Akatsuki Translations

City of Sin, Greed: Adventurers’ Guild – Training Facility Day 16 

Find the reason why you must save your sister. Reevaluate yourself. 

Those words spoken by Glen echoed in Ur’s mind. Reflecting on his own past wasn’t particularly difficult. Ur’s life wasn’t that complicated. It was simply a matter of surviving in poverty and enduring the harsh journey of wandering, both for himself and his sister, with utmost determination. They were no different from wild creatures. 

Ur believed that only those with wealth or sufficient power could hold on to things like principles and pride. The impoverished, who were desperate to fill their stomachs with anything, had no luxury to contemplate such matters. 

But Glen said it was necessary to reach gold rank. 

If that’s the case, Ur had to think. Even though Glen had said, “Don’t use others as a reason,” it was true that he didn’t want his sister Akane to die. 

But then, why did Ur want to save her? 

Because they were blood relatives? Because she was his sister? Because he loved her? Perhaps all of those were not wrong. 

They weren’t wrong, but Ur had to delve deeper. He had to figure out where this impulse within him originated from. For Ur, who had no talent, achievements, home, or hometown, it was an incredibly difficult task. 

“【Fireball! 】” -Shizuku 

“Ugh!” -Ur 

Even in the midst of his contemplation, Ur and Shizuku remained unfazed during their dungeon monster extermination. It was all thanks to Glen’s training. The dungeon of Greed, where death, blood, wealth, and glory were all intertwined, was the path Ur and Shizuku pressed forward on. Even after Glen instructed them to reflect on themselves, the two continued their exploration of the dungeon. They had no time to ponder or laze around in bed. Especially not for Ur. 

Acquire an Adventurer’s Ring. 

The deadline for the task given by Diz was two weeks. If they couldn’t clear it, all the talk of becoming a gold-ranked adventurer that had been occupying Ur’s mind would become meaningless. He couldn’t avoid it. 

That’s why Ur and Shizuku were hastening to become stronger while facing another problem they had to conquer. It was the condition proposed by Glen, which was to achieve something which could overcome a year’s worth of activities as an adventurer. 

And now, it was physically approaching. 

“…It’s here.” -Ur 

“It’s close…” -Shizuku 

Thud, thud. The sound of footsteps echoed through the dungeon. The footsteps of something colossal. Even adventurers like Ur, who only possessed a chalk ring, which allowed them to venture into the shallow levels, knew of only a single large monster that appeared in these upper levels. 

“『OOOOOOOO… 』” 

Tenth-ranked monster, Crystal Golem. 

Originally, it should have appeared in the middle layers, but due to the current active period of the dungeon, it had infiltrated the upper layers as an irregular. Currently, there was a reward of ten gold coins for its defeat, a bounty placed on its head. 

If they could defeat it, Glen could recommend Ur and Shizuku to the guild as adventurers worthy of receiving a Copper Ring. That’s what he said, but… 

“『OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO… 』” 

As it drew closer, the enormity of the monster intimidated Ur. Its appearance resembled a clay doll made by a child, but its body shimmered with the minerals it adorned, reflecting the faint light of the dungeon. However, the biggest issue was its sheer size. 

Exceeding ten meters in length, its size alone posed a great threat. It freely traversing the area despite its weight was itself madness. Every step it took made the dungeon tremble. The ground cracked and burst. Observing this scene from a side passage, Ur’s face contorted. 

“I… will defeat this.” -Ur 

Defeat it. 

Do what needs to be done. This was something that had to be done, an enemy they couldn’t avoid. Ur understood it in his head and wished for it in his heart, but his body trembled in the face of its massive size and the earth-shaking it caused. While it wasn’t uncommon for monsters larger than Ur to exist even in the upper layers, such a powerful creature was truly rare. Being large was purely a threat. 

Even though his mind understood, his body and instincts refused. He couldn’t do it. Run away. Thoughts like that consumed him. 

“Stay calm, stay calm,” he whispered to himself. There was no meaning in becoming sluggish due to fear. But no matter how much he tried to convince himself, his instincts let out a pitiful cry and his limbs dulled. Ur’s face wrinkled in frustration at his body’s complete lack of cooperation. 

“Ur-sama.” -Shizuku 

“Mm?” -Ur 

Silently, Shizuku’s arm slipped around his neck, guiding his face toward her chest without any resistance. She lightly patted Ur’s back. 

“Are you feeling more composed now?” -Shizuku 

“A lot more.” -Ur 

“That’s good to hear.” -Shizuku 

Ur felt a sense of contentment against her ample bosom. Her soft voice calmed his agitated heart. Ur took a deep breath. It was embarrassing to find solace in the embrace of a girl who was no older than him, as if she were soothing an infant, but it was helpful. 

“Let’s calm down. Our current objective is investigation, not extermination.” -Shizuku 

“Yeah.” -Ur 

She was right. At present, Ur and the others were not aiming to “exterminate” the Crystal Golem but rather to “investigate” it. They were in the phase of gathering information on how to defeat it. Panicking at this stage would be futile. 

“Shizuku, you’re always so calm.” -Ur 

“As a disciple of the gods, there are things I must fulfill.” -Shizuku 

Her words reflected her devotion as a follower of the One True God, the embodiment of the Sun, Zerudia. 

Of course, Ur himself was faithful. Without God, this world, and even the maintenance of the city, would be impossible. The protective barrier of Zerudia, the embodiment of the sun, was essential for defending the city against dungeons and monsters. However, he couldn’t maintain a calm demeanor in the face of imminent danger, unlike Shizuku. 

It wasn’t merely a matter of difference in the depth of their faith. Most likely, she understood what she needed to do and why she needed to do it. She possessed what Ur was lacking, as Glen had pointed out. Ur couldn’t determine whether it was due to Shizuku’s amiable personality, his own low self-esteem, or perhaps both. 

“Ur-sama, I’m sure everything will be fine. I know the efforts you’ve put in since becoming an adventurer in such a short time, risking your life day after day. Those days were not in vain.” -Shizuku 

“…Yeah.” -Ur 

In any case, it was certain that Shizuku, who encouraged him and held his hand as he trembled in fear, was a good person. Therefore, he had to respond to her words, even if only for this moment, as a comrade fighting alongside her. 

“…Alright, we’ll worry about everything afterward.” -Ur 

“Let’s focus on what we can do now.” -Shizuku 

And so, they gathered their determination and once again concealed themselves, observing the behavior of the golem. They couldn’t simply rush in recklessly. Research came first. 

“So, what is it that triggers its movement?” -Ur 

Approaching it would result in an attack. That was a certainty. Therefore, it must possess some form of sensing ability. If it were a human, it would be the five senses. Sight, smell, taste, hearing, and the sense of touch. However, when it came to this Crystal Golem… 

“While it has what resembles eyes, nose, and a mouth…” -Shizuku 

“They appear to be just hollow cavities.” -Ur 

It looked like a mud doll crafted by a child. It was hard to imagine that it possessed functions similar to those of living beings. 

“But it surely has some form of sensing ability.” -Shizuku 

“Otherwise, it wouldn’t be able to roam the dungeon and chase after people.” -Ur 

They could traverse the complex and ever-changing Dungeon of Greed, so it was certain that the golem possessed some form of sensing mechanism. 

Then what was it? 

“What does the compendium that Glen lent us say?” -Ur 

“The functionality varies greatly depending on the runes engraved on the golem and the accuracy of its core.” -Shizuku 

“That’s pretty vague.” -Ur 

“It is indeed…” -Shizuku 

After a moment of silence, they nodded at each other. 

“Let’s investigate.” -Ur 

“Yes, let’s do that.” -Shizuku 

　　　　　　　　 　 ◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆ 

Research on the Crystal Golem, Part 1 

“For now, let’s start with sight.” -Ur  

“Shall we try stepping in front of it as a test?” -Shizuku  

“But won’t we be chased and killed for sure?” -Ur 

“Then, how about throwing this doll right in front of it?” -Shizuku 

“Where did you get it from? I mean, where did you even find something this child-sized?”  

“I bought at the Old Market. An old lady said she had to sell it for the sake of her sick grandson, son, and daughter.” -Shizuku 

“I want to say you were deceived, but if it helps with our experiment, we have no choice. Alright, let’s give it a shot.” -Ur 

“『OOOOOOO… 』”  

“It’s making sounds.” -Ur 

“Yes, indeed.” -Shizuku 

Visual capabilities remain unconfirmed. 

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆ 

 Research on the Crystal Golem, Part 2 

“In the end, it didn’t show any response to the doll.” -Ur 

“But it does respond to us.” -Shizuku 

“That’s true. Since we’re literally being pursued by it right now. We’re gonna die.” -Ur 

“『OOOOOOOO!!!!』” 

“Could it be that it can tell between humans and non-humans?” -Ur 

“However, we still don’t know how it makes that distinction” -Shizuku 

“Responses to biological functions, heartbeats, in other words, hearing” -Ur 

“Shall we try an experiment at the next intersection? We’ll split up left and right. I’ll try calling out.” -Shizuku 

“『OOOOOOOO……』” 

“Alright! Oh, dear doll! Head towards the sound of my voice!!” -Shizuku 

“『OOOOOOOO!!!!』” 

“It’s still charging straight towards me. ” -Ur 

Auditory abilities remained unconfirmed. 

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆ 

Research on the Crystal Golem, Part 3 

“It’s not through sound. It also doesn’t respond to anything visually…” -Ur 

“Then, what could it be sensing?” -Shizuku 

“In that case, it must be mana after all?” -Ur 

“But even monsters possess mana, don’t they?” -Shizuku 

“However, monsters tend to attack…” -Ur 

“But there weren’t any, right?” -Shizuku 

“Huh?” -Ur 

“Huh?” -Shizuku 

“…” 

“…” 

“『GYAGYAGYA!!!』” 

“Oh, a goblin.” -Ur 

“There’s just one.” -Shizuku 

“Stay back.” -Ur 

“They’re coming.” -Shizuku 

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　~A few minutes later~ 

“『GIIIIIIIII!?!!』” 

“I can’t help but wonder if we’re doing something terrible right now.” -Ur 

“You mean attempting to throw the goblins at the golem?” -Shizuku 

“『GYAAAGAAAAAAAGAAA!!!』” 

“What a terrifying scream.” -Ur 

“Yes, indeed.” -Shizuku 

“We couldn’t deny it if we were called monsters ourselves.” -Ur 

“Ur-sama.” -Shizuku 

“Yes?” -Ur 

“Everything has its order of precedence.” -Shizuku 

“I’ve thought this before, but Shizuku is quite frank in these types of situations.” -Ur 

“ “Taaake this.” “ -Shizuku and Ur 

“『GYAAAGAAAAAAAGAAA?!』” 

“『OOOOOOOO!!』” 

“It’s worse than minced meat.” -Ur 

“It seems they can’t differentiate between humans and monster.” -Shizuku 

There are doubts regarding ability to sense mana. 

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆ 

Research on the Crystal Golem, Part 13 

After numerous encounters, experiments, and narrow escapes with the golem, Ur Shizuku arrived at a conclusion regarding the golem’s sensory abilities through their continued research. 

“The research has led us to conclude that they “attack approaching creatures that have mana”.” -Ur 

“That is only what is most likely, however.” -Shizuku 

“It’s confusing why they sometimes don’t.” -Ur 

“Further investigation is beyond our capabilities and manpower, I’m afraid.” -Shizuku 

Indeed, they lacked the necessary resources. Each contact with the crystal golem required risking their lives. Escaping with their lives became a routine after every experiment, and it became evident that no matter how many lives they had, it would never be enough. Consequently, pushing the verification any further became impossible. 

And then… 

“…What’s the point of knowing all this?” -Ur 

Ur pounded the wall, his hand throbbing with pain. 

The result of their investigation revealed the fact that they would be attacked if they approached the golem. And his feelings to this fact was simply, “We already fuckin’ knew that.” 

Risking their lives in vain took a toll on their spirits. Ur couldn’t help but think of those times when his foolish father, who never learned from his mistakes despite wasting time, effort, and money, seemed somewhat impressive. But he quickly dismissed the thought as a momentary lapse. 

“Alright, on to the next step. I want to confirm our difference in power.” -Ur 

“Directly engaging in combat, I presume.” -Shizuku 

“We have to fight it for real. We need to understand how difficult it is to defeat it.” -Ur 

Although they had encountered the golem numerous times before, Ur and Shizuku had always chosen to flee. Both of them agreed that facing the golem head-on, without any preparation in terms of equipment or mental readiness, was not a wise choice. The fact that it was enormous alone posed a significant threat. There were many adventurers who foolishly rushed in without comprehending this, only to meet the same fate as the goblin from earlier. They remained cautious. 

However, merely obtaining information without developing countermeasures proved challenging. They had to confront the golem at least once. 

“Ur-sama! The Crystal Golem is approaching from the right passage ahead!” -Shizuku 

“Let’s do this.” -Ur 

Ur poised his spear, and Shizuku tightened her grip on her staff. 

“If we manage to defeat it, it will be quite a funny story.” -Ur 

“Well, that would be wonderful.” -Shizuku 

To ease the tension, Shizuku responded to the joke with a cheerful demeanor, laughing. After finding some relaxation, the two exchanged nods, filled with determination and resolve, and leaped forward to face the Crystal Golem head-on. 

　　　　　　　　　　　~A few minutes later~ 

“We shoulda’ stopped!” -Ur 

“We should have stopped!” -Shizuku 

And immediately regretted it. 

The narrow, long corridor they were now advancing through curved gently, winding as a single path. The pair desperately ran through that corridor. And behind them, a tremendous roar and the sound of destruction reverberated, casting a shadow over their bodies—a colossal humanoid figure approached. 

“『OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO…! 』” 

The recurring roar, whether it was the voice of the golem or the sound of the mysterious mechanism maintaining its body, Ur had no idea. He didn’t know, but even without knowing, he understood that the golem was approaching them with clear hostility. 

Why were they showing such a pathetic sight of running away from the Crytal Golem they attempted to measure their strength against? 

The reason was simple. It was hopeless. 

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

“Pierce it!!!!” -Ur 

Occasionally glancing back, Ur drove his spear into the ground while Shizuku cast her magic from behind. They put all their might into the attacks. However… 

“…It’s super hard.” -Ur 

“There’s no reaction at all!” -Shizuku 

Spears couldn’t penetrate it at all. The magic had no effect. They couldn’t make a dent. This was no longer a matter of defeating or not defeating. 

They knew. They were aware. They had heard from Glen that Crystal Golem was tough. They had heard that even silver-ranked adventurers, who typically occupied the middle layer, struggled against them. But their understanding was too naive. They were too optimistic. With Ur and Shizuku’s current abilities, it wasn’t even a battle. 

“This is useless. Let’s run.” -Ur 

“Yes, let’s do that.” -Shizuku 

With that, the two decided to escape. However, even that wasn’t going to be straightforward. 

The movement of the golem itself was sluggish. But it was enormous. Just by taking a slow step, it would easily close the distance Ur and the others desperately gained. 

“It’s coming!” -Shizuku 

Shizuku’s voice and the fear that instinctively arose within Ur made him kick forward with all his might. Or rather, he was thrown forward. The next moment, a rumble echoed behind Ur, and his body briefly “jumped.” 

“…!?!?” 

And then, he clumsily crashed onto the ground. There was no pain, but faced with the surreal situation that had befallen him, Ur’s entire body stiffened for a moment. 

“Ur-sama!!” -Shizuku 

Shizuku snapped Ur back to his senses with a merciless slap. The sharp sound brought Ur to his senses, and he kicked his trembling legs against the ground, resuming his escape. But they had to be prepared for another assault that could come at any moment. 

They simply ran with all their might. However, the Crystal Golem would not allow it. 

“It’s legs! it’s legs! Stop its legs!” -Ur 

Ur repeatedly voiced what they should do while shaking off the paralysis creeping into his mind. Gripping his spear tightly, he turned around. The shining body remained unscathed. If that was the case, then the point of attack should be its foothold. 

The golem took the next step. Its stride was large. And since it assumed a human form, the giant body relied on two legs for support. At that moment it chased them and brought one leg forward… 

“Fall over!” -Ur 

“【Sing, O Earth, Be Released, O Chains; Clay】” 

Ur slid under the golem’s reaching hand, avoiding it, and Shizuku shattered the stone paving of the dungeon that supported one of its legs. At the same time, she made that spot “soft” with her magic. As a result… 

“『O…Oo…OOO! 』” 

The Crystal Golem swayed and began to fall. 

“Ah.” -Ur 

“Well.” -Shizuku 

In other words, the enormous size and weight caused it to lean forward. 

“Run!” -Ur 

The moment his shout resounded, Ur threw himself in the opposite direction from where the golem collapsed, as if he were flinging his body away. He sensed that Shizuku was also trying to distance herself from the golem behind them, but there was no time to confirm. And in the next instant… 

“～～～～～～!!!” 

A deafening roar. 

The impact that hit Ur was far greater than the previous blow, and his body was sent flying. It collided with various surfaces, suffering damage. Every movement caused the wounds to ache as they scraped against his armor, but at least he was fortunate enough to survive. Brushing off the swirling dust, Ur slowly got up, panting. 

“…Th-this is it…! Shizuku!” -Ur 

“I’m fine over here!” -Shizuku 

Though their figures were obscured by the swirling dust, it seemed that Shizuku had escaped unscathed. Ur breathed a sigh of relief and gestured for them to move toward the sound. Shizuku seemed to have done the same, as they converged near the waist of the golem. 

“I’m glad you’re safe.” -Ur 

“I…am, but can the golem still get up?” -Shizuku 

While remaining at a slight distance from the collapsed Crystal Golem, Ur and Shizuku observed its condition. The dust in the surroundings had yet to settle, and the echoes of the previous impact still reverberated through the vast dungeon. 

As Shizuku had said, the golem showed no signs of getting up anytime soon. Well, given its colossal size, it was understandable that it would be difficult. However, if it truly couldn’t get up like this, would their mission be considered accomplished? Ur started to entertain such thoughts when… 

“Now’s our chance!” 

Several figures leaped out from behind Ur and Shizuku. Whether they had been there all along or had been lying in wait, adventurers armed with various weapons emerged simultaneously. And then… 

“Huh!?” -Ur 

They rushed past Ur and Shizuku, launching an attack on the golem. 

“Hahaha! Thanks, brats! We, the 【Red Ogre】, will take care of this one!” -Red Oni Member 

“Damn it! It’s so tough! Our swords can’t even scratch it!” -Red Ogre Member 

“Bring that thing! That!” -Red Ogre Member 

Amidst the chaos, while Ur was disoriented, the men skillfully prepared something they had been readying beforehand. It was a palm-sized spherical object wrapped in parchment inscribed with a magical formula—a “Magic-Sealing Orb.” Its effects varied depending on the formula, but the one used this time… 

“Activate!” -Red Ogre Member 

An explosive fire magic. 

At the signal, the released mana reacted with the formula, causing destruction. The level of the explosion surpassed the one before by far, not just causing a collapse in the cave, but also shaking Ur’s head from his ears. It was a dizzying sensation. 

“What happened?!” -Red Ogre Member 

“I can’t hear anything!” -Red Ogre Member 

“Ouch! Debris is falling!” -Red Ogre Member 

Amidst the booming and vibrating sounds, the Red Ogre and the others shouted at the top of their lungs. The visibility was worse than when the Crystal Golem fell earlier. And it was so noisy. Instead of speaking, Ur grabbed Shizuku’s hand, signaling her to move away from the scene of chaos. 

“――” 

Shizuku nodded and started moving. They had to distance themselves from the commotion to understand the situation even slightly. To put it bluntly, Ur couldn’t help but have a bad feeling. 

“――― Eh?” 

However, amidst the uncertainty, an absent-minded voice, belonging to no one in particular, reached Ur’s ears. 

The swirling dust covering his vision trembled violently. Something large moved, causing the dust to shift. What moved was evident. 

“『OOOOOOOOOOOOOO! 』” 

The Crystal Golem arose, slowly lifting its fist. It prepared to strike a blow with a fist thicker than a giant tree trunk, aiming at its own adversary standing before it. 

“Wha-?!” 

“…If it could be defeated by some ordinary tool you’d find anywhere, then it wouldn’t be a bounty target,” murmured Ur, seemingly escaping a bit into fantasy, while Shizuku swiftly cast a spell, “【Sing, O Wind, and Bestow Upon Us Your Protection】,”  The golem swung its fist downward. The movement felt unexpectedly swift, contrasting with its previous sluggishness. 

“【Wind Armor】—?!” -Shizuku 

“『OOOOO!!! 』” 

Shizuku unleashed magic which created a barrier of wind. Simultaneously, the golem struck its fist downward. For an instant, it seemed like the fist was repelled by the barrier of wind, but it was truly just a fleeting moment. A resounding crack echoed as the shattered magic and the impact generated by the monster’s fist swept the two away once again. 

“Gahhh?!” 

“Gyaaaaaaa?!” 

Ur forcefully collided with the wall, his back taking the brunt of it. Though his back hurt, it wasn’t a serious injury, likely because Shizuku’s wind magic had managed to intervene between them. If not for that, they would have been completely torn apart by the impact, along with the fragments of the destroyed dungeon floor. 

“Ur-sama…!” -Shizuku 

And yet, their luck wouldn’t favor them twice. Shizuku, too, was slammed against the dungeon wall by the force of being blown away. Moreover, the forcibly triggered magic had drained her stamina, leaving her exhausted. 

“Shizuku, I’ll carry you. Let’s get out of here!” -Ur 

“Are… Are those people alright?” -Shizuku 

“They’re already screaming and running away! Let’s go too!” -Ur 

With those words, the two of them fled in a mad dash. Just before running away, Ur turned back once more towards the golem to confirm that it wasn’t pursuing them. 

“『OOOOOO… 』” 

The Crystal Golem showed no signs of being affected by the attacks from Ur and Shizuku or the onslaught of the individuals who called themselves the Red Ogre. In fact, not a single scratch marred its body. Illuminated by the magical light of the dungeon corridors, its body shimmered like the gemstones it was named after. 

And thus, as if nothing had happened, it resumed walking through the dungeon, beginning its wandering once again. 

“…What should we do? Seriously,” Ur muttered with a helpless voice, carrying Shizuku.  

Naturally, there was no one who would provide an answer.