Akatsuki Translations

“……So, what do we do about that?” -Lynne

『We shouldn’t carelessly make a move and bring it over here. Well, not like we can do much. 』-Rock

《Real crazy. 》-Akane

In front of Rock and the others who were in a standstill, high in the sky, a dragon-like figure circled. It was necessary to regroup with Ur and his party as soon as possible, but they would likely be aiming to join up with them too. In that case, to avoid missing each other, they had no choice but to wait.

『What are you doing? 』-Rock

“Modifying the 【White King Formation】 I was working on.” -Lynne

『Into what? 』-Rock

“Something strong.” -Lynne

『How long will it take? 』-Rock

“Another 50 minutes.” -Lynne

『If it just keeps circling in the sky like that… 』-Rock

The time and effort needed to form the White King Formation was indeed a significant cost. Spending so much time and effort to create such a powerful magic alone is exceptional.

『Well, let’s just hope it doesn’t come over he――――『ＧＹＡＡＡＡＡＡＡＡＡ！！』    

It’s coming. 』-Rock

Rock raised his bone sword high and took a stance. The dragon roared. He sharply sensed the mixed killing intent and hostility directed at them. And it was approaching.

『【Bone Core Transformation】』-Rock

The flying dragon was coming. It swooped down with its gigantic hooked claws.

As the screams around them grew louder, Rock held his enlarged bone sword at an angle. The dragon charged with tremendous force, stirring up the wind, but Rock didn’t panic or swing his weapon around. He calmly eyed the dragon through his hollow eye sockets.

『ＧＹＡＡＡＡＡＡＡＡＡＡＡ！！！』

『KKAAARRR!! 』-Rock

At the moment of their crossing, Rock deflected the dragon’s claws, larger than his own body, with his sword. A loud metallic sound rang out, followed by an even louder scream. The dragon took to the sky again, and Rock repaired his cracked sword.

『Heavy…!』-Rock

Rock readied his great sword again. The difference in size was too much, and it was tough to dodge the body slams coming down from above. If he kept taking hits like this, he would soon shatter along with his body.

But,

“Help me! Help me!!”

“Why is it coming hereeee?!”

He couldn’t just run away. Around Rock were Nameless people with no combat ability. If he turned his back and fled, they would be the ones caught in the crossfire. That would be too bitter a pill to swallow.

『Lynne. 』-Rock

“Sorry, but I don’t have a White King Talisman ready.” -Lynne

『Can’t help it. Please hurry up and complete the formation. In about five minutes. 』-Rock

“…I’ll do my best.” -Lynne

Rock let out a big sigh. Or rather, he made the motion of doing so. His current body didn’t need to breathe, but the habits from when he was alive didn’t leave him. And that was okay. He needed to remember how to use his former flesh-and-blood body.

His memory was hazy, and he wasn’t sure about his name, but he felt that he had been more “sharpened” before. When he was just a human, with flesh and blood, he felt his skills were better. He needed to recall that. To bring that into his current special bone body and adapt it.

『【Bone Core Transformation・Bone Core Strengthening】』-Rock

He strengthened the bone sword. He poured additional magical power given by Shizuku into the sword and swung the bone sword high again. He visualized the faint memory of his former self, widened his stance further, and created spikes under his feet for a lighter movement and clenched his exposed teeth.

“Really, what a thankless role,” Rock grumbled without saying it out loud. His opponent was an unknown, and moreover, a dragon. Logically, he stood no chance of winning. Yet here he was, taking on the dragon alone. If this wasn’t a losing battle, what was?

But at the same time, he felt the corners of his mouth rising slightly.

He felt his soul being sharpened. He was delighted to regain his lost art. Even though he had lost his flesh and blood and become like this, he was still seeking the sword. Rock found this side of himself fitting, albeit comical.

『The sword is fun. 』-Rock

Within the hazy memories, there is only one thing that can be affirmed with certainty.

Swordplay is fun, regardless of the form the opponent may take.

『ＧＡＡＡＡＡＡＡＡＡＡＡＡＡ！！！』

『KOOOOOOOHHH!!! 』-Rock

In moments, the sound of repeated sword clashes echoed around them.

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Lynne was frantic.

The completion of the White King Formation under her feet was not something that could be achieved in just a few minutes. Naturally. She had long known that it was difficult. Knowing that, she was still anxious.

In front of her, Rock was repeatedly clashing with the flying dragon. Intense collision sounds and raging winds surrounded them. Rock was holding his own impressively, but still, bone fragments scattered. Such an outrageous battle couldn’t last long.

Should she go get a 【White King Talisman】? Or should she call for help from Ur’s team?

Such thoughts crossed her mind, but now, this place was already within the dragon’s range. No, considering the dragon flying in the sky, any place in this barrier-less temporary city would be within its attack range. Leaving Rock unarmed would be suicidal.

Lynne regretted her carelessness in leaving the “White King Talisman” behind. Her perception of the outside of the city was too naive.

So, she hurried, trying to complete the White King Formation. There was nothing else she could do. However, the completion was still far off. Lynne regretted her own immaturity.

This is not good. She knew it wasn’t good, which was why she had left the city.

But nothing had changed. Of course, it hadn’t. Just because she stepped outside the city, nothing would immediately change. She knew that. Yet, despite knowing, anger at herself was burning inside Lynne.

But no matter how much she cried or screamed, the reality in front of her wouldn’t change―

《I’ll help. 》-Akane

“Ah! Akane-sama!?” -Lynne

Akane shone brightly behind Lynne. Literally, a crimson glow enveloped her, and then intertwined with the “Staff of White” that Lynne was clutching.

“What are you―” -Lynne

《Use it properly. 》-Akane

The meaning of her words became clear instantly. The white staff, a symbol of leadership passed down through the generations in the Leyline family, was engulfed by Akane’s body, enlarging its form. Crimson threads entwined around her fingers. It was quite a sight to behold, but more than that, Lynne shivered with a sudden sensation that enveloped her body.

“T-this is…!!” -Lynne

Lynne felt as though her fingers had increased from five to a hundred. She looked at her fingertips in astonishment, but there were only her five small fingers. So what was this sensation? She tried to move the extra fingertips. Naturally, her original fingertips didn’t move, but instead, parts of the staff’s tip that Akane had absorbed moved in that way.

The tip of her staff was now an extension of her own body.

Her staff had become a part of her body.

When she understood what this meant, Lynne felt a shock as if thunder had struck her body.

“――――Could it be?” -Lynne

Releasing the staff, she spread her palms wide. The next moment, the staff, connected to Akane’s threads, split its tip into several parts and began constructing the 【White King Formation】 at a terrifying speed. The delicate work of inscribing magic on the ground, infusing magical power, and forming the spells was being assembled at an ultra-high speed.

The time and effort that were absolutely necessary for her alone, with just one staff, were now significantly reduced. Watching this, Lynne,

“――――Ha, haha, AHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAH!!!” -Lynne

Laughed maniacally.

Her joy wasn’t just because the White King Formation in front of her was being completed at an incredible speed.

A revelation had fallen upon her.

A breakthrough had occurred.

Right now, at this very moment!

The dead-end future of the 【White King Formation】, which she had been seeking an answer for, suddenly became clear before her eyes. How could she not be elated by this?

“What a thing!! So that’s it!! That was it all along!! Training was just an insignificant imitation! Ahahaha!!!” -Lynne

The 【White King Formation】 is magnificent. Brought about by the 【White Witch】, a miraculously talented woman, and refined over hundreds of years, it is the ultimate magic. This means its potential for growth has become narrow.

But what about her own body? Absorbing magical power, her capacity for storing it had increased. Her physical abilities had also improved somewhat. “That was it.” Meaning, there’s room for expansion. There’s potential for growth. And for Lynne, the White King Formation had been almost a sacred, inviolable belief, but―

Her own body was not so. There is room for expansion.

“Ah! Wonderful! White Witch, your wisdom will soon be known to the world!!” -Lynne

Shouting her gratitude to the now-deceased founder of her magic, the White Witch, Lynne danced and inscribed the White King Formation.

《You okay!? You’re not getting high, are you!? 》-Akane

Akane, who brought the gospel to her, was a bit taken aback by Lynne’s unusual tension.

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“…………”

“…………”

“…………”

Ur, Shizuku, and Echelle, after various twists and turns, finally managed to regroup with Rock and the others.

And there,

『ＧＡＡＡＡＡＡＡＡＡＡＡＡＡＡＡＡＡＡＡＡＡ！！！！！』

『KKKKHAAAHA!! What’s wrong, you damn lizard!!! Can’t you hit harder?! 』-Rock

“Kufu, Ahahahahaha!!! Amazing! You’re amazing, Akane-sama!!!” -Lynne

《Are you sure this is okay!? Really, is this okay~~!? 》-Akane

The situation was incredibly chaotic.

“…Shall we join them?” -Shizuku

“…I don’t really wanna get closer.” -Ur

The heads of his guild members seemed uniformly out of order.

Ur let out his frank opinion.