Digging a hole and burying the hole.

  Digging the hole, and burying that hole.

  Digging up the hole that was just buried, and then proceeding to fill it up again.

  That was plenty of useless actions……The point is that the act itself is a futile conduct to repeat. The act rivals putting particles of dandelion (a type of flower that can break into very small pieces) on top of slices of raw sashimi (Japanese raw fish), it’s the kind of act that can make you go insane. Most likely due to the destructive power of such monotonous acts to the mind, it was used as a form of prison punishment in some far away country.

  Right now, such a thing was intently done by a lone young boy,

  at night, in a small park just around the neighborhood residence.

  Recent social conditions are reflected in the entrance of the park, the signs displayed things like “playing ball is prohibited” or “idle chatting is prohibited” there was plenty of other signs up to 77 of them. It would make more sense and convey the message quicker if they had a single sign stating “This is a restricted area – Do not enter”, it would seem that thinking about such things is pointless, and the existence of the 77 signs seems to be a complete waste of tax payer’s money.

  Inside the park Natsuno Taiyo was there.

  He performed an action that was not restricted by the signboards.

  Bringing a large winter shovel meant for digging up snow, he was in the middle of the sandpit digging a hole.

  Digging a hole, and then filling it up.

  Digging a hole, and then filling it up.

  Digging up the hole that was just filled, and proceeding to cover it up again.

  The act that can only be defined as a useless conduct, was whole heartedly performed by this young man.

  Naturally……. This futile act was not part of the 77 prohibited acts displayed in the sign boards.

  At least for now.

  The more he digs, he feels that there seems to be something collecting within the depths of his body.

  Whenever he fills up the hole, he feels that something begins to accumulate within his mind.

  Taiyo continues to dig and cover up the holes in the pit.

  Zaku Zaku, Zaku Zaku Zaku…….. (Sound of him digging)

  「Hey you there, can I talk to you for a moment? 」


  Around the time that his brain fluids was about to burst out from his pointless actions, Taiyo suddenly hears a voice calling out to him, in the next instant a bright light illuminates his face. Faced with the sudden dazzling light, he narrowed his eyes, raised his hand to his face and averts his eyes from the light.

  「What is it? —-oh, a Policeman? 」


  Although an irritated voice was raised, it was quickly replaced with a startled voice.

  The person that stood there wore a deep blue uniform with an officer cap/hat. He was a public servant for the government, in other words he was a police officer.

  If it was a woman, in other words if the other party was a police woman, Taiyo may have become excited or even happy. However, this person was a man and Taiyo’s interest in a man can be compared to a water flea’s snot! Quickly, his mood became sullenly.

  He was unhappy because the flash light that was shone on his face was too bright and the fact that his actions had been interrupted.

  「Wha, what is it? 」


  「You, what are you doing here exactly? 」


  「What am i doing?…..ahh」


  At the policeman’s question, Taiyo was at a loss for words.

  He looked around his surroundings in order to think of a retort. He thought to shout out “You got a complaint?!” as a reply, but quickly realised the position he was in and what he was carrying with him, furthermore the actions he was performing right before the policeman arrived, from an objective point of view was indeed very odd.

  Because of this, the vigour/confidence he had before very quickly withered away.

  「Ehhh…….Ummmm….」


  「Yeah? 」


  「That is, I mean……」


  「Hurry up and spit it out, what exactly where you doing? 」


  「The hole….. I was digging a hole, yeah that’s it……」


  It was hard for Taiyo to articulate his words and his mouth felt like it jammed up.

  After hearing that explanation the policeman whom was usually suspicious under normal circumstances, puckered his eye brows even further, to the extent that he could probably grab a stack of papers just with his eyebrows alone.

  The policeman used his flash light to illuminate both Taiyo’s face and also at the hole he dug alternating between comparing the two.

  「What were you digging up? or were you burying something?」


  「Eh? no! no! I wasn’t burying anything! 」


  At the sudden accusatory tone Taiyo became completely flustered.

  From the policeman’s question he began to imagine all sorts of scenarios. A person in the rain with an umbrella digging up a hole for a dead body……using fire to burn the evidence those kinds of scenes played out in his head.

  In the direction this conversation was going, there was no doubt he will be accused, therefore he was beginning to panic.

  「I was only digging, let me show you, it’s like this: dig, bury, and dig bury」


  In attempt to prove his innocence, Taiyo was reproducing the actions he performed previously. However, the more he proceeded with his actions the policeman’s eyes had even more doubt and stared at him like he was a guilty person.

  「Reporting in, this is at the third junction in the public park, we have discovered a suspicious person. The culprit is wearing a high school uniform——」


  「Wait a minute! Who are you contacting with your walkie talkie?!」


  「You, what’s your name? You look like a student but, is that uniform yours? 」


  「No no, let me explain, like I said all I was doing was digging and burying the hole, there isn’t anything suspicious about that is there?」


  「Everyone who is guilty says that at first」


  「Please give me one last chance to explain, I haven’t got to the end! You have to believe me I really did nothing at all」


  「Is that so, now then, will you finally tell me where the real place is? 」


  「Like I said, there is no body, I was just digging and burying some sand in the pit」


  「Alright, Understood, let’s continue this conversation at the police station, shall we? 」


  「You completely don’t understand what I am saying at all do you?!」


  「You can leave the hole as it is, just drop the shovel on the ground, put your hands behind your head and do not resist」


  「Already treating me like a criminal!?」


  「I will wait until the count of 3」


  「No, this is a misunderstanding—-」


  In order to make an explanation, Taiyo stabbed his scope into the sand pit.

  In that moment—


  「TEH REH REH TE TE TE TE—? Taiyo-chan has levelled up!!」 ()

  In front of him a fairy of around 30 centimetres suddenly appeared in front of him.

  She had long flowing golden hair and much like the colour of grass, she was wearing a one piece green dress. On her back were wings that she flapped like a butterfly, there is no doubt she is a fairy.

  Taiyo was expectantly waiting for her to disclose the information that she came to deliver.

  「Ohhh, finally I levelled up?!」


  「Yes sir—, you are now Level 3! 」


  「Level 3 is it, It took much longer than I expected」


  「That’s not entirely true?, Taiyo-chan may have felt that it was a long period of time but, in reality the speed at which you progress is within the 1% of geniuses, On the contrary its absurdly fast ya know? Normally this kind of speed would be a cheat so much so that you would definitely be BANNED」


  「Is it really that fast? Well, my speciality is after all levelling up in games」


  「Yeah! As expected of Taiyo-chan. You have even been called the Deadly Level Upper?」(the term deadly was from 必殺 which can mean “bringing certain death”, “one hit knockout”, “one hit kill” etc.)

  「That’s enough flattery. More importantly I gained an increase in my abilities with this level up right? 」


  「Of course, it went up vigorously? it’s only after you reach around level 90 that your abilities won’t improve as much.」


  「Unexpectedly there is a game where you can’t increase in abilities. In that case, can you please elaborate on this for me? 」


  「Certainly. Before that what shall we do about the display mode? Should I just specifically display the abilities that increased or also display the abilities that decreased? ?」


  「There is abilities that decrease? 」


  —-He was surprised for only a moment, and then he quickly regained his composure.

  「Well, it is true, for example…. if a Zombie Character gains a level his hp may decrease, and if he increases his strength, his speed may also drop」


  「That is exactly the case?」


  The fairy’s answer was very cheerful, and Taiyo raised his hands to his chin to think about what he just heard.

  「In that case, I would like you to display all the changes in abilities, whether they increased or decreased. You can also omit the things that didn’t change at all. Can you please do that for me? 」


  「Of course I can? But what a fast decision you made?」


  「The game I played yesterday also had this kind of system, I believe it’s the best choice to go with」


  「I see, I understand. Well then, I will now display your abilities?」


  「Alright! Bring it on! 」


  After exchanging those words with the fairy, Taiyo made a fist with his hand and did a victory pose, he was very excited to see what changes he would have. To Taiyo, a person whom loves to level up via hard work in games, the moment where he would receive his rewards is his most beloved phase of the game.

  Because of this, he completely forgot the position he was currently in. He did something that he would not normally do in ordinary circumstances.

  「You, what are you doing? 」


  「…….Ehh? 」


  He was literally being talked to by the policeman like he was a guilty culprit charged with murder, his line of vision retracted from the fairy currently giving him a report to the direction of the policeman.

  「Huh? Isn’t this too MUCH of an increase?!」


  「Ohhh, There is even this many Guard dogs?」


  There was at least 5 policeman standing there, and they proceeding to cautiously surround him.

  There was even policeman who had a gun attached to their waists, it was an outrageous situation.

  「Ah haha…..」


  When Taiyo remembers the actions he took moments ago, he realises how much trouble he is in right now. He alternates looking between the fairy and the policeman.

  「They can’t see you can they? 」


  「Of course! The only one who can see me is only you Taiyo?」


  「They must have thought I was talking to myself like a crazy person, Darn it…..」


  The fairy answered him promptly, but Taiyo could only think his thoughts inside his mind.

  「Hurry up and raise your hands, quickly! 」


  「I understand, just please don’t point your guns at me! 」


  Whilst surrendering to the policeman and being dragged away…….. Taiyo starts to reminisce his meeting with the fairy.