Volume 4 Chapter 1 The Dungeon Core And The New S-Rank Beauty Project
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
—The Dungeon Core.
Whoever held one of these could become a millionaire overnight. It was an artifact that allowed a person to set up a Gate anywhere they wished and become a Dungeon Master, creating the entire dungeon as they saw fit.
Cases of discovery, even overseas, were practically non-existent. Even the news about who had obtained one wasn’t shared in Japan. Such was the global rarity of the Dungeon Core. No one knew what kind of luck had come his way, but the person who acquired this item—which had a lower chance of being found than winning the lottery jackpot—was a certain high school student.
* * *
The season was filled with blooming, pink cherry blossoms. Now a third-year high school student, Takanashi Hirose lived his usual life, going to school, attending classes, and then heading home.
”Senpai!”
”Woah… Aoi-chan. Happy enrollment,” Hirose mused, caught off guard. Walking alone down the hallway after school, Suzukawa Aoi, who had only been a third-year middle schooler until recently, came flying toward him and practically dived into his chest. She had been accepted into Hirose’s high school through a sports scholarship.
Time had passed, and Aoi had matured a bit, carrying an unfamiliar, new allure about her. Her medium-length brown hair had grown so long that she now had to wear it in a ponytail just to play basketball. And of course, the chest that had grown larger thanks to Hirose’s Gift was still there.
”How’s Hibiki-senpai doing?” Aoi chimed.
”Oh, we’re planning to meet up later,” Hirose replied.
”Heeeh~ That sounds like fun, but I have club activities now!” she declared with high energy.
”I bet you’ll make the starting lineup right away, Aoi-chan. Go for it.”
”Yes! If I work hard, you’ll give me a reward², right~?” she teased.
”Ahaha… If you work hard, then maybe.”
Slung with her enamel bag, Aoi waved goodbye to Hirose and hurried off toward the gymnasium.
”Whew. I didn’t think Aoi-chan would actually enroll here, though.”
Hirose sighed to himself. He recalled that their school had a strong girls’ basketball team, which was probably a factor. For better or worse, he and Aoi had kept a good relationship since then. She had long since moved on from any awkwardness and was pouring her energy into her club.
His last year of high school had begun, a new chapter, and Hirose had planned to spend it turning over a new leaf. Today was the first step. Hibiki and the others had an important proposal, so they were all gathering at her house.
”Yoo-hoo!” Rindou Hibiki’s cheerful voice called out.
”Yoo-hoo,” Hirose mumbled back.
Standing in the doorway to welcome him into her home was Hibiki herself. Her slightly longer, beautiful peach-colored hair swished as she flashed him a bright, vibrant smile.
Nearly two years had passed since they started dating, but Hirose’s mood remained consistently flat, refusing to be pulled along by Hibiki’s cheerfulness. He almost never got excited unless something truly extraordinary happened. Even in front of people he was used to, yelling out a big “Yoo-hoo!” still felt embarrassing.
”Oh, Hirose-kun, welcome. Thank you for coming.”
”We’ve been waiting for you.”
”Ah… Hello,” Hirose mumbled, stepping into the room.
Waiting inside were four other women. First, Kushima Koharu, a fellow student with long black hair and pale skin. Second, the overwhelming school beauty, Hidou Kirino. Third, Yaginuma Asami, who looked like a cute, foreign doll.
”Hello, Hirose-kun. We look forward to working with you today.”
”Sa—Saori-san!?” Hirose gasped, eyes wide.
The last person, incredibly, was Fuyutsuki Saori, an employee from the Adventurer’s Guild, sitting there with everyone else.
”It looks like everyone is here today.”
”Just come sit down, will ya?” Hibiki urged, waving him over.
Hirose still didn’t understand why five women were gathered in Hibiki’s house. Following Hibiki’s instruction, he sat down at the low table, and the discussion immediately began.
”—Hirose-kun, let’s create a Dungeon!” Kirino announced loudly.
”Eh? Wha—Whaaat!?” Hirose gasped, his eyes widening to their limit in shock. The other four, however, already knew about the plan and showed no such surprise.
”I will handle the explanation,” Saori offered, her large chest jiggling noticeably as she leaned forward.
”You remember the Dungeon Core, don’t you?” she asked.
”Uh… that thing we stole from the captured guild, right?” Hirose clarified.
After Saori had finished her treatment, the criminal guild
”Yes. The ownership of that Dungeon Core currently belongs to all of you. And I’ve been thinking about this constantly ever since.”
”Which is… running a dungeon?”
”I’m relieved you caught on so quickly,” Saori stated.
Hirose was well-versed in anything related to Adventurers. However, the Dungeon Core had always been treated like an urban legend; he knew very little about it, only that it could create a dungeon.
”You’ve helped many people with your Gift, Hirose-kun. But it’s also a fact that you’ve been dragged along by the Recoil effect,” Saori insisted.
”W-Well, that’s true…”
He could argue that the Recoil was the reason he was surrounded by beautiful girls, but he did think it would be tough if the number kept increasing. That’s why he’d been asking Asami and the others for help recently to try and minimize the Recoil’s effects.
”So, this is it! A system to help countless people who are out of your reach, while also ensuring that you, Hirose-kun, are not overwhelmed by the Recoil—that’s the ‘Beauty Dungeon’!”
Saori was unusually passionate, clenching her right hand into a fist as she passionately argued her case.
”Since it’s a dungeon, it will be hard for ordinary people to enter. We can decide later whether to allow Adventurers to bring them in, but… what do you think!?” Saori asked, slamming both hands down on the table with a sharp thud.
”The Recoil is definitely a huge problem… and if I can save people without having to personally get involved, that might really be the best option…” Hirose mused to himself.
”Then—”
”Let’s build a dungeon!” he declared, cutting her off.
”It’s settled, then!!” Saori’s eyes sparkled with joy as she beamed at him.
”—But, when you say that, I have no idea where to even start. Do you guys know?” Hirose wondered.
Hirose’s question was reasonable. The Dungeon Core was so rare globally that its functions could only be figured out if the owner used their ‘Appraisal’ Gift on it.
”We’ve figured out the general functions through Appraisal. It will definitely be a learning process, but—we’ve already had Kirino-san start doing a lot of the groundwork.”
”You have?”
”Yes—I contacted my grandfather and secured his cooperation behind the scenes,” Kirino stated.
”Wow. That’s the granddaughter for you…!” Hirose whispered, impressed.
Kirino had used her biggest card—her grandfather, Hidou Genroku—to consult on how to handle the Dungeon Core. Though surprised at first, her grandfather agreed to help on the condition that his granddaughter was involved and that the project remained under surveillance.
”Then, I’ll explain step-by-step what we need to do from here on out—” Kirino began.
The content of Kirino’s explanation was roughly as follows:
* Deciding the location for the Gate.
* Designing the depth and layout of the floors.
* Setting up traps and placing monsters.
* Determining the method for granting the Beauty Skill to the traversers.
* Setting admission fees and usage conditions.
* Advertising.
These were the six main steps. Apparently, everything except deciding the Gate’s location and the floor layouts could be done in any order.
”—So the first thing is deciding where to put the Gate, then,” Hirose concluded.
”We’ve already narrowed down the candidates for that,” Saori offered.
Saori produced a paper document and spread it on the table.
”The locations are those that aren’t too far from the center of Tokyo, won’t bother the surrounding residents, and the land is owned by the government,” she explained.
The document showed a map centered on Tokyo with several circles marked. Even without looking closely, the pattern of the candidates was immediately clear.
”They’re all riverbanks along the Tama River³…?” Hirose questioned.
”Yes. And they’re places where the likelihood of people entering is low.”
”…Hibiki, do you have any thoughts on which one looks best?” Hirose asked.
Hirose stared intently at the map but honestly had no idea which spot was best. He decided to ask Hibiki.
”Why not just pick the place closest to school?” Hibiki suggested simply.
”No, that’s where the Adventurer entrance Gate will be set up. That’s separate from the Gate that leads into the Master Room, which is the first room created when the Dungeon Core is activated,” Saori corrected.
”What’s that!?”
—The Master Room.
According to the Appraisal, the first room created when the Dungeon Core is activated is called the Master Room. This room is the control center for building the dungeon. Furthermore, a separate Gate can be installed to allow access in and out of this Master Room.
”Hmm. Well, why don’t we just put that one in your house, Hirose, since you’re the Master?” Hibiki proposed.
”…I don’t mind, but… is that okay?” Hirose hesitated.
”I have no problem with it,” Hibiki replied.
”Me neither,” Kirino affirmed.
”Ah, me too…” Asami whispered timidly.
”I also see no issue,” Saori agreed.
It was a unanimous decision.
”Alright, so the Master Room Gate goes into Hirose’s house. For the Adventurer-only Gate, the closest spot is still the best, right?” Hibiki declared.
”What do you all think?” Hirose asked, looking around at the other four women. They all nodded in agreement.
”Then it’s settled! The location is—Tama City. That’s where the Gate will be set up!” Hibiki’s optimistic opinion sealed the deal on the Gate’s location: Tama City, Tokyo.
—
Summary:
The start of the fourth chapter sees protagonist Takanashi Hirose beginning his final year of high school, marked by an energetic reunion with basketball player Suzukawa Aoi. But the central plot is a bold, high-stakes Urban Fantasy proposition: to use the rare Dungeon Core they acquired to create the ‘Beauty Dungeon’—a plan spearheaded by Adventurer Guild employee Fuyutsuki Saori and the strategic Hidou Kirino. The goal is to create a system that can help people with Hirose’s Gift, but without the chaotic Recoil effect overwhelming him. The group quickly decides to set up the main Adventurer Gate in Tama City, Tokyo, with the all-important Master Room Gate placed in Hirose’s own home.
—
Character Insight:
Hirose remains his predictably low-key self, even as he’s pulled into a world-changing fantasy project, highlighting his internal struggle to manage his S-Rank Beauty Gift and its troublesome Recoil. His quiet relief at finding a way to help people without personal involvement shows his desire for a normal life despite the extraordinary circumstances. Kirino’s actions, having already secured the political help of her powerful grandfather, establish her as the group’s confident, decisive strategist and demonstrate the high-level commitment of the girls to protect and support Hirose.
—
Behind the Scene:
The scene is a critical transition point from a simple, personal harem comedy dynamic to a Dungeon Management Urban Fantasy adventure. The setting in Hibiki’s cozy home is a deliberate contrast to the world-shaking power of the Dungeon Core being discussed on the low table. The immediate agreement by all the girls to place the secret Master Room Gate in Hirose’s house reinforces their unanimous loyalty and trust in him.
—
T/L:
2 Reward: Aoi’s playful and teasing use of the word suggests she expects affection or a romantic gesture, emphasizing her affectionate relationship with Hirose. ↩
3 Tama River: A major river that flows through Tokyo and Kanagawa Prefectures, a recognizable landmark in the real-world setting. ↩
Notes:
• Suzukawa Aoi – 15-year-old, 3rd-year middle schooler, ace of basketball club. Have brown bob cut. She overhears Hayato admitting he prefers ‘big boobs,’ causing her deep distress over her A-cup size.
• Rindou Hibiki – Hirose’s cheerful, bold classmate who is the first to request his Beauty skill. Hibiki (F, pink bob hair, 158cm, F-cup) is outgoing, expressive about her interests, and quickly becomes Hirose’s girlfriend after an explicitly intimate scene. Her reactions help set the adult tone of the story.
• Kushima Koharu – A reserved, literature-loving girl (F, 156cm, G-cup, black braid) who struggles with family problems, including bruises and emotional stress. She experiences dramatic physical and emotional improvements after Hirose’s skill use, revealing a hidden wild side during explicit nighttime encounters.
• Yaginuma Asami – 16-year-old 1st-year, many inherited/stacking gifts, stores items, reflects attacks, teleports, resists conditions, mixed Japanese-English.
• Kirino – Strikingly beautiful with blue long hair (F, 168cm), Kirino is gifted with ice magic and feels isolated because of her appearance. Hirose’s Beauty skill helps her improve her self-image and social comfort, directly affecting Kirino’s relationship with her family and classmates.
• Fuyutsuki Saori – A guild staff member who possesses the ‘Appraisal’ Gift. She is called in to assess Asumi’s critical condition, identifies the injury as a magical curse, and reveals that Hirose might be the only one who can cure it, despite the professional risk to herself.
• Genroku – Kirino’s grandfather (M, 74yo, short white hair, 182cm), president of the Adventurer Guild. Though intimidating, he is deeply caring for Kirino, protecting her throughout the narrative. His body looks much younger and is absurdly muscular, causing his suit to strain. He is fiercely, boisterously affectionate towards his granddaughter. He causes a major scene when he sees Kirino.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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