Tokyo First Dungeon—Located in what was once called Shibuya, it was the most difficult dungeon in Tokyo, and also the one responsible for the highest number of casualties during past Monster Disasters.
A labyrinth-type dungeon, Tokyo First Dungeon changed its structure every single day, meaning that any map was only valid for that day alone. That constant shifting was a major reason why no one had ever cleared it.
And now—Inari stood before the heavily fortified entrance.
"Honestly, we'd like to come with you, but… at Tokyo’s First Dungeon level, we’d just be dead weight."
"Yeah, that’s why we make a living by taking contracts from Japan HQ instead."
Maruyama elbowed Takui, making him grunt, but Inari simply thought: “They really are a good team.”
More importantly, dragging them along would only have made things harder. After all—this dungeon was leaking an absolutely overwhelming power.
Probably, just like the abandoned village, if someone tried to destroy the gate, they'd have to be ready to blow away all of Shibuya with it.
“What terrifying might. Can mankind truly believe it can control such a thing…?”
Even so, Inari couldn't simply destroy this dungeon either. The system itself had issued warnings.
In short—she would have to tackle this head-on, by the "proper" means.
"Mm. Very well then, I shall proceed."
"W-Wait a second! What about weapons? You don't even have armor!"
"Hmm? Ah, I have my own… Kogetsu."
As Inari called out, Kogetsu materialized in her hand in its sword form. Its unleashed divine presence alone made Maruyama and Takui flinch back.
With something like that, she obviously needed no further equipment. The sheer force radiating from Kogetsu made that clear.
"That's… that's an incredible sword… I can feel it just by looking!"
"Unbelievable! She had something like that up her sleeve!"
Amid their astonished murmurs, Inari turned away without hesitation and stepped into the dungeon’s gate.
Beyond the gate was a maze of stone walls—and a dense, suffocating smell of death.
"Agh. Tsk. This place reeks of corruption. No wonder thou art so restless, Kogetsu."
Suddenly—Two goblin-like monsters wearing red caps leapt at her from the walls and ceiling.
Redcaps.
These weren’t mere goblins; their physical prowess was on an entirely different level. Said to even wield magic, they swung small swords as they closed in.
And in the next instant—Inari severed both of their heads with a single swipe of Kogetsu.
"Fast, indeed. But unfortunate for thee, I need not see to strike. Thy movements are as clear as day."
In truth, Inari’s eyes couldn't keep up with their speed. But understanding their build, their weapons' reach, and their targets' intentions—that alone was enough for her to "place" her slashes precisely where needed.
Still, if monsters like these were appearing from the start… what horrors awaited deeper inside?
Kogetsu still in hand, Inari advanced down the corridor.
"Ohh!?"
A barrage of thick spears—spikes, really—shot out from the walls like a giant’s skewers. They slammed Inari and her conjured barrier hard against the opposite wall.
"What in heavens!? A trap…? Ordinary folk would’ve been turned into shish kebab, surely."
Thanks to her barrier—and the sturdiness of her shrine maiden outfit—Inari was unharmed. But a normal human would almost certainly have died.
The spikes soon retracted into the wall. Visually, the surface returned to looking perfectly ordinary, but Inari narrowed her eyes—
"Hmm. There's a strange flow of power here…"
A hidden mechanism, perhaps.
Still, with no corpses around, maybe the missing team had managed to evade this trap too.
"Not bad," she muttered as she continued walking.
From a crack in the floor, a slime-like monster emerged—an Ooze.
Inari casually unleashed foxfire, burning it to ash.
"Blub-blub-blub…!"
"Not quite an Amoeba, but still annoyingly noisy."
Continuing her advance, Inari casually decapitated another ambushing Redcap without hesitation. Having already determined that cutting off their heads worked, there was no need for mercy.
She didn’t bother picking up the fallen magic stones. Human lives were on the line—that took priority.
Turning the next corner—
"What the—!?"
An enormous boar monster—Stamp Boar—charged straight into her, knocking her off her feet.
But that wasn't all.
On the boar’s back, riding it like a mount, was another Redcap, grinning wickedly.
Inari immediately fired off foxfire, blasting the Redcap out of the air before it could strike.
"Geh—!"
Quickly standing, Inari drew Kogetsu in its bow form.
The Redcap, who had landed atop the boar again, opened its eyes wide—
Already too late.
"Gyaaahhhhh!"
A single shot—and the Redcap and Stamp Boar alike were obliterated in one mighty blast.