The world invaded by 'Living Dead' fell into chaos.
Saeko Busujima, Rei Miyamoto, and others, feeling uneasy about the future, accepted Asuna's suggestion and decided to set off for Orario.
So everyone got back into the vehicle, with Shizuka Marikawa in the driver's seat.
Because there was one more person, it was much more crowded than before, so Chen Hai was sandwiched between Asuna and Yako... Not long after, the body heat of the two girls dissipated, and Chen Hai, now free, got out of the car.
Fujimi High School was as silent as when they left.
The originally violent and frenzied 'Living Dead' had all been instantly killed by Chen Hai, making this place ironically the safest spot in the city.
However, the destination of this trip was located halfway up the back mountain of the academy.
That was the 'dimensional gate' connecting the Dungeon to the other world.
The Takagi Mother and Daughter carried their suitcases and set foot on the not-so-flat path, a hint of unease on their faces.
They knew of Chen Hai and Asuna's strength, but they weren't sure if their choice was the right one.
If another world truly existed, was it really safe there?
But now there seemed to be no other option... In contrast, Shizuka Marikawa was quite enjoying this unusual 'outing'.
She occasionally observed nearby flowers, and occasionally removed weeds stuck to Rei Miyamoto's skirt.
She was a typical natural character, an optimist, and had the 'clumsy girl' trope.
"I remember it's just ahead."
Saeko Busujima suddenly spoke.
Her fated encounter that would change her destiny was not far ahead.
And indeed it was.
Asuna, who was leading the way, soon slowed her pace and stopped on a platform halfway up the mountain. Behind her was a bench, and in front was the dimensional gate connecting to 'Dungeon Floor 17'.
"It actually exists..."
Yuriko Takagi was astonished.
Even though she had mentally prepared herself, seeing it with her own eyes still startled her.
"It looks like a cave on the other side?"
"To be precise, it's the passage to Dungeon Floor 17, but it belongs to Mr. Chen Hai, so there's no need to worry."
Asuna responded, assuring the safety on the other side of the dimensional gate.
As an example, she directly stepped forward and walked in.
Shizuka Marikawa had no doubts and immediately followed the golden-haired Sword Princess.
Saeko Busujima, who was behind, also moved and entered the inner side of the dimensional gate.
"Let's go too, Mother."
"Ah... Yes...!"
The Takagi Mother and Daughter prepared themselves mentally and stepped into the peculiar gate that connected to another world.
Entering the Dungeon from the back mountain, the temperature dropped significantly.
A chill immediately enveloped everyone.
Chen Hai now asked the system.
Can anyone freely enter and exit this dimensional gate?
The answer he received was—it's up to your own discretion; it won't be casually open to anyone.
In simple terms, everything was under Chen Hai's control.
He then had the system open the panel to check the occupation rate of the 'Living Dead' plane.
The system displayed everything upon command.
[Connected Planes: is it wrong to try to pick up girls in a dungeon? World (occupation rate: 32%), 'Living Dead' World (occupation rate: 5%)]
is it wrong to try to pick up girls in a dungeon? had increased by two percent.
[There are two standards for occupation rate: the degree of world dominance, and the fear and worship of the plane's inhabitants towards you.]
So, it's like faith?
[The occupation rate of the is it wrong to try to pick up girls in a dungeon? plane has already covered the entire Orario, but this system recommends fighting in the Dungeon because it is more efficient.]
As things stand, Orario and the Dungeon = Chen Hai's experience zone.
No wonder his power level went from LV.169 to LV.175.
The Adventurers in the Dungeon fought and explored day and night;
Many of them were top-ranked Adventurers from various Familias.
Speaking of which... if I directly intimidated all the countries in the 'Living Dead' plane, wouldn't the occupation rate increase rapidly?
[There is indeed such a method, but the degree of increase is limited; only definite dominance can stabilize the occupation rate.]
For example, the is it wrong to try to pick up girls in a dungeon? plane.
As the Dungeon Lord, the inhabitants of Orario were willing to follow his arrangements, and there were no so-called dissenters.
"Alright, let's head to the surface."
"How do we get out of here?"
Upon hearing Chen Hai's words, Saeko Busujima asked curiously.
"Teleportation."
Chen Hai said, then used his authority.
——
——
Teleportation complete.
Saeko Busujima, Saya Takagi, Rei Miyamoto, and the others from the 'Living Dead' plane widened their eyes.
First to catch their eye were the ancient buildings, stone walls and spired towers, as if time had flowed back to the Middle Ages.
The streets were bustling with people, but these pedestrians were not just humans; there were also Beastmen with animal ears and tails, Elves with pointed ears and bright eyes, and Dwarves who were short but muscular.
All of this left the five people from modern society utterly shocked.
"This... this is Orario?"
Saya Takagi couldn't help but ask, her eyes filled with curiosity and surprise.
"Have we really come to another world?!"
"This is Orario. Now you don't have to worry about the threat of the 'Living Dead' anymore."
Chen Hai explained, then started walking.
Saeko Busujima, looking around, took a deep breath.
"'Orario,' and the Dungeon just now, is this a world where strong individuals gather?"
Saeko Busujima curved her lips, feeling excited.
Rei Miyamoto, on the other hand, was drawn to a passing Elf, and she whispered,
"Look at the people over there, their ears... it's incredible."
Shizuka Marikawa was also quite relaxed.
"Wow, this is like a scene from a fairy tale! I never thought I'd see a world like this with my own eyes."
However, for Yuriko Takagi, all of this was both new and unsettling.
She gripped her daughter's hand, looked at Chen Hai, and waited for the next arrangement.
"Let's go to the Adventurers' Guild first and have the people there help arrange accommodation."
"Understood, Chen Hai-kun."
Asuna nodded, leading the way again.
The process was smooth; after the group of seven arrived at their destination, although they attracted the attention of the Adventurers, they were not disturbed.
Eina quickly arranged rooms for everyone.
"This mansion has bathrooms, everyone can use them freely. If you need anything, please come to the counter and call us anytime."
After Eina finished speaking, she left the rest time to everyone.
Chen Hai naturally got a luxurious room in the Takagi mansion. Just as he was wondering whether to go find Hestia, he heard a knock at the door.
Opening the door, he saw Shizuka Marikawa standing there.
Before Chen Hai could speak, she was the first to say,
"Excuse me... do you want to take a bath?! I'll scrub your back!!"
This was Shizuka Marikawa's request for a communal bath.