Chapter 3: Dungeon Academy – Entrance Ceremony
The day after we arrived at the academy, the entrance ceremony began. Once that's done, we'll go through a job assessment to decide our Job.
This Dungeon Academy is a place to get, learn, and master your Job.
What you learn here will shape your future, and the Job you choose will likely be the one you stick with for the rest of your life. So yeah—what job you pick is a huge deal.
This world basically revolves around dungeons. From daily life to the economy, everything runs on loot dropped from dungeons. Even farming is done using stuff gathered in dungeons. Farming = dungeon. What a beautiful world.
Because of that, over 60% of graduates end up in dungeon-related jobs. Just goes to show how important Job selection is here.
But you can’t just pick a Job right away.
The number of Jobs in <DanKatsu> is massive, and each one has its own unique unlock conditions.
In other words, unless you meet those conditions, you can't even start learning that Job.
Since your job literally affects your whole life, there's no room for compromise.
Or rather—you can’t compromise.
Everyone’s putting their entire future on the line here.
Even a small detour could mean getting left in the dust by your rivals. And once you change jobs, your level gets reset with zero carryover. You’d have to start from scratch. Not something you want to mess around with.
Once you choose, there’s no turning back. You just go straight ahead.
Now, the first thing new students do after enrolling is work on fulfilling the conditions to unlock a Job.
You get one month. During that month, there are no required classes—it’s all electives.
Once the month is up, students are sorted into specialized courses based on the Jobs they’ve unlocked, and school life officially kicks off.
So in that first month, students go all-out trying to unlock the best Jobs they can.
This whole system was explained during the entrance ceremony in the gym.
The one doing the explanation? A big, burly old man with a long white beard—basically Santa Claus if he lifted weights. He's the headmaster of the <National Dungeon Exploration Support Academy – Main Campus>.
Back in high school, I used to zone out during the principal’s speeches, but for some reason, I found myself actually paying attention to this one. Even though I already knew all of it from the game, it was still fun to listen to.
Weird, right?
After the entrance ceremony, I met up with Hanna.
"Zephyrus-kun, have you decided on your division yet?"
Hanna asked nervously.
"Yeah. I’m planning to go into the Dungeon Exploration Department – Combat Division. It’s still a secret, but I’ve already got my Job picked out too."
"O-oh, I see… That makes sense."
"What about you, Hanna? What track are you going into?"
"I’m thinking about the Dungeon Production Department – Alchemy Division… If that doesn’t work out, maybe the Magic Pharmacy Division…"
Ah—I think I get why she’s looking kinda down.
"Yeah, the exploration and production department is in totally different buildings. And the dorms are split by gender too, so we probably won’t be seeing each other much."
"…Yeah."
This school is huge. Like, ridiculously huge.
There are similar institutions all over the country since it's legally required for 16-year-olds to attend, but this main campus is the most elite. It has the most dungeons, the best facilities, and produces the top graduates every year.
Naturally, it’s insanely popular, and tons of kids try to get in.
That’s why the school had to grow to this size—20,000 students. It’s a monster school.
But one of the downsides is that if you're in a different department, it’s hard to casually meet up.
Even though we’re on the same campus.
"Well, if we want to hang out, we can. We could even form a party or something."
"Huh?"
Hanna tilted her head, clearly not understanding what I meant.
"You’re going into the Alchemy Division, right? That means you're aiming to become an 【Alchemist】, yeah?"
"Uh, yeah…"
"Then we just team up and hit a dungeon together."
"Wait, what? But I’m in a production Job!"
"Yeah, but even production jobs go into dungeons. That’s totally normal."
"N-no way! Dungeons are super dangerous! I can’t go in there with low combat ability!"
"Well, yeah, later on it gets rough. One AoE attack and you're toast, even with defense."
"Exactly!!"
"But early on, it's doable."
"…Haeh?"
See, the beginning dungeons are balanced so even solo players can clear them.
If I’m with her, even a production Job like hers should be fine.
Actually, for 【Alchemists】, it’s better to go dungeon crawling early on to gather alchemy materials. Buying that stuff costs money, and gathering it yourself is way more efficient and cost-effective.
Saying "I’m scared of dungeons, so I won’t go" is something only rich kids or sponsored 【Alchemists】 can get away with.
Hanna's just a village girl, so she has to earn her own materials.
"So, that settles it — we’re forming a party."
"What!? Settles what exactly!? That was way too sudden, Zephyrus-kun!"
"What, you don’t want to form a party with me?"
"Ugh... I-I mean, it’s not that I don’t want to, but... th-that’s kind of an unfair way to ask..."
"Hahaha, then it’s settled. Looking forward to it, Hanna."
"Ugh, I feel like I got tricked into this... but fine. Nice to be in your party, Zephyrus-kun."
Okay, I may have pushed a little, but I’ve officially got myself a party member.
Score. I really wanted an 【Alchemist】 in my team — not just now, but for everything that’s coming later.
While I was silently pumping my fist in victory for recruiting such a key job for <Dankatsu>, Hanna suddenly looked like she realized something.
"But... we don’t even know for sure if I’ll become an 【Alchemist】. Just taking the elective classes doesn’t guarantee I’ll meet the conditions, right? I’ve heard that if you don’t have the right talent, you might never unlock the job."
"Oh, yeah."
She had a point — I vaguely remembered that detail.
In this world, not all jobs and their conditions are fully understood. The classes are based on previous stats and trends, so whether you actually unlock a job varies from person to person.
That’s exactly why they let students spend an entire month on electives — to boost the chances of unlocking a job, since no one knows the exact conditions.
It was actually a clever system from the game’s original devs — they wanted players to discover job requirements themselves.
Back when the game launched, I spent tons of time with other players trying to figure out how to unlock different jobs. Those strategy forums were buzzing every day. Good times.
But anyway, the important thing now is: I already know the requirements, so no worries.
"Relax. You’ve already met the conditions for 【Alchemist】."
"How can you possibly know that?"
"Because, Hanna — you mass-produced slimes like crazy."
"Huh?"
The conditions for unlocking 【Alchemist】 are:
1. Use the 『Alchemy』 skill 200 times.
2. Mass-produce 100 of the same item.
3. Experience a <Dessert Fumble> (major failure).
All of that’s super easy if you do slime farming. So Hanna should’ve already cleared the requirements.
As we were chatting, the next event started: Job Assessment.
Teachers started bringing out these dragon statues, each about 30cm wide.
If you touch one and focus, it’ll display a list of jobs you've unlocked.
All first-year students get one chance to check their job list. If they see the job they want, they can lock it in immediately and skip a whole month of classes.
Getting to skip class for a month? Sounds like heaven!
But it’s such a life-changing decision that most students wait until the deadline to decide.
"Hey, perfect timing. Hanna, go ahead and get assessed. I’m positive you’ll see 【Alchemist】 on your list."
"Ehh? But I’ve only helped with alchemy at the shop! I haven’t even taken any classes yet — I don’t think I’ve unlocked it!"
"It’s not like you have to take classes to unlock a job. Like, if someone trains with a sword at home, they can become a 【Swordsman】 without any formal training."
"Well yeah, but 【Swordsman】 is a low-rank job. 【Alchemist】 is mid-rank — it’s way harder!"
"Just go already. You’re gonna do it eventually anyway, so there’s no point in arguing now."
With that, I nudged her forward to join the line for assessment. I lined up too.
Even though there were over a hundred dragon statues, the line was long. With this many students, it was going to take a while.
So we passed the time chatting — until suddenly, a loud cheer broke out in the gym.
It came from the front of the line next to us.
"What was that?"
"Someone just hit the jackpot."
"Jackpot?"
That’s what we call getting a rare job.
Rare jobs are hard to unlock and usually very powerful, high-ranking jobs. They're everyone’s dream — the golden ticket to glory.
If you land one, even if you're born a commoner, you might end up serving the nation or even becoming nobility. Everyone wants one.
Now I’m curious — what job did they unlock?
Maybe the 【Master Swordsman】, a higher job of 【Swordsman】? Or 【High Priest】, the advanced version of 【Cleric】? Or maybe 【Archmage】, the ultimate 【Mage】 job?
As I was running through the possibilities in my head, I heard something completely unexpected.
"YES! I got 【Muscle Warrior】!!"
"Wait... 【Muscle Warrior】!? That joke job!?"
I was so shocked that I accidentally shouted out loud.
Hanna, who was in front of me, and a super elegant-looking girl behind me both jumped.
S-sorry.
But I couldn’t help it — seriously!
I mean, why are people excited about 【Muscle Warrior】!?
In my experience, it was one of the most ridiculous joke jobs out there. A total gag job with insane physical stats, but useless skills. Plus, its passive boosts only work if you don’t wear any gear.
In other words: high stats, but terrible long-term potential.
Not to mention, the visual — a super buff dude running around half-naked — was... well, let’s just say really hard to look at.
Still, it did rank #1 in the official stat rankings. And, impressively, it also took the top spot in the unofficial "joke job" rankings. A rare double crown.
So that’s why everyone’s making a fuss? No way, that can’t be it. 【Muscle Warrior】 is just a joke job—it’s not rare.
Now that this world is real and a job determines your life path, who in their right mind would pick a gag job—
"I’m gonna become a 【Muscle Warrior】!!"
"…Wait, there's one hereeeeee!?!"
I shouted again, stunned for the second time. It was a cry from the soul.
Are you serious!?
No, sorry. Really, I apologize, you two.
When I glanced away from Hanna’s silent, deadpan glare, I locked eyes with the elegant-looking girl who was standing behind me in line.
"Hey, you’ve been awfully loud for a while now."
She spoke in a slightly annoyed tone.
While waiting in line for a job measurement in the gym, someone chose a joke job, and I couldn’t help but yell. And now this obviously well-bred beauty is talking to me.
She’s probably a little annoyed, too.
"Yeah, my bad. It was just so ridiculous I kinda lost control…"
"…Sigh. Well, I guess it’s understandable to be a little excited on the first day. But still—don’t yell out of nowhere like that, it’s startling."
"No excuses, you’re right. I’ll be more careful."
Since I realized I was being a nuisance, I apologized honestly, and the girl seemed to forgive me with a subtle "I guess I’ll let it slide" vibe.
She’s surprisingly chill.
"?...What is it?"
Looking at her properly, it hits me—this girl is ridiculously beautiful.
Straight, glossy blond hair down to her waist, sparkling blue eyes… everything about her movements exudes elegance. Yet she doesn't give off that "too good to talk to" vibe; her casual speech makes her feel approachable.
She’s probably around average height—not that she needs to be compared to Hanna. Her figure was basically that of a fashion model.
"I’ve never met such a beautiful girl before… I was just a little mesmerized."
"I see. I get that a lot."
"Yeah, I’m not surprised."
I said it like a smooth talker without meaning to, but she’s probably used to compliments. She didn’t seem fazed at all.
"Anyway, about what you said earlier—what exactly was so unbelievable?"
"Oh, I was wondering about that too!"
The elegant girl seemed curious about what I had said earlier, and then Hanna, who’d just been watching silently until now, jumped into the conversation.
"Oh? And who are you?"
"Ah, sorry for interrupting. I’m Hanna. I’m aiming for the Dungeon Production Department—Alchemist Division. I came to the academy with Zephyrus-kun."
"Zephyrus?"
"That’s me. I’m planning to join the Dungeon Exploration Department—Combat Division. I’m aiming to be an All-Rounder role. Nice to meet you."
"Likewise. I’m Sierra, also aiming for the Dungeon Exploration Department—Combat Division. I’m going for the Tank role."
"Nice to meet you, Sierra-san."
Thanks to Hanna, we all ended up introducing ourselves.
I noticed a certain crest on Sierra’s person and realized she was the daughter of a count.
In <DanKatsu>, nobles and certain "Races" have identifiable symbols on them. If you spotted one, you’d know who you were dealing with. Apparently, that’s still true even now that it’s all become reality.
But Hanna hasn’t noticed, I think.
Honestly, that might make it easier to get along. And it seems like Sierra’s not trying to make it a big deal either.
Still… aiming to be a tank in the combat division? That’s a bit unexpected.
A girl this gorgeous in the combat division? Then again, <DanKatsu> was a game where even cute girls fought on the front lines.
So I guess it’s not that weird. It just feels strange in reality.
Also, I don’t remember seeing a character like Sierra in the game. Her name doesn’t ring a bell either. Someone this beautiful? No way I’d forget. Maybe she’s an original recruit-only character?
"Anyway, back to what we were talking about—"
"Right! You shouting earlier must’ve meant it was something big, right, Zephyrus-kun? Something about 【Muscle Warrior】? Why’s it so unbelievable?"
"Yeah, well, to me, choosing 【Muscle Warrior】 meant you were either a total weirdo or a pervert."
At that, Sierra frowned.
"…But I heard it was a good job…"
"That’s just plain wrong. Sure, it has insane SUP (Stat Upgrade Points), but the equipment restrictions are brutal. It’s crazy strong early on, but once better gear starts becoming available in the late game, the 【Muscle Warrior】 falls off. Because it gets stronger the less equipment you wear, right? But in the late game, gear comes with powerful effects like traits and resistances. So being unequipped actually becomes a disadvantage, and you end up being dead weight."
"Whoa…"
"…I’ve never heard that before."
Hanna looked impressed by my explanation, while Sierra’s expression turned serious. A sharp contrast.
I mean, for me, this was pretty much common knowledge. Why don’t these two know about it?
SUP (Stat Upgrade Points):
These are points you get when you level up. In <DanKatsu>, you allocate them to build your character’s stats however you want.
With 【Muscle Warrior】, you earn 23 SUP per level.
SUP amounts vary between jobs, but 23 points is the highest among all low-rank jobs.
Those are some seriously impressive stats.
For example, a 【Swordsman】 gets 12 SUP. That means you can raise your stats by a total of 12 points. The difference is obvious.
Also, in <DanKatsu>, every job comes with a unique skill.
This was the devs' tear-jerking attempt to make each job stand out—since there were just way too many of them, and lots of skills ended up overlapping, being stronger/weaker versions of others, or just having different names but the same effects.
The unique skill for 【Muscle Warrior】 is 『Muscles Are All You Need—Everything Else Is Useless』. The less gear you wear, the more your stats go up by percentage. It’s actually really useful early on when your equipment is limited... but still. I don’t wanna play some naked muscle dude.
By the way, that job has no other skills at all. It’s 100% stat-focused.
And yeah, while those stats might trick you into putting them on your main team, they usually get swapped out later in the game when they become useless.
Anyway, long story short—if you wanna make progress, don’t pick 【Muscle Warrior】.
Which is exactly why I couldn’t understand why the crowd was so excited about it.
…Wait a sec. What did Sierra say earlier?
"Hold on, you kind of glossed over it earlier, but… did you say 【Muscle Warrior】 is a good job?"
"I did."
"...Then wait. Are there others like you who think that too?"
"...Yeah, it's considered a popular job."
"You’re kidding me."
"I’ve heard it too. Just yesterday, some people from the <Muscles Are the Strongest> Guild tried to recruit me into becoming a 【Muscle Warrior】."
"Bring them to me. I’ll crush every last one of ‘em!"
"Fueh—i-it’s okay, I turned them down!"
So there are people out there trying to turn Hanna into some buff Amazon chick. I'm definitely beating them up later.
No, wait. That’s not the real problem.
The real problem is that in this world—real-life <DanKatsu>—【Muscle Warrior】 is actually considered a top-tier job.
"Hey Sierra, I’ve gotta ask you something."
"What is it?"
"Has anyone cleared the Advanced-level dungeons?"
See, 【Muscle Warrior】 is only viable up to Intermediate-level dungeons.
Even the Advanced job, 【Steel Muscle Warrior】, struggles in Advanced-level dungeons because they’re filled with status effects and environmental hazards. They just can’t keep up.
And <DanKatsu> has dungeons that go up to the very top-tier.
So what’s Sierra’s answer?
"…Up to the Advanced low-tier ones, yeah."
"! Wait, even with 【Steel Muscle Warrior】?"
"Yeah. Sounds like it was one of the main members on the team."
You’ve gotta be kidding me.
I don’t wanna believe this. It’s a freaking nightmare.
But now it all makes sense.
Why 【Muscle Warrior】 is seen as a good job, and why nobody questions it.
It probably explains why dungeon progression in this world has stalled too.
"Haha… HAHAHAHAHA!"
"Zephyrus-kun?"
"Hey, what’s so funny?"
Hanna looked worried. Sierra looked suspicious.
But come on—can you not laugh at this?
This world… it really doesn’t get it at all.
Which means… they don’t actually know <DanKatsu>.
They’ve got this amazing game, this amazing world, and they don’t know a thing about it?
That’s just sad. Seriously tragic.
I think this is the moment something clicked inside me.
Up till now, I was only thinking about enjoying real-life <DanKatsu>.
But now I’ve got a purpose.
I’m gonna show everyone in this world…
Just how amazing it is.
What <DanKatsu> is really about.
No more small-scale clears.
From here on out, I’m gonna show them everything <DanKatsu> has to offer.
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