Akatsuki Translations

On the rooftop of a building near the hybrid dragon’s crash site:

“Jain!!!!!!” Rabin screamed, her voice like a wail.

It was a cry of anguish unimaginable from her usual demeanor. Her comrades understood the reason for her scream all too well. The flame produced by the gigantic magic eye that had “crept out from within the great tree” was as strong and intense as Lynne’s earlier attack. Jain’s burning figure was blown away so forcefully it was barely visible, like a shadow.

They couldn’t help but imagine the worst outcome.

Rabin must have thought the same. That’s why she was now trying to climb over the building’s fence to reach Jain. But that was unwise. With Jain blown away, she was now the commander of the 【White Serpent】 group.

“Wait, Rabin!!” one of her subordinate mages shouted.

Rabin stopped moving. It seemed she still had a sliver of reason left. However, the glare she shot back was truly precarious. A murderous intent and lack of composure that suggested she might kill them if they weren’t careful was evident.

So, the mage chose his words carefully.

“…Calm down. We prepared for situations like this, didn’t we? He’s wearing lots of disposable protective talismans. I’m sure he’s not dead yet. So, please…”

“……”

It was an overly optimistic statement. True, they had prepared equipment. But in battle against monsters, death comes when it comes, regardless of preparations. All preparations, all training, all mental readiness—these could be rendered meaningless in an instant. That was the world Jain, Rabin, and their subordinates had been living in.

They all knew this. It was precisely because they never knew when that merciless “end” would come that they fought so desperately each day.

So, the mage’s words were terribly shallow. But they were necessary to help Rabin regain her composure.

“……”

Rabin’s face, usually grinning and laughing, was now devoid of all emotion.

The mage knew her usual attitude was meant to lighten the mood within the guild. Her exaggeratedly humble words were to clearly show her subordinate relationship to Jain. She always prioritized Jain in her behavior. Therefore, he understood that losing Jain now would be most shocking for her.

“…Everyone, prepare to withdraw from this position. Confirm Jain’s safety, and if he’s alive, retrieve him,” Rabin finally ordered.

“Understood,” the mage replied.

“Don’t forget to contact the Envy Knights for our escape. Worst case, we’ll have to abandon Uuga.”

The mage was grateful to Rabin for giving calm instructions despite everything.

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Dragon Devourer Uuga: Jain’s Home

Jain was tending to the small vegetable garden in the narrow yard in front of his house. He was removing tiny weeds, getting rid of pests, and pruning unnecessary leaves and fruits. His face was covered in dirt.

The garden area was small. Seeds for vegetable gardens were precious outside the production city, and there weren’t many varieties. Moreover, there was a limit to how far Jain could reach.

“Hey, is playing with dirt really that fun?” Ur, who had been roped into helping, wiped sweat off his brow.

Despite it being close to midsummer, the sun was particularly strong that day, making outdoor work hot. Even though they ran around plenty when fighting monsters, Ur already looked exhausted.

Without taking his eyes off the ripened fruit before him, Jain replied to the question, “It’s rewarding.”

“I don’t get it. It smells earthy, bugs appear, and daily care is a hassle. Even if they say it’s a luxurious hobby of land-owning priests…”

Despite his complaints, Ur didn’t stop working, showing his sense of duty.

Jain could have ignored Ur’s grumbling, but he understood where Ur was coming from. They didn’t need to grow their own food; supplies from Gradol were now stable. They were given enough food to avoid hunger.

So why was Jain getting his fingernails caked with dirt and blackened?

“Growing something yourself is…” Jain began.

“Is what?” Ur prompted.

“It feels good.”

“I don’t get it at all,” Ur retorted, exasperated by the vague explanation.

Jain looked up at the sky, as if pondering. “…When you’re Nameless, your options are limited. You can’t stay in one place, you know. Plus, the outside is full of monsters. You can’t really build up anything besides yourself.”

“…Well, that’s true, but…”

Nurturing something. Processing it. Creating it. The Nameless inevitably become detached from such activities. They have fewer opportunities for them. Of course, the Nameless develop their own culture, and Jain wasn’t denying that, but the trend is generally sparse and weak.

Unable to stay in one place. Unable to settle down leisurely. Not even knowing if they’ll survive. That’s how it was. The days of the Nameless were too busy and harsh.

“So, creating is enjoyable. It’s a blessing to be able to settle down, build things up one by one, without anyone kicking it all away.”

“…Well, I guess so,” Ur finally conceded on this point.

Jain finished tending to the garden, wiped the dirt off the fruit in front of him, and stood up. The sun was dazzling. Looking up, he could see his home. Rabin was probably still asleep in the bedroom.

In the living room, traces of yesterday’s noisy drinking party with Rabin and the 【White Serpent】 guild members still remained. After washing up, he’d have to start with cleaning.

It felt like a chore. But strangely, he didn’t feel bad about it.

“This place is really something special…” Jain mused.

“…Yeah, it is,” Ur agreed.

Understanding that their ability to enjoy gardening like this—on the back of an unprecedentedly huge familiar, at the center of various schemes and conspiracies—was close to a miracle, Jain couldn’t help but think:

“…I don’t want to lose this.”

Jain squinted at the dazzling light of the sun god pouring down from the sky. His voice, as he muttered those words, was far too sentimental and regretful for a top-tier, silver-rank adventurer. But Ur, hearing this beside him, chose not to point it out.

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Present Time: Dragon-Devoured Uuga

“Did I… make a mistake…?” Jain muttered as he awoke to searing pain, unable to move a muscle.

He felt all the protective talismans he had hidden on his body shatter. Even the one the Phoenix guild master had called “a special treasure!” was in pieces.

The 【Phoenix Talisman】 wasn’t as impressive as claimed. Or perhaps he was still alive thanks to that talisman. Either way, it didn’t matter anymore.

『     Z     』

The dragon’s magic eye loomed before him. Jain had no means left to escape it.

“The heart…itself… is… a… magic… eye…?”

This magic eye must have been what was glowing inside the great tree. Because Jain had been cutting it up from the outside, it had desperately burst out. And now Jain was in this sorry state.

『               Z               』

The magic eye glowed. Jain didn’t feel sleepy, probably because this wasn’t the 【Sloth】 magic eye. It was the same kind of magic eye that caused a simple, extreme explosion earlier. Though its exact type was unknown, it would certainly end Jain’s life.

“…What a lame end,” Jain laughed weakly at himself for making a typical rookie adventurer mistake—misjudging when to retreat and dying from greed.

When Eckstein suggested withdrawing, Jain should have simply nodded. He understood that moment was the absolute last chance, yet he refused. This was the result.

Because he wished to be happy in a place where no one could interfere—

“…Don’t… fuck with me,” Jain growled, feeling anger well up inside him.

He had only wished to be happy and protect that happiness. Jain’s desire wasn’t grandiose. It was the ordinary happiness everyone naturally wishes for.

What right did this disgusting eyeball monster have to interfere with such a modest wish?!

“Ugh,” Jain grunted, gripping the 【Dragon Slayer】 he had stubbornly held onto even after being caught in that massive explosion.

He took a deep breath, concentrating his last bit of strength into his hand.

“Die, you bastard!!!!” he roared, hurling the spear.

His final throw, powered by every last ounce of strength, flew straight toward the magic eye. But—

『     Z     』

Before it could hit the magic eye, the surrounding dragon roots caught and knocked down the spear. The magic eye in front of Jain distorted. Realizing it was mocking him, Jain’s face contorted as he screamed:

“Be cursed, you damn eyeball!”

“Jain!!!” Rabin’s voice rang out.

『     Z     』

Jain had neither the strength nor the time left to tell her not to come. The heat around him swelled. An even stronger explosion than before was about to occur. Jain relaxed his body and looked up at the sky.

Then he noticed.

“【Miralphyne!!!】”

“Huh?”

The figure of Dragon-Devoured Uuga’s queen falling from the sky. And immediately after—

『               Z               』

The magic eye’s explosion resounded once again.