Akatsuki Translations

“So, first off…” -Nagumo 

Nagumo-san glanced around. Amidst the grassland with shimmering heatwaves, he could sporadically spot goblins. Most of them were in groups of 3 to 6. None were wandering alone. 

“That one seems good.” -Nagumo 

As he spoke, Nagumo-san’s figure disappeared. When I looked in the direction he was facing, he was now in front of three goblins that appeared no bigger than grains of rice. Then, Nagumo-san swung the large sword he was carrying. 

“Head that way!” -Nagumo 

Nagumo-san shouted. I was bewildered, not understanding his instructions. But then I saw: a goblin about 140cm tall, soaring high in the sky, launched by Nagumo-san’s single swing. 

“Wa-wait! Isn’t this dangerous!” -Rokujou 

“Deliver the finishing blow!” -Nagumo 

“What?” -Rokujou 

“I’m tellin’ you to stab it with your spear!” -Nagumo 

“It’s already dead, isn’t it…” -Rokujou 

I glanced at the goblin, splattered with green blood. Sent flying from a distance where it looked like a grain of rice, its bones were broken, ribs jutting out. 

“Gu-gya…” 

Its pitiable form was hard to associate with the monster reputed to kill the most humans. Yet, it was still faintly breathing. 

“Do it quickly!” -Nagumo 

A finishing blow. To this? 

“I have to, don’t I…” -Rokujou 

I readied the cross-spear Nagumo-san had given me. My hands trembled. Killing a creature, especially one so weakened and defenseless. Goblins may not look human, but they are living. They breathe and look at you with fear. 

I gripped the spear tightly. I wouldn’t be able to stab a dying dog, cat, or even a rat. But I had to for a goblin. 

“I came to this dungeon to kill goblins and level up.” -Rokujou 

Monsters in the dungeon continuously need to be killed; otherwise, they overflow into our world. More necessary to kill than even livestock. 

But that’s not the real reason. I want to level up to break free from this current state where I feel like I am living in fear of Ikemoto. I want to level up, even if it means killing creatures.. 

My mouth tastes sour. Once again, I gripped the spear and thrust it forward, shaking. 

“Ga-gyaa…” 

The goblin let out a high-pitched, weak death cry. Slowly, the spear’s blade entered its chest. I pushed it all the way. The goblin’s movements slowly cease… After a minute or so, it became completely motionless. 

“Is it dead!?” -Nagumo 

Nagumo-san’s voice echoed from a distance. 

“Y-Yes, it’s dead!” -Rokujou 

I managed to suppress the rising nausea and replied. How cruel it is to take a life. And despite the fact that being an explorer was an absolutely necessary occupation, I felt like I understood why it was disliked by society. 

“Then come over here quickly!” -Nagumo 

“Yes!” -Rokujou 

However, I can’t just stand still. I made a decision. Creatures that die in the dungeon vanish within a day. I bowed to the goblin’s corpse, which would disappear by tomorrow, and started running. 

While trying to forget about killing the goblin, I focused solely on Nagumo-san and ran. 

“Watch out in front!” -Nagumo 

Nagumo-san yelled. 

“Huh?” -Rokujou 

“Ga-gya!” 

Suddenly, a goblin was right in front of me. 

The goblin raised a katana it held and swung it down at me. 

Oh no. I had been completely focused on Nagumo-san. I was going to die. That’s what I thought. Was this how I would die, looking like such a fool? I was supposed to become something special, yet here I was, about to die, still as worthless as a random pebble on the side of the road. 

“No…” -Rokujou 

I refused to believe I’d meet such a stupid end. I want to die in a more meaningful way. 

*Clang* 

….However, the goblin’s sword stopped right before it hit me. 

“Another attack is coming! The necklace barrier breaks if you take more than 100 damage within 10 minutes! It takes 10 minutes to recover, so if you keep getting hit, you’ll die!” 

“What!?” -Rokujou 

“Move now!” -Nagumo 

Nagumo-san yells, but what I really wanted to say was, “You should have told me that beforehand.” However, upon closer consideration, I wondered if I would have been killed by the first strike anyway. Right, it was thanks to the necklace, ‘Aristo,’ that Nagumo-san gave me at the beginning that I survived. 

While I was deep in thought, the goblin didn’t hesitate. It launched a second strike. 

“Ugh!” 

I try to dodge but can’t entirely avoid it. The blade slashes across my abdomen. I should’ve died twice already. Even though the necklace protected me, it felt like intense pain shot through my stomach. 

“It hurts!” -Rokujou 

“It’s all in your head! The necklace is protecting you! Here comes another attack!” -Nagumo 

Goblins are terrifying. 

They relentlessly try to kill you. Even when their attacks are repelled, they keep charging. It’s unknown whether it obtained it from some explorer or not, but using a chipped katana, it swings wildly. I rolled over the grass, covered in mud, narrowly avoiding the strikes. 

“I, I dodged it! I managed to avoid it!” -Rokujou 

“Next! Ready your cross-spear!” -Nagumo 

“Yes!” -Rokujou 

Crawling, I put some distance between the goblin and me and took a stance with my spear. 

“You don’t need to hit with the blade! Bash with the pole!” -Nagumo 

Following his instruction, I swung the cross-spear. Without thinking about the blade, I hit the goblin, along with its katana. Although I was hesitant, the goblin was momentarily stunned. I can’t let this chance slip. Gripping the spear firmly, I thrust it. 

“Gu-gyah!?” 

The spear pierces the goblin’s torso. Desperately recalling the knowledge I’d studied so hard, I remember that most monsters don’t die from a single blow. A follow-up attack is necessary. I quickly pulled out the spear and thrust it towards the goblin’s neck. The blade entered the goblin’s flesh once more. 

“Huff, huff!” -Rokujou 

I was panting heavily. The goblin slowly slumps over, bleeding onto the ground. Looking on, whether from the heat or the cold sweat, my vision blurred. 

“I… I killed it.” -Rokujou 

“Well done. It’s usually like this. Think you can handle it?” -Nagumo 

Nagumo-san asked, patting my head. I thought he was farther away, but he was right next to me without making a sound. 

“It was scarier than I thought.” -Rokujou 

The goblin was genuinely trying to kill me. Focused solely on ending my life without any hesitation. That was terrifying. One wrong move and I’m dead. This place truly is dangerous. 

“Figured as much. I was scared shitless my first time too.” -Nagumo 

“It’s a wonder you didn’t die.” -Rokujou 

“I’ve been quite lucky. Told you I found companions rather quickly. You should trust the connections you make in the dungeon.” -Nagumo 

“I guess.” -Rokujou 

I think if I hadn’t met this person, I would have given up on being an explorer, just as the cashier lady at that counter intended. I consider myself fortunate that it didn’t turn out that way. Explorers who might die, and an ordinary life where you can still live. Nevertheless, I believe I’m luckier now. I thought that was a healthy realization of myself. 

“After defeating a monster, always rest for about 10 minutes. Your necklace takes 10 minutes to recover after taking damage. Make sure it’s fully restored before moving on. Stick to this routine until you get the hang of it.” -Nagumo 

“Understood.” -Rokujou 

By tomorrow, I need to be able to enter the dungeon alone. Initially, I was supposed to start today, but I now realize how reckless that would’ve been. If what my teacher said was true, I might have died today. 

“Even if the goblins form groups, I’ll make sure there’s just one left. So, keep going like this on your own. I’ll move far away, to a distance where I absolutely won’t intervene to help you. Around the point where I’ll be around 10 kilometers away, the dungeon will recognize you as being alone.” -Nagumo 

“Have you moved 10 kilometers away already?” -Rokujou 

“No, not even one kilometer right now. But the level difference between you and me is too vast. Unless I’m that far away, the dungeon will think someone is assisting you and your level won’t increase anymore. That’s why I’m doing this. Got it?” -Nagumo 

It’s not good at all, but I have no choice but to say “It’s fine.” Starting from tomorrow, I’ll be alone. If it’s too much, it might be better to say, “I’ll just stop now.” 

“Phew.” -Rokujou 

My ragged breathing slowly steadies. Checking my watch, 10 minutes have passed. 

“Next!” -Nagumo 

Nagumo-san moves. He vanishes from sight. A group of four goblins in the distance suddenly lose their heads, leaving just one. I could only confirm this visually; Nagumo-san whereabouts remain unknown. What’s up with this guy? 

*Thud* 

The sound echoes from my side. Looking over, Nagumo-san stood there. 

“Get going. If you leave that lone goblin, it’ll soon regroup.” -Nagumo 

Without missing a beat, there he was, casually resting his hands on his head. 

“Ye-yes.” -Rokujou 

I wish he’d guide me a bit more kindly, but without voicing my thoughts, I start running. The goblin seems to be in shock, likely unaware of why its companions are motionless. Panicking, it shakes its fallen comrades, making “gyaa, gyaa” noises. This makes it hard for me to kill it, seeing it show concern for its kind. I reassure myself that goblins don’t have human-like emotions. 

“Huff, huff.” -Rokujou 

Determined, I rush towards the goblin. The loud noise of my running alerts the goblin to my approach. 

“Gigih!?” 

Did you kill my comrades? The goblin’s furious gaze suggests as much. I don’t know much about goblin behavior, but its rage, possibly due to the loss of its companions, was evident. 

This goblin held a metal bat. If it hits me, I’m in for a world of pain. I heard that when dungeons first appeared, goblins only had clubs. However, every time an explorer died, the goblins acquired more weapons. 

“Now, some even have guns! It ain’t a joke!” -Nagumo 

I brace myself with my spear. The goblin charges from 100m, 80m, 50m, rapidly closing the distance. At 5m, it raised its bat with both hands, and with the momentum of its run, swung down. 

“Stay calm.” -Rokujou 

I remember how Ikemoto would raise his fist at me, making me tremble. He never intended to hurt me, but the fear was real. But now, thanks to the necklace, I’m calm. I must be lucky. Meeting Nagumo-san and being told I’m “favored by the dungeon”… 

With those thoughts, I forcefully blocked the descending bat with my spear. 

*CLANG* 

The sound was so loud that I was worried the spear’s shaft might break. The goblin, which had come at me with force, was caught head-on, causing it to lose balance. However, my arm was also numb. I somehow managed to hold my ground and pushed back. The goblin couldn’t counter my momentum due to the weight difference, falling onto its back. 

The goblin quickly gets up. But that leaves an opening. It can’t hold its metal bat because it’s using its hands to stand. 

“Sorry about this!” -Rokujou 

“Grghhh!!!” 

“I know you’re alive. And I’m here to kill you, so no matter how much you resent me, it’s justified.” -Rokujou 

Still, I thrust my cross spear again. The sensation of the blade sinking into the creature’s flesh is indescribable. 

“Giggh!?” 

“I don’t know what you’re saying, but please die!” -Rokujou 

If I kill you, my level will rise. I’m not telling you to die for the world or for others, just die for me. We’ve been taught in middle school that even if you think a monster is dead, always strike its vital spot once more. Following that knowledge, I thrust the spear into its neck. 

“I… killed it…” -Rokujou 

“Great job, much better than my first time.” -Nagumo 

“Heh… Well, I had Nagumo-san with me.” -Rokujou 

Nagumo-san, always appearing out of nowhere, suggested a 10-minute break. As soon as those 10 minutes passed, he made his move. There was another, slightly larger goblin left unharmed. This way, I managed to defeat four goblins successfully without any major injuries.  

I thought that killing 10 wouldn’t be much harder. But then, a goblin archer, one that Nagumo-san had spared, hesitated.  

“An archer?” -Rokujou 

“Handle this one. Or else, you’ll die tomorrow.” -Nagumo 

Nagumo-san smirked. He’s right. Some even have guns. I can’t be scared of a mere goblin archer. I took a step forward, trying to muster courage. 

Whoosh! 

The goblin released an arrow.  

The arrows of the Goblin Archer were approaching at an imperceptible speed. 

I quickly sidestepped. 

Then, another Goblin Archer released an arrow. This time, I evaded it while rolling. The Goblin Archer was gradually getting closer. Avoiding became difficult around 30 meters, and at around 20 meters, 

*Clang* 

I was deflected by the necklace. In other words, if it weren’t for the necklace, it would have hit my body. Fear gripped me. 

*Clang* *Clang* 

The distance to the goblins was too close, and I couldn’t dodge the arrows. The necklace’s durability was said to be 100 damage points, but I had no idea how much damage that really meant. 

To make matters worse, they were firing rapidly, with the next arrow coming right away. It wasn’t a good idea to get closer; it was too dangerous. 

“Okay, one more time.” -Rokujou 

As a result, I got nervous from the goblin archer’s arrows, couldn’t get closer, and while I was in that state, the goblin archer was absorbed by another group. 

Just as I thought I messed up, Nagumo-san moved towards the group where the goblin archer had fled. 

The next moment, the heads of the goblins, other than the goblin archer, were missing. 

“Hurry up and go!”  -Nagumo 

“Again!? My necklace’s damage hasn’t recovered yet, you know!?” -Rokujou 

“Of course! There’s no 10-minute break until we defeat all of them! If you can’t handle this much, you’ll just die tomorrow!” -Nagumo 

“Ugh…” -Rokujou 

I seriously wanted to cry. 

After all, they were shooting arrows at us. 

I remember how Ikemoto often pretended to hit, but these arrows were genuinely meant to kill. They were just sharpened pieces of wood, but I could feel their significant killing power. The goblins had a large number of them strapped to their back to ensure they wouldn’t run out. 

“Want to quit?” -Nagumo 

As I hesitated, Nagumo-san unexpectedly spoke in a kind tone. It’s quite startling when he suddenly appears right next to me. I wish he would stop doing that. 

“No, I’ll do it!” -Rokujou 

I couldn’t afford to complain. I ran towards the Goblin Archer. 

This time, I decided to trust in the durability of the necklace and charged forward recklessly. Arrows struck my body, one after another. Each time, a membrane-like barrier flickered and burst. 

Even though it was protecting me, I felt pain throughout my body, and I nervously wondered when the necklace’s durability would be exceeded. Nevertheless, I kept running, getting closer to the Goblin Archer. Finally entering the range of the cross spear, just as I thought I could kill it, there was a shattering sound that rang out. 

“Ugh!” -Rokujou 

The invisible barrier shattered, exceeding the durability of the necklace. An arrow, merely a pointed piece of wood, embedded itself into my abdomen. The pain was excruciating, as if my stomach was being torn apart. Nausea welled up. 

“Goboh!” 

I choked, blood mingling in my mouth. This might not kill me. Fear immobilized my legs. 

“Kill it!” -Nagumo 

Nagumo-san’s shout echoed. 

The Goblin Archer had almost reached us. My abdomen lacked strength, but I somehow managed to ready my spear. Yet, the Goblin Archer turned its back, attempting to flee once more, to widen the distance for its bow and arrow. 

“If you let them distance themselves again, you’ll be killed!” -Nagumo 

Certainly, that was true. 

Moreover, that person would be gone from tomorrow. 

Even if I lay here battered and bleeding, no one would come to help. Suppressing the taste of blood that threatened to spill from my mouth, I pursued the Goblin’s fleeing back with all my might, stumbling in pain. 

Placing a hand on the grassy ground to steady myself, I leapt forward, closing in on the Goblin. 

Desperate to avoid death, the Goblin’s legs became entangled as it raced. It was a chance to kill. I thrust out my spear. The turning Goblin managed to dodge my first strike as it tumbled. It was fighting for its life too. 

“Cough, ugh, seriously, I’m puking blood. Nagumo-san, I’m really gonna die here.” -Rokujou 

“Just finish it already!!!” -Nagumo 

The pain in my abdomen clouded my consciousness. Nonetheless, I thrust out my spear again. 

Squelch. 

The blade pierced the Goblin Archer’s arm. 

Its movements dulled from that point. In a rush, I aimed my cross-spear with the side blade, making sure not to miss, and stabbed its abdomen. I pulled it out and stabbed again. 

“Grghhh…” 

The goblin stopped moving. 

“Ugh…” -Rokujou 

I managed to kill the Goblin Archer somehow. I crouched down. My stomach hurts too much. When I looked at my abdomen, blood was oozing out.