Akatsuki Translations

Update on chapter release frequency: https://akatsukitranslations.com/update-on-releases-for-five-years-since-the-dungeons-appeared/

I had always wanted to become stronger as my master’s summoned beast. Despite that, I was weak, and if things had stayed the same, I probably would have struggled just to level up in this stratum.

But now, things have changed significantly. I’ve become stronger. Suddenly, my mind became sharper, and my body more agile. It felt as if I had been freed from chains that had bound me for so long. I transformed Blue Bar and mounted Rai’s back. My master and Misuzu were riding behind me.

“Rai, take me to the remaining watchtower,” Misuzu said.

Rai responded with a roar. I understood what Misuzu wanted to do. The wooden buildings of the settlement were overflowing with magma from the “Lava” magic, turning the central area into a sea of fire.

However, the watchtowers on the outskirts remained unburned. Misuzu was going to snipe from there.

“Then, I’ll provide support from above,” Misuzu said.

As we approached the watchtower, Misuzu leaped from Rai’s back onto it.

“Understood. Lean, you know what you need to do, right?” my master asked.

“Don’t worry. I’ll take the front. I won’t let anyone get close to you or Misuzu,” I replied confidently.

“Good. Rai, Misuzu will support us from above. Lean, you’re on the front lines. We can’t lose to Yuuta. We’ll do our part here,” my master said, sounding quite motivated.

I was glad to see my master so energetic, as she had been feeling down lately. The scenery around us was changing dramatically. Magma overflowing from cracks in the ground was rapidly burning the goblins’ homes, engulfing the settlement in flames.

The goblins were confused by this magical disaster they had never experienced before.

Amidst the chaos, one goblin spotted us.

It was a Soldier, much larger than me.

“Gya?” it uttered, seemingly just noticing us in the magma-induced confusion. The Soldier’s eyes, which had been fearful of the magma, changed. They transformed into the sharp, ferocious eyes of a monster that had found its prey.

Killing human men and assaulting women – I somehow knew that goblins were destined for this from birth. Gradually, more goblins turned their sharp, ferocious eyes towards us rather than trying to escape.

Within my field of vision, six goblins were looking our way: three Soldiers, two Mages, and one Rider. Suddenly, an arrow pierced one of the Mages’ heads.

“Gya!?” they cried out in unison.

It happened so suddenly that it looked as if an arrow had suddenly grown from the Mage’s head. It was Misuzu’s 【Precision Double Shot】. The troublesome Mage collapsed, and without pause, Misuzu fired her second arrow.

However, now that it was no longer a surprise attack, a Soldier drew its greatsword and deflected Misuzu’s arrow.

“【Fire Arrow Formation】!” my master attacked, throwing the Soldier off balance. Another of Misuzu’s arrows pierced the Soldier’s arm. Two Soldiers noticed the source of the arrows on top of the watchtower and tried to destroy it. To prevent this, more arrows from Misuzu and magic from my master flew towards the Soldiers.

I also stepped in towards the remaining Soldier. I transformed my right hand into a halberd shape and swung it at the Soldier. It quickly drew its greatsword to block, and our weapons clashed violently. I was being pushed back.

Overpowered, my stance crumbled. The Soldier facing me grinned.

“Idiot,” I muttered.

Simultaneously, I transformed my left hand into a drill-like shape, rotating Blue Bar like a drill. I pierced the grinning Soldier’s heart from behind. Then, I beheaded it. Misuzu continued to rain down arrows like shooting stars from above.

My master’s fire arrow formation also flew, and it seemed we could whittle down the enemy at this rate. The two remaining Soldiers became immobilized, trying to protect their vital points from the arrows and fire arrow formation.

Noticing this, the unmarked Rider, along with its mounted lion, began to climb up the watchtower’s footing, realizing that the one up there was a nuisance.

A normal lion probably couldn’t do such a thing, but the lions in this stratum were clearly larger and more powerful. They could easily accomplish such feats. Determined not to let them, I extended Blue Bar and grabbed the lion’s foot.

The lion, climbing in an unstable position, lost its grip on the watchtower. As the lion fell, the goblin rider leapt from its back and remained clinging to the tower.

“Misuzu! Watch out!” I shouted.

“No need to worry!” Misuzu replied.

The goblin that had almost reached the top of the watchtower was kicked away by Misuzu, its eyes rolling back as it flew through the air. I changed Blue Bar’s shape into a sword. Positioning myself behind the falling goblin, I thrust the blade into its heart.

I then slashed the body of the lion I had been holding with Blue Bar, while also keeping the two remaining Soldiers in check. Despite receiving attacks from my master and Misuzu, these two Soldiers were stubbornly refusing to die.

It was fine for my master as a summoner, but Misuzu seemed frustrated with her attacks, which couldn’t deliver fatal wounds unless they hit vital points. I approached the two Soldiers from below with Blue Bar, grabbing their feet.

As I pulled, both Soldiers fell flat on their backs. They looked at their feet with eyes that seemed to ask, “What kind of creature is this?” While they were distracted,

“Master!” I signaled for her to attack.

“My Lean. Aren’t you stronger than Misuzu?” my master said.

“T-That’s not true!” Misuzu protested, her keen ears catching the comment as she continued to loose arrows.

This time, my master’s 【Fire Arrow Formation】 surely finished off the two Soldiers. However, it wasn’t over yet. A mixed group of Mages and Soldiers was approaching.

Even though they were separated by the magma and fire, their numbers were steadily increasing.

“Master, should we retreat?” I asked.

“If we lose to these confused guys, Yuuta will laugh at us. We’re not retreating yet. Lean, show me, your master, how strong you’ve become,” she replied.

“Understood,” I shouted. “Rai! Let’s use our union technique!”

“Gau!” Rai responded, clearly understanding.

I opened my mouth wide. Special ability 【Double Roar】!

“【GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!】” we roared in unison.

It was an ability unique to monsters. Using life force rather than magic power, when timed right with Rai, it could be quite powerful. Alone, it might only startle opponents, but together with Rai, the sound could deal actual damage. Our enemies staggered.

Blood was flowing from the ears of the two reinforcement Mages and one Soldier. Their sense of balance disturbed, they stumbled. Misuzu’s arrows and my master’s 【Fire Arrow Formation】 hit their marks. I also delivered the final blow to the fallen Soldiers. However, the number of goblins was still increasing.

“There’s a woman!”

“Capture her!”

“Gather! Gather! This way!”

I could hear the goblins shouting. These creatures prioritized their original purpose of living – assaulting women – over their fear of being consumed by magma. The gathering Mages were chanting spells.

“【Gya】!” they cried in unison.

Two fireballs flew towards my master. For us, our master was the most important, the one we wanted to protect above all else. I intercepted between my master and the fireballs. I spread Blue Bar like a shield.

“Lean! If you do that, you’ll…!” my master cried out.

The fireballs collided. Even through the shield, I could feel the scorching heat burning my body. The surface of Blue Bar was melting.

“【Gya】!” they shouted again.

They launched a second volley. I managed to endure it somehow. During that time, my master managed to escape. My body stung from the burns. I wanted to drink a potion. Thanks to the erupting magma, at least they couldn’t all come at us at once, but the number of enemies was still increasing.

I started to worry if Yuuta was alright by himself. Misuzu shot an arrow at the Mage who had been throwing fireballs. A newly arrived Soldier shielded the Mage. The number of goblins finally reached ten.

“These guys really do swarm lecherously at the sight of a woman! Lean, let’s fall back for now!” my master ordered.

“Understood!” I replied.

“Misuzu!” my master called out.

“Roger,” Misuzu responded.

Just as Misuzu was about to descend from the watchtower, I saw something large move.

A chill ran down my spine.

“Master, watch out!” I yelled.

“Huh?” she responded, confused.

I redirected all of Blue Bar, even the parts covering my body, into a shield. As a result, I was left naked, but that was the least of my concerns. Even with the shield, the impact that traveled through my entire body was painful.

“Goga?” our opponent uttered, seemingly puzzled that we were unharmed from its attack.

Even though I had put everything into defense, the shield was still half torn. The other goblins started making a fuss about my nakedness, which was annoying.

It was irritating that these creatures were getting excited over my nudity when Yuuta had seen me plenty of times during baths. Still, I couldn’t cover my entire body with Blue Bar. I only managed to hide the bare minimum – my chest and groin. I needed to focus on this enemy, or we’d die.

This creature was even larger than a Soldier. It wore a black, spiky helmet and armor, wielding a sword bigger than a Soldier’s.

“Master, we can’t escape. This one was probably waiting for us to try and run,” I said.

“Yes, it seems so,” my master replied.

“Wow. Can we do something about this?” Misuzu asked, descending from the watchtower to stand beside us.

The goblins who had been attacking relentlessly suddenly fell silent.

“Goga,” the large creature grunted.

Despite its size and muscular appearance, its movements were calculated. Being smarter now, I could tell. This one wasn’t letting its guard down, nor was it underestimating us. It saw us as prey and was intent on hunting us properly.

“Master. This one… it’s a General,” I explained.

A level 20 commander that appears to lead the goblins. The moment a General appears, the goblins’ movements become more coordinated. The General raised its right hand. It was ordering them to “Get in formation.”

The goblins began to form ranks. Six Soldiers lined up on the General’s left and right. Three Mages took positions at the rear. Three Riders were placed on the flanks as a mobile unit. Then the General spoke to me.

“Blue naked woman. You’re a monster like us, aren’t you?” it asked.

I nodded involuntarily. Since it was speaking in the goblin language, my master and the others couldn’t understand.

“Can you understand our language?” it continued.

“I understand. I’m my master’s summoned beast. But I’m also a monster,” I replied.

“Summoned beast… Strangely, I innately know that such beings exist. Creatures who, despite being monsters, find supreme joy in being used by humans. Is that your happiness?”

“There’s no need to say that.”

“Surrender. We don’t want to kill women if possible. Even just wounding them often shortens their lives.”

I couldn’t answer this myself, so I relayed it to my master. If my master decided to surrender, my will wouldn’t matter.

“Master, it’s saying ‘Surrender’,” I translated.

“Lean. I’d rather die than become a goblin’s plaything. Tell them that,” my master responded.

“Same here,” Misuzu added.

Neither of them seemed to have even a shred of intention to give up.

“We don’t need to surrender. We’re going to kill you all,” I told the General.

“I promise to take good care of you. If you don’t mind bearing children, I’ll grant you as many whims as possible. Especially your master, being beautiful, I’ll offer her as a special tribute to the great emperor. You and the other woman are beautiful too. There’s another General in this settlement besides me. We’ll take care of you two personally. Do you still refuse?”

“You’re an idiot. That’s even worse,” I retorted.

“Once the battle begins, I can’t guarantee any mercy. I can’t promise we won’t kill you just because you’re women.”

“That’s better. I’d rather be killed properly than survive in that state.”

“Blue naked woman. I’ve seen your strength. But I’m stronger.”

“We’ll still fight.”

The General raised its right hand again. The Soldiers stepped forward.

“Then, try to survive if you can,” it said.

“Lean. We can’t win in a head-on battle. We’ll aim to regroup with Yuuta. We’ll fight while retreating, so you go to the front and cause disruption. It’s going to be very dangerous, but I’ll always keep you in sight, and if worst comes to worst, I’ll dismiss your summon to let you escape, so don’t worry. Misuzu, get on,” my master instructed.

“Understood,” Misuzu replied.

I stepped forward.

“【Level Down】,” Misuzu cast.

“【Summoned Beast Enhancement】,” my master cast.

My master strengthened me while Misuzu lowered the General’s level by one. Thinking I was going to face the General, I charged forward to clash with it. No matter how much stronger I had become, this one was still stronger than me.

If I fought head-on, I’d be killed quickly. I thought about entangling it with Blue Bar, but it disappeared from in front of me.

“Too slow,” it said.

Before I knew it, it was at my side. The movement seemed strangely slow. The General wasn’t holding its greatsword; it was throwing a punch. I tried to block it, raising Blue Bar as a shield. For some reason, it aimed for the center of the shield.

I felt an impact that threatened to tear my body apart, and I was sent flying. As I tumbled on the ground, I regained my posture and transformed Blue Bar to attack from both sides with a halberd and a drill.

“Acrobatics? How foolish. Female monster! Is your appearance your only good point?” the General taunted.

This attack would have damaged a Soldier, but with just a slight shift, the General’s armor deflected it. The other goblins were swarming towards my master and Misuzu, who were riding Rai. Rai’s legs should have been able to outrun them, but the Riders were blocking their escape route with coordinated movements.

The General seemed to have enough composure to command its subordinates while fighting. As I couldn’t fully concentrate on the General, its greatsword came swinging down at me. I grabbed the feet of a Soldier aiming for my master and the others, pulling myself away.

“Gya!?” the Soldier exclaimed, surprised by the unexpected tug on its feet.

While avoiding the General’s attack, I pounced on the Soldier, changing Blue Bar into a halberd shape. I raised the halberd, about to bring it down, when—

“Fire,” the General ordered.

“【Gya】!” the Mages cried in unison.

The enemy wasn’t naive either. Two fireballs came flying. They were aimed precisely at where I was headed. If I continued, I would collide with the fireballs. However, Misuzu’s arrow shot down the fireballs.

“Gya!?” the Soldier I had tripped exclaimed.

As I was about to stab the heart of the fallen Soldier,

“See? Is this the time to worry about letting your master escape?” the General said.

The General moved.

Its greatsword came swinging down towards me.

“Fire,” the General ordered.

“【Gya】!” the Mages cried.

No, it wasn’t just the greatsword. Fireballs were coming at me too. I redirected all of Blue Bar to defend against the General’s attack. As a result, the fireballs hit me. My body burned, and it was incredibly hot. I intended to block the General’s attack with the shield, but it wasn’t enough, and the blade sank deep into my shoulder.

The General pulled its greatsword, which was embedded in my shoulder.

“It hurts!” I cried out.

“I bet it does!” the General replied.

Its series of movements were incredibly smooth and fluid. The General lazily held its greatsword sideways, aimed at me again. What kind of sloppy stance is that? It’s frustrating. It’s been holding back as if fighting a child this whole time.

Even so, the General’s movements were too fast for me to reposition Blue Bar in time. It’s no good. I can’t block it. Misuzu loosed an arrow, but a Soldier commanded by the General intercepted and blocked it.

Rai hurriedly galloped back towards us, and my master’s 【Fire Arrow Formation】 flew our way, but another Soldier blocked that too. With all of Blue Bar focused on defense, the General casually swung its greatsword horizontally at my exposed stomach.

My body was about to be cut in two.

A shock ran through my entire body as I bounced across the ground multiple times, nearly plunging into the magma. I thought how frustrating it would be to die so quickly after finally becoming stronger. But before I could fall into the magma, someone caught my body.

“Are you alright?” a voice asked.

I knew who it was without looking. I thought that if this person’s arms were the last thing I felt, it wouldn’t be so bad.

“Yes. Potion,” I managed to say.

I thought it was too late for a potion to help, but I still accepted what was handed to me. Wait, I could accept it?

“You’ve gotten stronger, Lean. But you might want to cover up a bit more than just the essential parts. It’s… well, you’ve grown a lot, and it’s hard to know where to look,” Yuuta said.

“Huh?” I responded, confused.

Yuuta’s demeanor was so normal that I found it strange, considering I was on the verge of death. I looked at my own feet. They were still attached? Wondering why, I looked at the General.

“Gyagya! Well done, human male! I thank you. We almost threw a potential child-bearer into the lava!” the General exclaimed.

Ah, I see. What an idiot. While saying it wouldn’t hold back, it did. It had used the flat of its sword to send me flying. I drank the potion. My body glowed as it recovered. I thought I could still fight.

“Yuuta. There’s another General somewhere,” I informed him.

“Don’t worry, Lean. I’ve already killed that one,” Yuuta replied.

As expected, I like strong males. I felt a throbbing at my core. I believed that with Yuuta, there was no way we could lose.