Akatsuki Translations

“It’s pretty low, what I’m doing.” -Yuuta

“Yuuta, did you say something?” -Misuzu

“Oh, no, nothing.”  -Yuuta

Like usual, I took the first train from Kokubunji Station to head to the dungeon. Misuzu was wearing a boa coat, a scarf wrapped around her neck, and leggings that went up to her ankles. The girl who perfectly pulled off the look took my arm as soon as we met and sat down on the train with me.

I was happy to link arms with Misuzu, but nothing had been resolved with Imari yet. I thought Imari would want things to be clear, but she came into my bed in the middle of the night and kissed me just like Misuzu did. And then,

“Yuuta, you want to become a Level 1000 explorer, right?” -Imari

“I do. I’m serious about that.” -Yuuta

“Then, I don’t need to decide anything for now. Misuzu Kiriyama is also aiming for Level 1000, right? I want to try it too. I want to know what I’ll think when I become Level 1000. So, it’s okay not to decide for now.” -Imari

She said that, and I accepted it.

Rather, I didn’t know what to do myself. I thought I would have to end things with Misuzu if Imari wished so. But Imari didn’t wish for that. And if becoming Level 1000 meant being in a party with Misuzu, then Imari agreed to it.

I took advantage of Imari’s words.

We changed trains and arrived at Ikebukuro.

It was still dark outside, and the lights of the dungeon shop seemed welcoming. I wondered if I could consult Nanagumo about this. He seemed quite experienced with women and might give me some insightful advice.

As I thought about this and was pulled along by Misuzu, we entered the early morning shop. And then,

“That person is…” -Yuuta

I immediately knew. There was a foreign woman with golden hair and blue eyes, probably about my height, around 175cm. I felt she seemed taller than most men.

Her chest and hips were well-defined, and she was wearing something like a nightdress, looking like a Hollywood celebrity. What really captivated me was her face, with its distinctly non-Japanese sharp features.

Still retaining a bit of youthful innocence, she was an exceptionally beautiful girl.

“Good morning. You must be Misuzu and Yuuta, right?” -Evie

Her smile took my breath away. Evie Nova Timberlake. There was no mistake. I was still half in doubt, but we had agreed to meet her at this unnoticeable time when there was no one else in the dungeon shop. And indeed, she was there.

The lady at the cash register looked at us as if wondering why Evie Nova Timberlake was here. And for some reason, she picked up the phone.

“Y-yes, it’s us. Good afternoon, Evie.” -Yuuta

“Good afternoon. Well, it’s pretty early.”  -Evie

I blushed, realizing I had gotten the morning greeting wrong in front of a Japanese person. Misuzu firmly took my arm as if to show off. As if I could ever have anything to do with such a foreign beauty.

Lit by the lights of the dungeon shop, Evie looked even more enchanting than in photos. Her presence felt out of place in Japan. Her seductive eyes seemed to have the power to bewitch any man.

It seemed impossible that she ended up in this country by mistake. When I saw the elf, I felt like I was looking at a painting, but this girl was also extraordinary.

“We’ll probably be working together for a long time. Nice to meet you.”  -Evie

“Ah, yes.” -Yuuta

I didn’t know what to say.

Evie’s face approached me closely. I was flustered, thinking she might kiss me again, considering my situation with Misuzu and Imari. But then Evie hugged me. It wasn’t a forceful embrace.

Ah, this must be a typical Western greeting.

I felt a light kiss on my cheek. It was just a greeting, but still, my heart raced. I thought to myself that maybe I get excited around any woman.

“Your J-japanese is very good.” -Yuuta

I wondered if it would be rude not to hug her back. As I hesitated, I decided to hug her lightly, then quickly let go, fearing it might be inappropriate.

“Hehe, this. It was a bit expensive, but I bought it. My Japanese is not good at all. I plan to learn properly, but I thought it might be easier after leveling up, right?” -Evie

Her shrug was characteristic of a Westerner.

When she winked at me, it felt like I could fall for her just from that.

Evie also hugged Misuzu and kissed her cheek, typical of Westerners. She then pointed to a choker around her neck, adorned with a gemstone in the middle.

It was a so-called 【Translator Device】.

Not a mechanical one, but a dungeon item translator, sold for about 50 million yen. It can even be made invisible and perfectly translates any language. I noticed that although Evie’s mouth was moving, it wasn’t in sync with Japanese words; she was speaking English.

“T-that’s an item from the Gold Gacha. Amazing.” -Yuuta

I inadvertently spoke in a respectful tone while closely examining the item. As I did, Evie’s chest entered my field of vision, and I couldn’t help but notice its abundance. I felt down, realizing I got excited around anyone.

“Well, it’s just a little investment. I was planning to spend all my fortune on equipment, but it’s not so great, is it?” -Evie

“Yeah. R-right. It’s better not to go overboard if you’re aiming for Level 1000. Your stats won’t increase well. If you go into the dungeon all decked out in gear, you might not even be able to descend past the 10th floor.” -Yuuta

I struggled to speak properly.

“It seems so. So I held off. But as a thank-you for forming a party with me, I’ll give each of you one million dollars. I’ve prepared it. Please accept it.” -Evie

“”We don’t need it.”” -Yuuta & Misuzu

Misuzu and I said in unison, surprised. Evie is a top model in America, and even Misuzu’s sister could easily build a house for her parents with her earnings. Evie, more famous than her, must be incredibly wealthy, enough to afford beginner-level gear.

“Why not? It’s a thank-you for forming a party. You don’t need to return it.” -Evie

She said it so casually. It was ridiculous. Even with the high exchange rate, one million dollars is about 50 million yen, still too much for our current needs.

“E-Evie…” -Misuzu

Misuzu finally found her voice.

“We’re becoming a party, a team. We don’t need thanks. We agreed to form a party with you because we thought it would help us reach higher levels. And one million dollars for the first floor is excessive. We don’t need to spend that much, and what kind of financial sense is that?” -Misuzu

“Hmm. Yuuta, you don’t want it either?” -Evie

“Yeah, I don’t think it’s necessary.” -Yuuta

Evie looked a bit pouty, like a disappointed child. I noticed two men in black suits behind her. When Evie raised her hand, they stepped back.

“W-who are they? Friends?” -Yuuta

“No, they’re from my company. When I told my boss why I’m entering the Japanese dungeon, he said he’d invest.” -Evie

“Invest?” -Yuuta

“Yeah. They’re here to support me in various ways. Even though they were talking about terminating my contract until recently, they’re so crazy. I have level 10 bodyguards, but that’s useless in Japan where high levels are everywhere.” -Evie

“I don’t think they’re everywhere…” -Yuuta

I wondered what foreigners thought about Japan. I had heard that Japan was leading in dungeons, so maybe they thought it was full of strong people.

“Really? I heard that there are real ninjas in Japan now.” -Evie

“Well, that’s true…” -Yuuta

Japanese explorers often try ninja techniques after leveling up, leading to many videos titled “I Tried Being a Real Ninja!” on the internet. While amusing, they could certainly cause misunderstandings among foreigners.

“Of course, it’s a misunderstanding.” -Yuuta

“Hmm?”  -Evie

I couldn’t help but sparkle in my eyes at Evie, but I didn’t elaborate further.

“So, can’t you introduce me to a ninja?” -Evie

“Introduce a ninj――” -Yuuta

“Hey, kid, how are you doing!”

I was about to reply when I heard a voice.

“Nagumo-san?” -Yuuta

There he was, Nagumo-san. As usual with his unshaven beard and sunglasses, looking sleepy and carrying a large sword on his back.

“Nagumo-san, please don’t use me for this kind of thing.”

“Tch. Stupid woman, thanks for the trouble.” -Nagumo

“I’m not an errand runner for explorers.”

The one who replied was the lady at the register.

Apparently, she had contacted Nagumo-san about us being at the dungeon shop. That’s what the phone call was about earlier. I had thought she was bragging to a friend about Evie being here.

“Hey, take this. If you’re going to say things like that, do you not want it?” -Nagumo

“Well, I’ll take what I can get.” -Register Lady

Nagumo-san handed over what looked like a bundle of bills worth about 1 million yen, which the lady quickly accepted and put into her pouch.

Probably, she informed him of my arrival, expecting a reward in return. And for that, she got 1 million yen. The financial sense of high-level explorers truly baffles me.

“Is this man Nagumo-san?” -Misuzu

Misuzu asked, and Evie looked at Nagumo-san with interest.

“Yeah, he is. But, Nagumo-san, what brings you here?” -Yuuta

“Well, I’ve been concerned about you since that incident. I asked the stupid woman to let me know when you arrived.” -Nagumo

“About me?” -Yuuta

I had heard that high-level explorers were busy with dungeon exploration and often consulted by the government. And yet, he was so concerned about someone like me, a young kid?

“Yeah. Have you been bothered by Hazumi since then? If he bothers you, let me know. I’ll kill him if it comes to that.” -Nagumo

“Ah, yes. Nothing so far. But, kill? Would you really kill Hazumi for me?” -Yuuta

“That’s what I’m saying.” -Nagumo

“Are you serious?” -Yuuta

I was shocked that he readily agreed to kill someone, after all the worry I had been through.

“Yuuta, he seems willing to quickly take out Hazumi for you.” -Misuzu

Misuzu whispered in my ear.

“Well, if it’s really annoying, I guess I’ll go and kill him quickly.”  -Nagumo

“No, it’s fine! Please don’t!” -Yuuta

I hurriedly stopped him.

As much as I felt they deserved it after seeing those stained underwear of the victims, having Nagumo-san do it felt wrong.

“Is that so? But hey, what level are you now?” -Nagumo

“3.” -Yuuta

“Wow, pretty impressive. So you’re looking for the stairs now?” -Nagumo

“Um, is reaching level 3 in two days really that impressive?” -Yuuta

“Definitely impressive. It took me three days. If you managed to reach level 3 in such a short time, that’s quite an achievement. No wonder cute girls are flocking to you.” -Nagumo

Nagumo-san looked at Misuzu and Evie behind me. It felt strangely satisfying to be praised by him.

“Are these two your comrades?” -Nagumo

“Yes. Just like Nagumo-san said, I found them right away.” -Yuuta

“Good, good. You’re just as I expected. The dungeon likes you, so you find good comrades easily. They’re quite beautiful, aren’t they? Treat them well.” -Nagumo

“Yes.” -Yuuta

“Any fourth member?” -Nagumo

“My sister, well, stepsister. We’re two months apart in birthdays. She wants to join me in the dungeon, so she’ll probably be the fourth member.” -Yuuta

“What, that sounds like a perfect harem party.” -Nagumo

Nagumo-san grinned mischievously.

“Ha, haha, I didn’t intend that.” -Yuuta

Or rather, I was incredibly troubled about this whole sister thing. I wanted to consult with Nagumo-san, but in this situation, I couldn’t bring it up.

“Well, it’s great that things are going smoothly for you. It makes me happy to see someone I took under my wing doing well. But don’t underestimate Hazumi and his gang. Let me tell you, if they mess with you, you’re in real trouble.” -Nagumo

“I understand that, but…” -Yuuta

“So why are you entering the dungeon here in Ikebukuro?” -Nagumo

“Ah, um…” -Yuuta

Oh, so that’s why he came. He probably realized it’s dangerous to enter the dungeon here, understood from his perspective. Of course, the dungeon itself is dangerous, but disputes among explorers can quickly turn deadly.

“Should I change locations?”  -Yuuta

“Well, I kinda spurred you on, so that’s my bad. That’s the idea.” -Nagumo

“I’m really sorry.” -Yuuta

“No, I didn’t stop you, so I’m to blame too.” -Nagumo

He’s such a good person. Of all the adults I’ve met, he’s the best. Despite being much higher up than me, he’s willing to bow his head to someone like me. More than anything, I was relieved that an adult I could consult with had appeared.

“Um, Nagumo-san.” -Yuuta

“What? Don’t like the idea of running away?” -Nagumo

“No, if Nagumo-san says so, I’ll obediently listen.” -Yuuta

“Ha ha, sorry for sounding so forceful.” -Nagumo

“No, I don’t think of it that way at all.” -Yuuta

“Well, I looked into Hazumi a bit. They’re more dangerous than I thought. Honestly, I’m here correcting what I said earlier because I’m worried.” -Nagumo

“You went out of your way to research for me?” -Yuuta

“Not just for you. I was curious. But when I did, it turned out that Hazumi and his group have reached the mid-level. I didn’t expect them to level up so quickly. It’s only been two years since they became explorers, but their pace is quite excellent.” -Nagumo

“Mid-level explorers…” -Yuuta

Mid-level and above are superhuman. Low-levels are still humanly trackable, but it changes from mid-levels. Ordinary people can’t even comprehend what they’re doing.

“It seems they’ve gotten cocky and are harassing girls around here, saying, ‘I’ll help you level up in the dungeon.’ As a result, a lot of girls never return. Right?” -Nagumo

“Y-yes, it’s a bit troubling. I-I was also approached and got really scared.”  -Register Lady

Nagumo-san turned to the lady at the register.

It seemed she had done the research. She looked extremely nervous talking to Nagumo-san, almost too much so. Was it just my imagination?

“So, I thought it’d be annoying if some brats I knew got killed by such mid-level idiots. I thought I might as well kill them.” -Nagumo

“What are you talking about?” -Evie

Evie couldn’t follow the conversation and asked for an explanation.

After explaining up to that point, Nagumo-san said, “It’s troublesome with people around,” and moved us to the first layer of the Ikebukuro dungeon to continue explaining to Evie. While talking, it got so hot that Evie, Misuzu, and I quickly stripped down to lighter clothes.

“Ah, that’s the worst. I didn’t think that kind of thing existed in Japan.” -Evie

Evie, irritated by the heat and disgust, threw her dress cape on the ground. Her shoulders were exposed, but being a model, she seemed unbothered by the exposure. Her well-proportioned chest was emphasized, making it clear just how good her figure was.

“Do they do the same thing over there?” -Misuzu

Misuzu, curious, asked Evie, who twisted her face in response.

“Yeah. Or rather, it’s worse over there. America completely fell behind in dealing with dungeons. As a result, lots of people died, and those without ethics dominated the dungeons. Especially the special-grade dungeons, they’re too dangerous to enter. Even the beginner and intermediate levels are risky. Safe dungeons that ordinary people can enter are only a handful.” -Evie

Hearing this, I understood why Evie so readily came to Japan. It was much safer here, and with comrades of the same level ready to enter the dungeon with her, it was a logical choice.

“Is there nothing that can be done about it?” -Yuuta

“Dragon Flame Ryuubi from Japan is helping out. But even then, it’s taking time.” -Evie

“Dragon Flame Ryuubi is helping?” -Yuuta

That was news to me.

“There wasn’t such information on the internet though?” -Nagumo

“Recently, the internet has been unreliable. There’s too much regulation, and it’s not like before where you could find out anything. Especially information about explorers is heavily restricted. Even the stories about Dragon Flame Ryuubi are mostly through word of mouth. She seems to have caused quite a stir in Japan, but because she’s so beautiful, the fire-breathing dragon is popular in America. Of course, American explorers, led by General Ghent, are trying to regulate things, but the ‘Three-Year Blunder’ really has lasting effects.” –Evie

The “Three-Year Blunder” refers to America’s biggest mistake in handling dungeons. It took America three years to completely lift regulations on dungeons. From the beginning, America was opposed to civilians, who were neither police nor military, entering the dungeons.

This was because societal collapse was imminent, especially in a multi-ethnic country like America. As a result, America sealed off the dungeons, and by the second year, dungeon collapses began. Monsters started spewing out from the first entry of all dungeons.

However, the situation was still manageable by the U.S. military as only monsters from the first to third layers were emerging. No sightings of fourth-layer or deeper monsters were reported yet. But those from the fourth layer and beyond are dangerous.

With the increasing information from Japan and other countries where dungeon exploration was advancing, the U.S. was well aware of this. Reluctantly, they lifted all dungeon-related laws, leading to the current situation.

“Dragon Flame Ryuubi is doing such things now?” -Nagumo

“I’ve seen them just once, and they were incredibly beautiful, like a phoenix. I thought that if there wasn’t a human reincarnation, something like her would be nice. But there are also terrible high-level explorers, just like Japan’s bad samurai, Raiden Toyokuni. When such people dominate a dungeon, it becomes impossible for low-levels to enter. I was honestly surprised when I heard that Ikebukuro’s dungeon was accessible for low-levels.” -Evie

“So Ikebukuro is relatively better for low-levels?” -Yuuta

“Yes. Hazumi, was it? If you can get him killed, why not? Do you need to hesitate?” -Evie

“But, we’re going to change our dungeon to Kofu, so there’s no need to go that far.” -Yuuta

“You’re too naive. While you level up in Kofu, they’ll also be increasing their levels. Such ill-behaved people need to be eliminated sooner rather than later.” -Evie

“Yuuta, what will you do? If you have a plan, I won’t interfere.”  -Misuzu

“I don’t have one, but… can I really ask for that?” -Yuuta

Can I easily request someone’s death?

Although Nagumo-san was concerned for me and I was happy about it, is it ethically permissible? Normally, one would hesitate to even consider requesting a murder. But if the three of us are found by Hazumi’s group in the dungeon, we’ll undoubtedly be killed.

It might be different if it’s just me since I’m a guy, but Misuzu and Evie are there too.

Men willing to kill for women won’t likely spare two as beautiful as Misuzu and Evie. If they lay hands on them, I can’t choose to run away.

I might have fled at school, but if running away in the dungeon means living, then I’d rather die.