Years ago—-
Han was walking through the streets of Tokyo, looking around at the people and shops around him. Kiyoshi walked by his side, pointing to a ramen shop.
"Hey, Han, you wanna check this out?" Kiyoshi wondered. "They're selling this new spicy ramen variant. I heard it's so hot it'll burn right through your tongue!"
"They just put that propaganda to make you buy their food," Han shrugged. "Seriously, do you fall for everything people tell you?"
"Wait right here, I'll buy two cups! Then, we'll see if it's a scam."
Kiyoshi ran into the ramen shop while Han waited, sighing to himself. While he did so, a news feed popped up, showing a feed of Kitakyushu, with Atsushi and Yuka emerging from its dungeon gates, covered in wounds.
"Breaking news!" a female reporter announced. "Kaidanchō Sunahara and Kaidanchō Natori have emerged from the Kitakyushu Dungeon alive!"
Yuka wiped the sweat from her brow. "Barely alive."
"Do you reporters never miss a raid?" Atsushi questioned.
"Nope!" the reporter giggled. "Anyway, how was it? Did you manage to level up?"
"Yes," Atsushi nodded. "But it's not for the weak. Only once every five years can someone ascend using this system. Many have died trying."
The two Kaidanchō left, leaving the reporter to stare at the collapsing gate. "What's in the Kitakyushu Dungeon? We may never know..."
Han watched as the feed cut out. "I wish I could become a Kaitansha...the dungeons have so much untapped potential! Unfortunately, this good-for-nothing Jugen power caps me. I'll be dead in seconds..."
Kiyoshi exited the ramen shop, handing Han a cup. "Here, dude! I've got us some extra-large ones. Gotta get the money's worth, am I right?"
"Uh-huh."
Kiyoshi immediately dug into his food, and after one sip, he dropped the cup, grabbing his throat. "Ahh! Damn! They weren't lying! Shit...am I turning red?"
Han watched Kiyoshi, sipping his own ramen. "You're overreacting. This thing's barely the same heat as your average pepper."
"Are you CRAZY?"
Han finished the rest of his ramen as Kiyoshi handed his cup to Han. "Here, you...can have this. Seems you've got hella heat tolerance, dude."
Han took the ramen. "So, are we done playing explore the town, or do you want to masquerade as a tourist for a bit longer?"
"Meh. I was gonna try and head into a dungeon, but Mom says no dungeon clearing on weekdays."
"My mom won't even allow the thought of becoming a Kaitansha. Says it's the top career killer for young men."
Kiyoshi gave his shoulder a playful shove. "That would require you to have a career, dude. Don't they bug any of your siblings?"
"Don't have any."
"Oh."
Han checked his phone. "32 missed calls from Mom. Ugh. Sorry, man. I've gotta go again."
Han began to leave, but Kiyoshi stopped him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Alright, but listen here, dude, one of these days, you've gotta hone your skills. Get good enough, and a division might pick you up.
"Wishful thinking," Han shrugged. "But thanks."
Kiyoshi watched as Han left, giving a sad smile before turning away.
"Man, I really hope he makes it. Dude's always so deadpan unless he's talking about dungeon hunting."
Kiyoshi briefly held out his hand, and a cube formed within it. "I wonder if he can develop a different form of Jugen..."
Later that day, Han was sitting at the table, while his mother and father were busy reading newspapers.
"How was school, son?" his dad asked.
"Same as ever," Han replied. "I aced my test, turned in all my homework five days early, and got the best grade on my natural worm growth project."
"Ah, so that would put you on a trajectory to a good college, no?" his mom remarked. "Great! Get your degree in law school or medicine, and from there you can become a prolific lawyer! Or even better, a doctor!"
"Yeah, yeah," Han muttered. "Say, what do you think about Kaitansha, Mom?"
His mom immediately dropped her cup.
"Son! We've been over this a thousand times! Being a Kaitansha is NOT a good career job! No! Never! I refuse it!"
"But the pay is just as good as being a doctor!"
"It's also ten times as dangerous, son," his father explained. "The things that dwell in those labyrinths are inhuman, hungry, and feral. That's not all. Rumors have it that an entire division disappeared mysteriously with no trace after exiting one."
"You're no fighter, son," his mom added. "You're smart! Not tough! Leave the battling to those blessed with physical power, like Sir Nyugawa."
"But Mr. Nyugawa has been retired for like...5 years now," Han pointed out.
"The point still stands. No dungeon clearing, young man. None."
"Whatever."
Han looked out the window, where we saw Kiyoshi giving him a wave as the latter walked down the street.
"Kiyoshi..."
Han got up and went to his room.
〈Boy must wake up. It is time for the boy to wake up.〉
Karuizawa, Japan—
Han opened his eyes, finding himself outside. Omariro and Sōshin were standing next to him, while Leviathan, Behemoth, and Ziz hovered nearby.
"Master...?" Han questioned. "I'm...alive?"
"Land Beast saved boy's life," Omariro stated.
"It was of no consequence," Behemoth replied. "I've found my original self once more—saving land creatures."
Han quickly got up, stumbling. "What? The Land Beast? Sir, isn't he gonna kill us all?"
Sōshin caught him. "No worries, Friend Han! Land Beast is good now! And we've got the Sky and Sea Beasts!"
Han looked around, confused. "Wait...you guys did it? What am I saying...with Mr. Nyugawa, of course you did."
Han turned to Omariro, noticing his frail state. "Sir? What the hell? You look...unhealthy!"
Omariro coughed. "Body has taken significant damage. Must be healed."
Han rubbed his arm. "Sir...I just want to apologize again for the mess I've made. I know the girls probably don't want to see my face ever again."
Sōshin patted him on the back. "They made sure you were okay, Friend! They only left once you started breathing normally!"
"They...did?"
Sōshin nodded. "They still don't want to be around you, though! But they haven't said many bad things about you!"
"That's about the best I can hope for, then."
Omariro slowly walked toward the house, which Han noticed was fixed. "Is that also the Land Beast's doing?"
"Beast has many uses."
"There's the at utilitarian tone again," Leviathan lamented. "Some things never change."
Behemoth sat down on the ground, resting. "With freedom now in my grasp, I shall not complain."
Ziz stretched his wings. "Indeed, one has not seen such a boundless sky in decades."
Han looked at the beasts. "This might take some getting used to..."
"Wait till you see what's inside!" Sōshin giggled.
Sōshin led Han into the house behind Omariro, and the first thing Han saw when he entered the room was Emeru, in blob form, bringing meat to a cage with a larger slime blob inside. Han immediately stopped. "Wait. What the hell is this?"
"I asked the same thing," the slime replied. "Death would be more preferable."
Emeru immediately shifted to her humanoid form. "Han! You're okay!"
She quickly lunged and grabbed him. "You are going to be okay, right? Are you still well enough to feed me? To clean me? You know, just like you used to?"
"Erm, Emeru, what is in that cage?"
"My brother!" she announced. "We put him in a cage that uses Mr. Omariro's Kōbisha Jugen! Once he starts behaving, we can hang out like real siblings again!"
Han stopped. "Wait, you let a Mujinsha inside? Sir, is this safe?"
"Land Beast thought same," Omariro replied. "Slime will be managed, or slime shall be sealed."
Emeru walked over to Emerald's cage. "He'll be good! I promise!"
"Let me out of this cage," he hissed.
"Remind me to stay away from the living room," Han worried.
"Don't trouble yourself," Emerald scoffed. "I'll break free, slaughter you all, and teach my insubordinate little sister a lesson."
Emeru tapped her knuckles on the cage. "Hey! No violent talk, okay? Mr. Omariro doesn't like that!"
"You think I care?"
Han walked upstairs, where Rei was busy massaging Nonoka's shoulders in her room. As he walked past their door, both of them shot him a look before resuming their activities.
"Huh," Han thought. "That didn't look like hate. But it also wasn't friendly. Sheesh, is that how I really used to look?"
He bumped into Zaria, who stared directly at him.
"Han," she muttered.
"Zaria?" he questioned.
She walked around him, not saying another word. Han scratched his head. "At least she didn't hit me..."
He walked over to his room door and briefly stared into Rika's room. Rika was sitting on her bed, looking at family photos. The moment she noticed Han, she sized him up, an unreadable expression on her face.
"Hi...Rika..."
She walked up slowly, staring at him for a little while longer before closing her door.
"Well," Han noted. "Maybe Sōshin was right. It's a step in the right direction."
He walked into his room, noticing the picture of Kiyoshi atop his desk.
"Sorry, man. I know I haven't done you proud lately. But I'll be better, I promise."
Later—-
Zaria walked down, looking around. "Sir? I wanted to know if you could tell us the truth now! About what you are and where you came from!"
There was no response. Emeru was sleeping in the corner next to Emerald, who stared at Zaria with an annoyed look.
"The old bat's outside," Emerald told her. "Apparently his form was destabilizing."
"What? The hell? Girls! Sōshin! Get down here!"
The rest of the group quickly ran down the stairs as Emeru woke up. "Mmm...?"
"Yes, Zaria?" Rika asked. "I was trying to sleep."
"We need to check on Master, right now! I think he's in trouble!"
The group headed outside the house, and Han watched them leave before following a good distance behind.
Outside they could see the three beasts surrounding what appeared to be Omariro, who had dark energy bursting off of him in waves.
"Is he stable?" Leviathan wondered.
"One believes so," Ziz replied.
"He needs space," Behemoth insisted.
The beasts stepped back just as the kids arrived. When they got close enough, they saw Omariro, but immediately...
...something was off.
"S—sir?" Zaria gasped.
A teenage-looking Omariro stood up, using a walker to support himself. The kids all stared at him, stunned.
"Friend Omariro, what happened?" Sōshin worried.
"You...you look like you're our age!" Han blurted out.
"His body has aged far beyond any mortal body can withstand," Leviathan told them. "It's done a hard reset, granting him a young body with the same old-man pain. It will happen again, and again, until the end of time."
"That sounds like a cursed existence," Han lamented. "Sir's gonna have to get old and then young with an old body forever?"
Behemoth nodded. "The curse of the Old World."
"Well, we've just got to support Friend Omariro as much as it takes, right, friends?"
Han and Sōshin turned toward the girls, pausing when they noticed the blush on all of their faces.
"Oh," Han realized. "That."
"What?" Sōshin inquired. "Why do friends look...possessed?"
Rika quickly rubbed her face. "What? No! We're fine! It's nothing!"
Nonoka nodded. "Yeah! Course."
"We're perfectly okay!" Rei assured.
"It's just..." Zaria admitted. "Sir, I've got to be 100% honest..."
The girls immediately crowded him, including Emeru.
"You look so amazing, Mr. Omariro!" Emeru announced. "You're like...the best-looking human I've seen! Please don't tell my brother I said that, he'll kill me!"
All of them began tugging on Omariro's body leaving a confused Sōshin to stare at them.
"Friend Han, what's going on?"
"Uh...this isn't my forte. Now I'm really regretting that I forced myself to kiss Zaria."
"Wait, what?"
"Nothing!"
Omariro teleported away, causing the girls to collapse into one another.
"Aww," Emeru groaned. "He got away..."
"How long do you think Master's gonna look like that?" Nonoka questioned. "Just...you know...for informational purposes."
Behemoth grunted. "Even now, land creatures have no shame."
Inside—-
Omariro walked inside the house using his walker, noticing Emerald inside his cage.
"Lucky you," Emerald murmured. "My sister seems to be infatuated with you. All that power and fame seem to be coming back, eh?"
Omariro ignored him as he sat down and turned on a golf channel, but before he could even begin watching, another knock could be heard at the door.
"Hmm."
"Maybe that's the Mujinsha," Emerald taunted. "Hopefully it is."
Omariro went over and opened the door, and as soon as he did...
...he found the Abyss Lord standing there.
"Hmm?"
"Master," the Abyss Lord chuckled. "It's been so long, hasn't it?"
Omariro immediately formed his blade, but the Abyss Lord held up a hand. "No need to attack, no? I just wanted to talk, student to master."
Omariro watched as the man took off his helmet and as soon as he did, it caught Omariro off guard.
"...Itsuki..."
——