Hidden Dungeons.

There's always some kind of obstacle that prevents people from getting inside.

An entrance that doesn't open.

Protection by an overwhelmingly strong magical creature.

One time a certain Janton Jastal accidentally stumbled upon a stone that was required to enter a dungeon and just like that his country rewarded him with enough money to live multiple life times of bliss. That's how big of a deal

And well, for better or worse that's the kind of uncharted place I've stepped into.

...Turns out I encountered an enemy much worse than expected.

Name: Dead Reaper

Skills: Reap of Instant Death

For a level 23 like me it was already a ridiculously strong enemy on its own, but that skill is beyond brutal. A summary of the skill turned out as follows.

「Reap of Instant Death」

――The dungeon no one should have been able to enter.

Why did I go into this kind of place?

                                                   ◇  ◆  ◇

I got up from my slightly drab bed and went downstairs, headed towards the living room. In doing so I was presented with a development different from the usual; in a display of perfect prostration my father was pressing his forehead on the floor.

"Forgive me, Noir! I'm truly sorry, it's inexcusable!"

In a screaming voice I was suddenly receiving an apology. It was my first time seeing father go this far.

"Father, please raise your head. Just what is going on?"

"Truth is, it's about the library you were supposed to work at from today onward..."

I am Noir Stalgia, third born of a noble.

And we, Stalgia, were of the rank baronet, at best to be called the end of the ladder. Barely high class and if one were so inclined, "beggar nobles."

For now I'll be taking my daily stroll."

To cool down my head I went outside. In the mood I was I wished the wind would just blow my worries away. While walking through the farthest out quarter of the noble district, a beauty of a girl rushed over to me, her chest

She's my 16 year old childhood friend and a girl brimming with a maiden's adorableness. Thanks to facial features that promised she would turn into a beautiful woman in the future and her chest size she was incredibly

「Great Sage」

A skill so rare that I'm currently the only possessor.

underlying laws. A skill with effects still unclear to the scholars, I was told. But in my case it's a wasted gift.

――I can't use it.

Until now I've refused to endure that kind of pain just so I could ask the Great Sage a question.

"There was this one line, that whenever Merlin the sage had a headache he would have his wives gather so he could kiss them."

"Must've been crazy about kisses."

"There, exactly! Merlin also had headaches when he used the skill. What if kissing the opposite sex was what alleviated the pain?"

"...It's possible, I guess."

"Right? W-wanna try it?"

"Me and, you?"

"Well, no one else to ask, right? I mean, I'm your childhood friend so something like a kiss is really just... in other countries they're shared as greeting, you know? Despite appearances we're adults after all."

Watching Emma answer while being flustered like that I unintentionally let out a laugh. Because of how kind she is she's fine with helping for my sake.

"Alright, let's do it right away."

"Wait, what, right now? What about the mood, the moods totally missing!"

"As compared to where?"

"The clock tower, let's go~"

I'm not really following, but like that we climbed the clock tower in the very center of the city.

Great Sage, please answer my call.

「Your will.」

I need to become stronger so I can pass the hero school entrance exam. What would be the most efficient method?

「Answer. Entering a Hidden Dungeon would be optimal.」

...It's...It's not coming?

Unintentionally I voiced my thoughts.

"Where is the closest Hidden Dungeon?"

「Please enter the grotto 14645 meters south west. Go on for 100 meters. Push the rotating wall on the left to reveal the stairs to 『The Unending Dungeon』」

"Ah no way now it's starting to hurt like my eyes are being gauged out!"

"Noir! Should I kiss you again!?"

"Please do, Emma!"

We kissed. Several times. As if I was just imagining it the pain disappeared. Unbelievable. To think the method was this effective. But the pain is still dreadful, so after just asking about the entering method I canceled the skill.

"Se... seven times...."

On our way home I expressed my thanks to Emma, whose head turned red like an apple.

"Thanks for today. Would it be alright to ask you again some time?

"U-... Uh, yeah, no other choice, right"

Bidding farewell to the fidgeting girl on my side I returned home as fast as I could.

When the sun was right above me I arrived at my destination and entered the remote grotto. After advancing into it a little I pushed the wall and truly, it rotated with a *gurun.*

Behind the wall there was a small room, in the middle of it a small staircase leading downwards. Long live the Great Sage.

"Whoah, it was really here."

The area grew more vast and ahead of me towered a massive iron gate. No matter what kind of magic attack one summoned, it didn't seem like it'd budge in the least. I recited the required incantation.

"「The Hidden Dungeon only I can enter. Secretly becoming world strongest!」"

Menacing rumbling...―――――

Huh, it actually opened with that silly line. No way anyone could enter without being taught that phrase.

――The Hidden Dungeon only I can enter.

With an air of triumph I passed through the gate.

Thanks for reading the first chapter of Hidden Dungeon. No release schedule is currently planned. Special thanks to everyone pointing out typos and mistakes.

Because none of the names have official translations they might change down the line, e.g Noir to Noru, Emma to Ema, Alice to Aris. For the time being I'm going with western interpretations.

 　
And in case you're unfamiliar with them, cluster headaches are an actual thing and occasionally considered the most painful experience known to humans.