thousand yen.

By becoming an adventurer, I received from the government just a single magic power imbued sword.

With this equipment, I can become somewhat stronger and with that, gain the ability to at least swing a sword around to some extent.

After graduating from high school, I immediately became a clearer and have been using the same thing for four months since then.

In a small six-tatami mat room, I continue to polish the long sword.

Alone, without turning on the lights, illuminated only by moonlight.

Although it is a very small house, recently it has somehow become very spacious.

Also, quiet and a little lonely

…

Saturday.

“Alright.”

I look at the pictures of my still lively mother and sister on my smartphone.

After a quick nod, I equip my long sword on my waist before heading to the meeting place, Shibuya Crossing.

There, 50 clearers had gathered.

The intersection was blocked off and there were not many people around, probably due to the fear of dungeon collapse.

I wrote my name and confirmed my participation at the reception of the makeshift tent that had been set up temporarily.

“Wow, this this many people… this is a first. Is that… a foreigner?”

It seems that there are also high-ranking clearers based on their equipment.

Moreover, aren’t they US military personnel? A group of about ten people wearing foreign military uniforms are participating.

They all look very strong, they’re probably high-ranking awakeners.

And then…

“Gyahahaha, we’re getting 1 million each with this!”

“You can leave the fighting to the pros, okay!”

“That’s right! You just need to watch from behind!”

It seemed that Sato and others were also participating.

I hid behind the crowd, avoiding eye contact.

But Sato quickly found me.

“Gyahahaha! Are you participating too? Poor people really don’t want to lose out on 1

million, huh?”

“…”

“…Hey! Are you trying to ignore me? I’ll kill you!”

As I averted my gaze and sullenly stayed silent, Sato grabbed me by the neck.

I felt like I was about to be punched, but since there were many other clearers around,

Sato didn’t go that far.

Some people noticed his voice and stared at us.

“Tch! Shithead.”

Sato pushed me away and left. I wasn’t part of their party anymore, so I didn’t need to grovel anymore.

Even so, resisting against Sato made my legs tremble a little, but I didn’t feel bad about it.

At that same time, a man walked up to the golden cube.

“Attention!!”

He gathered the attention of the liberators* in the area with his loud voice. He appeared to be around thirty years old, and I felt like I had seen him somewhere before…

But to put it rudely, he had an air of being a typical “can-do-it” salaryman that you could find anywhere.

Rather, he could be called an elite salaryman.

Ike-uncle?*A working man that had a put together feeling.

Since he was wearing a robe, he was probably a magician. And since it was red, he was likely a fire-type magician.

“I am Issei Tanaka! The Vice Guild Master of the Guild ‘Avalon’!”

With that single word, everyone begins to murmur.

Even I know about the top Japanese clearer group, Guild “Avalon.” Placing high on the world stage, it is the largest and strongest guild in Japan, with multiple S-Class awakened, of which there are only a few of in Japan, being members.

“I thank you for volunteering for today’s mission, which may be a matter of life and death in an unknown dungeon. Our guild has been entrusted with the investigation and strategy of this golden cube by the Japanese government and the Japanese

Dungeon Association. As a result, I have been appointed as the leader of this strategy. Please rely on me. Now, I will briefly explain the precautions and strategy!”

It seems that Mr. Tanaka will lead this strategy. He has a proven track record and is also said to be an A-class strategist himself, so no one had any complaints.

Thus, he began to explain the precautions and strategy briefly.

However, since we don’t know what’s inside, the explanation was mainly about the chain of command and such.

The reason why the term “chain of command” was used was because there were US military personnel present.

Although Mr. Tanaka is technically the leader today, the US military team is apparently a completely separate unit.

It feels like military intervention, but that’s a political matter so I don’t really understand it.

As I was thinking about that, it seemed like the explanation had come to and end.

Mr. Tanaka looked at his watch and gave orders in an even louder voice.

“Okay, it’s now 1:15 pm. Is everyone ready?”

At that voice, many clearers responded by raising up their weapons. With Tanaka-san at the forefront, everyone lined up around the Cube.

“Alright. Let’s go!”

Tanaka-san kicked off and took a step towards the Cube.

His robe fluttered.

And the well-known top clearers who surrounded the Cube disappeared into it one by one..

“All right! Let’s do this!!”

Sato and others followed, and the mid-level clearers disappeared into the golden cube.

And then.

“All right…let’s go.”

I tightly grip my sword and slowly step forward.

I can hear my heart beating faster, to the point as if I can hear the sound of my own heartbeat.

In front of me is a box that looks like pure gold.

A golden wall that shimmers like a sparkling water surface.

I hesitate to touch it with my finger.

A gentle ripple like a fallen drop of water and a sound like a resolute wind chime echoes throughout.

“Phew…okay!”

And then, I tightly clenched both fists and single mindedly plunged in. With expectations and anxieties in my heart. Without knowing what lies ahead.

Into the golden cube.

…

*Your participation in the selection ceremony of the God’s Knights is approved. The current number of participants is 38…*

—————————————————————————————-

Translator notes:

Liberators: In the raws （解放者）is used. It refers regularly to the clearers in this scene but since this title has not been used before, I was not sure if it was an error on the authors part but it translates to liberator so I used that.

Ike-Uncle: The word Ikemen（イケメン）is commonly used to describe good looking, younger boys. In the raw, ikeoji（イケおじ）is used. Oji is a word that means uncle but is also used to describe older men (around 30’s-50’s) in general. So （イケおじ）is a play on words to mean that Issei is cool, good-looking older man.