The emergence of dungeon gates, the worldwide monster disasters, and the arrival of awakeners—those gifted with power.
Since then, it was not wrong to divide history roughly into the “old era” and the “new era.” Everything had changed from that point.
Transportation changed. Science became entangled with mysterious forces. Companies, governments—everything shifted. The world itself transformed.
More than that, a world once visible to the farthest reaches through science had returned to “a step ahead is darkness.” Even the oceans could no longer be mapped. Aquatic monsters had rendered it impossible.
Submarines, for example, became prime prey. Fire a sonar ping, and aquatic monsters sensed it instantly, swarming like a tidal wave.
Thus, seafood became much more expensive than before, while poachers came and went. (And the reason they “went” was simple—they were eaten.) But that aside—
In short, Earth’s oceans were now literal chaos. Probe blindly, and one never knew what might emerge.
—For instance, here is one story. When countless monsters spilled forth from Shizuoka Dungeon No.1 during the disaster, where did they go?
—Were they not defeated?
—Indeed. But there were eyewitness accounts of a boss monster different from the ‘Mega Rock Golem.’ Perhaps even a higher-ranking, or at least different, kind of boss appeared at that time.
Reports of a “giant golem” shaped with lifelike precision—like a human carved of stone—remained only in the testimony of a few survivors. The subjugation forces and the crowds of civilians had confirmed no such thing. Later expeditions into Shizuoka Dungeon No.1 found nothing like it either. The accepted belief became that it was a misperception born of terror.
But, recent discoveries overturned that.
—Colossus’s Crown, and the Belt. These two were listed at the awakener-only auction.
—Colossus?
—A giant statue, a titan… that is the meaning. In short, a humanoid stone giant.
—Then…
—Yes. Proof has surfaced of the monster once dismissed as nonexistent.
The program staff contacted the Japan Headquarters of the Awakener Association, which managed the auctions, but were refused any answer under the Awakener Basic Treaty. They also asked for contact with the seller—again refused. In effect, zero response.
—A zero response…?
—The Association likely does not want to touch the matter. A boss monster possibly lurking in the ocean?
—In the ocean?
—Merely a possibility. A statue-like monster would not need to breathe. If this ‘Colossus’ truly appeared in Atami at the time, it may simply have gone into the sea afterward. That is the implication.
—A frightening thought. But what is this “Awakener Basic Treaty”?
The Awakener Basic Treaty. It was the strictest international agreement ever, signed by every nation. In short: “Governments may place no restrictions on awakeners’ actions.”
It bound countries that had once driven awakeners abroad—or considered doing so. In effect, it was humanity’s declaration of defeat to awakeners.
And it also covered “authority over information.” Which meant: if the Association chose not to disclose something, then it would never be disclosed.
—I see… but doesn’t that leave everyone uneasy?
—Ultimately, only awakeners can fight if something happens. Or rather, the only reason nothing happens right now is because awakeners are risking their lives in some dungeon at this very moment. So yes, there is reason not to stir needless fear. After all, the dangers of the sea hardly need repeating.
Yes—the sea was now the most dangerous place on Earth. Anything might lie within. Anything might emerge.
Yet still, people dreamed of reclaiming it someday, carrying that wish into the future.
“…What is this program?”
“Probably trying to skate the line right before the Association files a complaint,” Akai said with a wry smile to Inari, who pointed at the commercial break on the screen.
Such things happened now and then—taking a huge theme, sneaking in the message they wanted, then patching over it with reassurances near the end. Too blatant would cause problems, especially now that awakeners served as idols and actors, so producers had to tread carefully.
“Still, this ‘Korossasu’ business—that’s my story, isn’t it?”
“Exactly. Someone must have leaked information… but it won’t go further than this.”
The auction was public knowledge. But as for who had slain the Colossus—the Association would never let that leak. At most, people could speculate. It would never be confirmed. That was simply how the world now worked.
“Well, enough of that! More importantly… it’s finally finished!”