Infinite Dungeon Online, also known as <>, is a VRMMO featuring dungeons that are never the same, thousands of monsters, and more content is added to it continuously.

Today I, Miyamoto Mai, finally decided to participate in that game.

「Login」

Suddenly I am surrounded by the dark. There is no one but me and my alter-ego who is currently dressed only in underwear.
In short, this place is a character customization space.

「This isn’t good either…」

I don’t know how many times I tried, and I’m discouraged.

「After all, the simple names are already taken」

I think about what to do while looking at the blank input field.
My naming sense is catastrophic. I have come up with like all the simple names, but they are all already in use. As expected of a game with more than 10,000 players.

「Though I feel embarrassed, there is no other way than to use that name.」

I reluctantly enter the name.

[Maika], that is the name of my character.
In the past I used this name in another VRMMO I played. For some reason it became too famous, and I was reluctant to use it, but there’s no helping it any more.

I move to the column for class selection, and select the samurai class, as I had decided to choose it beforehand.

Since this game is basically made to be played in a party, once you run out of HP you are forcibly sent to town, and furthermore, a death penalty exists.

The HP and defense of a Samurai are considerably low, but on the other hand, its attack speed and damage are quite high. Present conditions to capture a dungeon are relatively difficult, and in addition, players can’t progress due to the high level of the monsters. That’s why there’s almost no one playing a samurai which is hard to party up with. Of course, I intend to play solo so this is irrelevant to me anyway. Besides, I think samurai are somewhat cool.

「Well, next is the skill selection」

After the class selection is over, skill selection comes next.

Each skill is set to a certain point, and at the time of creating a character you can put up to 30 skill points in, and can choose up to 7 skills.

If this happens, even if I choose the skill, it won’t be usable at first but I can get more skill points by levelling up.

Therefore, most people save up their skill points since they can’t beat the dungeons.

In my case, I will pick the skills I decided on last week.

First of all [Dual Wielding](5). This can’t be removed. Dual wielding is cool. Aim for Miyamoto Musashi.

By the way, dual wielding isn’t popular.
This is because the current way of thinking is to fight with a sword and shield rather than two swords.

Next is [Action Limit Release](14). In short, upon using the skill I can double jump or wall run.

The third is [Abandonment](3), a skill that allows me to predict an attack and avoid it. This skill isn’t popular either.

The fourth is [Katana](4). This is so I can use the basic samurai skills.

The fifth is [Coercion](7), a skill that immobilizes the enemy’s movements.

The sixth is [Grapple](7). This game is unlike others. For example, if a swordsman hits you with his fists he won’t do any damage. This skill is to make it possible. Of course, it’s also not popular. I mean, classes that use fists as a weapon aren’t popular.

The seventh is [Detection](2). This is required to explore the dungeon. There is the possibility of dying in a trap if there are no players with the Detection skill. It will also react to monsters, so it’s very useful.

「But when I look at this again…」

Unpopular skills occupy half of the skills wonderfully.
Moreover, a start with skill points equalling -12.

Well, because I think this is set up just for me, I won’t regret it.

Is this a bug?
Well, even if these 3 skills slots are bugged, there are no hands to stop me from using them.

That being the case, the skills that caught my attention [Growth](50), [Automatic Recovery](30), and [Abnormal State Immunity](15) are all chosen.

[Automatic Recovery] is a skill that recover HP automatically.

Still, were such skills like that until a while ago?

「Well, finally it’s the last step」

The last step is to change the appearance of the character. It’s only the hairstyle and hair color that can be changed however.

I wanted to change this shabby figure, but there’s no helping it.
I meekly cut the hair. I wanted to have this style in real life but I couldn’t. After cutting the hair, I then changed the hair color from black to silver.

「Good work. All choices have been selected」

When I finish the last touches, a voice flows from somewhere.
It isn’t a mechanical voice, it’s the voice of a person.

「You will now be transferred to the world of Infinite Dungeon. I pray for your success」

Along with those words, a light surrounds me, and I feel myself being pulled from the side at the same time.

「What the hell is this…」

My eyes close after that light.
Soon after the light settled, I hear a noise nearby, and little by little I open my eyes.

「Hee…」

I voice my admiration instinctively from the sight of the spectacle before me.

A king-like old man with a crown stands before my eyes.

This looks almost like a summoning to a different world I’ve read about in light novels.

While the 3 boys are in high school clothes, I’m in an <> beginner set with 2 swords.

「I’m sorry for suddenly calling you, but I want you to listen calmly. My name is Graham Dragnoia. King of this Dragnoia Kingdom」

The king began with his speech.

1. In this world, every 1000 years a dungeon starts to overflow with monsters.

3. I was summoned here as an irregular, but I’m treated as a hero as I was summoned with them.

5. A Demon Lord has appeared.

That kind of a feeling. Judging from the explanation from the King, this is probably <> after 1000 years. I have no evidence though.

The King lowers his head and asks. The 3 people beside me seem to be enthusiastic.
I refuse the King’s request. Being a hero is troublesome.

「Is that so, it’s regrettable but there’s no helping it. I’m sorry for involving you. I cannot return you to your original world, but I can give you funds on which you can live in this world.」

There are already 3 heroes so you don’t need an extra, me. A letter of recommendation and some money are handed to me by the King who never seems to be disappointed, and with a business like attitude I was thrown out of the castle.

So, what should I do now?