Akatsuki Translations

Day 14 

The Dungeon of Greed entered its once-in-a-few-month active period. 

Many years had passed since the dungeon emerged from the depths of the earth, giving birth to various dungeons in this world. Among them, the grandest of them all was the Dungeon of Sin known as Greed, a maze that not only spawned monstrous creatures, making its conquest nearly impossible, while also incessantly producing boundless wealth from its enchanted mines. 

The span of time known as the active period was particularly noteworthy for this dungeon’s “production.” 

During this occasion, it spawned a larger number of monsters than usual, including more powerful, lower-floor species as well so-called “variants,” relatively strong individuals that spawn in the upper floors . Even the ordinary monsters became more active and aggressive than usual. 

Whether due to the increased concentration of magical energy in the dungeon’s atmosphere or other factors, the amount of magic stones per creature increased. However, the profits from this dangerous period in the dungeon, where monsters became more perilous, were lower compared to the average. 

The activities of adventurers who make a living in this dungeon also change to match this active period. 

Some spend their accumulated funds as a vacation, while others delve into shallower levels of exploration compared to their usual range. There were also those who accept requests from city residents outside the dungeon or from the guild.  

Adventurers who possessed a Ring often receive direct commissions from wealthy individuals or accept requests from the city. In this world of swords, magic, monsters, and dungeons, there was no shortage of jobs that require the wisdom and skills of adventurers outside of the dungeon. 

Therefore, it was not particularly necessary to enter the dangerous dungeon during this period, but still, there are a few who venture into it despite the risks. 

Among them are those who take advantage of the reduced number of competitors and make a killing in the dungeon, fully aware of the risks involved. There are also those who have damaged their reputation with the guild due to illegal activities or carry financial debts. Additionally, there are outlaws who are unable to engage in legitimate work due to certain circumstances. 

Especially among the Nameless adventurers without a Ring, there are many who risk their lives by diving into the dungeon. They need to earn enough money for their city stay, and to do so, they delve into the dungeons and hunt monsters. 

As a result, the mortality rate in the Dungeon of Sin, Greed, increased during this period. 

“Ha, ha, ha, Why! Why?!”  

The reason this adventurer stepped foot into the dungeon during its active period was exceedingly simple: he had no money. And he had debts. Although he held a relatively privileged position as a city resident, his hobby of gambling had backfired. He had always known when to quit (though it was truly the bare minimum), but this time, he went a little overboard, burdening himself with more debt than usual. 

Still, if he desperately ventured into the dungeon as he always did, he could have gathered enough magic stones to repay his debts. Unfortunately, the dungeon happened to enter its active period. With no other means to repay his debts or find work, this man, fully aware (or perhaps ignorant) of the risks, dived into the dungeon. 

Surely, he wouldn’t die. Perhaps, he could even see it as an opportunity to earn more magic stones due to the increase of small fry goblins and giant rats. 

Earn some profit here and finally turn things around! 

Underestimating the situation, being overly optimistic, and ultimately losing focus on the dungeon in front of his eyes, the man’s fate was the same as many other adventurers who had sunk into this place. 

At first, things went smoothly. However, the familiar paths he thought he knew had become infested with monsters, and as he strayed from his usual route, he lost track of the way back. Wandering aimlessly, his wounds multiplied, and the poorly prepared potions quickly ran out. And then, when a group of giant lizards, two sizes larger than usual, appeared, the man was completely trapped. 

I’m gonna die! I’m gonna die! I’m gonna die!  

The speed of the giant lizards was exceptional. Even if a person ran at full speed, they wouldn’t be able to shake them off, but the adventurer had been forced to maintain constant vigilance in the dungeon, which took its toll on his stamina. 

Being a dungeon explorer, he should have possessed above-average physical strength, but now he was out of breath. Though a sword was strapped to his waist, he lacked the strength and mental fortitude to turn around and fight. 

Help, help, help, help!! 

The giant lizard was a creature devoid of any remarkable means of attack. If one were to point out a notable feature, it would be its powerful jaws capable of shattering rocks, but apart from that, it possessed nothing particularly exceptional. There were species with spikes and venom, but they did not exist among the great lizards. The problem lay in their size, as their name suggested—they were unusually enormous. 

With a body that measured two to three meters including the tail, they would knock down humans with their sheer strength, tearing into their flesh. Such were these creatures. 

『”SYURUUUUAAAAAA!!” 』 

An eerie cry, filled with excitement in the presence of prey, further stoked the terror. Inescapable and imminent danger left no room for evasion, causing the man’s legs to falter. 

“Gah!?”  

And finally, he stumbled, his own legs becoming entangled. To halt in this situation meant certain death. As he turned around, he found himself face-to-face with the large maw of the great lizard, its teeth sharp as daggers. 

“Hiieeeeee!?” 

His skull would be crushed. A deathly scream, a cry that would surely be his last, rose from the depths of his being. The last thing he heard, from the far edges of fading consciousness, was a voice just before that. 

“Get out of the way.”  

Appearing before him was a small shadow. 

As if cleaving the space between the man and the great lizard, the shadow thrust forward with a massive “great spear” in hand. The giant lizard, moments away from pouncing on its prey with jaws wide open, was impaled by the spear, piercing it straight through. 

『”!!!!!!!!???”』 

The giant lizard, forced to meet its end in place of the fleeing man, writhed in agony as it remained impaled on the great spear, and with a final convulsion, its strength ebbed away, leaving it lifeless on the ground. 

“Hi, hi, hiiiiiiii!?” -Gambler  

With the monster’s demise, the man regained his senses. Well, whether he truly regained his sanity was uncertain. Perhaps it was merely the instinct of a living being, but he paid no attention to the dark shadow or the creatures and made a mad dash, desperately fleeing with his face drenched in bodily fluids. 

“He ran away.” -Shizuku 

“Yes, he certainly bolted.” -Ur 

The two members of the party, Ur and Shizuku, watched his retreat, expressing their admiration. 

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(Originally, I had no intention of helping; I simply came to hunt because there were signs of movement of multiple monsters. Therefore, I didn’t expect anything in return, but it was disheartening to be left without a single word.) 

“This is why adventurers are hopeless.” -Ur 

“Ara, but are we not adventurers too?” -Shizuku 

“We’re just pseudo-adventures, so it’s fine.” -Ur 

Ur continued to taunt Shizuku with sarcastic remarks, but never took his eyes off the giant lizards in front of him. 

The rank twelve giant lizards had subdued their earlier ferocity, keeping a cautious distance from each other after the loss of their comrade. However, their deep-seated animosity towards humans, combined with the intensified desire for vengeance after the death of their companion, was palpable. 

There were four of them now, with one having been killed earlier, leaving three remaining. 

“Ur-sama, I sense no presence of monsters behind us. We can strike at any time.” -Shizuku. 

“How many more times can you use your magic?” -Ur  

“I have two more uses.”  -Shizuku 

“Then, I want you to provide attack support once. The lizards are vulnerable to ice.” -Ur 

With those words, Ur tightened his grip on the great spear that seemed disproportionate to his small frame. He widened his stance, took a deep breath, exerted strength in his abdomen, and exhaled forcefully. Simultaneously, Shizuku grasped the “Magician’s Staff” with both hands, assumed a stance, and began an incantation. 

“Let’s go.” -Ur 

“【Sing, O Frost, and Pierce】” -Shizuku 

Ur prepared himself and charged straight ahead. The enraged giant lizards, intoxicated by the bloodshed of their fallen comrade, also lunged at Ur with a growl. 

“【Ice Thorn】” -Shizuku 

Simultaneously, Shizuku synchronized her magic with Ur’s movements. The icy vortex swirled, gathered, and took the form of an arrow faster than Ur’s charge. The monsters approached, baring their fangs. Their eyes, gleaming with dulled malice, glared in this direction. 

For a moment, fear gripped Ur, but he swiftly overcame it and shouted, 

“Pierce through!” -Ur 

As Shizuku’s magic materialized into icy arrows, Ur forcefully stomped on the ground. 

His speed increased further, and with that momentum, Ur pierced the face of one of the giant lizards with the sharp tip of his spear. It happened simultaneously as Shizuku’s ice arrow pierced the adjacent lizard. 

『”A…!” 』 

“Three!” 

In return, Ur intended to strike the fourth lizard with his spear. However, before he could, something unexpected occurred. 

『GIGI…!!!』 

Before anything else, the giant lizard lunged at Ur. Its jaws clamped onto his right arm, attempting to shatter his gauntlet with its formidable teeth, making a grating sound as it crumbled. 

“…Ngh!!” -Ur 

『”GIIII!?” 』 

Before the gauntlet shattered completely and his arm was broken, Ur swung his small shield from his left arm and brought it down in a sweeping motion. The unpleasant sound of impact echoed—whether it was the creaking of the shield or the sound of the lizard’s skull shattering, there was no time to confirm. 

“Fuck you!” -Ur 

Ur drove his massive spear into the face of the giant lizard, tearing its mouth apart vertically. 

“Well done.” -Shizuku 

“…Alright.” -Ur 

Once Ur and Shizuku confirmed the demise of the monster, they breathed a sigh of relief. Ur, who had been fighting on the front lines, let out a deep sigh of relief. Hunting down monsters was always draining. Despite getting used to continuously hunting down monsters in this short period, the exchange of lives still sapped their stamina. 

According to Glen, it was said that those who lose their sense of tension are the ones who end up dead. So, becoming tired in this manner wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. 

With trembling hands, Ur removed the gauntlet that had nearly been crushed by the monstrous lizard’s jaws. Despite swiftly striking down the creature immediately after it sank its teeth into him, his arm throbbed, aching and swollen, radiating an icy chill. 

“I apologize. It would have been ideal if I could have defeated two of them with my magic.” -Shizuku 

“You don’t have to be so humble. I was the one who was saved.” -Ur 

Ur shook his head at the dejected Shizuku. Though she seemed laid-back, she was always strict with herself. 

“Shall I use healing magic?” -Shizuku 

“No, let’s conserve it. The next monster is coming. Healing potions are more than enough.” -Ur  

Ur took out a healing potion from his pouch and drank it. The pain subsided slightly. It was only a mild relief with the diluted, inexpensive potion, but it was better than nothing. 

“What about your injuries?” -Ur 

“I’m perfectly fine. Thanks to you, Ur-sama.” -Shizuku 

Shizuku smiled faintly and nodded. This exchange had become a familiar routine. After confirming his movements, Ur looked around. Since entering the training facility and delving into the dungeon, they had begun to be able to sense the presence of approaching monsters. So far, there were no signs of any monsters appearing. However… 

“…The dungeon’s active period is intense.” -Ur 

“It’s not very comfortable here, indeed.” -Shizuku 

For the past few days, the monsters had become more active. The regular occurrences of such periods of spawning were clearly felt even by Ur and Shizuku, who continued to fight on the upper-most levels. After all, the number of monsters had noticeably increased. Moreover, the types of monsters appearing had also changed. 

On this floor, only creatures such as goblins and blood wolves were supposed to appear. However, monsters like giant lizards and vampire bats that were typically found on lower floors had started to appear. Above all else… 

“I wish I could hunt monsters a little longer…” -Ur 

Immediately after, a deep rumbling sound reverberated from the depths of the dungeon. It was different from the tremors that signaled the previous disturbances. It was a more physical impact. And it slowly approached Ur from the direction of the corridor he had just passed through. 

When he turned around, what met his eyes was a “gleaming” that filled the entire dungeon corridor. Reflecting the faint light that the entire corridor emitted, something shimmered throughout the passage, slowly approaching Ur and his companion. 

Upon closer inspection, the source of the gleaming was a giant monster. 

“It’s here…” -Ur 

There, was the monster known as a Golem. 

In essence, it was a type of monster created by human hands. They were defined as human-controlled dolls with magic cores sealed within them, which contained specific instructions. 

However, this Dungeon of Sin had the ability to create monsters that only should have been able to be manufactured by human hands. Moreover, what appeared before the pair was different from the usual Earth Golem. It was a sturdy golem created from a large amount of minerals—a Crystal Golem. 

Normally, a Crystal Golem shouldn’t appear in a place like this. 

Ever since this active period began, it inexplicably ascended from the middle layers to the upper layers. Whether it was due to the changes in the monsters’ ecology during the active period or some other reason, it was now an existence that was difficult for inexperienced adventurers like Ur to defeat—a walking disaster. 

The only saving grace was its sluggish movement, which left the duo with only one choice. 

“Let’s run away.” -Ur 

“Indeed, let’s do that.” -Shizuku 

Following the example of the man who had fled earlier, Ur and Shizuku turned their backs on the Crystal Golem and ran away at full speed. 

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Western District of the Dungeon City of Sin, Greed; a certain tavern. 

This tavern, known as the ‘Covetous Hideout,’ was located slightly away from the bustling main street. Although it was situated a bit far from the dungeon, the quality of the food and drinks served there was excellent, and the atmosphere of the establishment was lively. 

The owner of the tavern was originally an adventurer, which made them deeply understand the adventurers’ way of life. They often lent an ear to their stories and provided guidance based on their own experiences. 

As a result, despite being distanced from the Dungeon of Greed, this tavern was bustling with adventurers. They would feast on meals, drink ale, exchange information about the Dungeon, and foster friendships. 

And today, once again, the bell rang, announcing the arrival of new guests. 

“Welcome, come on in.”  

Adventurers were known for their eccentric appearances. It was not uncommon to encounter demi-humans such as dwarves, elves, and lizardmen. However, this time, the customers were different, truly unique. 

First, there was the young, human boy of small stature. He had ash-gray hair and eyes of the same color. His age and appearance were not particularly remarkable, but the weapon he carried on his back was somewhat unusual. It was a spear that far exceeded his own height. Due to his small frame, the weapon protruding from his back was quite conspicuous. 

The other guest was a young girl who immediately caught everyone’s attention. 

Like the boy, she was also a human. Her stature was short, but her figure was remarkably well-proportioned, making her a beautiful woman. She was dressed as a mage, wearing a simple robe of plain fabric, undyed and devoid of any decorative patterns. Despite its simplicity, her appearance still drew the gaze of onlookers. 

In a place like this tavern, filled mostly with rowdy adventurers, known for their crude behavior, this pair stood out in an utterly incongruous manner. The drunkards who would usually drink like fools and burst into raucous laughter fell silent as they stared at the girl. 

Attracting the attention of other customers, the unbalanced duo took their seats at the counter. Showing signs of exhaustion that were characteristic of adventurers who delved into the dungeon, they turned their faces toward the owner. It was the girl who spoke first. 

“I am terribly hungry and would like to have a meal.” -Shizuku 

“This is a tavern, miss.” -Tavern keeper 

“I heard they serve good food here. I’ve tried other places, but this is supposed to be the best.” -Ur 

The boy then spoke. It was indeed a fact. The owner took pride in the fact that even teetotalers would visit for the food. 

“You have money?” -Tavern keeper 

Without a word, Ur placed a few copper coins on the counter. In that case, there was no room for complaints. Regardless of whether one was an adult, child, or elderly, whether they were an elf, a dwarf, a hobbit, or a beastman, the owner treated everyone equally. 

“What would you like?” -Tavern keeper 

“Something filling.” -Ur 

“I would like to eat until I’m full.” -Shizuku 

“Anything you can’t eat?.” -Tavern Keeper 

“No.” -Ur 

“Likewise.” -Shizuku 

Impressed, the tavern keeper chuckled and swiftly began preparing the meal. Fresh meat and vegetables, transported from a nearby satellite city, were handled with care. The price may have been substantial, but the owner spared no expense. 

Before long, everything was ready behind the scenes. Just as requested, in order to fill the empty stomachs of the young ones — a mountain of sausages alongside soup, simmered with generous portions of sweet leeks and milk, topped with a stack of wheat bread. The pair, famished beyond measure, began devouring their meals in unison, their voracious appetites unapologetically on display. 

“Don’t choke.” -Tavern keeper 

The two insatiable eaters remained silent. There was no ill feeling about their ravenous appetite. Finally, the owner brewed a tea infused with plenty of milk, which they drank in one gulp before taking a deep breath. 

“The food was delicious.” -Ur 

“It was truly delightful.”  -Shizuku 

The boy’s expression had an air of satisfaction, while the girl’s face melted into a radiant smile as she conveyed her gratitude. 

The owner chuckled. It was a pleasant sight to behold, witnessing the mountainous plates now emptied and pristine. The other patrons seemed to share the sentiment, and before anyone realized it, a lively group of revelers had gathered around the counter, their mirth filling the air. 

“Look at you, enjoying your meal. Did the dungeon exhaust you that much!?” -Patron 

“Let’s have some more meat! And more drinks too?!” -Patron 

“Hey, you drunks, don’t bother the kid!” -Tavern keeper 

The owner of the tavern tried to disperse them, but the silver-haired girl, whether out of earnestness or simply her nature, politely responded to the intoxicated patrons. 

“We managed to fend off several giant lizards today.” -Shizuku 

“Oh! Well done!” -Patron 

“They’ve been appearin’ more and more lately. And usually in pairs.” -Patron 

“Did ya know? Most of ‘em form male-female pairs. It’s interesting.” -Patron 

“Even giant lizards have women, and then there’s us…” -Patron 

Idle chatter filled the air. It might seem foolish, but the atmosphere wasn’t unpleasant. Rough and boisterous as they were, those adventurers had their redeeming qualities. 

“Hey, you guys. I haven’t seen your faces ‘round here. Did you just become adventurers? How long has it been?” -Patron 

“Two weeks.” -Ur 

“Fresh rookies!! How did you even find this remote little place?” -Patron  

“What’d ya say!?” -Tavern keeper 

The owner was about to lose his temper, but ignoring his growing annoyance, the boy answered the question. 

“Glen from the Adventurers’ Guild told us about it.” -Ur 

In the next instant, the faces of many present contorted in unison. 

Naturally, most of them were adventurers hailing from Greed. This city, with its massive dungeon, offered adventurers an endless source of livelihood. As a result, many adventurers settled here, forsaking the transient life to delve into the dungeon. 

In short, many adventurers in this gathering owed their livelihood to “that man.” 

“You must’ve gone through some hardships…” -Patron 

“We still are.” -Ur 

“Let’s drink tonight! My treat!” -Patron 

“Stop this gloomy gathering, you buncha dumbasses!” -Tavern keeper 

The owner finally managed to disperse the drunkards. The boy, who bowed his head in gratitude to the owner, was undeniably still a child with traces of innocence. It wasn’t particularly unusual for someone his age to become an adventurer. In fact, there were quite a few aspiring adventurers. 

However, it was indeed rare for someone to spend two weeks at Glen’s training facility. 

“What’s the deal, kid and miss? Got special circumstances?” -Tavern keeper 

“We have various reasons and a pressing need to become stronger. Can we have another serving?” -Ur 

“I would also like a bit more, please.” -Shizuku 

“Eat up, eat up! So you won’t die even if Glen gives you a hard time!” -Tavern keeper 

As requested, the owner cleared the empty plates and served them another helping. They continued to devour their food with the same vigor as before. Whatever their circumstances may be, as long as they had the energy to devour meat, they wouldn’t die tomorrow or the day after. 

“Thank you for the food.” -Ur 

“Thank you for the wonderful meal.” -Shizuku 

“You’re welcome. Are you going back to Glen’s place today?” -Tavern keeper 

The tavern keeper reminisced about that familiar, unshaven face. Well, he wouldn’t go easy on them, and his teaching methods were catastrophic, but that man, who wouldn’t settle for half-hearted attempts, would surely take care of these kids somehow, the owner thought. 

“No, I’m going to see my sister. She’s about to be sold off and dissected by debt collectors.” -Ur 

Perhaps it would be wise to worry a little after all, the owner thought.