Episode 2

**An Un-ANT-icipated Encounter** is the 2nd episode of The Dungeon of Black Company anime series.

## Summary

Kinji's co-workers aren't happy of what had happened and act cold towards him. Kinji isn't happy that they aren't even hiding their hate, even though he is the reason their team was so successful in the last two months. Kinji overhears worried Wanibe and Goblin Boss talking with Boss commenting that its true as the upper echelon had noticed their achievements. Kinji then sees a letter informing him that he and Wanibe are transferred to Exploration Division Group 8.

The Raiza'ha Mining Corporation is headquartered in Torstone, with a capital of 1.3 billion gold and over 30,000 employees. Its main business is centered around the industrialization of demonite and involves logistics, sales, research, development, as well as exploration and mining of demonite-rich dungeons. Exploration is the core of its corporate revenue and is highly specialized and split into divisions. The exploration division has multiple groups, like Group 3 - in charge of hunting large monsters to defend and expand the mining areas. Group 8 supports the frontline fighters by cleaning mob monsters, refill treasure chests with support items, and run other errands.

During their first mission as part of Group 8, Kinji and Wanibe struggle with some slime monsters. Wanibe feels depressed that he will work until he dies and no one will remember him. Kinji state he is absolutely determined to die only after living life to the total and complete end. Wanibe then opens a chest, which is in reality a mimic and its get caught by its tentacles. While looking for items to use, Kinji gets annoyed and throws everything into the mimic. After work Kinji gets scolded as he was given relatively safe route, but since Wanibe won't be able to work for a while, he needs to cover for him aswell. The cost of the items he threw into the mimic will be taken from his payment. Kinji gets annoyed, but can't do anything.

Returning home, Kinji takes a trash from a restaurant and gives the throw out food to Rim. Rim isn't happy, but eats all of it. She then smells something nice and takes it from Kinji, a marbled meat. Kinji was able to buy it super cheap as its considered trash by everyone in this world, but is unable to stop Rim from eating it.

The next day, Kinji goes to work and is tasked to replenish some chests. He meets an elite from Group 3, who is running chased by monsters and wishes Kinji to buy him time, while he escapes. Dungeon Ants then appear and both start running. Kinji sees a river and jumps with the adventurer in it. He gets back to the storehouse and tries to contact the management. The storehouse manager doesn't believe it as Dungeon Ants are strong monsters from lower floors and won't just go in the upper floors. Kinji is informed that they can't spare manpower on something they can't verify. As the ants attack the storehouse, Kinji starts looking for something to use and eventually see a small box.

The ants take everything from the storehouse. Kinji and the rest had turned into ants as Kinji found a transformation drug into the small box and used an ant leg to transform them into ants. Their manager had sealed off the exit to the upper floors and Kinji is stuck. As they would be doomed once the drug wears off, they wonder what to do. Kinji sees an ant that can't proceed and gets abandoned and realizes he can hear what the ants are saying. He goes to the abandoned ant asking it if its okay and if its normal to be abandoned, and introduces himself as traveling ant that advice and consult worker ants everywhere. Kinji states that his queen was selfish and drove the colony to collapse, so now he is traveling around and helping other ants. As the ant looks overworked, Kinji asks it how many days he rest, but is shocked to hear its none. Kinji then guesses that he must be getting good rewards for working without break, but its again shocked to hear there are no rewards. Kinji then tries to convince the ant that he must be annoyed for being exploited and to demand for rights as he must have dreams. Kinji then proceeds to talk with other ants to find more overworked ones and disappointed with their work schedule.

As he gathers large amount of ants, Kinji talks to everyone and tries to convince them to express their will of resistance against the queen as she is forcing them to work in terrible environment. Kinji easily manages to gain the ants trust and support. Elsewhere, the Queen is informed that there is only 30% progress on Operation Surface Invasion, but she finds the progress slow. The Queen comments that since the glutton demon is gone, they have a chance to expand their reign and wishes to push the workers into working more and faster. The Queen then gets surrounded by protesting ants and Kinji, who's drug had wore off, comments she is worse than he thought. She wonders what is a human doing there along with her ants, but Kinji states they are comrades fighting for a cause. Although he no longer can understand the ants, he knows they will no longer follow the Queen as she doesn't have the talent. The Queen comments she doesn't need talant, but raw power and then becomes larger. She attacks Kinji, but Rim shows up and blocks her attack. The Queen recognizes Rim and gets scared. Rim then starts chasing the ants to eat them, but Kinji offers her some meat to leave them. The ants and the Queen are charmed by Kinji for saving them and bow to him.

Wanibe gets better and joins Kinji, who seems in good mood. Kinji explains that he got commended for exterminating dungeon ants. Wanibe wonders why are they heading deeper into the dungeon, but Kinji keeps talking how the company only gave them a sheet of paper. Kinji then started to think that the company needs a leader like him, and he had started an organization for taking over Raiza'ha Mining Corporation. Kinji then invites Wanibe to join Dungeon Black Company as behind him stand ants and Rim in her dragon form.

## Characters

* Kinji Ninomiya
* Goblin Boss
* Wanibe
* Belza Shuba'ha
* Rim
* Labyrinth Ant A