Volume 1 Chapter 7
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”If I press the pressure point on my waist… I can use the (Pressure Point) skill… Okay, but what does that even mean?” I muttered to myself.
On that day, I was so caught up in the sheer joy of the skill actually activating that I completely forgot to verify its effects. But the important thing isn’t just that it works—it’s what it actually does.
I figured I might learn something if I asked Rin-sensei, since she was the one I actually hit with it, but… just as she said, the [Dungeon Job] acquisition rush had taken over the academy. The “Appraisal Room” where she worked was constantly mobbed, with lines stretching out the door. Ever since that day, I hadn’t been able to catch even a glimpse of her. It looked like it would be a while before we could talk again.
”Well, at least I’ve got the ‘Phase Zero’ practical today. It’s been a while…” I said.
Ever since the first time my skill triggered, my Dungeon Energy had been so depleted that using it again was impossible. However, Dungeon Energy recovers relatively quickly inside a dungeon. As long as I could get into ‘Phase Zero,’ I’d be able to test that skill once more.
I still didn’t know what kind of effect that (Pressure Point) Job Skill actually had, but I was sure I’d figure it out once I tested it on my own body.
”Yo, Kanade! You look like you’re raring to go!” Youta called out.
”Yeah, Youta! Look, both my [Job] and my (Skill) are still total mysteries, right? I’m planning to finally clear all that up in today’s class!” I replied.
”Heck yeah! I’m certain your skill is gonna be a huge asset for dungeon crawling, Kanade. I believe in you!” he said.
”Thanks, Youta! I really want to keep up with you and the rest of the class,” I added.
By the time class had ended that day, everyone in the room had obtained a [Dungeon Job]. Most of my classmates were ecstatic, their joy practically exploding over the roles they’d landed.
Vanguard types, long-range attackers, physical builds, magic users… though the types varied, almost everyone had acquired one of the [Common Jobs]—the kind said to be ideal for conquering dungeons.
While it’s rare to get a standout ability from a [Common Job], they provide a stable foundation of power that ensures you’ll have no trouble functioning in a dungeon. To put it in pre-dungeon era terms, it’s like these kids just landed a job at a Fortune 500 company.
But, as I said, that was most of them. There were a few who didn’t land a [Common Job].
While I was the only one who managed to pull a [Unique Job]—a true rarity among rarities—there were several others who pulled [Rare Jobs].
In pre-dungeon terms, a [Rare Job] is like being an entrepreneur. Some people strike it rich by leveraging their specialized abilities; others find that their skills don’t fit the times and go bankrupt in an instant. Essentially, it’s a Dungeon Job that puts you on a razor’s edge between heaven and hell.
And among those Jobs, there was one person who had pulled a glaring “miss.”
”…Man, I can’t believe the Class President 1 pulled a ‘dud’ job like that,” someone whispered.
”Yeah… [Sage] definitely fits her intellectual vibe, but that (Job Skill) is a nightmare…” another student agreed.
The [Sage]. Just as the name implies, it is thought to be a profession that can master a wide variety of magic skills.
The reason I say “is thought” is because once you actually take the [Sage] job, you can’t actually trigger that vital (Job Skill). People say it’s because the Dungeon Energy required for activation is simply too massive.
That holds true even for the basic skills in ‘Phase Zero.’ Someone stuck with the [Sage] job essentially has zero specialized combat abilities. In ‘Phase One,’ they’re forced to fight using nothing but their raw physical strength. It’s a far more brutal handicap than it sounds, and the current reality is that no one who pulls the [Sage] skill ever continues as a Dungeon Explorer.
”Not to sound like a d**k, but… isn’t this a chance for you, Kanade? It’s not like you actually wanted to dive into dungeons with the Class President anyway, right?” Youta asked.
”I mean, true… but man, I didn’t expect that pretty-boy prick to dump her so ruthlessly,” I said.
Indeed. The Class President, now saddled with a “dud” job, had been dumped by that handsome scumbag right in front of the entire class—a scene straight out of a fiancé-cancellation in a villainess novel. Even if they were going to break up, he could have handled it with a little more grace.
Since then, the Class President had been in a total slump, often sitting alone in the classroom with a despondent look on her face.
Aside from her terrible taste in men, the Class President was perfect and popular. Naturally, plenty of classmates worried about her, but the timing was the real issue. Everyone was so busy testing their new [Dungeon Jobs] and figuring out their (Job Skills) that they couldn’t afford to spend all their time babysitting her.
And so…
”I’m gonna go talk to her for a bit,” I told him.
”Alright! Good luck, Kanade!” Youta encouraged.
I made my way toward the Class President, who was sitting all by herself in the corner of the room.
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Summary:
Kanade prepares for a ‘Phase Zero’ practical training session to test his new (Pressure Point) skill, which he has been unable to use due to low energy. The chapter establishes the social hierarchy of ‘Jobs,’ comparing Common Jobs to stable corporate employment and Rare Jobs to risky entrepreneurship. Amidst the class’s excitement, it is revealed that the popular Class President pulled the ‘Sage’ job—a known trap that grants power at an unusable energy cost. Humiliated and dumped by her boyfriend, she is left isolated until Kanade decides to approach her. This sets the stage for a potential alliance between two individuals with non-standard, misunderstood abilities.
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Trivia:
* The ‘Sage’ job is explicitly noted as a ‘miss’ because of energy costs, but the phrasing ‘it is thought’ suggests the protagonist suspects there is more to the role than common knowledge dictates.
* Kanade’s own ‘Unique Job’ remains unnamed and mysterious, paralleling the President’s predicament.
* The mention of ‘Phase Zero’ providing faster recovery suggests the training session will be the first real combat demonstration of the Tenketsu mechanics
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Character Insight:
Kanade shows a shift from self-absorption to external empathy, choosing to approach the disgraced Class President when others are too busy with their own success. Youta functions as the ‘bro’ archetype, providing social validation to Kanade’s unconventional path. The Class President’s fall from grace from ‘perfect popular girl’ to ‘despondent loner’ creates a power vacuum and an emotional hook for Kanade to step in.
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Lore And Worldbuilding Context:
The world uses a ‘Dungeon Energy’ system that dictates skill usage. Jobs are categorized by rarity (Common, Rare, Unique) and role (Vanguard, Magic, etc.). The ‘Sage’ job is a classic ‘High-Spec, High-Cost’ trap, where the skill floor is too high for beginners to reach, effectively rendering them ‘jobless’ in terms of combat utility in the early phases.
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TL Notes:
The text references the ‘Villainess’ trope (Akuyaku Reijou), specifically the ‘Engagment Annulment’ scene, which is a staple of modern Japanese web novels. The translation uses corporate analogies (Fortune 500) to localize the author’s use of ‘First-rate companies’ (Ichiryuu Kigyou) to convey social status.
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Glossary:
Notes:
• Rin – Voluptuous‑figured teacher in a crisp white lab coat, high Dungeon Infiltration Degree, serves as academy staff in the Appraisal Room and mentors students. She was the first to feel Kanade’s skill’s effects.
• Kanade – Small‑statured academy student with a Unique Job—Vital Point Master/Pressure Point—who’s analytical, determined to reach Phase One, and supportive of the Class President despite doubts about his skill. He admires the President, has a crush on Mana, and feels competitive with Kosaka, while cynically viewing the government’s National Citizenry classes and his peers.
• Youta – Kanade’s energetic classmate and friend, an upbeat student who believes in her potential, recently earned a Dungeon Job (Heavy Warrior) and leads dungeon explorations. He’s the first to sense Kanade’s awakening, supportive and enthusiastic about her growth.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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