Akatsuki Translations

【The Adventurer’s Certification Item, a Copper Ring】

This is proof of a person’s strength and character, given only to those who are judged by the headquarters to be worthy of the title of adventurer. In this day and age, there are many who claim to be adventurers, but the only ones actually recognized by the Adventurers’ Guild are those who possess this ring.

“This is…” -Ur

“It’s very cool…” -Shizuku

In a room at the Greed branch of the Adventurer’s Guild, following a long lecture, Ur and Shizuku were presented with their adventurer’s rings. The ring, revealing itself from a silky fabric, was the lowest rank an adventurer could have. Yet it had a beauty that took one’s breath away.

A brilliance resembling pure gold, yet unmistakably made of copper, adorned with two intersecting blades and a meticulously carved dragon motif – the Adventurer Guild’s emblem was intricately etched into it.

“It fits perfectly.” -Ur

As he slid it onto his index finger, it fit snugly as if tailor-made. Even though he couldn’t recall ever having his finger size measured, it was a flawless fit. And then…

“Those who hold the copper ring are allowed to challenge areas up to where rank six monsters appear. Of course, being allowed to challenge does not mean that your abilities are up to par. Remember that,” warned Jiiro, the branch chief of the Greed branch, who had been giving the pair a lengthy lecture. It was a tradition in the Greed branch that the branch chief personally instructs the new adventurers when transferring the adventurer’s rings.

“The adventurer’s ring allows for various facilities’ free usage, and it also serves as a magical tool that can store multiple spells. Once you become proficient in using it, it will aid you in your future dungeon explorations. Review everything I have taught you so far, and keep experimenting.”

“Yes.” -Ur

“Understood.” -Shizuku

Before the obediently nodding students, Jiiro nodded approvingly.

“I’ve heard about your circumstances. Even if I tell you not to do anything reckless, you probably won’t listen. But remember, recklessness does not always lead to success.” -Jiiro

Saying this, he gently patted their heads. Despite his stern expression, they could feel his care and consideration.

“There’s not just one answer to a problem. If one method fails, stop and give yourself time to look at the big picture and think. Don’t forget to consider what the best answer is for you.” -Jiiro

Having said this, the two children touched their own heads and remarked,

“He’s amazing, what a decent instructor.” -Ur

“If it were Glen-sama, he would be throwing punches right about now.” -Shizuku

The two were moved.

“I’ll tell him to hold back a bit.” -Jiiro

Jiiro massaged his forehead.

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Training Facility, Lecture Room.

Ur and Shizuku returned to the back of this place after receiving their rings. They were welcomed by Glen, the master of this location, and Diz, accompanied by Akane. As the two entered the lecture hall, Glen seemed utterly disinterested, Diz appeared to be enjoying herself, and Akane imitated Diz, welcoming them with applause.

“Congrats on getting your rings, you fuckin’ worthless pieces of shit.” -Glen

“Do you want to congratulate or insult us?” -Ur

“Congratulations, Ur. I truly admire you.” -Diz

“The mastermind is being kind.” -Ur

《Yaaay!》-Akane

“Akane-sama, that’s a rhythmic clap, not applause.” -Shizuku

Amidst the chaotic mix of celebration and ridicule, Ur and Shizuku took their seats. Copper rings were firmly worn on the fingers of the two. These were symbols of recognition from the Adventurer’s Guild and the ultimate proof that they were the victors of the Subjugation Festival.

Ur proudly displayed the ring to Diz.

“I kept my promise. So now…” -Ur

“Akane is officially ‘in custody.’” -Diz

Diz said with a smile.

“Your wish has been granted. Now all you have to do is reach gold rank within three years.” -Diz

“I’ll definitely do it, so be prepared, you bitch.” -Ur

“You two get along so well.” -Shizuku

《Friends~~.》-Akane

Despite the high stakes, the atmosphere was surprisingly light. Besides Ur and Akane, even though it had only been a month since they met, it felt like they had already become close friends..

“Sorry to interrupt your love fest, but there’s one more thing you need to know. Have you learned about the magic function of your rings from Old Man Jiiro?” -Glen

“Mostly.” -Ur

“What about the practical application?” -Glen

“It was a rushed lesson, so we only got the theory.” -Ur

“Well, there’s one thing you should prioritize in practice. Hold out the hand you’re wearing the ring on.” -Glen

Following his instructions, they held out their hands.

“Cast the spell, 【Reveal Thy Name[1]. 】” -Glen

As they chanted the spell as instructed, something faintly appeared on the back of their right hands where they were wearing their rings. It was a “single stroke” pattern. The pattern that appeared on Uru’s hand was a straight line, but Shizuku’s was different.

“So, this is… 【mana】, huh?” -Ur

Magical power is basically invisible. Unless it is highly concentrated, human eyes cannot perceive its shape. Mana is a way to make this power visible using magic. Essentially, it is the very magical power that Ur has acquired and cultivated.

“That’s right. And this is your own ‘mana.’ It represents you as an entity. It won’t show unless you’ve consumed a certain amount of magical power, but it looks like you’ve surpassed the threshold by defeating the crystal golem.” -Glen

Looking at them, the shapes of Ur and Shizuku’s mana were different. It seems they had grown in different ways.

“So what’s the benefit of knowing this?” -Ur

“You can tell the type and amount of magical power someone has… well, roughly. And for yourself, you can get a rough idea of your growth. The size of your mana.” -Glen

Indeed, it was true that Ur and Shizuku’s mana was small. They were peculiar patterns, as if they were drawn in a single stroke.

“So as we grow, the strokes of our mana increases?” -Ur

“Right. Easy to understand, ain’t it? That’s the measure of growth. If the number of 【marks】 increases, such as 【one mark, 】 【two marks, 】 【three marks, 】 it means you’ve consumed that much magical power.” -Glen

“How many 【marks】 does Glen have?” -Ur

“【Five marks, 】 the maximum number of marks confirmed so far.” -Glen

So, in other words, they must aim for at least five marks to reach gold rank. Indeed, it makes sense as a rough guideline.

“As the number of marks increases, in other words, as your magical power strengthens, your physical body will also strengthen accordingly. In some cases, special abilities may also emerge.” -Glen

“Specifically?” -Ur

“Typically, it’s the enhancement of your five senses. 【Magic Eyes】fall into this category. There are also others like 【Intuition】 and 【Spiritual Sensitivity, 】 which could be considered as sixth senses. And many others. The quality of these abilities also vary greatly.” -Glen

“Can we choose them?” -Ur

“Impossible.” -Glen

“That’s ruthless.” -Ur

Skills emerge as needed, each time they are used. Original aptitude, the environment at the time, mental state, all sorts of factors intertwine. They are not something that can be chosen.

“Well, there is a high tendency for them to be what you ‘truly feel is necessary,’ not a simple desire. Adventurers tend to lean towards combat-related skills. Of course, the quality and quantity of the acquired magical power shape the abilities, so the contents of these abilities vary greatly…” -Glen

Glen then held up two fingers.

“As an adventurer aiming for gold rank from now on, there are two paths you can take. One is to continue diving into the Dungeon of Greed.” -Glen

“What’s the other?” -Ur

“To travel around each city-state, hunting down bounty heads.” -Glen

Bounty heads. The moment he heard the word, of course, he thought of the crystal golem. It was a threat that rampaged like a beast and would have certainly taken their lives if they had made the slightest mistake.

To travel and eliminate such bounties. How absurdly reckless that sounded. Still, he swallowed the words. After all, it was himself who was uttering this madness.

“I want to weigh the merits and demerits of each option.” -Ur

“Diving into a single dungeon is the mainstream approach for many adventurers. First and foremost, it offers stability. After all, you keep exploring the same place repeatedly. You become accustomed to the appearing monsters, and your understanding of the dungeon’s structure deepens. As trust from the city increases, so does the number of jobs.” -Glen

“It all sounds too good to be true. What’s the downside?” -Ur

“Too much stability.” -Glen

Glen gestured with his chin towards the outside of the training facility.

Outside on the main street, known as Marching Street, countless people were bustling about. This meant there were also many adventurers present. From seasoned adventurers donning well-worn equipment to fresh-faced youngsters with shiny gear and nervous expressions, and even those who simply stuck a sword at their waist while looking no different from regular city dwellers – people of various appearances were all heading to the same destination, the dungeon.

“The basic task of dungeon explorers is to mine magic stones. They kill monsters, collect the stones, and retreat. It’s a contribution to the city, but it’s not a great achievement. Everyone’s doing it.” -Glen

“It leaves a weak impression on the Adventurer’s Guild?” -Ut

“If one can conquer an unexplored layer, or in the case of Greed, anything beyond the 59th layer, that would be an achievement. But it’s not something that can be accomplished overnight. It takes years and years of hard work to finally reach even the middle layers. There’s no shortcut. So, honestly, given your situation with a time limit, it’s almost not an option. I might recommend it if it were Shizuku…” -Glen

Shizuku shook her head.

“I don’t want to waste too much time either.” -Shizuku

“I think it’s better than rushing through life… Well, that leaves the other option.” -Glen

Glen folded one outstretched finger and swung the remaining index finger as he began to speak.

“The route of traveling to various cities and hunting down bounty heads who roam around the dungeons and undeveloped areas.” -Glen

“That seems like a huge risk.” -Ur

“Of course,” Glen nodded in agreement.

“You’re targeting creatures that many adventurers have deemed too difficult to defeat, and even when bounties are placed on them, no one touches them, or if they do, they’re repelled and survive. It’s naturally high-risk.” -Glen

“What’s the merit of going after such targets?” -Ur

“It’s the opposite of what I said before. The evaluation from the Adventurer’s Guild is remarkably high. It’s the defeat of a monster that had a bounty placed on it but was left alone. They can’t help but evaluate it highly.” -Glen

While it severely lacks stability, compared to the dungeon exploration which requires slow and steady accumulation, the bounty hunter route provides a clear shortcut. There could be no more clear goal for scoring points in the guild.

“But they’re powerful monsters that have been left alone for a long time, right? Wouldn’t we need to steadily build up our abilities to deal with them?” -Ur

“Not necessarily. The reason they’ve been left alone isn’t always based on its combat strength.” -Glen

“So, they might be left alone because they’re “troublesome” rather than because of their combat ability?” -Ur

“Correct. Or, it could be that the place they use as bases are troublesome.” -Glen

Moreover, in recent years, the trend among adventurers to seek stability rather than advancement was also a factor, Glen explained. Rather than risking their lives and a fortune to defeat a bounty, they believed it was far better to earn a stable income in a familiar dungeon. The majority of adventurers today probably thought that way.

Like the recent crystal golem incident, unless there were significant benefits or ignoring it did not lead to major drawbacks, it would be overlooked. That was the current trend in the adventurer community.

“In other words, it’s a prime target for those who have ambition and enjoy strong monsters.” -Ur

“In addition, this connects to what I was talking about earlier regarding mana. The magical power obtained from powerful monsters that have survived at the level of bounty targets has both ‘quantity’ and ‘quality’ significantly higher than what you get from repeatedly hunting small fry. It allows you to grow stronger faster.” -Glen

The monsters that appeared in the dungeon, perhaps because they were recently generated from the dungeon, had not had their magic power condensed, and were not yet dyed with attributes. Due to their lack of specialization, it took time for them to take on distinct forms. Moreover, in the safe and monotonous hunting grounds, encounters with situations that ‘truly required strength’ were rare.

In that respect, bounty hunting is optimal for becoming stronger.

“That’s how it is. Considering your situation, it’s pretty much the only choice.” -Glen

“Hunting bounties in no particular order across the continent… Well, that’s the way it’s going to be.” -Ur

In other words, turmoil such as the recent crystal golem hunt would continue.

“So we’re saying goodbye to this city? It’s a bit sad to say goodbye to the people we’ve gotten to know here, isn’t it?” -Shizuku

“We’re not leaving right away today, so let’s say our goodbyes properly… The problem is…” -Ur

Ur looked back at Diz and Akane, who was sitting on Diz’s knee. To travel meant inevitably leaving this city. That, in turn, meant being separated from Akane.

《Nii-tan? 》-Akane

Akane tilted her head, and Ur gently patted it.

Being separated from Akane was painful. It would be hard for Akane, but even harder for Ur.

“Diz.” -Ur

“I can’t allow her to travel with you, as much as you insist. She’s not yours yet.” -Diz

“Please, do something about it.” -Ur

“I want to say, ‘Don’t push it,’ but…” -Diz

Diz tilted her head slightly, appeared to contemplate for a moment, and then spoke.

“I have a suggestion. Well, to be precise, it’s more like a ‘request,’ I guess?” -Diz

TL Note(s)

[1] I’m translating その名を示せ as “Reveal Thy Name,” since the raw uses 魔名 as the word for mana and the kanji ‘名’ means name. So in Japanese, it makes sense, but it’s a bit hard to translate into English.