Dungeon Floor 82 [Record]: 'The Factional Strife of the Strongest Guild and a Moment of Respite! The Next Move is a Bold Undercover Investigation'

Click here for the previous story👇️👇️👇️

01: Limit of Negotiation

After finishing the nerve-wracking, life-or-death struggle at the Aoki Industries headquarters, I returned to the Toto School base.

Passing through the heavy gate, the cold night air clung to my sweat-drenched shirt.

Loosening my restrictive collar (necktie) roughly, I let out a deep sigh.

Creaking my exhausted, sluggish body as I sank into a chair, I first sent a report of today's events via instant message to each of the guild masters (presidents) who had entrusted everything to me.

While leaving the possibility of collective bargaining open, the final irreversible covenants (contracts) would be handled individually.

And that I had played a new card: a capital alliance for the distributed array of remote barriers (work-from-home system).

I could vividly picture Guild Master (President) Yoshida receiving this instant message, his face turning bright red as he spat out, 'What is this! That's not what we discussed!' in a fit of rage.

However, as the one entrusted with full authority, I have no intention of accepting any additional demands born from their fear.

On the front lines of a high-stakes condition struggle (negotiation), having terms flip-flop is the height of stupidity, as it only shows weakness to the cold-blooded monsters of the giant guilds.

Once a physical blade (personal conviction) is decided upon, it must never waver until the end.

I cut off the rising noise of anxiety and decided to proceed with preparations for the next battle.

Last time, the scheme for investment and capital alliance in the distributed array of remote barriers (work-from-home system) was only explained verbally to Elder (Executive) Samejima and the others.

I would prepare it as a perfectly logically constructed magic design document (material) so they could get it approved through their internal corporate deliberation process.

02: Peaceful Sanctuary

At the end of today's life-or-death struggle, I saw one certain ray of light. That is the issue regarding the environmental improvement for the followers (students).

I should report this faint light to the magic instructors (female lecturers) who are currently fighting on the front lines.

I headed toward the instructor lounge where they were.

The moment I placed my hand on the heavy door knob.

I held my breath, bracing myself for the stifling miasma (suffocating atmosphere) that used to be there. The scene that spread out before me as I gently opened the door was a surprising sight that far exceeded my expectations.

The three of them—Shimizu-san, a veteran who used to be a lone wolf who wouldn't let anyone get close, and the younger members Hirano-san and Yamaguchi-san—were working on their magic alchemy (drafting work) in a harmonious and friendly atmosphere.

The light sound of tapping on the magic keyboards echoed, and the freezing atmosphere of the past had completely vanished.

Just by seeing that, I could feel in my bones that the essential progress of the remote barrier's distributed array (work-from-home system) had not stalled at all.

Due to extreme fatigue and sudden relief, I unconsciously fell into a painful routine of making an exaggerated overreaction.

I raised my right hand high with a smug look on my face and said, 'Cheers to everyone's bond!'

The moment I crossed my legs to perform a fancy step, a muscle in my back let out an ominous scream.

'Gah!' I was struck by a severe case of a thrown-out back, collapsed onto the floor, and ended up twitching like a caterpillar.

'Hey, old man!'

'Self-destructing by throwing out your back during a touching scene is just the limit of early old age, woof!'

'Crawling around on the floor by yourself and completely turning the atmosphere of the waiting room into a nursing home, woof!'

The merciless Judgment Satan (the magic dog's cold hard truth) of the magic dog Tsun pierced my heart sharply!

Regrettable...!!

I suppressed the intense pain in my back deep in my gut, and while crawling, I strongly chanted the first physical blade (my own axis) in my heart!

'Activate...!'

Peaceful Sanctuary (Momentary Realm of Respite)!!

03: Fake Hope Injection

Enduring the pain, I stood up clumsily and spoke gently to the three of them.

"Thank you for your hard work so late at night."

"Why don't the three of you head home now?"

Then, I spoke directly to Shimizu-san.

"How is their proficiency?"

"Are the two of them doing well?"

Shimizu-san, who had been maintaining an impenetrable barrier, answered with a surprisingly soft smile.

"The two of them are quick learners, and it's a huge help."

"They don't need corrections anymore, and their deletion speed is already on par with mine."

"Mr. Otherworldly, please give them plenty of praise."

Miraculous...!!

With surprise, I offered heartfelt words of encouragement to Hirano-san and Yamaguchi-san.

"That's amazing. As expected of the two aces our school is proud of."

"Please continue to absorb techniques from Shimizu-san so that you can provide perfect guidance to the followers (students) from here on out."

Then, I added one more important report.

"And finally... regarding the home environment of the followers (students) that Hirano-san consulted me about the other day."

"I think I can negotiate with the Heavy Armor Leader (Sponsor) of the strongest guild to secure fluid lifeblood (funding) for environmental support for those followers who cannot afford magic boards (PCs) or autonomous barriers (security environments) for void defense."

So, please proceed with your preparations without worry.

Astonishing...!!

This is information I haven't secured for certain yet.

One wrong step and it becomes a lie.
However, wanting to encourage them as they fight in such a fragile mental state, I intentionally threw out words of hope.

The two of them brightened up instantly and replied with expressions of genuine relief.

Really! That's such a relief!

It's our turn to do our best now!

Hearing their words, I recalled the past pain they suffered while being oppressed by the cold-hearted witches (female leaders).

Those days in the dark break room, always watching their expressions and working in fear.

Now, that has changed into expressions filled with a strong will to carve out their own future.

You might be anxious, but I will definitely make that promise a reality.

Just keep working on the tasks in front of you steadily, at your current pace, without rushing.

The two of them nodded strongly at those words.

While I found them reliable, I also chewed on the heavy responsibility (cross) that these words I had uttered would bring.

If the withdrawal of the fluid lifeblood (funds) from the heavy-armored leader (sponsor) fails, I will be plunging their smiles back into the depths of despair.

I absolutely cannot lose.

I loudly chanted the second physical blade (my own axis) in my heart!

Come forth...!

Fake Hope Injection!

When things aren't going well, you start with what you can do.

If you don't build things up one by one, no matter how unglamorous, the future beyond that will never come to be.

With that strong resolve in my heart, I returned to my room and began to continue working on the magic design documents (materials) from earlier.

04: Shadow Intention Analysis

In the silence of the dead of night.

Only the pale blue light of the magic board (PC) eerily illuminated my exhausted face.

As I poured the cold, pitch-black awakening water (coffee) down my throat, my thoughts returned to the meeting at Aoki Industries earlier.

The unsettling words Elder Samejima (executive) uttered at the end.

'You really shouldn't be so greedy.'

I stopped my hand and calmly turned my thoughts over.

The sound of giant gears grinding echoed in my brain.

Let's try thinking from Samejima's perspective.

Regarding the darkness (corruption) of General Instructor Ito (department manager) this time, how would Samejima think to handle it to gain the maximum benefit for their faction?

First, what happens after Ito falls from grace?

By covering up this matter internally so it doesn't become public, Ito's position (department manager) will become vacant.

Senior Instructor Shinoda (section chief), who provided the information, likely won't get it.

He is still just a section chief.

In the rigid hierarchy of the strongest guild (large corporation), jumping over the division manager to become a department manager all at once is impossible unless there is an extreme emergency.

Another supply commander (division manager) under Samejima's influence will likely be promoted and take that seat.

It seems likely that Shinoda is aiming squarely for that vacant 'Supply Commander (Section Chief)' position.

Is Samejima's own goal, taking this opportunity, to expand the influence of his faction within the Logic Configuration Array (Design Department) or the Outer Covenant Supply Array (Procurement Department)?

Or is he using this as a stepping stone to aim for an even higher position?

I chanted the third Physical Blade (Self-Axis) strongly in my heart!

'Activate...!'

Shadow Intention Analyze!!

A power struggle where blood washes away blood, writhing within the massive trash game (corporate organization).

However, no matter how you look at it, there is no point in deliberating without the scrolls (data) of reliable internal information.

If I act on speculation alone, I will be tripped up and surely suffer a fatal wound.

To know the enemy's true objective and seize the initiative in this endless death game, further causal extraction (information gathering) from the deeper layers is essential.

I decided to take a 'bold action' to uncover the truth behind this massive darkness.

The gears of fate had begun to turn mercilessly.

Now, to the next floor.

[Next Episode Preview: Dungeon Floor 83]

To uncover the true intentions of Aoki Industry, the Otherworldly Uncle launches a bold undercover investigation!

The factional strife writhing deep within the enemy's bosom and Elder Samejima's terrifying ambitions gradually come to light!

Meanwhile, the Magic Sorceresses continue their limit-breaking training for the full-scale launch of the work-from-home system!

Caught in the vortex of an unpredictable power struggle, is Uncle's MP once again on the verge of depletion!?

The next death battle is about to begin!

Don't miss the next floor!

Thank you for staying with me until the end.

[Notice]

The Other-Dimensional Uncle's Magic Tool Shop has been renewed!!

New forbidden books and magic tools for clearing daily trash games are now on sale at affordable prices!!
Magic tools from the Other-Dimensional Uncle's perspective that you absolutely cannot get anywhere else are now listed!!
A collection of gems to liberate you from unreasonable trash games!!👇️👇️👇️👇️

[Welcome to the Abyss of the Labyrinth]

The survival strategy of a man who was forced to log out of this "trash game (society)", starting at 1,100 yen per hour.

Only those with resolve should turn the next page.

Adventurers who want to explore all the way to the current lowest level of this dungeon at once, click here👇️👇️

Click here for the Other-Dimensional Uncle's self-introduction👇️👇️